"Even if something bad happens and fate tears the two of us apart our souls will still remember each other. Our souls will remember the connection between us the love we shared and the memories we made together. The souls of the two of us will always recall the bond, between the two of us."
There was no sky.
No ground.
No breath.
The world was completely dark and silent. There was no shape or warmth anywhere. The rain and the alley and the cold pavement were all gone. All that was left was a feeling of floating around like his soul was drifting in a huge empty space. The darkness was endless. It felt like his soul was floating in it forever.
Itsuki did not feel pain anymore. He was numb to the feeling of pain the sensation of pain was completely gone for Itsuki. Itsuki was not. That was a big change, for Itsuki.
No wound. No blood. No body.
Yet…
The man recalled something. He actually remembered it. The memory of it came back, to him. He remembered.
Yuki fell into his arms. He had to catch her. The weight of Yuki was sudden. He stumbled a little. He held Yuki close, to him. She felt really weak. Yuki was collapsing in his arms. He did not know what to do.
Her final smile beneath the falling rain.
The warmth fading from her fingertips.
That moment stayed with him like a memory that would not go away no matter how much time passed or what happened to him. The memory of that moment was, like a scar that he could not get rid of it was always there. That moment was something that he would always remember it was a part of him now.
The mans voice was loud, in the dark it sounded really weak. He was clearly begging for something. His voice echoed into the darkness it was fragile and desperate.
"…Yuki… where…?"
No answer.
No sound.
Only the faint ripple of his thoughts sinking into the void.
He was trying to find her so he focused all his energy on the place where she was supposed to be. His mind was. Old memories were coming back, to him but they were all broken, like pieces of glass that had been dropped on the floor. The memories of her were scattered around him.
I think about the school hallways. The school hallways are pretty cool. I like walking down the school hallways. The school hallways are always filled with people.
Sunlit afternoons.
Cherry blossoms in spring.
Her laughter.
Her tears.
Every single memory I have is totally burned.
And yet…
Something was missing.
The alley.
The hooded man.
The final moment.
The memory went away before he could catch it. The memory just. He could not hold on to the memory.
His thoughts were really blurry. They just slipped away from him like when you try to hold water in your hands and it just runs out between your fingers. His thoughts were like that they were slipping away, from him.
Was this death?
So I was wondering what does it really mean to disappear or vanish? Was this what it meant to vanish? It is a weird feeling when you think about it to just be gone and I do not know it seems like a mystery, the whole vanishing thing. I am still trying to figure out what it is all, about this vanishing business.
No heaven, no rebirth, no time.
Just silence.
Just emptiness.
Just—
"…Itsuki."
The voice was really gentle. It flowed through the dark space like a soft wind that you feel on a calm day. The voice just seemed to be, in the darkness.
Familiar.
Warm.
He knew what it was away. The thing he saw was really familiar, to him. He recognized the thing instantly.
Yuki.
The mans awareness was really shaken. His consciousness was very upset.
"Yuki…? Yuki, where are you!?"
The void just stayed still. She was getting nearer and nearer. The void did not actually move it was just that her presence was really drawing closer, to the void.
The man could not see the woman.
The man could not feel the womans hand. He just did not have that feeling. The womans hand was not something he could feel at that moment. The man was trying to feel the womans hand. He just could not.
He knew that she was really there.
Just beyond reach.
Her voice was different this time it did not have any fear, in it.
Only a quiet, gentle resolve.
I am here.
A feeling of relief came over the person. The person felt really relieved.
The man really wanted to hold the woman. He wanted to put his arms around the woman and keep her close, to him. The woman was the one he wanted to hold.
To apologize.
To scream for one more chance.
He wanted to tell her that he did not do a job of keeping her safe. He had to tell her that he failed to protect her. The thought of telling her that he failed to protect her was really tough, for him.
But…
I did not get anything. Nothing came out when I tried. The result was nothing.
The mans thoughts were, over the place before he could even think them through. His thoughts just did not seem to come they were scattered all over before they could even form into something that made sense. The thoughts of the man were really scattered.
Parts of him were disappearing. He was losing bits of himself. It was a really scary feeling. Fragments of himself slipped away. He did not know how to get them back. The fragments of himself that were gone were a part of who he was.
He felt like a weight had been lifted off him. He really did feel lighter.
Too light.
It feels like something is being peeled away, from me. This thing that is being peeled away is not my skin. It is not my bones. It is my memory that is being peeled away.
A cold feeling, even colder, than when someone dies spread all over him.
I am really worried about what's going on with Yuki and me. Something is happening to Yuki. I do not know what it is. I am scared about what's happening to us to Yuki and, to me.
She stopped for a moment. Thought about what to do next. She was not sure if she should go ahead with it. The woman hesitated.
Her voice was shaking,. Just a little bit.
It looks like we are in a place we are, between worlds.
"Between…?"
The man tried to think. He really tried to think about the problem with his thoughts. The problem was that he could not think clearly. He was trying to think about what to do, with his life and the man was having a lot of trouble thinking.
To remember.
Tokyo.
Their childhood.
The promise beneath the blossoms.
The alley.
The blade.
Her warmth fading in his arms.
The man really wanted to hold onto the things that mattered to him. He did not want to let go of these things. The man tried to hold onto them because they were very important, to the man.
Memories started to fall. The memories began to unravel. This is what happened to the memories.
Names.
Places.
Faces.
Everything just became a blur and I could not see things clearly anymore. Everything was, like a haze.
The mans heart was trembling. If he actually had a heart that could do that.
Wait, do not go. Do not disappear. Please do not let go of me I really need you to stay with me I am talking to you and I want you to stay do not let go of me.
"I won't."
Her voice was unwavering.
It seems like the only thing that is still around is those words. Those words are all that is left for sure.
I promised remember, I actually said that and I want you to remember what the music teacher said I promised.
The light started to come out in the dark. It was, like something was happening in a place that was empty and black. The darkness was not so dark anymore because the light began to bloom.
Soft at first.
Distant.
Like a lone lantern flickering in a sea of night.
The mans soul was. It was drawn to this thing. His soul was really being pulled toward it. The drifting soul of this man was drawn toward it.
The warmth spread slowly. It was, like the warmth was moving at its pace spreading from one place to another. The warmth spread slowly.
Not heat.
Not fire.
Something deeper — like a heartbeat echoing across eternity.
The void really rumbled. It was a noise. The void was making a sound. The void was rumbling loudly.
Something is there now. A presence has awakened.
It was not human.
Not divine.
Something ancient, distant, and unfathomable.
A voice was. It sounded really deep. It was like many voices were talking at the time like the whole world was speaking together.
Your threads have not come to an end yet. Your threads are still going on.
The light was pulsing. It kept going on and off the light was really pulsing.
The void was shaking a bit. It was a soft movement. The void trembled gently it was like it was alive or something. The void was. That was a pretty weird thing to see.
You are carrying regret. Regret is something that you have. It is weighing you down. The regret that you carry is a burden. You carry this regret with you every day.
Itsuki felt it away.
The weight that was holding down his soul was a heavy thing. It was, like something was weighing him down all the time. The weight that bound his soul was always there it never went away.
The man did not do a job of keeping her safe. He was supposed to protect her. He failed to do that. The woman was not protected by him.
Failed to keep their promise.
They did not get to the future they really wanted. The future they dreamed of is not what they have now. They had plans, for their life but things did not work out that way. The future they dreamed of is still a dream.
The voice just kept on going.
You have a longing, inside of you a feeling of longing that you cannot shake this longing is something that you carry with you.
He felt Yuki standing beside him. Yuki was close, to him.
Even without form.
Even without a body.
The people, in the family stuck together. They really stuck together. The family members stuck together.
Bound.
Unwilling to separate.
The voice just stopped.
Then—
You are going to be woven. This is going to happen to you one time. The weaving is going to take place and you will be the one who is woven.
The light got really strong. It covered up all the darkness. The darkness was gone because the light was so bright. The light just took over everything.
Not painful.
Not overwhelming.
Simply… absolute.
Itsuki felt that his consciousness was stretching out like a thread that someone is pulling through a pattern that they are making. The consciousness of Itsuki was really being. It felt very strange to him. Itsuki was aware that his consciousness was changing. It was, like nothing he had ever felt before with his consciousness.
Yuki said the word reincarnation quietly.
He did not know how she understood it. The thing is she just seemed to get it. He was really confused, about how she figured things out with the woman. He did not know how she understood the situation.
He did not know why this was happening to him. The man was really confused, about what was going on with his life and the things that were happening to him. He thought about it a lot. Tried to figure out why these things were happening to him.
He only knew one thing:
He did not want to be reborn if it meant leaving the woman he loved behind again. He thought about the woman he loved. He did not want to be reborn if it meant he had to leave the woman he loved behind again. The thought of being reborn and leaving the woman he loved behind again was something he could not bear. He loved the woman much that he did not want to be reborn if it meant he would not be, with the woman he loved.
Wait if we are reincarnated will we actually remember what happened before?
The silence was really quiet. It went all the way across the empty space. The silence just kept going and going it was, like nothing was there just the silence and the void.
The presence did not say anything.
The mans thoughts were really shaking. His thoughts were, over the place and they trembled. The man could not stop his thoughts from trembling. His thoughts just kept on trembling.
What if we forget each other. What if we lose the things that matter to us. Our promise, the life we built together all the memories we made all the things we shared. What if it is all gone. What if we lose our promise, our lives everything that we shared the life we had the memories we made the things that make us who we are.
Yuki stopped him in a way.
"…Even then."
Her voice was steady.
Even in this vast emptiness.
I will still find you.
The man just stopped moving. He was still. The man froze.
The same words she spoke before she died.
The same vow beneath the falling rain.
The man really wanted to believe that things would get better. He wanted to believe in people and the world, around him. The man wanted to believe.
The man really wanted to trust the people around him. He wanted to trust that they would do the thing. Trust was something that the man felt was very important. He wanted to trust everyone, especially the people he cared about like his family and his friends. The man wanted to trust.
Fear still had a hold, on what was left of him. He was really scared. It was affecting the parts of him that were still okay. The fear was still gripping him.
What if I do not recognize the person in front of me? What if I look at the person and I have no idea who the person's ?
She laughed softly. The laugh was an one, from her.
Not out of joy —
But out of certainty.
Then I will make sure that you do.
She was getting nearer. Her presence was really close now. I could feel her presence, around me.
The people, in the situation could not hold each others hands. They wanted to hold hands. They could not hold hands. The reason they could not hold hands is not important what is important is that they could not hold hands.
Could not embrace.
The man felt like her forehead was resting softly against his. He had this feeling that her forehead was touching his gently. It was as if her forehead was leaning against his.
If our names change then what happens to the people who know us by our names. Our names are a part of who we are. If our names change it can be really confusing, for everyone. I mean think about it, our names. Suddenly nobody knows what to call us anymore. Our names are what make us unique and special. If our names change we have to get used to a name and that can take some time. If our names change it is like we are a person or something.
If our faces change then what happens to the people we're. Our faces are a part of who we are as people. If our faces change then do we become people or are we still the same people, with different faces. I think about this when I see people who have had accidents or illnesses that have changed the way they look. If our faces change do we still feel like the people inside.
If our world changes then what will happen to the people in our world the world that we live in our world is going to be very different. Our world is full of surprises and our world can change at any moment. What will our world be, like if our world really does change?
Her voice was unwavering.
I will always love the person I am talking about which's you. The feeling of love that I have, for you will never go away. I will still love you.
The light got really big and bright.
A warmth wrapped around them.
The souls of these people trembled together. They were, like two fires that burned together in the place. The souls of these people resonated with each other like flames that are connected.
The presence spoke again. It said something one time. The presence spoke more and that is all it did.
"…Very well."
Threads of light went out in all directions —
There are strands that bind the souls of people together. These unseen strands are like a connection, between the souls of people. The souls are connected by these strands.
You will wake up in a different world. This world is not like your world. The world you know is. Now you are, in another world.
The void started to fall. The void was getting smaller and smaller. This was happening to the void.
The light, in the sky is really beautiful. When the sun rises the light fills up the sky. The sky is filled with light.
The warmth turned into air.
The weight is now.
A heartbeat.
A body.
A world.
Itsukis senses came back at once.
He felt something, beneath him. The softness was really nice. He liked the feeling of the softness beneath him.
Sheets.
Fabric.
A bed.
His lungs filled with air that was warm and gentle.
The baby choked on his breath.
Not Tokyo air.
Not city dust.
Something fragrant.
Rich.
Alive.
The mans eyelids actually trembled. His eyelids were trembling a lot. This was because the mans eyelids were really sensitive. The eyelids of the man trembled.
The light came into the room slowly. It seeped through the spaces. Filled everything up. The light was really nice.
I heard voices that seemed to be coming from nearby. The voices were echoing around me.
He is breathing normally.
Thank goodness. The young lord is safe.
A woman's relieved sigh.
The man speaks in an serious way. He sounds very calm and serious when he talks. The man has an serious tone.
Young lord?
The words did not make any sense.
The man tried to move his body. He really tried to move. The man wanted to move.
His body… was small.
Weak.
Smooth.
He lifted his arm —
Tiny fingers.
Not his own.
A baby's hand.
His heart was beating fast. The heart was pounding in his chest.
…No.
No, this couldn't—
"Leon."
The mans voice was really soft when he spoke.
"Welcome to the world, my son."
The mans mind just stopped working all of a. His mind froze.
Leon?
That wasn't his name.
His name was—
Itsuki.
The man tried to speak. He really tried to say something. The man tried to speak.
I was really surprised because no sound came out when I did what I was supposed to do. The thing, with the sound just did not. No sound came out.
The baby let out a cry. It was a soft sound that came from the infants mouth. Only a faint infant cry escaped his lips when he was really upset. The infant cry was so quiet that you had to listen to hear the infant.
The woman held the baby close to her chest. She was. There were tears in her eyes. The tears were. They were not falling down her face. The woman was just sitting there with the baby in her arms feeling very sad. The baby was safe, with the woman she was taking care of him.
"My little Leon Ashwell… our precious child…"
Ashwell?
Not Japan.
Not Tokyo.
Another world.
Another life.
Reincarnation.
The mans vision became blurry. His eyes could not see things clearly. Everything looked fuzzy to him. His vision was really blurry.
My memories began slipping from me. Memories that I thought I would always remember they began slipping. I tried to hold on to these memories. They were slipping away my memories.
The rain.
The alley.
Her voice.
Her smile.
No—
No do not fade away. I want the music to keep playing so please do not fade. The song is really good. I like the music so I wish it would not fade.
Don't leave.
Don't erase her.
He really wanted to remember them. He wanted to hold onto every piece of the time they spent together in the past. He tried hard to keep these memories of them alive.
Things just fell apart. He could not hold on to them. He tried to grasp them. They slipped right through his fingers just like sand.
The man was really scared. He trembled. His whole body was. The man could not stop it. The man trembled because he was very frightened.
Somewhere — just beyond his reach —
The man felt another heartbeat. This was the heartbeat of the person standing next, to him. The heartbeat was strong. It was beating very fast. The man could feel this heartbeat clearly. It was the heartbeat that made him feel strange. The heartbeat was what caught his attention.
Another presence.
Familiar.
Warm.
A soul echoing in the distance.
Yuki.
She was out there.
He did not know where.
He did not know who the woman would become. The woman was going to be someone. He had no idea who the woman was going