In the stillness of the river, beneath the veil of fog that clung to the water’s surface like a whispered secret, there was a figure who moved like the current itself. His name was Kiyoshi, a koi fish guardian, a spirit tasked with guiding lost souls to the afterlife. His appearance was striking—his short, white hair framed his sharp features, pale as moonlight, and his kimono shimmered with patterns of koi fish scales, iridescent and alive, as if the fish were swimming in the fabric itself.
Kiyoshi was not a god, but neither was he an ordinary spirit. He was the keeper of those who perished by drowning, a silent protector who helped guide the innocent to a painless death, easing their passage into the realm beyond. His touch was said to be as gentle as the water that embraced the fallen, and his presence brought an ethereal calm, soothing the souls that had been torn from the living world too soon.
The river, where Kiyoshi resided, was ancient. Its waters were known to be treacherous, capable of sweeping away even the most experienced swimmer in an instant. Yet for some, it was not the river’s rage but its mercy that claimed them. Kiyoshi was there for those souls, offering comfort and peace when their time had come.
On a moonlit night, when the water reflected the stars like a dark mirror, a young woman named Akiko was swept into the river. Her cries for help echoed in the stillness of the night, but the river was cruel. She struggled against the current, her hands grasping desperately for something to hold on to, but the river took her with quiet force. Her body sank beneath the surface, the cold grasping at her breath.
As she descended into the murky depths, her vision blurred, and her limbs grew heavy. The struggle left her exhausted, and her mind began to fade. It was then that she saw him—Kiyoshi, standing in the water like a ghost, his short white hair floating around him like mist. He reached out, not with a hand, but with the serenity of the river itself. The koi fish on his kimono seemed to stir, their scales glinting in the moonlight.
"Do not fear," Kiyoshi's voice was like the gentle lapping of water on a shore, soft and soothing. "Your pain will be over soon."
Akiko's heart pounded, but her fear faded as she felt the weight of her body ease. There was a profound peace in Kiyoshi’s presence, an otherworldly calm that wrapped around her like the river’s embrace. She could see the light from above dimming, but she did not resist it. Instead, she allowed herself to be carried.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely a breath.
Kiyoshi nodded, his eyes—pale like the moon—reflecting a sadness that was not for her, but for the world that would soon lose her. He had seen many souls in his time, and some, though they sought him, were not destined for peace. Some had lived in darkness, their hearts heavy with guilt or malice. Those souls, Kiyoshi could not touch.
As the water pulled Akiko deeper into the realm of the afterlife, she felt a soft warmth rise within her. Kiyoshi guided her gently, the koi fish swirling around her, their scales gleaming like jewels. She felt no fear, no pain—only the quiet, beautiful passage to what lay beyond.
But Kiyoshi was not finished. He turned, eyes narrowing as a disturbance in the water caught his attention.
A figure had entered the river—a man who had been caught in the same current as Akiko but who had not cried for help. His body floated on the surface, lifeless, but there was something different about him. His soul was not pure. There was a darkness that clung to him like oil.
Kiyoshi approached him silently, his gaze sharp. The man had lived a life of selfishness, of cruelty. He had wronged many, leaving pain and misery in his wake. Kiyoshi could feel the weight of his sins, the bitterness that lingered in his soul.
Without a word, Kiyoshi turned away, ignoring the man’s soul as it drifted farther from the river’s edge. The koi on his kimono shimmered, the pattern shifting with the movement of the water, and Kiyoshi let the river carry the man’s spirit into the depths, untouched by his guidance.
The man, though his body was lost, would have to face his fate elsewhere. Kiyoshi would not accompany him. He was the guardian of those who had lived with honor, with innocence, and had met their end through no fault of their own.
In the distance, Akiko's soul began to glow, a soft golden light rising from the depths, signifying her safe passage to the afterlife. Kiyoshi watched, his expression unreadable. His task had been fulfilled, but it was never easy. Each soul that passed through his hands left an imprint on him, and he carried the weight of each death in his heart.
With a final glance at the peaceful soul he had guided, Kiyoshi turned and disappeared into the depths, his white hair flowing like water behind him, as if he were part of the river itself. The koi fish scales on his kimono shimmered once more, and the river settled into its eternal rhythm.
For Kiyoshi, the guardian of lost souls, there was only one certainty: He would always be there, silently guiding the innocent to the afterlife, and leaving the unworthy to fade into the dark waters of forgotten regret.