Have you ever typed “past life” into a search bar?
If you haven’t, I’d encourage you to give it a try sometime.
Most search engines have a feature called “suggestions,” where they recommend commonly searched terms related to your query. So, if you type in “past life,” you’ll probably see “fortune-telling” or “quiz” among the top suggestions.
Of course, since these suggestions are based on individual search histories, there are bound to be exceptions.
This whole “past life diagnosis” thing has attracted enough attention to spawn a ton of websites. They all offer various content, though most come across as little more than repackaged personality or psychology quizzes.
In other words, they’re not exactly reliable.
And frankly, I’d guess that very few people actually take these websites seriously in hopes of discovering their past lives. From what I’ve seen, most are just looking to kill time or are mildly curious, not invested in the answers.
To be fair, these “past life quizzes” can be a good conversation starter, especially when conversation lulls during a get-together or a night out.
Real psychological tests can feel cliché, but with those, making too much fun of the results can quickly feel like a personal attack. Even if someone laughs it off, they might be hurt on the inside, which is just uncomfortable for everyone.
But here’s where past life quizzes shine!
No one actually believes that they know their past life. If the quiz says something like, “Your past life was a gorilla,” it’s funny because it’s not personal—unless the conversation somehow veers off into insults. A gorilla might have mixed feelings about being dragged into it, but at least it keeps things light.
But what if past lives are real? What if, even through some silly quiz, you came to know your past life? Would you laugh it off as just another life, something to stow away in your mental attic?
If there’s anyone out there who’s truly reincarnated with memories of a past life, I’d love to ask them how they’ve come to terms with it.
◇◇◇
“…What are you staring off into space for?”
Suddenly, I feel an elbow nudging me from the side.
Snapped back to reality, I look over and see a girl with straight black hair sitting next to me—a girl who looks as pure as an angel.
Her name is Suzuna Kanzaki. She’s in her first year of middle school, though it’s hard to believe she was carrying a backpack only a month ago; she seems so mature.
“Were you praying or something?”
She gives me a skeptical look, glancing from my face down to my hands.
It turns out my fingers are clasped together. Come to think of it, it probably does look like I’m saying a Christian prayer.
On that note, a little fun fact: Christians have different styles of praying. Generally, Catholics press their palms together, while Protestants tend to interlace their fingers, like I’m doing now.
“…No, I wasn’t praying.”
I just might’ve let my guard down a bit. I haven’t been sleeping well lately.
It’s a shame, though, to start zoning out while spending time with my sister. Really not ideal.
“Oh, by the way, there’s supposedly a way to tell your past life’s gender by how you clasp your fingers.”
“Past life?”
“If your left thumb’s on top, your past life was a woman; if your right thumb’s on top, you were a man.”
“Huh.”
She replies indifferently but laces her fingers together, looking as angelic as ever.
“…Left thumb’s on top.”
“Then that means your past life was a woman. Same as me, actually.”
I show her my interlaced fingers, with my left thumb on top.
“So, does that mean you were a woman in your past life, too?”
“…Probably?”
“Hmm.”
She doesn’t seem all that interested and responds half-heartedly.
Well, it’s not exactly reliable. At the very least, it seems to have missed the mark, since I was almost certainly not a woman in my past life.
“By the way, Eiji-san. It’s your serve.”
“Oh, right!”
Suzuna’s reminder snaps me back.
It’s not like we’re here just to chat idly.
If we could waste time together with no purpose, that would be closer to the typical brother-sister relationship… Unfortunately, that’s not quite where we are yet.
Still, today, early April! It’s a warm, sunny Sunday, and the two of us siblings are here together!
I direct my gaze toward the television set up in front of the sofa.
On the screen is a tennis game we’re currently playing.
It’s called Makio Tennis: Grand Slam, a tennis game for Tankudo Change, the latest console by Japanese gaming company Tankudo.
The game’s biggest draw is that you get to control a cast of anime-like characters associated with Tankudo’s mascot, “Makio.”
Makio is a mustached character who first appeared in a game called Super Makio Brothers. Despite being a gardener (landscaper), he has a close relationship with Princess Plum from his castle—a surprisingly dramatic background.
Makio may be a gardener, but he spends more time adventuring and playing sports than on his day job. This is likely why he’s so popular with families and casual gamers alike.
Even though there are games where you play as real-life pros, those tend to be more niche. It’s games like this with fun characters that appeal to the crowd who might not be tennis fans but just want a fun experience with friends and family.
The Makio Tennis series alone has about five or six installments now, built on a reputation for casual play.
And that’s why I used up my New Year’s savings to buy this game—all to play with Suzuna!
“…If you’re not playing…”
“Oh, no! I’m on it!”
Right, enough tangents!
I refocus and tighten my grip on the controller. Playing with my sister was the main goal, but a match is a match.
Even if my opponent’s my adorable sister, going easy would be a letdown.
Alright, let’s go, my partner “Gikini”! Let’s show off some skill and take down Suzuna’s character, “Makio”!
And with that, the game is on!
“Take this!”
“…”
The match begins with my serve.
Since it’s designed for casual gamers, this game has easy controls for beginners. As a result, it’s not easy for either of us to score, which makes for a back-and-forth rally.
(Still, I’m surprised she agreed to play…)
I steal a glance at Suzuna.
Her eyes are glued to the screen, with a serious look on her face.
I repeat myself, but spending a warm weekend playing games together like this isn’t really the kind of relationship we’ve had.
It’d be nice if this became normal one day… I hope that “someday” will actually come.
――”Love, fifteen.”
“Ah!”
Distracted by watching Suzuna, my focus on the TV wavers for just a moment, and in that instant, I lose a point.
“Eyes on the game,” she chides.
“Ugh…”
She doesn’t hold back. I can sense her resolve—whether it’s a game or anything else, she’s determined to give it her all.
Honestly, I was hoping for a bit more of a laid-back vibe. But seeing Suzuna’s eagerness, even if she’s competitive, makes me genuinely happy. It’s refreshing to see this side of her. I always knew she had a stubborn streak, but this is something else.
The more engrossed Suzuna becomes in the game, the more her expressions shift and change. She lets out a sigh of relief when she scores, and groans with frustration whenever I do. It’s like she forgets I’m sitting right next to her, completely lost in the moment, immersed in the game. I find myself stealing glances at her, wanting to capture every expression.
(Right… this is who Suzuna really is. If only… if only she hadn’t been through so much… she’d still…)
――”Game, 2P.”
“Aah!?”
“Got it.”
She’s already taken another game! Exploiting every gap in my attention, she scores four points in a row to clinch it.
“You’re good, Suzuna…!”
“Or maybe you’re just bad at this.”
“H-Hey, I’m not bad! I just need to get used to the controls, that’s all!”
In truth, I’ve been so caught up in watching her reactions that I’ve barely paid attention to the screen. But now…
“Heh heh heh! Well, now that I’ve sacrificed enough points to learn the controls, I’m ready!”
Thanks to my earlier ‘sacrifice,’ I’ve learned the perfect balance—how to observe Suzuna’s expressions and keep my eyes on the TV screen.
“Now it’s time for my comeback! Brace yourself, Suzuna!”
