The Searching:
Epilogue
It was a warm morning, even for the tropics. White cumulus clouds were already building themselves up on the humid heat rising off the ocean. A small figure sped through the sky, soaring freely among the towering clouds.
She had been waiting for him throughout the night, sitting on this rooftop alone. How ironic that she had fled the dark isolation of one small house only to end up spending a solitary night at another one.
She watched the distant figure approach; he showed no sign of having noticed her presence yet. A smile lay upon her lips but her uncertainty lingered, an unnerving sensation in her stomach.
What would she do with her life now?
What would he do with his?
She awaited his arrival with increasing impatience. Now he was close enough that he could see her--and he did. She watched him slow down but made no move until he hovered in front of her perch on the rooftop; she brushed some hair out of her face, stood up, and said, "Kuririn."
His surprise melted into a wide smile and he let his two suitcases drop to the sand below. "Juuhachigou!" he responded and flung his arms around her. The exuberant hug pushed her off the ridge of the roof and forced her to float in the air as well. Kuririn was laughing. "I thought I'd have to track you down all over again!"
She tentatively lifted her arms until they returned his embrace. "Idiot," she replied. She closed her eyes, and all the doubts of the past night drained out of her, leaving her feeling light and relaxed. "I've been waiting for you," she said softly.
His arms tightened around her and they floated together above Kame House, silent in their embrace.
Finally, Kuririn pulled away and took her by the hand. "Will you come in with me?" he asked. The sea breeze tousled his black hair; behind him the ocean glinted with a thousand sparks of sunlight. "Let me show you my home," he offered.
She gave him a nod and a small smile, then willingly followed him down to the ground.