Underneath the Red Trees

CHAPTER 30: GRANDFATHER

The man looked as old as a great tree. Exactly as Satoru remembered him. He bowed his waist in a respectful greeting.

"No need for formalities." Zaizen did not move. "I am glad to see you are well, my boy." Satoru let out a shaky breath. An Answer did not come to mind. Zaizen's cane tapped on the ground as he walked closer to Satoru. "When I sent you to serve the Lady Hisako, I did not intend to force you into servitude."

Satoru stared at Zaizen. He searched for words but came up with nothing still.

Zaizen asked, "No words your grandfather?"

When Seiya Yanigihara was only a child both his parents died in a horrible fire, resulting in horrible burn scars across one side of his body. The mysterious Zaizen Kuroda had appeared to him then. With a grief-ridden face he had announced that he was Seiya's maternal grandfather. He had taken on the mission of serving and protecting Lady Hisako Inoue and her two sons at Zaizen Kuroda's request. Some years later, when Seiya had only been a teenager, he lost contact with his only family for good. He had spent years questioning why he had been abandoned. And now here he stood, centuries later. Two lifetimes later.

A laugh broke from Satoru's throat. His fingers dug into the palms of his hands. "I can't believe this."

Zaizen eyed Satoru for a while before he tapped his cane against the ground. "I am not asking for your forgiveness, grandson."

"I am not your grandson," Satoru snapped.

Zaizen chuckled. "Yes. Of course. Seiya Yanigihara was my blood. Satoru Akiyama has no blood relation to the Kuroda name." Zaizen's thin lips cracked a meek smile. "Allow me to give you a piece of advice then."

"What?" His voice shook.

"I understand the need for freedom from Seiya Yanigihara, but you do not have those memories for no reason."

"What are you trying to say?" Satoru wanted to run, like he was a scared little boy again. Since his childhood he had been afraid of his past life dictating the course of this one. Zaizen Kuroda —Seiya's grandfather—was the biggest threat to that.

Zaizen chuckled again. "Satoru Akiyama and Seiya Yanigihara are not necessarily the same person, but you cannot deny their connection to each other. Your past life need not dictate your current one, but it is important not to forget your past. It is a rare case for a reincarnated soul to remember their past life. You should treasure those memories. Remember your mistakes, my boy, and learn from them, for your memories are no curse, rather, they are a gift."

"I still can't believe you, Ourei!"

Kaguya rolled her eyes. "How long are you going to keep at that, Ayu?"

Ayumi smirked. The two sat on a bench. Ayumi had still been angry about Satoru and the events that had followed from that morning. To appease her, Kaguya had bought her the crepe she was now nibbling on. Ayumi still did not understand that some of them separated themselves from their past lives. Actually, she was the only one who did not comprehend that their current lives were not a continuation of their past lives. But she was still young. She would realise it in her coming adulthood once she matured.

"How is Tatsumi?"

Ayumi shrugged. "Stubborn. Angry." She turned her head to Kaguya, flashing a big smile. "Like always." Kaguya chuckled as she ruffled Ayumi's hair. Ayumi pouted. "Mr Seiya has to come back. He is a servant of Ryogetsu Naguchi. He should act like it."

Kaguya's brows crinkled together. "Seiya Yanigihara was a servant of Ryogetsu Naguchi. Satoru Akiyama is not. As far as Satoru is concerned, he and Seiya are two different people. He will not join us."

Ayumi scoffed, "Then he should grow up. I thought I was supposed to be the child."

Kaguya had no idea how to react. Ayumi, like Keijiro, had always been strongly opinionated. She believed her opinion was correct and whoever could not conform to her beliefs would be looked down on.

"That is up to him." The two women turned around to see Tatsumi standing behind them. He handed them both a bottle of juice. "Honestly, I had the same opinion, but I couldn't get away from my weapon. It kept calling to me. And then there was ERIS."

"The same thing is probably happening to Satoru," Kaguya added, "but he has a lot more self-control."

"How do you think he avoids suppression?"

"Probably like all of us. He takes it out once or twice a month for an hour or so, then he hides it away."

"Let's change the subject, yeah?" Ayumi chimed, "Lord Ryogetsu has his memories back, but it feels like he is still avoiding me."

"That's because he's in love," Kaguya said nonchalantly. "He found Yuuki Akano's reincarnation." Tatsumi and Ayumi's eyes widened simultaneously.

Tatsumi recovered from his shock first. He scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "That bastard... Does the universe love him that much?"

Kaguya broke out laughing. Tatsumi scolded her for laughing, and this soon turned to a lecture for neglecting to tell them about Touma Kirigaya. Though she had been older in their past lifetime, even then Tatsumi had been more mature.

Their interaction allowed them both to miss Ayumi's expression. Her countenance had darkened significantly. An expression filled with dismay. Dismay and anger and hate...

"Are you sure I was invited?"

Hayate rolled his eyes. Kaguya frowned at him. They stood outside, in front of Koichi's Place. It was Friday night.

"Yes. I got threatened by Harin. She was pretty insistent that you join us tonight."

"You are aware that I am the oldest here, right?" Rolling his eyes, Hayate dragged her inside. "I'm turning twenty-three in a month. Do you realise that?" she shouted while she tried to pull herself free.

"Stop shouting, please."

They sat at the same booth as last time. Shinya had yet to arrive. They sat in the following order: Hayate at one end, Touma, Satoru, Harin, and Kaguya at the other end.

"I'm so glad you came," Harin said, hugging Kaguya around her shoulders.

"Why did you invite me?"

"Well, you see," she said a matter-of-factly. "Since this one—" she motioned to Touma— "admitted to my ex-best friend that he is gay I have been the only girl in this group." She placed her hands over her heart. "And then you appeared like a hot tattooed goddess."

"Kimiko's reaction is not my fault."

"I know that Angel. I am just explaining the gossip to my new best friend here."

Just then Shinya arrived. He sat on the side, next to Kaguya.

Just like last time the argument erupted on Harin who never—ever—had to get drinks. This time it ended when Harin slammed a hand on the table. "Listen to me Satchin, Harin doesn't get drinks." The argument ended. But it would start again next time they went bar hopping like clockwork. Harin grinned. "And tonight, I am drinking like a pro."

"Is there a special occasion?" Kaguya asked.

"Exams start next week," Harin said gravely, "That means I'll have to practice abstinence for over a month."

"So, in the name of exams, you're going to drink more than you usually do?" Shinya asked.

"Yes," Harin said. "Now bring me alcohol, slaves."