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nRiver City.

nCommuting hours. The city streets were bustling as one would expect them to be. People walked to and fro as they headed to their destinations.

nWhite-collar workers headed to their workplaces, teens wagged school to waste away their lunch money on cheap arcades. Successful businessmen and businesswomen took their early morning coffee at their favorite café to kickstart their day.

nNo matter what the people were doing, they came from diverse backgrounds and carried on with their day-to-day lives.

nIt was on this type of bustling city street that homeless people could be seen idling away as they depended on the generosity of others to scrape by. A 25-year-old youth was also seen within their mix.

nNo one really knows how these homeless people ended up in their current situation, but it was certain that each had their own story to tell.

nGenerally, homeless people were divided into two types of people. The first were the people waiting to die, and the second were the ones still waiting for an opportunity to turn their lives around and start anew.

nThe 25-year-old youth was called Albion, and he belonged to the former group.

nNormal kids his age would have already gotten a job and start looking into marriage with their partners, but not him. He was far from any of that.

nDon't drink. Don't smoke.

nAlbion chuckled bitterly as he could vividly remember his parents lecturing him on these two points for years as they stressed the importance of health.

nHe used to get annoyed at their constant nagging, but now, he missed hearing those words dearly.

nNo, his parents might be getting on in their years, but they are still alive and well. He simply left home to become homeless on the city streets by choice.

nHe had an average family with two loving parents, an elder sister, and a young brother. They were neither wealthy, nor were they poor. Just well enough for him to receive weekly allowances since the start of high school.

nThey were better off than those less fortunate.

nLike any other normal kid, he began to start partying out with friends at the age of 18. It was the age when drinking and smoking become legal.

nAt this age, it was normal for kids to be a little rebellious. He got into drinking because of his friends and also picked up smoking due to his hot girlfriend.

nIt was ridiculous and naïve of him to have thought he could get his girlfriend to quit by smoking her cigarettes. Not only did he failed, but he also got himself addicted to smoking with her.

nHe was quite the pathetic lad.

nUntil this day, he was still unsure how someone like him managed to score the hottest girl in his math class during those college days. She was the only girl in that math class, but that is not the point.

nThe point was someone average like him managed to get a girlfriend. How?

nAlthough their relationship ended after three years due to many miscommunications and empty promises, he could not keep, the time he spent with her were the best moments of his life.

nHe still loves her to this very day.

nUntil this point, his parents had always been aware that he would drink out when he party with his friends, but they were never aware that he smoked. Or perhaps they knew at some point but chose to keep their silence.

nAfter five years of smoking, he finally quit two years ago. However, life was a joke. Although he stopped, the damage was already done. He contracted cancer.

nIf he had been proactive, he could have been saved. Unfortunately, he had always been a passive and indecisive person that leave things to chance and hope.

nAs the days passed, he noticed he was becoming older and not in the normal sense. He felt like an old man—both mentally and perhaps, physically.

nHealth problems appeared one after the other, poor digestion, bad back, bad hip, and bad knees. Perhaps, he really was becoming an old man.

nHis energy declined, and his body became more and more reluctant to move. Though he never really noticed. His world already turned grey and stopped moving since the day his girlfriend left him.

nMany are able to move forward after their breakup, but not him. He couldn't. He was frozen in time.

nUp until that point, he was still naïve to believe he would spend the rest of his life with her, his first love. Get married, have kids, and grow old together. But no, that won't be happening. Not now, not ever.

nHe disappointed her too much. He did not deserve her. She was a hard worker while he was just a lazy and useless bum.

nIt took two years for him to muster the courage to confirm the truth with the doctors, but to be honest, it was a little too late. Cancer had metastasized. That was the real nail in the coffin.

nHe **ed up.

nHe did not know how to break the news to his family and friends. He did not want them to agonize over his slow but inevitable death.

nThat was when he decided to leave home and cut off all contact with them. He was too cowardly to end his life, so he could only choose to hide away in the city with the other homeless until death takes him.

nIt was a selfish choice, but he had always been a selfish person.

nHe was of oriental ethnicity, but he had the genes of a gorilla. With his unkempt hair and beard as thick as the Amazon Rainforest, it was hard for anyone to recognize him.

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"Hey, Kid. You're still here? Isn't it about time you head home already? Don't you know your parents are missing you dearly?

" A homeless middle-aged man said.

nHe sat down beside Albion and tore a burger in half before passing one half to Albion. Albion accepted the burger graciously.

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"Thanks, Uncle. I know they miss me, but I don't have the heart to let them watch me slowly die.

" Albion said.

nIt had been two months since he joined the homeless circle.

nHe used to look down on homeless people who were the bottom rung of society. However, it was precisely these homeless people that have kindness as boundless as the ocean.

nThey did not hesitate to sacrifice their own food and changes to help him out until he adapted to the homeless life.

nThe real trash of society is people like him who had a good starting point but waste away his life doing stupid **s.

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"You—Haiz...

"

nThe homeless man shook his head and sighed. He naturally understood Albion's condition.

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"Don't you think you are unfair to them by doing this? It is precisely because your time is limited that you should spend every moment wisely. When you depart this world, do you know how much they would grieve and regret not being able to spend time with you during your final moments?

"

nAlbion's body visibly shook.

nHowever, he was firm in his decision.

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"Sorry, Uncle. I know you mean well, but I have already decided. I hope they will never have to find out when I die. I know my choice is very selfish, but please let me continue to be selfish until the end.

"

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"You—Haiz, whatever. It's your choice.

"

nThe homeless man disapproved of Albion's decision but still respected his choice.

nSuddenly, the weather drastically changed.

nLooming grey clouds blotted out the sun, and crackling thunder roared furiously as the sky darkened with a dull taste and began its heavy downpour.

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"What kind of situation is this? I have never seen the weather change so rapidly in all my life!

" The homeless man was shocked, but so was everyone else.

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"Maybe the Grim Reaper is coming for me.

" Albion joked.

nShortly after, he frowned.

nThe downpour came too suddenly. People were scrambling across the streets to take cover. The lights had turned red, but the ongoing traffic showed no sign of slowing down to a stop.

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"What are those drivers doing? Are they blind? Can't they see the red lights? Someone is going to get hurt at this rate!

" The homeless man chided.

nAt that moment, a lady in high stilettos tripped in the middle of the road. She quickly got back up but froze at the sight of the oncoming truck.

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"This is bad!

"

nThe homeless man and Albion were not too far from the pedestrian crossing.

nJust as the homeless man prepared to rush over, someone else reacted even quicker than him! Albion lunged over and shoved the lady of the way.

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"Watch out, kiddo!

"

nBam!

nThe truck driver did a hard brake at the last moment, but it was already too late. Albion was struck flying and rolled down the asphalt road amidst the heavy wet rain.

nAs Albion laid motionless on the road, he felt immeasurable pain and coldness. His body refused to respond as his mind tried to make sense of what happened.

n'Ahh, so I was struck by Truck-kun. What a typical way to end my life.' Albion thought self-mockingly.

n'If I get another chance, I promise to treasure it and live a fulfilling life!'

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