Shinsuke Tanahashi III : Graduation and Goodbye

March 18th. One day before graduation.

It's the day before graduation. Yuuki, Itsuki, Nise, Miu, and Sakura are in the faculty room with Sensei, talking to them about Shin's status at the graduation.

"I see, he won't make it in time."

The group and Sensei look sad about the situation but didn't give in to their emotions.

Sensei asked, "Are you going to visit him for the last time?"

Yuuki replied, "We will."

Sensei gave some money to them, "You guys buy him flowers. I'll leave Tanahashi-Kun to you guys and send my regards to him."

Itsuki took the money from Sensei, "We will, Sensei."

—

At the hospital...

Someone at the door came knocking on my room and it opened. It was my friends who entered the room.

I greeted, "Hello...there."

They smiled at me while Yuuki is holding some flowers, "Hey there, Shin."

I looked at the flowers and pointed at them, "What's with the flowers?"

Itsuki replied, "It's from Sensei."

Yuuki put the flowers on my lap, "I see. Can you guys tell him that I said thanks?"

Miu smiled, "Of course, we will tell him!"

I asked everyone, "I know you guys are here but I'm a bit tired. Can you guys let me rest for a bit?"

Everyone nodded and Sakura replied, "Of course, you can."

I lay my head on the pillow, "Thanks, guys."

Nise replied, "Don't mention it."

After a few seconds, I fell asleep immediately.

—

The group looked as Shin fells asleep.

Yuuki was about to cry but prevented it from happening, as she looks at Shin. She holds his hand and kissed it, "Shin..."

Sakura asked Yuuki, "Are you okay, Yuuki?"

Yuuki replied, "I don't know. I feel...powerless. I want to do something but there's nothing I can do but to watch him until his final beat."

Sakura comforts Yuuki, "It's not you who also feel that way. Everyone else in here also feels the same way as you do, Yuuki."

Itsuki looks at Shin, "Truth be told, I owe Shin a lot."

Everyone looked at Itsuki, as he clench his fist out of anger, "I'm mad because as his friend, there's nothing I can do to help him. It was Shin who told me that my dream isn't dead yet and there are different paths to it."

(It was Shin who made me realize that dream isn't dead yet.)

The anger Itsuki feels is felt by everyone there as well. But it wasn't just Itsuki who owes Shin.

Nise followed suit, "Without Shin, people might never accept me for who I am. I know Yuuki was there too but it was Shin who told me to be myself and fight for what I want."

(That's right, it was Shin who told me to never lie to myself ever again.)

Miu speaks out after Nise, "I'm always grateful to Shin. Because of him, our friendship has become stronger than before."

(Without Shin, the friendship that we forge together wouldn't be strong as before.)

Sakura followed Miu, "If we didn't meet Shin, these memories that we made over the past two years wouldn't happen at all."

(Shin gave us wonderful memories that we never thought would happen.)

Yuuki looks at Shin while still holding his hand. 

Itsuki grabs his bag, "I guess we should head back home, we don't want Shin to see us crying."

Miu giggled a bit, "You're right. He might find it troublesome after all."

Nise followed, "We have graduation tomorrow as well."

Sakura also grabs her bag, "This is farewell, I guess."

Yuuki wasn't standing, as she still sitting next to Shin. Sakura asked, "How about you, Yuuki?"

Yuuki replied, "You guys go first, I'll stay for a bit."

The rest of the group opens the door and Sakura replied to Yuuki, "I see. See you tomorrow, Yuuki," as they closed the door and left the room.

Yuuki is just holding Shin's hand. Yuuki stayed there for an hour and suddenly, Shin woke up.

—

I feel someone's warmth that is holding my hand dearly.  I opened my eyes and looked to the right and it was Yuuki.

Yuuki suddenly noticed that I'm awake, "Shin."

I looked around and there was no one but us, "Where's everyone?"

Yuuki replied, "They already left. They want to get ready for the graduation ceremony."

I smiled, "I see."

Yuuki just looks at me and when our eyes met, she just smiled at me, and I smiled back at her.

I'm feeling weak again, "I'm feeling a bit tired again."

Yuuki talked to me, "It's fine. You can rest now, Shin."

I looked at her again, "About your confession..."

Yuuki was surprised by it that I brought it up.

I continued speaking while holding her hand, "Someday, I'll...answer your...feelings."

Yuuki smiled, "I'll be waiting for you, Shin. You rest for now."

I smiled, "Yeah. Please...wait for me."

As my tired eyes began to closed and I went to slumber.

—

"Goodbye, Shin."

Yuuki kisses Shin on the forehead and lets go of his hand, as she stands up and left the room.

—

March 19th. Graduation.

Everyone in Class 3-A is preparing for the ceremony. Sensei entered the classroom, "Everyone line up. The ceremony is about to start anytime soon. Uchida-san, can you prepare the whole class?"

Yuuki answered Sensei's request, "I will."

Yuuki told everyone to prepare themselves, as the ceremony was about to start. The whole class followed her and everyone went to the auditorium after a few minutes, the ceremony began.

Yuuki, Itsuki, Miu, Nise, and Sakura sat next to each other but left an empty seat, out of respect for their fallen friend.

After a few minutes, it's already time to hand out the diplomas to the graduating students. After a while, Shin's name was called for his diploma but it was Yuuki, Itsuki, Nise, Sakura, and Miu all went to the stage to receive Shin's diploma.

The whole auditorium was surprised by it, as they don't see the former vice-president of the student council anywhere in the auditorium. What's more surprising is the fact that his five friends are the ones who received his diploma. It left everyone else in the auditorium confused and begging for answers.

Then, the former student council president, Yuuki Uchida, was called to say a farewell message to the school, as well as to the students.

"The past year that I've been a student council president, it was a rough ride for me and the rest of the student council but we made it through. To everyone that is graduating, I would like to say congratulations to us."

The whole auditorium clapped as they thought that was the end of the speech, as Yuuki continued talking.

"For the past three years, it's been a blessing to me. I became the class representative for three straight years, I was at the top of the class, and I became the student council president after an election that made my life harder. I met great people through the student council, I have good classmates, and I have a group of friends who are very wonderful and I'm grateful to be with them. "

"And lastly...I met a certain guy, who became my seatmate on his first day in this school. I became friends with him on his first day. We shared a lot of precious memories."

"This guy protected me when everyone was against me. He protected me from darkness itself and death itself. He protected me because he wants to see my smile. He became my partner in crime on the student council, as well as in the class."

Every student realizes that Yuuki is talking about Shin.

"Most importantly, he protected every single of our little secrets and never shared them with everyone else. And because of him, I also found love."

The auditorium door suddenly opened and everyone in the auditorium shifted their attention to it. It was Sensei but he wasn't alone. He's with someone else too. It looks like a student.

The student started walking in slowly. He looks weak. The student is wearing the uniform of the school. The student was skinny and had no hair.

"Shin?!"

—

"Hang in there, Shin."

Sensei opens the door to the auditorium as I let go of Sensei's shoulders and move with the strength that I have left.

Everyone in the auditorium looked at the door, as I was about to enter. They looked at me like they have never seen me before. Well, I guess I couldn't blame them. A lot has changed in a month.

"Shin?!"

Yuuki mumbled my name but everyone heard it through the speakers, as she couldn't believe what she is seeing.

Everyone started to make a buzz out of it. They would have never thought that the former vice-president of the student council looks like this.

The rest of the group was surprised by it and they stand up and called my name, "Shin!"

I tried to walk the best that I can but I'm too weak to do so and my knees suddenly collapsed.

Itsuki, Miu, Sakura, and Nise rushed in to help me. Yuuki gets off stage and sprints all the way to where I'm at. 

Itsuki got really worried, "Shin! Talk to me, Shin!"

"I'm...fine, Itsuki."

They got very worried about me. They surrounded me and looked me in the eye, as I lie down on the wooden floor of the auditorium.

My eyes....they are getting darker.

Miu suddenly shouted, "Hang in there, Shin!"

"Ah...I see. It's my time."

Sakura followed, "Shin, please hang in there."

Nise hands out a diploma, "Shin look at it. It's your diploma. You did it! You graduated."

"That's...nice. Thanks."

They all suddenly cried except for Yuuki, who's trying her best not to cry,

"What's wrong? Aren't...you guys should...be happy?"

Itsuki smiled, "No, Shin. We are crying because of you."

Nise followed, "We're sorry if we can't do anything for you, Shin."

"It's fine...you guys did plenty to me."

Miu opposed what Shin said, "You're wrong, Shin! We never did anything for you."

Sakura added to what Miu said, "Miu's right! We haven't done anything for you."

"No guys. You did a lot for me. You guys...are a blessing."

They all cried around me except for Yuuki, trying her best not to get emotional.

Murata-Kun was about to go where we are but Uchiyama-san and Nagao-san stopped him.

"Because of you guys...I enjoyed my final years. I got to make memories...with you guys...I hope...I became a part...of your story."

My vision is getting darker.

"I think...it's time...to say...my farewell."

Itsuki shouted, "Don't say that, Shin!"

Miu followed suit, "Shin! Shin!"

"I'm sorry...guys."

Sakura wipes the tears from her eyes, "No, it's fine, Shin!"

"Thank you for making my final years the happiest...that I've been."

Nise suddenly shouted, "No, Shin!'

"Thank you for being...my friends."

Itsuki also shouted, "Shin!"

"Thank you...my wish...has been fulfilled."

Miu tries her best to talk to Shin, "Don't say that nonsense, Shin!"

"I'll be finally....seeing them. Mom...Dad...Grandma."

Sakura also tries her best to talk some sense to Shin, "Shin! Shin!"

The sunlight from the windows gave a spotlight to the six friends.

I smiled.

"Thank...you...Everyone."

—

Shin closes his eyes. Itsuki calls Shin's name one more time if he can get a response, "Shin..."

...

There's no response.

Yuuki hugs Shin tightly, "Thank you, Shin."

Shin isn't breathing. His heart stops beating.

She realizes it and gets emotional, "Hey, Shin."

"The...next time I meet you...you better give me an answer."

Yuuki cries as she hugs Shin more tightly.

 "You...did well. You...can rest now...Shin."

Shin's friends started crying more, as Shin peacefully passed away within the reach of his beloved friends.