Chapter 4

I couldn’t believe my eyes. Maybe I was just sleep deprived or something. Maybe it was just my imagination. But it was the same girl that I saw at school earlier. What was she doing out here looking for me? Did she know I was going to be walking this way? Did she follow me? How did she instantly recognize me?

“Wait a minute,” I said, tripping over my words. “You said you were looking for me?”

She smiled and nodded. “That’s right, I was looking for you. Kiyoshi Sazuya.”

I backed away from her in complete shock. How did she know my name? Who was this girl? This had to be a prank or a dark joke that Aki or Kaiya was pulling on me.

“Alright, this isn’t funny,” I bellowed. “Aki! Kaiya! I know you’re around here somewhere. Come out wherever you are. The jig is up. This isn’t funny!”

The girl covered her mouth and had a look of concern on her face. “What are you talking about? Who is Aki… and Kaiya?”

Then her eyes lit up, and she ran over to me with excitement. “Oh, are they your friends? Can I meet them? I don’t have many friends! Oh, I wish to meet more people, you know?”

I threw my hands up in confusion. “What do you mean, you don’t have any friends? First off, I don’t even know your name. Let alone where you came from. And, second off, how do you know who I am? We’ve only met one time. Do you go to our school? Are you in any of our classes? Where are you from?”

“Wow, for someone who’s petrified, you sure ask a lot of questions.” She said, trying not to laugh.

I looked at her with a stern face. “This is serious. Who are you?”

“Okay, okay. My name is Fumiko Ahmya. Does that answer your question?”

It was nice to know her name. “That answers one of my many questions. How do you know who I am? Where are you even from? Why are you standing out here in front of the arena at nine o’clock at night?”

Fumiko giggled and covered her mouth with her hand. “Sounds like someone is the inquisitive type.”

That didn’t answer my questions, but she wasn’t entirely incorrect. I usually didn’t ask many questions. I never really cared that much about people. But in this case, I had to know how Fumiko knew who I was.

“Can you at least tell me how you knew I was going to be walking past the arena?” I asked, internally pleading for an answer.

“I didn’t, I just was standing here admiring the arena, and you just happened to be walking past it. I didn’t know that you were going to be coming this way. It is nice of you to stop by, though. I appreciate it.”

My phone vibrated in my phone. Great, what now?

I pulled out my phone to see that Aki messaged me back. Sorry, I don’t see any girl in the picture. Are you sure you’re not imagining things? Maybe you should get some rest lol.

Awesome. So now, my friend thought I was hallucinating.

Was I the only person who could see Fumiko? What was the reason for that? No, surely it was all some elaborate joke that she was playing on me.

“I don’t know what your aim is,” I said, walking toward Fumiko. “But if this is a joke, then I want no part in it.”

Fumiko's face went from a smile to slight anger. “I’m not playing a joke on you! Why do you think that?”

“Because you literally know who I am! I saw you at school earlier. I have never seen your before in my life until today. Who are you and what do you want from me?”

“I don’t want anything monetary or anything like that. I just want to make a friend, that’s it. Don’t you remember?”

“Remember what?”

“That train accident. Remember. Right before I died, I said thank you for helping me. Don’t you remember?”

There were tears falling from Fumiko’s eyes. I couldn’t remember what she was talking about. I don’t remember any girl or any train accident.

The wind was starting to blow as Fumiko was flowing in the wind and her tears were falling from face and blown into the wind.

“How long ago was this? I don’t recall anything.” I said, breaking the silence.

“Actually, it hasn’t happened yet. We are in a different universe.”

“Wait, what? We’re in a different universe? How is that possible? It looks the same to me.”

“Let me show you.”

Fumiko walked up to me and placed her hand on my head. “Close your eyes.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Just shush and close your eyes, please.”

“Okay, okay…”

***

4.2

Kiyoshi thought he had done enough to save Fumiko. He thought he had given her everything she could have ever wanted. But it wasn’t enough.

“What more could I have done?” Kiyoshi cried. “I thought I did everything right.”

“It isn’t what you did. It’s what you didn’t do.” Fumiko said, with tears running down her face.

Kiyoshi looked up at her with confusion on his face, “What did I not do? I did everything you asked of me. I loved you. I befriended you. I comforted you and gave you security. I gave you what I could give myself.”

“And that’s the problem. I didn’t need all of those material things. I just wanted you to love me for me and not suffocate me with things that are material and meaningless. Which none of the things you did for me are meaningless. It’s just… I just wanted you to love me and tell me I was enough for you.”

Kiyoshi couldn’t believe that was all Fumiko wanted. Just to be loved? By him? That’s all she wanted? Surely, there had to be more than just that.

“Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve done more.”

“Don’t worry about it, Kiyoshi. It’s okay, everything will be okay in the end. You’ll find someone else who will accept your kind of love. I just… wanted something simple and lasting.”

Fumiko kneeled in front of Kiyoshi and rubbed his head. “You did a good job, Kiyoshi. Okay? I’m proud of you and everything that you have done. Please don’t forget that, okay? I love you.”

Fumiko kissed Kiyoshi on his forehead and rubbed his cheek.

“I have to go now,” she said, with tears running down her face. “Be good, okay? And please take care of yourself, always.”

Fumiko kissed Kiyoshi one more time and walked towards the train tracks. The blaring noise of the train approaching, and the railroad crossing sign made it difficult for Kiyoshi to think, let alone speak.

“Wait, don’t do it. Please! I’ll do anything.” Kiyoshi screamed, reaching his hand out for Fumiko. “We can start over, please! Please!!”

Fumiko turned around and smiled at Kiyoshi, “Maybe. We can start over in another life. Be good, Kiyoshi. I love you and I appreciate you. Thank you for everything.”

Before Kiyoshi could stand and try to save Fumiko, the train reached her before he could. Killing her instantly. Her blood splattered across the front of the train and her lifeless body flew across the field into a brush just off the side of the road.

Kiyoshi couldn’t believe his eyes. What he just saw. The love of his life, gone in an instant.

Kiyoshi rushed to her lifeless body, pushing and shoving people out of the way.

He reached her lifeless body and held her in his arms, with tears streaming down his face. He was beside himself. He couldn’t believe that she took her own life. There was nothing he could do to save her. What did she mean by starting over in another life?

“Why…?” Kiyoshi barely said. “Why did you… do this? Fumiko, come back to me.”

His shirt was soaked in her blood and his tears blended into the blood on her body.

“Go back… come back to me Fumiko. Please!” Kiyoshi said, looking at the sky as rain fell. “Go back!!!”

Everything went black and everything went silence. Kiyoshi felt a sharp pain in his chest as he fell to the ground right next to Fumiko.