Shiro gingerly touched his cheek. It throbbed in pain.

"It's snowing...?"

Snow started falling a while ago, but he hadn't only noticed just now, too distracted with prior engagements.

By now, it had settled, covering the park with a beautiful white like a sheet of paper.

He was scantily dressed, only wearing the shirt of his school uniform. He couldn't remember when and where he had tossed aside his blazer.

Needless to say, it was not the appropriate outfit for winter. But he could not feel the cold, or at least he couldn't distinguish it from the aching of his entire body.

Moments ago, he had just gotten into a fight with some delinquents that held grudges against him and had been lying on the ground for several minutes, motionless as a result of them taking turns to take a kick at him while he was down.

If he stayed here any longer, he would probably freeze to death, so he willed his weakened body and stood up.

He stumbled slightly at first, almost losing balance, but caught himself and hobbled out of the park.

It was late at night, so only a few pedestrians were walking about. Especially since it was so cold. He reached a crossing and waited patiently. He glanced to the side of him and noticed another person was also waiting like him.

My school uniform? The girl wore his high school uniform, meaning she should be a fellow student. Students should've left school hours ago. Instead, he saw the girl holding books in folded arms; she shivered in the cold.

How diligent. He thought to himself. It made him feel slightly guilty for partaking in violent activities when really, he should be doing the same thing as this girl. Studying.

As he was lost in his thoughts, the lights turned green, and the girl closed her book and started to cross the road.

The loud roar of a truck assaulted his ears, snapping him out of his daze. He looked at the source of the disturbance and saw a large truck hurtling towards him and the girl.

Time seemed to slow and he saw that the girl was still unaware.

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Shiro wouldn't consider himself a selfless person, but faced with a situation where the impact on him was inevitable, he thought one was better than two. So, his body moved before his thoughts could fully process what was happening.

He ignored the cries of his body as it protested against the strain he put it through.

He pushed the girl out of the way.

And in doing so, he was the only one hit.

The truck skidded to the side in an attempt to avoid hitting him. However, it was futile.

A large screech and collision sounded out.

His body flew back like a rag doll.

It was unbearable to see. Shiro rolled several times, and a sickening thud could be heard each time his body made contact with the ground until he finally lay motionless.

A puddle of blood started to form beneath his body, tainting the pure white snow with a nauseous red.

Shiro did not experience any pain, as he could not feel anything. Maybe this was something he should be thankful for. To go out painlessly was, in a way, a blessing.

And he didn't receive many of those in his life.

Ah. What a cliché way to go out...

Of all the ways he could've gone out, did it really have to be this way? He cursed inwardly.

As an avid reader, he had read about this cliché scenario an untold number of times.

Never did he expect it to happen to himself, of all people.

They say that when you have a life-threatening experience, your life flashes before your eyes. And you start to think of all your regrets at once.

Regrets?

He had too many to count.

But the most prominent ones were also the most stupid.

Wishing he didn't die a virgin?

What a virgin thought, he wanted to laugh. But that ordinarily effortless action was impossible for the current him, and the only thing that came out was a choking sound, followed by a mouthful of blood.

He couldn't tell, but his organs had probably turned into a mushy paste.

The truck had been going at speeds unsuitable for this harsh weather, and the driver had most likely lost control.

But, in the first place, who would be sane enough to drive at that speed knowing the risks accompanied by the cold?

Ah... I can't think straight...

His thoughts were all jumbled up into a ball of mess.

Through his blurring vision, he attempted to check on the person he had saved.

From the mess of blobs and colours, he could still perceive, besides the horribly distressed expression she had on her face. The girl looked unharmed.

Good... At least I saved someone. He was somewhat relieved.

Aside from her, several figures were darting about and from the movement of their mouths, he supposed they were shouting. Presumably, they were people who had come to check out the commotion. Were they trying to help him?

It was too late.

To think that the only people who would care about him, in the end, were strangers. How pitiful.

Oddly enough, despite not being able to feel anything in his body. He felt a warm sensation in his hand. Gripping it was the girl, she desperately shouted words at him, but he couldn't make it out. A ringing noise in his ears had pestered him for a while now. It grew increasingly worse as time went on, and it prevented him from being able to decipher anything being said to him.

His eyelids felt extremely weak. He tried his best to resist, but strangely, he felt too comfortable and resting right now was too enticing. As such, his eyes closed, and he eventually sank into darkness' embrace.