A Promise of To The Living

Izumi woke up at her own funeral again.

Soft murmurs filled the air— whispers of sorrow, voices weighed down by grief. A framed photo of her smiling sweetly rested at the altar, surrounded by white lilies. Incense curled in the air, its faint scent wrapping the room in an eerie stillness.

She couldn’t bear to look at them.
She didn’t want to see any of this.

The moment she became conscious, she ran.

Out of the building.
Away from the grief.
Away from the faces of her family hidden somewhere in the crowd, the empty eyes of her little brother, the trembling hands of those she had left behind.

Balsos followed silently.

Outside, the sky stretched clear and endless. The sunlight was crisp. Birds chirped in the distance, oblivious to the weight of the world pressing down on her.

Izumi stopped abruptly; her breath shaky. Slowly, she tilted her head back to face him, her tears sparkling in the sunlight.

‘Balsos,’ she whispered. Her voice quivered.
‘I love them all.’

I never knew there were so many screams buried inside me.

‘Balsos, I don’t want to leave them—'

Her legs gave out. She crumpled to the ground, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, shaking. The sobs came in waves— raw, unfiltered, unstoppable. Her fingers clawed at the earth beneath her, as if anchoring herself to a world she was no longer a part of.

And she cried.
She cried, and cried, and cried.

The tears wouldn’t stop.

Not until her sobs turned into quiet, breathless gasps. And then, after what felt like an eternity, Balsos spoke.

‘Let me ask you something again.’

Izumi lifted her head slightly. The sunlight blurred through her tears, making the world feel surreal. She didn’t answer.

Balsos continued. ‘What was your happiest day?’

She simply breathed, her chest rising and falling in uneven rhythm.

‘My happiest day….’ she whispered, her lips quivering into a smallest of smiles, “was—is—my last day.”

Balsos studied her for a moment, his hollow features returning something like a soft, knowing smile.

“And what was your saddest day?” he asked.

A long pause. The question between them.

Izumi looked up at the sky, watching the clouds drift aimlessly.

‘…I don’t think there was any.’

Her voice was soft.

Balsos nodded, his expression unreadable.

‘Who do you love the most?’

Izumi’s breath caught.

‘I love everybody,’ her fingers curled around each other. Then, her voice wavered. ‘But the one I love the most—the one I’ve hurt the most—'

Her fists clenched. Her body trembled.

‘The only person who stood by me through it all… The one who understood me—'

Her vision blurred as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

‘The one and only…… my little brother.’

Balsos looked away, his hollow eyes dropping. For the first time, he seemed crestfallen. Then softly, he asked his last question.

‘And…. what is your last wish?’

Izumi exhaled slowly, her voice steadier now. She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun, listening to the distant hum of the air.

When she opened them again, her gaze was steady.

‘My last wish is—if I am reborn again, I will live my life. I will cherish the people I have. And I hope…” Her lips trembled. ‘I hope- I hope I have the same family in my next life.’

A determined smile curled on her lips.

‘I’ll make sure to take care of my brother.’

She wiped her tears, exhaling shakily.

‘And—'

She looked up at the sky.

‘I am happy to have lived.’

The wind picked up slightly, ruffling her hair, carrying away the weight of unspoken regrets.

She closed her eyes, letting herself feel it—the acceptance, the release, the peace.

And as Balsos reached for her hand, a warmth spread through her chest.

For the first time in a long time, she felt light.

‘Surely, you shall,’ he said softly.

And as Izumi took his hand, warmth spread though her like the warm glow of sunset. Together, they stepped forward, crossed the horizon into the afterlife.