Not too long ago, when Rei about to finished his words. A little girl shows up in front of him with a teary eyes.
*TAP TAP TAP*
Then that little girl ran at him with full speed.
"ONII-CHAN!!!"
*BAM*
"Buuughhhh??!!!"
And tackled him down towards the floor, Rei's eyes about to pop out from the impact and felt the pain from his stomach due that tackle.
"W-what happen?"
Rei opened his eyes and rubbing his head a bit, as he confused of what happen to him.
"Uwaaaahhhh!! Onii-chan...!!"
After that, the little girl cried while hugging onto his body.
'She cried?! Uhhhhh...is she?'
Rei recognized this little girl, because the moment their eyes met, he unconsciously remember her through Ray's memories.
'[Emily Houston], she is Ray's little sister.'
This little girl have brown color hair just like Ray, but the difference on between them that her eyes have green-jade color.
While Emily continue to cry in his arms, Rei gently embrace his arms around her body.
'Is she....worried about me?' Rei looked at her with loneliness in his eyes when remembered his past.
"How long was it....when someone worried about me like this?' But he shook his head and slowly smiled at her and gently stroke this little girl long hair.
'I shouldn't think like that...right now, I should act as [Ray Houston].'
"I'm fine now, Emily. So don't worry." Rei said in his gentle tone.
Emily slowly looked up at him while still clinging on his body, with her teary eyes.
"B..but..but...b-because of me...Onii-chan got hurt!"
"I-if I was careful...and take mom away...I...I" She stuttered with her running nose.
Rei smiled and shook his head as he patted her head again.
"I told you, see? I'm fine now!"
He said while he showed her by lifting his arms and waving them to assured her that he is fine.
Emily nodded as fast as she could but she still hugging him tight and not letting him go.
Rei smiled and somehow it made him feel warm and relaxed, "Don't worry, your onii-chan is fine now." He said with a cheerful tone, after that he get up from the floor with her while still holding her in his arms.
But then...
*TAP TAP TAP*
A sound of footsteps came in just like before.
A lady came into his room. The lady that looks like in her 20s with brown hair color and green eyes just like Emily.
The lady holds her mouth with her both hands while looking at him in disbelief looks. She quickly ran at him.
"Ray!" Then she hugged him tight together with Emily, "I'm glad...I'm glad...forgive mommy...for not being able to protect you."
As her tears slowly fell down, Rei could only accept the hugs and looking at this lady.
'She is...his mother, [Sheila Houston].' Rei remembered her in his memories, 'Well let just reply to her, or she might get worried.'
Rei gives off the same smile towards her and tap her back softly to comfort her.
"Don't worry...I'm fine now, see?" Rei dies the same thing like he did to Emily by waving his arms.
"So, you don't have to worry about me...
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[Mother]."
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.
"....???"
Suddenly, the whole room suddenly begin quiet.
Rei was confused for this silent appeared out of nowhere, 'Did I made a mistake just now?'
Rei blinks his eyes few times and still confused why they got quiet like this.
Then...her expression change.
"M-m-m-m-mother?!" Sheila panicked.
"Y-yes??" Rei replied as he still confused by her reaction.
"No no no no!!! Ray had stopped calling me me [Mommy]!!" Sheila began to cry as her tears streaming down non-stop.
'He did?!!' Rei was surprised that she cried because of him calling her that.
Then Emily, joined in, "Uwaaaahh!!... Onii-chan!!!" She cried loudly together, after seeing her mother cried in front of her.
'You cried too!!' Rei panicking as he doesn't know what to do with these two cry babies.
'Uhhh...this is insane.'
Suddenly...
*TAP TAP TAP*
A sound of someone running to this room, and this time an uncle came into this room.
"What happen?!! Did something happen to Ray?!" He looks in his 20s as well like Sheila, he have a deep red color messy hair and golden eyes just like Rei's right eyes.
He was wearing a black apron with his simple clothes and he also wear a big gloves on his two hand with a google around his head.
'Another one appeared!'
'But is he? [Adam Houston], Ray's father?' Rei thought of it for a moment, while observing the way he looks.
'He is so messy! Did he just came back from his workshop or something?!'
Rei could tell from the way his appearance, but more importantly right now, Adam is concerned about these two crying.
"Daddy!" Emily called her father.
"Y-yes Emily?! What's wrong?! Did something happen?!" Adam panicked as well.
"Onii-chan just now....he....he called Mommy."
"[Mother]. "
*RUMBLE*
Suddenly, Adam felt like he is being struck by a thunder.
"M-m-m-m-mother??!!" And even showing the same panick expression just like his wife.
'You too?!'
"Is he in that age?! No, he shouldn't be, but calling Sheila, [Mother] just like that!!—" Adam muttering non-stop and that made Rei worried about what is about to happen, right now.
"Ray!!" Adam called him.
And Rei shook for a moment when he called him with a loud tone, "Y-yes?!"
Then Adam leaned closely to his son, "T-try to call me [Daddy] okay? Like you used to!"
"H-huh??" Rei was embarrassed by what he told me to call him, "U-umm....that's a bit..."
"Oh no!! He is on rebellious age!!" Adam didn't let him finish and stated his age.
But Rei currently is 6 years old, while in reality he is still 15 years old in heart.
'I haven't said anything... but he already letting his fantasy goes wild.' Rei sighed a bit.
'But...I cannot let them knew that I am not Ray they used to know, so!' Rei braced himself.
"D-d...d..." Rei stuttered and hesitated to call him.
When Adam sees this, he felt hope, "Yes! Just like that! Just keep going!"
"D-d-d...[father]."
"..."
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Suddenly the whole room back to become quiet again, after that.
"UWAAHHHHHHH!!!" Emily and Sheila begin to cry more loudly.
"OH GOD!!! What happen to my son?! Is this my punishment!" Adam cried as well.
As Rei stood there watching the whole family cried over those words, he gave up trying. 'How did this happen ....'
In that morning, a loud cried can be heard from Houston's house in the village.
"Uwaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!"
*******
After few minutes had pass, Adam, Sheila and Emily was sitting on the floor in front of him while staring at him in teary eyes after Rei calmed them down.
Rei sighed, "Have you all calm down now?" While acting like he is the only one who matured.
They all nodded in sync and stay quiet.
Rei sighed again while looking at his parent and sister who staring at him with their teary eyes.
"I told you, that I'm fine now." Rei spoke to them again.
"But...but..." But their tears won't stop.
"Stop crying like that, it will bother the neighbors."
They nodded in sync again, but still worried about him.
'They still worried, how am I supposed to explain them.'
Rei thought to himself while looking at them as he closing his eyes and slowly sighed again.
'I just need to lie.' And thought a plan to assured them.
"I'm sorry, I just don't know what to call you both, since my memories are all over the places."
Rei explained while rubbing the back of his head and stay smiling at them.
'I feel bad about lying, but I need them to stop being worried.'
Adam and Sheila start to looked at each other before they looked at him back again.
After that, they gently embrace him together.
"It's fine, the only thing that is matter...is that you are fine now." Adam said.
"Yes, the doctor said you got hit by your head, and it might took few days to wake up, so we were worried."
"But over all, that we are happy that you are fine." Sheila explained.
"So...welcome back, our son~" Adam and Sheila spoke with smile, together with Emily who joined together as well.
Rei was suprised to see such scene, that he never thought would see in his whole life.
'They...accepted it so easily.' Then he could feel his heart start beating hard.
'Is this really fine?'
His face suddenly looks discomfort while looking down.
'I am not their son, but they were worried about me...'
'No, they were worried of Ray Houston, the real owner of this body who is currently sleeping within me.'
'But...is it really okay, for me to he here? Receiving their kindness that should be for him?' Rei's thought was jumbled.
The reason is simple.
Because...this is his first time being welcomed like this.
'Do I really deserve to be treated like this?'
While Rei still looking down, Emily slowly crawl towards him and gives him a hug.
"Onii-chan, are you really okay?" Emily words wake him up and slowly makes him to look at her.
"U-uhhh...?? Y-yeah, I'm fine." After he replied, Emily gently reached her small hand towards his head.
"...?"
Then she gently patted his head, just like the way he did to her to comfort him.
Rei widened his eyes as he was surprised and could feel her warm hand touched his hair.
He closed his eyes and slowly smiled a bit seeing this little girl trying to comfort him.
But then, some words passed by inside his mind.
Words that he never said it once to his parents who abandon him in the past.
"Mom....Dad...."
Rei called Adam and Sheila, as they both looking at him again.
Then a question, appeared within his head. The question he is meaning to ask to his parents long ago.
"Am I, a good son for you both?"
That question makes Adam and Sheila froze a bit. After hearing their son asking such question that shouldn't be said by mere 6 years old kid.
"Why are asking that?" Sheila asked him first.
Rei didn't know how to answer that, he cannot said that he is not the Ray Houston.
"I just don't know...I don't remember."
"Ray..." Sheila could see the pain from his eyes.
Rei then began to talk.
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"When I was asleep..."
'No, don't...'
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"I had a dream.'
'Please stop.'
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"In the dream, I saw you all left me alone."
'Stop saying that!'
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"And I just thought that...maybe I did something wrong."
'STOP IT.'
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"And that make you both sad."
'It's not his past!'
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"So...I wanted to say..."
'.....'
"I'm sorry."
Rei were conflicted with his inner heart that he have been suppressed it for so long.
The words he said, the scenery that keep playing over and over in his dream when he was tired.
A dream where his parent left him after divorce.
Now, he began to regretted it after saying that to them.
"...."
They both looked at him as the whole room gone quiet again.
Rei shutted his eyes tightly, bracing himself if they gonna do something to him.
But unexpectedly...
*THUD*
Adam and Sheila began to hug him.
"....??"
Rei looked at them with widen eyes, he wasn't expecting them to hug him like that.
"What are you saying? You did nothing wrong, Ray." Adam spoke.
"And even if you did, we would always forgive you." Eliza turn to speak.
"So don't worry, because whatever you do, even if they were good or bad...
.
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you are still our son that I can be proud of." Adam said.
"...!" Rei was surprised to hear it, the words he have been waiting to hear.
"Yes, no matter how bad you will became in the future, or even when the world goes against you...we will always love you, no matter what." Sheila continued.
Now, Rei who heard those words, made him felt like something struck into his heart.
And that triggered something within him, that he had been holding.
Which start to burst out.
And suddenly...
His tears begin to fall down.
"....??"
'U-uhh....? W-why am I...crying?'
Rei just realized his tears keep falling down and even though he tried to wipe it, the tears keep coming.
'Were those words was the words that I have been longing for?'
'This place...no, this body isn't mine to begin with, yet why am I feeling like this.'
In the midst of crying, a voice came out from his mind...
'Hey.'
Rei widen his eyes, when he heard a familiar voice.
'Why are you crying...?'
But the voice was faint.
'This...isn't my place.'
'Why not...?'
And it slowly became clearer.
'Because this is Ray Houston place from the start.'
"So what?"
When the voice become more clearer, Ray appears at right in front of him. As they went back into his mind.
"Houston...?"
"Kiritsuka...I had seen your memories in my sleep."
"You've seen it?..."
"Yes, it was hard to watch, to see your parents left you alone during your childhood."
"So, I understand because of those painful memories you've been through, you had it hard time to accept other kindness."
"But despite that, you stayed strong and help others, and continue live until the end, for yourself." Ray spoke about his memories that he encountered during his sleep.
'Houston...'
Then Ray sighed, which surprised Rei.
'...?!'
'Seriously, it wasn't that long when I go back to sleep, here you are look a mess.'
'Now I am sure, that you are a crybaby just like me, Hahaha!' Ray laughed at him which made Rei irritated by him changing the atmosphere.
'Don't laugh.' Rei sniffed.
'Yeah yeah~' Ray acted coyly towards him.
'This guy...' which made Rei felt irritated again.
Ray chuckled, 'Heh, but anyway, I'm sorry of my meddlesome family, but despite that, they are kind people.'
'So try to get used to it.'
'...' But Rei stay silent after he said that.
Ray sighed, "From the way I see it, we both really are the same, from the way we look and the misfortune that befall to us."
"But on the other side, we are different." Ray looked straight at him.
"Houston..."
"So now you just need remember these words."
"What words?..."
"You are me and I am you." Ray spoke.
"You are me...and I am you?" Rei repeated.
"We are one and now we share the same fate together."
"So, no matter what happen we will help each other."
Hearing those words Rei's heart feel resonates towards his.
"I am not in a place to told you this, but...I want you be happy in my place, Kiritsuka " Ray smiled at him.
"So, take care of my family, [partner]." And finally...
Rei went back to the reality again, as he saw Adam and Sheila with his little sister Emily are now staring at him with worried looks after seeing him crying.
"U-ummm... s-sorry...I-I didn't mean to—"
*THUD*
"...?!"
Suddenly Adam, Sheila, and Emily.
They hugged him together at the same time.
"It's fine...cry much as you want....Ray" Sheila said with her gentle tone.
"You don't have to worry about it...just let us be here to comfort you." Adam followed.
They both smiled at him but Emily cried again.
"Uwaaaah!!Onii-chan!! Don't cry! Emily is here!" Emily just keep tugging his shirt with her teary eyes.
Rei begin to smile towards them as he held his chest feelings the happiness swell inside of him.
'They aren't my family, but....what is this feelings?' Rei thought of it while slowly hugging them back.
And reminded him, those words that Ray mentioned to him.
'We are one....huh....such a weird feelings.'
'But...this isn't bad at all, Houston.'
'I will be happy in your place just like you said Houston.'
'And I will swear with my life, that I will save your family, these kind people, in your place...no matter what it takes.'
Rei closed his eyes, letting himself being embraced by them.
The boy who always suffer and sacrifce himself for others, finally he felt happy for the first time in his life.
After few hours had pass, Rei already calmed down from crying as Emily was laying down on his lap and sleeping after crying so much.
Rei slowly looking at Adam and Sheila who sits on between them.
"Ummmm...Dad, can I have a request to ask?"
"Request? You don't have to ask! Just tell me what you want! Because I will do anything for my son!" Adam said while accepting his question with proud looks as Sheila giggled seeing him like that.
"Then, can you teach me how to forge a sword?"
Rei ask with a smile.
"Of course!!—huh??" Adam who answered him right away, began to be surprised by his request.
"EEEHHHHHHHHHHH?!!!!!"
Again on that day a loud voice could be heard again from Houston house as people from the village wondering what happen inside their house.
To be continue...