The touch of an angel

An angel of death

Asami,Suoh and Kirishima walked a little. Some people greeted them but the children seemed to fear them and stayed away, especially when they looked at Suoh, who was very impressive with his height and muscular constitution.

Kirishima spoke with a sad voice:

-This place is beautiful, Asami-sama. But I cannot accept the idea that we are dead and that that woman will decide our destiny. Will we go to heaven or to hell?

Asami observed the place. The cherry trees were much more beautiful than the ones he had ever seen in Tokyo or in another towns or cities to where he had gone in his business trips. Sincerely, he had never paid attention to trees or flowers in his lifetime. All his life had been lived to gain Money and power and he had smashed enemies and adversaries with no mercy. He had slept with many men and women but without involving seriously with anybody. In fact, he had used many people for his personal gain.

-I don't like that woman either and that boy is such a pain in the ass. Said Suoh.

The words of Suoh made Asami feel angry and he spoke:

-Suoh, don't call the boy like that. We must remember that he is training to be an angel of death. Although I am not a Christian myself I know angels must be respected because they would be God's messengers*.

Suoh and Kirishima looked at their boss with a surprised look. Asami had never given the impression of believing in gods or in life after death.

-Asami-sama... Kirishima began to speak.

-What is the problem, Kirishima? Asami felt that a cigarette would be a good way of killing his time.

-Sir, you have Always told us that you didn't believe in gods and that you were too busy to think about hell or heaven. Explained Kirishima.

-Yes, Asami-sama, you had never worried about what could wait for you after death. Added Suoh.

Thinking about what his men had spoken, Asami thought about Akihito. The boy was really different. He was cheeky, energetic and everything indicated that he had been full of life in his lifetime. Asami had never felt interested about anyone how he was interested about Akihito.

"Akihito, you were too Young to die.I can't imagine you like an angel of death. You deserved to live. I can see that you were a happy and cheerful boy, with many dreams and plans. Life isn't fair."

Deciding that they could still walk, Asami said to Suoh and Kirishima:

-Let's walk more.

Suoh and Kirishima protested:

-We don't like this place, Asami-sama. The people look at us as they disliked us and we cannot do anything about this.When we were alive, we could scare and punish anyone who dared to defy us. Here, we can't do anything.

Asami thought about what your men had said and concluded that they were right. When he was alive and was the king of underworld, the most feared yakuza in Tokyo, he could order to kill or beat up people who tried to kill him or damage his business. But, at that moment and place, everything was different. He was no longer the great Asami Ryuichi, the most dangerous yakuza in Tokyo. He was just a man who had died. All the power and Money he had gained had no longer any value.

-Yes, we can do nothing about it. But complaining will not help us. Spoke Asami.

-What can we do, sir? Asked Kirishima.

Asami got angry and said with his usual imposing tone:

-We can't do anything and we won't do. Here, my power, my Money and my social status can't help me. The boy named Takaba Akihito is right. We are all equals here.

Suoh insisted:

-I really dislike that brat. He is just a kid and speaks as if he was the owner of truth. And his behaviour shows perfectly how he must have been in his life: a boy with no education. He doesn't have good manners, Asami-sama.

In fact, Asami had adored Takaba Akihito's behaviour. When he was alive he often got tired of people who flattered him because of his Money, appearance and social status. Takaba Akihito was different. He was sincere and authentic. And sincere people represented a challenge to Asami because he had to fight to gain their respect.

Asami ordered the men to stop complaining and they decided that they could at least walk a little to know the place better while Kujo Sakura decided what to do with them. Kirishima remembered:

-An uncle of mine is a buddhist monk. He often spoke to me about reincarnation. Will we reincarnate, Asami-sama?

Asami thought about his own parentes and what your mother used to tell him about gods and whispered deeply before answering Kirishima:

-I don't know, Kirishima. I dedicated all my life to smash and destroy people to gain Money and power. Now, the reality we lived in doesn't mean anything. We are in another world with another rules.

The three men walked a lot observing the other people who looked at them and the beautiful landscape and Asami saw Akihito, who was close to a lake with a thoughtful look.

-That boy has the look of a delinquent, Asami-sama. Said Suoh.

-No, Suoh, you are wrong. He is just a little rebel. Corrected Asami.

Asami approached the boy and asked him:

-You seem a little sad, Takaba. What is wrong?

The boy looked at Asami and explained:

-No, I am not sad. I was just thinking about my Family. I ask if they are ok without me.

Akihito observed the carps swimming and sat down. Asami and his men sat down as well and the boy admmitted:

-I am worried about my mother, but I can't do anything about this. Well, as I told you before, I was the youngest of three children. My older brother, who is a policeman, is eight years older than me and my sister, who has just graduated in Arts, is five years older than me. I was the only child who inherited my father's passion for photos. My father is a photographer in a studio and my mother Works at a ramen shop. I still remember how my mother cried after me passing away. She was the one who suffered the most with my death, saying that it should be her three years ago and not me.

Asami wanted to smoke but he didn't have any cigarette and he thought that the dead couldn't smoke. He asked the boy:

-Why did your mother spoke this, Takaba?

Akihito explained:

-Three years ago, my mother had leukemia. It was such a difficult moment for us and we all suffered a lot. Of course, we celebrated when she healed but, three years after her healing, I discovered the brain tumor. When I was dying, she said that she wanted to change of place with me. She said that it wasn't fair and that it should have been her.

The yakuza and his men noticed that Akihito had tears in the corner of his eyes and Asami couldn't help stroking his hair. The boy got surprised:

-Do you really care?

-Takaba, I think that it is not fair. You were so Young, you had dreams and plans.

-Yes, I had. But children and people younger than me die everyday, Asami-san. Now, I am going to talk to the boss about my evolution to become an angel of death. When I become an angel, I will be able to walk among the people and I will see my Family and my friends, especially Takato and Kou. I hope you appreciate this place.

Akihito walked away and Kirishima said:

-When will Kujo Sakura decide about our destiny, Asami-sama?

Asami raised his shoulders to say that he didn't know. All he could do was think that Takaba Akihito deserved to live.

*angel means messenger