A/N: WAAAAI! Exams are finally over! YESYESYESYESYESYES!!
…another four months of hell to go, and I am so outta here. I don't know what I am going to do, but I sure as hell am NOT going to do anything involving EDUCATION! Bleagh! Unfortunately I don't have enough money to go on a trip anywhere 'cause I don't have time for a job….I wanna go to an anime convention! We don't have them over here! Why doesn't anyone PAY me for writing?! WAAAH!
… -_-; oh yeah… what plot twist? Apparently there was a plot twist. I created a plot twist? o.0
Enjoy the chapter, once again my sincerest apologies for the overly late update.
Takoyaki: a kind of dough mixed with octopus and covered in a sweet sauce. Usually found rolled into balls, stuck on a stick. Sounds disgusting, but it's apparently delicious. I've never heard of anyone not liking it, but I've never had any myself.
Shine: pronounced shi-neh. "die."
Obi- the belt around the kimono.
Shinsoko Kara…
From the Bottom of My Heart…
Soujiro knocked on the gate, and waited patiently until one of the servants opened it. The young man tensed, immediately noticing Soujiro's sword.
'Yes, sir?' he asked. Swords automatically warranted a "sir".
'I'm an old friend of the family,' Soujiro smiled. 'Could you tell them Soujiro's here?'
The young man looked him up and down as discreetly as possible. Soujiro was well aware that he hadn't had a bath in a while, his clothes were ripped and worn in a few places, and he'd had to patch a bit too, on his sleeve.
'I'll be right back, sir.' He said, and shut the door in Soujiro's face. The wanderer sighed, and glanced at his sword. He'd had to take it out because of a couple of bandits, but in these times it was usually too difficult to travel carrying a sword. Twenty years since the ban, and swords were gradually fading out of everyday life. Everyday life was something Soujiro spent ninety percent of his time in, and so he had fallen into the habit of wrapping the sword in material and carrying it over his shoulder with his pack, like the kendo students. It fooled most people; Soujiro had had some young woman accuse him of lying when he'd told her how old he was. He had a baby face, according to Shiori-san. Although, she had added, his hair needed cutting and more frequent baths would make a nice change.
'SOUJIRO!' The door slammed open, but Soujiro was ready for the human catapult that thudded into his chest, only mildly winding him.
'Hullo, Souta. You've grown a lot since I last saw you.'
'Five months is a long time,' Souta said, a shade reproachfully. Soujiro smiled gently, and ruffled the child's hair.
'Not as long as you might think, kiddo. How is everyone?'
'Fine!' Souta grinned. 'And GUESS WHAT?!'
'What?' Soujiro asked obediently, letting himself be dragging into the grounds and across to the house. Madam and Kenji had just materialised outside of the front door; Soujiro suddenly realised that Madam seemed to have aged a little, and wondered why he had never noticed before.
'Rei-neechan's coming back in just TWO MONTHS!'
'She wrote not long ago,' Madam said, sliding the letter across the table to Soujiro, who quickly unfolded it. Unlike her normal letters, it was short and clear. He looked at Madam questioningly.
'She had a longer letter sent before that; they must have had confirmation of the tickets afterwards.'
Soujiro nodded, and read.
Minasan eKonnichiwa. I hope you are all well. Today we got the tickets for our return trip home to Japan, after all this time. We will arrive on the 19th of April, if all goes well. I hope this is not inconveniencing you in any way.
Soujiro, I hope Kaji and Ryoko are well.
Reiko-yori.
Soujiro shook his head, chuckling a little.
'She still hopes not to inconvenience anyone…'
'How are the children?' Madam asked. 'Kaji-kun and Ryoko-chan.'
'They were brilliant, the last time I saw them,' Soujiro said, folding the letter again. 'Kaji says he wants to be a sailor, but Ryoko says that's a cover-up for his cooking talent and he actually wants to be a chef.'
'And Ryoko-chan?'
'She'd like to be a teacher.' Soujiro said. 'Reading and writing, you know. She's got a natural talent for them.'
'That sounds wonderful,' Madam said, and coughed. Soujiro frowned.
'What's wrong, Shiori-san?'
'Nothing's wrong, Soujiro.' Madam smiled, and Soujiro was once again struck by the lines that experience and life had etched into her face these recent years. 'Everyone who lives must grow old eventually, if they are not killed beforehand.'
Soujiro felt some heavy weight in his chest.
'Are you going to be all right?' he checked. 'You're not sick or anything, right?'
Shiori smiled, and patted his cheek.
'No, Soujiro. Remember, it's natural. Don't look so sad.'
Soujiro nodded, but couldn't seem to smile properly for quite a while. Madam told him about her sons' recent exploits, and then gave him Reiko's letters to read. Just before he left the room, Madam stopped him.
'Yes?' he asked. Madam didn't look at him.
'Soujiro, I want you to promise me something.'
'Anything, Shiori-san.' Soujiro said, feeling a rush of warmth and sympathy for this strong woman, now passing everything she had clung to for her own life onto her sons. And she was strong. Just like Reiko-chan, and the children back in Yokohama, determinedly practising the many characters of the Japanese language.
'Take care of Rei-chan, the boys, Kaji and Ryoko.' When I am gone. The words hung in the air, heavy with responsibility. Soujiro felt only a slight of the twinge of panic he was so used to when dealing with others. He didn't want to hurt other people, but…
'I'll never be able to take your place, Shiori-san,' he said softly, bowing. Unsummoned, he felt a watery sting in his eyes. 'But I will do my best to look after all of them.'
He could hear the smile in her voice.
'Thankyou, Soujiro.'
'Yay! Reiko-chan's coming back!'
Soujiro raised an eyebrow to himself, watching the children bounce across the room. Even though they'd known about Reiko for only a short time, Ryoko in particular had grown very fond of her, and wrote her little notes on occasion. Kaji seemed slightly more suspicious, but Soujiro could understand than. How could you trust someone you hadn't seen in nearly ten years?
'But wait…' Ryoko stopped spinning her embarrassed brother around. 'Sou-chan, two months isn't really long enough for you to go somewhere and come back, is it? I thought you said you wanted to go to Hokkaido.'
'I did,' Soujiro said, smiling. 'But I think…I'm a bit tired of wandering. I thought I might stay here with you two children, if that's all right.'
Ryoko and Kaji stared at him.
'If that's all…YAY!' Ryoko squealed, flinging her arms around his neck and snuggling up to him. 'I get to spend time with niichan!'
Soujiro ruffled the girl's long hair and looked at Kaji, who as failing to keep a wide grin off his face.
'That's brilliant, aniki.'
'How long today?'
'One month and two days,' Kenji said, and glared at his brother over a pile of paperwork. 'Don't you have something you're supposed to be doing?'
'Nope,' Souta said happily. Kenji fought down unreasonable anger at the fact his brother wasn't working while he was. There was just something very irritating about that.
'Go find something,' he said irritably, slamming another page down in front of him. Souta poked his tongue out, but wandered out of the room anyway. Kenji rubbed his forehead. He needed a holiday. Still, he'd got a week off when Reiko-neechan arrived. He was really looking forward to it. He couldn't imagine her having aged… she was still there, etched in his memory. Frail and delicate, like a dark sakura. Easily broken, easily loved, never forgotten. Her feathery dark hair, eyes that were even darker, as soft as velvet. A gentle, healing touch, and her sad, sweet smile… Kenji smiled at the papers beneath his elbows, not seeing them. He missed her like hell. He wondered if Soujiro's heart hurt worse.
Soujiro felt like jumping up and down on the spot until he collapsed into an exhausted heap. He was restless and bored and impatient. He looked out across the sea, and shifted feet edgily.
'Hurry up,' he whispered, feeling the cool spring breeze whip across his cheeks.
'Niichan! Niichan!'
Soujiro turned around, and Ryoko and Kaji skidded to a halt in front of him. Or tried to, at least. The pavement was a bit slippery from the cold and water n general, so what actually happened was that the children keeled over backwards and frantically back-pedalled, trying to regain their footing before they ran out of ground and hit the ocean a metre and a half ahead. Soujiro grabbed the necks of their clothes, and pulled them back again.
'All right?' he checked, picking up a spilt packet of takoyaki and slipping it back into the bag Ryoko was carrying, and then took it from her.
'Yup,' Ryoko beamed, taking his hand. She ran her hand over the sword calluses, and then looked up at him. 'Ne.'
'Mm?'
'Where's your sword, niichan?'
Soujiro's blue eyes softened, and he ruffled her hair.
'I don't need it.' He said. Ryoko and Kaji looked at him in surprise, but Soujiro didn't offer any further explanation of why his sword was wrapped up, carefully under his bed. The exact reason, perhaps, he would never be able to put into words….
'Ne,' Kaji said. Soujiro and he boy's twin sister looked at him. 'How long until neechan comes home?'
"Home", noted Soujiro with amusement.
'Two weeks and four days,' he murmured. Kaji looked at him dryly, and put his hands behind his head.
'This is what we call "obsession", aniki.'
'Who's obsessed?!' Soujiro stared. Kaji smirked at him.
'You are.'
'I am not,' Soujiro sniffed, beginning to stride off, back the way to Kyoko's house. Kaji sniggered. He had a snigger that defined sniggers; it managed to combine obnoxious self-confidence, an indication of the extreme ignorance of the sniggeree, and the general suggestion that the world was there to be… well, sniggered at. It was really annoying.
'Kaji, shut up.' Ryoko said, hugging Soujiro's arm.
'Make me.'
Ryoko looked around for something to hit him with.
'Fresh air!' Kenji sighed, stretching. He looked over at the sleeping Souta, snoring under his blanket. A large and, it has to be said, rather immature grin spread over Kenji's face. He loved this holiday. It was sad that his mother was not longer well enough to make the moderately long trip to Yokohama to meet Rei-chan, but it was best for her to stay home. Long years of mental and physical abuse could not be expected to prolong a person's life…
Kenji knelt down by his brother and ripped off the blanket, yelling,
'WAAAAAKE UUUUUP SOOOUTAAAA!'
'EAAAAAGH!' Souta screamed, sitting bolt upright and looking around frantically. 'What? What is it?'
There was a small silence.
'…you…' Souta growled, beginning to look like he was seriously contemplating strangling his brother with the blanket.
'Haaaaaai?' Kenji said sweetly, batting his eyelashes and looking as innocent as he possibly could, which is kind of disturbing on the face of a fully-grown young man.
'SHIII-NEEE!' Souta shouted, tackling his brother to the ground. He was slightly built, but so was Kenji, and he'd had more time to spare than his brother. Much of that time had been spent with Soujiro, or watching the guards. Souta was good at copying things.
'Ow! Ow! Okay, that hurts! Ow!'
Souta tightened his arm around his brother's neck and pressed his palm harder against the back of his skull, cutting on his air.
'What do you say?' he prompted angelically.
'Sorry?' Kenji wheezed, feeling pathetic. He was getting beat up by his younger brother. Who was six years younger. He spent the rest of the day feeling rather depressed.
Ryoko opened the door, and stared up at the two young men looking back at her in some surprise. One was only about two years older than her, but the other one was clearly grown up. They looked very, very familiar, but she couldn't quite – the oldest was the one who spoke first.
'Hallo, Ryoko-chan.'
'Kenji-san!' Ryoko beamed, flinging the door open wide. 'You're early! Sou-niichan didn't think you'd arrive for another day or so!'
'Yes, well.' Souta grumbled. 'He got me up early every day so we'd have a few extra hours.'
Ryoko led them inside, and shut the door behind them.
'That's good, I'm glad you're both here.'
'You've grown a lot in two years, Ryoko-chan,' Kenji observed, noting his younger brother's unusual quietness in silence.
'Thankyou, Kenji-san.' Ryoko said, getting some tea out of the cupboard as the two boys sat down. 'Niichan and Kaji went out to the harbour for some fish for lunch, but they should be back any-'
'TADAIMA!' Kaji bellowed.
'Ow.'
'Sorry, aniki- eh?' Kaji and Souta stopped, staring at the two boys in the living room. Souta jumped up.
'Soujiro!'
'Souta, Kenji!' Soujiro stared, a grin coming onto his face as he ruffled Souta's hair. 'It's great to see you- you got here early, though. Kenji?'
'I made him get up early.' Kenji sniggered, waving a hand at Souta. 'He's not happy with me.'
'Early? You mean like before lunch?' Soujiro grinned, and got an elbow in his stomach from subject of discussion, who was just the right height.
'Very funny,' Souta said sulkily, as Kaji and Kenji sniggered at him.
'Now, now,' Ryoko soothed, putting the tray of tea and onigiri down on the table. Souta stared at them hungrily, but a lifetime of training in table manners kicked in, preventing him from pouncing. 'Souta-kun stays up late, so it's only right he gets up late as well.'
'Souta-kun?' Kaji demanded. Ryoko blinked.
'He's our friend, isn't he, niichan?'
'Well, yeah, but, I mean-' Kaji mumbled, struggling with various conceptions of girl-boy relationships. Kenji and Soujiro grinned at each other over the children's heads. Souta was still staring at the riceballs and tea. Kenji wondered if he was going to start drooling. Ryoko noticed, and broke off from arguing with her brother to present the boy with his mug and a riceball. Souta almost snatched them, eating a whole riceball in two mouthfuls. Everyone stared at him, and he said, with his mouth full,
'Thankyou, Ryoko-san,' or at least, that was what Soujiro assumed it was. Ryoko giggled, and passed him another one.
'I'm glad you like them, Souta-kun.'
'Mmph.' Souta agreed, through a mouthful of rice. Kenji rolled his eyes heavenward. Kaji scowled and shoved his hands deep into his pockets, but the frown was gently smoothed away as his sister offered him the same as she had Souta.
'You know who she reminds me of?' Kenji said, as Soujiro sat down next to him.
'Reiko,' Soujiro said, and didn't add anything onto her name, as if he had the right to that intimacy. Kenji smiled.
'Yeah. Those two kids have come along way, Soujiro.'
'I know. I'm proud of them.' Soujiro said.
'Can I ask… why you took them in, though? Didn't it interfere-?'
'Well, I thought it might, at first.' Soujiro said, as Kaji took a swing at Souta and the other boy dodged, grinning. 'But I wanted to do it, and so… I did, and I think its part of my wandering. I don't regret anything I've done in the last ten years. Souta, put Kaji down.'
'Niichan! Don't bite Souta-kun's arm! Niichan!'
Kyoko put down her book with a sigh, but she was smiling. She got off her bunk and adjusted her obi, and slid her feet into her sandals. She patted out, up the stairs and out onto the deck. Reiko was there at the bows, looking with excited brown eyes towards the approaching dock. It had appeared on the horizon at dawn.
'Rei-chan.' She smiled. Reiko blinked, and looked around. She smiled.
'Kyoko-neechan. Did you finished your book?'
'Almost,' Kyoko smiled, and bounced up and down a bit. 'I'm too excited! Look, you can see the people waiting for us o the docks!'
Like it was at the docks, indeed, activity was rapidly picking up on the ship. Luggage was being brought up, and people were materialising everywhere to line the bows of the ship as it slewed in to port.
'Which one do you think is Sou-chan?' Kyoko asked, squinting. Reiko didn't reply, struggling with her inner feelings. She wanted him to be there. She desperately, really, really wanted him to be there, waiting for her. But then again, if he wasn't, she knew her hope would cause her so much pain… but she couldn't quell it. Her heart rate was picking up, and she knew it.
Kyoko watched Reiko's eyes sparkle with hope, but the girl was biting her lip, trying not to smile, as if she knew a false hope would shatter her heart. Still- Kyoko looked at the port, narrowed her eyes. She couldn't see the boy anywhere, but there was an awful lot of people…
Soujiro couldn't see Reiko anywhere, but there was an awful lot of people lining the bows of the boat, waving, jumping up and down. A woman in front of him was in tears as she waved to a young man on the deck.
'Where is she?' Ryoko asked, from her position on one of his shoulders.
'I don't know, I can't see her.' Soujiro said. 'Kenji?'
'Nope,' the young man said, frowning. The group held their place, careful not to get swept along as the crowd surged and erupted with cheers as the boat was docked. Flowers and tears flew through the air; screams of happiness erupted all among them. Soujiro felt oddly detached, but a strange, sad quiet settled over him as he watched the passengers disembark. Men, women and children, of all different ages and nationalities. Some looked happy, others look tired; one or two stern and business like, lost among the cries of welcome for loved ones. None of them looked like Reiko. Soujiro felt his heart grow cold in his chest as his heart rate dropped.
'Where is she?' Souta wondered aloud, frown where he was standing on a barrel with Kaji. They'd had a fight about it before Ryoko had looked like she was going to cry and Soujiro had pointed out there was room enough for both of them. As the people began to drift away, Soujiro fought the urge to take a step back and run. Maybe her sickness had come back and finally taken her from the world. Maybe she hadn't come back. Maybe she was waiting for him to leave, because she didn't want to see him. Maybe, maybe…
'SOU-CHAN!'
Soujiro's head flew up as that voice run bells in his head. His blue eyes scanned the rails, and fell on the short, middle-aged woman waving at him 'HEY!'
'K-Kyoko-san!'
'CHAN, I told you, CHAN!' the woman yelled. 'KENJI! Is that really you?!'
'Hey baachan!'
'Souta! You're SO ADORABLE!'
Kenji and Souta blushed as a few young ladies giggled at them.
'She's so…embarrassing…' Kenji mumbled, rubbing his nose. Soujiro, on the other hand, was watching Kyoko, who, having gotten Kenji and Souta's attention way from her for a moment, pointed hurriedly at a place behind the stairs used to get down. Kaji looked over his shoulder to ask Soujiro something.
'…aniki?' he asked, and looked around. 'Where'd he go?'
Soujiro looked around the stairs, and stared. She hadn't changed too much. Her short hair, once feathery and light, had grown long, and she now hair it pinned up on the back of her head with a simple pin. A sakura flower was caught in it, caught after skittering along the spring breeze. She was still petite, but there was a delicate strength about her, now; a bit like a little bird determined to learn to fly. Soujiro fought the smile forming on his face.
She'd learned to soar.
Her dark eyes were staring at the ground, and her cheeks were flushed, her hands twisting nervously in front of her.
'Reiko,' he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear. She jumped and spun around to face him at the same time, the colour on her cheeks rising rapidly. He was glad she remembered the sound of his voice. She never was one for extravagance; her simple, beautiful kimono was one he remembered watching her fold and pack into her suitcase the night before she had left. Sunset colours wrapped around her body, the delicate sakura petals matching the ones that fluttered across the breeze, brushing past Soujiro's cheek.
'S-Soujiro-' Reiko managed, staring at him. He looked… exactly as she remembered, but his blue eyes seemed darker and full of a strange softness that hadn't been there before. He reached forward to take her hand, gently tugging her towards him and holding her still and close while his other hand reached around to her back. Reiko felt his gentle, measured breath on her cheek before he pulled back just a little, and showed her the pale pink petal resting on his palm.
'This was stuck in your hair,' he whispered hoarsely. They stared at each other for a while longer, neither of them making a move. Neither of them could think. Neither could move. Then a salty tear trickled down Reiko's cheek, and Soujiro pulled her sharply into his arms, nestling his head between her neck and shoulder, all in the space of an instant.
'I'm so glad to see you again!' Reiko sobbed, into his shirt. Her fingers tightened on the material. Soujiro tightened his grip around her waist, sliding one hand up her back to stroke the soft material of her kimono.
'Me too,' he murmured, into her hair. 'I'm glad you're well now, Reiko.'
Her slight body shook slightly, and Soujiro had to stop himself from tightening his grip on her even more, just so she couldn't separate herself from him. He could feel her fingernails digging into his skin, and gently caressed the back of her kimono until she seemed to satisfy herself he wasn't going to wander off again, and lifted her head to look at him. She smiled weakly.
'I'm sorry,' she said. 'I'm such a-'
Soujiro pressed two fingers to her lips, and gently sipped the tears on her cheeks away.
'Don't,' he murmured into her ear. Reiko nodded, and didn't finish her sentence. There was a clatter of footsteps, and Kenji, Souta, Kaji and Ryoko skidded around the corner of the stairs.
'They are not kissing.' Kaji said accusingly to Kyoko, who was watching on the stairs, and looked a little annoyed. She waved her parasol at Soujiro and Reiko.
'Don't you two know you're supposed to KISS when there's a happy ending?!'
'Wha-?!' Soujiro gaped, and the only reason he didn't shoot away was because Reiko had kept her grip on his shirt. The girl just smiled at Kyoko, and looked at Kenji and Souta, who had frozen.
'Oh…' she murmured. 'K-Kenji-san…is that…'
'Reiko!' Kenji shouted, and swept the girl up into the air, spinning her around. 'You look great!'
'K-Kenji-san!'
'Niichan, put her down…'
'Souta-san! Is that really-'
'It's me all right, adorable as ever, right?'
Soujiro felt like he'd been cut short a bit, but nevertheless laughed as Souta blushed as Reiko kissed his cheek, just like she'd used to do when he was a toddler. Then he gently took Reiko's hand again, ignoring her small gasp, and pulled her back towards him before introduced Kaji and Ryoko.
The twins got kisses as well, and Kaji, Souta was satisfied to notice, blushed as well. While that was going on, Soujiro looked up at Kyoko, who was trying to look grumpy.
'Kyoko-san, you look well.'
'I am, Soujiro.' Kyoko smiled, giving in and smiling. But then she pouted. 'But aren't you going to kiss her?'
Soujiro rubbed his nose, colour rising in his cheeks.
'Well…do you have to, as soon as the ending's come about, Kyoko-san?'
'That's the way it usually goes,' Reiko said, from where she was standing at his side. She smiled up at him, and Soujiro thought he detected a hint on mischief. 'Don't you read, Soujiro?'
'Well…not much…' Soujiro managed, as everything else in the immediate universe fell away, leaving just him and Reiko, the petite girl warm against him as she lifted a hand and curled her fingers around the fold in his shirt. And then she pulled.
It wasn't a hard pull; Reiko would never be a strong girl, but Soujiro was in no condition to resist, either. Soujiro's eyes widened slightly as Reiko's lips touched his, but his body didn't bother with surprise for very long, having more important things to worry about. Souta, Kaji and Ryoko all blushed as Reiko's grip slid from Soujiro's shirt. Soujiro's arm, on the other hand, only tightened. It was quite clear that neither of them were even aware anyone else was breathing.
'So…what do we do now?' Souta asked, trying to tear his eye away. Kyoko grinned wickedly.
'Now,' she grinned, and the boys looked at her suspiciously, 'you can help me find our luggage and carry it back.'
'What?'
'No way!'
'But ba-'
'What about niichan and Reiko-san?' Ryoko asked. Kyoko glanced at the couple, and shrugged, tapping off across the cobbles.
'Oh, they'll have to come up for air sooner or later…'
The colour on Reiko's cheeks heightened as Soujiro pulled away. She ran her tongue over her lips as she looked around, managed breathlessly,
'They've left. And… some people are staring at us…'
'Not surprising, really.' Soujiro commented, surprising himself with how level his voice was.
'Mm.' Reiko agreed, not really sure that anything else could be said. Soujiro tugged on her hand.
'C'mon.' he smiled. Reiko stared at the smile; it wasn't a mask. It was a pure smile, one of happiness inside… so much happiness he had to smile. It wasn't a smile of happiness on the outside.
'Soujiro…did you…find your truth?' she murmured softly, watching his eyes. Soujiro hesitated, and looked at her carefully. There was another timeless moment, where they just watched each other. And then Soujiro started laughing, and pulled Reiko towards him before beginning to walk, swinging her hand gently. Reiko looked at his smile, and felt her own smile spread across her face.
'Where are we going?' she asked.
'Who knows?'
'Soujiro, I meant… right now.'
'Oh,' Soujiro grinned, feeling oddly light-headed. 'Kyoko-san's house, where I'll have to break up another fight between Kaji and Souta and listen to Kenji and make the tea while Ryoko nurses her brother and Souta and get bullied by Kyoko-san…'
'I'll make dinner.'
'Are you sure you're up for it? You're not too tired?'
'I'm fine, Soujiro.'
'That's good..er…'
'What is it?'
'What happened to that Kurt guy? You know, in the end. He sort of disappeared out of your letters…'
Reiko blinked at him, with his slightly worried blue eyes and black hair, looking young for his years. She began to smile, and then to grin, and then to laugh.
Reiko was standing only in her underdress when someone knocked on her bedroom door, late that night.
'Yes?'
The door was pushed open, and Soujiro gently shut the door behind him.
'I was thinking,' he said, as she stepped towards him. He pulled her into his arms and leaned against the door, looking down at the head of soft, dark hair on his chest. One hand settled comfortably around her waist. Soujiro reached around gently pulled the pin out of her hair with his other hand, watching the rich, dark stuff tumble down her back. He put the pin onto the table and ran his fingers through her hair, absently watching the work as he continued.
'I was thinking about stories,' he murmured. 'The ones with happy endings…'
'Mm?'
'I think…I missed out something very important.' Soujiro said, releasing his fingers from her hair as she looked up at him.
'Yes?'
Soujiro gently kissed her lips and whispered in her ear.
'I love you, Reiko.'
* * *
o.0 I can't believe I wrote that…hm….oh…it's finished! I don't believe it! I actually finished it!!
To epilogue or not to epilogue, that is the question…what d'you think?
