To Reminisce of a Love

           - So whenever our eyes meet, I can’t help but feel butterflies on my stomach. – The maid said. – Tell me Izanami-san, have you ever felt like this?

           - Just once Aimi-chan. – Said Izanami.

           The two women were watching the sunset at the land of the dead, the Yomi. A rare occurrence, that happened every once a couple of months, that symbolized the beginning of an era of death. Izanami no Kami, the goddess of creation and death, would have to work a lot harder during these periods, as many souls would have to be brought to the Yomi. However, time passed slower in Yomi, and Izanami liked to enjoy the sunset before she would resume her duties.

           Izanami’s iconic black robe with cherry flowers covered her body as the sunset would highlight the details of the fine silk that the kimono was made of. Her black silky hair camouflaged itself around the kimono to a point where it was impossible to say where one started and where the other ended. At her side, young Aimi wore a white kimono, just like most maids at Yomi, with her long black hair running along the kimono’s back. Izanami made sure that girls let their hair loose here as a representative that they were no longer bound to the material world and the necessity to look pretty for others.

           - Beauty is about the pond itself, not the fish that swim in it. – Izanami would usually say.

           Aimi was one of Izanami’s favorite maids to talk to, named after a long-gone memory, she would often have the right things to say whenever Izanami was found at the middle of the bridge that crossed the koi pond under it. She was daring, innocent, and full of energy.

           - I’m sorry Izanami-san…

           - There’s no need to apologize for Aimi-chan. – Said Izanami after taking a long breath. – You see… Before there was the Yomi, and before the creatures walked the earth, I used to live somewhere else, a place that even I can’t remember it. There, sunsets happened every day, but not to represent chaos, but to represent the end of a day.

           - Like the ones at the world of the living? – Asked Aimi.

           - Just like it. – Answered Izanami.

           Izanami went quiet for a second and her hand rested around her chest.

           - And even though I don’t remember much of that place, I remember one person. – She said.

           - Who is this person Izanami-san? – Asked Aimi.

           Izanami gave away a smile, but her eyes struck Aimi with pain in her heart.

           - This person was supposed to be made just for me. My perfect pair. – Said Izanami.

           - Like Saito-kun and I? – Asked Aimi.

           Through the pain, Izanami’s smile broadens itself, as Aimi could now see her white teeth showing off.

           - You’re so naive Aimi-chan. – She said.

           - I’m not Izanami-san! Saito-kun and I were meant to be together! – Aimi replied.

           - But you two were made for different purposes, right?

           - What do you mean?

           - Well, Saito-kun was made to protect the gates of Yomi, but you were made to keep me company, right?

           - I guess you’re right Izanami-san… Does that mean that this person was made with the sole purpose of being your perfect pair?

           - Yes, he was made for this purpose and this purpose only.

           Izanami distanced her eyes from the girl and started to look at the sunset.

           - His name is Izanaki. He was made to love me, protect me, and sacrifice everything for me. He was kind and loving. He would take care of me and even stood up for me countless times when a fight arrived. He used to say that my heart was too kind for that, so he would fight so that I didn’t have to so that he could protect my heart by sacrificing his’s.

           Aimi kept watching Izanami in awe as she kept telling her story.

           - But the universe didn’t want us to be together. While he was the day, I was the night. He was the sun and I was the moon. He was life, but I am death…

           Aimi's tears started to roll through her cheeks as Izanami slowly reached for her face and cleaned her tears with the tip of her kimono.

           - Don’t cry Aimi-chan. – Said Izanami.

           - It just sounds so sad Izanami-san… I can’t imagine being separated from Saito-kun. – Said the girl.

           - Well, if it makes you feel any better, nor did Izanaki. – Izanami said as she returned her attention to the girl. – When Izanaki found out that we were supposed to be separated for life he became very furious. He went through countless trials to win me back so that we could be together forever.

           - That is so beautiful Izanami-san! – Said Aimi. – But what happened to Izanaki-san?

           - Well, Aimi-chan, he got greedy. He couldn’t understand that our roles were bigger than our love. He was in charge to raise the living so that I could take them to rest, this was supposed to be his gift for me. But he wanted more, he wanted to be together forever.

           Izanami rested her hands on the handles of the bridge, as she started to squeeze them very hard. Aimi, noticing Izanami’s clear discomfort, tried to change the subject to fulfill her job, making good company for Izanami no Kami.

           - How about we go inside and take a cup of tea Izanami-san? – Asked Aimi, a little bit reluctant.

           - It would be great Aimi-chan. But don’t you want to enjoy the sunset before we go? – Said Izanami.

           Aimi felt pinpointed on the ground, she was unable to move nor move Izanami, so she had no other choice but to keep going with what she had begun.

           - As I was saying, he got greedy… He started to kill the ones he created so that he could see me more often, not knowing that seeing all those souls suffer from his hands brought me more tears and smiles.

           The two stood silent as a strong gust of wind blew through them, making the salmon-colored water of the pond form waves and making the fish hide under the bridge.

           Izanami took a deep breath and continued.

           - So, I went against everything I knew, against my job, against my orders, against my heart. One fateful day he brought a soul for me but I didn’t show up. Enraged by that, he kept killing more and more, leaving more and more souls around the world of the living, but I didn’t budge, I didn’t show up.

           Aimi felt uneasy, she felt as if a strong storm was about to unravel because of her.

           - Izanami-san…

           - Then, one day, he stopped. I thought he was trying to trick me, but days went by months, years, decades… And when I went to look for him, he had disappeared.

           Aimi created enough courage to form a phrase, and with mighty strength, she asked:

           - And what did you feel Izanami-san?

           - I felt happy.

           Another gust of wind blew through the tall pale woman and the young maid.

           - Because no longer souls would have to suffer because of me. – Izanami continued. – Because now I no longer had to feel bad for being myself.

           - And how about Izanaki-san? Do you miss him Izanami-san?

           - I miss his old self, I loved that man with all my heart, but in trying to get me back, in hurting so many souls, he broke my heart. I don’t love his current self, but I do miss his old self, I miss our laughs, our smiles, our happiness…

           - I see… - Said Aimi.

           - That’s why I no longer allow myself to feel love because I loved once and that brought the suffering of countless souls. I refuse to sit down and let this happen again. That’s why I’ll never love again.

           - That is so sad Izanami-san…

           - Don’t worry Aimi-chan, a single heart is broken so that countless others may fall in love, and live to seek love…

           The two stood quietly for a second as the last sliver of sun left that realm.

           - I do this so that you and Saito-kun can be in love. I do this so that my love, my once broken heart, could live through the heart of others.

           Izanami’s words resonated through Aimi’s body, making their way from her spine to her heart. Silence now reigned supreme as the last minute of sunset happened.

           And as the moon reclaimed her position as mistress of the night, Izanami turned to Aimi:

           - Let’s take that tea now, Aimi-chan?

           The girl, still frozen in time from Izanami’s last words, woke up and agreed with her by shaking her head. The two women then proceeded to walk from the red bridge towards Izanami’s palace. Now, Aimi had in mind that Izanami-san was, in fact, much more complex than she had ever thought, but now she had a good explanation for why she was the one who ruled over this realm. Not because she enjoyed what she had to do, but because she was able to end the suffering of many while using her suffering to make others be able to love once again.

           - I admire you a lot Izanami-san. – Said Aimi.

           - Thanks Aimi-chan, I admire you too. – Answered Izanami. – And to think that I believed I was unable to do so. – She thought.