chapter 12

Your eyes are special, Koujiro. They are the only eyes in the world, maybe the universe, who can see the spirits of the dearly departed.

"

"So…all those things I've seen," Kouji gulped. "They were dead people?"

"Step one," said Karina. "Focus your sight.

It's kind of like seeing something past a certain point. Focus your eyes to see beyond what's in front of you.

"

"How the hell do I do that?" asked Kouji. "You're making it sound easy.

"

Karina grinned and held up a fork. "Look at this fork.

Focus your vision on it until everything around you is a blur. You got it?"

"I'm doing it. "

"Good…now without looking away from the fork, what do you see around you? Use your peripheral vision. Look without seeing.

"

Look without seeing? What the hell does that even-

Kouji jolted back, standing up as he saw it for a brief second. Behind Karina, in the hallway was…a thing.

It was tall, covered in darkness and had golden cat-like eyes.

"W-What the hell was that?" asked Kouji. "Did you see that?"

Karina shook her head. "Reincarnated Angels don't possess the ability to see spirits like that.

But it's good…your eyes are already adjusting. "

"Adjusting? What do you mean?" asked Kouji.

"Look in the mirror, you'll see. "

Kouji scrambled to the mirror by the front door and stared at his reflection. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

His brown eyes were gone. They were replaced with two ruby orbs with a tomoe symbol encompassing his black pupil.

"W-What the hell…" said Kouji. "My eyes…Is that the Sacred Gear?"

Karina smiled. "The Mystic Eyes of Purgatory…You have in your possession a very powerful weapon.

If your bloodline wasn't the reason why you're going to be hunted, it might be because of that. "

"Why…Why is this happening to me…" Kouji collapsed onto his knees. "I just wanted a normal life…a normal human life.

Why did all of this have to happen?"

Karina knelt down in front of him and took his hands. "Look at me.

A normal life might not be on the table for people like us, but that does not mean we don't get to choose how we live. God's dead, nobody is up there writing your story Koujiro.

It's up to you to decide how your life goes and it's up to you to accept the consequences of your actions, whether they be glorious or tragic. "

"Why…are you helping me?" asked Kouji. "You're an angel, an idol…Why would you waste your time helping me?"

"Oh my sweet boy," Karina wrapped her hands behind his head and touched foreheads with him. "Because you are lost…so lost and so afraid.

It doesn't matter who you are or who your family is. I'd help you either way.

Besides, I can't just leave one of my fans when they need me, can I?"

Kouji parted from her embrace and looked at her with shock in his eyes. She wasn't alone.

It was faint and almost transparent but there was a boy behind her, wrapping his arms around her like a child hugging their mother.

"You…You lost someone," said Kouji. "That's it, isn't it?"

Karina's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

"Can you hear me?" asked Kouji. "Little boy, I can see you.

"

The boy's head lifted with surprise. He looked no older than 10 years old with short black hair and golden eyes.

His skin was tanned and his clothes were ragged. If Kouji was able to see him and if he was so transparent…he must be dead…

"You…You can see me?" asked the boy. "You can really see me?"

"Yeah," Kouji smiled. "I'm Koujiro, what's your name?"

"I…Izil," said the boy, hiding behind Karina.

"Izil…that's a fantastic name," Kouji smiled.

Karina covered her mouth as tears formed in her eyes. "How do you…Is he here? Can you see him?"

Kouji nodded. "You are just the cutest little thing.

What're you doing here Izil?"

Izil looked to Karina. "I can't leave her…she needs me.

"

"Why do you think that?" asked Kouji.

"Big Sister cries at night," said Izil. "When she thinks no one's watching…She cries because of me…I can't leave her.

"

"Izil…" Kouji scooted closer towards the boy and took his hands. "Were you listening the whole time?"

He was reluctant, but Izil took Kouji's hands and nodded. "You…have the same eyes as me.

"

"I see…" said Kouji. "So that's how she knows so much about my eyes.

"

"What's happening?" asked Karina. "Are you talking to him? What's he saying?"

"She misses you, doesn't she?" asked Kouji.

"I know she does," said Izil. "But she feels guilty…she feels guilty because I died.

"

"I see…" Kouji wrapped his arms around the boy. "I know she misses you, Izil, and I know you miss her…but your time in this world is gone.

If you stay, you'll just feel even worse right?"

"But…" Izil began to cry as he clung onto Kouji. "But I can't…I can't leave her…"

"Tell you what," Kouji smiled and parted, holding up his pinky. "I'll look after her for you.

"

"You…You will?" asked Izil.

"Yeah," Kouji looked to Karina. "I get the feeling that she's looked after other people for so long, she's forgotten that she needs someone to look after her too.

I'll look after her, protect her, and one day…one day when I'm in Heaven too, I'll tell you all about our adventures together, how does that sound?"

Izil smiled, locking his pinky onto Kouji's. "Okay…it's a promise.

"

Karina's eyes flooded as she covered her mouth. "Izil…Is that you?"

Izil smiled as his body began to fade away. "I'll be waiting…but don't come too early, okay? I'll be watching through your eyes, Koujiro.

"

Kouji smiled as Izil's body vanished completely, sparkling away like the ends of a flame. He put it together by now.

That big dark thing he saw in the hallway was Izil…he just wasn't looking directly. These eyes gave him the ability to see the dead, but he had to be looking.

"He's a sweet kid," said Kouji.