Making Changes 6: The End of an Era
The day after Sojiro's memorial dinner at Cafe Leblanc was when they held the funeral. All of the main cast, their friends, and those who knew and respected Sojiro came dressed in black to pay their respects and leave a flower at his grave. The plot of land in which Sojiro would be buried was coincidentally right next to where Futaba's mother, Wakaba Isshiki was buried. Across from them was where Haru's father, Kunikazu Okumura, was buried, and a few plots away from him was the burial site of Goro Akechi. Not far from them was where Daisuke's father and Ryuta's uncle, Tatsuki Watanabe, was burried.
After Ren and Futaba gave a similar speech to the one they made at his memorial dinner, and the priest led everyone in prayer, the casket was lowered into the ground. Ren and Futaba watch as the casket descends into the Earth. Their respective spouses, Ann and Yuuki were right next to them and they snuggled up next to them to comfort them during this hard time. As the casket sank into the ground, Ren and Futaba pulled out an individual rose from their respective pockets before throwing them into the hole.
"Goodbye, dad," Futaba said, a tear rolling down her cheek.
"Rest easy, Sojiro," Ren said somberly, "We all know you're in a better place now."
After the funeral, the crowd dispersed to go about their respective days, with Ren and Futaba's friends and loved ones coming up to them and their spouses to make sure everything was alright.
"I still can't believe Grandpa Sojiro is gone," Mai said.
"At least we can take solace in knowing that he's in heaven now," Hifumi said, "And if we want to see him again, it'll be in our best interest to be the best versions of ourselves so when it comes time for us to move on to the other side we can join him in the great beyond."
"Beautifully put, darling," Hayato said as he gave his wife a kiss on the cheek.
"But until then, we have a whole lot of life left to live," Futaba said, perking up some.
"That's right, Futaba," Ichiro said with a nod.
"Sojiro would want us to live our lives to the fullest," Ann said, "We have one month before we split up, so I say we go out there and live it up!"
"Hell yeah!" Ryuji shouted as everyone else cheered in agreement.
All Ren did from there was smile and say, "Let's go!"
(BGM: 'In This Diary' by The Ataris)
What follows is a montage that showcases the things the main cast gets up to over the course of the month before Minato leaves for Africa, Yusuke, Ren, and Ann leave on their respective world tours, and Himari and Hotaru leave for Los Angeles.
Moment #1: Sadayo, Yamato, and Nayoko are seen fishing at Chiba Port, where Sadayo and Yamato first became a couple. Nayoko reels in a big fish and her adoptive parents applaud her for her first successful catch.
Moment #2: Makoto is seen taking her motorcycle out for a ride about town. She picked a beautiful, sunny day to go for a motorbike ride. So beautiful in fact that she takes it out of the city and decides to go driving around in the countryside.
Moment #3: Saki and Shiho are seen leaving a bag of 'you know what' at the front door of Suguru Kamoshida's house before lighting it on fire and running to hide in some nearby bushes. Suguru comes out to stomp the fire out. Suguru was too busy stomping the fire out to hear his niece and Shiho snickering to themselves in the bushes.
Moment #4: Nariko and Riku are seen attending parenting classes at the hospital, and they're seen trying to diaper the baby doll that was given to them.
Moment #5: Mana and Mitsu are seen giving Minato the rest of his 'going-away presents', and he love each and every one of them. Before he can thank them, however, Mitsu suggests something to Minato as Mana steps forward with a loving look in the auburn haired twins eyes; Minato blushes as he stares at Mana, implying that their relationship is about to take another step forward somehow.
Moment #6: Japan's Women's Volleyball Team are going up against Spain's Women's Volleyball Team. The game is all tied up, but one beautiful play by Saki scores the Japan team the winning point. The team cheers for Saki as Shiho walks up to join them. Some of the team members grab the cooler full of Crocorade (Gatorade) and dump it on Shiho in celebration, causing the coach to laugh.
Moment #7: Ren and Ann are seen looking over the itinerary that Ren had planned for their world tour vacation, and they're discussing in what order they'd visit each country and what they'd do there.
Moment #8: Everyone is seen in a stadium environment watching Wataru give a concert. As Wataru sings, the main cast are seen cheering him on and recording him with their phones.
Moment #9: Yutaka is teaching Nayoko how to roller skate. Nayoko is about to fall down, but Yutaka catches her and the two 10 year olds stare at each other with a blush in their cheeks.
Moment #10: The original 14 adults are seen taking another hit from Takemi's Weed for 'old times sake'. They're seen laying down in the middle of the Amamiya Family's driveway doing some stargazing. Blitzed out of his mind, Ryuji suggests something before we cut to…the 14 of them streaking down the street with nary a care in the world (Since Ichiro's leg is still broken he's in a wheelbarrow being pushed by Hayato). As they streak, they pass by their kids who are temporarily blinded by their parents' nudity.
Moment #11: Kas and Mai are seen shopping for their wedding clothes, modeling in them to see what they think.
Moment #12: Ichiro is seen having another successful day as the TV Station's newest gymnastics sportscaster. After shooting however, he goes to his dressing room to find…his father there waiting for him. For as long as he could remember, Ichiro's father never liked the idea of his son being a gymnast. Mr. Tanaka apologizes for not accepting his son's love for gymnastics and he voices his pride in how far Ichiro came in life. The two Tanakas, with tears in their eyes, hug each other, happy that they were able to reconcile after all these years.
Moment #13: In Ine Fishing village, Akihrio is seen giving his wife Rika and baby boy Masaru a kiss before he heads out for another day of fishing with his crewmates.
Moment #14: The main cast are gathered at the Tanaka Family Lake house at night for a bonfire. They're seen having a good time eating delicious food, listening to good music (especially from Hayato's guitar), and just enjoying each other's company.
Moment #15: At Cafe Kitamura, Mana is seen helping Haru out while Mitsu plays violin in the corner to provide a nice ambience to the cafe. Right behind Mitsu is the Sayuri painting that was moved from Leblanc to Kitamura; the painting has a new place to be displayed.
Moment #16: The gang are seen helping Hayato and Hifumi move into their new home in Katsuura. When all is said and done, Hayato hands Hotaru the keys to the house back in Tokyo, meaning it's now officially his.
Moment #17: Ren, Ann, Minato, Kimiko, and Morgana are seen at Bikkuri Boy having one last family dinner together before Kimiko has to move in with Kaito the following day. All five of them are having a good time laughing and reminiscing over delicious food.
Moment #18: The next day, we see the Amamiyas and the Watanabes helping Kimiko and Kaito get settled into their new apartment in Kyoto. Once they're all moved in, Ren, Ann, Daisuke, and Shiho give their respective children a hug and a kiss goodbye leaving Kimiko, Kaito, and Morgana by themselves in their new home. As soon as Kaito realizes this he turns to Kimiko, gets down on one knee, and presents her with a silver band ring with a diamond on it. Kimiko's face lights up and she accepts Kaito's proposal. After Kaito puts the ring on Kimiko's finger she brings her fiance into a loving but tight-gripped hug while Morgana watches in with glee.
Moment #19: The main cast regroups at Tokyo Destinyland for a night of merriment, the end of the month drawing ever closer. They're seen enjoying all of the amenities the park had to offer, although since Nariko was pregnant she avoided the more intense rides like the plague with Mana joining her. At first Nariko thought that Mana sat out the more intense rides to keep her company, but then she started to wonder something else. Regardless, at the end of the night, everyone is seen enjoying the fireworks display.
Moment #20A: Sae's bachelorette party and Ryuta's bachelor party are finally here. With Sae's bachelorette party, the likes of Sae, Ann, Kimiko, Makoto, Himari, Haru, Mana, Mitsu, Shiho, Nariko, Sumire, Kas, Futaba, Mai, Hifumi, Reina, Nanami, Sadayo, Rika, and Saki start the day by having a spa outing. After that, they go to the Tanaka Family Lake House to exchange gifts, gossip, listen to loud music, play on the lake shore and/or go swimming, and, when the time called for it, some male strippers.
Moment #20B: Ryuta's bachelor party had the likes of Ryuta, Ren, Minato, Morgana, Daisuke, Kaito, Ryuji, Yusuke, Yuuki, Riku, Hayato, Hotaru, Ichiro, Koji, Akihiro, Wataru, and Yamato starting by going to a strip club where ogled some girls before going to a casino to partake in some light gambling. After that, the men went clubbing where they danced, sang karaoke, and binged on bar food and alcoholic beverages.
Moment #21: The day of Sae and Ryuta's wedding is finally here. Ryuta is seen wearing a red tuxedo with a black bow tie as he watches Sae, wearing a beautiful white, strapless, wedding dress walk down the aisle with Nayoko as the flower girl and Yutaka as the ring bearer. At this wedding, Makoto was the Maid of Honor while Daisuke was the Best Man. When Sae made it the altar, she and Ryuta shared their vows before passionately kissing each other to make their marriage official as everyone applauded. Ryuta and Sae stop kissing so they could look upon the crowd of people that were there to witness their union; Sae Niijima is now Sae Watanabe.
When the montage ends, we cut to Haneda Airport at the end of the month where everyone is standing at the front door to the airport. The big day is here; the day Ren, Ann, Minato, Dr. Takemi, Yusuke, Hotaru, and Himari leave to go on their respective journeys, and the day Sae and Ryuta leave for their honeymoon to Paris. The nine that are leaving are seen facing the rest of their friends and family, their backs away from the door, as some of them, Kimiko, Morgana, Haru, Mana, Mitsu, Ryuji, Makoto, Hifumi, Hayato, Daisuke, and Yutaka in particular, are seen giving their respective loved ones heartfelt goodbyes and big hugs before they leave.
"Yusuke," Haru sobbed as she held Yusuke in her arms.
"Oh, Haru," Yusuke said as a tear rolled down his cheek, "I'm going to miss you girls."
"We'll miss you too, dad," Mitsu said as she hugged her father.
"Be safe and have fun, daddy," Mana said, "We love you."
"I love you too, girls," Yusuke said, "I promise I'll call often to see how you all are doing."
"You'd better," Haru said.
"Hotaru, you take good care of mine and Makoto's baby girl while you guys are in Los Angeles," Ryuji said as the Yajimas and the Sakamotos found themselves in a group hug.
"Himari is in good hands, Uncle Ryuji," Hotaru said, "I'll do everything in my power to make sure your daughter is not only safe but loved and very happy."
"You take good care of my baby boy too, Himari," Hifumi said.
"I'll take good care of Hotaru, Auntie Hifumi," Himari said, "Don't worry so much, guys, we'll be fine."
"We know you will be, sweetheart," Makoto said.
"We wish you kids the best of luck over there in LA," Hayato said, "Have a great time, but don't forget to call us often so we know you two are safe, and don't do anything we wouldn't do."
"You got it, dad," Hotaru said.
"We love you guys," Himari said.
"We love you too, Himari," Ryuji said.
"Chi-Chi, Ha-Ha," Yutaka began as he and Daisuke faced Ryuta and Sae, "I hope you two have a good time in Paris. But I still have to ask you guys to bring me home something nice. I'll even be happy with a souvenir t-shirt."
"You got it, buddy," Ryuta said.
"You just be a good boy for Makoto and Ryuji, okay?" Sae said.
"You got it," Yutaka said before giving his adoptive parents a hug.
"Don't worry, sis, Yutaka is in good hands with us," Makoto said amidst the group hug she was in.
"I know he is," Sae said.
"And if anything happens Shiho and I will be here for back-up," Daisuke said.
"Thanks, cousin," Ryuta said.
"You two just have yourselves a good time," Shiho said, "We look forward to hearing all of the stories you have to share."
"And we look forward to sharing them with you," Sae said.
"This is going to be the best getaway ever!" Ryuta smiled.
Finally, we see Kimiko and Morgana saying goodbye to Ren, Ann, and Minato, with Mana and Mitsu joining in to say goodbye to their fiance.
"Good luck in Africa, Minato," Kimiko said.
"And good luck to you in Kyoto, sis," Minato said, "I hope you and Kaito have all the happiness in the world, and I hope that between now and whenever I come home you make it big as an actress."
"That goes double for us, Kimiko," Ann said, "If you have any questions or troubles, don't be afraid to call Minato, your father, or me."
"That's right," Ren said, "We may be on vacation, but we'll always make time for you."
"Thanks, daddy," Kimiko said, "I'm really going to miss you guys. And I know Morgana is going to miss you all too."
"We'll miss you guys too," Ann said, "But five years will be over just like that, and you'd better believe that we'll come to visit you in Kyoto as soon as we get home."
"I'd like that," Kimiko said with a smile as Minato then addressed his two lady loves.
"Look out for yourselves while I'm gone, girls," Minato said, "I love you both more than words can describe."
"We love you too, Minny," Mitsu said.
"You'd better call often," Mana said, "And hopefully you can come home in time for…you know."
"Have you told anyone else about that yet?" Minato asked.
"We were going to wait until you guys left so that it could elevate everyone else's mood a bit," Mana said.
"Alright, I understand," Minato said.
"Well, everyone, what are we waiting for," Takemi said as she grabbed her carry-on bag, "Big adventures are awaiting us."
"Right," Minato said before letting go of Mana and Mitsu and rejoining his mentor, his parents, his two friends, Yusuke, Ryuta, and Sae so they could go in the airport.
"Well, this is it, guys," Ryuta said, "Take a good long look because we're outta here."
"Have a safe trip you guys," Sumire said.
"Have a great time, take lots of pictures, and look out for each other," Ichiro said.
"Thanks Ichiro," Ren said before the sound of a car horn honking caught everyone's attention.
Everyone looked to see a sedan quickly pull up and park on the side of the road. Once the engine to the sedan shut off, an elderly couple came out of the car, with the male looking like an elderly version of Ren…it was Mr. and Mrs. Amamiya, Ren's mom and dad!
"Ren, Minato, wait!" Mr. and Mrs. Amamiya called as they hurried over to their son.
"Mom?! Dad?!" Ren exclaimed with surprise.
"Grandma Jun?! Grandpa Kenshin?!" Minato exclaimed.
"No way, it's Ren's parents!" Ryuji exclaimed.
"Neither of us have ever seen them in person before," Futaba said.
Kenshin and Jun Amamiya walked up to their son and grandson so they could get a better look at them before they left on their respective journeys.
"Mom, dad, what are you doing here?" Ren asked, curious.
"Isn't it obvious, sweetie?" Jun said, "We wanted to see you boys off before you disappear for five years."
"We just got back from a lengthy vacation of our own," Kenshin said, "We made it back home a few hours ago and that was when we got your message about your departure on our answering machine. As soon as we heard that, we had to get back in the car to come see you before your respective flights took off."
"So, you guys just wanted to see us before we left?" Minato asked.
"Actually, Minato, your grandfather has a few things he wants to say to you and your father," Jun said, "Go on, darling, you have the floor."
"Thanks, dear," Kenshin said, "Now, Ren, Minato, by now you all know I'm not exactly the sentimental type. I never really said 'I love you' to you two growing up, and I always thought that tears were a sign of weakness. I can see now that I was wrong. That was just how my old man raised me to be, and I tried to pass those traits down to you, Ren. I'm glad to see that you were the one to break the toxic cycle so that you and your children could grow up to be proud, upstanding citizens not afraid to be open about your emotions. I am so proud of you and all you've accomplished, my son; a long and successful career as a chef, a long lasting marriage with a woman who is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside, two magnificent children with bright futures ahead of them, and a plethora of good friends who remain loyal to you no matter the circumstance. I'm just sorry that I couldn't congratulate you on all of your successes sooner. You really are a better man than I could ever hope to be, Ren, and I'm proud to call you my son."
With that, Kenshin brings his son into a hug, greatly surprising Ren. He was unsure on what to do next, so he just hugged his father back as a smile grew on his face. And that smile only grew bigger when Kenshin said, "I love you, son."
"I…I love you too, dad," Ren said as he and Kenshin patted each other on the back to end their hug.
"You and Ann go have fun on your world tour," Kenshin said before turning to Minato, "And I wish you the best of luck in Africa, Minato."
"Thank you, grandpa," Minato said with a nod.
"Before you go, I have something that I wanted to give to the both of you," Kenshin said as he put his hands in both of his pockets to pull something out. From his left hand, Kenshin took out a pocket knife, and from his right, he took out a gold pocket watch.
"Minato," Kenshin said, "I'm giving you my trusty pocket knife. I hear things can get pretty hairy over there in Africa and it's always a good idea to be prepared for anything."
"Wow, grandpa, thanks!" Minato said gratefully.
"And Ren," Kenshin said, "I'm giving you my pocket watch. It's been in my family for generations. Every male Amamiya since 1907 has had that pocket watch in his possession, and now I'm passing it on to you. That's a piece of family history I'm giving you, so you'd better take good care of it."
"I will dad," Ren said gratefully as he put the watch in his pocket, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Kenshin said.
"We'll try and drop by Tokyo often to keep and eye on all of your friends," Jun said, "You know, make sure they don't go crazy without you guys."
"Not to mention it'll give us a chance to get to know each of them better," Kenshin said.
"We'd like the opportunity to get to know you guys better too," Yuuki said, "We've heard so much about you two from Ren, but we've never really seen your faces until now."
"We look forward to seeing more of you two in the future," Hifumi said, causing Kenshin and Jun to smile.
"Well, if there's nothing else left to do or say from here," Ren said, "Then I guess this is goodbye."
"It's not a goodbye, Ren," Daisuke said, "It's a see you later. We'll meet each other again before you know it."
"That's right, Ren," Ryuji said, "And when we do, let's all have a great big party, just like the old days!"
"Yeah," Ren smiled, "Great idea!"
With that, everyone ran up to each other to give each other a mass group hug. The hug lasted for what felt like hours, and they all found it difficult to let each other go. But when they did, they all felt their hearts break just a little bit as the ones closest to the ones who are leaving gave their final goodbyes.
"We're out of here," Himari said.
"Take care, Himari," Makoto said.
"We'll miss you all!" Hayato said.
"We'll miss you too, dad!" Hotaru said.
"Bye, dad," Mitsu and Mana said.
"Yusuke, I love you, darling!" Haru said.
"I love you too, Haru," Yusuke replied.
"Enjoy your honeymoon, cousin," Daisuke said.
"Thanks, Daisuke," Ryuta said as he gave a thumbs up.
"Mom, dad, Minato, have a great trip!" Kimiko said, "I love you all!"
"We love you too," Ren and Ann said.
"Take care, sis," Minato said, "You too Morgana, I'll be back soon."
When everyone got all of the 'goodbyes' out of their systems, Takemi addressed the group, ready to lead them into the airport, "Time to go, everyone."
The eight people followed the doctor into the airport, still waving and saying goodbye to all of their family and friends as they walked inside. Once the doors closed after they all stepped inside, the remaining members of the group stood there somberly, already missing their wayward friends. Kimiko, the only member of the Amamiya family still present sensed everyone's depression and she turned to face everyone.
"Let's not be sad that they're gone, guys," Kimiko said, "Let's be happy that they were here. Let's remember all of the good times we shared with them; all of the laughs, all of the tender moments. And in five years, we'll all be back together again. I say we all use these next five years to become all we can be so that when they do come back they'll be pleasantly surprised with how far we've come as human beings."
"Kimiko is right, everyone," Kaito said, "We need to be strong in moments like these. Let's take all of this negative energy that we're feeling right now and turn it into something positive. Who's with me?"
"You know I am, bro," Nariko said.
"Me too," Kas said.
"Five years ain't no big thing," Futaba said.
"Let's live our lives to the fullest, baby!" Ichiro smiled.
"That's the spirit!" Kimiko cheered.
"Yeah," Mana said as she stepped up, "Let's all live up to our full potential so that when they come home, they can look at each and every one of us with pride."
At that moment, Mana looked down at her stomach and caressed it with the palm of her hand before saying, "And I mean 'each and every one of us'."
"What are you talking abo-" Haru asked before realizing something, "Oh my gosh! Mana…are…are you pregnant?!"
"Mmm-hmm," Mana said with a happy nod, catching everyone off guard.
"For real?!" Ryuji exclaimed.
"Is Minato the father?!" Hayato asked.
"Who else could it be?" Mana asked.
"We had a talk with Minato about two weeks ago," Mitsu explained, "We thought that it would be a good idea for him to leave something of his here to remember him by while he's gone."
"And what better way to do that than by giving us a baby," Mana smiled, "Plus it'll give Minato one more reason to look forward to going home."
"Mana and I talked about which one of us should carry the child, and we both decided that she should be the one to do so," Mitsu continued.
"Mitsu's violin career is on the rise and we didn't want a baby to complicate her plans," Mana said, "All my plans involve helping out at Cafe Kitamura as much as I can, and continue working on my paintings. Mitsu had more to lose at this moment than I do, therefore, I'm the one to carry our baby."
"Dr. Takemi and Minato are the only other two people to know about Mana's pregnancy," Mitsu said, "She'll give Minato the necessary time off to fly home and help with the baby for the first two weeks after he/she is born."
"This is unbelievable," Kimiko said, amazed.
"Why didn't you guys tell us sooner?" Mai asked.
"We wanted to wait until everyone left because we knew their departure would leave us all feeling depressed," Mana explained, "News like this is just what we all need to perk us back up."
"And it's working," Haru smiled, "I can't believe I'm going to be a grandma!"
"We'll be sure to inform Uncle Ren, Auntie Ann, dad, Himari, Hotaru, Auntie Sae, and Uncle Ryuta once their planes land and they get settled," Mitsu said.
"This is extraordinary," Makoto said, "Our group is growing more and more each day!"
"I guess that means you and I are 'pregnancy pals', Mana," Nariko said as she put an arm around Mana, "I'm sure mine and Riku's baby will be great friends with yours and Minato's."
"I'm sure they'll be the best of friends too," Mana smiled.
"You know something, everyone," Kimiko said with a cute giggle, "I think we're all going to be okay."
Inside the airport, after the likes of Ren, Ann, Minato, Takemi, Yusuke, Himari, Hotaru, Sae, and Ryuta checked in for their respective flights and went through airline security (i.e: metal detectors and baggage check for their carry-ons), the group of nine are ready to go their separate ways.
"Well, mine and Himari's flight for Los Angeles is down that way," Hotaru said as he pointed in the direction towards the gate.
"See you guys in five years," Himari said.
"Yeah," Minato nodded, "Make sure you guys keep in touch."
"And good luck in all of your endeavors, Hotaru," Ren said.
"You too, Himari," Ann said, "Whether you become a tennis player or a tennis coach, we wish you the best of luck."
"Thanks, guys," Himari said.
"Make sure you take good care of my niece, Hotaru," Sae said.
"You got it," Hotaru said before looking at Yusuke, "And Uncle Yusuke, I just want to wish you good luck and safe travels on your world tour trip. And I also wanted to thank you for helping my parents get together all those years ago. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't even be here right now."
"I was happy to help, Hotaru," Yusuke said.
"Now boarding, 10:00 A-M flight to Los Angeles," came a voice on the intercom.
"Well, that's us," Himari said, "Ready to go?"
"You bet!" Hotaru smiled, "See you guys later."
"Goodbye Hotaru, take care," Ryuta said.
"Be safe out there, you two," Minato said.
"Thanks, Minato," Hotaru said.
"Deuces," Himari said as she gave a peace sign.
"Los Angeles, here we come!" Hotaru said.
As Hotaru and Himari made their way to their plane, the two of them were heard singing, "So we put our hands up, they're playing our song! The butterflies fly away!"
"Nodding my head like yeah!" Hotaru sang.
"Moving my hips like yeah!" Himari sang.
"We got our hands up, they're playing our song! You know we're gonna be okay!" Hotaru and Himari sang, "Yeah! It's a party in the USA!"
"The two of them make a really cute couple, don't they?" Minato asked as the filmmaker and tennis player disappeared in the crowd.
"I wish them both all of the happiness in the world," Yusuke said as another voice came over the PA system.
"Now boarding, 10:00 A-M flight for London," the voice said.
"That's my flight," Yusuke said, "The Association said my first stop would be London so I can give a seminar in Oxford."
"I had a friend who moved to London after she and I graduated from Nagoya years ago," Takemi said, "Apparently she set up her own practice over there in London. If you see her, tell her that Tae Takemi said hi."
"Will do," Yusuke smiled before saying his goodbyes, "Well, I wish all of you the best and safe travels."
"Thanks, Yusuke," Ryuta said.
"And Ann," Yusuke said, "I know it was years ago, but I'm sorry for badgering you into doing a nude painting."
"All water under the bridge, Yusuke," Ann said, "Now, go on, you'll miss your flight."
"Right," Yusuke said as he made his leave,"Farewell, everyone."
"Bye, Uncle Yusuke," Minato said as everyone waved the blue haired artist goodbye as he made his way to his plane.
As soon as Yusuke disappeared, the voice was heard over the PA system again.
"Check in for the 10:30 A-M flight to Paris, France is starting now," the voice said.
"I think that's our flight, babe," Ryuta said.
"I think so too," Sae said, "Ren, Ann, Minato, Tae, you four have a good time on your respective trips."
"We will, Sae," Ren said, "And thanks for all of your help during our days as the Phantom Thieves. You know, helping us take care of Shido, saving Zenkichi from police custody, and voiding the warrant against us."
"I was happy to help you, Ren," Sae said, "I'm just sorry that we got off on the wrong foot."
"What matters is that we're getting along now," Ann said.
"Yeah," Sae nodded.
"You two have a great time in Paris," Ann said, "You guys have earned it."
"Thanks, Ann," Ryuta said, "Well, babe, are you ready to check in for our flight?"
"Yup," Sae nodded as she and Ryuta walked off to their flight.
"Goodbye, you two," Minato said as the Watanabe couple disappeared in the crowd, leaving just him, his parents, and Dr. Takemi, "So, where are your two going first on your world tour vacation?" Minato asked his parents.
"We're starting in New Zealand," Ann answered before looking up at the overhead marquee to see that her and Ren's flight to New Zealand and Minato and Takemi's flight to Nairobi are in the same terminal, "Our flights seem to be in the same terminal."
"And it won't be a while before they take off," Ren said, "You guys want to walk down together and maybe grab something to eat?"
"Sure, dad," Minato smiled, "I'd like that very much."
With that, Ren, Ann, Minato, and Takemi walked to the terminal together, kicking off the last time the three Amamiyas would be together for the next five years.
Once they made it to the terminal and checked in with their respective flights, the four of them went to the airport cafe for some breakfast where they just talked and reminisced about the good times that they all shared together. Once breakfast was eaten and paid for, Ren and Ann took Minato and Takemi to the Nairobi gate as they waited for when it was time to start boarding.
"You know," Minato said to his parents, "I never really got the chance to thank you guys for everything that you've done for me. You know, raising me with the right morals, taking care of me whenever I got sick, supporting me and my dreams. You guys do a lot for me and I'm sorry if I don't show my appreciation for it often. So let me just say, right now, thank you both for being the best parents a guy could ask for."
"You're welcome, son," Ren said, "And for the record, you're the best son a parent could ask for."
"Thanks dad," Minato said before hugging his parents briefly before letting go, "I hope you and mom have a good time on your world tour vacation; you two have earned it."
"Thank you, Minato," Ann said, "And we wish you the best of luck in Africa. We just ask that you be safe and take lots of pictures."
"I will," Minato said.
"Take good care of our boy, Tae, you hear?" Ren said.
"You have nothing to worry about, Ren, your son is in good hands," Takemi said.
"Now boarding the 11:00 A-M flight to Nairobi, Kenya," the voice said as those taking the flight to Nairobi started to board the plane.
"That's us, Minato," Takemi said, "Are you ready to go?"
"Uh, yeah," Minato said, as if trying to hold back emotion. The eldest Amamiya child turned back to his parents, who also looked like they were trying to hold back emotions, "This is it."
"Yeah," Ren said.
"This is it," Ann chimed in.
The three of them just looked at each other, emotions getting stronger and stronger the longer they stared at each other…and then…
*Sob!*
With tears in their eyes, Ren, Ann, and Minato held each other tightly, embracing each other in one last hug. After spending the last 23 years being a big part of each other's lives, the idea that they were going to be separated over the next five years was enough to make the three of them cry. They were going to miss each other deeply. Even Takemi couldn't help but wipe a tear from her eye seeing this display of familial love.
"I'm going to miss you both so much," Minato cried.
"We know, Minato," Ren whimpered, "We'll miss you too."
"I promise I'll call you, and Kimiko, and Mana and Mitsu, and all of our friends every day and every night," Minato whimpered, "Nothing will keep us apart from each other, I'll make sure of that!"
"Minato," Ann sobbed as she and Ren continued to hold onto their son, just as he continued to hold onto them.
As the family continued to cry in each other's arms, Minato was the one who had to try and move away. He knew that Ren and Ann would never let him go if he didn't take initiative.
"Guys, we need to be strong," Minato said as he stepped back and wiped tears from his eyes, "Big moves like these are best for all of us. I should be allowed to grow up and start a career the same way you two should be allowed to see the world and experience life. Don't let my departure ruin your guys' lives. I promise you both that I'll be okay, and I'll come home to you, Kimiko, Mana, Mitsu, and all of our friends with loads of stories to tell and a promising career under my belt."
Ren and Ann wipe tears from their eyes as they look at their son.
"We'll see each other again real soon," Minato said, "Count on it!"
"Yeah," Ann said, trying to fight off another bout of crying, "We sure will."
Ren, Ann, and Minato give each other one last hug, this one lasting much shorter than the last one, before the parents were ready to send their son on their way.
"Go on, son," Ren said with a proud smile, tears still in his eyes, "We don't want you to miss your flight."
"Thanks, dad," Minato said, "I love you both very much. Don't either of you ever forget that."
"We won't," Ren and Ann both said as they watched Minato and Takemi make their way to the Nairobi gate.
Minato and Takemi showed the airline worker their boarding passes before they got on. Takemi boarded the plane first, but before Minato got on, he turned around and took one last look at Ren and Ann, who were still watching him. Minato gave a warm smile before waving goodbye to his parents, causing them to wave back. As Ren and Ann waved their son goodbye, for a brief moment their 23 year old man took on the form of the five-year-old boy they wish he would remain; Minato will always be their baby.
"I'll make you both proud, I swear!" Minato said as he turned around and ran onto the plane.
Once Minato was on board, the airline worker closed and locked the gate door. After that, Ren and Ann went over to the window that had a good view of the runway and they watched as Minato's plane took off into the sky. They kept watching the plane fly away from the airport until it left their line of sight.
"Bye, Minato," Ann said, a tear rolling down her cheek, "Be safe, my boy."
Suddenly, Ann heard whimpering. She looked next to her to find Ren taking off his glasses to wipe away an onslaught of tears. Ann lovingly wrapped her arms around her husband in an attempt to comfort him.
"It'll be okay, Ren," Ann said, "He'll be alright."
"I know," Ren said, "I just miss him so much already. He was our boy, and now he's a man ready to carve his own path. I knew saying goodbye would be tough. I just didn't think it would hurt so much."
"That's the thing about goodbyes, babe," Ann said, "They may hurt for a little while, but you know that you'll see that person again. And you'll find that a reunion with your loved one is even sweeter than the first time you met him. Minato will come back into our lives, Ren, and when he does, let's give him the best homecoming a pair of parents can give him."
Hearing that made Ren smile as he wiped the last of his tears from his eyes.
"You got it, babe," Ren said as he and Ann hugged, just in time for another PA announcement.
"Now boarding the 11:15 A-M flight to Auckland, New Zealand," the voice said.
Ren and Ann looked at each other, ready to take on the world and see everything that it had to offer them.
"Well, that's us," Ren said, "Ready for adventure, Mrs. Amamiya?"
"I'll go anywhere as long as it's with you, Mr. Amamiya," Ann smiled.
With that, hand-in-hand, Ren and Ann walked to the Auckland gate, ready to start their world tour vacation.
(BGM: 'See you Again' by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth)
What follows is a montage of everything that the main cast gets up to over the next eight months or so.
Moment #1: We start this montage in Paris where Sae and Ryuta are enjoying their honeymoon. The couple are seen watching the sunset from the top of the Eiffel Tower, Sae's head resting on Ryuta's shoulder. About two weeks later, Ryuta and Sae return to Tokyo by visiting the Sakamoto Residence to pick up Yutaka, who runs up to his adoptive parents to give them a hug. Ryuta presents Yutaka with a souvenir snowglobe of the Eiffel Tower and the 10 year old thanks him for it as he shakes it and looks at the 'snowflakes' flying within the glass orb.
Moment #2: It's Makoto and Futaba's first day of school at the University of Tokyo. Ryuji, Yutaka, Sae and Ryuta (Who made it back from their honeymoon)Yuuki, Riku, Nariko, Mai, and Kas watch as the two women go through the front doors of the school, books in hand as they're ready to learn and take the first steps towards their new career.
Moment #3: In Los Angeles, we see Hotaru on his first day of being a director for International Studios. He seems to be directing a sci-fi/space opera as he's directing the actors and telling them how certain lines should be delivered.
Moment #4: Elsewhere in Los Angeles, Himari is seen coaching a high school tennis team. She's instructing the team in a tough but fair manner and showing them how to pull off the right tennis moves.
Moment #5: Mana and Mitsu are seen attending the same parenting class that Riku and Nariko are. All four are taking notes as we see that Nariko's pregnancy is advancing nicely and Mana has a small bump on her stomach.
Moment #6: After Oxford, Yusuke's next appearance was in Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As he gives the seminar to the Harvard student body, he looks proudly upon them to see them taking notes and paying great attention to what he's saying. He knows that at least one of them would be a great artist one day, and he felt good knowing that he may play a factor in such a decision.
Moment #7: In the African village where Minato and Takemi were sent, they're seen administering first aid and medical care to some of the villagers. Minato is seen stitching up a ferocious looking bite on his patient's leg, while Takemi administers a vaccination to another villager nearby. At the end of the day, Minato returns to his hut where he gets on FaceTime with Mana and Mitsu so they could talk into the night.
Moment #8: Nayoko invited Yutaka over for dinner one night and we see them, along with Sadayo and Yamato talking and laughing over a deliciously cooked meal that Sadayo prepared. Sadayo and Yamato are starting to take a shine to Yutaka.
Moment #9: At the Taj Mahal in India, we see Ren and Ann standing in front of the 'new wonder' as they take a selfie and send it to their friends and family.
Moment #10: The apartment that Kaito and Kimiko moved into has a balcony that Kaito set up his telescope on. The two of them, along with Morgana, are taking turns looking through the telescope and admiring the night sky. Kimiko gasps as she sees a shooting star pass through the sky and she puts her hands together and closes her eyes to make a wish.
Moment #11: Ichiro is seen enjoying his new job as the gymnastics sportscaster for the T.V station; making small talk and witty banter with his co-hosts. Even better, his leg seems to be healed as he's not wearing his cast anymore.
Moment #12: The Japan Women's Volleyball Team are now going up against Germany's Women's Team, and Saki scores the winning point, much to everyone's joy. Shiho watches with pride as the rest of the women's team lift Saki up and carry her to the locker room, happy that she secured the team's victory.
Moment #13: Hayato and Hifumi are seen having a picnic lunch on the beach at Katsuura, enjoying each other's company. After lunch, Hayato decides to treat his wife to a romantic foot massage, which Hifumi enjoys very much.
Moment #14: Back in Los Angeles, we see Hotaru and Himari watching the sunset from Griffith Observatory. It's at this point when Hotaru gets down on his knee and presents Himari with a rose gold ring with a heart shaped diamond; Hotaru just asked Himari to marry him, and she accepts before picking her new fiance up and kissing his face all over.
Moment #15: On her break at Cafe Kitamura, Haru is seen talking to Yusuke via FaceTime.
Moment #16: Riku and Nariko have moved into an apartment together, and the two of them are seen cuddling on the couch and watching a movie on T.V, Riku lovingly rubbing Nariko's pregnant belly the whole time as she rests her head on his chest. Not far from them are a pile of baby related gifts, suggesting that a baby shower just wrapped up.
Moment #17: The day of Kas and Mai's wedding is here! They're both wearing matching dresses; white wedding dresses with ruffles at the bottom, white heels, frilly upper arm cuffs, and a white bow in their hair The wedding is held on a secluded part of Miura Beach and all of Mai and Kas' friends and family are here, with the likes of Ren, Ann, Takemi, Minato, Himari, Hotaru, and Yusuke being contacted over FaceTime. The priest gives Mai and Kas the okay to kiss, which they do as everyone applauds.
Moment #18: Back in Kyoto, Kimiko is seen performing in the University's School Play of 'Alice in Wonderland' where she was cast as Alice. In the front row, we see Kaito, Morgana, who was hidden in a bag, and Kimiko's parents and brother, who were on FaceTime. Kimiko knocked it out of the park as everyone, Kaito, Morgana, and Kimiko's family included, applauded for her as she and the rest of the cast took a bow.
Moment #19: It's Christmas time and we see just how everyone celebrates the holiday this year. In New York City, we see Ren and Ann watching the Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center. Hotaru and Himari are seen spending Christmas at a ski resort in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range; they're currently cuddling in front of the fireplace, wrapped in a blanket as they sip on hot chocolate. Yusuke is seen attending a Christmas party in Toronto with other artists, art teachers, and art aficionados. In the African village, Minato is dressed up as Santa Claus to bring Christmas cheer to the children in the village as he gives them gifts from his sack of toys. Finally, back in Tokyo, the rest of the main cast, along with the Hashimotos, Akihiro and his family, Saki, Jun and Kenshin Amamiya, and Wataru Koyama, are gathered in Cafe Kitamura for a Christmas party.
Moment #20: Finally, we end this montage at the hospital where Nariko is seen going into labor with her and Riku's baby. Riku is by Nariko's side, holding her hand as she tries to push the baby out of her. We don't see the baby being born though, as that's saved for after this montage, speaking of which…
(End BGM)
Out in the waiting room, we see the main cast, along with the Hashimotos, Wataru, Saki, Jun and Kenshin Amamiya, and the Hagiwaras waiting for news regarding Nariko and her baby. Like with other big gatherings, the likes of Ren, Ann, Minato, Takemi, Yusuke, Himari, and Hotaru are on FaceTime, and the likes of Kimiko, Kaito, Hayato, and Hifumi came from their respective homes of Kyoto and Katsuura to take part in this occasion. Futaba, Yuuki, and especially Daisuke and Shiho look very nervous as they haven't heard news in a while. But then, the doors leading to the delivery room open up and out comes Riku, Nariko, the midwife, and the new baby. Nariko is seen seated in a wheelchair holding the baby as Riku gently pushes her.
"Don't leave us in suspense, how did everything go?" Haru asked.
"It was tough, but I pulled through," Nariko said with a smile.
"And now we're parents," Riku said warmly.
"That's the baby?" Kimiko asked.
"Yes," Nariko nodded, "We had a boy. Everyone, we'd like to introduce you to Sojiro Mishima."
"You kids named him after our Sojiro," Futaba asked, feeling emotional.
"Yup," Riku nodded, "I figured we'd call him 'Soji' for short to avoid confusion. What do you guys think?"
"I think it's a wonderful name," Futaba said as she gave Riku and Nariko a hug, "Thank you both so much. Sojiro would be so proud."
"Thanks, Auntie Futaba," Nariko said.
"Can you believe it, Shiho," Daisuke asked his wife, "We're finally grandparents. I never thought this day would come."
"Me neither," Shiho said, becoming emotional, causing Daisuke to hold her, "My baby just had a baby! I promised myself I wouldn't cry."
After that, everyone had a turn holding Baby Soji so he could get better acquainted with them. Futaba, Yuuki, Daisuke, and Shiho especially enjoyed holding their grandson in their arms for the first time. Baby Soji cooed in amazement and wonder as he was brought closer to the folks on FaceTime; who lovingly greeted the baby and welcomed him into the world. Mana, who was pretty far along in her own pregnancy, even had a turn holding Baby Soji.
"Aw, you're a cute one," Mana said, "You'll have a little playmate of your own soon enough though, buddy."
As Mana handed Soji back to Nariko, she had one question on her mind.
"So, Nariko," Mana asked, "How bad did child labor hurt anyway? On a scale of one to ten."
"They give you morphine for a reason, Mana," Nariko said bluntly, "Use it."
Hearing that made Mana gulp nervously as Haru and Mitsu rubbed her shoulders to comfort her.
We cut to Nariko's hospital room later that night after everyone had gone home; it's just her, Riku, and Baby Soji present, the latter of whom is sound asleep in a cradle wearing a onesie that the hospital supplied him with. Riku is seen happily looking down at his new bundle of joy, who has his blue hair and Nariko's brown eyes.
"I still can't believe it," Riku said in awe, "I never thought I'd ever be a dad. Especially to a child as cute as the one we have."
"He really is a cute baby," Nariko concurred as she rested in her hospital bed, the experience of child labor having taken a lot out of her.
"I just hope I can be a good dad," Riku said, "As excited as I am, I don't really know the first thing about being a parent."
"And you think I do?" Nariko said in an almost teasing manner, "The fact of the matter, babe, is that no one knows how to be a parent right out of the gate. I'm sure our folks didn't know what to do when we were born, but now that they're older and have experience, I'm sure that they'll give us some pointers and guidance if we need it."
"True," Riku said, "I just want to be a father worth looking up to. I don't want to turn out like Uncle Hayato, Uncle Ryuji, or Auntie Haru's fathers."
"A thousand things have to go wrong before you end up like them, Riku," Nariko said, "You're worrying too much. I know you'll be an outstanding father."
"And I'm sure you'll be an outstanding mother, babe," Riku said as he walked over to Nariko to give her a hug, "Although, now that we have a baby, we need to address another issue."
"What's that, Riku?" Nariko asked as she was released from the hug.
"Well," Riku began, "We've been together for so long, yet we have yet to make things 'official' for lack of a better term."
"What are you trying to say," Nariko said after letting out a yawn.
"Well, Nariko," Riku continued, "We've known each other since we were kids, and in that time I feel like I've gotten to know every little thing about you, just like how you've gotten to know every little thing about me. I've grown to adore all of these little things and then some, and I knew from the moment we became boyfriend and girlfriend that we'd be together forever. I love you, Nariko Watanabe, and I love the baby that we made together. And it's with that love, that I have one question that needs to be answered."
With that, Riku reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver band ring with a blue, heart shaped sapphire on it.
"Nariko Watanabe," Riku began, "Will you marry me?"
Riku waited for an answer from Nariko…but she couldn't answer because she was already sound asleep and snoring away. Despite this, Riku wasn't upset at all. Nariko did use up all of her energy to give birth to Baby Soji, so he thought that his girlfriend's tiredness was understandable. Riku just shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'll try again tomorrow."
With that, Riku put the ring back in his pocket as he went back to Soji's cradle to admire his sleeping baby.
(BGM: 'One Love' by Arashi)
And so begins the final montage that showcases what everyone has been up to over the next 4-5 years.
Moment #1: In Los Angeles, it's time for the premiere of Hotaru's directorial debut film at Grauman's Chinese Theater; the space opera that he was directing. Audiences are seen enjoying it so much that when it ends they gave Hotaru and his film a standing ovation, much to his pride.
Moment #2: Riku and Nariko are seen playing peek-a-boo with Baby Soji in an attempt to cheer him up. It works like a charm as Baby Soji is now seen giggling and clapping his hands.
Moment #3: Minato is seen running down a hallway before entering a room where Mana is seen going into labor with her's and Minato's baby. By her side is Mitsu who is holding her sister's hand as they wait for Minato to arrive. Mana smiles at her fiance's arrival and within minutes she delivers their baby; a girl that they name Sayuri Amamiya. Sayuri has her mother's auburn hair and her father's blue eyes.
Moment #4: Ren, Ann, and Yusuke's paths meet when they're seen visiting Paris. Yusuke is seen taking a picture of the couple as they stand in front of the Arc de Triomphe.
Moment #5: On a beach in an unknown location, we see an elderly Ichiryusai Madarama meditating.
Moment #6: Ryuji, Makoto, Nanami, and Koji are having lunch together at Hideyoshi's Smokehouse. The four of them clink their glasses together before drinking up. Not far from them at the bar we see Kouga, Sota, Naomi Sugimura, and Isamu chatting over bottles of beer (or glass of wine in Naomi's case).
Moment #7: Over FaceTime, Minato is seen reading Baby Sayuri, who is in Mana's arms, a story to help put her down for her nap. It works like a charm as within seconds, Sayuri is sound asleep.
Moment #8: Back in the 'South Park Warzone' timeline, we see a 15 year old Lyra Marsh sitting in her room (Don't forget time between universes flows differently) as she sketches pictures of Ren and company in a sketchbook, unable to forget her adventures in their universe.
Moment #9: Ichiro, Sumire, Yuuki, Futaba, Kas, Mai, and Ichiro's father are seen helping Kas and Mai get settled into their own apartment.
Moment #10: Hotaru and Himari manage to fly everyone out to Los Angeles so they could attend their wedding at 'The Resort at Pelican Hill'. As usual, the likes of Ren, Ann, Minato, Takemi, and Yusuke, are seen watching the wedding via FaceTime. At the end of the ceremony, Hotaru and Himari kiss each other to make things official and everyone applauds. Hotaru and Himari kissing each other fades to…
Moment #11: …Riku and Nariko kissing each other as they're seen at Shimogamo Shrine as everyone applauds them. The two of them walk down the aisle together before leaving the church and getting into their limousine that'll take them to their reception.
Moment #12: Ren and Ann are in Africa now. The same village where Minato and Takemi are working in to be precise. They see their son hard at work administering first aid to one of the villagers who had broken his arm. The village leader compliments Ren and Ann for raising such an upstanding and kindhearted young man.
Moment #13: Touma, Hina, and Midori, the surfers from 'Amamiya Family Beach Trip', are seen competing in a surf contest in Hawaii, and their moves are really wowing the judges.
Moment #14: Back in Tokyo, the main cast that are currently residing there (Ryuji, Makoto, Sae, Ryuta, Yutaka, Daisuke, Shiho, Nariko, Riku, Soji, Futaba, Yuuki, Ichiro, Sumire, Kas, Mai, Haru, Mana, Sayuri, and Mitsu) are having a picnic lunch at Inokashira Park. As they ate and talked, Soji randomly stood up and started to take his frist steps, amazing everyone, especially Riku and Nariko.
Moment #15: Wataru's music career has gotten so great that he started doing world tours of his own as he's seen in Madison Square Garden giving a performance.
Moment #16: Akihiro and his son Masaru, who is no longer an infant, but now a four year old boy, are seen sharing a father-son bonding moment by watching the sunrise from Akihiro's boat.
Moment #17: In Los Angeles, we see the likes of Ryuji, Makoto, Hayato, Hifumi, Nanami, Koji, and Reina in a hospital waiting room when Hotaru and Himari enter, with Himari in a wheelchair and holding a baby of her own. Hotaru and Himari had a baby girl that they named Hibiki Yajima. Hibiki has her father's scarlet hair and her mother's dark brown eyes. The parents and grandparents, now grandparents and great-grandparents, take turns holding the new baby as Hotaru and Himari look on with pride that they were able to start their own family.
Moment #18: Speaking of starting a family, we see Kas and Mai at an orphanage as they introduce themselves to a cute four year old girl named Tsumugi, who had shoulder length brown hair and hazel colored eyes. Tsumugi takes a shine to the same-gender couple and before Kas and Mai knew it they were taking Tsumugi home, happy that they now have a daughter on their side.
Moment #19: Makoto and Futaba are seen graduating from college, the two ladies holding up their degrees with pride as their friends applaud and take pictures along with everyone else.
Moment #20: With her law degree in hand, Makoto wastes no time in setting up her own law firm. Once she's settled into her office, she sits behind her desk, polishes the placard with her name on it, and leans back in her chair with pride, her degree hanging on the wall.
Moment #21: Futaba is now seen in charge of Cafe Leblanc. It's reopening day as a matter of fact, and the place is packed. Everyone is seen eating the very curry and coffee that made Cafe Leblanc a household name. As Futaba watched everyone eat with pride, she looked over at the wall where the Sayuri painting once stood, as there's now a painting of Sojiro that Yusuke made before he left. Futaba happily looks at the painting of Sojiro as a tear rolls down her cheek; she knows that Sojiro would be very proud of her.
Moment #22A: Kimiko and Kaito finally graduate from Kyoto University. All of Kimiko and Kaito's family and friends are present. Even Ren, Ann, and Minato managed to make it in person, and they're seen applauding Kimiko as she accepts her degree.
Moment #22B: Later that night at Kaito and Kimiko's apartment, the two of them are seen cuddling in bed, and Kimiko has some interesting news to share. From the side table drawer next to their bed, Kimiko pulls out a positive pregnancy test; she was pregnant with her and Kaito's first child. Kaito is so happy that he hugs Kimiko, happy that he's going to become a dad.
Moment #23: At the Tokyo Dome, a pro wrestling match is going on. Kas, or rather Lumber-Jacqueline is squaring off against her opponent. Thankfully, Kas is without her log of wood, but that doesn't take away from how strong she is. She manages to pin her opponent and win the match, causing everyone to cheer, especially her family, Mai, and Tsumugi, who was in the front row of the audience watching the match unfold.
Moment #24: The five years are up and Ren, Ann, Yusuke, Hotaru, Himari, Hibiki, Takemi, and Minato come home after their respective time away from home. Waiting for them after they left the airport were all of their friends and family who ran up to see them after being separated from them for so long. Even better, this was the first time that everyone got to see the children, Soji, Sayuri, Hibiki, and Tsumugi in person, and this is the first time Ren, Ann, and Minato find out about Kimiko's pregnancy. Kimiko has a small bump on her stomach and her family couldn't be more excited at the thought of Kimiko and Kaito starting a family of their own.
Moment #25: A few months down the road, and Kimiko had just finished giving birth to her and Kaito's twin boys. The boy Kaito was holding was named Tatsuki 'Tats' Watanabe. Tatsuki had Kaito's brown hair and Kimiko's gray eyes. The boy in Kimiko's arms was named Akira Watanabe. Akira had Kimiko's blonde hair and Kaito's green eyes.
Moment #26: Mitsu is seen performing with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra as she plays a violin solo. When the song ended, the whole audience, Mitsu's friends and family included, gave her a round of applause as she and the rest of the orchestra took a bow.
Moment #27: Some time after that, it was time for Kaito and Kimiko's wedding, which was held on a sunny day in an outdoor venue in Kyoto. Kaito was wearing a black tuxedo with a red bow tie while Kimiko was wearing her mother's wedding dress; a long, flowing white strapless dress with lacy white evening gloves and a silver tiara with a veil attached. Kaito and Kimiko kiss as everyone applauds and their babies, Tats and Akira, giggle with glee, being able to witness such a momentous occasion.
Moment #28: Hotaru, Himari, and Hibiki are seen living their lives in Hotaru's childhood home. Himari is seen trying to feet the baby by pretending the spoon is an airplane, while later that night Hotaru reads his daughter to sleep from a book a fairy tails; the same book we saw Ryuji read from in 'Hard Time'.
Moment #29: Hotaru, Himari, and Hibiki are in Katsuura paying Hayato and Hifumi a visit and the two grandparents are happy and proud with how far Hotaru and Himari had come in life. Not only are they a loving couple with a child of their own, but Hotaru has a successful directing career at Toho Studios while Himari became Shujin Academy's Tennis Coach and became a favorite teacher among the student body.
Moment #30: Speaking of Shujin Academy, Yutaka and Nayoko, now teenagers, are seen attending the academy together. They're seen sharing the same classes, with both of them taking seats next to the window with Yutaka sitting behind Nayoko. They are also seen hanging out at Ryuji's rooftop hangout having lunch together. After that we see the two of them studying at the library together. It's no surprise that Yutaka and Nayoko have gotten very close as the years went on and they're well on their way to becoming a happy couple.
Moment #31A: At long last, it's time for the wedding of Mana, Minato, and Mitsu, which takes place at the same venue where Haru and Yusuke got married, the Senso-Ji Temple. Yusuke became an ordained minister for the event as Sayuri, now four years old, is seen being the flower girl for the event while Soji is the ring bearer. After Minato puts Mana and Mitsu's rings on their fingers and they say 'I do', Minato gives both of his wives a loving kiss on the lips, Mitsu first and then Mana. After the kiss, everyone applauded as the three of them looked back at the audience with smiles on their faces.
Moment #31B: At the reception, everyone is having a good time eating delicious food and dancing to good music. After Mana, Mitsu, and Minato share a dance together, Mitsu announces that she's pregnant with Minato's baby, causing everyone to applaud with Sayuri very happy that she's going to be a big (half) sister.
Moment #32: Ren and Ann return to their home after the reception. Once inside, they stop and look at a wall that was once blank. Said wall is now covered in pictures that depicted various moments in their world tour vacation; Ren and Ann are seen in each picture standing in front of various landmarks around the world. The couple look at the wall in pride before Ann turns to her husband.
"What a journey we've all had," Ann said with a smile on her face.
"Yeah," Ren nodded as he turned to face Ann, "And I wouldn't change a thing about it."
Ren and Ann smile at each other before giving each other a kiss and heading upstairs to get ready for bed as we cut to the final image of this montage and this series.
The final image we see is a flashback to when Ren and Ann first met on that fateful rainy day under the Jeunesse et Beaute awning to seek shelter from the rain. They both look at each other before Ann smiles back at Ren and takes a cherry blossom petal that was stuck in his hair, starting off a long and beautiful relationship that has not lost its luster after all these years.
(End BGM)
Fin.