7 Years From Now

Chapter 36: Where The Heart Lies

*End of flashback*
Ichiri was still speaking.
“And just like that , I lost all my memories 7 years ago, the day after that incident..”
“Ichri…”
Haruto spoke.
“So that’s what you meant when you said that you lost your memories..”
“Yep so I woke up at an unknown place and an unknown town and started living there without any idea as to who I was..but later after few years , it slowly started to come back. Slowly but surely I got them back. And by relying on those memories.. I found my way back to this town. That was around 4 years ago.. right kikusui?”
“Yea..”
“So this is actually the first time I have told you about my dad or about the time leaping. I’m sorry that I kept it to myslef.”
“Its alright..it doesn’t matter anymore..I’m sure you had your reasons..”
“You surely have softened up a bit.. kikusui..”
“Perhaps.. yea..”
“Maybe it’s thanks to Haruto?”
Haruto gave an embarrassing smile.
“ well you were completely a different person 4 years ago kikusui..”
*Flashback*
Ichiri was in Ayato’s cabin.
“is that really you , kikusui?”
“…”
“Hey kikusui!! Tell me why hasn’t anything changed in this hospital?! Didn’t you say that you’re gonna find the cure of LMD when you become the director?”
“Ha.. you think nothing’s changed?? Everything has changed. And where were you anyways.. Ichiri? I was worried that you were dead.”
“I lost my memories..”
“Memories?”
“Yea .. even now I don’t have it all back.”
“Memory loss huh… Aren’t Memories your speciality? “
“I think it was my father who erased it..”
“ Why would he do such a thing?”
“I don’t know.. all I know is that he was prepared..”
“I see.. enough talking about the past..shall we talk about the present”
“Answer my question first then.. kikusui.. did you loose your passion to find LMD’s cure..”
“Of course not.. we are still researching it… but I found something a lot more interesting..”
“More Intersting?”
“yea ichiri.. I wanted to ask you.. do you know about time leaping?”
“Time leaping?”
“Yep..”
“Are you listening to yourself?”
“Turns out that our father were into it.. and Ichiri..I have a feeling that you are involved as well..”
“im sorry to disappoint you but I have no idea what you are talking about..”
“ I see..”
“Kikusui.. don’t tell me that you threw away all your passion for as stupid as this?”
“Ichiri!! You .. really don’t know??”
“ I ..don’t..”
“Then ..it’s no use..”
“Kikusui.. I don’t know what’s wrong with you! You used to be so passionate. You used to say that I’ll eradicate LMD and all.. we still have time we—”
“NOO!!” Ayato shouted.
He continued..
“It’s too late. You have come now..but for three years only I know what stupid things I have done.. we can’t go back now .”
“I see..”
“ I thought you knew something ichiri.. but if you knew your father would have killed you as well..”
Ichiri didn’t say anything.. Ayato continued..
“Ichiri! Would you help me with this research? I replaced a lot of people so all that has gone..we have a lot of money but we are making no progress….”
“Is this for LMD?”
“ don’t be stupid..of course it’s for time leaping..”
“Then I can’t help you..”
“ I see.. then.. help me in wiping the Memories of those who get involved in m way..”
“What??”
“If you don’t want to work in the hospital. Open a small clinic outside somewhere.. I’ll give you the money..how’s that?”
“What do you mean??”
“That’s not enough for you? Geez.. you’re asking a lot..”
“kikusui.. wha—”
“I ve decided.. you either help me with these conditions or leave this town..which will you choose?”
He thought for a while..
“ fine ..I’ll help you..”
“Alright..”
Ayato told him all details about his diary and his father. He told him how to cover up for things.. ichiri didn’t say anything. He just left the cabin.
*End of flashback*

“That was the last time I met kikusui.”
Haruto spoke up.
“Then for 4 years , director was waiting?”
“Yes I waited for him. But he never came. I thought to myself that you are a liar. Just like my father told me..I didn’t know that there was another lie though..”
“Yea.. I did lie..”
“ ichiri..”
“But back then I thought that it was the right thing. I would die without telling anybody about the time leaping. But in the end it was wrong..”
“What was wrong?” asked Haruto..
“Haruruto.. I always had my doubt.. why did my father wipe out all my Memories just for it to return it within 3 years?”
“Did you find out?”
“I did.. there was a part of memory that my father wanted me to forget .. something he didn’t want me to remember no matter what..”
“What is it?”
“My most precious memories..a most important promise.. that I made a long time ago.. when I was still a child..”

*Flashback*

“Hey!! Heyyy! Hey??!!” shouted young ichiri..
“Wow! You scared me..”
“Hii! Nice to meet you.. I’m Ichiri..”
“Ich..ri?”
“Yes.. you are kanna right?”
“Yea.. how.. how do you know?”
“I usually watch you from afar..”
“That’s called being a stalker!”
“ actually.. there is something I want to ask you..”
“What is it..”
“ kanna.. you are suffering from LMD right?”
“Yes that’s right.. “
“If there was a person responsible for creating LMD… would you hate them?”
“creating? You mean if that person didn’t exist. I would have been fine?”
“yes..”
“I guess I would..”
“ I see.. “
Ichiri then murmured.. ' I guess that’s exactly how dad said..’
“One more question..” he continued..
“If the person who created it was right in front of you.. would you wish for them to die?”
“Huh?? No way!”
“ really? Then how else can they be forgiven?”
“Forgiven?”
“Yea.”
“Well.. they can work hard and save others.. I’d ne happy if they save my friend..”
“save your friend huh..”
“But why are you asking..”
“That’s umm.. my father did something.. and he has to repent his sins..”
“Repent?”
“Yea.. I have to as well.. so I came here to understand how you feel..”
“I see.. umm.. then let’s be friends!!”
“Huh! Wait why??”
“You don’t need reasons to be friends.. or you don’t want to?”
“um.. uh.. well.. I don’t mind.. “
“Alright..from here on we are friends now! So if I’m in trouble.. would you help your friend ? You said before right.. repenting..”
“Ohh..”
“Hehehe..”
“Kanna.. are you 11 years old.. you really seem… like.. you are childish..”
“Wh-wha-what!! Do I?”
“Umm no.. not really..”
They both laughed..

Few days later..
Ichiri was about to leave kanna room..
“Alright I’ll have to go now..”
“Hey wait! Tell me your first name..”
“Huh? My first name? But why.. I’m going to go now..”
“Because we are friends..”
“Ohh is that so.. hahahah.. well it’s ..Sousuke.. Sousuke Ichiri..”
“Sousuke.. I see.. then it’s a promise! That if a friend is in need we’ll help them out..”
“Yea.. “
“ohh wait! I actually have a very important friend.. his name is Ayato..let’s all be friends..I’ll introduce him to you next time..”
“Okay..”
“hehe I’ll have to prepare a present for next time..I’ll be waiting!..”
“Yepp see ya!!”

Few days later.
Ichiri and his dad were talking.
“ I thought you were smart kid. That’s why I told you things!..”
“Im sorry dad..”
“Well anyways.. I’ll have to wipe this part of your memory.. do you understand.. and in future do not mingle with LMD patients.. they are the victims and we are the perpetrators..”
“I’m sorry..”
“Well i guess there is no meaning of telling you this.. anyways..”

*End of flashback*

Ichiri continued..
“And that’s how my dad erased that part.. and few years later..I got them back..”
“I see.. so you have met kanna..”
“My father used to take me to hospital to observe LMD patients.. kikusui..I knew about you long before we actually met.. and I forgot about kanna..but now that I remembered it. I’m gonna fulfill that promise..”
“About helping? Your gonna help me?”
“In a way..”
“In a way? What do you mean?”
“Im going to save both of you!”
“What? What do you mean?”
“Remember the time when you and kanna were alright?..”
“yea.. “
“I’m going to …

Return to back then..”

To be continued..