Three years ago today, he had passed. Three long, painful years that had pushed her to the breaking point and back. Three years and counting that he will miss of his daughter's life.
"Mommy," the little girl in question asked. She looked up into the golden blue eyes of her daughter and smiled. The girl was all she had left of him.
"Yes Sefi?" It was Sota's idea, her name that is. He said she looked like Sefirosu from some old video game of his. He had played that game with Sota every time he came here. It was just another connection.
"Why do the butterflies fly away?" she asked. Her golden blue eyes were cast up towards the sky curiously watching the rainbow of butterflies flutter by. Kagome had to admit, the question caught her off guard. She didn't know how to answer.
"They have to," a deep voice answered. The familiarity of it froze the woman in her place. It dared her to look back, but threatened to kill her if she did.
"Why?" Sefi asked, turning to gaze to the tall man walking up beside her. She was naturally fearless, but would keep from strangers and things that would scare her mother. Something about this man felt that it'd be okay to talk to him.
"Because, they take our wishes, our hopes and our dreams to the heavens. They have to fly away so that we can tell those who've passed on just how much we miss them and love them," he replied. The smile he offered was warm and welcoming, and it put Sefi at ease. He turned warm, violet eyes on Kagome and offered her the same smile.
"You have a beautiful daughter," he smiled. It suits him, she decided. She'd never seen him smile like that before, not with that much happiness.
"Thank you." She wiped the first tear of many to fall that day from the corner of her eye and nodded to the man.
"I only hope mine turns out to be as beautiful." He pointed a finger to a gorgeous young woman talk with her grandfather on the other side of the shrine. She started to walk towards her husband, and that's when Kagome saw it. She was pregnant, and he was happy.
"I'm sure she will," she smiled. The man wrapped an arm around his young wife's shoulders as they headed for the shrine steps. His laughter reached her ears, and as much as she wanted it to, it didn't sound like his laughter. It was pained or hiding anything. It was more like music, but it didn't make her smile.
Now I know how Kikyo felt, she mused. Kuraudo, the family dog, once again named by Sota, started to chase Sefi around in circles. Kagome smiled a little as his memory flooded back into her mind.
At least he's happy now.
