"Kami is the Minister of Interior Affairs. He expected you, Manabu. I do not know why—I cannot ask why—though you'll learn when you reach there. He's a good man." Those were the few last
words Leon said during the whole journey.
After a protracted voyage, their ship finally reached the Empire of Lafiaza. As the
ship met the port, they saw a formally clad crowd awaiting them. Leon, once more, recommended to them, "Change your clothes. There's blood on your sweater—dispose of it. Formal outfits are prepared. There are men's and women's changing
rooms."
Without demurral, Manabu strode to the changing room. Taiju followed to the adjacent door, averting Leon's gaze. Mion and Mai did likewise.
After they went to change, the two investigators in the cabin crew seats approached Leon, murmuring something. He glanced at his left wristwatch and nodded. The men then exited the cruise ship. By then, Manabu and the others had donned their new attire.
Before they stepped outside, Leon reminded them once more, "The person you're about to meet is a venerated figure in Lafiaza, deeply respected by both Lafians and Ivanns. His business with you is unclear, but mind your words, eschew rudeness. Heed him, grasp his message, then decide your course. Whatever transpired in Feropia—forget it." Leon, then, put his hand on Taiju's shoulder, intoning, "Use your brain buddy, not
your fists."
Taiju lower his shoulder and jerked off Leon's hand. Thus, they disembarked the ship. No sooner had they stepped outside, the crowd surged with acclaim, clapping and
shouting in fervor. At least a dozen had gathered to welcome them, which was
unnerving. Three individuals stepped forward, bearing bouquets, which they
pressed into Manabu's arms. They remarked on his facial features and white
hair.
One of the greeters, placed both hands on
his shoulder arms, exclaiming, "He's the spitting image of Mr. Satoshi."
'Mr. Satoshi?' Manabu exclaimed in
his thoughts.
"I've remember his face; I know how he
looked back then. The white hair, those eyes' hue. Quite handsome!" He embraced
Manabu with palpable warmth, his voice quivering. Introducing himself as Dr. Nicolain Marcquaro, he beamed. "We've awaited you so long, Satoshi Manabu."
Amid the jubilant fervor, one pointed to Manabu's friends. "Who are they?" He
gestured in the native tongue, though his pronunciation was poor. Manabu, keeping it formal given their predicament, replied, "They're my friends."
Dr. Nicolain, addressing Manabu's friends, informs the greeters, in his native
language, "They're Manabu's companions!" The crowd's fervor surged. Manabu's
companions, all together, greeted them, exchanged handshakes, and were ushered
toward an elongated vehicle. Manabu remained bewildered. Leon offered a parting wave and slipped into the throng. They were no longer his charge.
After a few moments, Roy arrived to pick up Leon, in his new automobile, which was cheap and second-hand, but worth it. He strode straight toward Leon, enveloping him in a hearty embrace. "Leon! My brother! How've you been? You've lost weight; you've
been through much stress, haven't you?"
Leon scoffed. "I'm perfectly fine. This is
nothing."
Roy knew Leon wouldn't admit to struggling, "Six months since you've been back. Everyone's waiting at home. Let's go." For the past few months, Leon's calls had dwindled due to work pressure.
Manabu's group was taken to a separate
vehicle, they reached their destination in front of a two-story cozy house.Their escorts motioned for them to wait inside. Dr. Nicolain had gone to inform Kamiru of Manabu's arrival. The four entered, struck by the interior—antique furniture, a grand old-fashioned rugged sofa, immaculately clean and splendidly maintained. A pretty middle-aged maid, Noor, was sweeping the floor. She leads them inside, and then resumes her work.
They explored ornate drawers and elegant
furniture. The guest room was vast, its deep cherry-red carpet woven with intricate patterns. A chandelier hung above, casting a warm glow. Manabu drifted to the walls, where portraits stirred familiarity. One stood out—a husband and wife. The woman cradled a girl, about five. The father clasped the hand of his five-year-old son. Manabu's fingers grazed the frame. "Is that me?"
A warmth rose from those faded memories, but a commotion outside snapped his
focus. Kami had arrived, sprinting into the house, his steps frantic, his entourage, including Nicolain, trailing. Kami rushed inside, halting at the doorstep, and met eyes with Manabu, melting his stone-frozen heart. Lungs straining, he panted heavily, as if he'd run miles. Manabu was curious, while others
went defensive.
Kami came closer, spread his arms, wrapping them tightly around him—he was trembling. Manabu hesitated, then slowly wrapped his arms around him as well.
"Twelve years…" Kami said, tears crawled
down his cheeks from his eyes, hidden beneath his mask yet failed betraying
truth. "Twelve years…" he reiterated.
Manabu's mind was swirling; all of a sudden, he had moment of Presque vu, 'Lucifer and Adam Smith…'
"Who is Lucifer?" Manabu asked,
inadvertently. He had never heard such word 'Lucifer' before, it was a unique term,
perhaps someone's name.
Kami looked at Manabu in a strange way, and repeated, "Lucifer?"
Manabu did not realize what he had said; it
was totally inadvertent. Kami became concerned. "Are you feeling all right? Did
the journey exhaust you?" he asked. Manabu glanced at him and replied, "No, I'm
fine."
Kami released his grip, realizing their
wary reactions; he insisted, "You should hear this too, but before this, let's have lunch. I won't be able to stay here for longer." He gestured to the maid to prepare the lunch table. The maid bowed and said everything was ready, awaiting their word.
Everyone was hungry, especially Mion,
ravenous after two and a half days suppressing food or drink. She had denied
having anything to eat during the journey, out of her anger; also, everything had fallen into such chaos that they weren't comfortable with any offerings. They declined food, insisting on answers to a few questions instead. Mion confronted Kami brusquely. "Who are you? Why'd you kidnap us?"
Kami stood with straight posture, replying
politely, "Ms. Sayuri, if I'm not mistaken. I didn't intend to kidnap anyone, and I'm Manabu's father."
"Despite who you are that—" her jaw slacked wide, voice faltered. What?
Manabu's mouth hung open too. Taiju's brows shot up; he was done at this point. Mai grasped her forehead instead of her
mouth. Mai pulled Mion back and whispered loudly in panic, "Am I mentally unstable, or are we hearing it right?!"
Taiju slid closer, muttering, "Did he say
father or mother?"
Mai grabbed his throat and jerked real hard. "He said father—why would he say mother!"
Taiju remained incredulous.
"I'm gonna pass out," Mai mired in
confusion.
Kami could hear their loud whispers,
clapped his hands thrice he called, "I know it's hard to grasp. I'm Manabu's
biological father. I last saw him twelve years ago, when he was six perhaps seven. An incident separated us—my
wife, Manabu and my mother." Skeptical of Kami's startling words, Manabu was
speechless, gazing into Kami's eyes. Their light orange shade, blindingly
bright, mirrored his own—a strange, painful familiarity. A sharp pang hit him.
Kami's eyes were just like his. Taiju agreed they were mirror, yet it felt
surreal.
Kami also wore a gold-painted mask, which covered his head to beneath his jaw. That mask resembled someone's face, which
Kami claimed to be his own, though misstructured. Manabu wondered, Why the mask?
Kami said, his face was burned, disfigured,
and appeared fearsome to the children. "I wear bandages and a mask styled like
my actual hair was, though the face little differs. You cannot visualize my
real face through the mask."
Mion's brow furrowed when she asked, "Mr. Kamiru, you're saying you're Manabu's father, do you have any evidence? Though,
I admit your eyes are undeniably alike Manabu's, but I believe, Manabu is not
comfortable being exported—and told, someone he has never met, is his father."
Kami posed a profound question: "What proof does a father need to know his child, and a child needs to recognize his father?"
Left everyone speechless.
Mion got angry instead; she trusted evidence rather than philosophical nonsense.
Kami didn't dismiss the need for proof, but it was to establish the meaning of
a guardian. "If I weren't his father, who'd search twelve years for a
stranger?... Only a father would."
Mion resisted, "I do not have a father nor
mother, so I would know if a father would."
Kami turned, and requested his colleague the documents, he handed them to Manabu—a
paternity test from seventeen years ago, and reconfirmation, through Manabu's
blood sample. Even his birth certificate were provided, they studied them. Mion
read aloud:
"Name:Manabu Satoshi, Mother's name: Marylouise Valentine, Father's name: Kamiru Satoshi?!"
They double-checked the details aligning, but the only conclusion they reached—Kami is Manabu's father.
For some reason, flicker of joy Mai
expressed for Manabu crossed her face, though, she thought Kami to be quite out
of his mind for executing kidnapping. She had been wondering many things, and
one of them was, "why not come earlier? And himself? Manabu would've trusted
him, if given him those evidences.
Kami said. "I didn't know where he was, whether he was alive or dead. I was
searching for you causelessly, still, I searched for you, and found you. I got
to learn your location quite recently, but I couldn't be present for you, so
sent a trusted guy, but it took me quite long to prepare those evidences. You
must've been confused."
Manabu's heart constricted; tears traced
paths around his pupils, yet he stifled them. His emotions surged beyond words.
But Mai had this confusion; she knew that Kami would most certainly ask Manabu
to stay—however, it was irrational for Manabu to agree on staying.
And as anticipated, the question was
brought: "Manabu, what do you think—shall we begin our family once again?" Kami
asked. Mai was anxious; suddenly, Taiju grabbed her mouth and hushed her. "Let
him decide."
"I didn't say nothing!" Mai yelled.
Manabu wasn't at stage to decide, he pored over the papers. It was all, started to make sense to him, and now, he even
recognized Kami's voice.
Manabu was experiencing a strange
emotions, almost unnamable, the bond between father and son tangled like an
unyielding knot. Still, the connection pulsed undeniable.
Suddenly, Manabu gasped—an asthma
attack. Taiju swiftly brought the inhaler in front of his mouth. Manabu inhaled
heavily. Kami blamed himself for his stress, urging rest, also, it was time
that he leave.
Suddenly someone opened the door aggressively, stormed inside making everyone panic.
When they turned, they found, Maria—panting. 'Hah!...hah!'
Manabu and his friends kept staring at her,
until suddenly, she leaped onto Manabu, squealing, "Manabu!" Taiju steadied
Manabu, preventing him to fall.
Mion felt a little jealous, flaring at the
pretty girl cuddling Manabu, unforgivable. She immediately seized
Maria's arms. "Who the hell are you?" Maria snapped back, "Don't you dare who
me! Who're you?"
Mion introduced herself as Manabu's just
friend. Maria could she her jalousie and smirked. "Oh, so you are my brother's
girlfriend! By the way, I'm Maria Valentine, Manabu's elder sister!"
"What do you mean by jeal—" Mion stammered,
then froze, and them tripped. Maria clucked, but her stomach groaned. "I'm starving."
Kami, relieved, asked Maria to look after them, hugging her and Manabu before
leaving. Noor approached Maria, and said. "Ms. Maria, I should be returning to home."
"So soon, why? Have lunch with us." Maria said. Noor smiled, and said. "I can't, my husband will be returning at anymore,
picking up Leon."
Maria blushed all red, "Leon's back?!"
Noor nodded, and departed. Manabu didn't wanted to interrupt them but he had
few things he wanted to clarify, "Ms. Maria, If you don't mind, can I—" Manabu,
at instant, got his face punched. "Who's Ms. Maria? Call me sister, asshole!"
Maria set plates, refusing questions until
lunch. She pushed Mion to the dining room, pulled out a chair for her, sat
beside her. She even offered drinks to Mion, but she denied, Maria's somber,
teary eyes prompted her to take one. They were hesitant to share table with a
stranger, but the food smelled splendid. Mion eats her tummy full.
Over food, Maria asked Manabu,
"How's Grandma?" everyone paused. "How do you know her?"
Maria rolled her eyes. "Are you stupid, or something? She's my grandma too, of
course, I would know ."
Manabu set his spoon down. "She passed away
last year." Maria's hand, with spoonful of rice, froze mid air. She out down
the spoon on her plate and asked, "How?"
"It's a disease called congestive cardiomyopathy." Manabu said, "Her heart had had
grown bigger, than usual size, causing her death." Everyone resumed eating.
"What was she like?" Maria asked.
Manabu smiled and said. "Kind, caring. An
old lady with a big heart—okay, that was too literal." Maria grinned, and said—also loud—in addition. Manabu laughed, recalling her memories. Taiju
also shared some of the stories—how she whacked him and Manabu with a stick,
like a mother, for engaging in a fight. She even taught Taiju to fix his tie. Manabu
mentioned making Mion cry as kids; Grandma braided her hair to cheer her up.
Mai recalled Grandma stealing candy for her. "She was an amazing person. I
miss her…" Mai said. We had all cried at her funeral…
They talked for hours, sharing stories. Mai
warmed up. Maria asked about their friendships, families, lightening the mood.
The conversation stretched into the evening. "So, how was your journey from URA to here?"
"URA?" they said. Maria was confused, as
they were.
"You mean United Republic of Australasia?" Taiju asked to clarify.
Maria nods, saying, "Yes, I thought you guys were Australasian."
"We are Feropian." Mion said.
"I must've been wrong then, yes, so how was your journey? Did you meet Leon."
Everyone paused again. Maria frowned. "What
again? Why everyone quietened?" She was unaware. Mai deflected lightly, and
tried changing the topic. She pivoted Maria. "Is your hair naturally white? You
and Manabu have similar hair color, and maybe… similar behavior as well."
Maria and Manabu protested in unison, "I'm nothing like this idiot!—I'm nothing
like her!"
Mai agreed, smirking sarcastically, "Yes,
nothing alike—Unbelievably different!"
Manabu went to the refrigerator, to grab something cold to drink, and found
tons of drinks he'd never seen before. One of them, had its brand sticker on it,
which reads 'Tiger-Tail.' He removed the cork, and took a sip and spat,
immediately, "What the hell? It's a strong beer!"
Maria quickly snatched it, threw it back in.
She then suggested another drink. "It's nothing! Take this!"
Manabu cracked his neck. "What's your age,
sis?"
Maria laughed nervously. "What're you talking about? Why is that relevant." Manabu signed Mai and Taiju. They pinned Maria
as he flung open the fridge—beer and alcohol galore. Maria was eighteen, which
wasn't a legal age to drink beer. "I don't drink. Julie and my other friends does,
so I stock some."
Manabu pressed, "Your friends over 20?"
Maria averted her gaze. "Seventeen, or my
age…"
Evening had fallen; Everyone fell
asleep, Maria insisted the girls to sleep on her four-poster bed, so won't feel
lonely. While boys had separate room. She sets some plate on the table, and
worm some food on the stove, since she'll be returning a little late
tonight.
She grabbed her purse and left for the Leon's place. Today was Sumi's birthday…