Chapter 181 Tennis 69
In the last period of her life, Kurikawa Sana did not hide anything from anyone. Everyone gradually learned about her condition and knew... that she had very little time left.
Everyone from Hyotei, Seigaku, and Rikkai University came to visit her, and even people from Shitenhoji, with whom she didn't have much contact, came. Their shock, sadness, regret, and complex expressions were all so obvious.
——Everyone is very sad.
Even if you are not familiar with your classmates and only know their names, it will be extremely sad to know that someone you know is facing death.
And now, the person who is about to die is Kurikawa Sana.
They had all witnessed her life, her liveliness, her cuteness, her bravery and tenacity, seen her dancing gracefully on a cruise ship, her running freely on the court, and her astonishing vitality bursting out in the face of natural disasters...
But for such a dazzling person, her life is on the countdown and it is irreversible.
Even so, she still comforted everyone with a gentle smile and told them not to be sad.
"I've lived a very happy life in this life... It's enough. I have no regrets." Tears welled up in the girl's eyes, but her sincere smile was still so warm and bright that it made people want to cry. "I hope everyone won't feel sad for me."
How can I not be sad?
These enthusiastic and sincere young athletes experienced the separation of life and death for the first time. They felt mixed emotions in their hearts, which turned into sore pain in their eyes.
Regret and sadness surged, and there was so much I wanted to say, but it couldn't be expressed in a few words. Time was running out, and every minute and every second was precious.
Because they knew that every second from now on was extremely precious and was the last time they could spend with her, so, without saying a word, everyone tacitly left the last precious time and space to those few people -
Everyone can see clearly that they have the deepest feelings for Sana, which cannot be described simply by "regret", "sadness" and "regret".
——It’s heartbreaking.
If you meet someone so amazing when you are young, how can you get over it later on?
They looked... like they were about to break.
The last time they saw them in this state was when Sana was in a critical condition during the earthquake. After that, she miraculously regained consciousness for a while, and everyone was happy for her, thinking that nothing would happen again...but they didn't expect to experience the fear of losing her again.
And this time, it is the real deal, with no wiggle room.
Kikumaru Eiji and Mukai Taketo stood outside the ward door, looking at the scene inside, and both of them couldn't help but feel a lump in their throats.
After hesitating for a while, the two of them quietly closed the door and left with their teammates who had come to visit Sana.
Leave the space to spend time with Sana to the people inside.
…
Keigo Atobe entered the ward carrying today's bouquet of roses. As soon as he entered and placed the bouquet on the bedside table, he skillfully raised Sana Kurikawa's bed and adjusted it to the most comfortable height for her.
The eldest young master was not good at taking care of patients, but he has learned very well recently.
After doing all this, Keigo Atobe looked up and checked the potion on her head. At a glance, he determined that the water flow rate in the needle was too fast, which would cause swelling and pain in the back of her hand.
With very natural movements, he immediately reduced the flow rate of the medicine. The girl on the hospital bed, who had originally looked uncomfortable even in her sleep, immediately relaxed her expression and was obviously feeling much better.
"How long has she been sleeping?" asked Keigo Atobe.
"A few hours." Yukimura Seiichi lowered his voice to avoid waking her. "She was in severe pain last night and couldn't sleep the entire night. The doctor prescribed her some painkillers this morning, and she finally managed to fall asleep after taking them."
A trace of heartache flashed across Keigo Atobe's face.
"It turns out that the medicine was flowing too fast, and the back of her hand was hurting, so she kept frowning... I thought the pain from last night had not disappeared yet, and I didn't observe carefully enough." Shiraishi Kuranosuke looked at him in surprise.
Is it true that Atobe is known for his perceptive abilities? He can always see through details that others cannot easily notice.
"There's no question of whether anyone is being meticulous or not. It must be very hard for you to not sleep for several nights in a row." said Keigo Atobe.
These past few days, they had been keeping watch with her, leaving only for a short while to go home to wash and change clothes. Since it was summer vacation, with no classes and training on hold, they stayed with her completely.
Shiraishi Kuranosuke and Yukimura Seiichi, who came to Tokyo from other places, booked a hotel near the hospital, but they rarely returned to the hotel and spent most of their time with her in the hospital.
The large luxurious single room has a separate living room, sofa, refrigerator and balcony, just like a hotel suite, large enough to accommodate them all at the same time without feeling cramped.
But the more they are together, the more clearly they can feel Sana's vitality gradually slipping away.
She was getting thinner, her appetite was getting worse, her face was getting paler, and the pain kept her awake all night. But even so, she still forced herself to smile, forcing a gentle smile, and comforted them in return, just to let them not worry.
"When Niou came to see her this morning, he said something I'm still thinking about." Yukimura Seiichi was a little stunned and muttered, "Niou said that Sana was enduring the pain until now because she didn't want to worry everyone... If we weren't here, would she be more honest about her pain?"
The patients in the next ward would scream out in pain, shout like crazy, kick the bed hard, and use any method they could to divert the pain to release stress.
Correspondingly, every time they passed by the next ward and heard the patients screaming in pain, they could see that the other party's family members had faces full of heartache and sadness, as if they were also being tortured and wished they could feel the pain for the other party.
Sana has always been gentle. She doesn't want to cause trouble to anyone around her, and doesn't want to make them worry or sad, so even if the pain is extreme, she will bear it by herself.
It was not until last night when she could no longer bear the pain, her whole body was trembling, and her forehead was covered in cold sweat that she was discovered.
"...I understand what you mean, Yukimura-kun." Shiraishi Kuranosuke said with a pale face, "If we hadn't been so 'one-sided' about guarding her, she wouldn't have to endure so much out of consideration for our feelings..."
Hearing this, everyone's expressions changed.
What if we go one step further?
If we think deeper, if Sana hadn't been concerned about their feelings, would she have been able to put aside her current pain and be completely...free?
Their faces suddenly turned pale.
"No, that's not it..."
The girl's weak voice suddenly rang out.
“…Sana!”
"Are you awake?!"
Everyone gathered around immediately. The girl on the hospital bed slowly opened her eyes. There was still a fine layer of cold sweat on her forehead. Every breath she took was labored, but she still insisted on sitting up.
"I've really gotten used to this feeling..." Kurikawa Sana panted.
Compared to the pain in the real world, this is really nothing, she has long been accustomed to it.
Although it was painful, it was within her tolerance, and staying was her own choice. Compared to the pain, she cherished the remaining time together more.
"Everyone, don't worry..." Kurikawa Sana looked up at them, a smile on her lips, "Being with you all is what makes me happiest..."
Everyone couldn't help but hold their breath.
"Sana..." Yukimura Seiichi sighed.
"Okay, I understand." Atobe Keigo said softly.
Tezuka Kunimitsu leaned over the bedside and held her hand, "But if it hurts, you still have to say it out loud, don't hold it in."
Kurikawa Sana nodded. "I know. I held back before because the doctor told me not to abuse painkillers. So I wouldn't waste the opportunity to use the medicine until I couldn't bear it anymore."
"Sana..."
The young men sighed helplessly again, their voices filled with heartache.
She really... suffered so much.
"Eat something first." Fuji Shusuke cut an apple and handed it to her. The boy's slender fingers, which were usually used to hold the racket, flew flexibly. In a blink of an eye, the bright red apple turned into apple slices in the shape of little rabbits in his hands.
"Thank you, Shusuke-kun." Kurikawa Sana took it, blinked at the rabbit-shaped apple slice, and immediately remembered the scene when she was wearing a rabbit doll costume to comfort him.
Hearing her calling his name, Fuji Shusuke's ice-blue eyes were instantly filled with tenderness, and he looked at her intently.
Echizen Ryoma also handed over a cup of hot milk, which felt warm in his hand. "Here, Sana-senpai."
"Thank you, Ryoma-kun." The girl on the hospital bed smiled.
Echizen Ryoma clenched his fists.
...So sad.
These days, he has been staying in the hospital and rarely goes home to spend the night. At first, his father Echizen Nanjiro would tease him as usual, saying, "Ryoma has grown up and started not coming home."
But soon, Echizen Nanjiro noticed that his son's face was not right. Nanjiro immediately stopped laughing and asked him what was wrong.
Ryoma Echizen told his parents and family the whole story, from how he met Sana-senpai, to how they got along, and finally to her current situation.
After hearing this, even the usually frivolous Nanjiro fell silent. Nanjiro sat up and folded his arms for a long time without being able to utter a word.
After a long time, thousands of words turned into a sigh. Nanjiro let out a long sigh, telling him not to worry about the recent training, and to accompany the girl well, not to leave any regrets for himself, nor to let the other party leave any regrets.
Ryoma Echizen's cousin, Nanako Echizen, was so sentimental and gentle that she actually cried over the story, lamenting the tragic fate of a young woman she had never met. She also taught him how to care for patients. Nanako also taught him some emergency medical procedures, knowledge she had learned from her elective medical course at Seigakuen University.
Nanako also taught him how to cook. Echizen Ryoma never thought that one day he would be able to make a proper three-dish and one soup, and put it in a lunch box and bring it to the hospital. Sana-senpai also finished it with a smile and praised him for cooking it well.
The taste should be pretty good, Echizen Ryoma thought.
Those were three dishes that he had spent ten hours in the kitchen learning to make. They were the dishes that he had observed Sana-senpai choose on her own initiative at the cruise dinner: black pepper beef tenderloin, teriyaki eel, and pan-fried asparagus.
Ryoma Echizen experimented repeatedly in the kitchen until his father, mother and cousin all gave him a thumbs-up. Only then did he finally put the lunch on a plate and bring the warm bento to the hospital.
On the way to the hospital by bicycle, the lunch box in the backpack on his chest was so warm that it was almost hot, as if it could burn his heart. Perhaps it was the strong wind on the road, but when he reacted, Echizen Ryoma found that his cheeks seemed to be wet.
Sana-senpai had a very poor appetite in the hospital and could barely eat anything, but he finished the lunch box he made. Although he was later singled out by the head nurse for a lecture, saying, "How can you feed patients such high-fat and high-salt food?"
But when she heard that Sana had not been able to eat the hospital meals for a long time, and thought that the patient's condition had reached the point where she could only let nature take its course, the head nurse could only sigh deeply and said nothing more.
During this period, Ryoma Echizen had seen many people like this, and they all sighed deeply about Sana's affairs.
Endless regret.
Every sigh made his heart ache as if it were being pricked by needles.
Is it really true that there is no way out at all?
Thinking back to the present, Echizen Ryoma closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and asked, "Sana-senpai, the weather is nice today. Do you want to go for a walk?"
The girl still responded with a gentle smile, "Okay."
…
A strange and harmonious scene has recently appeared frequently in the garden downstairs of the Tokyo University Affiliated Hospital. Several young men with different styles but all extremely handsome always accompany a patient to take a walk and bask in the sun downstairs. Every time they appear, they attract the attention of everyone passing by.
Firstly, their looks easily attract people's attention, and secondly, it is a strange combination of numbers. Six boys accompanying a sick girl together is hard not to attract attention.
But when they saw the girl in the wheelchair, everything seemed to fall into place. Passersby even secretly thought that ten more people would be enough to accompany this girl.
——The boys pushing the wheelchairs were already very good-looking, but the girl in the hospital gown they were accompanying was even more stunningly beautiful.
Although the girl's face was pale, and even whiter like paper and almost transparent under the bright sunlight, her facial features appeared even more delicate and beautiful. The weakness from her serious illness gave her a temperament like a weak willow in the wind, exuding an aura of pity.
One can't help but wonder what disease she has?
Judging from the extremely distressed expressions of the boys around her, she was probably in great danger.
…
"Seiichi, Kuranosuke..." Kurikawa Sana raised her hand and coughed softly, "You've been up all night for several nights in a row. Do you want to go back and rest first?"
Yukimura Seiichi immediately shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'd rather stay here with you than rest."
Shiraishi Kuranosuke also leaned over to her right and asked, "Could it be that Sana doesn't want me to be by your side?"
The boy, who was usually cheerful and good at making funny faces, actually had a hint of grievance in his voice at this moment.
“……!”
Was it her imagination? Kuranosuke was actually acting like a spoiled brat!
Kurikawa Sana immediately shook her head, and a long-lost blush and blood appeared on her pale face. "No, no, of course I want you to accompany me..."
Yukimura Seiichi paused and leaned over to the left of her wheelchair, "What about me? Sana."
Kurikawa Sana: "Sei-Seiichi is also..."
Atobe Keigo, who was pushing a wheelchair behind her, suddenly stopped, and Tezuka Kunimitsu, Fuji Shusuke and Echizen Ryoma, who were also behind him, stopped.
Atobe Keigo leaned forward behind her, his head close to her neck, and his deep voice sounded in her ear at a very close distance, "Huh? I'm still here."
Looking from the side, it looked like Keigo Atobe was hugging her from behind.
As Keigo Atobe approached, the unique scent of his men's perfume with a rose base enveloped her. It was obviously a gorgeous and rich floral perfume, but it did not feel out of place for a boy to wear it. Instead, it added a more unique charm to him.
Just smelling each other's perfume seemed incredibly intimate, as if they were completely surrounded by each other.
Kurikawa Sana stammered, but said quite honestly: "I, I also want Jingwu to be with me..."
As if she had successfully predicted and positioned herself in advance, Kurikawa Sana closed her eyes and continued quickly, "And the same goes for Shusuke, Kunimitsu, and Ryoma-kun! I'm really happy that everyone is here with me!"
It had been a long time since Kurikawa Sana had spoken such a long sentence in one breath. After she finished speaking, her face became even redder and her head seemed to be about to smoke, but she felt unusually happy.
Towards the end, she was also more honest and forthright than usual.
There is nothing to worry about anymore, just be honest with your true heart.
Hearing this, Atobe Keigo let out a low laugh from his throat, and the others also smiled. Even Tezuka Kunimitsu, who rarely smiled, had a hint of smile in his eyes.
very nice.
It had been a long time since she fell seriously ill and the atmosphere had not been as relaxed and joyful as it was now.
It was after learning about her illness that the way they all got along changed.
If it were in the past, they might have already been at loggerheads, vying to show off in front of her... Ozuki Yuushi said that if we use the popular term in romantic literary novels to describe it, their situation is called "heroic competition."
But now, they have all abandoned this state and get along extremely harmoniously.
Everyone just wanted to be with her.
As long as I can be with her, it doesn't matter even if I'm not alone but with other people.
...As long as she is happy, everything is enough.
"Okay, Atobe-kun, stop teasing Sana." Yukimura Seiichi said in a gentle voice. He raised his hand, smiled and gently touched the girl's hot cheek, "Otherwise she won't be able to bear it."
Shiraishi Kuranosuke leaned against the wheelchair, propping up his chin and looking at her, his face lost in thought, muttering, "So cute, Sana..."
Echizen Ryoma twitched his lips. Shiraishi-senpai actually had this attitude?!
…But he’s right, Sana-senpai is really cute.
"Come to think of it, it's been a long time since we last saw each other. Sana's face seems to have some color now." Fuji Shusuke said.
Tezuka Kunimitsu suddenly remembered something and frowned worriedly, "Shyness and blushing are caused by a rapid heartbeat. Will this be bad for her health?"
Kurikawa Sana quickly waved her hands: "It's okay, I don't feel uncomfortable now... If I felt uncomfortable, I would tell you."
"Okay." Tezuka Kunimitsu glanced at the time on his watch and reminded him, "It's almost time to go back. It's time for the afternoon injection."
Ah, back to the ward again...
Kurikawa Sana nodded obediently, and it seemed as if the invisible rabbit ears on her head drooped down in disappointment.
Noticing the change in her expression, Atobe Keigo paused and asked, "Sana, is there anything in particular you want to do? We can go with you."
"...something you particularly want to do?" Kurikawa Sana tilted her head in confusion.
Yukimura Seiichi: "For example, to see the polar day and night, the aurora borealis, and meteor showers..."
After saying this, Yukimura Seiichi choked and secretly clenched his fists.
These are all well-known options that are often mentioned in the "list of things to do before you die". Seeing some wonders with your own eyes so that you will not have any regrets is what people can think of doing before they leave.
They didn't want Sana to spend her last days in that small ward.
They also consulted a doctor and learned that as long as the plane was equipped with oxygen and emergency medical equipment and a professional medical team, long-distance flights were not a problem. The private jet of the Atobe Group could meet these conditions.
The doctor also said that he supports the patient's subjective wishes and agrees that Sana can do whatever she wants in her last moments...
However, as expected, when they laid out these wishes, their hearts still ached.
Because it means that this really is the end.
If it wasn't the end, if she could live a healthy life like a normal person, she could have done many other things...
When he thought of this, Yukimura Seiichi felt extremely heartbroken.
Every time he had to face the fact that she was about to "die" with great clarity, it was like being suddenly pulled out of the warm and happy dream he had just had, and it was a dull pain that was tormenting.
The others had the same reaction as him. Sadness and pain suddenly surged up like a tide, almost drowning them, but they still tried hard not to show it, not wanting her to notice and be sad.
Sure enough, after hearing this proposal, the girl's blue eyes lit up, and a hint of yearning clearly flashed across their faces.
"Okay, I'm looking forward to it too." Kurikawa Sana agreed with a smile.
Aurora, midnight sun, meteor showers... to be honest, she had never been to see them.
It all sounds so beautiful, it must be a very shocking scene.
Suddenly thinking of a certain point, Kurikawa Sana was caught off guard and stunned for a moment.
In fact, even she herself is not sure whether she can really recover her health and regain her life in the real world after the journey of conquering this third world is over.
If it were true, she would be able to see the aurora and meteor showers after waking up in the real world.
But if the system's promise does not come true, then now, at this moment, her last time in the tennis world, will truly be her last chance to do these things.
Kurikawa Sana choked slightly, and suddenly felt a slight sense of "fear" that she had never experienced in either of the two worlds before.
When the basketball world and the volleyball world were about to separate, she never worried that her consciousness would truly disappear because she knew clearly that there would be a "next world".
But this time, it's different.
Therefore, we should cherish every minute and every second from now on.
Kurikawa Sana lowered her eyes slightly, and her long black eyelashes concealed the watery and broken feeling in her eyes.
But when she raised her head again, her sweet smile was back on her face.
"I'm looking forward to it," she said.
Atobe Keigo suddenly gripped the wheelchair handle tightly, "Okay, I'll arrange it right away, and we can leave as early as tomorrow."
As long as it was her wish, he would help her realize it no matter what.
Meteor showers are hard to come by, but polar day and polar night are within the observable time range, but one is in the North Pole and the other is in the South Pole. If she wants to watch them one after another, the flight time will be too long, and her body may not be able to withstand it.
As for the aurora - if he remembered correctly, the best time to view the aurora is usually from October to March of the following year. Now it is September... Can she hold on until then to see the aurora?
Atobe Keigo felt like his breathing had stopped.
Is it possible that he will not be able to fulfill even her last wish?
Just when he was almost stunned, Atobe Keigo heard other people's voices.
"In September, there will be aurora borealis in Yellowknife and Whitehorse, Canada." Fuji Shusuke looked at the search page on his phone and quickly said, "If we leave tomorrow, there's a chance we can see the aurora in Whitehorse, in the northwestern Yukon Territory!"
Shiraishi Kuranosuke had just rushed to the upstairs ward locker as fast as he could to get his laptop down. He searched the web and worked on a strategy together. "There's a website called Aurora Forecast that lets you observe the aurora borealis... Whitehorse is Whitehorse, right? If we get there the day after tomorrow, the aurora borealis will be 4.0. We really have a chance of seeing the aurora!"
Tezuka Kunimitsu also mused, "Canada is a visa-free country, so we can indeed leave tomorrow."
"It's already very cold in Canada," Echizen Ryoma said. "If we're going to leave, I'll buy some winter clothes in Sana-senpai's size."
Yukimura Seiichi also opened the hotel reservation page. "White Horse's most famous accommodations are the cabins at the campground for viewing the aurora borealis, but we can't stay there. We need to choose a hotel with medical facilities or one that's close to a hospital. Let me see... This TownePlace Suites has a great location! It's still available for bookings tomorrow and the day after tomorrow."
They spoke very quickly but with remarkable clarity, each one more reliable than the other, giving people an inexplicable sense of security.
A warm feeling surged through Keigo Atobe's heart, and he immediately made a phone call to arrange a private plane for tomorrow night.
When he hung up the phone, Keigo Atobe was in a trance for a moment.
The atmosphere of close cooperation among everyone is as if they are really a warm and harmonious big family, a big family connected by Sana as the bond.
So harmonious that it is trance-like.
"Everyone..." Kurikawa Sana was also stunned. She never thought that just a few words from her would make them so quick to act and rush to arrange an aurora trip for her.
She was so moved that she almost didn't know what to say. She blinked her sore eyes and could only repeat over and over again: "Thank you..."
"Huh? Are you an idiot?" Atobe Keigo maintained his bent-over posture, finally resting his head and chin on her shoulder, a gesture that was almost a hug. "Sana, you don't need to ever say these things to us."
We are happy to do it.
…
*
But things went against her wishes. Even Kurikawa Sana herself could not have imagined that the long-awaited aurora trip would not be realized after all.
That night.
Inside the ward, a huge TV screen was playing a popular Sunday variety show. The bright warm yellow light made the ward brightly lit. The air was filled with the aroma of dinner. The young men were sitting or standing, all living under the same roof, creating a warm and beautiful scene.
Kurikawa Sana watched the scene in a trance.
Even the injections she was supposed to receive today had been completed. The indwelling needle was empty, and there was no fluid rushing into her body. The bruised and swollen back of her hand also got a moment's respite.
Everything is so beautiful.
She felt very safe.
It is easy to feel sleepy in comfort. The fatigue from not sleeping last night surged up like a tide. Kurikawa Sana felt her eyelids getting heavier and heavier. Unconsciously, she slowly closed her eyes and fell into a sleep as deep as the sea.
As she fell asleep, almost at the same time, the voices of the others also dropped.
The sounds of the television, keyboards, and mouse clicks all became quieter, and their eyes all looked in the same direction.
The girl hugged herself tightly in the hospital bed. The warm yellow light shone softly on her like a peaceful and beautiful oil painting.
"After all these days, she finally got a good night's sleep." Shiraishi Kuranosuke's voice was hoarse with heartache, "...It's not easy."
The expressions of others also flashed with heartache.
"Shiraishi, you and Yukimura should get some rest. You haven't slept for several nights." Fuji Shusuke helped them spread out the folding bed for the caregiver and sat in the chair next to Kurikawa Sana's bed. "Let me take care of you tonight."
"Fuji, I'm with you." said Tezuka Kunimitsu.
"Okay...if anything happens, be sure to wake us up immediately."
"Don't worry, I will."
Just as they finished speaking, they heard the sharp alarm of medical equipment suddenly sounded in the ward -
“Ding ding ding ding ding ding—”
The vital sign monitor continued to emit rapid and sharp "beeping" sounds. The screen showed that Kurikawa Sana's heart rate had dropped from 60 to 40 and then to the low 20s, a drastic decline like a roller coaster. The extremely low heart rate triggered the vital sign monitor's alarm, and it also made them lose all sleepiness. Their hearts instantly jumped into their throats!
They quickly pressed the red button on the bed and rushed out to the corridor at the same time -
“Doctor, doctor…!”
Doctors and nurses quickly came into the ward, "Move aside, everyone, make room!——"
"I had atrial fibrillation, I couldn't hear my heart sounds, and my pulse disappeared for a while!"
"Prepare for defibrillation!"
"200 joules ready, everyone get out of bed!"
"Epinephrine 1 mg intracardial injection!"
Everyone was rushed out of the ward by the doctor, and the privacy curtain above the bed was drawn. They could not see what was happening inside, but they could clearly hear every instruction from the doctor and the sound of every click of the defibrillator on Sana's heart.
Later on, you could hear the doctor pressing the girl's heart with his bare hands, and even the sound of her ribs cracking.
Fear and despair gripped their throats, making it completely impossible to breathe.
How could this happen? ...Everything was fine just a second ago...!
This was the third time, the third time they faced the fear of losing her, and this time it was even more terrifying than any of the previous times.
It was not until this moment that they deeply understood the meaning of "any time" that the doctor said.
any time, any time.
She could die at any moment, just like now.
Sana... Sana...
All the color had gone out of Keigo Atobe's face, turning pale, and his heart was filled with sadness. The others had almost the same reaction as him.
how so?
We've already agreed to go see the Northern Lights together... We're just one step away, just a little bit away...
Sana, Sana...
Please, wake up...
*
Kurikawa Sana felt like she was in a floating dream, as if she was flying in the clouds and then falling rapidly.
The huge centrifugal force made her breathless, and her internal organs seemed to be itching and shifting, making her feel extremely terrified.
Just when she thought she was about to fall to the ground, she seemed to hear many voices calling her name, which seemed to come from far away, but were extremely clear.
“…Sana!”
"Sana!!! Please... wake up..."
“No, no…”
"Sana..."
Their voices were anxious and painful, revealing a deep despair, and seemed to carry an unprecedented crying tone.
In the haze, when she finally fell, Kurikawa Sana felt as if many hands were holding her up at the same time, allowing her to land steadily.
Air rushed back into my lungs, and breathing seemed to become smooth again in an instant.
Kurikawa Sana blinked slightly.
She seemed to hear someone crying.
I’m sorry…
Once again, everyone is worried.
…
*
The next day.
Kurikawa Sana slowly opened her eyes. The light from the ceiling of the ward was so dazzling that it made her wake up instantly.
“…Sana!”
Yukimura Seiichi was the first to react. He stood up suddenly, trying to touch her hand gently but then pulled it back. Even the perfect face of the "Son of God" was stained with fatigue, filled with overwhelming worry.
"You're awake!"
"Sana! How do you feel now?!"
After realizing what was happening, the others immediately rushed over, wanting to hold her hand tightly, but they felt sorry for the back of her hand that was covered in needle holes and didn't even dare to touch it.
"I……"
Kurikawa Sana's voice was hoarse. Like every time before, she started to comfort everyone, telling them that she was fine and not to worry...but this time, she couldn't do it.
Perhaps, this is really the end of it.
Escaping death time and time again has plunged them into unprecedented fear.
There was no point in persisting any longer; it would only make everyone more miserable, and that would go against her original intention of insisting on staying.
Before that, she had to confess everything - her strategy.
This is something she couldn't do even in the volleyball world, and now she finally mustered up the courage to speak up.
"There's something I've always wanted to tell you..."
The girl's voice was so weak that it seemed as if she was about to leave in the next second. Their hearts suddenly tightened when they heard it, and a bad premonition arose.
Shiraishi Kuranosuke's eyes lost focus, "Don't talk about it for now, Sana, what you need now is rest..."
Kurikawa Sana just shook her head slightly, "If you don't say it now, there will be no chance."
“……!”
The bad premonition came true, and everyone felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, their hearts plummeting.
"Keigo, you asked me before why I did that... confessing to different people at the same time, and having lingering contact with everyone..." Kurikawa Sana coughed heavily, "At that time I said, I had reasons for having to do that..."
Atobe Keigo's hands were shaking slightly. "It doesn't matter, Sana. That doesn't matter anymore. Rather than wanting to know those things, I hope you can have a good rest now."
Kurikawa Sana just said: "I had a dream."
Everyone was stunned.
Fuji Shusuke suppressed his heartache and asked gently, "What dream?"
Kurikawa Sana looked up at them, her frail face showing an extremely serious expression.
"The dream said that if I could successfully make you like me, I could regain my health and not die."
She said word by word.
Such a straightforward, plain and concise statement of facts.
Upon hearing this, the young men's faces were instantly filled with astonishment, as if they had never imagined that this would be the reason.
It was so absurd and unbelievable, but her expression was so serious, she was definitely not joking.
It has come to this point, and the words she desperately insisted on saying, no matter how unbelievable they sound, can only be the truth.
"It sounds like a lovely dream." Yukimura Seiichi said softly, his eyes as gentle as the moonlight on a summer night in Kanagawa. "I don't know about others, but for me, Sana's dream has come true..."
"I like you very much, Sana."
The voice of Yukimura Seiichi's confession echoed in the ward.
"I feel the same way, Sana." Fuji Shusuke's smile was gentle with tears in it. "In the handwritten letter I wrote to you before, the last words I dared not say were these... I like you, Sana."
Fuji Shusuke had never thought that the words of confession would be spoken in such a situation, together with other people, in the ward, telling the girl his feelings in this perhaps last moment.
But it didn't matter. If he didn't say it now, the other party might never have the chance to know. If that happened, he would regret it every day.
Tezuka Kunimitsu gently and carefully held the girl's hand, as if it were the most precious treasure, and looked at her intently, "Like is not enough to describe my feelings. You are more precious than my life, Sana."
No one would think that what Tezuka Kunimitsu said was exaggerated. In a corner unknown to Sana, he even asked the doctor to transplant his heart to Sana, which is admirable.
"Although I have said it before... but as expected, I want to say it again now." Shiraishi Kuranosuke leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on the girl's forehead, "I will always love you, Sana."
No matter what happens in the future... no matter how much time is left, I will always love you, only you. Shiraishi Kuranosuke lowered his eyes and looked at her, as if he wanted to imprint the girl's appearance in his heart forever.
"I didn't expect that Sana-senpai would have such a bizarre dream." Echizen Ryoma pressed his hat down to hide the watery light in his amber eyes, and whispered, "What I want to say is that your dream has already come true--"
He had already confessed his feelings to Sana-senpai during the competition on the cruise ship, and the same was true for the others.
Everyone loves her.
The conditions in her dream have been met, so she will definitely recover.
"I believe that Sana-senpai's dream must be true and will definitely come true." said Ryoma Echizen.
"Ah, well, as for me, I confessed to you a long time ago." A smile appeared on the corner of Atobe Keigo's mouth. He tried hard to make his smile less trembling, as gorgeous as ever. "What I want to say is-"
"I, Atobe Keigo, will never marry anyone other than you in this lifetime."
"I'll always be waiting for you."
Atobe Keigo's words, which sounded almost like an oath, not only made everyone else open their eyes wide in surprise, but also Kurikawa Sana was stunned.
"Everyone……"
She couldn't help but lower her head. A warm current surged in her heart, intertwined with the pain in the damaged ventricle, making it indescribably complicated.
"I, like, like you all too..."
I was almost unable to breathe, and the feeling of lack of oxygen to my brain came over me again. In the reflection of the metal railings of Kurikawa Sana's bed, I saw that my face had turned crimson purple, and a sweet taste rose in my throat.
She had defied fate time and again, continuing to live with her broken body. She even suspected that this body in this world should have ended last night, but only because she still had something to say that she had managed to hold on and survive another round of rescue.
Now, there are truly no regrets.
Kurikawa Sana raised her head again and smiled one last time, looking incredibly beautiful.
"I am really lucky to have met you."
Tears streamed down the girl's cheeks.
"This is the end."
"Let's stop here."
This long journey of strategy ends here.
Through tears, Kurikawa Sana also engraved their appearance deeply into her mind.
I'm sorry...
Time and again, I made you worry. I gave you hope time and time again, but after a brief "last glimmer of hope", you eventually left...
She also wanted to complete the unfinished promise with everyone, but things did not go as she wished, and she ended up leaving before that.
If we ever meet again... let's go see the aurora together.
“… Sana!!”
Amidst the boys' suddenly constricted pupils and instantly pale faces, amidst their suddenly high-pitched and breaking voices, and amidst their hands reaching out to her, the black-haired girl slowly closed her eyes.
…
[Calculating total health value, helping the host to leave this world...]
[The strategies for the three worlds have all been completed...]
【The host has left this world.】
…
In the midst of a daze, Kurikawa Sana seemed to hear a voice.
It's the sound of the system.
【Thank you for your hard work, Sana.】
【Now, you can finally have a good rest. 】
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