Exhausted from the events which had happened after classes ended, he fell back into the soft cushions of the couch, his sack of books lying beside him. As Souta's eyes shifted to the clock just above the television, he realized it was nearly 6:30pm. No wonder he had a headache forming; his stomach growled at the thought of food, the smell of his mother's cooking drifting from the kitchen.
Still, he could not shake away the encounters which had happened during his trip to the National Museum. That man, Minamino and his curious friend, Botan, were definitely strange; they had conversed about peculiar things such as two different worlds besides their own, and not only that, there was also the mentioning of an interesting device. The Pocket Rune. Supposedly, it was infused with spirit energy and was capable of not only dispelling barriers but also opening portals.
With something like that in his possession, he was sure he could bring Kagome back, but the problem had only worsened when those mysterious people vanished earlier. Just who were they? Honestly, if he were anyone else, he was sure he would have ignored it all, but he couldn't; all of it was suspicious, and he needed answers.
"I can't believe I let them get away…" He grumbled, sighing once more.
Despite this, his trip hadn't been a complete loss. After all, had Hitomi not gone with him, he might not have stumbled upon that book. Retrieving said book from the bag, he stared at the cover curiously. According to Minamino, the historic names written within were true, especially the drawing, which looked like a replica of his sister. "1493…" It was drawn by an artisan named Kosuke, but there was no last name given, much to his disappointment. "I'm surprised something this old survived for five hundred years…"
"Oh, welcome home, Souta!" His mother's voice greeted him. "How was school? Did you visit the National Museum?"
Noticing his mom exit the kitchen, adorned in a yellow sweatshirt, blue jeans and white apron, he nodded, smiling as she took a seat next to him on the couch. "Hitomi and I went together. We didn't get to explore everything though…"
"Well, regardless, it seems like you two had fun. I'm afraid it will still be awhile before food is ready."
"It's okay. Actually, I could use an aspirin, if that's alright? My head is killing me."
A surprised look overcame her countenance just then and as she leaned forward, touching his head softly, she smiled with relief. "It's not a fever, so that's good. Is it a headache?"
He nodded. "Yeah. It started while I was at the museum."
"It probably doesn't help that the air has dropped considerably as of late. It was just on the news that the rest of the week's forecast will be snow and ice. There's a chance there may be some school delays."
Lifting himself off the couch, despite the pounding in his head, he followed his mother toward the kitchen, and as he waited by the drawer for her to retrieve an aspirin, his gaze shifted toward the pot of bubbling stew and the steaming rice cooker on the counter.
"It smells different from before," He commented. Either way, it smelled nice.
She only smiled, offering him two small round pills, which he took, coupled with a glass of water to swallow down. "Well, I was looking through some old recipes and decided I'd make something simple. Do you remember the roast we had yesterday?"
"Mhm."
"Well, with the left-over potatoes, onions, carrots and beef, I prepared a stew! I thought we might try it over rice."
That sounded absolutely delicious right now, and judging by the beefy aroma drifting around the room, it was only a matter of time before it was time to eat. After that, he would take a nice soak in the tub and do some collective thinking about all that's happened and, depending on his headache, he might turn in for the night.
Oh wait, Yoshito wanted me to ask Hitomi something earlier. What was it again?
"It will be about ten minutes before the stew is done. Why don't you go wash up?"
Setting his glass on the counter, he paused for a moment and glanced at his mother's back as she stirred the bubbling pot at the stove. "Where's gramps?" Now that he thought about it, he didn't see him when he walked inside. Normally around this time, he was taking a nap in the chair in front of the television with Buyou on his lap. Speaking of Buyou, where was he?
"Oh, he's still in the wellhouse. We've been getting rid of some old things that have been buried in there. He said he was looking for something."
That would explain the trash bags gathered outside the wellhouse then. Souta paused, his gaze turning back toward the living room where his bag sat on the couch, and he thought about the discovery he made today about Kagome. Should he bring it up to his mom and grandpa?
"What's wrong? If you're tired, you can rest a bit."
"It's… nothing. I'm going to let gramps know supper is almost ready."
Stepping out of the kitchen and ignoring his bag, which was abandoned on the couch, he left the house and made his way toward the wellhouse down the path. Once he arrived, he heard his grandpa sifting through many objects within, and stepping inside, he noticed his grandpa kneeled on the floor before a large crate filled with various books, parchments, scrolls, boxes, small trinkets and various other odd devices scattered around.
"What are you doing, gramps?" He asked curiously, approaching him from behind.
Upon hearing him, the old man turned his head at his approach, though his attention remained focused on the crate in front of him. "Oh, Souta, I was wondering where you've been. I thought your lessons ended early this afternoon. It's nearly evening, boy."
He sweat dropped, moving to kneel beside him, his eyes scanning the objects scattered around the floor. "I went to the National Museum. Remember? I told you and mom about it last night."
"Oh, did you?" He asked. "I guess it must have slipped my mind. Well, how was it? Did you learn anything?"
"Well, I didn't stay for very long. I spent a little time looking around the Warring State's Period exhibit. It was pretty interesting. They had a lot of interesting things on display, including what life was like back then. Hitomi went with me. After that we visited the library, and I borrowed some books…"
"Oh, you went with the Hitomi girl?" He asked, nodding approvingly. "Well, you should have brought her over for supper. It's been a long time since she's visit. The two of you get along really well, Souta."
At this, he couldn't help but blush. "Uh… about that… mom said supper was just about ready."
"I'll only be a little longer…" He replied, piling the books, scrolls and all other objects back into the crate before standing up and hefting it back onto the shelf across from him. "I can't seem to find it…"
"What are you looking for? I can help."
"I'm looking for the property deed I misplaced," He answered, scratching his beard somberly. "It's been a while, but I've been meaning to look for it, but it just hasn't turned up."
Souta looked around. The wellhouse was a complete mess. No wonder gramps couldn't find it. Even before he was born, gramps had a terrible habit of hoarding things and whether they were antique or worth any value, no matter their placement, he would just put them anywhere, as long as there was space.
With a deep sigh, he began sorting through some belongings, pulling out old pottery with hidden scrolls inside, more crates stacked to the brim which were, unsurprisingly, stacked on the highest of shelves. Still, as the minutes pressed on, there was still no sign of the property deed. Of all places, why would he have it stored in the wellhouse? For something so importance as this, shouldn't it be placed in a filing cabinet? Still, it wasn't his place to question his elders.
As he moved to restock the crate back onto its shelf, he paused when he noticed a lacquer black box lying upon the ground at his feet, and curiously, he bent down to inspect it. The outside was painted with pretty white flowers and green and yellow leaves, but the paint was faded and dirtied, the copper hinges on the back rusted with age. It almost looked like a large jewelry box.
Opening it, his eyes widened when he noticed large bold black print titled Real Estate Property Deed, and below it, his mother and father's signatures: Higurashi Kumiko, Higurashi Daniel. As he flipped the document, he saw another Real Estate Property Deed with his grandfather and grandmother's signature, followed by several other documents from previous owners and the owners before them, and surprised by this, he turned around.
"Gramps, I found it!"
"You did?!"
Before he could even nod, his grandpa was immediately at his side, the papers in hand, and he was smiling from ear to ear, tears of joy in his eyes. Judging by the mess, it seemed like he'd been searching well since he left for school this morning. "I'm surprised by how well its preserved."
The old man nodded. "That's the last time I leave it hidden away in here." He exclaimed with a huff. "Most of these are fairly recent, but if you keep flipping through, you'll notice that they date back hundreds and hundreds of years, Souta. Look."
Taking the parchments into his hands, Souta curiously flipped through the pages, and true to his words, the years did indeed go back hundreds of years, in fact, it went well beyond even that. After handing them back to his grandpa, his gaze turned back to the inside of the box, and realizing there were still documents within, he withdrew them. "What are these?"
"Hm? Oh, those are marriage certificates. It's become something of a custom that, for anyone who inherits this property, places their deed and marriage certificates into this box. It's been that way since the old days, Souta. When you and Hitomi get married and inherit this shrine, your names will one day go into this box."
He sweat dropped. "Gramps…"
Feeling his face heat from embarrassment, he couldn't help but feel the tradition was sort of strange, but then again, who was he to judge? Sifting through the certificates, he examined the names and dates curiously, but they didn't seem all that interesting. "Gramps, you told me before that the Higurashi name goes back five hundred years, right?"
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"Would that person's name be listed, then?" He turned, pausing through the marriage certificates.
"Hm. I suppose I can look. Let me see. It would be the first to take up the Higurashi Name…"
While gramps busied himself looking through the documents, Souta found himself lost in thought. And then, an idea struck him, an idea that sounded completely insane, maybe even enough to work. The drawing of the Higurashi Priestess was dated in 1493, and the Higurashi name first took ownership of this shrine around five hundred years ago, around the same time the drawing was created! It couldn't be a coincidence!
Could it be that Kagome took ownership of this shrine?
After all, it would make sense; this was Kagome's home, and if she had survived for this long, then surely, she would find some way to ensure those rights. Right? Somehow, he was confusing himself, his head pounding. Maybe now wasn't a good time to think too deeply.
"Supper is almost ready!" The sound of his mother's voice called from outside. "Are you two still inside?"
Souta's eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth agape, and he exhaled an exasperated whine, enough that it caught his grandpa and mother by surprise. "Whoa, hold on a minute! Are you serious?!"
"What's wrong, Souta?" His mother asked from the doorway.
"Why are you slack jawed? What is it?" Grandpa asked beside him.
Were his eyes playing tricks on him? Even pinching himself was enough of an indicator to tell him this was not a dream or a hallucination. Before him was the last marriage certificate, only this one differed from the others. Unlike the previous ones, which were much more modern in their detail, this one was standard, in fact, it was nothing short but a piece of parchment, crumpled and yellowed with age. How had something like this gone overlooked?
One name stood out upon this certificate, and the year itself brought him chills. It read:
Marriage Certificate of 1491
Musashi Province:
Together, ye must endure the hardships of not only the changing of seasons but also that of the trifles of man. With ye hands, cultivate these fields and yield vegetation to fill the hearts of my people from no longer fearing the past. Together, ye be the future of this land, the kin who will one day bear witness to a new world, a world which will one day come to accept our differences. - High Priestess Kaede
Higurashi Seijun
Higurashi Kagome
Despite his mother's ecstatic cheers from beside him and his grandfather's curiosity overlooking the documents gathered at the dinner table, Souta still could not fathom the situation. Out of everything he had hoped to discover pertaining to his sister in that era, he never expected to stumble upon her marriage certificate.
"Could it really be true?" His mother asked elatedly, her food nearly forgotten in front of her as she examined the small parchment in her hand. "Kagome… she is alive?" She asked incredulously, renewed hope lighting her dark irises as she stared at both Souta and grandpa.
Souta nodded. "Yeah… about five hundred years in the past, give or take…"
"And married!" Grandpa added, his eyes skimming over the scroll. "Why, I can hardly believe it myself! It's a good thing I was looking for these papers, otherwise we would never have known."
"Our Kagome has gotten married?" His mother breathed, smiling from ear to ear.
He couldn't believe it, and Souta wondered if it was really true. Did his sister seriously get hitched in feudal japan? Why? Sure, he could understand that falling in love was not a complete impossibility and that it could happen at any instance, but what about the promise she made to him? What about her family here?
"I'm assuming this is the property deed," Grandpa exclaimed, producing a small scroll which he had unraveled moments ago, and much like the marriage certificate, its writing was also faded and in the same penmanship, written under the same name: High Priestess Kaede. "It shows only one person with the Higurashi name, and the name matches up to the same year on the certificate. It is indeed our Kagome!" He smiled, tears of joy springing at the corners of his eyes.
Souta's mom accepted the aged scroll from his outstretched hands across the table, and her cheeks warmed, a hand cupping her cheek as she smiled happily at the thought. "So, it is true!" Tears filled her eyes, and with the napkin on her lap, she wiped them away. "This is wonderful. I wonder what sort of man Kagome married. Seijun, is it?"
The sight of both his mother and grandpa smiling at this unexpected discovery brought a smile to his own face; it'd been so long since he'd seen their joy, their tears of happiness, but his smile soon fell. Somehow, it had surprised him how accepting they were of this. Unlike himself, they had easily accepted that Kagome would remain there, in another time period, married to a man of the past as though it were normal, and all he could think about was whether she was safe. "There must be a way to bring her back…"
"Oh, Souta…" His mother frowned, lowering the scroll. "We've tried so many times, but I'm afraid it's now beyond our control," She replied softly. "What matters right now is that she is safe, and that she is not alone anymore."
He nodded; his hands clenched beneath the table. But how could they be certain that was true? What if she wasn't fine? What if she was struggling? What if she'd been forced to marry?
An earlier conversation with Hitomi surfaced in his thoughts, and recalling the words which she had spoken to him at the museum, he felt his frustrations heighten. According to her, women were only servants to their lords and husbands; imagining the very image of his sister groveling at any man's feet left him scowling at the dinner table, his stew forgotten.
No, Kagome would never let something like that happen; besides, she's too strong spirited to let anyone push her around. He mused thoughtfully.
Despite his own worries, his mother smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure she is. After all, she's inherited the property, and not only that, she's gotten married. I'm sure she must be happy."
"But how do we know that?"
His grandpa suddenly interrupted. "Judging by the clothing Kagome wore when we last saw her, she was likely living among the common folk of that era, and according to what's written on this deed here," He pointed at the yellowed parchment in front of his dinner plate. "It was signed by the High Priestess of that village, and that person handed over the rights to the land."
"But why?"
"How should I know?" He asked.
His mother mused. "Who did it belong to before it was handed to Kagome?"
Grandpa didn't have to search far, especially since the lacquer black box was seated right upon the table beside him, and as he sifted through the papers curiously, he held up another worn paper. "It says here it belonged to High Priestess Kaede, the very person who handed the rights to Kagome after. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Kagome must have won her favor somehow. Why, it's not every day that an ordinary person would be granted land," He added. "If I had to take a guess, I'd say she is probably living a better life than before, and with a husband there, she will have someone to depend on."
"So that's how it happened?" His mother chuckled. "It would seem Kagome is in expert hands, after all. I was worried at first, especially since it seemed she was having a hard time there, but it seems she's adjusted just fine. I can rest easy knowing this."
Those very words struck him hard, the guilt of knowing what lay within text plaguing his every thought, and Souta glanced down at the book on his lap. Should he tell them? What would be the benefit now, besides the fact that it's a picture drawn of Kagome? He was sure his mother and grandpa would want to look at it in more detail, but if they did, they would no doubt lose their moment of happiness, and that was the last thing he wanted.
With that thought in mind, he feigned elation at the moment, if only to appease his mother's worries concerning his inquiries about Kagome's safety, and instead listened silently to the conversation. Back and forth, both his mother and grandpa conversed about Kagome and her mysterious husband and whether Kagome had many children and if those children had inherited blue eyes like their father.
Despite all that had happened over the past five months, today had been quiet and interesting day, odd overall, but still fulfilling in the sense that he felt as if he had accomplished something, as small as it was. Not only had he helped grandpa locate the documents earlier and discover his sister's marriage certificate, but the date's in which she'd married and signed ownership of the land matched eerily similar with the same character in the book which he kept securely upon his lap; the only difference between the dates was the two-year gap.
Closing his eyes and hoping to drown out the voices of his mom and grandpa talking animatedly at the table, Souta tried to recall the last conversation he had with Kagome. Maybe there had been something there that he'd missed? Something important which could help him better understand the situation at hand?
The sound of the clock ticking just above the stove top distracted him well enough to drown out the surrounding voices, and as he fell into a more relaxed state of mind, his body suddenly felt weightless. And then, a torrent of fading blackness engulfed him, his muddle-headed confusion vanishing and replaced with a numbing sensation, and he opened his eyes to his subconscious.
In the memory he envisioned, Souta saw himself standing just outside the house, on a familiar chilly evening, the night air sweeping through his thin pajamas. As though he'd taken a trip through time, his eyes found the incredible sight of the Goshinboku, illuminated by an ethereal light, rippling just at its bark in a distorted fashion.
Though the sight left him utterly speechless and perturbed, perhaps even a little frightened, he could not deny his own curiosity. And so, mustering up his courage, he approached the tree, until he was no more but a few feet away; from there, he could feel a cool breeze drawing him near, the faint outline of trees manifesting within the distortion, and he swallowed nervously.
Footsteps sounded softly behind him and preparing himself, mentally and emotionally, he turned, his gaze falling upon his older sister. Just as he remembered her, she was standing there, his hiking bag attached to her back, filled to the brim with too many necessities, and she was frowning sadly at him, her hands clinging to the straps.
"Souta…"
"Why do you have to go back there? Those people… didn't they treat you unfairly?"
The vision of his sister nodded somberly, the scars within her heart not fully healed, but she approached him slowly, her aqua gaze shifting warily to the tree behind him. Only when she paused at his side did she turn to him, tears fresh behind her strong eyes. "You're right. It was difficult, I'll admit, but I shouldn't blame them. Just as I was scared, so were they."
"Then stay. No one is forcing you to go back there," He exclaimed. But to his surprise, she only shook her head, and he found himself confused by this. No? Did he forget something important? "What is it? Are you being manipulated?" He asked carefully.
"I keep having these dreams, and in those dreams, the village is caught in flames, and the faces I once knew… were covered in blood," She admitted, pointing toward the bark.
He realized in that instant. How could he forget? Ever since she returned, she'd been plagued by endless nightmares of that place, and on that night, it had been so bad that she had left. What a coincidence that the Goshinboku Tree manifested its mysterious light. Souta's gaze narrowed at the thought. So, it was connected to her dreams after all, but whether it was a demon or something otherworldly, he couldn't be certain.
"I know it might sound crazy, Souta, but as crazy as this sounds, I keep hearing this voice call out to me, as though its being whispered on the wind, and even now in my dreams," She admitted somberly. "Save us, thus, is your fate. That's what it keeps telling me…"
Russet eyes widened at this realization. A voice? While he stood there, watching the image of his sister await his response calmly, he found he could not form one, in fact, he was left speechless, uncertain whether Kagome had in fact revealed some truth in any of this long before. And yet, there was some familiarity, he was sure. The dreams, the voices, and they were all clearly linked to the light which had manifested around the Goshinboku, but whatever that light was… well, it was completely beyond Souta's understanding.
So, what was it?
There was a stir in the breeze just then, the leaves at his feet dancing in circles between him and his sister, but when he noticed something take shape right before his eyes, his mouth fell agape. Standing just a head taller, and dressed similarly as the young man he'd briefly acquainted himself with at the National Museum, Souta found himself caught within the deep forest gaze of Minamino, the young man whose countenance seemed just as forlorn as the image beside him.
"It's you…"
Sparing only the slightest glance to the girl beside him, Souta watched as the older man approached him, and stepping out of his path, he watched in surprising and bewildered fascination as the image acted on its own accord; Minamino was inspecting the Goshinboku Tree with curious interest, his gaze sweeping its distorted length with mild curiosity. It was only after a deafening minute that his voice pulled him from his reverie.
"Perhaps the tree is a demon in disguise with the ability to produce hallucinations," He began slowly, his words calm. "Though it could be the tree, itself is—"
"Infused with spiritual power," Souta answered, already knowing the rest of the dialogue, since it replayed like a mantra in his head since he left the National Museum. "You told me that, and I still do not know what you mean."
And Minamino turned at this, his hands shoved into the pockets of his beige overcoat, though he did not wear a smile, nor did he say a word. Instead, a heavy silence fell between them, the likes of which left Souta feeling incredibly uncomfortable.
"Though I know it's entirely useless to ask, since you're just a figment of my imagination and can only reply with answers we've already discussed, I still find you incredibly suspicious," He exclaimed, crossing his arms. "I overheard you and Botan talk about a weird device, and you were speaking about other strange things like Human World, Demon World and Spirit World. Just who are you?"
Minamino did not reply, but he smiled a polite and unnerving smile, the likes of which only frustrated Souta. Without even a care in the world, he stood at a towering height before him; the wind blowing his burgundy tresses over his shoulders, and for a moment, he thought he saw a flicker of amber in those forest green eyes of his, his lips curving into an unexpected smirk, the likes which took him aback; Souta didn't recall ever seeing that sort of expression on the man's face, and it honestly shocked him, morbidly so.
Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him. After all, this was only his imagination and nothing more. "Look. I'm going to get straight to the point. That device can open portals and dispelling barriers. I heard all of it. Like I told you before, about the tree… as you can see right here… I think this could be the answer to bringing my sister back from that place. It's already been five months."
Those forest orbs flickered to the image of his sister a few feet away, her countenance void of any emotion, standing still as though time had frozen for her. His gaze didn't linger long, however, as it returned to Souta, and with it followed a slight and curious incline of Minamino's head, as though he found the information quite interesting.
Feeling as though he were being taunted, the image before him clearly refusing to give him any answers, regardless of truth or fiction, Souta felt his frustration only rise. Out of spite, he willed his subconscious to erase Minamino from sight, but what he didn't expect was for the young man to remain standing, unmoved and unbothered.
"What the—" He gasped, staring flabbergasted when the image refused to vanish from sight, and yet he remained fixed to his position, a delicate brow raised as though clearly amused by his attempt. "How is that even possible?"
"That's confidential!" A booming feminine voice exclaimed from behind him.
Surprised by the voice, especially since it was not Kagome's, he turned, staggering on his feet, his eyes widening when he noticed another familiar face appear before him, the image of his sister nowhere to be seen. Instead, he was staring eye to eye with the blue-haired woman, friend of Minamino. Botan.
"We can't tell you something important like that!" She replied, huffing, her hands planted firmly on her hips. "Don't think we weren't aware of you following us earlier, Souta!" She suddenly rounded on him; a finger pointed directly at his face.
"Huh?! W-what? How do you know my name?"
"Souta!"
A dull pain reverberated from the back of his head, and he felt a fuzziness cloud his senses. As Minamino stood alongside Botan to chant his name, his eyes transfixed to their lips confusedly as the pain intensified, he suddenly felt a ringing in his ears. Just then, the dreamlike state he'd envisioned moments before suddenly crumbled, the voices muffling, and then he felt gravity pull him down its mountainous steep, and he awoke with a start.
"Souta. Oh, you must be exhausted…" His mom exclaimed worriedly. "If you're not feeling well, why don't you lay down?"
Somewhat flustered from what he'd just experienced, he reassured his mother and grandpa he was alright. As he allowed himself a few more bites of his food, which he realized was only barely warm, he couldn't help but wonder why he had envisioned Minamino and his friend in that instance when he had only called for Kagome; either way, it had effectively freaked him out enough that he no longer felt an appetite.
"Can I be excused?" He asked moments after to which his mom nodded.
From there, he stood up and gathered his plate and bowl and placed them onto the counter behind him, saying good night to his family members before stepping out of the kitchen's archway. When he arrived in the living room, he paused at the staircase behind the sofa, but before ascending, he noticed Buyou staring out the window curiously, his tail swaying from side to side.
Curious, Souta moved to look behind the feline, but he could see nothing, nothing but the darkness of twilight enveloping the skies. Although he should have resumed his trek up the stairs and to his bedroom, he found his gaze drifting toward the lone tree in his yard. Beyond the snow covered ground; it was a shadow erected from the earth now, its many branches bare, but he felt a strange inclination to approach it.
"Souta? I thought you were going to bed," His mother called from the kitchen. "Where are you going this late at night?"
With his jacket already on and the door propped open, the cool air blowing inside, he turned at his mother's voice, and he couldn't help but awkwardly rub his neck, smiling as she approached him. "Actually, I wanted a little air. I won't stay out too long," He promised.
A weak smile graced her countenance just then, and as though understanding his feelings, she nodded. Reaching for the green scarf hanging off the coatrack beside the door, his mother affectionately wrapped it around him, enough that not even a trace of his neck or chin could be seen; it was the same scarf Kagome had knitted for him when she was still a high school student. "Then at least wear this before you step out," She replied.
Souta touched the soft material thoughtfully, and once his mother had finished seeing to his scarf's placement, he stepped out of the house. Descending the stairs from the sliding glass door, he slowly made his way across the snow-covered landscape, snow crunching with every step he took. It was cloudy, the air especially chilly, and he shivered, pulling the scarf higher above his mouth so he could breathe a little easier.
As soon as he arrived at the base of the Goshinboku, its appearance seeming nonthreatening, he stared at it for the longest time. There was nothing amiss, nothing strange about it, and as he approached it closer, he placed his hand upon its bark. It was solid, and he clenched his hand. "If you really are a demon, your tricks are getting old…" He commented.
Perhaps he was waiting for a response, for something to happen that would confirm this suspicion, but nothing happened, nothing besides the moan of the wind rattling the branches above him. And then, something moved at his feet, his gaze shifting down, but when he realized it was only Buyou, rubbing up against his leg, he sighed. "I guess you're worried too, huh?" He asked.
"I know it might sound crazy, Souta, but as crazy as this sounds, I keep hearing this voice call out to me, as though its being whispered on the wind, and even now in my dreams… Save us, thus, is your fate. That's what it keeps telling me…"
His eyes narrowed at the memory. Had he not delved deeper into his thoughts, he might have forgotten those bits of important information, and while it still seemed unclear to Souta exactly what was going on, he knew one thing was certain; those dreams and the voice were all connected to the tree. Whether the tree was a demon, a spirit or even a portal into the past, the only way he could attain those answers was if he could somehow meet those two people again. Minamino and Botan.
A white snowflake, followed by a few more, fell upon his clenched hand upon the bark, and easing his tense expression, he pulled away from the Goshinboku, his head turned upwards. It was snowing. "I wonder if it's snowing over there right now…"