Sitting in a lotus position and closing her eyes. Kaede began to see fear and belonging. The fear came from what she believed was a wrong move or answer. The belonging came from being beside her husband.
"Hubby!" She went over and saw him.
"How are you?" Daiki asked.
"Wonderful." She answered honestly.
"Honey, are you sorry that we named Rex the reason we did?" Daiki asked.
Looking at her husband, she could tell that was bothering him.
"That was the name you wanted. We promised each other that the winner of the game back then got to choose which name our son got. I found it funny that you wanted to name him after your favorite dinosaur."
Daiki blushed.
"We went to the dinosaur exhibit and saw a Tyrannosaurus Rex. I remember you saying, "This looks majestic." I always wanted you to be happy. You always put me first and made sure that I was happier than you. I made sure you were happy with naming our son back then."
Daiki looked amazed at how well his wife treated him. Even though her Soul was telling the truth. He could tell something was not being said.
"What is the problem your Soul is not telling me?" Daiki asked.
The next words came forth and Kaede could not stop them.
"I did not want our son to be named Rex. You always made sure I was happy. How could I not accept it when you wanted our son to be named after a dinosaur!"
Kaede felt saddened because her deepest regret had just been revealed.
"Thank you!" Daiki hugged Kaede.
She felt immense emotions running through her Soul. The greatest thing was that Daiki hugged her and let her Soul feel peace.
"Follow me." Daiki said.
Seeing her husband reach his hands to her. She gladly accepted them and different places came into view. It was like a game and the player could choose which location to be sent to.
There were four different places. The first one was a city at nighttime. The second one was a snowy mountain. The third one looked like their home on Earth. The final one was hidden.
"Choose where you want to go first. I will then choose the second. We will be sent to the third one automatically. If you pass the three, the hidden one will be unlocked." Daiki said.
Kaede looked at the choices. She really did not like choosing any of them. She did not want to go through traumatic experiences.
"Honey, this is not what you think. Just choose and let your Soul guide you through the places. We will eventually find the answers out ourselves." Daiki told her.
"I choose the city one." Kaede said.
Kaede's vision suddenly blacks out and then a city at night appears. Walking down the road, it turned into the red light district. Kaede heard Daiki's name being called out by thousands of women.
She was furious. She loved her husband, even has a child. She never thought of marrying anyone else. Her parents even tried to bribe others but got pinned down by Kaede.
"WHY?" Kaede shouted.
Her Soul felt a tinge. The feeling of a wrong answer or action was being done. Kaede ran towards Daiki.
She wanted to overtake him but the feeling of the wrong answer or action still felt heavy on her.
"What is this?" Kaede felt confused.
Walking out of the red light district, the couple came across a golden palace. The couple walked inside, thousands of women barely dressed. Walking around like nothing matters and shouting Daiki's name. Kaede tried her best to keep her calm but it was getting thinner by the second.
Then Daiki posed a question, "If this was truly me. Would you still accept the fact that thousands of women would be by my side?"
Hearing the question, Kaede felt stunned. She was the one who proposed to him. She wanted to always be by his side. She made the vow to never leave his side till death. Here was the question that shook her entire being.
What was the answer.
"Of course I would stay by your side. I would knock every other woman out and crush them under my foot." Kaede answered.
Daiki laughed. Kaede's vision went black again.
This time they were on the snowy mountain. Inside a cave barely keeping warm.
"We need firewood." Daiki said.
"You head out first and I will follow." Kaede replied.
Hearing Kaede, he began to refuse. Kaede's stubborn side would not allow him to break through.
"Fine but don't say I didn't warn you." Daiki finished.
The two went out. Barely able to see anything because the snow was higher than most trees. That meant they had to climb higher than what was needed at the time.
"It is getting extremely cold hubby." Kaede said.
"Yeah. I think I just saw some branches ahead. Just a little more okay."
Kaede just went with him.
Grabbing what he thought was a stick. A large mouth grabbed his neck.
Kaede tried to run but her legs would not move.
"I want to help." Kaede began to cry.
The mouth let go of Daiki but the damage was done. The creature that bit Daiki was a wolf on the verge of death. It took down another being just so it did not die alone.
Kaede looked at her husband. Crying her heart out and wanted to tell him everything she ever wanted. Her Soul would not allow her.
"Kaede," coughing up blood, "would you," coughing up more blood, "die with me here?" coughing up more blood.
"Hubby, I could not and cannot live without you. I love our son to death. You were the prize that I always wanted. Our son has good friends and the house is paid for. What he needs is a loving wife. I cannot give him that." Kaede said from her Soul.
"Thank you."
Knowing the third place was going to be at their house. Kaede took a deep breath in before her vision went black.
"Wake up mommy." Rex called.
"I am up darling." Kaede answered.
Smooch
"Come on, let's celebrate Christmas together." Daiki said.
"Okay be there in a second." Kaede was not the one to answer.
She turned and saw a different version of herself. She could not tell what was up. One thing for sure though, this was not what she was expecting.
"What is up?" Kaede asked.
Daiki turned and said, "Watch and see what happens. The decision here will affect us." The other Kaede looked around.
"Darling, is something wrong?"
"Nothing honey. It was just your imagination, come on now." Daiki wrapped his arms around the other Kaede.
Kaede could feel her heart and Soul being torn apart. She did not want to feel so much agony. A part of her wanted to see what happens next and the other part wanted to leave and never know what the final screen is.
"What do I do?" Kaede asked herself.
She had already witnessed many other women around her husband. She was jealous but she knew who the Queen was. She witnessed his death and knew she would follow with him. What about a difference in herself?
What was the answer to that? She loved her husband and seeing him with another version of herself made her Soul answer.
Following her Soul's guidance. She began to walk out to the living room. She watched the other version give Daiki whatever he wanted. Women, Fame, Money, Luxury goods, and what did she give her son?
Absolutely nothing. A couple of toys to keep him company and a decent movie. She loved her husband more than her son. This was the scene she saw.
What did Daiki do? He did the same. He gave the other version whatever she wanted. Gave his son a way out of life. Rex looked at everything and almost took his life.
"WHY WOULD YOU SCAR OUR RELATIONSHIP BY KILLING OUR SON?!" Kaede was furious.
"What is the answer?" Daiki asked.
Kaede began to feel everything about this place was wrong. The choices were not always the right ones but the ones that allowed them to be together.
"The correct answer is to kill me." Kaede grabbed the killing tool and stabbed herself.
"MOTHER!" Rex shouted.
"KAEDE!" Daiki screamed.
The other version just stood there looking deep into her eyes. Was this the correct answer? The eyes were telling the other version of this.
Everything went black.
Arriving back at the four selections. Kaede had passed two of them but in the final test she did not.
"Why would you rather kill yourself than allow your son to die?" Daiki asked.
"That boy is a treasure to the unknown. I am a treasure to Daiki. I could not allow him to give his son the tool that killed the poor boy." Kaede answered.
The final screen showed that was the final vision.
"What?" Kaede did not know.
"Congratulations on achieving learning about Soul Mate. Here is the knowledge you need to know to start the ceremony. Remember not all things are about the two of you."
Kaede woke up inside the temple in the hallway, a week later.