Because Of Love (Guilty Crown) [Book 1 of the Secret Garden Trilogy]

❤️Epilogue❤️

It was fate that brought us together again
-Aiko Suzuki and Kenji Kido

15 years later

THIRD PERSON'S POV

20 June 2054

"You can't catch me Akari!" Ryo said and ran away from her twin sister, Akari.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Akari complained and ran after Ryo.

Akari ran to her mother and whined, "Mummy~ Ryo is being mean to me!"

"Oh stop being such a cry baby," Ryo complained.

"Now now you two. Behave yourselves. I don't want anyone getting hurt on their birthday," Aiko said.

"Okay mummy!" the two replied and ran off.

"Are the two doing okay?" a voice came from behind.

"Yup, Kido," Aiko replied and turned around.

"Aiko, my queen. Do you want to go to the entrance and invite them in?" Kido asked mischievously.

"Haha. Okay my king," Aiko laughed and they walked to the entrance of their used to called Secret Garden.

"My, what a lovely couple," Ayase said and Tsugumi pushed Ayase in her wheelchair towards us with Daryl and their (Tsugumi & Daryl) child, Katsu.

"Hi Ayase, Tsugumi, Daryl and Katsu! I see you are all doing well," Aiko said.

"Haha, yeah. Thanks for coming!" Kido said.

Ryo and Akari ran over and Ryo said, "Katsu! You are finally here!"

"Haha yeah," Akari said and blushed.

"Sorry about that," Katsu replied.

"Want to play the game that my father and I made up?" Ryo said.

"Yeah!" Katsu said and the three kids ran off.

"Hey Tsugumi, I think my kid got feelings for yours," Kido teased.

"I have no idea how I should feel about this..." Tsugumi replied awkwardly.

"Well, why don't the three of you take a seat?" Aiko asked.

"Good idea, thanks for inviting us," Ayase said.

"No problem at all!" Aiko replied.

"Don't forget us too!" Souta said in a distance. The four walked over.

"Of course I wouldn't!" I said. "Arisa. Souta. Kanon. Yahiro. And of course Asuka."

"Hello!" Asuka beamed.

"Asuka, the kids over there are playing a game, why don't you join them?" Kido said.

"Ooo! Yay!" Asuka squealed and ran towards the other kids.

"Good to see you are doing well, Aiko and Kido. Your children take after you two really well. They are such wonderful students, well besides the fact that Ryo is a little mischievous," Arisa laughed.

"That's great to hear! And I believe we know who to blame," Aiko teased.

"Oh please, you love my mischievousness," Kido laughed.

"How's work Yahiro?" Aiko asked.

"Fine, busy as always," Yahiro said.

"I suppose you are taking pictures of today's event, Souta?" Kido asked.

"Of course! It will be a great MV!" Souta exclaimed. "I got Kanon as my assistant after all."

"It's simple really. I just help with the video taping," Kanon replied.

"Well, nevertheless, you guys should go have a seat," Aiko said.

"Good idea! Then I can unpack all the equipment," Souta said and they walked towards a table.

A man with a walking stick walked over and asked, "Am I missing out on anything?"

"Of course you aren't, Shu. Quick the others are already here!" Aiko said.

"Oh my, why am I always the last one, well never the matter. It's good to 'see' you guys again. I hope you are doing well," Shu replied.

"We are doing fine, we have to look out for you more, who knows what will happen to you," Kido said.

"Please, I think I can take care of myself," Shu replied.

"Well, come on in, you won't want to keep the rest waiting," Aiko exclaimed.

"All right," Shu said and walked in.

The couple smiled and held hands.

"Thank you Kido..." Aiko said.

"Whatever for?" Kido questioned.

"For being there and helping me overcome loneliness. Showing me the beauty of the world. If it won't for you, I would have never met all these people, made all these friendships."

"No, I should be thanking you. You showed me that there was still reason for me in this world. If it won't for you, I wouldn't have been brought out of that dark and cruel world."

The two walked towards the cherry blossom tree.

"To think that it has been about 20 years..."

"Since we met?"

"Yup, time really passes, am I right? Kido?"

"Yes, it sure does."

"Nothing will change this..."

"Hey guys! Come on! We are going to have a picture of the happy family!" Souta shouted.

"Coming!" Aiko called out and the couple walked towards the area to have their family picture taken.

+++

AKARI'S POV

~Dream~

A girl who wore black overalls, dark brown hair and covered with cuts and bruises walked towards me.

"Hello Akari," she said.

"Um who are you?" I asked raising one of my eyebrows.

"My name is Shadou," she said and gave a grin that reeked of madness.