"Ugh...!"

The novice driver seemed panicked too, driving the hovercraft straight towards the edge of the cliff!

In the blink of an eye, we would crash into the frozen snow-capped mountain, but in this moment, all I could think of was... three months ago.

"Congratulations to the graduating seniors of this year's third year of high school. Today, we bid farewell to the juniors of first and second year..."

The graduation ceremony was held grandly in the college hall. Some might wonder why I, who had just graduated from the second year of high school, was graduating already.

"It's nothing, really. It's just that continuing to study isn't suitable for me!"

That's right, that's why I left school. It could be considered an excuse.

But...

The excuse seemed somewhat reluctant. Hands in pockets, I leaned against the frame of the hall like a delinquent youth.

My eyes tilted to gaze at the sister who was chosen as the representative of the second year students on the stage.

To be precise, that girl, almost the same height as me, was my step-sister. We not only had different fathers, but we didn't even share the same mother!

Yes, the young beauty on the stage was like a goddess descended from heaven.

"The height she's reached... it seems I can never reach it."

"...In the blink of an eye, two years have passed. Well, for the upperclassmen, it has been a full three years."

Youth and beauty radiated from the stage as Yuuka-chan delivered her speech, while I, compared to her, already had the weariness of middle age covering me.

With lifeless eyes, I looked out into the world outside. Outside the window, there was still a picturesque scene with birds singing, flowers blooming, and lush green grass. But... but, that greenery no longer belonged to me.

I leaned against the door, dispirited. I had barely survived Yuuka-chan's meeting.

From beginning to end, she didn't even spare me a glance. The naive me did indeed hold on to this hope.

But this hope could only bring me deeper disappointment in the end!

Now, I stood tall among the crowd, barely visible. And to me, Yuuka-chan's figure across the crowd was the same, except she was surrounded by countless admirers.

But look at me... what I could have was only a silhouette concealed in the darkness.

The graduation ceremony went on very late, but I knew that once it was over, it might be a permanent farewell!

"Hey, buddy!"

Just as I was about to go home, a familiar voice called me back.

"What's the big deal?"

I was starting to dislike and even get tired of his shamelessly laughing face.

Under the suppressed emotions, I chose to calmly mock him, "Even though we're about to part ways, is this kind of greeting really necessary...?"

"Don't beat around the bush."

This time it was him lecturing me.

He looked at me firmly and shouted.

"This isn't like the you who always keeps a cool head no matter the situation!!"

Normally, everyone would feel a little sad when parting ways, but Yuanhui still had the appearance of a cheerful and sunny person.

He excitedly handed a brand new notebook to me.

Looking at the big words "diary" written on it, along with the name below—Sakai Yuanhui.

"What the heck, is there any meaning in giving me this dirty thing?!"

I feigned disgust and made a movement as if I was about to throw it on the ground, but he intercepted it in mid-air.

He could be seen hugging the diary with an immense excitement, treating it as precious as his own life.

"Hey hey hey, are you really throwing this away?"

He half-jokingly, half-seriously explained to me the meaning behind it: "This is my most prized possession, it is..."

"You're talking nonsense, you also said that the adult book you bought for 3000 yuan is your lifelong treasure."

I disdainfully interrupted his lie.

"It seems like your treasure is worthless."

Then I wanted to turn around and leave the overcrowded auditorium, and leave this campus where I had stayed for a year and a half.

"Ah -!"

Although it was still the hot summer season, I couldn't help but exhale a breath of cool air.

When I came here, I still had some warm attachment, but now that I'm leaving the college, what can I leave behind?

I sarcastically mocked this school, and it's a mockery of the entire society.

"We have all graduated, so from now on, we should each have our own way of living, after all... after all..."

I was somewhat confused and slapped the dust on my clothes onto the ground, thinking to myself, I am the one living in unbearable pain.

This is already the northwest polar region after many years, and this time I discovered many reclusive people in this snowy forest and mountains.

Blizzards invaded the desolate city of loneliness in the chilly wind, but people couldn't feel the invasion of the cold wind.

Because... enduring the dense gunfire every day has made people understand what numbness is.

The dense gunfire whistled in my ears all day long, never knowing when a bullet would pass through my head.

Not to mention that there would be shells exploding not far away every ten minutes on average!

"Of course, we didn't come here for no reason. Because the time left for us in this world is not much."

It was a warm Christmas Eve, and I, who had stayed at home for several months, chose a different path.

I believe that as long as people are willing to make efforts, they will surely have unexpected results.

In the quiet night, the warmth of anticipation for my return has long disappeared!

"Gone, so it's actually that simple, it's very different from the legends, huh...?"

My body wrapped in a scarf still felt so cold... no, I can even say there was no trace of warmth at all!

Sitting on the bustling city street, I feel like my existence has become incredibly unreal.

If you ask why, it's because, at the other end, which is my house.

"How could this be?"

I stretched out my hands, but there was nothing different.

What seemed strange was that there was already a Juxi at home, laughing with my parents and with the fragrance sister who used to dress the same as always.

However, even though that Juxi made them show a long-lost smile, it had nothing to do with me.

"It seems you have realized... Yes, you are already dead, or I should say, you are a person who has freed yourself from all restraints."

Just when I was at a loss and didn't know where to go next.

A person dressed plainly, with a pale and powerless face.

Although that golden curly hair looked so vibrant and identical to my childhood friend, it still felt like a wandering ghost, just like me now.

"Oh, you're here to take me to the underworld, aren't you?" I walked up to him with a brilliant smile, "That's great, it's a perfect..."

I peacefully closed my eyes, hands in my pockets, intending to leave in such an ordinary and uneventful manner.

"No, it's still not enough!"

The figure, beautiful as starlight yet fading like a ghost, said.

"You are not the one meant to die, it is you who should meet your end."

The girl gently raised her bare arm and pointed her index finger at me, who sat there chatting with my family. "His time is almost up, but you are far from it!"

"Wait... is there some mistake?"

I suddenly felt like I was being toyed with by time.

Finally experiencing the feeling of death, the pain before the healing of this scar is what I have always pursued, but the girl in front of me told me I don't deserve it.

Her bleak and sorrowful eyes, and the glimpse of sadness in her dark green pupils.

Her gaze shifted from me to Juxi, who was sitting on the other side of the fence, enjoying a family dinner. "Time is up..."

"Huh?"

Although I heard her say that "I" would die, I never expected it would come so soon!

"Just... wait a second!"

I gritted my teeth and held on to her.

"I am curious, even though you are not the one who died, why is your heart filled with fear...why?"

"Why? Although I don't know who you are, I feel like I've seen you somewhere. Memory tells me that."

"..."

She didn't answer me, but her silence seemed to explain everything. The answer had already been revealed to me!

But I still wanted her to tell me in person, so I could find peace.

"You don't want to answer me, do you?"

"Well, close your eyes and do what you must do, slowly prove it."

"Prove what?!"

Before I could ask what this was all about, she started counting down: "Ten... nine... eight!"

I didn't expect that before I could finish my sentence, she had already started reciting the numbers of death.

During this time, the "me" in the room had already prepared to go out. How could this be such a coincidence?

"...Um, yes... I'll go to the convenience store and be right back."

"Six... five... four."

"Damn it, stop!"

I didn't need anyone else to bear the burden of my own death, I didn't!!

But she seemed oblivious and continued counting down: "...one."

Huh? Nothing seemed to have happened to the "me" who had just left. This is...no, wait!

"No one noticed or cared about my appearance when I went out, and most importantly...where did the 'me' go?!"

The "me" had just changed shoes and was ready to go to the convenience store.

But after that, there was no trace of me. This is bad!

Is it already too late?

"Juxi, don't you think you're worrying too much about things that have nothing to do with you?"

Next, she threw a pocket watch with golden spots at me.

"May it dilute or forget the memories that should not exist for you."

The girl said and then walked away.

Looking at the pocket watch she left in my hand, I realized one thing...my story is far from over!

Even though the "me" has fallen into despair, it is still difficult for me to decide.

Because...since the moment I first encountered Yu Xiang, our future...has already been smeared with a layer of deep despair!

"Juxi, hurry up and cook, I'm starving!"

In my mind, that lingering fragrance of Sister Youxi, who I can never shake off.

She appears as a well-behaved girl at school, but as soon as she gets home, she transforms into a carefree and absent-minded sister.

Although all of this will slowly fade away with my footsteps, eventually forgotten.

The hovercraft hovered in the air and made a 720-degree rotation before descending steadily towards the depths of the valley.

I watched as the energy bar of the hovercraft was completely depleted by the damaged engine, and before it ran out completely, I abruptly jumped off with the new driver near the edge of the cliff.

"Whoa--!!"

The rookie driver and I crashed hard, ending up with our four limbs in the air.