When a person dies, they leave behind their loved ones and memories. The life they lived, whether it was short or long, good or bad, is gone forever.

If you asked some people if they believed in the afterlife, many would say they do not. There is no Heaven or Hell. There are no such things as ghosts. A dead person’s body is buried in the soil, left to decay, becoming nutrients for the Earth.

For other people in the world, they hold onto hope. They believe that one’s life is truly not the end—that their loved ones are someplace else, happy and smiling. 

What if they were right? What if an afterlife does exist? Have you seen a ghost? A ghost of a loved one, or a murderer’s victim, or maybe a lost soul? Perhaps not, but I have. 

When I was four years old, I discovered I had a gift—I could see apparitions of ghosts. They had an inhuman appearance, their faces distorted, having black eyes and a deformed body made of rotting flesh.

When I first saw them, I was terrified. My body was frozen, and I couldn’t get myself to run away. However, I would soon realize that their forms were merely their shell covering up who they really are. 

Without knowing it, I somehow managed to focus and shift my vision. In doing so, instead of their monstrous forms, I saw them in their human forms. When I lost my focus and my breathing hastened, my vision shifted back and I saw their monstrous forms again. 

Noticing this, I tried to focus and shift my vision again. Once I taught myself how to control it, they stayed in their human forms, and my fear of ghosts began to fade away. In its place, I became interested in them.

Many of the ghosts were peculiar. Some leisurely wandered around, passing through objects and people. Others were isolated and talked to themselves to be free from loneliness.

When I chose to, I would walk up and speak with them. Once they realized they could communicate with me, they’d talk back, eagerly asking me many questions and favors. To me, this was normal. To others, however, they viewed me as a freak or a psychopath.

People talked about me behind my back, calling me names and gossiping how insane I was. I often got bullied and harassed by others to the point where even my own family began to do it. What I once thought was a gift soon became a curse I hated. But then one day, as I cried to myself at the playground, someone unexpected came up to me.

“Hey, I heard you can see ghosts. Is that really true?”

I wiped away my tears and looked up to see a girl my age standing in front of me. She had short dark blue hair with light blue eyes, wearing a blue shirt with white shorts.

“Just leave me alone…” I said, sniffing and covering my face.

“A-Ah! I-I’m sorry! I was just curious! I didn’t mean to say anything bad! I think that seeing ghosts is cool!” she said frantically, waving her hands at me.

I looked back up at her. “Really…?”

“Yeah! It’s like a superpower or something, you know? Talking to ghosts, being friends with them and hanging out. It sounds like a dream!” she exclaimed quickly, putting her face up close to mine.

“...!”

Startled, I pulled my face back and stared at her, confused. Just who was this girl? She seems almost weird in a way, and a little too energetic.

“I-I talk to them, but…I’ve never been close with any of them,” I said, correcting her.

“Ehhh? Why not~?” she said, putting her face up close to mine again.

“W-Well, I’ve never thought of doing it…” I replied, flustered and pulling my face back again. “Besides, if I did, it would only be bad for me. Everyone would keep making fun of me and stuff…”

The girl stared at me for a moment, then sat down beside me. “I won’t,” she said.

“Eh?”

“I won’t make fun of you. I think you’re a good guy.”

My eyes widened, surprised to hear those words. “Why? I’m crazy, aren’t I?”

“Then maybe we’re supposed to be friends!” she exclaimed, her eyes glistening and pumping her fist.

“F-Friends? With me?”

“Hm!”

“B-But-”

“No buts!”

The girl lent out her hand to me and I stared at her, quizzically. “Why do you want to be friends with me?” I asked. “Won’t you get made fun of too?”

“Hm…I don’t really care~” she replied.

“You don’t?”

“Yeah. Because as long as you’re my friend, that’s all that matters!”

I stared at her, looking at me with her glistening blue eyes and a smile on her face. For the first time, someone understood me and accepted me for who I was. 

“Friend…” I said, taking her hand.

“Friend!”

“Um…what’s your name?” I asked.

“Niwa Yuuka! You can just call me Yuuka!”

“Yuuka…” I repeated. “I’m Himitsume. Himitsume Hikaru.”

From that day on, Yuuka and I became close friends. Thanks to her, I learned how to love my gift again. She gave me the idea that I could use my gift to help ghosts who were stuck here or lost move on, and knowing I could bring others happiness brought me my own happiness.

Yuuka and I remained friends from elementary all the way to our freshman year of high school. We were happy together. But then…something unfortunate happened.

“Cancer?”

“Yeah,” she replied, her hands on the back of my chair, looking down at the floor of my room.

“...What stage?” I asked.

“Stage three. According to the doctors, it’s growing worse.”

My heart instantly sank. I frowned and looked down, clasping my hands. “I’m sorry you had to hear that…”

“Oh, it’s fine~! There’s no need to worry about it~!” she exclaimed, smiling and waving her hands.

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“No need to worry? Yuuka, you know you could die from this, right?” I said, worried.

She spun around in my chair, staring at the ceiling light. “I know.”

“So why are you so calm about it? Are you not afraid?”

Yuuka stopped spinning, then chuckled and looked out the window, gazing at the morning sky. “I’m not scared…because I know that even if I die, it won’t be the end. Right, Hikaru?”

I stared at her, surprised with my eyes widened. “Do you really believe you can come back as a ghost?”

“Yeah,” she replied. “If there’s all these ghosts around like you say there are, then there’s a chance I can come back too.”

“Yuuka,” I said. “They don’t linger in our world because they want to. They usually have a reason.”

“If that’s the case, then I’ll have a reason too!” she exclaimed, smiling and pumping her fist.

I clenched my fists and looked down. Honestly…why are you always so happy no matter the circumstances…? I thought to myself.

Yuuka poked me on the cheek, startling me. “Hey~, do you really worry about me that much~?” she teased me, her eyes glistening, having a wide smile on her face.

I looked away and crossed my arms, my face warming up. “Who wouldn’t after hearing your condition?”

“Hahahaha!” she laughed, tears coming out her eyes.

“What’s so funny?” I asked, annoyed.

“Sorry, sorry!” she apologized, wiping away her tears. “It’s just…I’m happy that you care about me so much.”

“You tease way too much…” I said, placing a hand to my head, frustrated with her playful attitude.

In hopes of curing her cancer, Yuuka started receiving treatments and chemo. It was often painful, and she hated it every time she had to do it, but her family and I encouraged her to continue fighting.

Three months had passed and spring eventually turned to summer. Yet, no matter how much time passed and how much the doctors treated her, nothing seemed to work. By then, her cancer had reached stage four. 

One day, after I left school, I visited the hospital where she was staying. I moved the curtains to the side and looked to see Yuuka, lying down in a bed with tubes and machines connected to her body, beeping as they kept her alive. She was pale and frail. Her beautiful blue hair was gone and her body was skinnier.

“Hhh…” Yuuka slowly opened her eyes and met mine. “Hey…Hikaru…” she greeted me, forcing a smile.

I pulled a chair and sat next to her. “Hey Yuuka,” I greeted her back with a smile.

“You’re still visiting me, huh…?” she said weakly.

“Why wouldn’t I? You’re my best friend, aren’t you?”

“Hahaha…” Yuuka weakly laughed, ending up coughing.

“Don’t try to do so much,” I warned her.

“What are you, my mom…?” she joked with a big smile on her face.

“Haha,” I chuckled.

“Hey, Hikaru…can I ask you for a favor…?” she asked me.

“What is it?”

“Can you convince my mom to stop my treatments…?”

Upon hearing those words from her, I was surprised. “Why?” I asked. “These treatments can get you better.”

Yuuka shook her head. “They’re not. Surely you know that too, don’t you…?”

I stared at her and frowned. Yuuka, realizing how much this decision meant, forced a smile and grabbed my hand, her grip weak and her hands trembling.

“Please,” she begged me.

I looked away from her and grabbed her hand in return. I thought about it for a moment, and after some consideration, I nodded and agreed to her wish.

“Thank you…”

I stood up and left the room, meeting up with her mother, Niwa Ayane, who was waiting outside. After relaying the message Yuuka gave me, she couldn’t accept the words out of my mouth and denied the request. I tried to talk to her again, but she refused to listen. Realizing how mad she was, and how sad she felt inside, I excused myself and stood out in the hallways by myself.

I sighed and placed my back to the wall, closing my eyes. “Why has it come to this…?” I muttered to myself, my voice trembling and my heart slowly crumbling apart.

Suddenly, I felt a chill running up my spine and opened my eyes. All around me, multiple people in gowns, young and old, stared directly at me.

Patients? I thought to myself. No…ghosts…

I turned to my left and saw a little boy with black hair and black eyes, staring at me. “Not much time…” the boy said, warning me.

I frowned and turned around. “I know…” I whispered.

Some time later, I returned to Yuuka’s room. There, I saw her mom and her little sister, Niwa Miyu, sitting beside her. Her mom was crying, tears streaming down her face as she held onto Yuuka’s hand, and her little sister frowned as she stared at the two of them.

“Please…Yuuka…” Niwa said, her voice trembling. “Just have one more treatment. One more…”

“No…” Yuuka declined. “It’s fine, Okaa-san. I know you don’t want to, but please, let me rest…”

“I can’t…” she replied, shaking her head. “If I do…you won’t be here anymore…”

“That’s not true,” said Yuuka. “Even after I die…I’ll come back. I know I will…”

“Do you honestly still believe that boy…?” she asked, skeptical.

“I do…and I always will.”

I knocked at the door and the three of them turned to look at me. “Hey…”

Her mom turned away and looked back at Yuuka. I could tell she didn’t like me. She never has ever since I became friends with Yuuka and filled her head with ghosts and the afterlife.

“Hikaru-oniichan,” Miyu called me. “Will Yuuka be alright…?” she asked, her voice trembling and her eyes watery.

I nodded and smiled. “She’ll be fine. Your sister will be okay.”

“Is it true…? Yuuka will come back…?”

I was quiet for a brief moment. “She-”

“Please don’t fill her head with fairy tales,” Niwa said, interrupting me, her tone sharp and filled with frustration.

“Okaa-san! Please…be more kind to him…” Yuuka said, scolding her.

“But-”

“No,” she stated coldly.

Her mom stared at her for a brief moment, then looked down, disappointment written all over her face.

“I’m sorry, Hikaru. My mom doesn’t believe you like I do,” Yuuka said to me.

“It’s fine,” I replied. “There’s no need to apologize. I understand.”

Yuuka sighed. “Once I pass away, I’m worried your relationship with each other won’t go well. I want you all to get along.”

“Don’t say such things like that!” Niwa exclaimed.

“Okaa-san,” she said. “I don’t have much time left. I will die soon. You know that, right?”

“Yuuka…”

She turned to her. “Hey, can I have a piece of paper and a pen…?” she asked her.

“Eh? O-Of course…”

She reached into her purse and pulled it out, handing it to her. “Hey, Hikaru,” she said. “Can you turn around? I don’t want you to see this.” I nodded and did so.

I could hear Yuuka’s pen scratching on the piece of paper she gave her as she wrote. As her pen moved, I could tell how slow and weak she was becoming.

A moment later, Yuuka finished writing and handed the piece of paper to her mom, who took a quick glance at it before putting it in her purse.

“Hikaru, you can turn around now,” she said.

I nodded and turned back to her. “What did you write?” I asked.

“A secret message,” she replied. “After I die, I’ll come back and ask you to tell it to my mom.”

“I got it.”

Her mom didn’t believe in ghosts or the afterlife. So, after Yuuka passes away, she won’t believe anything anyone says about her. However, a message she wrote specifically to her mother, one no one else knows but her, she’ll believe it.

“Why…why do you believe in all of this nonsense?” her mom asked her.

“It’s not nonsense…” she replied weakly. “Hikaru believes it…and I believe it. So…believe it too…Okaa-san.”

Her mom stared at her and tears poured down her face. “Oh, Yuuka…” she muttered, her voice trembling.

Yuuka sighed, then turned to me and smiled. “I’ll meet you again next time…Hikaru…”

“Yeah…we will…” I replied, frowning.

Soon after, the heart monitor made a constant beep, signaling her death. Yuuka had passed. Following her death, a funeral was held, and we all watched as Yuuka’s coffin was lowered down and buried deep within the ground.

Goodbye, Yuuka…