Life from the perspective of ghosts.

Part 3 - Interlude

Chapter 8 - Revelation

Their relationship was the one constant before and after the death of Hana. Always changing, evolving and being moulded into something new and exciting. Exciting however may not be a suitable word, as Katsumi feared the unknown. Trying things that weren't specifically certain was something that he feared too much. After all. The day he didn't walk to school with her was the day she died. The day he decided to go in early to help set up for the graduation ceremony and get the best seats where the day in which he lost her.

Reflecting on this, an unnecessary drive into an uncertain past, in order to create a certain future was something that sent a small tinge into the heart of Katsumi. The feeling of guilt and its manifestation into his external feelings was all the saddening. This however was contracted with a small feeling of hope within his persona.

Of course Katsumi wasn't an entirely useless and faulted character. He still hoped for the future, that he could become more then what he was no, leave his comfort zone and return to how he was before. To how Kyoko and Hana try to be. The fact that he wanted to develop himself. Becoming something more proved that he wasn't a ghost. He didn't want to be consumed by internal and selfish desires and that he could have a place in a new world. His body was here, represented by the stark shadow trailing up the side of the back wall. Created by the harsh white light above the shower head. It's colour is a direct contrast to the light created by the one above the mirror. The difference in light could tend to symbolise his ever changing thoughts. How Katsumi deep down was so stuck looking unnecessarily into the past in order to predict the future that he sometimes lost himself.

Kyoko gradually began to slow down the closer she got to Katsumi. The light treading sound she made as her school issued shoes clattered onto the pavement, the sound that had initially altered Katsumi, began to die down ever so slightly. She obviously wasn't trying to sneak up on him and the heaviness of her footsteps all but confirmed that. The sounds she made were that of determination. He had no idea why she was here, why she had suddenly appeared, yet he was subconsciously extremely happy. Among all the turmoil running around his head her presence was one constant that instantly created a small gap of bliss. Her appearance was something he had experienced before, in the wake of Hana's death; and that fact that she was here now all but reassured him that at least there would be someone there to utterly support him.

He always found it weird that Kyoko was so nice to him... He obviously felt as if he didn't deserve it, yet he didn't really care. The fact that she was there, regardless of motives, was good enough to satisfy his conscience. Even just a little bit.

Both of them made eye contact without even saying a word. She obviously had realised what had happened; the look on his face was saying it all. This eye contact was maintained except for the occasional long blink which Katsumi infrequently took in order to at least prepare himself for the conversation that he knew was eventually going to happen.

Not only was it bad enough internally for Katsumi that he was in such a predicament but internally he further knew that even while Kyoko probably knew what was happening. There was still the common courtesy on his part to indulge the commonly asked question of "How are you?". Of course Katsumi knew that's what she would probably ask. After all, that's the type of thing that he and most people would probably do when faced with such a situation.

It followed the premise that if somethings could emerge into the open the situation would be easier to deal with; and while even Katsumi understood the merit in this idea the fact that he was the one hurting caused his mind to openly reject whatever rational thoughts he came up with.

As the sun shifted downward however, the semi bright rays of light emitted from the setting sun gradually began to traverse under the branche. Casting long shadows of both Katsumi and the bench across the clean floor underneath both of them, Kyoko didn't say a word. She slowly walked up to him, the sound of her shoes still becoming louder the closer she came. As soon as she got close enough to where they could touch each other, her body at arms length away from him and her figure emerging into the sunlight Katsumi instantly looked down. No matter how close they were, he still couldn't shake the inseparable feeling of fleeting and persistent embarrassment that both contradicted everything he was trying to and yet still completely complemented his established character traits.