The meeting wrapped up quickly.
Once the non-disclosure agreement and script matters were settled, there wasn't much left to discuss.
Aoki stood up and offered a polite bow.
"Thank you for your time today, Fujita-san, Niijima-san. Since everything's settled here, I'll be heading off."
"Ah, Aoki-san, won't you stay for lunch?" Fujita asked. It was hard to tell if he genuinely wanted Aoki to join them, or if it was just a courtesy.
It was still early, and Aoki had no intention of killing time at KL's office.
Rather than waiting around for lunch, he preferred to go home and catch a few more hours of sleep.
He declined the offer with a smile, exchanged parting words, then turned, opened the door, and left the meeting room.
After stepping out of KL, Aoki didn't head straight home.
Instead, he stopped by a convenience store to restock his dwindling household supplies.
While reaching for toothpaste, his phone buzzed.
As expected, it was an official email from KL.
Aoki had assumed they'd take their time sending the materials, so their speed caught him slightly off guard.
Abandoning his plan to browse a bit longer and maybe pick up lunch outside, he grabbed a tube of Herbal Toothpaste, paid, and made his way back to his apartment.
Once home, he set his purchases down, pulled out his phone, and opened the email.
It was formal in tone:
———————————————————————
Dear Aoki Kei,
Following the agreement signed on October 30th, please find attached the script for He.
Kindly check your inbox for the files.
———————————————————————
The title was unusual.
Just from the name, it was hard to guess what kind of story it might be.
Below the text were two attachments—one was the script file mentioned, the other an MP4 video.
Curious, Aoki decided to open the script first. His eyes skimmed over the first few lines before settling in to read carefully.
Five minutes later, he was done.
The story was simple, but its simplicity only made it more genuine—
A boy, born in an orphanage, grew up without enough to eat. At thirteen, he was adopted by a married couple.
At first, he had no hope for life, but the couple gave him love and care, showing him what family felt like.
Though both were busy with work, they never withheld affection.
But happiness never lasts forever—
The year after they adopted him, the couple died in a car accident on their way home.
Their last words to him, spoken over the phone, had been: "How about sukiyaki for dinner tonight?"
After learning of their death, the boy's world collapsed into darkness.
He took three days off from school to grieve, but when he returned—trying to escape reality—news somehow spread that he had once been an orphan.
And fate is cruel to those already suffering—
Just after losing his adoptive parents, he was bullied and mocked as a "wild kid without real parents."
The grief of losing family, the sting of bullying, the jeers of being called an outcast—
All of it cut into him like a knife, driving him to the edge.
Crushed under the weight of living, the boy decided to end his life.
While searching for a rope to hang himself, he accidentally bumped into the refrigerator.
Inside, he found the ingredients for sukiyaki his parents had left—slightly spoiled now—along with a sticky note.
Tofu. Greens. Eggs. Beef.
And in his mother's handwriting—
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[Sorry! We were so busy with work today that we couldn't make it back in time. The recipe for sukiyaki is in the cupboard's cookbook—just follow that!]
[Even if we're not home, make sure you eat properly, okay? Don't forget to eat more vegetables!]
———————————————————————
If his parents had been too busy to come home that day, they probably would've called to tell him about the food in the fridge.
Reading his mother's words, the boy, who had been too numb to even cry, broke down and sobbed.
He thought about how they had rushed home to have dinner with him—only to meet their end on the road.
He thought about how, without him, they might still be alive, happily eating sukiyaki together.
Then he remembered the line on the note: "Make sure you eat properly."
And so, he abandoned his plan to die.
The script ended with a narration note:
For some people, life is painful, and leaving may seem easier than staying.
But sometimes, holding on is also a choice.
———————————————————————
At the very least, someone once loved you enough to tell you to eat well. They wouldn't want to see you give up.
Life offers many choices—find your anchor.
The cicadas in summer, the snow in winter, the smile on your face.
So please, don't bring your story to an end. Please, please, please—keep living.
———————————————————————
Aoki exhaled softly, his thoughts becoming clearer after finishing the script.
After a brief pause, he opened the second attachment—a roughly ten-minute video.
It had no voice acting, no background music, but the visuals were stunning and the animation fluid.
There was no doubt—this was KL's short film, He.
Even without sound, Aoki watched the entire thing again from start to finish.
When it ended, he slowly closed his eyes for a moment. KL's production quality was indeed top-tier—
The story was concise, the message strong, and the emotional beats perfectly delivered.
And this was without music or voice work.
No wonder Uesugi Nanazaki had been dropped—this was the kind of project where, without the perfect music, the producers would never, ever compromise.
On screen, the final frame froze on the last line of narration:
'So please, don't bring your story to an end. Please, please, please—keep living.'
Aoki took another slow breath and locked his phone.
He no longer needed to think about which song to choose.
This short film deserved it.
Mika Nakashima — Boku ga Shinou to Omotta no wa (The Reason I Thought of Dying).