“The last poison case… he did never recover from that, Yuto. His health is deteriorating. His remaining time is… possibly not long… Ryosuke is dying.”

Daiki’s words rang in Yuto’s ears repeatedly.

It’s a lie. Why… how…

He could not accept the explanation. “What are you saying Daiki? He was recovering the last time I met him. He was progressing well. It’s… impossible! You also said that he is fine now!”

Daiki looked straight to his eyes, signaling that he was serious. “I said he is fine. I didn’t say he is healthy, Yuto.”

“If he is not healthy how could you say he is fine?!”

“What I meant when saying that he is fine was that he has been able to cope with it,” Daiki’s gaze was distant. “He has accepted the fact.”

He looked at the letter in his hand, his eyes grew warmer. “Why he didn’t tell me? And what’s the meaning of this letter?”

Daiki held out a hand, “Can I read it?”

He handed the letter to Daiki and watched Daiki’s reaction.

Finished reading the letter, Daiki went silent for a while before saying, “Actually, he was going to tell you, but the circumstance did not allow him.”

He was waiting for Daiki to explain more.

“The day when he intended to tell you was the day when you told us about Mayuko’s birth, Yuto.”

The scene from that particular day replayed in his mind.

A guard from his mansion delivered the news that Suzuka had safely gave birth to his daughter. That time he was in the palace, and seemed Suzuka purposely did not tell him when she was laboring, knowing he was on duty guarding Ryosuke. That was three weeks after Ryosuke regained consciousness. He immediately ran to Ryosuke’s chamber. He wanted his best friend be the first one to know.

When he opened the door, he saw Daiki talking with Ryosuke but they stopped when he arrived. He did not suspect anything because it was a usual sight. Ryosuke was preparing Daiki for his role to be the leader of Hakumei thus they often discussed things together.

Sitting on the bed with his back leaned on the headboard and his feet till his waist covered by a blanket, Ryosuke asked, “What is it, Yuto-kun? You seem so happy.” Ryosuke flashed him a small smile.

He grinned joyfully, “Guess what, I am a father of a daughter now!”

“Suzuka has given birth?” Ryosuke asked, still smiling.

“Yes, I just received the news.”

“Congratulation, Yuto-kun! I’m happy for you.”

“Congratulation, Yuto.”

“Thank you!”

“Then why are you still here? Don’t you want to see your child?” Ryosuke asked.

“I still have duty here.”

Ryosuke chuckled shortly, “Baka, which one is more important? Besides, Daiki is with me. Don’t worry.”

He did not want to leave Ryosuke but he did want to see Suzuka and their baby. Eventually he decided, “Alright then. I’ll return as soon as possible.”

“No need to rush. Enjoy your time.”

Saying his gratefulness once more, he left the chamber.

“He said he couldn’t bear to see me because he envied me… But that day… he was genuinely happy for me…”

“Yes, he was,” Daiki answered. “He was really happy for you that time, but… Do you remember the night after that I visited your house?”

“Yes, you came alone, right?”

“Actually… I was not alone. I was with Ryosuke. He asked me to accompany him to visit you, but when we saw you cradling Mayuko in the nursery room, he decided not to meet you all of a sudden.”

“I didn’t remember you’re with someone.”

“Of course not, because you didn’t see him. He was hiding behind the huge pillar of your house before you noticed us.”

**********

Daiki recalled the occurrence after he visited Yuto’s mansion back then.

He did not stay for long in Yuto’s place because he knew it would not be good for Ryosuke to stay outside for too long. Ryosuke had waited in the carriage when he exited Yuto’s mansion, and once he got in, he ordered his guard to bring them back to the palace. Ryosuke was quiet during the short trip. He had assumption about the reason, but he thought it was better to give Ryosuke space. Arriving at the palace, Ryosuke quickly got off even without waiting for him. He chased after Ryosuke’s flapping cloak as the said man strode away through the secret passage.

Just as he felt relieved for eventually reaching Ryosuke’s hidden chamber, he had to still, surprised as he saw Ryosuke slumped down his bed. Ryosuke did not even take off his cloak that had shielded him from unwanted recognition, burying his face on his palms. Approaching his friend, he noticed the streak of tears leaked from Ryosuke’s palm. His heart clenched.

He pulled Ryosuke, hugging him loosely; the least he could do for his suffering friend.

“Turn out I’m not as strong as I thought…” Ryosuke muttered, his voice was calm, but he knew Ryosuke cracking inside.

“You’re still a human, Ryosuke. You can get hurt, too.”

“But it shouldn’t hurt this much, Daiki… I have prepared for anything… I’m not supposed to feel this way…” Ryosuke’s head rested on his shoulder while speaking with barely heard voice.

“… what I saw just now… I couldn’t bear to see that, Daiki. What kind of friend I am?”

He didn’t know what to say, so he was just listening while patting Ryosuke’s back to soothe him.

“Death never scared me before. I was ready with any risk, I was ready to die once I took this responsibility, but… now, I don’t want to die. I want to live, Daiki…”

He remembered when their trusted royal doctor gave them the result of Ryosuke’s examination, just yesterday. Ryosuke did not flinch or feel disappointed hearing the doctor predicted that by the current rate of his illness, Ryosuke might only have about a year more to live. Even when he conveyed his anxiety, Ryosuke gave him a reassuring smile, saying that it was alright and that he had anticipated this day to come. But then, seeing Yuto and his baby, he assumed it triggered the emotion Ryosuke had suppressed all this time: longing for his family; Mirai and his child.

“Didn’t you ever wonder why after your daughter was born Ryosuke did not ask for your company like he used to?” He asked to Yuto.

“Yes, but I thought it’s because he was discussing about your role with you,” Yuto’s face turned grimmer by every second. “And I thought he was giving me time to spend with my family.”

“He was confused how to face you,” he explained. “Just as what he wrote in this letter, he envied you and at the same time insisted that he should not feel that way. Just a day before that, he was told that he possibly would die in a year, but then he remembered about Mirai and he started to feel depressed whenever the thought of him not able to hold his child like you did to Mayuko resurfaced. He didn’t want you to see him like that.” He paused for a while.

“I thought he just needed time and space to sort out his feeling. Thus, I didn’t hold him back when he left the palace. After all, I knew Yuya would take care of him. Ryosuke has been going under medical treatment ever since that. I thought it would be only a year just like what the doctor said, but he has survived until now. He said, he didn’t want to die before he meets Mirai and tell her his wish. But…”

“But…?”

“But Yuya told me less than half a year ago that the last examination of Ryosuke’s condition showed that even though the treatment goes well, his body probably will not hold on for another year. His internal organs keep deteriorating, and by the current rate, the doctor predicted in a year the organs will stop functioning completely. We can only wish for a miracle.”

Yuto’s tears had flowed since the moment he told about Ryosuke’s break down.

“How could this happen…,” Yuto buried his face in his own palms. “If only my family did not betray him… If only I was fast enough to notice their plan… this would never happen…”

He heaved a sigh as he knew this was the reaction Ryosuke did not want to see. “Don’t blame yourself, Yuto. Rather than regretting that incident, let’s just work hard to help him realize his dream… to make a better Hakumei for everyone. At least, if he does leave us in the end, I want him to see that his sacrifices are not for nothing.”

“I want to meet him alive, Daiki…”

“So do I. That’s why I’m working really hard to persuade King Yamato of Ryuusei to lift the ban of Hakumei’s people travelling in and out of his region. Half a year before the consent of Yuya’s squad staying there is over… I have to do something.”

At this Yuto perked up, wiping his tears off his cheeks. “Do you have a plan?”

He considered one of Ryosuke’s suggestions, “Nothing in particular. But I’m praying Ryosuke’s predictions will come true.”

“What prediction?”

“That the state we’re no longer a kingdom will somehow convince the Kingdoms Alliance, and… that Seiryoku will come to us.”

“Seiryoku?”

“Yes. You surely have heard the last news about that kingdom, right? I hope what Ryosuke did back then is not a wrong move.”

Yuto seemed comprehended his explanation as they exchanged gaze, recalling what had happen in the first year of Ryosuke’s reign.

**********

The dusk had already come when Yuri brought Ainosuke home. He just wanted to give Ryosuke more time to talk to Mirai. He was worried about Mirai’s reaction knowing Ryosuke’s condition. He was not surprised seeing Ryosuke opened the front door when they arrived before the house. Once he put Ainosuke down, the boy wasted no time to spring towards his father.

“Father!”

Ryosuke scoped Ainosuke in his arms, “How is your day?”

“It’s fun, Father. I played soccer with my friends from school, and we defeated Uncle Yuri.”

Ryosuke smiled in amusement, “Really? That’s great.”

Ainosuke glanced around over Ryosuke’s shoulder and asked, “Father, where is Mother?”

Ryosuke looked up and directed his gaze at him, giving him a sign. He knew right away that the talk did not end well.

“Let’s come in first,” Ryosuke carried Ainosuke to enter the house then he and Umika followed after. Glancing at Umika, he knew she was trying her best not to cry. Her nose was still red from her cry before.

Ryosuke put Ainosuke down the couch in the living room and squatted down before the boy. “Your mother is tired, let’s not disturb her sleep, alright?”

 “Oh, Mother has slept? Then I should not be noisy?”

Ryosuke mustered a smile, “Right. And son, to not wake up your mother, for tonight, can you be good and sleep with Uncle Yuri?”

“I want to sleep with Mother and Father,” Ainosuke frowned a little before brightening up, “But I want Mother to sleep well, too. So… okay! But Father will accompany Mother, right? Mother doesn’t like to sleep alone.”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

“Okay!”

He smiled seeing Ryosuke ruffled Ainosuke’s hair briefly after that. At this point, Umika excused herself to leave the room. Somehow he was worried about her, too. Shrugging, he redirected his attention to the father and the son before him.

“Now, it’s better to wash up first, Ainosuke,” he joined in the conversation.

Ryosuke stood up and held out a hand to Ainosuke, “Let’s take a bath.”

“I can take a bath by myself, Father,” Ainosuke hoped down the couch.

“You don’t want Father to give you a bath?”

“No. Father have to accompany Mother.”

“Let’s take a bath with me then,” he offered.

“No, Uncle. It will be embarrassing.”

He chuckled shortly. It seemed giving Ainosuke a bath had become Ryosuke’s privilege.

“Alright then. Father will prepare your clothes. Come,” Ryosuke took Ainosuke’s hand and stepped into their chamber. He leaned on the door frame, noticing that indeed Mirai was sleeping. Ryosuke walked to the wardrobe while Ainosuke carefully approached the bed. He was interested in watching what the kid was up to. Ainosuke climbed up the bed, then gave a peck on Mirai’s cheek and muttered “Have a nice dream, Mother.” He noticed Ryosuke also watching Ainosuke when the kid adjusted the blanket over Mirai’s form then climbed down and returned to where Ryosuke stood.

“You really can do it alone?” Ryosuke asked but then Ainosuke put his index finger in on his tiny lips, asking Ryosuke to be quiet.

“Mother will wake up, Father,” the boy whispered while taking the towel and the clothes from Ryosuke. “Uhn, I’m already a big boy.”

Ainosuke walked up to him and handed the clothes, “Uncle, I’ll change the clothes in Uncle’s room.” Ainosuke dashed into the bathroom even before he could give any reaction except a chuckle.

After they were alone, the mood immediately dropped.

“Judging by Umika’s look, I assume you’ve told her,” Ryosuke started the serious talk.

“Yes. Then how about you and Mirai?” He tilted his head to take a glance at Mirai’s form.

Ryosuke focused his gaze to Mirai and answered, “She fainted after I told her about my condition. After she regained consciousness, she didn’t stop crying until just a moment ago. She fell asleep because of exhaustion.”

“I hope she is going to be alright.”

“I hope so.” Ryosuke trailed off before collecting himself and a bit more lively spoke, “Chii, I think I won’t go to the downtown tomorrow. Can you stop by Yuya’s place to fetch the rest of my medicine?”

“Alright. But today you have had your medicine, haven’t you?”

Ryosuke smiled reassuringly, “Don’t worry. I won’t start to be reckless.”

He could not help but smile even though a small one. He should be strong for Ryosuke. He did not want Ryosuke to worry about him. Looking at the bathroom door a distance away, he said, “I’ll take care of Ainosuke. You just take care of her.”

“Thank you, Chii,” Ryosuke said.

He flashed Ryosuke another small smile before leaving the chamber.

**********

It seemed Ryosuke and Yuri’s prayer was unheard. Mirai was not alright. She had not stirred ever since she fell asleep in the evening after c