Living Beyond Beginning

By the age of five,
the first fragment of Yusaka’s power had only partially awakened.
Even so,
its presence alone set him apart.

Clear clouds.
clear sky,
Strong but calm winds,
sun fully bright....

Yusaka found himself in a field full of flowers...
When Yusaka raises his right hand,
he can feel vanishing quietly,
and his white hair slowly turning black,
he can feel himself getting consumed into a new life,
Yusaka faint smiles...

Kurose wokes up....

"was it a dream...?"
Kurose murmured in his head...
with his right hand along with right eye closed...

Shortly thereafter..

Hely enters the room..
With a couple of papers in her right hand...
and a fruit basket in her left hand..
"Kurose!."
Hely said to kurose,
with a steady voice,
calm expressions,
with a faint smile on her face..

"Yes!, Mother?"
do you need anything?
Kurose replied to Hely
with a steady voice,
calm expressions.

"Yes! kurose!,"
can u deliver these to the village's
chief secretary?
Hely said to kurose...
with calm voice.

"Okay! Mother."
kurose replied to Hely...
with a smile on his face..

"what do you will eat
for lunch? "
Hely asked kurose..

"Can you make
my favourite food?"
Mother!.
Kurose replied to Hely..
steady voice,
calm expressions but demanding..
eyes filled with hope..

"This kid really is demanding!."
But..
It is my children,
so that's obvious..
Hely murmured,
soft voice,
calm expressions..
faint smile on her face
eyes filled with happiness and joy..

Okay!
"I'll be waiting with your favourite food!"
Kurose!.
Hely said to kurose..
with a smile on her face..

Hely puts down the
papers and fruit basket
on the desk.

"Then,
i'm counting on you!"
Hely said to kurose.
with a smile on her face..

Hely left the room..

Shortly thereafter—

Kurose picked up the papers and fruit basket
and left the room
and the house.

Clear clouds,
calm winds,
and fields
full of golden harvests.

Kurose walked along the path.

“This world is quiet and peaceful…”
“I somehow… like it.”

Yusaka murmured within his mind.

I wonder how the primordial immortals are doing right now…

Are they well?

Are they eating properly?

After all…

They are still humans…

But—

I’m sure they’re fine.

Even without me,

I created them
with intention,
so that they would not need me
in the future.

“I have a good family—
a good father,
a good mother,
and an upcoming new family member…”

I wonder…

Can I reach that
in this life…?

Kurose murmured within his mind,
his thoughts calm,
his expression composed,
his inner voice quiet,
filled with hope and questions.

After some time—

Kurose walking towards the village entry gate..

there were 2 guards
standing beside the door
guarding the entry..

"It's 2 years away right?"
A guard said...

"Yes! Can't wait for it."
Another gate guard said..

"Wanna try guessing
who will get it.?"
Guard said to another guard.

"Then lets guess.!"
Another guard replied to guard.


Kurose walking towards the gate..

"Oh! Isn't kurose?"
A guard said.

"Hello!."
Kurose said to guard.
steady but a slight hesitant voice,
and expressions that are slightly hesitant..

"Are you preparing for it, kurose?"
Another guard said.

"W-well,"
Kind of I'm preparing for it.

Kurose replied to the guards.

"I can't tell them!,"
i'm not prepared at all!.
Kurose murmured in his mind,
with a rush but steady voice...

"Well, Good luck! kurose.!
A guard said to kurose..

"Thanks!"
Kurose replied to the guards...


Kurose passed the gate
and entered the village..

But..

It's only 2 years away,
I guess
"i have to prepare for it too.."
Yusaka murmured in his head.
calm-headed expression,
and steady voice..

After some time..

Kurose reaches the Village chief secretary office.


Kurose enters the office...

Kurose walks towards the sitting village chief secretary..


"Oh isn't Kurose?"
Village chief secretary said..


"Hello! Secretary helvein!."
Kurose said to village chief secretary..

Kurose hands out the papers and
fruit basket to secretary helvein..

"Here! Secretary helvein,
My mother gave it to me
to hand it to you."
Kurose said to helvein.


"Thanks for everytime!,"
Kurose!.
Helvein said to kurose.
quiet satisfied expressions on his face,
with a pleased faint smile..

"I know!,"
"Do you want any help with training?"
Helvein said to kurose..


"This person too?
Kurose murmured in his head...
with a rush but steady voice...
and a slight hesitant expressions...


"Did you say anything?"
Helvein said to kurose...


"N-no!,"
if i will be needing any help,
i will tell you!.
Kurose said to helvein.

"Okay! see you again!,
Kurose!."

Helvein said to Kurose...

"Yes!"
Kurose said to helvein


Kurose left the Village chief Secretary office..

Kurose walked along the path.

He looked to his left.

“Oh!
There are a lot of kids training and playing.”

Kurose murmured in his mind,

his voice steady, tinged with slight excitement,
his expression carrying quiet anticipation.

“But…
is it really worth working that hard for it?”

Kurose thought,
a silent disbelief passing through him.

I guess…
I should try training too, then.

After some time…

Kurose left the village.

After a short while…

Kurose arrived at his home.

Kurose opened the entrance door.

“Mother!”

“I delivered the papers and fruit basket
to the chief secretary,”
Kurose remarked.

“Thanks!
I’m coming in a minute!
I have prepared your favourite food!
It’s on the table!
Go eat it up!”

Hely shouted in a soft voice
from the kitchen.

Kurose went to the table.

“Oh!”
Kurose remarked.
With a delighted voice, he added,
“It is honey bread!”

Hely came toward Kurose from the kitchen.

“Thanks, Kurose!”
Hely said to Kurose,
calm-headed expressions,
with a faint smile filled with slight
joy and satisfaction.

“It’s not a big work,
Mother,”
Kurose replied to Hely.

With a delightful expression, he added,
“Can I eat them right now, Mother?”

“Yes! You can eat them right now!”
Hely remarked to Kurose,
with a smile on her face.

Kurose picked up the honey bread basket.

“Can I eat them alone in the garden?”
Kurose asked Hely,
with a delighted smile on his face.

“Y-yes,”
Hely replied to Kurose.

Hely slightly tilted her head and added,
“You can, but are you okay being alone?”
an expression filled with slight questions.

“Yes! I’m fine, Mother,”
“I have eaten alone many times, right?”
“I’ll be just fine!”

Kurose said to Hely.

With a confident expression,
a smile filled with confidence,
and eyes filled with quiet certainty.

Hely faintly smiled.

“Okay,”
“you can go,”
Hely said to Kurose.

With a composed expression on her face
and a steady voice, she added,
“but tomorrow,
we’ll eat together, okay?”

“Okay!”
Kurose replied to Hely
with a steady voice,
clear-headed expressions,
eyes filled with satisfaction.

After a while…

Kurose left the house.

Strong but calm winds…
Clear clouds…
clear sky…
the sunset was almost set…

Kurose lay in the garden.

Kurose sighed.

“How many years has it been
since I started eating alone?”

Kurose murmured in his mind.
With a steady voice, he added,

“In this body, it’s only been two years…”

“I can’t help it.”
“I only feel at peace when I’m eating alone…”

Kurose murmured.

Kurose closed his eyes.

In a quiet room,
with warm lighting
and a gentle ambience—

Yusaka and Rin were eating dinner at a table for two.

They ate quietly.

Not long after,

Rin looked at Yusaka while eating.

“Can I ask a question, Yusaka-kun?”
Rin asked,
with a quietly composed expression.

“What happened, Rin?”
Yusaka replied.

He looked at Rin and added,

“You can ask me anything… even where we should marry.”

Calm and collected,
with a faint smile.

“Idiot! It’s too soon for us to marry!”

Rin said, averting her gaze.

Her cheeks reddened slightly as she added,

“I told you—two years. Then we can marry!”

“Yes!”
Yusaka replied,
smiling.

“Uhm… back to my question…”

After hesitating a bit, Rin asked,

“If I was on the verge of death… what would you do?”

Yusaka choked on his food.

He coughed lightly,
then looked down at his plate, avoiding Rin’s gaze.

“Ahem… what would I do?”

Yusaka murmured,
his expression steady,
no smile on his face.

“What’s with that reaction?”
Rin asked,
her voice steady but hurried.

Yusaka looked at Rin.

Rin rested both arms on the table,
her head on her fingertips.
She tilted her head slightly to the right.

“Would you not save me?”

Rin asked while gazing into Yusaka’s eyes,
her expression calm,
her eyes filled with hope and love.

Yusaka looked back down at his plate.

“Of course.
I will save you.”

Yusaka replied,
his voice steady and confident,
filled with calm conviction.

“Great,”
Rin replied quietly,
with certainty.

Right after—

“I…”

Yusaka blinked, trying to see where Rin was.

“Will pr—”

But—

Rin was gone.

As if she had vanished.

Silence filled the room.

Moments later—

Yusaka stared up at the ceiling,
his eyes composed, yet filled with sadness.

Yusaka smiled faintly.

He lowered his gaze to the dinner plate
and continued eating as before.

Kurose exhaled slowly.

He opened his eyes,
returning to the present.

Kurose picked up a piece of honey bread
and took a bite.

He looked softly at the sky.

Learning to live with it… isn’t easy, is it?

“It’s a hard thing, isn’t it?”