Den of Monsters

Grave Visit: Kenjirou Tateyama SS

Me and Ayaka met very early on in our lives...in middle school to be specific.

She was always a popular and genius girl and i was more or less just an average nerd who enjoyed things like classical music, outdated movies and even science fiction theories.

Much like the other boys within my year, i found her to be charming but...i always believed i'd never even get the chance to look in the same direction as her.

She was far above me in every aspect after all.

But there i was...still admiring her and wondering if such a dream of mine will ever come to be true

Such crush stayed on till the first year of highschool where i decided to take the first step...

"Asahina-san!...Please go out with me!!" i declared on the very first day of our new highschool life.

Indeed...i had put myself in a position where if i was to be rejected...i will be the laughing stock of everyone and if i am accepted then i would live the greatest life ever.

I truly couldn't take it anymore, i loved her alot and it...began to hurt, seeing everyone also speaking of their admiration of her made me jealous.

I prepared for the worst and i predicted it but...i was proven wrong.

"Ehehe finally deciding to confront me after so long?...well i am happy you did!"

I looked up at her as she spoke these words with a beautiful smile, my heart raced and my mind had gone blank at it.

Ayaka slowly grabbed my hand and...

"I'll be in your care from here on out, okay Kenjirou?"

And from that moment...my world changed, i swore to myself that i would do everything i can to make her happy.

I improved myself everyday to walk on the same path as her, i became a genius just for her and if i could...i would've died for her.

Ayaka was too good for this world, she and Ayano are in fact.

My daughter is very...fragile, she's easily hurt and when she's hurt she lets out a venomous snake appear from within her, in that aspect she took after me heavily.

But she rarely ever lets this side take control unless she's forced to do so, she's been hurt a thousand times over and yet she clings onto whatever hope she has.

She's like Ayaka in that sense, in a world filled to the brim with monsters...they cling onto the light.

I do wish she would've fallen in love with anyone else but Kiyotaka nevertheless...she loves him so much she got angry with me...that's something that i've never seen in my life from her.

My daughter who forgave all for their sins...was angry, for his sake she changed...

But i wonder...did he change as well for her sake?...

Did the boy that was born from the most horrid and terrible emotion, ambition and ideals...change?, just for her sake?...

.

.

.

"Dad! come on, we've gotta get going!" Seto nagged at me slightly as me and him stood before an all too familiar place...a graveyard to be exact

I sighed slightly while scratching my head.

"Alright alright, you go on ahead and i'll follow you" i exclaimed to which Seto nodded quickly as he rushed forward inside.

He's really enthusiastic about visiting her huh...

I followed after him with the flowers we bought in my hand.

Arriving there i found Seto kneeling down before Ayaka's grave with a calm smile on his face.

"Uhm...hey Mom...how are you?" he spoke up as i stood back and looked down on the ground.

I suppose he wants to talk with her first...that's good, i'd rather not be put first since...i wish to compose myself, this sight hurts me as is.

It's so painful i want to die, i wish i died and she stayed, everyday i pray for that to have happened.

She would've made everything better, she's the one who deserved to live and watch Ayano grow and go to highschool and make friends...not me...

"I am sorry it's been quite a while since we came to visit you but here we are!, it's just me and Dad though since Neechan and the others are now in a different school from mine hehe"

I smiled slightly at Seto's words as he sat down cross legged and closed his eyes with a sad smile on his face.

"Life...has been tough without you, we've lost alot of things in us after you but...we're trying to fix it, Dad has been working hard as a teacher, Kano and Kido are with each other and Neechan is...Neechan is good now!, she moved on from Shintaro-san...it was a tough and surely cruel process but she did! She's just like you Mom, she's strong and she's amazing!!"

Seto slowly calmed down as he looked down on the ground.

"I...have made a few friends, i...tried t-to uhm...get out of my shell and it's been going well, i just...i...wish you were there to...s-see me like this"

Seto covered his face slightly as his eyes began flowing with tears, he sniffled and kept taking his breaths swiftly as i stepped forward.

I put my hand on his head and patted it.

He slowly looked up to me and wiped away his tears.

"I-I am fine Dad...don't worry...i..."

"No need to act strong with me, you did well Seto, i am sure she thinks so too" i replied as i cut his words off with a small smile.

Seto's eyes widened slightly before nodding sadly and i sat down beside him.

I gazed at her grave stone for a small while before sighing.

"Hello Ayaka"

I slowly smiled calmly as i put the flowers horizontally before her grave.

"As Seto told you...we've been well Dear. I have continued my career as a teacher and i am glad i did since my students are doing well for themselves"

I took a deep breath before exhaling as i crossed my hands together in a very odd fashion...i suppose this habit of mine will never disappear when she's involved.

"Ayano is okay now, she's grown up to be a beautiful young girl, she has your eyes and your smile...she also found herself someone to love, he's someone the two of us are familiar with and...i can only hope he treats her well" i spoke up as slowly my voice went to silence.

Why did you have to die?....

Couldn't you have taken my life and leave hers Johan?...i am to blame for everything, not her.

She was just an angel who lived with demons...what did she do to deserve this stupid fate?...

"Ayaka...i am...sorry, i am sure your ears are bleeding from the amount of time you've heard me say this but...i am sorry. I apologize so much to you and yet...i can never truly prove myself to be sorry but...i will do my best to do so, i will live my life trying to make our daughter and our children happy, they will hate me but...i will do my best"

Yeah...that's what she should've heard too...

I sighed slightly as i looked up to the sky.

"I am sorry...Ayano"

I really should'nt have been so cruel with you, my dear daughter...please stay safe.

And...Kiyotaka...if you truly are different from that same being in the whiteroom...protect her for me, you're the only one i know who can even look that monster in the eye...