Chapter 22: The Wednesday Ritual
In a quiet corner of the Kuroda mansion's field, Hikari knelt before her mother's grave. Flower petals scattered across the grass, a sunflower necklace resting delicately on the tombstone. Nearby, guards surrounded the estate like silent sentinels. A bundle of floral gifts lay before the grave—tokens from those who still remembered.
Hikari closed her eyes, pressing her palms together in silence.
Mom... it's me, Hikari, she thought. I just want you to know—I haven't forgotten you. I still remember... and I miss you. Even though you did what you did... I understand now. I'm not mad anymore. I promise. My life's going great. I don't know if you know this, but... I have a boyfriend now. You'd love him. He's everything I dreamed of. I finally felt the spark, Mom. It was amazing.
She held back her tears, biting her lip, and then whispered, "Why... why did you do it?"
Just then, a gentle voice spoke from behind her. "My princess."
She turned quickly, wiping her eyes as she composed herself. "Sora… where's Dad?"
Sora hesitated, then spoke softly. "He couldn't make it. He's... tied up with something important."
"More important than Mom?" she cut in, her tone sharp.
Sora looked down, struggling for words. "That's not what he meant. You know how much he loved her. She was his wife too."
"Then he should be here. He never missed a single day—no matter how busy he was."
"I know," Sora said, sighing. "But this time... he really had no choice. I promise you, once this is over, he'll be here next time—and the time after that. Just... be patient."
Hikari stood, brushing off her dress. "I hope you're right."
Sora smiled gently. "I am. But for now, you need to rest. You've been out here all day, and I know how much this drains you. Go lie down."
She nodded without a word and walked toward the mansion. Sora watched her, concern filling his eyes. Turning, he approached a man in black—Ren.
"Go with her," Sora said. "It's your job to protect her. Don't let her out of your sight or do anything reckless. She's broken right now. Let her cry, let her sleep—but don't leave her alone."
Ren bowed. "Of course. You care about her a lot... even though you're a Rokushin member. Acting as her bodyguard... it says a lot."
Sora exhaled, saying nothing, and walked away. Ren watched him disappear into the shadows.
Upstairs, in Hikari's Room
Hikari curled up tightly on her bed, her body a trembling ball under the covers. Flashes of her mother haunted her mind—especially the painful memories, the ones that made her question whether her mother had ever truly loved her.
She twisted and turned, covering her ears as if trying to drown out her own thoughts.
"Why... why does this always happen to me?" she whispered. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks.
Meanwhile – Kuro-Kyoufu Base (Sky Deck Overlook)
Atop a rooftop observation deck near the core of the Kuro-Kyoufu base, Ryū stood alone, eyes fixed on the sky. The wind swept gently through his coat.
From a nearby platform, Jiro watched him in silence for a while before stepping closer.
"Boss," Jiro began, "you know... you could've gone to the ceremony if you wanted."
Ryū didn't look at him. "Don't be stupid. I'm not angry I missed it. She's gone. We need to accept that and move on. No amount of flowers or prayers will bring her back."
He paused, eyes narrowing.
"What I'm worried about is Hikari. Every Wednesday, it ends the same way. That place breaks her every time... but she still insists on going."
"Then stop her," Jiro said bluntly. "Even if you have to force her. It would be for her own good. She'd understand."
Ryū exhaled slowly and turned to leave. "Forget it. You wouldn't understand. I'd rather see her break down than see the look in her eyes if I ever told her she couldn't go."
Jiro stayed behind, a crooked grin spreading across his face.
Back at the Mansion
Hikari lay on her bed, her eyes closed. But her mind... her mind pulled her deeper into a memory. And suddenly, it felt real—too real.
Flashback: The Day Everything Changed
Her mother stood beside a suitcase, carefully packing. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Five-year-old Hikari burst into the room, smiling brightly.
"Mama! Are we going on vacation?" she asked, spotting the bag. "Yay!"
Her mother froze, staring at her with trembling hands.
Hikari ran into her arms.
"I knew it! This is a surprise, right?"
Her mother held her tightly, her body shaking. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."
Hikari blinked. "Why are you crying? Oh no! Did I spoil the surprise? I'm sorry, Mama. Please don't cry."
Her mother forced a smile, nodding. "It's okay. I won't cry anymore, I promise. Go rest now, okay?"
Little Hikari nodded and left the room, skipping.
Watching the scene unfold, present-day Hikari—still trapped in the memory—whispered through her tears: "No… don't go…"
As baby Hikari left, her mother looked over. Sora was standing at the doorway.
"Please… take care of her for me," she whispered.
He nodded solemnly.
The next day, chaos.
Bodyguards rushed through the mansion. Confused, little Hikari clutched a guard's sleeve.
"Where's my mom?"
"She's missing," he told her softly.
The words froze her.
Then Sora appeared, kneeling down. "Hey… come with me, okay?"
She couldn't even respond.
Later that day, Ryū paced the halls. A member of the search team arrived, bowing low.
"Boss… we found her. But…"
Ryū's voice turned cold. "But what?"
"She… she was hit by a car. We tried to stop her, but she ran. She didn't see the road. The car never even stopped. It... it felt intentional."
"That's enough," Ryū snapped.
Turning to Sora, he growled, "Take my daughter to her room. Now."
Back in her bed, the adult Hikari woke from the memory in tears, her heart shattered.
"Somebody... please help me," she whispered.
A soft notification pinged on her phone. She blinked and opened her eyes.
It was a voice note.
From... Sato.
She quickly opened it, playing the message.
> "Hey, Hikari. I heard why you didn't come to school today. I know it's rough. Something kinda similar happened to my dad, so... I get it.
You helped me out yesterday, so I thought I'd return the favor. I would've called, but… our class is in trouble again. I'll explain later.
I don't know if this helps, but… I just wanted you to know I'm here. Catch you later."
The note ended.
Hikari wiped her tears and smiled. She typed a quick reply—just a thumbs-up and a kiss emoji—then sat up, wiping her face.
"I have to be strong. For Sato."
Outside her door, Ren leaned against the wall, smiling softly as he walked away.
Back at School
Sato received her message and smiled to himself, putting his phone away.
"Hey! Less standing, more mopping!" a teacher barked.
"Sorry!" Sato replied, grabbing the mop again, a smile still on his face.