Hʏᴏ̄ᴍᴀ's Wɪɴᴛᴇʀ Pʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ | Chigiri Hyōma √

15: Dawn

The evening sky painted itself with hues of tangerine and lavender as the sun dipped below the horizon. In the quiet graveyard, Ohara tenderly sat, lighting candles and placing a bouquet of white flowers. Her gaze rested on the engraved names on the tombstone, her eyes glossy with emotion. She longed for them to be by her side. It had been twenty years since Aki departed, followed by her mother. Today marked the 20th death anniversary of Aki, and after a conversation with her grandmother, Ohara ensured that both her mother and brother rested in peace in the Takahashi family grave.

Last year, her grandmother had also joined her mother and grandfather. Ohara hoped that they were having a joyous family reunion in heaven. She imagined her grandmother recounting her final days spent by Ohara's bedside.

Though Ohara wished she had known her grandmother's kindness earlier and had experienced the love of grandparents, it didn't diminish Ego's care for her. His role as a father figure never had been effortless. He became the best father figure for her. With Ego Jinpachi by her side, she never felt the absence of a father; he was there as a father, a friend, an uncle.

"Mama!"

Ohara wiped away the remaining tears and turned to see her son, Akihiko, arriving with her husband. Akihiko carried a bouquet of white roses, reminiscent of Takahashi Yumi's favorites. He approached his mother, placing the flowers on the grave, while Hyoma touched Ohara's shoulder, offering a reassuring smile.

"Let's go, sweetie." Ohara lifted her five-year-old son into her arms. "How was your day, darling?"

She cherished hearing her son's tales about nursery. Akihiko wasn't too keen on studying, and his father spoiled him with soccer-related gifts, nurturing his desire to surpass his father. Sometimes, Ohara couldn't fathom their arguments, where everything revolved around Akihiko outdoing Hyoma. It reminded her of Sae and Rin from another universe, often evoking memories of Rin's determination to surpass Sae.

Back home in Kagoshima, their new house bridged the distance between the Chigiri and Ego households. Akihiko promptly settled in front of the television, giving Ohara the chance to prepare dinner undisturbed. She secured her hair with a clip, donned her apron, and began cooking before taking a shower. She knew both her husband and son had had a long day and needed an early night's rest.

Lost in her thoughts, she pondered what life would be like if her brother had survived. He was just five when he left her. She adored her little brother, and he was her entire world. She remembered witnessing his fading breath day after day, sitting by his bedside, while her mother grappled with his medication. Why hadn't her mother reached out to her grandparents? If only her mother had sought them out, maybe such a tragic loss would never have occurred. She never knew her grandparents were affluent; perhaps her mother could have tried to connect with them for the sake of her only son.

Ohara pondered the what-ifs—if only her mother had considered it, Aki might have survived and lived alongside them, sparing her mother the insanity that led her to leap from a building to her death. Ohara was cognizant that her grandparents weren't cruel; they sought only to protect their daughter from a potential heartbreak. Yet, Ohara believed there could have been another way for her grandparents to intervene.

She was cutting vegetables when arms wrapped around her from behind. A kiss on her neck sent shivers down her spine. Startled, Ohara sighed heavily.

"You're lost in thought again, baby," Hyoma observed, noticing his wife's distraction. He was aware that after visiting her deceased family, she often drifted away like this upon returning home. He didn't know how to console her; he understood the silence of her whole family there. He knew that if he were ever to lose his family, it would devastate him. This was why he suggested naming their son after Ohara's brother—a way for her to see her little brother live on under their care. Still, he understood the depth of her wounds.