That’s How Important Family Is

In the middle of nowhere, Karou, Reika, and I found ourselves stuck due to the bus breaking down. The bus driver informed us that they would no longer be able to continue the journey and that we would have to wait for the next bus to arrive in an hour’s time. Thankfully, there was a nearby public hot spring run by an old lady, who kindly welcomed us in for free after hearing about our predicament. Providing us with towels and the use of their hot spring facilities, the old lady was practically our saviour.

Upon entering the hot spring, my worries seemed to melt away like vapours in the sun. Feeling the warmth seep into my body, I let out a contented sigh, letting my body recline against the smooth stone. The time I spent in the satisfying water went by slowly, as if I were in a tranquil sanctuary.

After drying myself, I exited the facility and waited for the girls to finish when the faint sound of a child crying caught my attention. Near the waiting area, I found a young boy sitting on a chair with tears in his eyes. I approached him to see if he was okay.

“Hey, kid. Are you okay?”

“I can’t find my mummy or daddy.” The kid wailed.

“I see. Well, do you want me to help you find them?”

The kid nodded, desperate to reunite with his parents. I took the boy by the hand and walked around the area. We bumped into the girls, who had just exited the hot spring with their hair still soaked.

“Ah, Sozen. We’re finished. Oh, who’s the boy?”

“Ah, this is—I never asked your name, did I?”

“It’s Himuro Shou.”

“Adorable!”

“Himuro-kun, my name is Kurosawa Sozen. This is my sister, Reika, and this is my friend, Karou.”

“Nice to meet you.” I think my sister’s smile somewhat eased the boy’s nervousness as I felt his hand loosen its grip on mine.

“Is he lost?”

“Yeah.”

“We’ll help you find your parents, okay?”

Together, we continued to look for the boy’s parents. It was when we made it to the lobby that we were able to reunite him with his parents, who were worried sick about their child’s whereabouts and had come to the reception to ask the owner if she had seen him. After thanking us for taking care of their son, the boy gave us all a hug before returning to their room. However, due to the time it took to find his parents and the time we spent enjoying ourselves in the hot springs, we missed the next bus.

Another hour passed, and the next bus finally arrived. I watched as the autumn trees flew by the window and the sun illuminated the world with its awesome presence.

We finally arrived at our destination. As we stood before the silent markers, memories began to wash over us like a bittersweet symphony. We took our time cleaning the area, making sure it was well maintained. Reika placed down some flowers; their scent mingled with the earth, a poignant reminder of the passage of time. I placed some sentimental food beside the flowers. Nostalgia took its course as the incense burned. We bowed as a sign of reverence and prayed silently, reflecting on the time we had spent together and the weight of their loss. In my prayer, I assured them that we were doing fine, and I also informed them of some events that occurred recently. The wind rustled through the leaves, a soft echo of our parents’ presence. I touched the stones one last time as a form of farewell, promising to visit them again.

After Karou had finished, we departed for home, leaving behind the memories of our parents. My sister and I looked at each other and smiled, knowing our parents were still watching over us.