The shrill wail of ambulance sirens echoed through the dark streets. Inside the vehicle, chaos reigned. Two people lay gravely injured. Blood streamed from the man's head, pooling around his hair, while the woman's stomach bore a deep, jagged wound. In the corner of the vehicle, a young boy sat trembling, clutching his knees. He was slightly wounded, his wide, tear-filled eyes fixed on the horror before him. He couldn't move, couldn't speak—he could only watch helplessly, paralyzed by pain and fear.
The ambulance screeched to a halt at the hospital, and the victims were hurriedly wheeled into the operating theatre. The boy remained behind, his small frame frozen in the stark, fluorescent light.
About an Hour Later.....
A man in a white coat emerged from the operating room. Seiryu's voice was barely above a whisper, trembling and cracked.
"D-Doctor… Are they… Are they okay?"
The doctor knelt down to the boy's level, his expression hesitant. He placed a gentle hand on Seiryu's shoulder, steadying himself for the words he had to deliver.
"I… I don't know how to put this, but… they didn't make it. We tried everything we could. I'm so sorry."
Seiryu's breath hitched. His chest tightened, and his legs gave way beneath him. Darkness encroached on his vision as his body collapsed from weakness. Before he could fall entirely, a pair of strong arms caught him. His uncle—Reiji.
"Seiryu…. Seiryu!" Reiji's voice was steady, but his concern was evident.
Darkness enveloped Seiryu completely, pulling him into unconsciousness.
When he woke up, an IV drip was hooked to his arm, and his cheeks were wet with tears. He couldn't stop crying.
"It's… It's all my fault," he choked out between sobs. "If I hadn't begged them to take me out for my birthday… If I hadn't insisted… They'd still be here. It's all my fa—"
"Stop," Reiji interrupted firmly, gripping Seiryu by the shoulders. "Stop blaming yourself. It wasn't your fault. It was… it was an accident."
"But they're gone, Uncle!" Seiryu's voice cracked, raw with emotion. "They're gone because they were trying to save me!"
Reiji's expression softened, but his gaze carried a heavy weight. He sighed deeply before speaking, his voice low but steady.
"I know, Seiryu. I know how much it hurts. But blaming yourself won't bring them back. They loved you more than anything. They gave their lives for you. The best way to honor that love… is to live a life they would have wished for you."
Seiryu didn't respond. He stared at the floor, his hands trembling as silent tears streamed down his face. Reiji sighed again, signed the hospital papers, and helped the boy to his feet.
"Come on," he said softly. "Let's go home, Seiryu."
The car ride home was quiet. Reiji glared at the mirror of the car, Seiryu was heartbroken and was sadly staring blankly outside. The rain outside grew heavier, thunder rumbling in the distance. When they reached the house, Reiji spoke gently.
"Seiryu, tomorrow we'll hold the service for your parents. We must perform the proper funeral rites."
Seiryu didn't respond. He dragged himself upstairs, leaving the lights off as he entered his room. Sitting by the window, he stared blankly at the rain. His mind drifted back to the day before everything changed.
Flashback...
"Mom, it's been so long since we went out to eat," Seiryu said, tugging on her sleeve. "Can we go to the restaurant on my birthday? Please?"
Aiko sighed, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Not that day, sweetie. I'm swamped with work then. I promise we'll go the day after, okay?"
"No!" Seiryu stomped his foot. "I want to eat there on my birthday! We have to go that day!"
Aiko chuckled softly, shaking her head. "You're still such a child. Fine, I'll talk to your father."
That evening, when Takumi returned home, Aiko brought it up.
"Honey, Seiryu's been begging us to take him out for his birthday. What do you think?"
Takumi smiled. "Why not? It's been a while since we had dinner out as a family."
He remembered the dinner party with his mom and dad. They were enjoying themselves, sharing fond memories, but Seiryu had been too focused on the food. He barely talked to his parents, his attention consumed by the meal.
The flashback faded into the memory of the crash. The sound of shattering glass, the screech of tires, and his parents' agonized cries echoed in Seiryu's mind. He saw their bloodied faces, felt their warmth fading as they shielded him.
"Papa! Mama! Wake up! Please, wake up!" his younger self had screamed, shaking them desperately.
Present Day...
Seiryu clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. Tears welled up again.
"What do I do now?" he whispered to himself. "I've lost everything. If only I hadn't been so selfish… If only I'd spent more time with them instead of arguing. If only I had shared more memories with them, given more of my time spending the time with them. Now they're gone, and it's all because of me."
His thoughts shifted to their final moments, their sacrifice. He wiped his tears and took a deep, trembling breath.
"No. I won't let their sacrifice be in vain. If they gave their lives for me, then I'll live… for their sake."
Unbeknownst to him, Reiji stood by the door, listening. A strange expression crossed his face—a fleeting smirk, cold and calculating. He slowly closed the door, leaving Seiryu alone.
The next day, the funeral was held. Friends and relatives gathered, their murmurs filling the air. Seiryu caught snippets of their conversations, each word like a dagger to his heart.
"They were monsters, pretending to be good people," one relative hissed.
"Seiryu doesn't even know the truth," another muttered.
Seiryu's hands clenched into fists. He couldn't stay silent.
"Why are you saying these things?" he demanded, his voice shaking with anger. "My parents were kind and caring. They didn't deserve this kind of hatred!"
One of the relatives sneered. "You have no idea what kind of people they really were."
Before they could say more, Reiji stepped in.
"Enough," he said sharply, his voice cutting through the tension. "This is not the time for petty grudges. It's a time for mourning."
The relatives fell silent, but their glares remained.
Later, as the rain poured down, Seiryu stood alone in front of his parents' tombstones. Tears mixed with the raindrops on his face.
"Why did you leave me?" he cried, his voice breaking. "Why did you have to save me? If you hadn't… I could've been with you."
His knees buckled, but once again, Reiji caught him.
"Don't say that, Seiryu," Reiji said gently. "Your parents loved you more than anything. You owe it to them—and to yourself—to live."
Reiji crouched to Seiryu's level, his voice soft but resolute.
"Come live with me. I'll take care of you."
"I can't, Uncle. I can't be dependent my whole life. I must now learn to be independent, so please let me live alone."
"You're still young, Seiryu. Let me guide you, teach you what it takes to face the world. Once you're ready, you can stand on your own." Reiji's tone was persistent.
Seiryu hesitated at first, then hugged his uncle tightly.
"I've been so selfish," he said. "But I'll rebuild myself. I'll make them proud. Please… take care of me, Uncle."
Reiji smiled, but there was something unsettling in the curve of his lips.
"Seiryu, you're stronger than you think, but no one gets through something like this alone. Trust me—I'll make sure we get through this together."