[Makuro-chan]: 563.Names

Names

The sun had set and the night was full with glimmering stars. Parents wished their children good night and would soon go to bed.
A little boy couldn’t sleep because someone was sitting beside his bed.
His parents had told him that it was only in his imagination, but there he was, every night, just sitting there and hiding in the shadows.

He appeared about a week ago. He has never talked to the boy, and the boy had never talked to him. The boy stared at him for a while. He couldn’t see the man’s features, but he still knew it was a man.
Then the boy asked:
“What are you doing in my room mister?”
The man turned his head and met the boy’s gaze. The moonlight flowed over his young face.
“I was waiting for you Ichiro”, he said.
The boy smiled and then looked puzzled.
“But why? And you shouldn’t sit so near me. I’m very ill and it may be contagious”, he said.
The young man laughed.
“Am I not the one who’s been sitting beside your bed for a whole week? Am I not the one who’s been listening to your coughing? And more importantly, do you really think I am able to get ill?” he asked and seemed very amused.
“Soon I will take you away from all this sickness and pain, and you will follow me to my homeland”.
“I see... What is your name then mister?” Ichiro asked him with a smile.
At first he looked surprised, then he smiled back at Ichiro.
“I am known as Makuro”, he said.
Ichiro looked at him, his hair and coat were indeed pitch black, but his skin was as white as snow and his eyes had a iceblue color that didn’t suit his warm smile.
“That name suits you well mister”, he said.
Makuro laughed. “Yes, I have been told so many times”.
This little boy is truly amusing, he thought. Never before had a mortal like him asked about his name.

The door to Ichiro’s room opened and his mother came in.
“Who are you talking to Ichiro?” She asked.
“I’m talking to Makuro-kun,” he answered.
His mother looked surprised. “Makuro-kun?”
“Yes, he’s the one who’s been sitting beside my bed”, he explained with a smile.
Makuro listened to the conversation while palying with something in his hands.
Ichiro’s mother sighed. “Aren’t you too old for imaginary friends Ichiro?”
“But he’s sitting right here,” he said and waved in Makuro’s direction.
“Stop this now, Ichiro! There’s nobody there, and go to sleep now, you know you need it.”
For some reason her eyes were filled with tears. She went out of the room and closed the door. Ichiro could hear her sobbing as she went down the stairs.
Makuro stopped playing and put the thing back in his pocket.
“It’s no use, she can’t see me,” he said.
“Huh, why not?” Ichiro asked, surprised.
“Because I didn’t want her to,” he said simply.
“But why didn’t you want her to see you,” Ichiro asked and felt really confused.
“She would only be afraid of me and it would delay my job,” he expalined.
“What’s your job,” Ichiro asked him curiously.
Again he was surprised.
“You don’t know? I thought it was so obvious.” He laughed at the irony of this picture, and then felt a small sadness in his heart. “I’m a shinigami, a guardian of death,” he said. “And it is time for you to leave this earth.”
A tear fell from Ichiro’s chin and on his lap. He looked down on his hands.
“I guess I always knew that the doctors lied when they said could find a cure. Perhaps they didn’t want to scare me. I’m not scared, but what will happen to mom if I leave. She will be all alone.” His eyes were filled with tears.
Makuro watched him with his iceblue eyes. He didn’t know what it was like, to fear death, to care so deeply about others, to be human. His torments would never end and he would never know the joys of Heaven, nor the pains of Hell. And worst of all, his life will never cease on it’s own, and he can do nothing about it. He would never die of age or disease.
“I am sorry, but we can’t dwell here anylonger,” he said and pulled out a shimmering crystal from his pocket.
He mumbled something and tossed the crystal on the floor.
Ichiro closed his eyes as a blinding light flashed from the crystal. When he opened them again he saw that a bright gate had appeared in his room.
Ichiro looked at Makuro’s sad face. “Makuro-kun?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“Can I see you again sometime,” he asked.
“I’m afraid not,” he said and gave Ichiro an encouraging smile. “I bid you farewell, Ichiro.” He waved to him.
Ichiro smiled and walked through the gate.
As soon as he had disappeared, the gate turned back to the little crystal again.
He was gone.

“Always the same with the little ones,” a voice said behind Makuro.
Makuro turned around and faced a man with nutbrown hair and emerald green eyes.
“What makes you say that?” Makuro asked.
The man smiled and started to play with his long hair.
“They ask all kinds of weird childish questions, and when you tell them it’s their time, they never plead for more time like many of the adults would do,” he expalined casually.
Makuro picked up the crystal and put it in his pocket again.
“I still think many of the adults take the message well,” he answered and let his coat’s hood cover his face in shadows once again.
“But perhaps you speak truly,” he continued. “They really are... amazing.”
The man looked deep into Makuro’s eyes. “Did he say something special,” he asked.
“He asked for my name Shinji,” Makuro answered.
At first Shinji seemed surprised, then he smiled gently at Makuro. “I see,” he said. “You can’t let things like that get to you,” he continued.
“I know,” Makuro answered quickly and looked at the photograph of Ichiro that stood on the bedside table.
“Well then, I guess we should get going,” Shinji said and turned towards the room’s window.
“I guess you’re right,” Makuro said and secretly put the photo in his pocket.
Then they both jumped out through the window, and they were gone.