Master Series Episode 11: "What Happens to People After They Die?"

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(Translated and arranged by Saya)

Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) in Japan

In my university days, I would often take a walk in a particular park which had many pigeons. 

Those pigeons roamed around in the park and constantly pecked at the ground, although I had no idea how they could possibly find so many things to peck at on the tarmacked roads. 

There was one spot which was especially popular with the pigeon, and it was near the bench I would always sit on when I wanted to relax and daydream. 

Pigeons in droves would flock to the spot and peck enthusiastically at the ground. 

I just imagined there were some people who sat on the bench before me and who threw the leftover from their bento (Note: lunch box/ packed meal) *1 to the pigeons. 

It was in spring in my second year of university. 

My university club arranged to have a party in the park, which was held for hanami (Note: cheery blossom viewing) *2 as well as for the newcomers in the club.  

 We spread picnic blankets on the lawn; there was a canopy of beautiful sakura (Note: cherry blossoms) above us. 

It was just a regular sort of club, but there was one senpai (Note: A senior student. See the note on the previous episode ) there who was like a god of the occult; I called him Master, and sometimes I looked up to him while at other times I looked down on him. 

Master had been drinking a lot and he had passed out, which was a rare occurrence. 

One person, with a beer in one hand, said, "who was it that said there were dead bodies buried under sakura trees ?"*3

Master apparently heard that, and sat up suddenly, saying, "surely not everyone is so lucky as to have been buried under sakura trees, " talking rapidly with a slurred tongue. 

Quickly, other senpais held my master down so he wouldn't start getting excited and frighten the newcomers. I was a little disappointed. 

"Let me take care of him."

I said to them, and took him away to the bench I usually sit on. I let him lie down on it, went to fetch some water and came back, sitting next to him. 

"What were you trying to tell us before?" 

Master, wheezing, pointed his finger, saying, "look over there. You see those pigeons?" 

The sun had already set; I could just about make out the outlines of what looked like pigeons wriggling in semi darkness. 

The pigeons, noticing us, looked back at us with their small gleaming eyes. 

"I will tell you something important."

I didn't know if it was because he was drunk, but Master seemed a little different from his usual self. I straightened up and girded myself for his next words. 

"No, actually... we may have talked about this before... do you know where people will go after they die?" 

"Huh? To the netherworld?"

Master let out a deep sigh. 

"They won't go anywhere. They either disappear or they are just there."

I didn't understand his words. 

Master had taught me so many things before, but it was rare for him to tell me something so philosophical, or rather religious. 

"So, they are all around us."

It took me some moments to realise he was talking about spirits and that type of things. 

"The thing you see over there who is being pecked at by the pigeons will stay there too until he disappears, and that will be the end of him. " 

What? 

I rubbed my eyes but couldn't see a thing. 

"He is a very weak one. He is disappearing fast.

  The pigeons don't know what they are pecking at, but he is thinking "I will disappear when I am completely devoured." That is why he is disappearing." 

"I don't understand." 

"I guess you didn't know most birds can see the spirits of humans." Master murmured. 

Was he saying someone had died in the past at those places where pigeons often flocked? 

"The poor guy is just a tad too far away. *4

It would have been better for him to have gotten devoured by sakura rather than by pigeons." 

He gave a sigh that smelled of alcohol and said nothing more. 

The other members of the club continued their drunken party at a little distance away. 

People enjoying hanami at night

"Master, have you ever imagined your own death?" 

I asked the question I had always wanted to ask but never dared to. 

"It would be like everyone else. I would be turned into a monstrous evil spirit, and exist until I disappear, and then, THE END. " 

There seemed to be one extra step in the process, but I let it pass. 

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Note:

*1 bento --- See the note on this post: Bullying 

*2 Hanami --- cherry blossom viewing. A very important event in Japanese culture! 

The Meaning of Cherry Blossoms in Japan: Life, Death and Renewal 

Significance of Sakura: Cheery Blossom Traditions in Japan

*3 Dead bodies under cherry blossom trees -- There is a short story written by Motojiro Kajii, entitled "Under Cheery Blossom Trees" which says that there are dead bodies buried under cheery blossom tress and that is why the flowers are so beautiful.  Kajii happens to be one of my favourite authors! Motojiro Kajii, Wikipedia

*4 Poor guy is a tad too far away --- I think the Master means that the spirit is too far away from cheery blossom tress. 

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You might also like to read this story😆⭐:

Heaven

💖💖💖 NOTICE💖💖💖

You may have noticed that I changed the series title from "My Master Series" to simply "Master Series." Because the latter translation seems now more appropriate for it. 

When I started the series, I was hooked on a certain anime in which a character called another character "My Master" continuously, so I was moved to give this series the name (a bit embarrassing to say this lol). In the translation of these stories, there are places where (for me) it sounds more appropriate to type "Master" instead of continuously making the protagonist say "my master." So I retyped many of them in the narratives too. Haha.

💎Also for ALL RELIGIOUS READERS out there: 

Please don't get upset by Master's interpretation of life after death. This is only Mater's personal opinion! Also this is just a story .... I hope you don't feel offended by it! Peace and Much Love.🙏 😊💓✨