So I reread this in order to prep for this review and now I'm feeling way too emotional for 10 AM on a Friday. But first of all, if you're wondering if you should read this or not, it's only like 47 pages so just go do it. It'll be faster than reading this review, that's for sure. So if this oneshot is so short that you could finish it before this review, why am I writing it? Because I really like this story, and when you got something to say you gotta say it. There will be some spoilers for the story

Toki Doki is a prime example of how you don't need to have dozens or hundreds of chapters to make an emotionally riveting story.

Toki Doki is a short story about a girl with a heart disease that will cause her to die earlier if her heart beats faster. Because of this, she avoids doing strenuous activities and having fun with everyone else so that her heart rate doesn't needlessly increase, but it leaves her feeling lonely and unfulfilled with her life. That all changed when she meets Poppo, who wants to take her out to enjoy the life that she has. Throughout their fun few months together they experience so many fun things and Poppo gets to see a side of the MC that no one would have thought possible from who she was earlier. It all comes to a head when they go to play for the cultural festival and our MC realizes that Poppo has the same disease as well, and is going to die during the performance.

Alright, so plot out of the way, now what makes it good? Well first, a large part of it is due to the fact that the characters are likeable, with the MC's joy of experiencing new things feeling almost tangible to the reader. Another part is straight up how well the story is written, with the big twist being slightly foreshadowed before being revealed and with the mixing of lighthearted with serious tones. But of course the thing I love the most about it are the thematic beats of the story.

The heartwarming and sad parts of Toki Doki are all centered around the theme of freedom. At the beginning of the story, when we are introduced to the MC, we can tell that she is a closed off person, and later we find out from her that she doesn't necessarily want to be that way. She has let the weight and consequence of her disease take control of her life and rob her of her happiness and joy. She was bound by the disease and no longer free to live her life as she wants, that is until Poppo comes in to break her free. The newfound freedom she tastes is intoxicating, and we root for her because she is finally able to be happy. We are able to feel happy even at her death since we know she lived a full life, despite having to live with her disease. Yet by the same token it feels a little sad doesn't it? It's sad because, in the end, their freedom of life was ultimately taken too soon by death. We can no longer see what they would be like if they grew up: maybe they would have dated and lived a happy life together, maybe they would part ways then but still live their lives to the fullest after being mutually spurred on by each other. But we'll never know because that freedom was cut short.

To have the freedom to live life and be happy is one of the greatest joys of being human. If there was ever a message Toki Doki was trying to tell, it would be just that: to live your life unhindered by whatever may try to stop you. Maybe it is a disease like in this story, or maybe it's poverty, family expectations or something else, but this story is saying that none of that has to hinder you from living a free and happy life. That idea is the lifeblood and the beating heart of Toki Doki.