I. Wish

Uchiyama Yuuma's POV

I looked my head out the window of the hospital where I was staying. I watched the stars shine in the sky.

"Right time to ask for the last wish." I exclaimed at the stars and the moon that looked at me.

I began to count the seven stars that I could see.

"One, two, three, four, five, six and seven."

I bowed my head, closed my eyes and clasped both my hands and began to express my wish.

"I want to live."

I have poured all my trust into this wish, that it may be fulfilled and come to pass.

I opened my eyes and then raised my head. I get up and go back to my bed and sit down.

I know that this is too childish for me, it's funny to say but that's the truth because this is the only way I can think of to find a little hope in the situation I have.

I was just surprised when the door rang and it opened. I saw the nurse on duty tonight enter my room. Then I remembered that I was in the hospital, confined and had nowhere to go. * sigh

"Uchiyama-san, time for lights off."

"Thanks for the reminder." I answered while trying to smile, a simple smile that I can't do properly now. That even these smiles can deceive the eyes of other people.

I tried to forget what happened on how I got here and how I found out my illness that I did not expect to have, but it keeps on coming back.

It was Lower Secondary School when I found out I was seriously ill. This happened during our graduation ceremony.

[Flashback]

Today is our graduation day. It was so noisy, everyone was so happy because we could finally graduate as well. Three years of study, effort and difficulty to get to today.

After presenting the diplomas and awards, everyone sat down. In the middle of the students sitting a girl stood up, walked and climbed with her forehead raised to the stage to deliver the final message for the students.

The words she uttered seemed magical, not only giving confidence to herself but to each one of us inside.

Kawaguchi Rei is the valedictorian of our whole school. Even though my grade is high, her grades are much higher than mine. She is my only rival and best friend.

Her speech ended leaving joy and sadness on our faces. Rei bent down to end her speech and went down the stage with a smile on her lips. I just watched her until she came down when our eyes met. It seemed like a nightmare to suddenly erase the smiles on his face that were replaced by nervousness and fear. She walked quickly to where I was.

I felt a liquid dripping under my nose that I thought was just a cold caused by the coldness inside. I wiped it with my handkerchief. I was just surprised when I saw a red color on my handkerchief and that's when I realized it was blood.

I heard a loud voice full of fear and anxiety.

"YUU!!!"

I saw Rei running towards me. I stretched out my hand to reach her as she did but suddenly everything darkened, the surroundings darkened as if I could see nothing.

I lost consciousness.

-------

I just woke up in a place where what I saw seemed pure white.

"Where am I?" I whispered to myself full of astonishment.

I closed my eyes as I struggled to remember what had happened. Then I realized that I had lost consciousness before our graduation ceremony ended.

I slowly got up and I was shocked when my friends, classmates and teachers, especially my parents, were there. Their faces showed happiness and relief when they saw that I was conscious. Everyone in the room exchanged hugs and smiles because I woke up.

I don't know how I would feel if I was glad that I woke up or nervous to know the reason for what happened to me. Suddenly I felt pain in my body, pain that I could not seem to cope with.

* Ack *

I exclaimed unexpectedly.

"Are you okay, Yuu?" Rei asked me wrapped in concern.

"I'm fine." I replied as if trying to control the pain I felt while smiling in front of her.

I could not show it in front of them that I was having a hard time. I do not want them to feel sorry for me, I just want to be left in their minds that I am a strong and happy person. And I don't want them to worry about me anymore.

When they found out that I was ok, they said goodbye one by one and left. When they were all gone I waited a few minutes before I let out a scream full of pain.

"ARRRRRGGGHHHHH !!!!!"

My parents were confused when I shouted. They quickly called the nurses and doctors inside the hospital for help. My mother's tears flowed slowly when she saw my condition. I only feel pain and soreness in my body.

The smile they had just recently was replaced by sadness and fear because of what was happening to me.

That's where my miserable life began. They only give me painkillers to get rid of the pain but there are days when even pain killers can't get rid of the pain I feel. It got worse as my mentality was also affected which caused me to lose hope.

And that's when they confessed that I had Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

[End of Flashback]

It's been a year since this happened. I should be in the second year of Senior Secondary School. My youth was wasted inside this hospital that instead of doing a lot and achieving things, I just did nothing but grumble.

They wanted me to stay in this hospital for a long time for intensive monitoring of my illness. My treatment started after my recovery had not progressed and it only got worse. I refused to undergo chemotherapy because I knew it would only aggravate my illness as I see and read in books. So now they only treat me with herbal and natural treatments.

I got up to turn off the light and went back to my bed to lie down. I stared into the clock in my room. While waiting for 12:00 dawn to witness whether my wish will be fulfilled or if it will destroy the remaining hope I have. I knew in the beginning that there was really nothing left, but I wanted to hold on to this little opportunity that could change my situation.

Maybe if my request does not come true then I will just accept that this is really my situation. That I need to prepare myself for my impending death because I know I will not last long either. Because from the very beginning I knew there was no cure for my illness and this disease was slowly killing me.

There are only a few seconds left until it drops at 12:00 in the morning.

I began to count it full of excitement and hope that I felt.

"Five, four, three, t-two and o-on-ne ---- AAARRRGGHHHH !!!!"

I felt a sudden pain in my body when I finished my counting. And next thing that happened my whole body started shaking while my teeth were itching, sh * t I couldn't move.

Then I realized that I was having a seizure.

Is this my end? Am I going to die now ??