1 Beginnings

My name is Mikado Haikaido. Quite the name, right?

Well it seems I must give you all some background on my previous life. Shall I write this in past tense? Hm...You know what, I'm going to do it anyway, since this is my novel...journal.....diary? Ok nevermind, just read it.

I had the boring life that one may have expected out of a Middle-Aged man with little stature in the industry. I worked a dead end job at a horrible and high workload company, I was still (Horribly) single, and had no true purpose nor knowledge of who I wanted to truly become. Was there truly time for that anymore though? I was 48, and had little time to change before I retired.

I had an alright childhood, I went to school like any other kid and was decently average. I got into a top level school in Kyoto Seika University, and found that I truly enjoyed the creation of Manga and Anime. I ended up becoming more of a nerdy person and tended to keep to myself while in university. I was a drunkard in between semesters, like when I had straight D's one year. Depression and anxiety, at least for me.

After college, and after I became sober, I made a few independent mangas without much luck, and I cut my losses to work for an Anime Studio based in Tokyo about 22 years ago, in Japan time at least. Sometimes I feel like that was the worst choice I could have made at the time.

Now, on this fateful day, I headed off to work at the early hour of 7:00 in the morning, after eating my bowl of Lucky Oats and brushing my teeth. Just about as routine at it's ever been really.

The chilly winter air of that December night blew at me without regard for my poor face before I ended up pulling up my mask to keep my said face from icing over, as becoming a snowman was not on my mind that night, before I walked through the front door of the Studio Building, then soon after, arrived at my desk.

At the company, I tended to have extremely long shifts due to being an Anime Artist. My day passed by as it usually did, constant work, my boss constantly making me work on frame over frame over frame until I was totally out of energy, and even then I was still working on more.

I actually vividly remember what I said back then somehow;

"Do I even like this job? What am I kidding, I don't." I thought in a horribly exhausted mind, nearing the end of my work day.

My boss stuck a note on my desk as he walked by me which read: "Need you to work overtime tomorrow. Deadline Soon!!!"

This deadline, was for an investor update on progress of development. So due to that, that next day would have made me go 500%, and I was already at 300% at the time. No fun doing that, if you were to ask me.

I ended up taking a deep breath and read the note before I sighed, realizing I would have to suffer through this for quite a while longer.

I then finished up with my shift, and reached the one fateful intersection as I walked home. Cars flew past me that night as I waited for the light to turn green.

"It feels like rush hour....it's 7PM however...odd." I then thought.

I eventually saw the light turn green and then I started walking like any normal person. I was looking at my phone, when I heard the truck horn blaring to my left side. I had no time to react, it was well too close, signalling the eventual end.

"So this is the end....." I ironically thought in that split-second.

I remember that everything felt like it was in slow motion for that one, slight, moment.

The truck hit me. I was still somewhat see, but my vision was blurry as I started to fade in and out of consciousness. I could see at least 8 people around me, 2 of which were Police Officers.

"Sir! Can you hear me? I need you to stay awake!" Said one of the officers to my side.

"I don't want to keep my eyes open though, I like it this way." I thought to myself.

I knew it could've ended in a similar way, just not by a truck like I saw in 90 percent of the Manga I read at home. It was both unfortunate, yet amazing, that I knew I would be able to finally end the pain and stress that I had accumulated as I worked day in and day out creating Anime. I don't know if I ever enjoyed it, however. I guess it was for a good reason.

In my last moments though, a flashback appeared.

"There was always you and me, right?" she says.

"Always. You know I would never leave your side!" you respond happily.

"Then tell me what I want to hear..." she says with a mischievous grin.

"I love you, Ashanti." you say, caressing her cheek with your thumb.

"Those are the correct words, Mikado" she says, giving you a quick peck on the lips.

"Ah....I forgot...my college sweetheart. No wonder I never felt happy after we split apart. I remember now. I won't forget this time." you think, as the thought begins to trail off before disappearing.

I closed my eyes with a smile, and everything went black.

"God I hate putting stuffy things in everything that I write..." you say, flipping the journal closed, before walking out of the room, through the nearby door.