Dear my beloved brothers, sisters, and friends,

It’s been awhile. How are you all doing? I have heard from Ryosuke, Yuri, and Yuya, about how Hakumei looks like after the great war against Okamoto ended. I have heard about everyone’s story, and I do feel happy to hear so many great news. My congratulation for the new couples: Yuto-kun and Suzuka, also Yuma-kun and Haruna-san; may you all be blessed with happiness in your marriages. Congratulation for Daiki-kun and Ryutaro; the best politicians in this era of Hakumei, Ryosuke said. Then, I’m also happy for Keito-niisan and Nami-neesan to be able to nurture such wonderful family. And last, though I don’t know how they’re doing, I pray that Hikaru-niichan, Mother, and Ami-neechan also have their own shares of joy.

Honestly, through this letter, I want to apologize. I believe the news Yuya brings along with this letter may hurt many people. Just blame me if you need it, because I was the one who made the decision.

Everyone must have waited for Ryosuke to return home, but for now I thought it would be better this way. His wish is not to be a burden for anyone. He always wants to see people around him happy. He never wishes to be the reason of your sadness. He has been living his entire life shouldering people’s wishes, choosing options over the others, putting behind all his own desires, and I believe all of those are the reasons he earns loves from everyone. However, considering his current circumstance, those characters of his would only weigh him down if he return to Hakumei in this first chance.

He isn’t always strong, we have to realize it. He might never complain to any of us, but I know he has been very tired that he asked me to decide for him, whether we would return to Hakumei or made a trip to Kyoukai, and I chose the latter. I hope you all understand. After all, both the options existed because he thought the better for you all, for us. Returning to Hakumei would fulfill my wish to go home and your wishes to see him, and in the other hand, going to Kyoukai may give him a slight hope to find a cure since the inventor of the poison hurted him is living over there and if we do find the cure, it will fulfill our most wanted wishes: for him to be able to live longer. He has promised to never give up on himself, so even if we can’t find the cure... even if he doesn’t make it, going to Kyoukai will enable him to leave without any regret. Giving him a peace in his last rest would be the least we can do to pay him back after all he had done, isn’t it?

You’d know Ryosuke’s real condition from Yuya, and we’ll give you news if something important happens. Umika and Yuri-kun are with us, so you don’t need to worry. Ryosuke doesn’t want any of you to search for us in Kyoukai. He doesn’t want any of you to see him in his weakness. He wishes to be remembered as a strong Ryosuke, not a sick one. So, please spare him his dignity. Let me, our son, Umika and Yuri take care of him for you all. Just pray the best for us.

Someday, we believe, we’ll eventually return to Hakumei regardless our condition. It may take months or years, but eventually a wanderer would go home, right? But for now, let all of us live our life this way. See you all someday. We wish you all glory and happiness.

With love,

Mirai

Hikaru could only stared at the letter his little sister wrote. It had been more than three months since the date the letter was written down. Spring had come, and he had just arrived in the capital of Hakumei with the rest of the escaping caravan, the last group of refugees leaving Heiwa, the day before.

“They will be fine, Hikaru,” a soft voice of his wife came from his side with a tender brush on his cheek. Ami wiped his falling tears off gently.

Are they really fine? He wondered.

He had unexplainable feelings mixed after reading the letter. He was happy that eventually there was news from his sister, but at the same time, he was anxious about the news he received.

“Yuya told me that Mirai noticed Ryosuke’s hesitation when they were preparing their departure from Ryuusei. So, she persuaded Ryosuke to tell her about it, and eventually Ryosuke explained about the possibility of finding a cure in Kyoukai. Ryosuke gave all the choices to Mirai, and she decided to go to Kyoukai,” The man sitting before them, Nakajima Yuto, added more.

They were currently in Yuto’s mansion, and would be staying there until their own house, Shida mansion his father had been left, was ready to be lived in.

“How were their conditions?” came another voice. This time his mother spoke. She had been crying silently when he read the letter for them, thus her voice was a bit trembled.

Yuto lowered his head slightly.

“Except Ryosuke, Yuya said everyone was fine,” Yuto explained, and when continuing, he saw Yuto’s jaw tightened. “Ryosuke was in the second stadium of the illness, getting frequent contractions. His former doctor said, as long as the internal bleeding doesn’t happen, the pain can be reduced by painkiller. But if he has reached the last stadium, the internal bleeding would cause his organs dying, and painkiller would not be an option.”

He subsconsciously clenched his fists that the paper crumpled on its sides. Ami put her hand over his, and once he regained his senses, he folded the letter and put it down.

“Do you have a recent news from them?” He eventually asked.

“They haven’t sent us any news,” Yuto answered. “But, though they forbad us from searching for them, we’ve sent people to Kyoukai. We couldn’t confirm Ryosuke’s condition, but we found some news about the rest of them.”

He gave Yuto full attention.

“From the last report we received a week ago, Yuri, Umika, Mirai, and Ainosuke were indeed in the capital of Kyoukai, and they were fine physically. Our people said they often saw Yuri and Umika around, but Mirai and Ainosuke rarely showed up, and Ryosuke was never seen, but by investigating carefully, they’ve confirmed that all five of them were together and staying in a nobleman’s manor.”

“A nobleman’s manor?” It perked him up. What were they doing and how they could stay in Kyoukai’s nobleman’s manor?

“Yes, and a highly honored one” Yuto answered. “They were staying in Kyoukai’s Minister of Health’s manor, and also the inventor of the poison,” Yuto paused. “Domoto Koichi.”

“Domoto Koichi?” he heard Ami asked.

“Yes,” Yuto replied. “Do you know him?”

“I’ve ever heard about him from one of the royal doctors in Heiwa. Domoto Koichi is the chairman of Kingdom Alliance’s medical association that every royal doctor looks up to. His name is well-known and respected in all the kingdoms,” Ami explained.

“Yes, I’ve also been informed about that,” Yuto confirmed Ami’s explanation.

“Yuto,” He called out. Something was bothering him and he just realized it.

“Yes?”

“Who are the people you sent to search for them in Kyoukai?” He was worried, because the fact Ryosuke was still alive should be a secret no one but their pact knew.

Yuto slightly smiled, “Don’t worry. Yuya said they have been used to guard Ryosuke and his family in Ryuusei, and they are bonded by their oaths to Yuya. So, they can be trusted.”

“So, they’re Takaki’s men?”

Yuto nodded and he drew a relieved breath. He had been told that over the years, Takaki Yuya had become quite close to Ryosuke, and though he had never met Yuya in person, he felt like the man was trustworthy as Ryosuke let him be by his side.

“And what about Ryosuke?” his mother pulled their attentions. “Did he not leave a single message to any of you?”

Yuto went silent for a time, sadness was obviously showed on his face.

“Did he?” He asked when Yuto did not give immediate response.

Yuto looked at him briefly before standing up, saying, “Wait a moment.” Then the younger walked toward one of the cupboards in the secret chamber, opening it, and taking something out.

When Yuto returned, they could saw a long medium box that usually was used to store a sword, and he was right. Yuto opened the lid then turned the box and showed the content to them. Inside was a gorgeous sword. Golden and black dominated the color of the sheath and stilt; the specific craving was beautifully done and designed; pieces of diamonds glinted under the light, and Yamada’s crest was prominent with red color on the sheath.

“This is...,” he trailed off. He couldn’t mistake it, right?

“Nintai-ryoku,” Yuto finished it for him.

He was right. It was the famous Nintai-ryoku; the Perseverance; the sword King Yamada Shohei presented to Ryosuke on his twentieth birthday.

He looked up, confused, “But why it is here?”

It was a well-known fact that the sword had never left Ryosuke’s side, so for it to be here..... His heart clenched.

Does it mean...

“Yuya brought it back from Ryuusei. Along with it, Ryosuke sent a brief message for all of us,” Yuto tilted his head up, preventing the tears welled up in his eyes from falling. “He said...”

They could see tears rolling down Yuto’s cheeks while the said man tightened his jaw before rechanting Ryosuke’s words, “I can no longer wield the sword. With this, the story of Yamada Ryosuke has really ended. Thank you and I’m sorry for everything. From now on, please leave the past behind and look forward to your future. I wish you all happiness.”

...a farewell?

He could hear sobs coming from his side. His mother was crying in Ami’s embrace while she toughening herself. He was always grateful for his wife’s personality: tough and dependable. He could always count on her in this kind of situation, for right this time he could not comfort his mother since his own emotions were jumbling.

“Is it a farewell?” Ami voiced out his own thought.

Brushing his tears off, Yuto straightened his back, answering, “More or less. Yuya said that Ryosuke was physically weak, that he indeed could no longer wield a sword.”

“And it’d definitely made my brother wouldn’t leave his side,” there was a small smile on Ami’s face despite tears silently flowed down her cheeks. He knew she missed Yuri a lot, but she had realized that meeting Yuri would be one in a million chance ever since Yuri was bestowed the duty as Ryosuke’s shadow.

“Umika is also with them, right?” His mother slipped in, still shaken.

“Yes. Yuri and Umika are with them. Mirai also said that in her letter,” Yuto replied.

“Hikaru?” Ami called out to him.

He felt questioning stares coming from them and he knew it was because he kept being silent for a while. Ami was used to not seeing her brother, but he was not. Although they had been separated for more than five years, he would never get used to not see Mirai. He wanted to meet her badly, so bad that hearing she wouldn’t return to Hakumei for indefinite time hurt him much. However... the more important was...

“They are happy, aren’t they?” he eventually looked up, asking Yuto.

Yuto mustered a smile and answered, “I believe so. Yuya said he never saw Ryosuke more happy than the time he is with Mirai and Ainosuke, and he could see a true happiness of their little family.”

“Yokatta.” He muttered to himself, feeling a bit relieved.

He wouldn’t mind to be hurt as long as Mirai was happy.

“We can’t forced them to return. At least we know where they are. All we can do is praying for their happiness now,” Ami added, and they were agree.

Silence hanged in the air for a time before Ami broke it.

“I think you should rest, Mother,” she said. “You barely have a rest since we arrived yesterday.”

“Ami is right,” he seconded her opinion. “It’s better if you get some rest before visiting Father’s grave this evening.”

His mother did not refuse, and soon he was left alone with Yuto after Ami left to accompany his mother.

“Look forward to our future...,” Yuto trailed off then immediately added. “Speaking of future, what is the two of you plan to do, Hikaru-kun?”

“We haven’t had any specific plan.”

“Well, after the refugees matters are settled, we’re going to hold a recruitment for many positions in the government and parliament. We need experienced officers, so we really wish you and Ami-san to join us,” Yuto explained.

“I’m planning to, but I’m not sure about Ami,” he replied.

“It’s alright. There’s still half a year to consider about it.” Yuto loosened up. “It’s better if you think about the new law that will be effective next month.”

“What new law?”

**********

“A new law?”

Keito heard the question Nami asked after he told her that starting next month, Hakumei’s government would apply the new law.

“Yes, according to it, we should use a single family name,” he explained.

Nami mulled over it for a moment, then remarked, “Does the change relate to the recovery programs you all have ever discussed?”

“Yes. We need to reform people’s mindsets, and the social order. People will be allowed to choose any name they want as their surname, and once a couple get married, the husband and the wife would bear the same family name. It’s needed to divert the after impact of the betrayal Okamoto and their allies did.”

He could see hurt in her expression whenever she heard about Okamoto, but she did not voice it out. Instead, she said, “The war has made the innocents suffer. Okamoto’s children and youngsters will be helped by the new law, I assume.”

He understood. Putting his arm around her shoulder to pull her to lean on his shoulder, he replied, “Not only Okamoto, but also Nishiuchi, Yabu, and the rest of their alliance. It will give them chances to start a new life, without having to bear negative sentiments the name brings in the society.”

“So... those names will disappear from Hakumei?” her voice was softer than usual, a sign when she was hesitant.

“I don’t think so,” he leaned his head on hers who rested on his houlder. “I believe there will be people preserve their original names eventhough it gives them disadvantages.”

“If I ask you to use Okamoto, would you allow it?” She asked.

He had predicted the question would come, so he easily answered, “How if I ask you to use Yamada?”

“I won’t mind, but will it not generate suspicion on us? I mean, you will be Yamada Keito, and the name is not a random name.”

He smiled inwardly, “So is Okamoto Nami.”

She went silent hearing that.

“If you really want to use Okamoto, you should change your given name so that people won’t start a rumor about the late queen of Hakumei,” he suggested. “Okamoto Keito sounds good. It rhymes, right?” He chuckled briefly, trying to lighten the mood.

“If we use Yamada, would you also change your name?”

“No,” he answered without doubt. “Keito is the name Father granted to me. It is his pray and wish for me. I won’t abandon it. I can let go of Yamada surname, but not my given name.”

“You and Ryosuke are really alike.”

He caught a glimpse o