Man of Styx

Chapter SEVENTEEN: The Surrender of Death

The camera gracefully glides over a tranquil park, capturing the serene beauty of nature and architecture. The park is bathed in the warm glow of late afternoon sun, casting long shadows across the neatly trimmed grass. The scene unfolds with gentle sways of the swings and the rhythmic spin of the carousel, painting a picture of timeless nostalgia and simple joy.

Ryoichiro sat on a bench, trying to ignore the slight embarrassment he felt being in a children's park at his age. He watched as Risa enjoyed a cone of ice cream from the truck parked nearby, her face lit up with a genuine smile that seemed to capture the essence of carefree youth.

"Ryo-chan, remember when we used to come here every summer?" Risa said, her voice laced with nostalgia. She took a slow, savoring lick of her ice cream, her eyes glazing over as she reminisced. "We'd always start with the swings, then head over to the sandbox. You used to dig for treasure and claim you'd found buried gold."

Ryoichiro chuckled, a little self-conscious but amused. "Yeah, I remember. And you always insisted on being the pirate captain."

Risa laughed, her eyes sparkling with fond memories. "That's right! You were such a good sport, always humoring me. And your mom would bring us snacks and keep us entertained. She was always so kind and patient."

The mention of his mother made Ryoichiro's heart twist. He had been struggling to reveal the truth about what's happening to him, and hearing Risa's casual mentions of her felt like a stab to his heart. The guilt of hiding something from her, intertwined with the pain of her often long absence, were almost too much to bear.

Risa continued to recount their childhood adventures, her voice drifting between playful anecdotes and more sentimental recollections. Ryoichiro's gaze wandered across the park, trying to focus on the present but finding it increasingly difficult. He glanced at Risa, her expression full of warmth as she spoke of the past.

"Do you ever think about how different things might have been if —" Risa began, but she stopped abruptly when she saw the pained expression on Ryoichiro's face. She looked at him with concern. "What's wrong, Ryo-chan?"

Ryoichiro hesitated, his mind racing. "I've been thinking... Maybe I should tell my mom. Maybe what Yuko meant about no more innocents dying is that if I tell my mom the truth, she won't get dragged into this mess. Maybe she'll be safe from all of it, even if I reach out to her. I know she's busy with work and everything, but she should be able to find time to sit down and talk to me about it."

Risa's eyes widened, a flicker of disbelief crossing her face. Her gaze met Ryoichiro's with a mixture of pity and sadness. "Ryo-chan," she began softly, her voice trembling slightly, "what are you talking about?"

Ryoichiro looked at her, confusion etched on his face. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Risa hesitated, her gaze softening as she reached for his hand. "Ryo-chan... I know this is hard, but... do you remember what happened last year? With your mom?" She paused, giving him a moment to connect the dots, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's been a year since... she passed away."

The words landed with the weight of a heavy truth, sinking in slowly. Ryoichiro almost choked, and he stared at her in disbelief. "Risa-chan, wha-what did I say about those kinds of jokes? That's not funny... " he reprimanded, his voice barely above a whisper.