My darling…

I felt that I was sleeping for a long time. When I woke up, I was in the street. That was a familiar sight. On the right side, I could see the apartments where a lot of my friends lived. On the left side, I could see many stores where a lot of my acquaintances worked. In my visual field, a lot of people whom I knew were there. It was a small town in Japan. I had lived here since I was born.

I came to myself.

“Why am I here? What have I been doing until now?”

I said to myself, and started to walk slowly. There were some people in the street. Suddenly, I felt thirsty. I looked around, and entered the store that sold cheap sweets.

When I entered the store, I found my mother talking with her friend. I was relieved, and said to her,

“Mom!”

However, she did not answer, and kept talking as if she did not notice me. I went near to her a little angry, and tried to pat her on the shoulder.

“Mom...”

Then, I was surprised. My hand went through her shoulder. I was at a loss for some time, and tried to speak to and touch her. However, no matter how many times I tried, I couldn’t make her realize, and touch her. In the meantime, she went out of the store. I tried to run after her, but gave up.

I was stupefied. After a while, I thought about ghosts. I have heard that ghosts can’t touch the living person.

“My mother is a ghost? That’s impossible! But if mom is not a ghost, I can’t explain this reality. ...Wait. Mom’s friend also didn’t realize me. That is...!”

I ran out of the store, and tried to speak and touch anybody there. A few minutes later, I was sitting on the center of the street. I couldn’t touch anyone. I regained my presence mind than before, and began to think.

“I couldn’t touch anyone in this town. That is...everyone in this town is ghost? Why?’”

Then, I remembered an accident.

“Well, I can’t remember in detail, but there was a fire here! On that day, I went to school, and on my way home, I found a fire, and...”

I stood up and started to run. I hurried to a park near my house for my life.

While I was running, I remembered the detail of the fire.

“On that day, ah...Oh my god! On that day, on my way home, I found a fire in the house!! Then, I came into the house to help Jun who lived there! But..., I lost my senses on my way because there were clouds of smoke. Could I help him? Or has he also died...?!”

I reached the park. This park is small, and only a bench is there. I could not see anyone there. I was a little disappointed, and sat down on the bench slowly. He and I often came to this park, and sat down on this bench side by side, and talked a lot. Here is a usual place for us. We loved each other. I fancied that I could meet him here. Suddenly, the tears came into my eyes because I was seized with loneliness. I began to cry.

“Jun! Ah...have you died? No! No! Please don’t leave me alone! Jun!”

I shouted and kept crying. After a while, I was tired from crying, and wept silently. I did not see what to do from now on. The sky started to get dark. I was just absentminded.

All of a sudden, a familiar voice came from my back.

“Aya?”

I was surprised, and looked back slowly. There is a man standing with a smile. He was Jun. At first, I could not understand what happened. However, I soon came close to him.

“Jun? Ah, Jun! My darling Jun! Can you see me?”

He nodded silently with smile. I was really glad. Then, my tears changed to tears of joy.

“I couldn’t remember after I came into your house on fire, but YOU ARE ALIVE. I’m really happy. At that time, were you there?”

“Yes. I was in my room in the second floor then, and tried to get out of the burning house. Then, I found you lying on the first floor. I was glad because you came into the burning house to help me though you had a danger of death.”

“Of course! Because, because..., I LOVE YOU! I can die for you．”

“Oh, don’t say such a thing. I will be very sad if you die. Anyway, I am happy because you are alive.”

Then, I remembered and asked him.

“Jun, I saw many many people in the town, but I couldn’t touch them, I thought they were ghosts. Has everyone in this town died from the fire?”

When Jun heard her question, he became gloomy. He started to speak after a little silence.

“Unfortunately, yes. The fire expanded all over this town, and almost all of people, including your father, mother, and a little sister, have died. You are the only one to survive in this town.”

“Oh my god...”

I was really shocked, and I tried to grasp his arms, saying

“Everyone? Including my darling family?! Oh, no! I am the only one to survive..., that’s impossible!”

Then, I realized. My hands went through his arms! I looked at his face. He smiled sadly.

“Did I say to you that you are the ONLY ONE to survive? It’s true. Everyone in this town has died. That is, ...I have also died.”

A strong despair seized me, and I couldn’t help weeping.

“Oh, don’t cry. I’m also sad because I have died. However, Aya, you mustn’t think about you want to die with us. You had a very good luck. Please live.”

“But I can’t live without my darling family, darling friends, and YOU! I’m too lonely to live! I can’t...”

“You can. You are a very strong, because you came into the burning house. This means you have courage.”

“I could do this because you were there! I can’t have courage without you!”

He said to me as if he were a mother trying to soothe the child.

“O.K, in that case, please live FOR ME. If you die because you want to be with me, I am sad. I want my dearest person to live. Do you want to make me sad?”

“NO!”

I shook my head strongly. Then, he smiled.

“All right. I’m happy you understand.. So, please back to your world.”

“My world?”

“Yes. Here you could see many died people and clean town. Here is not a real world. In the real world, you can’t see these dead people, and this town is destroyed. If you keep staying here, you can’t back to the real world. You have to back your world soon.”

“My world..., real world.... I see, but how can I back? I don’t know what to do.”

“Just pray. Think, you want to back to the real world, don’t want to stay here. Then you can back.”

“Just pray..., OK, I try. Ah, Jun, I want to say something to you before praying.”

“What?”

“My darling Jun, I will never forget you, and I LOVE YOU. I was glad to meet you. My dearest person is you, forever.”

“Thank you. I love you, too. I won’t forget you, too. My darling Aya.”

Tears have disappeared from my eyes. I smiled to him, and kissed him. Although we couldn’t touch each other, our hearts are connected. I started to pray. I thought that I could live for him. After a little time, I lost my senses.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After Aya disappeared, Jun gave a small sigh and went out of the park. He walked to a place at the back of the park. He put some flowers that he brought to the in front of a grave. There was the name of AYA. He wept silently.

On that day, Jun’s house was on fire. He was in his room, and when he realized that, he got out of the house. He survived with a few burn. Although his house was exhausted, the fire didn’t expand, and his family was all well.

However, a body was found in the house. She was Aya. She ran into the burning house to help Jun, and died. People in this town were all sorry for her. Jun was really shocked and felt responsibility.

Five years have passed from the accident, but he thought that she did not attain Buddha hood. However, now, he was sure that she could do so. Today was the anniversary of her death. He was relieved to see her. He felt he was released from the responsibility.

After he left there, a girl came to the grave. She put some flowers and closed her eyes, and joined her hands in prayer sitting down on her heels. After a while, she opened her eyes, and talked to the brave.

“Aya, thank you for releasing Jun. Now, I can marry him. He began to love me after your death, but he felt responsibility of your death, and hesitated about getting married to me. Well, originally, I was blame because the person who killed you was me. I set fire to his house the time you came along there. Of course, I was really careful with that he survived safely. I have loved Jun since I was a little child, but he loved you. To make Jun my sweetheart, there was no other way. The result turned out just as I wished. You die, and finally, I can marry him. That was a long time…, but I am happy now. Thank you very much.”

She stood up and added.

“Thank you, my darling sister.”

She left and never looked back.