i did not start aggressively sobbing while reading this just to end like that, SO i think the last bit was just shinpei dying and passing on, and I HAVE EVIDENCE!!
while he is running, his like coat or whatever falls off, which i like to interpret as him dying on the spot, and then the rest is his passing on to the afterlife, and also, at the very end, when they reunited, the house was surrounded by fireflies and flowers and the two of them standing and hugging at the front, but when they zoomed out on the very last panel, there was no one at the entrance of the house, no fireflies, and probably no flowers? but instead it looks like there is a dying branch in the corner of the panel, which could also symbolise shinpei, and when shinpei asks satoko "is it really you, satoko?" satoko DOESN'T ACTUALLY RESPOND TO THAT, which honestly adds to the supporting theory on shinpei actually dying at the end and that he didn't actually meet with satoko's spirit either and it is scientifically confirmed that some people do hallucinate or have altered perceptions of life before they die, which could explain why he may have perceived the letter and kotaro's words differently. and also, earlier in the chapter, when shinpei reaches the island, we see past memories go through his mind and vision. remember the 7 minute theory? yeah.
this has a lot of flaws but i do not care LET ME SAVE THIS STORY FOR MYSELF!!
i did not start aggressively sobbing while reading this just to end like that, SO i think the last bit was just shinpei dying and passing on, and I HAVE EVIDENCE!!
while he is running, his like coat or whatever falls off, which i like to interpret as him dying on the spot, and then the rest is his passing on to the afterlife, and also, at the very end, when they reunited, the house was surrounded by fireflies and flowers and the two of them standing and hugging at the front, but when they zoomed out on the very last panel, there was no one at the entrance of the house, no fireflies, and probably no flowers? but instead it looks like there is a dying branch in the corner of the panel, which could also symbolise shinpei, and when shinpei asks satoko "is it really you, satoko?" satoko DOESN'T ACTUALLY RESPOND TO THAT, which honestly adds to the supporting theory on shinpei actually dying at the end and that he didn't actually meet with satoko's spirit either and it is scientifically confirmed that some people do hallucinate or have altered perceptions of life before they die, which could explain why he may have perceived the letter and kotaro's words differently. and also, earlier in the chapter, when shinpei reaches the island, we see past memories go through his mind and vision. remember the 7 minute theory? yeah.
this has a lot of flaws but i do not care LET ME SAVE THIS STORY FOR MYSELF!!