The only memory. [Arc 4 end]

"I guess that should do it.", he said, colsing the ointment container.

"T-thanks, for treating my bruise."

Ayane got up, and tried to move her arm, which seemed to be in less pain than usual.

The coolness from the ointment was slowly truning into heating sensation, which wasnt too bad.

Kanako looked at her with determination.

"Ayane-chan, can you walk?"

"I mean, I can a little."

"Great."

Kanako held Ayane's hands, before pulling her out of bed and heading down outside the house.

"Let's go out for a walk, shall we?"

They were headed to an unknown location.

###

The silence between the, grew, when she saw the location that Kanako wanted to take her to.

"This... this is the place that we first met.", she said.

"You are right. Although it isn't a supermoon or a full moon this time, but the moon is still visible!"

"That I can see."

The sudden cold breeze in the somewhat hot weather was kind of refreshing. The rusted metal bridge was also bathing in the moonlight, giving it a nostalgic feel.

Ayane just stood there, as Kanako just climbed up to the big metal railing and sat there.

"Isn't this bridge beautiful?", he asked?

Ayane looked around, "Yes. It is."

"But do you know why it was abandoned?"

"No.", she was confused.

"This bridge was built a long time ago. And I mean, a long time. My dad saw its construction when he was a child, and he said that he and his friends used to go there every day after school to watch its construction. I don't know what he saw, but I think he saw something fascinating. I mean, you don't see metal bridges like this anymore."

Kanako went silent for a few seconds.

"Little did he know that his bridge would kill him..."

Ayane's eyes widened as she heard him uncover some of his past.

"What... happened?", she asked with a concerned voice.

"Metal bridges aren't as sturdy as you think. They are mostly joined together with large screws, which loosen over time. One day when my dad was driving from work to home through this bridge, late at night, a metal bar fell on him..."

"He... he has also suffered... just like me... but he keeps a cheerful appearance...", she thought.

"It was also the time when japan started to renew their old metal bridges with newer concrete ones. And this bridge was the last of the metal bridges. As the government tried to dismantle the bridge, the locals protested, as it was a rare sight. Since it was abandoned..."

"Thats cruel.", Ayane blurted out.

"I don't think so. The locals did the right thing. And my mother supported the protest too."

"Eh? But why?"

"Because my dad loved this bridge. Since he was small, they would have to go by boats, and during tsunamis and other disasters, they had no relief supplies, as they were not connected to the mainland. He loved the bridge as it has helped the people of this island."

Ayane stood in awe. She looked around, and she found the truth. One of the pillars of the bridge was missing, as Kanako talked about.

"I was pretty small when it happened, and I cried a lot too... and I cired even more when I heard that mom was defending the thing that killed dad. Niw that I think about it, I was pretty dumb."

"You are not dumb! You were sad because of your father, didn't you?"

He looked back,

"I guess so. I, for some, hated mom for it too, but as I got older, I realised why she did that. It was the only memory of my mom and dad, after all."

"She was a little confused."

"Oh, I forgot to mention, mom and dad met each other on this bridge too.", he said, smiling, "As I grew older, I started to understand what my father said when I was young. He taught me that forgiveness is better than revenge, and I now adhere to it."

Ayane got no words to share.

"Form when I got consciousness, from when I learned right and wrong, from when I learnt how my dad was, I decided to take lessons from this pain and never let anyone go through it again."

Kanako looked back again.

"But that day I saw you..."