It had all become suddenly very still, very quiet. Jiro walked along the darkness suddenly entering a room with a lot of light. As he shielded his eyes he heard a voice.

“You made it,” the voice said greeting him.

Jiro squinted and as soon as the bright light died down he first noticed wings then a person standing half . He felt his heart beat faster in alarm.

“This can’t be happening,” Jiro told himself. “It’s just a dream. Just a dream.”

“Just on time,” the angel said flipping through his clipboard. “You’re on the list to Heaven.”

Jiro stared at the man in horror.

“You’re lying!” Jiro shouted causing everyone who was passing him stare. “Liar! No! I’m not going to heaven! I’m not!”

“Didn’t you want to go to Heaven?” questioned the angel. “Wasn’t that why we sent you back so you could understand goodness? Wasn’t there someone who showed you happiness? Don’t tell me we sent you to the wrong place…”

Selina. It suddenly occurred to Jiro. It wasn’t coincidental. She was supposed to meet him and Jiro was supposed to learn from her. Jiro was supposed to change because of her. She was the one they chose to show him innocence. No he didn’t want to stay in Heaven he wanted to stay with Selina be with her because she needed him and he needed her.

“I don’t want to stay…” Jiro began when he thought he heard someone screaming his name. “Selina.” Jiro turned around as if he would see her running toward him…but no. If he saw her that would mean she’s…dead.

“Angel!” Jiro shouted. “Send me back! Send me back to her!”

The angel stared back, “I’m not sure we can do that.”

“Please! I promised her she would see me when she wakes up!” Jiro shouted. “I want to keep my promise to her! Before that I broke all of the promises I made. I can’t leave her alone right now. I don’t want her to be crying anymore. Please send me back!”

“You fell in love?” the angel asked.

“Please just send me back. I’m begging you,” Jiro begged.

“Just step through the door,” the angel told.

“No…” Jiro protested but a gush of wind had already pushed him through the open door.

_*_*_*_*_*_

Selina had leaned her head against his shoulder and had gone into a series of sobs. After all this time when she had wanted to leave it was Jiro who would be leaving. When she had never shown her love…when she had never even told him about her feelings…why did he go before she could say so? She would rather be heartbroken a dozen times than let Jiro go.

“Wake up now…please…” Selina managed to say between her sobs. “You can’t leave just like this. You can’t…Jiro”

Before Selina could go on she heard a sickening cough and suddenly felt Jiro’s chest started to move up and down. Selina slowly raised her head and turned to look at Jiro whose eyes were wide open and looking around. Selina stared at him half shocked and amazed.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Jiro told. “Just because I’m right now…”

Selina stifled a laugh and hit him.

“You jerk! You promised I’d see you when I woke up! You liar, liar, liar!” she shouted.

“Ow, ow! Hey I’m still injured!” Jiro reminded.

Selina stared back at him letting her tears out again.

“I get to see you first when I open my eyes and you get to see me too. That should be enough right?” asked Jiro.

Selina threw her arms around him.

“Ok, ok. You can cry but you can’t go anywhere,” Jiro told. “Promise?”

Selina nodded, “I love you.”

“About time you said that,” Jiro said.

Selina removed her arms around him and gave him a small pinch.

“You get that too! What in the world happened?! I thought you were dead!” Selina yelled.

Jiro laughed a little, “Yea I love you too.”

As he held Selina’s hand he silently thanked the angel who had sent him back.

A few weeks later Jiro and Selina made their way back to Selina’s home. There they resettled and began with their small new start. Selina had began to silently accept the fact that she would lose her hearing some day but it hadn’t come to the time that she would actually stop hearing. Jiro on the other hand enjoyed everyday of life happy to be alive once more. 

“You lazy pig! Just because of the festival last night doesn’t mean you can stay in bed for so long!” Selina shouted throwing the covers off Jiro.

He moaned as he laid there covering his ears.

“Jiro!” Selina screamed.

“Ok! Ok!” said Jiro lazily. “Alright.”

Selina groaned as she tossed the blanket back down.

“Don’t lash your anger out at me just because they were forcing you to sleep with me,” Jiro moaned.

“What?!” Selina questioned in a louder tone.

“It’s your fault for bringing us back,” Jiro groaned as he sat up. “Your grandpa’s been giving me lectures about being a man. How are we supposed to have kids if you’re the one who’s always against it.”

“Don’t blame this on me!” Selina scolded.

“Why not?” Jiro questioned. “You freak out every time we go to bed…you know…”

Selina stared down at him hard making Jiro gulp.

“So you’ve always been in the mood when we kiss?” Selina asked raising an eyebrow and crouching over Jiro. “Is that it? You want to try it now then? Aren’t you scared of the pain? You’re ready to go through the labor?” Selina said staring down at the Jiro underneath her.

His breathing had just gotten faster and his eyes were wide.

“Ok, ok. I’m sorry,” Jiro apologized. “I’m scared already so can you stop it?”

Selina stared at him for a bit longer and got off of him laughing evilly.

“That’s what I thought scaredy cat!” Selina shouted amused.

Jiro stared at her and pouted like a kid as he stared at the door.

“But we’ve been married for almost two years,” Jiro mumbled. “Every newlyweds in town already have a baby. I don’t want to be the last.”

“What was that?” Selina asked looking over at him.

Jiro jumped back a little grabbing a pillow as if it could shield him.

“Uh…nothing. I was just saying that it’s only midnight…so why did you wake me up?” questioned Jiro.

“I can’t sleep,” Selina said sitting on the bed pushing Jiro over.

“And you had to wake me up? Oh geez,” Jiro said trying to hold back a yawn.

Selina moaned as she laid her head on his shoulder.

“I sort of regret coming back too,” she said. “It seemed so much louder back at the city. Hey! Maybe we should go visit them sometime! Wouldn’t it be great?!”

“Yea sure,” Jiro replied his eyes closed.

“You’re not listening!” Selina said giving him a pinch.

Jiro let out a shout and started to let out a cry like how kids cry.

“Because we visited them last week,” Jiro said. “That hurt! Ahh! I can’t sleep anymore!”

Selina made a face at him and lay down at last. She reached for the lamp by her and turned it off. It was still completely dark outside.

Jiro stared at Selina annoyed that she was able to sleep after waking him up. He reached his arms out and started to tickle her making her scream.

“Stop it! Jiro!” Selina yelled through her non stop laughs.

Jiro laughed along with her. He was kneeling on his knees continuing to tickle her when she suddenly kicked his knee making him fall forward. They were silent for a few minutes. Selina couldn’t make anything out in the dark but felt Jiro’s warm body on her. As what felt like another minute that passed by Selina could feel Jiro breathing on her face and as if it was a cue Selina kissed him.

A month later….

Jiro was still asleep in bed when he heard the door open loudly. Listening to the footsteps of the person he knew it was only Selina. Selina went on screaming until Jiro sat up in bed with his messy hair.

“What is it?” asked Jiro.

“I’m pregnant!” Selina screamed.

Jiro stared at her, “That’s great!”

Selina pointed at him accusingly, “It’s all your fault!!”