How to be Happy: Futility in Choosing

Chapter 5: The Cruel Reality

"If you got a death warrant.. THEN STEP UP!"

Akira opens the door, as Kanashi puts Rhed in the back of the car. Suddenly, someone runs toward the car.

"Akira, call me a protector!"
"Why?! You already know to protect us!"
"I CAN'T DO IT UNLESS YOU SAY IT!"

"YOU'RE A PROTECTER!"

Kanashi jumps forward and punches the man in the face, punching his face into the pavement.
Kanashi stands up and gets in the front seat, as Akira began to drive.

Meanwhile..

Something begins to slam the door of the abandoned apartment, as Kokoru and Tafu look up.

"Someone's coming. Noa, behind me. You, what's your name?"
"Kokoru."
"Kokoru, check who that is." Tafu says, as I move up. Suddenly, the door flies off it's hinges, with 5 men walking in.

"How'd they find us?!"
"THAT DAMN CLERK!" Kokoru said, as the two looked over at me.
"The chip bag, you kept it, didn't you?!" Kokoru said, as Tafu looks at Noa.

"It's food, we're starving!"

"It's alright. Kokoru, I need to ask you to do me a favor."
"What is it?"
"Take Noa and get back into the vault. I need you to do that for me." Tafu says, as Noa's eyes widened.

"NOT AGAIN, TAFU!"
"GET IN THERE, NOW!" Tafu said, as Kokoru grabbed Noa's hand and pulled her into the vault.

Tafu locks the door, as the handle to open it is too rusted to be pulled by Noa.

"Kokoru, open this door!" Noa says, as Kokoru stares at the floor. 

"Hm. Let's see how effective the gas would be.." One of the yakuza says, as Tafu runs toward them. Tafu punches one into a pile of bricks, and grabs another one by the hair. He slams one into the barrel of fire, and grabs the barrel and throws all the wood at one. He then breaks the barrel on another one's head. The last one sneaks behind him and straps a gas mask onto Tafu, before turning a hinge and administering gas. Tafu grabs the gas can and slams it into the last guy's head, before falling onto his knees. He turns off the gas, before staring at his hands.

"He's ok! Kokoru, open the door!" Noa says, as Kokoru stares at the ground, with death in his eyes.

"Kokoru! Open the door!" Noa says, as she forces Kokoru to stand. Kokoru turns the valve and opens the door, as Noa runs toward Tafu.

"Tafu, don't scare me like that ever again!"

"Who are you..?"

"H-Huh? Don't mess around, it's me! It's Noa!"
"I don't recognize that name.. I'm sorry."

"It's me! It's your friend, Noa! That's Kokoru, and I-I'm Noa! You know who I am, right?"

"I'm sorry.. I don't."

Noa began to mumble and stutter, tears rolling down her cheeks. 

"Hey Noa.. you know what they say about good people?"
"What?"

"They have the worst endings." Kokoru says, handing Noa a knife.

"What do you think I'll do with that?"
"He's a husk. He doesn't know who you are, he doesn't know where he is, he's suffering so much.. just trying to remember you. That's the cruel reality of this world, we're fools, put here to suffer. We can't... We can't change that.."

Noa, who's letting tears fall down like a waterfall, looks at Tafu. Tafu looks back, still confused as to who she is.

Noa hugs Tafu, as he looks at her, confused. 

"You've cleansed him of his curse. The curse of memory." Kokoru says, as he turns away.

Noa lets go of Tafu, as Tafu looks down at his chest.

Tafu falls to the ground, as the dagger in his chest pierces his heart.

"He was a good man. But good people can't exist in this world, and we can't change that. We don't have a choice." Kokoru says, as Noa buries herself into Kokoru chest, sobbing and shouting.

After 10 minutes, the two walk out onto the road. Suddenly, a car stops next to them.

The window rolls down, as a girl in green greets them.

"Need a ride? You look like shit."

"We'd like that." Noa says, as she steps into the car.

Kokoru stares dead at the floor of the car, as Akira speaks.

"What's wrong?"
"Everything."