Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis or any television show, literary work, etc. mentioned in this fic. The titles are from the song "Sparrow" by Scattered Trees whom I have no connection to.

360 days.

It comes out all at once. Over night, the entire school knows and the headmaster wants to hold an assembly. People act sad and sympathetic because they should, not because they are. They treat him like he is dying, but everyone is dying, some just take a little longer. He just happens to be dying rather quickly for someone his age. Apparently that's a big deal to people, like death surprises them, as if they don't realize that's how all life ends.

Death is inevitable. It's not a really a big deal, Niou thinks.

He sits with his back to the fence atop of the school and a cigarette in his lips. One of the perks of dying is that people don't care what he does. They pity him, let him get away with things. He does not particularly mind that, though he wishes they weren't so damn obvious about it.

They used to tell him smoking is bad, that it causes cancer, the c-word everyone is so afraid to mutter around him nowadays. He did not get brain cancer from smoking so he figures he might as well continue.

"Last day at school, huh?"

Marui stands while he sits.

"Yukimura would kill you for smoking those things."

Niou tilts his head back and lets the smoke fly off.

"He wants you back on the team and if your lungs are crap, he'll kill you."

Niou smiles, "You know I'm not going to be back for tennis."

Marui slides down next to Niou. Marui never fakes sympathy and Niou likes him for that. Marui is smart, knows that everyone must die, and does not pretend to be saddened by this.

"We can hope," Marui says. He takes Niou's cigarette, spits out his gum, and puts it between his lips. He doesn't cough or gag; it's not his first. "Do you think there's a Heaven?"

"Don't know. You?"

Marui hangs back the cigarette. "I figure that when I die, I'll go to Heaven or Hell or do whatever the right religion dictates."

"And if there is no right religion?"

"I won't know that. I'll be dead."

Niou smiles around his cigarette.