Chapter Thirty-Six: Realization of a Dream

I found myself walking down a long path that stretched into the distance, seemingly to infinity. The sky was a deep, rich blue, though it would turn cloudy and gray every so often. There were no buildings or road signs to be seen anywhere. I was forced to walk at the same pace, neither speeding up or slowing down, and I recognized it as the way my life had been going, moving on whether I was ready for it or not. I walked alone and, unsurprisingly, I was missing my right arm.

After walking for a really long time another path intersected with mine, and Nagisa started walking beside me, and the path widened just enough for the two of us. She was exactly as I remembered her: a warm, calming, and timid presence, and I felt happy and safe.

We hadn't walked for long before baby Ushio appeared in my arms, but Nagisa vanished from my side at almost the same time, and then Ushio disappeared from my arms, and I felt what had become a familiar emptiness and I stopped walking, though I continued to move forward, as though on a conveyor belt. The path stayed the same width as I moved alone.

I moved without walking for a long time before Ushio appeared again, only this time she was a little girl, with short brown hair under a blue and white hat, and even though I felt that familiar discomfort I started to walk slowly and felt my heart start beating again; I still moved forward at the same speed as before, though. As we walked she got taller and taller, becoming more and more beautiful, more full of life, and she started to glow, like the sun on a spring day. As she grew, her hair got longer and longer until it reached the small of her back. She was my life.

Another path intersected with ours, and Mika came from that path and walked with us, on the other side of my daughter. She had a warm, calming yet bubbly presence about her, and I felt happy and safe. In a way she looked like three girls to me, and I recognized elements of Ryou, Kyou, and Kotomi within her. While we continued to walk she somehow gave me nourishment, and I felt a twitch in my shoulder and held up my right hand and smiled at the sight of my restored arm.

Eventually Mika stopped us and held out her hand toward me, and I recognized the choice that I had to make; I could move on, leaving her behind, or I could take her hand and allow her to continue on the path with us. I knew, though, that if I took her hand that she would walk between me and Ushio from that point on, and I felt conflicted over what I would have to give up if I took her hand.

I looked over to Ushio, who gave me a bright smile and a nod, and I suddenly noticed that she wasn't the only one; Mom and Dad Furukawa, Mom and Dad Fujibayashi, my dad, Sakagami, Kotomi, Fuuko, along with many others… They were all smiling and nodding their approval.

So I looked back to Mika, and I noticed that she also held her other hand out to Ushio, as though she hoped to be accepted by my daughter as well.

I looked back to Ushio, who gave me another nod, so I reached out to take Mika's hand, and we started to walk together with Ushio on her other side, as I expected. What surprised me was that the change didn't hurt like I thought it would as we moved forward on the conveyor…which had stopped at some point without my knowledge; all three of us moved under our own power.

As we walked, a baby appeared in my arms, and I looked over at Mika and Ushio to find them with babies in their arms as well, and somehow I knew that they were all my children with Mika, and that Ushio was holding her baby sibling.

It was then that I realized that we were far from alone; in addition to my family and friends there were many other people of all different nationalities, walking with us and thanking us for helping them when they needed it most. I opened my mouth to tell them that I didn't know what I'd done for them, but what came out of my mouth was 'I'm just glad that I could be there for you'.

We continued to walk under our own power, and I could see in the far-off distance a bright glow up in the sky, with the road arcing upward toward it…

"Hey, Okazaki; wake up!"

I groaned yet again as I realized that I'd spaced out at work…yet again. "Dammit, did I do it again?"

"Yup," my boss replied from his seat on the corner of my desk as I slapped my cheeks. "What the hell's wrong with you today, Okazaki? Do I need to fire you to get you to do your job?"

"NO!" I yelled, waving my hands. "I'm really sorry, boss; it's…personal stuff. I'm really sorry for letting it affect my work."

I could feel his gaze on me as I tried to reorganize my work. "You know what? Take the rest of the day off."

My wide-eyed expression must have looked pretty funny. "A-Are you sure? I can-"

"You're no use to me all messed up the way you are," he said while pointing at me. "Besides, I know you've been dealing with a lot of stuff lately, but you've still managed to get your work done, and fantastically." He crossed his arms. "As far as I'm concerned, you've earned a half-day vacation."

"S-Sir…?"

He leaned forward to give me a knowing grin. "You've been yakking about taking your daughter to that one classroom at her school, right?"

I had mentioned to him that I'd wanted to take Ushio to the old Theater Club room, so I assumed he was referring to that. "That's right."

He pointed at me again. "Then that's your job for today; take your daughter to her school so she can meet her mother."

I smiled up at one of the best bosses a guy could ever have. "Thanks, boss; I'll get right on it."

He simply grunted before pushing himself off my desk to head back to his office, giving me a bored wave over his shoulder as he left.

I quickly organized my desk before grabbing the bag containing my half-eaten lunch and bolting for home.

"Today?!" Ushio was nearly beside herself when I told her my plans for the two of us. "Oh Daddy, that would be wonderful!"

"I called the school on the way home, and they told me that we could go in," I told her. "Just give me a few minutes to change and get ready, and we can get going."

"Can I make a lunch?" she asked with stars in her eyes. "I won't make anything really fancy; just a few sandwiches and some fruit and vegetables."

"As long as it doesn't take long to make, that's fine," I said, smiling at her enthusiasm. I then left her squealing in the kitchen area as I headed to my room to change. Even though my boss' offer had been so sudden, I felt ready to 'introduce' Ushio to her mother. I changed into my casual clothes, stopped by the bathroom to wash away any fatigue I'd accumulated, and headed back into the living room to find Ushio waiting for me with a medium-sized basket and a huge smile. "I take it you're ready, then?"

She nodded excitedly, apparently unable to speak; she was funny like that sometimes.

I shook my head with a grin as I switched out my shoes, then worked on unlocking our front door. As it opened I said, "It's been a while since I-WHOA!"

What startled me was the appearance of Mika just outside our front door. "G-Good afternoon, Tomoya-sama."

"Mika?' I said as I recovered from the surprise. "What are you doing here?' You're a little early, aren't you?"

She knotted her fingers as she glanced up at me repeatedly. "I…just happened to be nearby…and-"

"You were worried about Daddy, so you came here since you didn't find him at work," Ushio declared with a knowing smile. "Is that right, Mika-senpai?"

"Y-Yeah," she replied, then suddenly grabbed my hands and looked me in the eyes. "Are you okay? Your boss said he sent you home for a half-day vacation."

"Wait… You went to my work?" I asked, feeling my stomach start to turn.

She blinked a couple of times. "Well, yes. Did I do something wrong?"

I closed my eyes as my cheeks burned at how it would look to my boss to have a high-school girl looking for me at work. "Well, I'm not sure what my boss is going to think of me now."

"What do you mean?"

"Mika-senpai; I've met Daddy's boss before, so he knows what I look like," Ushio noted with a meaningful expression. "What Daddy's daughter looks like."

"And a high-school girl who is not his daughter just tried to visit him at work," Mika said, her face paling. "Oh, no; I hope I haven't caused any problems for you. I'm so sorry."

"I'll…deal with it," I said, trying to give her a reassuring smile while trying to not remember her role in my dream. "Anyway, Ushio and I are headed to the school to visit the old Theatre club room."

"May…I come along?" she asked.

"Mika, this is kind of a family….thing…" I trailed off as I remember her kneeling at Nagisa's shrine the day prior.

"Daddy?" I heard Ushio say quietly. "I'd be okay with Mika-senpai coming along."

I looked down into my daughter's honest expression and swallowed as I remembered how she'd found me – well, Mika and I – last night; both of us teary messes and holding each other. "I…sure," I said, partly relieved. "She's close enough to the family at this point."

"Great!" Mika chirped, clapping. "Thank you very much!"

"I only made enough lunch for Daddy and I, though," Ushio pointed out. "We really don't have time for me to make more."

"That's okay!" Mika exclaimed, and she pulled out a small bag from behind her back. "I made this to share with Tomo-er, your dad at work!"

"To share?" Ushio repeated with a knowing smile.

"I…I mean…" Mika stammered as she started to blush, then suddenly stood up straight with an aura of confidence. "Well, of course! Everyone knows how I feel about him, and they're okay with it! Why should it be a surprise?"

Ushio's knowing smile vanished, and she glanced awkwardly up at me. "Y-Yeah. You're right; I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Mika replied. "I know you weren't expecting one of your schoolmates to fall for your dad…"

I reflexively thought of Ushio's friend Kumiko as well as Mika's friend Sachi; did Mika know about either of those?

"…but it happened, and I'll do my best to not embarrass you at school," she finished, bowing toward my daughter.

"S-Senpai!" Ushio squeaked, her hands flying toward her mouth. "P-Please don't bow to me!"

"So, are we ready to go?" I asked while trying to suppress a chuckle at my daughter's distress.

"Yes!" both of the girls exclaimed, almost in unison.

Ushio and I swapped out our shoes and then the three of us headed for the school. The girls took the lead, chatting, while I followed and thought about my 'relationship' with Ryou's and Kappei's daughter. "I haven't talked to either of them in a while," I murmured to myself.

"Did you say something, Daddy?" Ushio asked, jarring me from my thoughts.

"Just thinking out loud," I replied, feeling my face heat up. "Don't mind me."

"Okay. Sorry if I interrupted," she said with a cute smile.

"No problem. Thanks." As she turned back to her conversation with Mika – who appeared to study me a little longer before giving my daughter her full attention – I went back to thinking about…well, Mika. Would I be betraying Nagisa if I remarried? Feeling the care and affection from Mika had caused me to realize that I'd been missing those things in my life. Ushio was a kind and compassionate girl, but our relationship was different; there would always be a barrier between us, keeping her from giving me the care that I was rediscovering that I needed as well as preventing me from giving her the kind of relationship she would want. It was an appropriate boundary, but it didn't change the fact that I had emotional needs that only a spouse could give.

"Tomoya-sama?" I blinked out of my reverie to find Mika walking next to me, just inches from my arm. "You look upset; are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I replied with a warm smile in response to her care; like I needed an example. "I just have a lot on my mind right now. I'm sorry if I'm bringing the mood down."

"You're not, Daddy," Ushio replied from my other side, drawing my attention. "Like Mika-senpai said; you looked upset, so we wanted to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine," I repeated. "Thanks for worrying about me."

"I-It's my pleasure," Mika replied as she briefly squeezed my arm; it felt really good and way too brief. "We'll try to not bother you for the rest of the walk."

"It's not really a 'bother', but thanks."

With all the actors back in their original places, I went back to thinking about what to do about Mika as I studied her back. There was no doubt that she was a beautiful girl, with big, blue eyes, long, silky hair, and a very nice figure, and being able to see traits of each of her parents didn't bother me the way I thought it would. She also had a curiosity about things, which reminded me of Kotomi. I think her biggest draw, however, was how she cared for others, which reminded me a lot of Nagisa.

We arrived at the school and made our way to the old building, and I took the lead as we headed up the stairs and down the hall to the old Theater Club room. I reached out and slid the door open, smiling when it made a very familiar squeaking sound as it moved. "So they haven't fixed this, huh…?"

"What's that, Daddy?"

"The doorway," I said as I pointed to the floor track. "It squeaked almost exactly like this back when I was here."

"That's neat," Mika said warmly as we entered the room. "Does it make you feel like you're still connected to the school somehow?"

"Yeah, a little," I admitted sheepishly. "Of course, I wish I had better memories of the school, but…" I sighed as I felt a pressure behind my eyes. "Yeah, it makes me feel nostalgic." I looked around at all the boxes stacked in the room. "And as weird as it sounds, this mess makes me nostalgic, too; when Nagisa and I first came in here… Actually, I'd better start further back," I said, settling into one of the few desks in the room before looking to my daughter as she and Mika settled into a couple of nearby chairs. "See, your mom wanted to join the Theater Club after being sick the latter part of her first time as a third-year."

"Okay," Ushio said to let me know that she was following me.

"I happened to be up here when your mom tried to introduce herself to the club, so I followed her in as a sort of morale support, only we found the room full of boxes like this," I said, waving a hand to indicate the room. "It turned out that there weren't enough members to maintain the club so it had been disbanded. Nagisa really wanted to restart the club, so we came back here and rearranged the boxes so we could have some room to practice."

"That was very kind of you," Mika remarked with an adoring smile…which, to my diminishing surprise, didn't creep me out anymore.

"Thanks," I said, clearing my throat to hide my sudden bout of shyness. "After that we did some rehearsing, and Kyou helped out a bit as well, and we were able to help your mom put on a one-man play at the end-of the-year-program. Dad Furukawa got in on the act, too, yelling encouragement at Nagisa when she started to lose her nerve." I felt my face heat up. "I did, too. Yelled encouragement, I mean."

"Wow…." Ushio breathed, her eyes the size of saucers. "I never knew…"

"Well, I never really talked about it much…" I said, still feeling a little awkward.

"Was it because it hurt to remember?" Mika asked. I must have looked surprised because she quickly added, "I-It's not like I'd know personally, but I've heard people who wouldn't let themselves remember happy times if they also reminded them of sad times."

"No, you're right," I replied, surprised by her insight. "It's still kinda tough to talk about, but it doesn't hurt as much as it used to."

Mika didn't reply…verbally, at least; she gave me an understanding smile that warmed my heart and without creeping me out. A nice bonus.

"I'm glad it doesn't hurt as much anymore," Ushio said. "I've been wanting to hear more about Mom, but I've been afraid to ask."

"Aw, I'm sorry, sweetie," I said. "I'd like to be able to tell you more about your mom. It might take me a while, though."

"It's okay," she said with an understanding smile. "I can't imagine what it's like to be so close to someone only to lose them."

"And I hope you never do," I replied; I knew that someday she'd have to deal with the loss of her father – me – but by then she'd have enough other relationships that could help to soften the blow. She'd have others to comfort her, at least. "Just make sure to take care of yourself and whoever you marry."

"And I'll make sure to take good care of your dad," Mika interjected with a blush. "I want him around for a very long time."

"Then I'll leave him in your care," Ushio giggled. "You've taken such good care of him that I've been feeling like a bad daughter."

I opened my mouth to object, but Mika beat me to it. "I… For what it's worth, I don't think you're a bad daughter. I know I haven't really known you that long, but you were willing to learn what you needed to in order to take care of him, his meals for example." She sat up a little straighter in her seat. "To me, that speaks of a loving daughter who cares deeply about her dad."

"Mika-senpai…" Ushio breathed, clearly touched.

"Thanks, Mika," I said, touched as well. "Ushio here really looks up to you, so I'm sure she appreciates the praise."

"No problem!" she chirped with a smile and a flip of her hair.

"Wh-What was it like, trying to restart the Theater Club with Mom?" Ushio asked, and I could tell that she was trying to change the subject.

I crossed my arms as I leaned back in the desk. "Well, it was pretty low-key, even when Kyou was helping," I said as I tried to remember more details...then paled as I remembered that her niece was sitting right in front of me. "Sorry; no insult intended."

"I understand," Mika giggled. "Aunt Kyou has told me that she was…assertive back in high school."

"She's calmed down quite a bit since then," I agreed. "Anyway…Theater Club… Well, first I interviewed Nagisa to help her figure out how to pitch the Theater Club to the rest of the student body. She said that she wanted people to be able to laugh and cry…" I shrugged one shoulder. "I think she just wanted to have characters that people could relate to, kinda…go on the adventure with them. Does that make sense?"

"Perfect," Mika replied, beaming along with Ushio.

"After that, we… Oh, man; the Dango…" I couldn't help but chuckle at the memory.

"Are you talking about the Big Dango Family?" Ushio asked.

"Yeah," I chuckled again while feeling bad for chuckling. "She was so into them that she made an advertising poster full of them, even though they had nothing to do with the club."

"Oh, my…." Mika giggled.

"Yeah, she was really into them," I said, though I started to feel a pressure behind my eyes, and I pressed my fist against my mouth to try to stop myself from tearing up.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Ushio said quietly as she got to her feet. "Let me go get you a tea; I forgot the drinks anyway."

"Thanks," I grunted, not trusting myself to say any more.

I focused on getting my emotions under control, and I heard the other chair scrape against the floor and a touch to my arm a moment later. "Tomoya-sama?" she said as she knelt next to me.

"I'll be all right," I replied through gritted teeth in response to her unasked question. "Just took me by surprise."

"Okay." A pause, then: "I'm not trying to replace her; you understand that, right?"

I swallowed a lump before meeting her gaze; I probably didn't look too good. "I know. I saw you praying before her shrine yesterday. How long have you been doing that?"

She cast her gaze downward. "Since I confessed to you." She drew her hair over her ear but still didn't meet my gaze. "I felt so bad that she died so young, and couldn't be there for you and for your daughter…" She wiped her face with her sleeve. "I still do."

"I…I didn't know…"

"That's why I wanted you to touch my hair and test my health," she explained, finally looking up at me as she reached up to rest a hand on my face. "I want you to know that I'll be here for you…for a very long time."

"I…appreciate that," I managed to reply through an emotion-constricted throat.

She stood up and moved behind my desk to embrace me from behind. "I wish I could take away your pain," I heard her say in a pain-filled voice. "I'm sorry that all I can do is be here to try and comfort you."

"Thanks for doing what you can," I grunted as I laid my hand over hers. "It means a lot to me."

"Tomoya-sama?" she said, her voice close to my ear.

"Yeah?" I replied, reflexively turning my head toward the sound of her voice.

I was surprised to feel my head stopped by a gentle pressure against my cheek along with a tightening of her grip on my shoulders. "I love you so much," she whispered in my ear after breaking her kiss.

I carefully nudged her around until I could take her face in my hands and return her kiss, only to her forehead. "Thank you."

We jerked in surprise as the door screeched open, and a grinning Ushio entered the room, drinks in hand. "Do you still need the tea, Daddy?" she asked in a teasing tone.

"I'll take it, thank you," I said as my face threatened to catch fire.

"Ushio-san; I understand that he is your father, but I'm asking you to stop teasing him when it comes to me," Mika told her. "He's been having a hard enough time as it is, so…please."

"O-Okay…" she stammered, her face turning almost as red as mine felt. "I'm sorry, Daddy."

"I…forgive you, sweetie," I said, still stunned by Mika's behavior. "It doesn't bother me, really."

"Now, Tomoya…" Mika said, turning her attention to me with her fists on her hips, "…I don't like lying; it damages a person's credibility as well as the relationship with the other person. Do you really mean to say that it doesn't bother you?"

Damn; this girl was good. "All right; it bothers me, yes. I'm sorry for lying, Ushio. It just…" I glanced over at Mika's disapproving expression, "…doesn't bother me enough for me to make an issue out of it."

"It's…okay, Daddy," my daughter replied, glancing cautiously over at her senpai. "I understand you meant well. And…I'll leave you two alone from now on."

"Thanks," I chuckled, exchanging a smile with Mika.

"Now!" Ushio chirped as she grabbed up the lunch bag; the thing was huge. "Let's spread out the blanket and lunch, eat, and see if we can feel Mom in here!"

"Sounds good," I said, sharing another smile with my admirer as I got up from my seat to help.

As expected, it didn't take long to get everything set up, and after thanking someone for the food I watched, amused, as Mika snatched up my paper plate to fill it. "Here you go!" she exclaimed as she placed my lunch before me; it had a couple of sandwiches on it, one that I could tell the Ushio had made, and one from Mika. It also had a variety of fruits and vegetables on it. "Eat up!"

"Thank you," I said, smiling at her exuberance as I reached for a sandwich.

"Are you going to try mine first, Daddy?" Ushio asked excitedly.

"I'd like to know what you think of my work," Mika said hopefully.

My hand paused; I knew exactly what they were doing, but I wasn't a high school student anymore and refused to play their game. "Tell you what," I said as I picked up a broccoli sprout, "you two decide which sandwich I'll eat first and then let me know; in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy some fruits and vegetables." With that, I grinned at them as I popped the green veggie in my mouth.

Their expressions told me that they realized that I was aware of their little competition. "H-He can eat your sandwich first, Mika-senpai," Ushio offered. "You're my senior, after all, and you want to be his wife."

"No, that's okay," Mika countered. "Y-You're his daughter, and I understand that family comes first."

As the two of them went back and forth about sandwiches I leaned back on my hands and closed my eyes; the room almost smelled the same as I remembered it, though I understood that all schools tended to small the same due to using the same materials and stuff. The girls' voices faded into the back ground as I went back years, back simpler times when it was just Nagisa and me; even thought I was pissed off at my dad back then, I was still pretty carefree compared to being a widowed salaryman with an adult daughter…

"Tomoya? Are you okay?

Mika's voice snapped me out of my musings, and I opened my eyes to look over at her. "Hm? Yeah, I'm fine; just remembering. Why?"

"Daddy…your eyes…" Ushio murmured as she handed me a napkin. "You…look like you're crying."

"I am?" I said as I brought my hand to my face; sure enough, it came back a little wet so I accepted the proffered napkin. "That's weird; I wasn't thinking about anything sad, just remembering when I was in school."

"Maybe you miss high school more than you think?" Mika suggested.

I considered her answer. "No… I don't really miss it that much; it was stressful, both here and at home, and…" I trailed off as a thought occurred to me. "I think it's because I didn't have the childhood I was supposed to have," I told them. "I mean, I'm not trying to feel sorry for myself, but my mom died when I was really young, then my chance at a future in basketball was ruined…"

"You feel like you drew the short straw, Daddy?" Ushio asked with sympathetic eyes.

"Something like that," I chuckled. "It's gotten a lot better since then, having you as my daughter and Mika as my…" I quickly cleared my throat as I glanced over at the purple-haired teenager, who was blushing as she looked at the blanket beneath us. "…in my life. The point is that things are great now, but that doesn't mean that I don't miss what could have been."

"I think I understand," my daughter replied quietly, and her expression reminded me that she was without a mother.

"Yeah, I guess you would, huh?" I said, humbled. "Sorry, sweetie."

"It's okay," she replied quietly. "At least I still have my daddy."

"And I plan on sticking around for a while," I told her with a smile.

"A-And I plan on helping you stick around," Mika added. "For a long time."

I wasn't sure what to say to that, so I busied myself with… "Have either of you decided which sandwich I'm going to eat first?"

The two girls looked at each other, then blushed.

"Fine. Then we'll do it this way," I announced as I picked up two sandwiches, one from Mika's bento and one from Ushio's basket; as expected, the sandwiches had been cut into triangles. I put the cut edges of each sandwich together and took a bite out of the combo. "This tastes weird," I grunted. "I'm tasting nut butter and chicken."

"That's because mine's the almond butter," Ushio giggled.

"And mine's the chicken salad," Mika added, also giggling.

I swallowed the awful monstrosity, then looked to the girls. "Happy now?"

"Not really," they replied in unison as they both sobered.

"Is it okay if I enjoy my lunch now?" I asked with good humor.

They both looked at each other before giggling again. "Go ahead, Daddy," Ushio said. "We'll behave."

As we ate, Ushio would occasionally ask me questions about her mom; what she was like in school, about our first meeting at the bottom of the hill leading to the school, and what it was like for us to date at school. Mika seemed interested in my answers, but her questions were more me; what school was like for me, how I felt about helping Nagisa with the Theater Club, or what I thought of her mother and aunt back in the day. I noticed that a lot of her questions focused on my side of whatever Ushio would ask about. It made sense, once I thought about it.

"Excuse me," Ushio said as she got to her feet and started for the door, and I figured she was headed for the bathroom. "I'll be right back."

"I'll…come with you," Mika said as she hurried to catch up. "I need to be right back, too."

"See you in a few," I said, returning their waves as they left the room, leaving me with my thoughts and memories. I grunted my way to my feet, grabbed a chair and moved it to where I sat all those years ago. I plopped into it and let the memories return… "Hey, Furukawa," I murmured.

"Yes?"

"Why do you want to be in plays?" I asked as I felt the pressure build behind my eyes.

"Because I like them," the memory replied, and I could almost see Nagisa standing there, just as she was so long ago.

"What about them do you like?"

"I think it's fun to be able to act with everyone…"

I crossed my arms, almost hugging myself as I tried to force the tears back into their ducts. "What kinda plays are we gonna do?"

"What kind of plays…? No, not necessarily something that makes you laugh…but not so serious that you can't laugh…" I stood and head toward the illusion as she continued to speak. "…I guess you could say they make you cry, but not necessarily…"

"Funny or sad…" I griped without much conviction, "…which is it?"

"S-Somewhere in the middle!"

I smiled at the memory. "You wanted to be in a play about life, didn't you?" I mused as my gaze fell to the floor. "Or maybe you just wanted to be able to enjoy life without an illness?"

"Do you enjoy your life right now, Tomoya-kun?"

"Wh-What?" My gaze snapped back up at the sound of unfamiliar dialogue spoken in a familiar voice, but the image of Nagisa was gone, leaving me alone in the old Theater Club room. "Th…That was weird," I murmured as I trembled my way back to the blanket. I poured myself a cup of tea, hoping the caffeine would somehow calm my nerves.

The girls arrived a few minutes later. "Daddy, are you okay?" I heard Ushio ask with a concerned tone; I must have looked spooked.

"Just…remembering again," I replied. "Thinking back to when your mom was trying to restart the Theater Club."

"How nice!" Mika said as she settled down next to me. "Can…Would you be willing to tell us about it?"

My chuckle sounded more like a snort. "Sure." I leaned back on my hands. "I thought it would help me help her if I knew why she wanted to be in plays in the first place. It took a while, but I realized that she wanted to be part of something big, and be able to work alongside others to do something great."

"How wonderful," my daughter breathed.

"I also asked her what kind of play she wanted to do," I said, chuckling at the memory. "At first, I thought she couldn't decide whether she wanted to do happy or sad plays, but she eventually told me that she wanted a little of both."

"It sounds like she wanted to perform a play about life," Mika remarked.

My blood nearly froze. "Y-Yeah," I stammered. "I was thinking the same thing."

"Are you sure you're all right, Daddy?" Ushio ask-

"Would you please stop asking that?" I snapped, exasperated. "If I think there's a problem, then I'll tell you. Okay?"

"I'm…I'm sorry…"

"No, sweetie; I'm sorry," I said as I reached out to hug my little girl. "To be honest, I'm feeling a little spooked right now."

"How come?" Ushio sniffed as she squeezed back.

I sighed awkwardly. "How do I explain this…?" I released Ushio and scratched at my head as she reclaimed her seat. "While the two of you were gone, I was…I dunno, reliving the memory I was just telling you about."

"Okay…" Mika said, presumably prompting me.

"I'd finished the memory and realized out loud that she must have wanted to be able to enjoy life without being sick so much; that's why she wanted her play to be both happy and sad."

"That makes sense," Ushio said softly.

"Anyway…" I said, unsure how the next part would be taken, "…after I thought out loud, I thought I heard her ask me if I'm enjoying my life."

"That is kinda spooky," Mika said sympathetically.

"Maybe…" Ushio started, the licked her lips. "Maybe Mom loves you so much that she took this chance to talk to you."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

She took a moment to gather her thoughts. "Well, Mom loved you a lot, so she'd want the best for you, right?"

"Sure."

"And you've been sad for a really long time, right? I mean, I know you're happy to be with me, but you've still been sad all this time because you lost Mom…right?"

"Yeah…" I admitted with a sigh. "I think I'll always miss her, even if just a little."

Ushio spread her hands toward me. "So, maybe Mom saw a chance to talk to you; maybe Mom's really here."

"Oh my god…" I mused; we had talked about 'meeting Mom' here, but I never thought… "You could be right."

"How beautiful," Mika breathed. "A love so strong that even death can't keep you apart…" Her eyes widened as she grabbed onto my shoulders. "It's like that movie we watched!"

Movie? "I don't remember watching a movie with you," I told her. "We went to the park and had a picnic, but…"

"I think I know what she's talking about," Ushio said, her eyes growing wide. "She's talking about that movie that I picked for my graduation party! You know; the one that Kyou-sensei and Mika-senpai came to?"

I did remember, if vaguely. "Wasn't that the one where the guy left home to learn to fight or something?"

"That's it!" Mika exclaimed. "But when he got home his love had been killed and started traveling with him as a spirit."

"How sad," Ushio remarked, sobering at the memory.

I also remembered that I had said some pretty outrageous things about men and sex – even if they were true – but chose to keep that to myself. "Anyway, yeah; I guess it is kinda like that," I said, unsure how else to respond.

"So, are you enjoying your life right now?" My gaze snapped to Mika, who shrunk back, presumably at the suddenness of my movement. "I'm sorry!"

"No, you're fine," I told her. "You just kinda…I dunno, surprised me." I took a moment to think about the question. "Yeah, I actually think I have it pretty good right now; I have my shoulder back, I have part of my life back thanks to Pastor Jeff's help, and I have someone who seems to care deeply about me," I finished as I patted Mika on the arm. "I'm a very luck-…well, fortunate man."

"I'm very glad to hear that, Daddy," my daughter said softly as Mika blushed.

I studied the girls for a moment longer before starting to my feet. "Let's get packed up," I said. "I want to show you someplace special, to me and to Nagisa."

"O-Okay…" my daughter replied, understandably surprised by my sudden offer.

We packed up the blanket along with the leftovers from lunch and left the school. Unlike when we went to the school, however, I led the way as the girls talked quietly behind me; I thought it was an interesting contrast even though it didn't have any hidden meaning that I could think of.

I led them away from the school, down street after street to someplace very special to me…

"Daddy?" I heard Ushio call out from behind. "Are we going to Grandpa and Grandma Furukawa's?"

"Sort of," I replied over my shoulder. "We can visit them afterward if possible, but we're actually heading somewhere nearby. Just trust me, okay?"

"O-Okay," she replied.

"I…We trust you," Mika added.

I smiled to myself as we turned the last corner to the road that led to Mom's and Pop's place; instead of going to the bakery, though, I headed across the road to the small park; thankfully it didn't look much different than that time… "Here we are."

"What a lovely place," Mika remarked at the sight of the park in the dimming light. "When I came here the other day…" She trailed off, and I could see her pale as she looked away, and I figured she was thinking of her 'surprise visit' when Mom invited Ushio and I over for breakfast. "…I…should come back during the day and see it."

"How was this place special to you and Mom?" Ushio asked with a wide-eyed expression of curiosity.

I walked to a point near the center of the park and stopped to crouch and stare at a particular spot in the dirty field. As expected, there was no sign of what had happened so many years ago, but… "Right here," I said, pointing to the area in the playground.

"What about it?" Ushio asked from beside me. "Did something happen here?"

I smiled at the distant memory. "This is where your mom was standing, working on her lines when I came here to escape my dad."

"Your dad?" Mika said, sounding worried. "Had he hurt you?"

"Not exactly," I replied with a nostalgic chuckle, then looked up at the girls. "Remember when I said that he'd call me 'Tomoya-kun' and that I hated it?"

"I remember," Ushio said as Mika nodded.

"Well, I'd gotten home from school and was surprised to find him there; I thought he was still at work." I sighed. "Anyway, he did his old 'Hello, Tomoya-kun' crap as though…well, you know…so I hauled butt out of there, and after wandering the neighborhood for a while I found myself in front of the bakery." I stood up, clapping my hands against my pantlegs to clear the dust from them. "Like I said, she was standing here and working on her lines for her play."

"I think Grandma and Grandpa Furukawa told me about Mom's play," Ushio murmured, her eyes unfocused. Then, she looked up at me. "Do you remember what she was saying?"

"Something about taking me somewhere…" I sighed as I tried to remember. "You'd think I'd remember something like that – even after all this time – but…" I shrugged. "I guess it didn't mean as much to me then as it should have."

"That's too bad," Mika said sadly. "I hope you remember someday."

"Thanks," I said, then gestured to the bakery as I gave Ushio a smile; hopefully it wasn't too weak. "Well, should we say 'hi' to Grandpa and Grandma? I'm sure they'd love to see you."

"They just saw me yesterday, Daddy," she giggled as we crossed the street to the bakery. "But of course I'd like to see them again; granddaughters always love being with their grandparents, after all."

"True," I chuckled. "My bad."

She giggled again, then her expression turned puzzled as she looked behind me. "Mika-senpai…?"

"What's the matter?" I said as I turned; I'd unconsciously assumed that she was with us so I was surprised to see her still in the park, standing in the spot we'd just been talking about. "Go on ahead," I told Ushio. "I'll see what's going on."

"Okay, Daddy," she replied with a concerned look before entering the bakery.

As she left I turned and crossed the street into the park again. "Mika? You can come with us; I'm sure Mom would be happy to see you again." As I got closer I noticed that she had her hands clasped before her chest and her eyes were closed. "Mika? You okay?"

It was really weird; as she opened to eyes to look at me, I could suddenly see small points of light start to rise from the ground beneath her. She didn't react to them, causing me to wonder if she just couldn't see them…or if I was imagining things.

"If you'd like…"

My breath caught in my throat at the beginning of a phrase that brought back thoughts and feelings.

"…I can take you…"

Time seemed to stop as I watched her recite an old memory while standing in the circle of surreal light.

"…to the place where wishes are granted," she finished, shaking and misty-eyed as the light faded.

I felt somewhat numb as I slowly walked the short distance to stand before the trembling girl. "How…?"

"I-I'm sorry," she said as she pressed her clasped hands against her chest. "I…I found some of your wife's stuff at your place and looked through it. When I found her script..."

"Her script?" I repeated, dumbfounded. "How…? Where…?"

"I'm sorry!" she cried, covering her face with her hands. "I wanted to take care of you so badly that…I went through your stuff and found her script! And when you said you couldn't remember something so important…"

I wasn't sure how to respond; I felt angry, but at the same time I felt grateful. Sure, she shouldn't have gone through my stuff, but she did it because… I reached out and gently drew her hands from her face, relieved when she didn't fight it. I looked down into beautiful, teary eyes, eyes belonging to a girl that wanted the best for me, who wanted to be with me and take care of me, eyes that showed terror at the mere idea of me rejecting her…

I couldn't fight it any longer; I rested my hands on her cheeks, wiping away her tears with my thumbs, and I lowered my head until our lips touched.

I stared numbly at the mug of tea on top of the kotatsu, barely aware of the conversation going on between Mom and Ushio on the other side of the table, just over a meter away. I heard but didn't hear their words as my focus was firmly on what had just happened in the park.

I had finally accepted Mika, 'eighteen' and all.

Our first kiss had been a beautifully awkward one; the moment our lips had touched she started to cry. It wasn't long before she couldn't hold the kiss anymore, and she broke it and pressed herself tightly against me, as though she was trying to make us one person, with her hands and the side of her face against my chest.

As I let the memory of the kiss sink in, Mika's words came back to me: "If you'd like… I can take you…to the place where wishes are granted."

They weren't really hers but Nagisa's, but more importantly: How could I have forgotten something from such a pivotal moment in my life? The only answer I could come up with was that it wasn't 'pivotal' to me at the time; only when I was able to look back at the progression of my relationship with Nagisa could I realize that night at the park was what started our relationship that eventually led to marriage, Ushio's birth, and…

"Tomoya?"

Mom's voice somehow snapped me out of my state. "Yeah, Mom?"

She angled her head to give me a kind, knowing smile. "It would appear that congratulations are in order?"

"Y-Yeah… Wait! What are you congratulating me for?"

She looked to my right, and I followed her gaze to find Mika staring at her mug of tea sitting on top of the kotatsu, and I wondered if her expression was the same as mine had been. "It would seem that something happened between you two; something wonderful," I heard her say.

I smiled slightly at Mika's slightly bewildered expression. "Yeah. Yeah, something did. It took way too long, but…yeah."

"Well good for you, brat," I heard Dad say as I continued to study the teenager, and from the way he spoke I could tell he had a cigarette between his teeth. "About time you woke up."

I chuckled and looked over to see him with a lopsided smile, cigarette in place. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Of course I am," he replied, his smile turning cocky.

"Tomoya?"

I looked back to Mika, who had apparently snapped out of her trance. "Yeah?"

Her chest started heaving as her eyes starting to fill with tears. "Did we really…? Did you…?"

I smiled at her hopeful expression. "Yeah, we did. And yeah, I did. I'm still having a hard time believing it myself."

She managed a trembling smile as she reached out a hand, which I took. "I…don't know what to do."

"You look and sound like you're overwhelmed by your own happiness," Mom said softly.

"I…I am…" Mika said, breaking into tears before stopping herself with a squeeze of my hand. "I-I've wanted this for what seems like so long, but…"

"Now that you have it – or him, really – you don't know what to do?" Pops suggested.

"Y-Yeah…" she replied as she gazed at me with anxious eyes.

I reached out with my free hand and laid it on the cheek of my…girlfriend? Lover? "This is a little much for me, too," I admitted. "All we can do at this point is take it a day at a time. But for now, though, I'm going to sleep on it."

"That's a good idea," she agreed as she rested her hand on mine. The giggle she then gave sounded like a cough. "I am such a mess right now!"

"Then come with me," Mom said as she got to her feet to offer Mika her hand. "Now that you're back with us, let's see about cleaning you up."

She gave me a concerned look, and I thought I knew why; the mother of my late wife was offering to pamper my possible future wife. "Go on," I told her. "Let her pamper you; I'm not going anywhere."

She said nothing, but swallowed as she released my hand and allowed herself to be helped to her feet and led out of the room, with Ushio tagging along.

With Pops as the only one left in the room other than myself, I watched as he lit up what was likely his umpteenth cigarette for the day. "Are you sure you and Mom are okay with this?" I asked him.

He sighed a puff of smoke toward the open door. "Tomoya, no one can really be sure of anything; that being said…" he leveled his gaze at me. "…I can't think of anyone who deserves happiness more than you."

"Yeah, but-"

"Look, brat; I don't know anyone who has been crapped on by life more than you, and…" He looked away, suddenly unable to meet my gaze for some reason. "Sanae and I…well, we feel terrible for providing such a weak wife."

I was floored; I couldn't recall either Mom or Pops telling me something like this before. "I…I don't know what to say… It's not your fault."

"I know," he replied, puffing another cloud out the door. "But we parents can't help but feel responsible when we let our kids down, right?"

I smiled sympathetically; I'd let Ushio down many times in her short life, especially her first five years. "Yeah… It sucks."

"Yeah, it does," he said, taking another draw. "So anyway… We want to help the two of you succeed. As much as we can, at least."

"Thanks, Pops."

He grunted before turning his attention to the serious task of smoking. Sensing that the conversation was over I simply watched, finding the occasional cloud that lazily floated out the door somewhat calming.

The women returned a few minutes later, and I was relieved to see that Mika looked like she felt better.

"I'm sorry about the scene," she said as she reclaimed her seat as well as my hand. "Everything happened so quickly, that-"

"S'okay," Pops interrupted as he put out his latest conquest. "First love, right?"

"Y-Yes, sir."

He wrinkled his nose. "Don't call me that; you sound like you're talking to my old man, and he's been dead for years."

"Wh-What should I call you, then?"

"Akio, you're scaring the poor girl," Mom scolded, then turned to address the teenager with a bright smile. "You may call me 'Sanae' but I would love it if you would call me 'Mom'."

My eyebrows jumped but I otherwise kept my surprise to myself.

"I guess you can call me 'Dad' if you want," Pops said while rubbing the back of his neck. "I hadn't thought about it, but since Sanae's asking you to call her 'Mom'…" He then appeared to distract himself with his cigarette pack.

"Then it's settled, Mika-san!" Mom said, clapping. "Just so you understand, though; I would never dream of trying to replace your real parents, but it would be lovely if you could think of us as family!"

I smiled as I remember Dad's words from earlier: "But we parents can't help but feel responsible when we let our kids down, right?" Maybe they wanted to be make up for Nagisa in some way by being 'parents' to Mika? They were technically old enough to be her grandparents, but still…

I breathed a sigh of relief as the three of us left the bakery. I still felt a little awkward holding hands with Mika, and seeing Ushio walking on her other side so they could talk reminded me of my dreams. But…I had good reason to believe that everything would be okay.

"What an exciting day," Ushio remarked, and I realized that I hadn't heard her talk much while we were visiting Mom and Dad. "It's kinda weird having a schoolmate with my dad, but I'm really happy for you both."

"Thank you," Mika said, ducking her head at the same time I felt her give my hand a squeeze.

I smiled but said nothing as we headed to the station where we would see Mika off; I felt a little pain in my chest at the idea that she would be leaving, mainly because I hadn't felt anything like separation in a long time.

We arrived at the station to find most of the benches full of people, presumably those who had finished their work for the day and were heading home. We managed to find a bench with enough space for the girls to sit, while I stood nearby Mika's hand still in mine. "You going to be okay getting home?" I asked my gir-…my lov-… I asked Mika. "You've had kind of exciting day."

"I'll be okay," she replied, then giggled. "I don't know what I'm going to tell Mom and Dad, though. My mom and dad, I mean."

"At this point I don't think they'll be surprised," I told her. "Other than the timing, at least."

She giggled again, her cheeks darkening in the dim light as she gave my hand another squeeze.

It wasn't long before the train arrived.

"Ushio-san? Could I have a minute alone with…with your dad?" Mika requested, but with her gaze firmly on me.

Ushio gave an understanding smile as she pointed to a nearby ceiling support. "I'll be right over there."

As my daughter moved away, Mika's expression…changed. It was hard to describe exactly how, but it seemed like she was more…serious. "Tomoya?"

"Yes?"

She stepped closer, releasing my hand to clasp hers behind my neck, gently but firmly drawing my head down for another kiss, this one without tears. It seemed like we held the kiss for an eternity of just a few moments before we broke the kiss and just held each other. "Thank you so much," I heard her whisper.

"Thank you," I managed to reply through a tightened throat. "Have a safe trip home."

She reluctantly pushed away to smile up at me. "I will." After a peck on the cheek she looked past me. "Thank you, Ushio-san."

My daughter joined us a moment later. "H-Have a safe trip home, senpai," she said with a bow.

Mika briefly studied my daughter with a smile before grabbing her up in a hug. I wasn't sure, but I thought she said 'Thank you for accepting me' before releasing her and hurrying onto the train.

I knew I'd be seeing her the next day, but it was still hard to watch the train pull away with someone so dear to me, someone who had become so dear to me. I lifted my hand in a wave, keeping it up until the train was completely out of sight.

"You okay, Daddy?" I heard my daughter ask softly.

I took a deep breath as I looked over to her, and I could actually feel the air cleansing me. "I'm better now, thanks. You ready to head home?"

She nodded wearily as we started home. "I think I'll sleep well tonight."

I grunted my agreement as I ran my hands through my hair. "Yeah, but I'm probably going to take…a…" I trailed off as I noticed something…odd. "What is that?"

One of the stars was somehow falling from the sky like a flake of snow, drifting… It reminded me of the lights that I saw at the park when Mika was reciting Nagisa's line to me.

"How pretty…" Ushio breathed.

We both watched, transfixed as the tiny point of light descended…toward me? I held out my hand to catch it, only for it to disappear into my hand, and a warmth spread throughout my entire body.