EPILOGUE: Unbreakable Bonds and a Wandering Spirit

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

And sometimes, the dead don't move on so easily unlike the living.

Set in a universe where there are two types of people: alive and dead. Sometimes though, there are phantasms.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

Kirigiri's POV

I used to not believe in superstition but that was before I turned into a ghost.

My mind was still trying to cope with this change. Perhaps it was because it hasn't even been that long yet for it to sink in. Or maybe it was just my stubbornness and my penchant for logic making it harder for me to simply just swallow the truth. I've seen corpses all my life but not once have I seen a ghost. How ironic it is for my first encounter with the supernatural to be actually me. So ghosts were apparently real. And although I was just beginning to accept that myth as a fact, this was certainly pushing it.

I didn't expect to feel alive even though I'm already dead.

Well, it's not like I am alive. It's more like I feel alive by extension. That doesn't make any sense but that's how I would describe it. I can feel it, the heart pumping, the lungs breathing, the adrenaline coursing through the skin but at the same time I don't exactly directly feel it. It's like I'm watching all of this happen from the outside but I can vividly imagine how it feels like. It feels like it's been so long since I last felt alive. But this isn't my body to feel. This isn't my life to live. Right now, I only feel alive vicariously through Makoto.

I guess this is what paranormal investigators would call possession.

This wasn't even on purpose or at the very least, this wasn't my intention. Makoto just suddenly collapsed and my body- my spirit- just moved on its own in an attempt to catch him. Except, I never did catch and even more surprisingly, I didn't pass through him. I just found myself in control over his body. It was new and unexpected and oh so very frightening.

If I was in his body then where was he?

My eyes scanned across the room. I didn't see any other floating spirits. I panicked and oh, I felt my heart beating faster. I pushed down the elated feeling the swept through me when I realized just how wonderful it was to have a working heart. I honed in my focus and tried to deduce where Makoto's spirit would be. If he wasn't outside then perhaps… inside?

I don't know how else to describe it but as soon as I thought of that, I immediately saw him. Is this one of those skills you just naturally have when you become a ghost? I shelved that thought for later. For now, at least I've confirmed that he was still here and he was in fact, safe. He was asleep, not in a literal sense but more in the spiritual aspect. It's the same concept as changing drivers but using the same vehicle. He's taken the backseat so now I'm in control.

What bothered me was how easy it was for me to take the controls. Was Makoto just that easily possessable? This was worrying if it were true. Another theory would be that it was only easy because it was me possessing him. But that didn't make for any logical explanation. For starters, I doubt he was even aware he was offering his body for that. Whatever the reason, the fact is that I'm already in here and I can tell that this body won't last long. But even so, I'll make sure that he survives this. I won't let any more harm come to him while I'm in charge.

I can still help him even when I'm dead.

My first priority was the wound. He was too busy earlier trying to cover it up that he neglected to tend to it. That was careless and furthermore, very foolish of him. He could have almost died if this got infected, provided that he doesn't die from blood loss first. I'm touched by the sentiment behind the outrageous action but to go so far was just reckless.

Risking your life for a lie won't make it any truer.

And it certainly won't make me happy. I sighed but even that was reduced to a shaky breath. This body was in such a dire state that I even had a hard time trying to perform first aid. It was sloppy but it would do since I at least managed to stop the bleeding. Now I could more or less move without the fear of exsanguination. I checked back inside Makoto and saw him still in deep sleep but now he was dreaming. I guess I could let him sleep some more.

Now my next concern is actually escaping from here and to a lesser degree, losing the pursuers. My best bet was to set up a trap or diversion and hope they fall for it but given that the only items I had on hand was a phone and a gun, I'm not entirely convinced that I could pull it off. This may be the only time I wished that my special talent was less detective and more of gambling. But I could not even entertain that thought for long.

The door broke down and the room was filled with gunfire.

I managed to duck into one corner, taking cover behind a steel locker. This was happening all too fast and all too soon. My confrontation skills were hardly professional and my chances of survival was dwindling. I forced myself to think. They already saw me and I could tell that they will close in on me sooner rather than later. It was too late for stealth now.

There were five of them inside, probably more waiting in the hallway so unless I could power through that I don't think I'll be using that as an exit. There were windows on one side but if I remember correctly, there weren't any ledges to grab onto on the outside and I was on the third floor. I also have to deal with the crossfire should I choose to gamble on the windows. My best bet was to eliminate as many of the firing party as I possibly could and decide from there which exit to go for. My hands clutched the gun tighter. This was the turning point.

I won't give up on his life that easily.

There would have to reload at some point and so I gambled everything on that opening. When the bullets stopped, I immediately dashed for a different cover and took note of their positions while at it. I would have preferred to shoot after taking cover but I saw that one of them was faster at reloading so I aimed my gun at him and pulled the trigger.

Click.

No, no, no, no. NO! You can't do this. Not now! Why the hell did this happen. The gun was jammed. Dammit! Why now?!

I panicked. I felt like I just doomed Makoto to an even worse death. Even though I was already prepared for the worst, this was just pathetic. I could not even defend with this. I won't have a chance at all at this rate. I don't even know who to blame anymore. Our boss for sending us out on this godforsaken mission? These guys for choosing to hunt us down guns ablaze? The gun for being so unreliable at the worst time? In my frustration, and also as a last desperate attempt, I threw the gun instead.

It never even reached the target.

But instead, a hidden member emerged from behind and managed to block it with a ballistic shield. I felt my heart fall. However, in a surprising turn of events, when the gun fell to the floor, it hit at just the right angle for the weapon to coincidentally unjam and fire a stray bullet back at the shield. However, rather than stopping the bullet, it inadvertently deflected it toward a fellow gunman. More specifically, it shot through the knockout gas grenade.

In a span of mere seconds, a gun malfunction transformed into knockout gas.

It was an advantage that I saw it all happening because I was able to protect myself from the gas. The gunmen however weren't as focused and in their confusion, they didn't even realize what was happening until they were already collapsed on the floor. And I just stood there, the last person standing, baffled by what just happened.

Did I just luck out?

The idea never crossed my mind. Getting a lucky break. I was aware that this was Makoto's body but I hadn't realized that everything else, including his talent, would still be in effect. But that was different. His luck was so bad that nine out of ten "lucky" incidents were leaning more towards misfortunes. It was almost never good luck with him. However, there was still that minority percentage. The rare miracle that just could not be explained as to how it happened aside from pure luck. And I guess that I was lucky enough to get incident number ten.

Regardless, this was still a fortunate turn of events and I would be a fool to waste it. I pilfered a gun off one of them then I ran out and did my best to hide my tracks. It wasn't until I knew it was safe enough that I contacted headquarters for pickup and medical assistance. Well, that went surprisingly easy. I had forgotten just how formidable Makoto's luck was, good or bad. There was nothing urgent left for me to do since his safety and survival has already been secured. Now all I had to do was wait.

This will probably be the last time I'll ever feel this. Feel alive. Feel Makoto.

Painful. This felt painful. Everything was painful.

And yet, it was not a bad feeling. I'm sure that I'll miss this unpleasant sensation. After all, you could only feel pain when alive. And as a ghost, I automatically forfeited that luxury. Even until now, I find myself in disbelief over what has happened today. Everything felt so surreal that I was more willing to believe that this was all a dream.

A lucid dream in which I died and became a ghost.

But when I stared at my hands and saw not my scars but rather his hands instead, I knew that this was not just a hallucination. This was his body not mine because mine was left behind elsewhere because it could no longer move. Because it was no longer alive. And though I may still be here now, I was only here in spirit.

What would be the next step? What would happen to me once Makoto takes back his body? Would I disappear? Maybe I would. I probably should. They say that spirits move on to the next world, right? The afterlife, whatever or wherever that was. They say spirits only stay because of lingering regret. But right now, I don't feel any regrets at all. In fact, I guess you could say that I was already at peace. Maybe I only managed to stay here for this long because I was worried that he would not make it. Well, he's safe now, I made sure of it. So my time was probably up. I'm honestly surprised I did not disappear as soon as I died but then again, I'm even more perplexed that ghosts exist. But there was something good that came out of this. I'm thankful that I was able to be helpful even in death. I've already accepted my passing and did what I could. That's why I'm not afraid of what happens next. But at the very least, I wanted proof that I was here.

I wanted to leave something behind aside from my corpse. One last parting gift.

Take care. Until we meet again. - K

And with that, I was ready to move on.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

Moving on was not as easy as I thought it would have been.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Without even noticing it, a year has already passed. I honestly thought that I would not see another sunrise in my life but the next day, I did. And I saw another the next day. And the next. And so on and so forth. I never even thought that I would make it this far. I even considered that perhaps there was a pre-scheduled date for a spirit's passing, a sort of universal holiday for the supernatural, so I just waited for that to come. I have been waiting for a year now and maybe I would have continued with that kind of thinking. Until finally I realized two things:

That I was still a spirit.

And that I was not moving on anytime soon.

A year into being a ghost and I'm still grasping on what I'm supposed to do. There was not really much for me to do anyways. There was no need for me to eat and no job for me to keep me busy. All of a sudden, I had too much free time on my hands with nothing for me to do away with it and it was honestly frustrating. I could not physically interact with anything nor could I communicate with anyone. And yes, I now had the freedom to roam around wherever I please but that got boring too fast. Just looking at the world without a care was not as exciting as I expected it to be.

I used to be more than just a spectator.

Now all I do is merely watch the world as it continues to spin. In a way, it's kind of like watching television. There really wasn't anything else you can do but watch as the scene unfolds in front of you. The people do not know something vital but you do and so the urge to help them floods through you. However, no matter how much you want to make a difference, you just could not. Because the people behind the screen were in a different world, a space separate from your own. It was not just a barrier between you but a whole separate realm. Even still, I remembered my heart reaching out to those fictional characters. But the people I'm watching weren't just fictional, they were real. They were real and alive. And so came my third epiphany as a ghost.

As a spirit, I was powerless.

But since all I could do was observe, I tried to make the best out of it. I've tried monitoring strangers, sometimes following them for days at a time but they never quite piqued my interest. At the end of the day, I always found myself visiting Makoto.

It was odd watching him live on without me. It was painful at first but only because he was agonizing over mourning and I wanted so badly to comfort him but my fingers could never touch him. During those first weeks, I had to watch him cry more than I ever saw him did when I was alive. It was heartbreaking. But he did get better eventually. I thought I would have been slightly upset over that but there were no such ill feelings from me. It was more of a relief for me when he started to seriously try moving on.

I think he may have moved on faster than me.

Makoto's moving on in his own ways. I think it would be worse for both of us if he never moved on. I could tell that he was not planning on forgetting me but he's not letting that hold him back either. A part of me is touched that he's so adamant at keeping my memory alive. He does this through a lot of things, some of which he isn't even aware of. Sometimes when eating out, he'd order a dish that I enjoyed instead of his usual order. Sometimes when cooking, he'd accidentally cook for two people and ended up eating the same meal the following day. Sometimes when going to bed or waking up, he'd greet me as well as if I could still hear him. He does a lot of this things sometimes. Small things. Things that only the two of us could get. And oftentimes, these small acts grow on me.

"So my sister made another new friend and let me tell you, they get crazier each time."

I especially love his visits. He would visit my grave from time to time but lately they've been getting less frequent. I'm not mad about it though. I'm willing to wait even if it takes years because right now I have all the time in the world. These visits are my most cherished experiences since I became a spirit.

We have conversations or at least, one-sided conversations. As much of a conversation between a live person and a spirit could get. He would always pause at the right moments, as if expecting to hear a reply, and I do reply every time but my voice never quite reached him.

These talks began out heavy but once Makoto started smiling again, they became lighter and more natural. Now he would talk about basically everything. It was entertaining for me because half of those stories, he was not even aware that I was there watching them happen. But that did not make those stories dull. Hearing them from his perspective was a whole new take from simply witnessing it. I may have watched it but he lived it.

"I know I say this a lot. Back then and even until now but I honestly do mean it every time. I probably sound like a broken record by now but I'm grateful to you. Thank you."

Ah, that's true. He does say that more often than any other words. I don't remember having a conversation where he forgot to thank me. How ridiculous of him.

I'm the one who should be thanking you.

"I probably wouldn't be enjoying life right now if you hadn't pushed me to back then."

Then that makes two of us. I'm only enjoying the spirit afterlife now because of you.

"I'm living life twice to the fullest! Get it? 'Cause I'm trying to do your share too."

A chuckle passed by my lips.. To my pleasant surprise, apparently the dead can still laugh.

That's just like him to crack a poorly timed joke. I'm glad to see him sparkling again. At one point, I was worried he would never brighten up but I guess that concern was unfounded. He was the type who could bounce back after all. And as I stared at him, trying to memorize this version of him, I saw him change before my eyes. The humorous glint was fading into somber seriousness.

"Are you lonely out there without me?"

Was it alright for me to be honest?

"Hey, can't I get to see you again? Just one peek, please?" It was supposed to be a joke but it ended up sounding serious.

And I could not answer him.

For the first time in a long while, I exercised my right to remain silent. I knew that he would not hear whatever answer I said but that's just the thing. I'm afraid I might answer with something that I just might regret. It was too soon for that question. And maybe given some more years, I may still not be prepared to answer that. So I sealed my lips shut and just stared at him. And to my surprise, it looked as if he was staring back at me.

For a moment, I could have sworn that he was looking at me. Really seeing me.

And in the next, the eye contact was gone.

"Not yet, huh?" His face was a contorted mixture of feelings. Was it disappointment? Relief? Or maybe... was he also lonely?

Before I could even blink, his eyes searched elsewhere.

I would have told myself I imagined it but then again, that would also mean that I have to tell myself that I imagined dreaming of everything that happened one year ago. I think that was the last thing I would ever do. Whether or not we saw each other in that moment, I guess I'll just believe in what I want to believe in.

And I want to believe in us.

"That's fine by me. After all, you did say that there was no need to rush." He chuckled lightheartedly.

"I guess I should be going now. It was really nice talking to you again."

He gave one last long look at my grave and then he turned his head to my direction.

I'm still here.

I wanted to tell him that. I wanted him to see. I wanted him to actually see me.

But I knew it was too early for that.

Even though he couldn't see me right now, I know that we'll see each other again. Eventually.

"Wait for me. I'll see you soon." He smiled.

I smiled back.

It's natural for the living to move on but spirits can only try.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

Time stops only for those who die.

It's been two years ever since he decided to only visit my grave on my birthday and on the day I died. Likewise, I only occasionally drop by to watch over him out of respecting his efforts to move on. Today was the latter of the two days so he was wearing a suit. Seeing him in that attire in contrast to the casual clothes he wore when it was a birthday visit, really accentuated just how different he was now. He certainly has changed over time. His body started packing in some muscles, much to his delight. His face grew sharper and judging from the stubble on his chin, he neglected to shave again last weekend. He grew up to be a fine young man.

Meanwhile, I was still stuck at 22.

At least that's one thing that superstitions got right. Ghosts don't age. But that was just a minor nuance compared to the rest of the package when becoming a spirit. When you're dead, the last thing you have to worry about was what you look like when basically no one else could see you.

"Ah, there you are." He turned to my direction and beamed.

Was he talking to me?

"Sorry, I'm late!" A voice shouted back from behind me.

No, it wasn't me after all.

A woman sporting a sundress sprinted past me and towards Makoto. She wasn't that pretty but what she lacked in appearance, she made up for in charm. If I had to guess what her best selling point was it would be her personality. But I'm not saying this to badmouth her. This wasn't the first time I saw her and from those other times, I could only say good things about her.

I may have also observed her more attentively than other subjects but that was beside the point.

"Thanks for coming with me. To be honest, I wasn't actually sure you were okay with it." He sheepishly said.

"Why? Did you think I'd get jealous?" She smirked. Her tone was playful.

"No! I mean, I hope not?" He embarrassingly rubbed the back of his neck. An old habit. "It's just a weird request and I thought you'd be uncomfortable with it."

"Yeah, it is weird but nothing too out there." She chewed on her bottom lip which I recognized as a nervous tick. "But I guess I'm a little jealous. Just a bit."

A small part of me took pride in that. She did not know me at all and yet she knew about me enough to think that I had power even in death. I know it's not a competition but it still felt like a small victory for me.

"Why would you say that?" He asked cluelessly.

"Well, she's your first, right? First love will always be special." She sighed and crossed her arms. "Ah, but you're not my first either so we're even."

"I'm not entirely sure how I'm supposed to react to that."

"But still, you're here now because she saved you, right?" She then looked back from where she came from. "Then I should properly thank her."

If she could see me, she would have known that we were seeing eye to eye in that moment.

This was why I could never hate this woman. I knew for a fact that her intentions with Makoto was pure. I double checked it. How strange it was for me to act more of a doting mother rather than an estranged ex-lover. But this woman was not a threat at all. Rather, she was a positive force in his life. She had ways to bring him out of his shell and honestly, I was impressed. She was very capable in different aspects but the most important one was that she was understanding.

I'm relieved to know that such a person will be there for him when I could no longer do that.

"Oh, and while we're at it, I should also ask for her blessing."

"Wh-what? But we're not even engaged yet!"

The dead can't live but that won't stop them from wishing happiness for the living.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

Old habits die hard even when you're already dead.

People watching has become my favorite activity but that's probably because it's the only thing that I could do as a spirit. However, I do have some self-established rules about it. There were limits especially if it's Makoto that I'm watching. I've been going in and out of his home from time to time. I have been restraining myself from visiting because I respected his privacy. For a while, I did manage to pull that off but lately I have found myself staying here more. And although I only used to visit here because of him but recently, someone else has caught my interest.

"You sure you're gonna be alright all alone?"

"It's okay. I'll try to be safe while you and mama are gone."

This is his firstborn daughter. She would turn five in the following month. She has her father's eyes and her mother's hair.

And surprisingly, she has my name.

"It's only for a day. I can be a big girl and handle it." She looked so proud while saying that. I guess staying home alone was an astounding feat for a child. How cute. "Besides, I won't be alone with big sister around."

"Oh, is she a new friend of yours?" He smiled goodnaturedly.

She shook her head. "No, she's always been big sister."

"I see. What time will she be coming?" Always a worrywart even in fatherhood. "That way I could at least meet her before leaving."

Her head tilted innocently. "She's already here."

"Eh? So soon?! Why didn't you say so? We should let her in then!" He exclaimed, already ready going into doting parent mode.

"But… she's right there." She scrunched up her face, oblivious as to why her father could not understand something so simple.

This was why I changed my mind when I decided to stop coming here. Little Kyoko could apparently see me. It never even occurred to me when it was happening at first. It was only until she attempted to communicate with me by drawing a crude yet recognizable portrait of me, after which she proudly showed and pointed at me. There was no doubt in my mind that it was all just coincidences. So I decided to keep her company whenever I could.

I was just happy that someone could see me at all.

When she started learning how to speak, I tried to check if she could also hear me. All my attempts ended in failure but I was not disheartened. It was enough that she could see me. It was actually more than enough. I have been wandering for years now and starved for social contact. I thought that I would continue on in solitude for an eternity. But now I have Little Kyoko who would talk to me and I don't want to leave her just yet. However, I was aware that being too attached may be unhealthy for her so I moderated my presence around her.

She would always flash me her winning smile whenever she saw me.

"You're so weird, Papa. She's always been beside you."

Makoto on the other hand was in the dark with our secret bond. He was obviously confused by her words. The way she phrased them could not have been more vague or more blunt, depending on how you interpreted them. There was no simpler way of putting it. She was right after all. I have been beside him all along but at the same time I wasn't. To her, I was right there beside him. To him, I wasn't even here.

I haven't been here for years.

But I saw it. How his eyes lit up in understanding as the cloud of mystery finally cleared in his mind. I wondered if he figured it out like putting in the last piece of a puzzle or if it was more like finding an old album in the attic.

A forgotten but also cherished memory.

"Ah! How clumsy of me!" He laughed heartily. "You see, your Papa's eyesight is poor."

"Weirdo Papa." She huffed. "Will you be fine?" She was already surpassing him in terms of reliability.

"This is nothing! I'll go see a doctor right after and I'll be super healthy again!" He shouted this and then switched to a gentler voice. A very familiar warm tone that I recognized. "So, what does your big sister look like?"

She looked at me and started describing what she saw. "She's really tall. And has super long hair. Her hair's really pretty. It's purple! I like purple!" She squealed in her excitement. "She's really pretty but she won't let me touch her though."

That's because you couldn't even if you tried. Also, we don't need your parents freaking out if you started talking about a ghost.

"And she's a really quiet person but she looks kind. She stays with me whenever you and mama aren't around or are too busy." She waved at me.

"She must be a wonderful person." He smiled warmly, knowingly.

"She is! I really really like her!" She bounced as she said this to further emphasize her point.

How sweet of her. I really like you too.

"Papa is happy to hear that you have such a great big sister." He affectionately patted her head. "Be sure to thank her for me."

"I will!" She grinned at me.

"Oh, and also…" His eyes followed Little Kyoko's gaze until he was staring in my general direction. "Tell her that… I really miss her."

I miss you too.

Feelings also die hard even when you're already dead.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

Spirits haunt the living, but the opposite can be said to be also true.

The Naegi household was loud when I went to visit today. I immediately went straight to the source of the noise. As expected, the newborn was culprit this time as well. At three months, the baby boy was already becoming a handful. He cried more often than his sister did when she was at this age. He was so sensitive that even the slightest things could trigger his tears. And even though I was a spirit, I was not immune to how distressing a child's cry could be.

There, there. I tried to soothe him. I don't think he could hear me, much less understand me, but I could only assume that he could see me. After all, he would always go quiet whenever I came to check on him just like right now. And sometimes, whenever he was in a good mood, he would squeal and giggle as if just seeing me made him happy.

I wonder how long before this one stops seeing me too.

"Kyoko, could you check on your little brother?"

"Sure thing, dad."

Shortly after, I heard her footsteps on the stairs. They're heavier now that she's eleven. The door opened to reveal Little Kyoko. She headed straight for the crib, passing right by me. She didn't even spare me a glance.

I missed being called big sister.

"You were crying just a while ago but look at you now." She smiled lovingly as she cradled her younger brother. "Did you see something interesting?"

Just someone you used to see.

Sometimes, the dead don't move on so easily unlike the living.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

The more time you have, the more time you end up thinking.

Makoto was out in the garden again. He's out there more often than the children. The weather today justified his behavior but I doubt it's just the weather he's after. Lately, he's been quiet. No, not really quiet but more of contemplative. And whenever he could, he would do his brooding outside. He would have this distant gaze in his eyes which made him look like he wasn't even here in the moment.

I wonder where he goes off to when that happens.

He turned around but did not move from his spot. And then with a tired smile on his face, he waved at my general direction.

"Gramps, get back inside!" A child hollered beside me.

How many times has that happened now and yet I still almost believed that he could see me?

Too many. Even now as he was with his white balding hair and his skin clinging to his bones, even when it's already been years ever since, even when I always find out that it's not me each and every time. Even so, I still clung onto the hope that maybe he would one day see me. Even if only for a moment. I wanted to believe that even if it was by pure luck, he would have seen me. But the truth was that he hasn't. He hasn't seen me in decades.

There were no words to describe the experience of watching someone grow old. Without me.

Fifty years and yet I still looked like I was twenty. The contrast between us was stark. And I was watching all those decades and saw the changes pile up with each year. It was an odd mixture of feelings to begin with. Of course it made me lonely and I would feel hurt whenever I am reminded of this fact but I did not have an ounce of feeling betrayed in my heart. In contrast to these, I also felt positive emotions. I truly am happy to watch him grow and oddly enough, I felt like a proud parent at times. Regardless of what I felt in the moment, I would still cheer him on.

Now that he was old, everyone else decided that he was too old. There were a lot of things he could not do and a couple more he was not allowed to do. For instance, his family would not let him stay outside for long but it was with good intentions. So through his grandchild's urging, he finally started walking back. It was a slow pace but once he was inside, instead of resting for someone of his age, he started talking animatedly.

"Have I ever told you about my first love?" Makoto said with a certain glint in his eyes. The telltale spark of mirth.

"You mean how you and grandma met? Yeah, you already told us." The boy shrugged, unaware of the impending turnabout.

"Now, now. It's true that grandpa loves your grandma very much even until now." He laughed heartily. "But we weren't each other's first love, you know."

"No way!" It was amusing seeing the boy's stunned face. He must have been scandalized.

He mysteriously smiled. "So, you interested in a little storytelling?"

I already knew this story but I still listened.

Some of the greatest stories happened in real life,

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

Everyone has to die eventually.

"I won't die yet. I can't let her see me just yet."

He has been repeating the same lines for days now. Followed by the same words.

"I haven't lived a full life yet."

Perhaps it's the Alzheimer's disease speaking. I don't think he realizes that he's already said the same thing yesterday and for all of the days between that and two months ago when he was first hospitalized. But then again, he was always so serious about it that maybe he was aware that he has sounded like a broken record. Maybe he thought that if he said it enough times, it would actually work and have a little more time on his side. Even if it meant breaking his already hoarse voice and ruining his already damaged throat, he would still repeat those words. They became a prayer of some sort. But for whose sake?

"I dreamt about her last night." He declared, his voice was now barely above a whisper.

"Her? By her did you mean that woman?" His grandson, now as old as I looked, asked him skeptically.

His lips frowned a bit but it was hard to tell when his face was already sagging. "Don't be so rude! I thought I already taught you her name." For an old man on his deathbed, he could still find strength when he wanted to.

His grandson merely scoffed. "Yeah, but I never actually got to meet her so I forgot."

"Then I'll be sure to tell her to visit you instead the next time I dream of her." Even with such an ancient face, it did not dampen his award winning smile. In fact, he may have looked brighter than he ever did. "We talked a lot."

How envious. I wish I was the Kyoko from his dream.

Maybe then we would have met even if only just a bit sooner.

But no, not yet. Even if he could not see me now, there was no need to rush. I have already waited for this long so I could also wait just a little more. Patience was something that I had in abundance by now. Regardless of when, our reunion was bound to happen anyways. We would meet again. Definitely. Eventually.

It's only a matter of time.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

Makoto's POV

Life is meaningful precisely because there is death.

When I woke up, I knew that my body was already asleep. Permanently.

And the idea, the hope of an afterlife.

"I'm sorry for having you wait for a while." I said before I even saw who I was addressing.

How many times have I practiced what to say for when this moment would finally happen?

"But I can definitely see you now." The dream I've been longing for was actually happening.

There she was. Kyoko was right in front of me and she was just as beautiful as I remembered her. Maybe even more radiant. No memory could justify the incredible vision before me. She looked so young but it was only a layer for her aura exuded the same wisdom and maturity as though she had aged just as well as I did. In that sense, she was the same Kyoko that I knew but not quite. She was different. But I still loved her all the same. I have waited literally for years for this moment and I was not disappointed. I did not wait in vain. It was worth it. She was worth it. She was always worth it even in death. That's why I did my best to live a full life both for me and her. That's why I could face her head on like this. We were finally meeting each other again face to face.

Smiling so hard, I stretched my hands out towards her. "I'm finally here."

With you.

She took my hands in hers as she smiled back. "Welcome home."

Our fingers laced and it was like a broken bridge between us was rebuilt in that moment. Our paths were connected to each other again. And this time, we would stay together.

And this time, we had forever.

Life does not end in death. We merely move on to the afterlife.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

Shinra-ex-SOLDIER

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

Omake: GHOST WHISPERER

Child: Sometimes big sister talks though.

Naegi: Oh, and what does she tell you?

Child: That you forgot your wallet again last week. That you've already done that a lot more than you should. That your missing watch is actually just under the couch on the rightmost corner. That it was actually you who accidentally kicked it there. That the canned salmon you bought the other day was actually expired. That was dangerous and you should probably throw it away now. That you shouldn't fall asleep on the desk like last night. That you could catch a cold like that… What else. Hmm, I know there was a lot more.

Naegi: She surprising talks a lot for a quiet person.

Child: And just now she said that you need to be more responsible, that you shouldn't be relying on others now much less from her… and that you forgot your keys again and that they're still on the bed.

Naegi: Kyoko-san… you really are watching over me, aren't you? I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused!

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

I was going to post this later but fuck it. I've had this sitting for weeks now already so it's only right that this sees the light of day.

Hopefully this will fix your hearts which I broke with the last chapter.