Would You Rather?

Bonus Chapter~

I was soaking up the warm sun rays, while also sensing the slight breeze moving my now gray hair, feeling quite at peace with myself, that was until this old grunt beside me decided to start reminiscing about the old days of our youth that were already long gone. It didn't strike my nerve however until he started to repeat his words, not only pitying me but also himself once again.

"I bet you would be so much happier if he was still watching over you."

"Takashi! Geez, we've been over this already, it's been thirty years since his death. Do you truly believe I would be weeping in sorrow for such a long time?"

"It's been that long already? Time sure flies us by... you sure you want to keep spending time with someone as old as me?" I rolled my eyes, it wasn't the first time he asked me this.

"Your old ass is only two years older than me."

"That would make you one hundredth four years old... you look way younger, nonetheless." He seemed surprised like this was the first time he heard this particular piece of news. At least his old bones still remembered his own age.

"Also if you recall I was living with Taiju up until recently before he also went and kicked the bucket." Takashi looked like he had no recollection of this at all.

"He moved in with me and refused to leave when Keisuke died... Don't tell me you're planning on dying soon... You keep forgetting things, and I'm seriously worried over here that I will be forced to show up to another funeral... I attended way too many over those past four decades. And I hate people questioning me about why I'm not crying. I may just start to smack other attendees with my cane."

"The same one that has a blade hidden inside?"

"No comment."

"Right won't you be able to retain your memories once you die... and will go back to your previous life? That's kind of sad in a way. You will remember all those people that you watched dying and perhaps will never get the chance to see them again." So what kind of conditions did he need to meet to recall this peculiar knowledge? But this was a good way to sour the mood even further.

"I do not wish to perceive it this way... such perspective is just ought to give you something to latch onto and be depressed about. I will just keep the good, beautiful, and happy memories in my heart that I made in this world. Because life moves on, I will simply make new friends along the way... sure I may feel sad for the first couple of weeks after returning, but I will stay strong." Takashi nodded and returned his gaze to the scenery we were enjoying previously.

"Anyway... I wish to die like a few seconds after you because I don't want to attend another sappy event. Someone ought to invite me to a wedding, I deserve to have some fun... I actually instructed my family to dance and sing at my funeral... I wanted to threaten them a little, but I'm aware I won't be able to hunt them in my ghost form if they refuse to comply." I mentioned sadly, Takashi just laughed at my silliness.

"Yeah I have nothing to worry about, you will always stay the same cheerful self no matter the circumstances." And after starting such heavy topics he decided to take a nap, and out of nowhere, he just passed out in mere seconds.

This very night I was pondering about what Takashi said to me and so I went to bed with a heavy heart. But when I woke up something didn't feel right. I was sitting in front of a computer screen when a pop-up window informed me.

"Mission accomplished! Thank you for participating." I looked around and then gazed down to take a quick peek at my hands. They were so smooth, with no wrinkles in sight.

"Wait I really came back?" I ran to the toilet and on my way there I quickly recognized the old apartment that I haven't seen for decades.

"Yes, it's certainly my old face that I'm seeing." But the shock suddenly turned into overwhelming sadness.