Ichikawa Kiyoshi always had a passion for magic. From card tricks to risky guessing games, he had the ability to create illusions which fooled the human eye. Others saw it as entertainment, but he saw it as a way of life. He couldn't blame them for not understanding, after all, only a true magician could understand the importance of magic. And Kiyoshi recognized himself as a magician who understood this art, this long abandoned trade of belief.
When asked why he enjoyed this particular line of work, he would simply smile and shuffle the cards in his hands, and show that person a simple card trick. Nothing complex, only a deck of regular poker cards and a well practiced sleight of hand. The person would keep a close eye on Kiyoshi's deck, hoping to catch a faulty move and see through the entire illusion. However, illusions which are built on simple tricks such as these are not easily broken, much less seen through. No matter how many times he is asked to repeat the trick, Kiyoshi would always shuffle the cards randomly and withdraw the same card over and over again. One might think that he is cheating, that he is using an altered deck of cards, but he is merely carrying out a simple trick, a simple illusion to fool the eyes. You may ask him how the trick is done, for everyone knows that there is disappointing element which escapes the eyes - the trick answer. But no matter how many times you ask, Kiyoshi will not give the secret away, for he is sworn to The Pledge, like every other magician in this trade.
Magic became a quick obsession for him. He yearned for more, to discover more secrets, to learn new tricks, new illusions. After all, he was naturally gifted for building up illusions, which he perceived as magic. He loved the ability to blur the line between illusions and reality, leaving those around him to stare in disbelief, in wonder, in amazement and surprise. He loved to keep his audience puzzled...
What you see, after all, is what your eyes perceive them to be.
Ask anyone and they will tell you that nobody believes in magic anymore - they only see the surface images, the intriguing illusions which make them gasp in wonder, wondering how the trick had been done. But Kiyoshi will never give the trick answers away, for once they are known, they become disappointing... and the trick is no longer useful, no longer special, no longer an illusion. It would have lost its magic.
When complimented that he's like a wizard, Kiyoshi's trivial smile will disappear, for he is merely a magician. Not a wizard, mind you, but a magician, a man that is gifted in the art of performing surreal illusions. He can never be considered a true, genuine wizard - for wizards are those with the ability to transform surreal illusions into reality. And that is a very powerful ability indeed. Wizards have the ability to perform true magic.
Kiyoshi does not perform these tricks for the sake of entertaining others. He studies this art carefully, for he seeks real magic, and it is the closest to real magic that he will ever be.