"Houshi-sama!"

I stopped and turned around. I had just exited the taijya village, a small change purse filled with coins given to me by Gaanetto-sama in his gratitude. Kohaku was waving his arms and chasing after me. Walking towards him, I was alarmed and hoped that Sango-chan had not relapsed. "Kohaku-kun?" He stopped before me, panting, looking up at me with troubled eyes.

"Are you leaving?"

I nodded down at him. Why did he seem so reluctant to see me leave? "Yes," I told him plainly. "I need to go back to my home temple." After a moment, he waved back in the direction of his village, "But you haven't said goodbye to my sister. You can't just leave without saying goodbye!" I gave him a smile. He seemed so concerned. "Kohaku-kun," I said quietly, "perhaps it would be best if you and your sister forget about me."

"What! Why?"

I crouched down to meet the boy at eye-level. "Kohaku-kun, I tell you this because I have grown to like you and your family. Chances are we will never cross paths again. This is not planned, this is simply the way Fate unravels. Memories risk becoming bittersweet, and then simply bitter. Memory can eventually become a curse. Look towards the future in all things; only then will you grow."

It broke my heart to see that the boy was fighting back tears.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I just don't understand." Standing, I said, "You will someday." I ruffled his hair playfully, trying to lift his spirits. "But perhaps I am wrong, and Fate plans for us to meet again. Whatever the case, I cannot stay here for the moment. After all," I added with a smile, "I am I traveling monk, am I not?" I was relieved to see Kohaku smile. "It's good to hear you say that, houshi-sama."

"Say what?"

"That you're a monk." I thought upon this. Yes. Something about this village, it had reawakened my spirituality. I am… I am a new person. "You know what else Father told me that you are?" I asked him what it was. With a laugh, he responded, "A miracle." I smiled down at him. How is one to respond to such a thing? "Perhaps in a past life, I was." Kohaku nodded. "I believe it."

With this new thought in mind, I felt more anxious than ever to return to the temple in which I had grown up.

"Yes well, I can speculate on that for as long as I wish, but past lives only matter in the sense that they affect how you live your current one, and any subsequent ones." Kohaku laughed quietly. "I don't think you'll be reincarnated again, houshi-sama. I think you might just find Enlightenment this time around." I smiled. "Thank you. That would be nice, would it not?" I sighed, anticipating the long journey ahead. "Go. Your sister will be wanting some company. Do not deny her the affection she deserves." He nodded as he began to walk backwards towards his village. "Thank you again, houshi-sama!" No, Kohaku-kun. Thank you. May we meet again someday, under better circumstances. With that, he turned and sprinted back towards him home.

And feeling more empowered than I had for months, I began to walk back towards mine.