Disclaimer: I do not own Saint Seiya character

Father's Day

A month later…

"Hmmm…tomorrow is Father's day…," Hyoga thought. He stared at his school-mates who enthusiastically looked forward for the day. Of course they looked forward for the day…they did have father…. Hyoga could imagine their fathers' expressions when receiving gifts from them…they would smile, maybe even shed tears, and saying that they loved their daughters or sons so much.

Hyoga walked home in despair. Looking at his schoolmates really caused him sad, so he'd better avoid them as fast as he could. He never thought that having no father could be this heartbreaking. Well…he actually had someone who nurtured him as his own father…but would he welcome this day as a special occasion? Hyoga couldn't help to smile in amused and at the same time smile miserably imagining Camus' expression when receiving Father's day greeting. Let alone shed tears; he probably wouldn't even smile. And if Camus managed to say words of love, Hyoga promised he would clean the twelve temples with his leg warmers and agreed to try on Aphrodite's blush-on.

Hyoga stopped walking when he arrived in front of a department store.

Well…it would be nothing to lose if he gave something to Camus, wouldn't it…? After all, this occasion only happened once a year.

The blond young man sighed, then entered the store to buy something for his master.

XXX

"Master Camus?"

Camus, who was classifying the books in his shelf, turned his head. "Yes, Hyoga?" he asked, prepared himself to hear or do another silly request again.

Hyoga approached his master. There was a wrapping present in his hand. "I just want to give you this," he said as he gave the present. His cheeks blushed.

Camus stared at his kid. "My birthday has passed, hasn't it?"

"I know. I just want to give you a present."

Camus sat on his bed and received the present hesitantly. He didn't aware that his thigh touched Milo's small recorder he'd borrowed and switched it on. "Are you sure this present is for me?"

"Absolutely."

"For what occasion?"

Hyoga blushed again. "Umm…I just want to give you. Can't I?"

"Well…," said Camus, looked at the present in confusion.

"Giving present can be done in every moment, can't it, Sensei?" said Hyoga cheerfully. He pulled a chair, then sat in front of his master.

"Hm…if you say so…," Camus finally gave up. Hyoga could be very odd sometimes, so he should've not surprised when he gave present in don't-know-what occasion.

"You may open it," said Hyoga.

Camus sighed, then released the wrap carefully. He found a pair of white leg warmers. It was made of very soft fabric.

"Thank you," said Camus. He gave his rare smile to his student.

Hyoga beamed. "You're welcome. There's another one."

"What?"

"Under the leg warmers, there are other presents."

Camus frowned his head. He set the warmers aside, and startled seeing a thin frame with a photograph.

He took the photograph slowly, gazed at it for very long time.

"It's Crystal Saint, me, and Isaac," said Hyoga gently. "I know you don't have our picture…ummm…I know you don't like remembering those who have…passed away…but…well…at least you can have a picture on howe we were in the beginning of our training."

Camus didn't reply. He still gazed on the photograph. Crystal Saint was in the middle, little Hyoga and Isaac were by his right and left side. They were laughing, seemed so happy and normal. None of them seemed thinking that someday they would be killed by…the one with the blond hair…

Camus unconsciously patted Isaac's picture. He'd met him once when he was alive, and he was a very brave and tough kid. He was cheerful also. The future Poseidon's Marine…

Then Camus found that there was another frame with a photograph. It was his and Hyoga's picture. It was taken about two months ago—Shun was wandering and looking for the victims to be shot by his camera, and Camus and Hyoga were the chosen one. But the result was lovely: Hyoga circled his hand on his master's shoulder, smiled widely, and Camus himself also smiled in the photograph.

"Just wanna give you a copy," said Hyoga.

Camus nodded slightly, then gazed on both of the photographs. He did it for very long time

Hyoga sighed. "Shihyou…I know what you're thinking…," Hyoga whispered as he squeezed his master's arm. "I know the picture will make you sad…because they've died…and I killed them…"

"I don't blame you."

"I know…but I killed them anyway…," whispered Hyoga. "I still keep the picture though…because even though the event when we laughed together has passed, at least I can still have a memory about that—"

Hyoga stopped when he saw Camus did the thing that made his heart felt like being rent by the sharpest knife.

Camus took Crystal Saint, Hyoga, and Isaac's photo from the frame, then torn it into pieces.

Silent for very long time. And the atmosphere in the room changed 180 degrees.

"Why did you do that?" asked Hyoga. His bright blue eyes were empty.

"Because I must."

"It's the only photo I have and I give it to you—"

"Hyoga, listen to me."

"No! Why did you do that?! If you don't want to have our picture then you don't need to—"

"Listen to me…please, Hyoga, listen to me," Camus grasped Hyoga's arms. His deep blue eyes were suddenly full of tears, and so were Hyoga's.

"Listen," said Camus after long moment. "It's only a past, ok…? They've died…"

"But it's the only photograph—"

"I know. But there's no point of keeping it, the situation is totally different now…seeing the photograph will only make us feel worse, because it will invite us to re-shape the thing that has turned into ashes, Hyoga…"

"It's a memory. Won't you keep any memory of your students…?" asked Hyoga as his tears dropped from his bright blue eyes.

"I've had them inside my heart, and that's enough. I don't need anything that will make me sorry for losing them that fast."

"So you don't feel sorry of losing them…?"

"It's not like that, Hyoga…. It's destiny, you can't change it…you'll never can change it thought you have hundred photographs…," two teardrops fell from Camus's deep blue eyes and touched his lips… "Let them rest in peace, we don't need to revive them…" he hugged Hyoga tight.

"I hate you…," whispered Hyoga as he sobbed in his master's chest. Camus' gesture had made all his words of love vanished… "I hate you so much…"

"I know…"

"You should know my intention of giving you these presents, Shihyou…now is Father's day…I give you the photograph to tell you that you've been a father for us…for Crystal Saint…for Isaac…for me…"

Camus closed his eyes. "You don't need to give me a photograph to remind me of it—"

Hyoga released his master, then took his and Camus' picture which was still in its whole shape. "You tear it as well," he said. It was an order.

Camus shook his head. "I won't. It's not been a past, it's still in progress."

"So you'll tear this as well if I die someday?"

"I certainly will."

"You're heartless…," wept Hyoga.

Camus stroked his student's hair as his hot tears running down his cheeks. "I'm not…," he gazed at Hyoga and brushed away his kid's tears. "This is your mother all over again. You try to revive the things that have turned into ashes…"

"They don't turn into ashes! They won't turn into ashes, they'll never!"

"They have. They're only a history, Hyoga."

"It's a history for you, but not for me!" Hyoga suddenly stood up and glared at his master. He never did such glare, even when Camus sank his mother's ship to the bottom of the sea. "You always think that everything's meaningless, because you never have love in your heart! You never love anybody, you only love your idealism about ice, past, destiny, history…whatever it is…! You never love anybody, that's why it's so easy for you to sink my mother's ship and torn the photograph!"

"Hyoga…," Camus stood up.

"I don't wanna hear anything again!"

"Be careful of your tone, I'm still your teacher."

"And I regret that!"

Camus felt like he was being slapped. "Don't say something like that…"

"Why?! You can tear everybody's heart by your gestures, but why can't I tear yours by whatever I want to say?!"

"Because you don't really mean it."

"I mean it! I hate you, Camus! I hate you for sinking my mother's ship, I hate you for mocking Crystal Saint, I hate you for putting me in the ice coffin, I hate you for launching your Aurora Execution for three times to me, I hate you for tearing the photograph, I hate you for everything! And above all, I hate you for I feel like I will never stop loving you, because you've been a father for me, no matter how heartless you are—I can't stop loving you, you can tear all the photographs I have, you can kill all of my friends, but it…wont…make me…stop…loving you…and I—"

Hyoga stopped when Camus pulled him into his arms. He sobbed extremely…he din't remember he'd aver sobbed that hard…

Camus closed his eyes. His tears kept falling on Hyoga's blond hair…

"It's only a photograph, Hyoga…," whispered Camus after very long time…. "Soon you'll learn that it's not as important as you've thought…it's only a history. History is meant to be learnt…not to be mourned…nor to be revived…"

Hyoga didn't reply. He kept crying on his master's shoulder. He hated himself for he gradually accepted what Camus had said…

It was only a history…

And it's not the best present for Father's Day…

"I hate you…," whispered Hyoga again. "You never love anyone and you deserve to be hated…"

"You're wrong."

"Then tell me," Hyoga released Camus's embrace again. He looked at Camus straight to his wet eyes. "Tell me that you torn the photograph because you love me…because you love Crystal Saint, Isaac and me…and I won't blame you anymore…"

Camus took a deep breath. That was the culmination…

"Hyoga…"

"Tell me and I won't attack you again…"

"I love you…," Camus whispered.

Hyoga was frozen hearing that.

"I love all of my students…" Camus continued. "…that's why I torn the photograph...because I love all of you so much…Because I've looked at you as my own sons…and I just want the best for you…"

Camus bowed his head and sat on his bed again.

He sobbed…

"Please don't ask me to say it again…," he whispered.

Hyoga was still frozen for minutes…then finally he knelt in front of his teacher, gazed at his tears…and hugged him tight.

"I'm sorry, Shihyou…," sobbed Hyoga.

That was the end of their father's day conversation.

xxx

The day after…

"What is this…? The memory's full?" mumbled Milo as he examined the recorder Camus had borrowed the day before. He sighed, then stepped to his computer. "I have to re-write the data in the computer and erase some of the recordings in this player," he thought. "What're the contents anyway? I don't remember I recorded something this much. Oh…maybe it's Camus's," he mumbled as he took a headset, connected it to the recorder, and listened to it.

His eyes widened in surprise then.

xxx

"Knock…knock…"

Hyoga opened his door hearing the knocks.

"Hi," smiled Milo. "Just want to give you this," he said as he gave Hyoga a CD.

"Oh…is this the cool game you've promised me days ago?" beamed Hyoga, received the CD enthusiastically.

"Um…no. It's better than the game. It's the best song ever," Milo answered. "Besides I'll just get the game next week."

"Really? The best song ever?"

"Yeah," Milo smiled warmly, then left the room.

Hyoga closed the door in confusion. He took his discman, then began to listen to the CD.

His tears fell down his cheeks as he listened the sentence come from his headset. It was the indeed the best song ever…and the best Father's day words of love he had ever heard…

"I love you…I love all of my students…that's why I torn the photograph…because I love all of you so much…Because I've looked at you as my sons…and I just want the best for you…"

XXX