Lloyd stared at a picture of his father as he lit a second stick of incense. His heart ached with his father missing. He waited in silence for a moment before speaking. He thought the idea of talking to a picture of his late father was ridiculous. Wu on the other hand did not think so, and he often spoke to his deceased brother at his small shrine. This was the last thing he could try to cope with the loss of his father.
Today would be difficult for both Wu and Lloyd. It was Christmas. The first one that he would ever spend without his father, with no hope of him ever coming back. "Hey dad," Lloyd murmured. "I don't really know if you can hear me... Or if you're actually here at all, but I just wanted to try and talk to you if it was possible." He paused deciding what to say. "If you're all around us like Wu says you are, then I'm sure you know that I want to become a Sensei, like you were. Honestly," Lloyd smiled minutely. "I think though, I'll be really lucky if I become a sensei that's remotely like you." The blonde pressed his lips together and closed his eyes. "Right now, the others are opening gifts from one another. I couldn't really do it. I think I wanted to talk to you a little more than opening a gift from Wu. I really miss you, dad." Tears began to well in the boy's eyes. "I really, really, really miss you. And I love you. I know you know that, but I love you, and I have to tell you that. I have to make sure you know." No matter how hard he tried, the tears he tried to restrain, escaped and flowed from his eyes.
He soon went from sitting on his knees, to laying on them, his forehead to the floor. His sobs echoed around his room, and came one after the other. "I miss you, dad. I love you, and I promise, I promise! I will never, ever forget you."