I could never forget the pain I've felt when you left me here and all those times, I kept on wishing you're still near... ― Florence Joyce
xxxxxx
"Aren't you thinking a little too deep now?"
Seiichi turned to the source of that voice and he wasn't sure if he would be annoyed or happy to see the person who he didn't realize had appeared behind him. He was on the balcony of the room he was using in the apartment and thought to take in some fresh air even for a moment. And to be able to think properly before he finally carries out the plan he has wanted to do for a long time.
"You started scaring people again. What are you doing there behind my back, huh? They even let you into my room again without asking for my permission."
"Mr. Yasuhara, I've been standing here behind you for a while, if you only knew. But your attention isn't around here at all. You have to blame me, while you're the one having his mind floating around."
"You're joking again, huh, Shuji?"
As for Shuji, he just grinned and even put up a V sign. "I just missed you. Don't be angry. This one, it's like you're not used to me doing that to you. Also, Uncle Hideki let me bother you here because he knows he won't be able to get your attention anymore since I'm sure you're thinking a lot. Besides, this is okay. It's just proof that they trust me when it comes to you. "
Then his face suddenly became serious and the teasing smile on his face disappeared. "I heard you're going back to your country. Are you sure you can do it?"
"What kind of question is that?"
"You know exactly what I mean, Seiichi. There is a big reason why you thought of returning to your home country."
Seiichi had no response to Shuji's words. But he knew he could not lie to this young man. This person was similar to Hitoshi for many reasons. The only difference was that Shuji was able to move more freely because of his job as Hitoshi's second and secret shadow guardian before the latter was killed. And now, one of the Shinomiya clan prince's orders here was to guard him secretly.
A sigh became Seiichi's response before thinking of speaking so he could answer what Shuji said. "When will I be able to hide something from you, huh? But you're right. There's a bigger reason why I wanted to go back to my home country. I just had this strong feeling that it has the answer I'm looking for about what happened to Hitoshi and Kourin. I know everything happened in Kyoto. But there are things back home that I don't know why I think could hold an answer about what happened. Grandpa's chest box, Hitoshi's Iris Sword, the four roses of different colors― "
"What did you say?" Shuji immediately interrupted Seiichi's speaking. "Did you just say you have the Iris Sword?"
He nodded. "Hitoshi entrusted that to me before I left, a month before he died. At least, that's the date I saw it on the letter that came with the Iris Sword when he sent me that."
"But why would he do that? Do you know that the other clans are still looking for that sword to this day? And then, I'll just know that he entrusted it to you?"
"I also don't know the real reason why Hitoshi did that. But there's only one thing I'm sure of. I have to take care of that because it's important not only to Shrouded Flowers but to other people as well who are possibly connected to them."
Shuji couldn't speak after that. Seiichi sighed and looked again at the sky which was starting to darken again.
"That sword could hold some answers with regards to my missing memories. Or even any information with regards to my parents and their deaths. I'm not sure. But I want to know if what Hitoshi said in the letter is true that the Iris Sword might be able to help me. "
"Can't you change your decision?"
Seiichi faced Shuji, still not losing the seriousness he had only once seen on his face. "This is the only way for me to finish what I should have done a long time ago. I don't expect you to understand me. But I want to do this for my sake. Maybe this is my way of fully moving on from losing two of the most important people in my life besides my family. "
Shuji was the one who soon sighed after he said that. "Since when did you become so dramatic, Yasuhara-san? But you're right. The answer you need may be in that country. But this is what I want you to remember, Seiichi. No matter what happens, I can tell that this journey of yours will be one of the most painful that you'll ever encounter in your life. But don't let it beat you to the ground. Do what you can to stand up and fight with all you've got. Okay? "
Seiichi couldn't help but grin before nodding. "I just found out that you also have some dramatic veins in your body."
"Do you have to ruin a good mood that way?"
He just laughed at that. Even so, she couldn't help but thank this man because he didn't leave him amid his mourning the deaths of two people important to him.
xxxxxx
Seiichi just took a deep breath when he finally got out of the airport and was currently waiting for a ride home. His trip from New Zealand also took a few hours, but he devoted more of it to think a few things. A big part of that was still about Kourin.
He just laughed to himself because of what was happening to him. Two years have passed, but it seems that one of the hardest things he could do in life was to completely forget. Although that was one of the reasons why he went with his uncle and cousin to New Zealand, it seemed that his effort was in vain.
But even if he punished himself for it, he knew it was useless. Especially since he has been visited by inexplicable dreams several times -- and all of that has to do with Hitoshi and his accident on Mt. Cleantha that caused him to lose some parts of his memories when he was 13 years old. He wasn't sure if those two things were connected. But he was sure of only one thing -- the answer he was looking for was in that country.
And here he was.
At the same time, he remembered the Iris Sword belonging to Hitoshi. He did not carry it even when he went to New Zealand. He had a hiding place for it that he surely won't be tampered with by anyone. One more thing, only he knew about that. He told no one else because he knew the inherent danger of that sword.
Even to his childhood friend Reiko.
Seiichi took a deep breath when he finally had a taxi to take him home to his grandfather's house.
'There's no turning back now...' He would discover the truth no matter what happens. And nothing could stop him.