Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Destiny of Loneliness ❯ Epilogue ( Chapter 7 )

Destiny of Loneliness

Kal Kally

Epilogue

Hatanaka Shuuichi slowly made his way to the rose pot near the entrance of the flower shop. It was his favorite rose pot that was placed there only for decorations, not selling. For a man nearly eighty years old like him, just walking around in the shop all day was already a hard task. But Hatanaka wanted to dedicate all his life to the shop, and he would, until he couldn't anymore.

Something caught his eyes, or rather someone. There was a boy standing outside the shop, eyes fixing on the rose place. The boy looked different from the schoolboys he usually saw walking pass his shop. His hair was dark and spiky, a white streak silvered the tips of his hair on the front of his head. The boy was wearing a black coat, and there was a headband on his forehead.

Hatanaka smiled, one great thing about this job was that he got the chance to meet people that shared the same hobby with him. He walked closer to the boy.

"You also love roses?"

The boy was startled and looked up, seeming confused.

"I love roses too."

The boy fell silent, then spoke, his voice nearly a whisper. "You keep your promise."

"What?"

"You really did open this shop in remembrance of him."

"Him? Who are you talking about?"

"Never mind. I forgot that you don't know his real name."

Hatanaka didn't understand, but the boy looked so forlorn, even though his face was expressionless. Suddenly he wanted to do something. He got to his favorite flowerpot, cut a rose and held it out for the boy. "Here, for you."

"But..." The boy hesitated. "I don't have any money."

"You don't have to pay anything."

The boy took the rose and lifted it to smell the sweet scent. Hatanaka waited for an appreciation, his shop was known to be the place where people could find the most wonderful roses. However, on the boy's face, there was only discomfort.

"What's wrong?" asked the old man, feeling slightly offended, "You don't like it? Maybe it isn't beautiful enough? Or its scent isn't good enough?"

"No..." The boy answered after a long silence. "This rose is charming. It's just that the first time I saw a rose, it was such a rose that I can never forget. I can't help thinking of it whenever I see another rose."

"Was it beautiful?"

"So beautiful that it took your breath away. I've been searching to see that sight again."

"But it was in the past. Put it behind and let you enjoy the roses that you can find now. Don't chase after a shadow. Every flower withers away."

"And forget all about it? Isn't it a little bit cruel?"

"No, whatever happens, people must move on eventually. Just feel grateful that the first rose left in you such a good impression that gave birth to your love for roses. The first rose would always live in your memory."

 "And just be a piece of memory that is so easily buried under events of the present? I want more than that." The boy snorted.

Hatanaka smiled. "For a boy of your age, you sure talk like a mature adult."

"Oh... " The boy gave him back the flower.

"Why?"

"Without the other roses, it just seems so... so lonely."

"No, keep it." Hatanaka shook his head and didn't accept the rose. "Staying here, its existence would only be meaningless. With you, at least, it can have the appreciation of a rose lover. And I guess that's the Fate of it. Just like human, someone is just born to be a loner."

"But what if that loner doesn't want to be alone anymore?"

"Then I guess he starts fighting Fate. It may give him the reason to live, but then, it will just be just his delusion. No one can escape Fate. Oh, at least that's what most people believe."

The boy fell silent again. There were some customers coming into the shop, and the old man turned his attention to the new arrivals. He showed them the flowers they wanted, and told them about the method to take care of them.

"Then for once, I'm glad that I never believe in anything."

Suddenly, he heard a whisper, so faint that he wasn't sure he actually heard it.

What had the boy just said? Hatanaka turned around to see the boy, but where the boy had stood, there was now only empty air.

OWARI.