This Japanese Monogatari Isn't Lame-Chapter 605 - 378: Star in the Distance (4000 words)_2

"Ah... Speaking of which, tomorrow I have to go to the hospital for a checkup... Um... Kanari, how are you doing over there?"

"Tomorrow I have another injection... Kanari in heaven must be living carefree, right? I will definitely keep trying, just like the hero cartoon we both watched..."

"Everything went well!"

"Strive! Keep pushing!"

Inagaki Shizuka seemed not to want Shindai Kanari in heaven to worry about her matters, but occasionally wrote about them without erasing them, quickly glossing over them.

She left many positive words on the letter paper.

Most of them narrated some positive situations; rarely did she bring up her troubles... except for the last...

"But actually, that’s all... it’s all not real," Shindai Kanari’s body trembled.

She clutched the letter tightly, tears of a pale golden hue welling up in her eyes.

The tears turned into pale golden powder, dissipating and disappearing into the air.

"Jing... she is actually very weak at heart; she is very afraid of what she will go through next and is also very worried about what she will have to face next."

Shindai Kanari said this while crying, her little nose sniffling.

Finally breaking his silence, Beichuan Si spoke:

"But even so, she has always honored the promise she made to you."

"She has never given up hope."

"After you met her, you truly gave her the courage to keep living."

Beichuan Si’s assertive tone slightly stunned Shindai Kanari.

Shindai Kanari looked up, bewildered.

Feeling her gaze, Beichuan Si only said:

"Look at the brown letter."

Hearing Beichuan Si’s words, Shindai Kanari hesitantly pulled out the last sheet from under the stack of letters.

The letter was still printed with cute patterns.

It looked no different from the other letters.

Shindai Kanari reached out, opened the envelope, and looked further; a soft voice also arose.

It was as though Inagaki Shizuka was gently whispering in her ear.

"To Kanari, living in heaven."

"Kanari, how have you been recently?"

"Mom told me that you have become a star in the sky. But there are really so many stars, I don’t know which one is you. If you receive this letter, I hope you can shine the brightest in the night sky, then I should be able to recognize you. Hehe... If I can’t recognize you, please forgive me because there are indeed too many stars."

"Do you know? The hero cartoon we watched together has ended. As for the final outcome—I won’t tell you, you guess it yourself."

"We have settled in the harbor area with our father and mother now, our new home doesn’t have a view of Sky Tree, nor many interesting parks, the blue sky is blocked by many buildings. Anyway—you can see it from heaven, right?"

"I pray earnestly for you. I hope you can have a better life in heaven. If my prayers come true, I will really be very, very happy."

"Recent situation? There’s not much to tell about recent situations. Mom told me that my health is improving, and that I should continue to endure. But I know, every time I go past, I can always hear mom crying to the doctor. The doctors are all very kind, but the way they look at me... you know? It’s that kind of especially downhearted look! Both of us are sensitive to this feeling!"

"Mom told me that my next surgery is a very common surgery. But I clearly heard mom’s voice trembling... just like the day you left my side."

"I really, really miss you."

"To be honest, I am really scared. The days without you, Kanari... I am really scared. You have always known, I am timid, not as strong as you, Kanari."

The handwriting here trembled.

"Kanari, I am really scared. I don’t want to die... but I have made a promise with you. I must live on with a positive attitude. I must keep an open mind. I will definitely honor this promise! I will strive to live! I will also give my all in the next surgery! Kanari, please cheer for me from heaven! I will definitely live on with your share too."

"I am a bit tired."

"Can I sleep now?"

"Kanari?"

The content of the letter ends here.

Shindai Kanari’s eyes were already brimming with hot tears.

She bit her lower lip tightly, wanting to say something but completely unable to speak, only able to silently cry.

Holding the letter, tears streaming down.

Inagaki Shizuka had always honored her promise to her.

She had never broken her promise to her.

Even in her last moments, she told Shindai Kanari.

"I will do my best."

"I will strive."

"Strive to get past the threshold of death."

But the merciless heavens seemed to have no sympathy for the plight of these two little girls; it just had to make them suffer.

Inagaki Shizuka’s surgery eventually failed.

Afterwards, her frail body could not withstand a second surgery, and her condition deteriorated until she passed away.

"But even on the day she left, Inagaki Shizuka never once complained about you."

Beichuan Si recalled the words that Inagaki Kaori had told him, recounting them word by word:

It was a profound night, just like today, adorned with numerous stars in the night sky.

Inagaki Shizuka lay in bed and said to Inagaki Kaori:

"Don’t cry, Mom... I’m just turning into a star to keep Xiangli company."

"There are so many stars in the sky... Mom... you should be able to find me and Xiangli, right?"

Ah...

Lying on the hospital bed, Inagaki Shizuka gazed at the brightest star in the night sky and muttered to herself:

"Xiangli, I really tried very hard. Thank you."

"The promise... I kept it too."

Yes...

Inagaki Shizuka never faced death with fear in her heart.

She had accepted the outcome from the beginning.

Because she had already tried her best. Since she had strived in life, there were no regrets left.

"If you want to cry, just cry out loud."

Beichuan Si crouched down, stretched out his hand, and gently rubbed Shindai Kanari’s head, his voice softening, "Keeping everything bottled up inside will only harm you."

Hearing Beichuan Si’s consolation, Shindai Kanari finally couldn’t hold back her tears.

She grasped Beichuan Si’s collar and cried out loud.

Behind the two of them,

Inagaki’s Longhouse was silent.

There were no pedestrians around.

The stars twinkled in the sky.

One was... especially bright.

...

Shindai Kanari cried for a long time.

But her crying could not be heard by ordinary people.

She just clutched Beichuan Si’s collar, her pale golden tears turning into gold dust.

After a long, long time,

Shindai Kanari stopped crying.

She looked at Beichuan Si, still unable to calm her emotions.

"Big, Brother Beichuan..."

"You don’t need to thank me," Beichuan Si waved his hand, "You just need to know that Inagaki Shizuka didn’t leave this world with resentment or fear. She left while recalling the beautiful memories she had with you, just as she said she kept her promise."

Yes, the promise between Inagaki Shizuka and Shindai Kanari was not about a simple game, but Shindai Kanari’s hope that she would face surgery with a completely healthy mentality, to confront death without any regrets.

Even if Inagaki Shizuka ultimately failed, she still firmly held onto their promise.

One could only say that fate really liked to torment these two already unfortunate young girls.

"I know," Shindai Kanari nodded lightly, "But I still want to thank you, Brother Beichuan. Without you... I wouldn’t have been able to fully let go."

She raised her head to look at Beichuan Si.

"Thank you, Brother Beichuan."

Beichuan Si nodded slightly.

Shindai Kanari gently touched the song card beside her hand and eventually handed it to Beichuan Si, "Please take this, Brother Beichuan."

Beichuan Si carefully received it.

Seeing that Beichuan Si took the song card, a light golden stream began to rise from Shindai Kanari.

The clinging soul gradually freed itself... ascending...

No expression could be seen on Beichuan Si’s face.

But the gradually disappearing Shindai Kanari noticed it.

Her soul was continually being pulled away from her body.

She too reached out her hand and touched Beichuan Si’s face.

"Brother Beichuan... you really are a very gentle person."

"If possible... in the next life... Xiangli... would like to be Brother Beichuan’s daughter..."

"...Okay."

Beichuan Si grasped Shindai Kanari’s hand tightly, nodding forcefully, and solemnly made a promise.

He watched her depart.

Watching the light golden stream streak across the sky...

She seemingly truly became a star.

Hanging high in the sky.