Reiyouki Sentai Seitenger

1.9 Contemplating Even More

The thought of assuming their alleged responsibilities as Vessels proved itself to be extremely disturbing. And the five of them hadn't managed to sleep well the other night because of that.

That was why, at dawn the next day, they all headed somewhere to clear their minds before they start their days. But they did that in two groups.

The first group consisted of Misae, Shuichi, and Eichirou. The three of them came up with the idea of taking a stroll down the beach in hopes that the sea breeze could calm their minds. It was originally Eichirou's idea. Shuichi and Misae just tagged along since biking and archery would only make them sad since those hobbies reminded them of their respective parents.

And to think it was their parents' death anniversary on that particular day, as well...

Surely, things couldn't get any gloomier for Shuichi and Misae.

"Eichirou..." Shuichi ventured upon noticing that the eldest of the group appeared to be in deep thought ever since they arrived at the beach.

"Hmm...?"

Shuichi eyed Misae and the girl seemed to have understood what it meant. She sighed and walked alongside Eichirou. "What made you decide to come here?"

But they hadn't gotten any answer from him. It was only for a short while, though. They saw him stop walking and faced the sea as Eichirou smiled wistfully at the slowly rising sun.

"Mom told me before she died... that if I want to talk to her or if I want to fade my worries away, the sea would wash it away for me. The sea breeze would comfort me just as her hands would wipe my tears away and would embrace me when I was feeling lonely and lost. The sun rising from the horizon would make me smile just the same way her smile was able to lift my spirit whenever I'm down." Eichirou chuckled at those words afterward. "I never even realized that she died to fulfill something that big. I always thought that she died because she had been sick for a long time."

Shuichi and Misae glanced at each other upon hearing that from Eichirou. So even the energetic and the person with the most childish personality among the group had long kept this kind of thought in his mind.

The biker soon approached Eichirou and tapped the latter's shoulder. "You know, I still envy you for that."

His words made Eichirou frown and face him. "What's there to be envious about?"

"That you still had the chance to talk to your mother like that before she died," Misae was the one who answered it. "We never had that chance when our parents were killed that night."

"They just told us that no matter what happens, they'll always be with us. Whatever it is that lies ahead of our paths, they will do their best to protect us," Shuichi added with a sigh. "I should've known that there was more to that fire than just a freak accident."

Misae nodded. "And to think Hideoki-san would save us from that fire." Then she faced Eichirou with a smile. "I guess that's how Hideoki-san loved your mother, Eichirou-san. Even though it was extremely dangerous, because of her prediction about Shuichi, Itsuki-kun, Erika-chan, and I dying in that fire, he charged toward the burning building to save us. He still values her wishes more than anything else."

Giving it careful thought, Eichirou had to admit that Misae had a point. His father only thought about how to protect them and ease the pain of losing the people they loved, never his sacrifices and pain. "To be honest, that was the first time I've seen Dad that serious and had begged us to do something."

"That's because it is a task that he couldn't do for our sake," Shuichi stated. "I can tell that if there's such an ability that could take away our duties as the new Vessels from us and place it to him, I know he would do whatever it takes to have that ability."