(August 17, 1997)

Mansaku didn't expect to see his grandson's ex-girlfriend on his doorstep on a cloudy afternoon. But nonetheless, she lets her inside.

"Sorry if I... arrived abruptly." Hitomiko wasn't making eye contact with him, mostly from the shame. "I just wanted to see how Shinichiro was doing."

Mansaku knew that Shinichiro loved Hitomiko with his life. He had always seen them together, either watching a corny movie, cuddling on the couch, or just eating food like taiyaki and instant noodles. The older man always wondered why Shinichiro loved someone that was out his league in both status and appearance. But looking at them before they separated, Mansaku knew that the reason why Shinichiro loved her dearly.

It was because Hitomiko accepted him for who he was.

"He visited his parents' grave today." Mansaku says to her. "Do you want something to drink while you wait?"

"No, I'm alright." Hitomiko replied. "I'm not thirsty."

Mansaku looks at her. "Child, I'm bear no ill will to you." He says to her. "The important thing is that you've made my grandson happy, and seeing him happy is already a blessing itself." The older man sits down on the chair in front of her, a table separating them.

There was an awkward silence before the opening of the sliding door opened, revealing the younger Sanos, Emma and Manjiro. "Hito-nee!" Emma seemed excited in seeing her and she quickly runs to her side. "Shin-nii's visiting mama and papa, are you here to see him?" She asks, her eyes sparkling.

"Well... I---"

"Are you getting back together with him?" Manjiro asks, cutting her off. "He always says he misses you every night whenever there's a lot of stars in the sky."

"Manjiro." Mansaku gives his grandson a stern gaze, not noticing the surprised expression on Hitomiko's face.

"My siblings like you. That's already a good sign." Shinichiro chuckles at her. "Manjiro's already wondering how you managed to fall for someone like me."

"Shin, don't look down on yourself like that." Hitomiko cups his cheeks, making him look at her. Hitomiko was ignoring the blush on her face as she said, "I fell for you because I saw something that no one else saw. You call yourself weak, I call you strong." She leans in, giving Shinichiro a peck on the lips.

"Hitomiko..." Even Shinichiro had a red tinge on his face. They were about to lean in for another kiss when they heard the sound of crackling in the air. They turned to look at the sky, a brilliant flash of light followed by an explosion was seen in the night sky. "Is there a festival going on...?" Hitomiko wondered aloud, staring at the fireworks in awe.

Shinichiro took her hand in his. "Well, let's go and see what's happening."

The night sky that day, though surrounded by the colorful fireworks, it was something that Hitomiko remembered. Shinichiro would always take her out on spontaneous night rides and the night sky would always be scattered with stars.

She didn't like admitting it, but she liked the night rides. It made her feel... free, in a sense. Free from being the eldest and only daughter that would one day run her father's business. Free from pressure. Free from that life of luxury.

Free from... the mask she put on for so long.

"I'm sorry about Manjiro, Hitomiko-san." Mansaku lets out a sigh before turning to her. "He's too direct for his own good."

"I'm just asking nicely!" Manjiro says with a pout, crossing his arms.

"Well..." Hitomiko felt awkward now, knowing that this break-up was the other way around. She lets out a sigh, looking up at Mansaku now. "Actually, I also wanted to apologize---" "Child, I said I bear no ill will to you," Mansaku cuts her off. "You had your reasons to why you ended the relationship, and Shinichiro understood that."

Emma had a sad expression on her face when her grandfather said that, but she understood.

"I'll... I'll just come by when he's around." Hitomiko stood up as Emma went back to Manjiro's side. "Thank you for the hospitality." With a respectful bow, she walks to the door. Mansaku follows her, with the Sano Siblings walking behind.

"He always says he misses you every night whenever there's a lot of stars in the sky."

'I guess I make him miss me a lot, then.' Hitomiko lets out a sigh as she puts on her shoes. "Hitomiko." She turns around when she heard Mansaku call out her name. "I'm not sure if he told you anything, but," He hands her a small notebook. "I think he would want you to read this."

Hitomiko stares at the notebook before nodding, taking the notebook and putting it in her bag before heading off.

Emma looks down at her feet. "Will they ever get back together?" She asks, looking at Manjiro.

Manjiro just shrugs. "If they wanted to, they could."

Shinichiro never expected this to happen at all.

He was sitting across from Reaper and the person known as Memory. It was unsettling. Reaper was only glaring at Shinichiro while Memory was just whistling while examining the lighter. Yuuko was with Maru and Moro getting a few things from inside, so they were left alone.

And boy was Shinichiro in deep shit.

"I'm surprised you've lived that long before dying. Well, almost dying." Memory says in an amused tone, but he was still examining the lighter. "I understand human greed but you took it to the next level. I've never seen the rest angry at Yuuko and Reaper for fulfilling a wish. Say, where did your friend get this?"

"Wait, there are other people aside from the three of you?" Shinichiro looks at Memory with both fear and curiosity.

"Well, yes. Me, Yuuko, and Reaper are part of the Deities of the Fates. I'm the second one, Yuuko's the third, and Reaper's the sixth. There was supposed to be seven of us but he died and reincarnated." Memory answers casually, as if people had asked him before. It unnerved Shinichiro now, knowing that Yuuko and Reaper are two important deities and he was probably going to be screwed soon. "Hurry up and ask more, I'm trying to get more information out of you." Memory's impatience was already showing in his voice now. "And there's nothing much either. Rejected twenty times, and you had the nerve to break up with the girl that loved you."

Ouch. Shinichiro had a grimace on and he averts his gaze to his feet. "You didn't have to remind me."

"Meh, at least you doing something stupid did something good. You revived you ex's younger brother." Memory added.

"You are an idiot." Reaper says through gritted teeth and Shinichiro felt a shiver being sent down his spine. "You did not have to tell him that information." Reaper added, but his eyes were still kept on the black-haired male.

Memory shrugs before putting the lighter away. "He's already here and we're going to explain everything anyway. Why not mess around? I thought you didn't care about this because this wasn't, quote unquote, 'your problem'." Memory says with a snicker.

Shinichiro wanted to speak up but he prompted not to.

"This is a different scenario and you know it." Reaper's eyes go to Memory now, still giving off the intense glare. "You mean to tell me you're going to reveal the whole thing?"

Memory shrugs, letting out a huff of annoyance. "Fine, we'll do your idea then."

Oh boy. Shinichiro didn't like this...

Yuuko came back after a few minutes, alone. "Well, seeing as we're all familiarized now with each other, let's start the conversation." She takes a seat next to Reaper. Memory notices Yuuko's gaze to Shinichiro, which was showing... slight amusement, but also slight malice. "So, Shinichiro, not feeling remorse that Haruchiyo got the scars?"

Shinichiro was guilty of not being able to stop Manjiro in time before the incident. "What made you think I never felt remorse?"

"You're still living on like nothing happened." Yuuko says with a small smirk. "It's different when you're angry at your best friend, is it?"

Did Shinichiro even consider Takeomi as a friend now?

"...don't bring Takeomi into this." Shinichiro didn't look up. In fact, he'd rather stare at his feet for the rest of the conversation rather than looking at their faces.

Reaper didn't glare anymore, but he does let out a sigh. "Like Memory did, you did something good. I hope you're familiar with the Butterfly Effect."

"The... Butterfly Effect?" Shinichiro looked up now, despite having a little fear. He was familiar with it, but it had been pretty long since he even talked about it. "It's that effect where one small change affects the universe, right?"

"Do you know the Time Paradox?"

Well, this was turning a little bit confusing.

"Uh... yeah? The effect of travelling to much back and forth through time and then things change because of it." Shinichiro was showing his confusion, and frankly, so was Memory. Yuuko leans back from her seat as Reaper was eyeing Shinichiro up and down.

"Sano Shinichiro, look into my eyes for a quick second."

"Uh-" Shinichiro blinked. "You want me to---look into your eyes? You're not gonna turn me to stone, are you?"

"He's not that ugly to be Medusa." Memory teases before getting hit in the head by Reaper.

This was... odd. Wasn't Reaper the same person that just literally told him to kill himself? Shinichiro was more confused now than ever. "Is there a specific reason to?"

"Look in them or I'll gouge them out."

Yup, this is the same person that told him to kill himself.

Shinichiro shrugs. What was the worse that could happen, right?

Right?

Manjiro and Emma were waiting at the doorstep. Shinichiro hadn't contacted them for more than a couple of hours and they grew worried. It was already past midnight. Emma was fidgeting with her fingers and Manjiro was trying to keep calm, calm enough so that his little wouldn't panic.

What took him so long?

There was a rise of fear in Manjiro's stomach---What if something happened to him? He's sure that nothing bad will happen. Even if Shinichiro was weak, he had his phone. He could call help from anyone.

The sound of a car made them look up. It was Hitomiko that exited the car, which prompted Emma to run back in the house to call Mansaku. Manjiro immediately stood up to see why she was here, and in the backseat revealed Shinichiro. He was bruised up but luckily he was still breathing, making Manjiro sigh in relief. "What happened to Shin-nii...?" He asks quietly.

"I found him nearby... I don't know how this man managed to find himself in a dumpster." Hitomiko shakes her head as she carries him on his back. "Can you close the car door and open the front door to your house, Manjiro?"

It felt like a moment had passed when Shinichiro was already on the couch inside of their house. Mansaku was already carrying a basin of water and a dry towel, and Emma with the medical kit that she took from the bathroom. Hitomiko was sitting on the floor, seeing as she was getting a slightly closer look at his sleeping figure.

God, if loving, patient, affectionate, protective, and kindness were a person... it would most definitely be Sano Shinichiro.

"He got beaten up again, as usual." Mansaku sets the basin down as he was still holding the towel. "What was it for this time?"

Hitomiko averts her gaze elsewhere. "He defended me." She answered quietly.

There was silence. Mansaku didn't need to ask for an explanation, putting the towel on the table. "The guestroom is open for you, child." He says to her. "Unless you want to leave."

Did Hitomiko really?

Well, she should be hurt. But looking at him now... and knowing that she defended him...

"I wouldn't want to bother you."

"You don't bother us!" Emma exclaims to her. "You're like an older sister! And Shin-nii's always happy around you!"

Hitomiko was silent before kneeling, bowing down to Mansaku as a silent sound of thanks. Mansaku was a bit surprised, but nonetheless he did appreciate her respect. He pats her head gently, as if she was his own daughter.

Funny how he remembered doing the same thing to Sakurako.

The comforting silence was already enough for the four of them.