Midori: Hey there folks. Midori here with the last part to 'afraid'. You guys have been asking me to do it and here it is! The awaited epilogue

Don't own PoT

Summary: It's been 40 years…40 long years since she died and I wasn't over her death. It took the words of someone special to me to realize that I needed to move on…

How long has it been now? 30? No, Much longer than that. 40? Yes 40. It's been 40 years since she died. When I found out she died, I felt a part of me died as well. I remember I locked myself in my room reminiscing the memories I had with her. I re-read the letter many times over and over again like a broken record. At night I look up at the night sky thinking of where she is now. Was she in a place where she felt no pain? Or is wandering the earth alone? It didn't matter where she was; the fact is that I want her here with me by my side.

At nighttime her presence haunts me in my dreams. I can still see her hair flowing in wind along with the cherry blossoms and her chocolate eyes looking at me with mirth. All the memories I have of her play like a movie over and over again. It continues on until the morning comes.

I've stayed in my room until I was ready to face the truth: She wasn't there anymore and she'll never will. I go to her grave everyday like I do for the past 40 years. In time I've found someone else but I never got that spark like I did when I was with her. I tried to be happy around her but I never was. I always wonder why I was with her in the first place. Was it because she looked liked her or was it because she had personality? Or was it both?

We married and had a child together. I even named my daughter after her too. I always wished that Ryuzuki were my wife instead. She would be the mother of my child as well. I could see it in my mind clearly. She would have her long brown hair and my hazel eyes instead of the raven black hair and blue eyes she inherited from her mother. Time passed and the relationship I had with Minami severely weakened.

"Ryoma, we should divorce. I mean it's pointless to stay together when all you're thinking about is the woman you love is gone. You even named our daughter after her! You never hold me or even kiss me when we're alone. I can't handle this no more."

"Whatever"

'There you go again! Always saying 'Whatever' or 'Mada Mada Dane' or whatever crap that's comes out from you! That's it I'm leaving. Goodbye."

And it was gone like a blink of an eye. She packed her stuff and left leaving me with my daughter. As she left I felt a burden lifting off my shoulders.

I raised my daughter alone for the next ten years. She grew up into a beautiful young woman, 20 years old and already taking up college in Tokyo University. Everyday I feel like I see Ryuzuki within her. Whenever it was her smile or her sweet, caring personality all of it reminded me of Ryuzuki.

Sakuno wasn't home one day and I was worried. Normally she would be home before I got home from coaching. I waited for a half an hour but she never showed up and I was starting to worry. It was also time to visit her as well. Maybe I thought I would see her on the way there. Getting up from the coach I opened the door and walked to the cherry blossom tree. Once I got there I was surprised that I got company.

"S-Sakuno…what are you doing?"

She turned around and looked at me with shocked eyes. She promptly stood up and dusted the clothes off her.

"T-Tou-san…I didn't notice you were there…"

"What are you doing here?"

"This is…she…isn't it?" She pointed at the grave. "That woman you always think about. You always come here to see her do you? Everyday at this time you would leave the house to come here correct?"

"…Yeah…she was…an old friend"

"More like the woman you cared for. Or rather loved her in correction"

"…"

"Tell me about her"

I took a deep breath and sighed. I knew one of these days she would ask about her; it's just that I didn't know when she was going to ask. It was one of these days where I wasn't expecting that coming from her mouth.

"She was someone special to me, really close in fact. When we were younger I never gave a second thought about her until we were in high school it was then I started to think about her in a different way"

"You were in love with her?"

"Ye-What?"

"Tou-san you're in love with her. I can see it in your eyes. When you were talking about a minute ago your eyes were different…they looked…happy, really happy in fact. Unlike the usual stares you have everyday. You have the spark of love" She grinned at me and I all I did was stare her down. Where did she get her observing nature? Oh right…that was I…

"Yeah yeah I loved her…but there was something that held my feelings for her. You see I was afraid…"

"Afraid?" She asked but this time it was in a quiet voice. Normally she would laugh at me but her quiet voice meaning she wanted to know. To see her father afraid of something is a big discovery for her

"I was afraid she wouldn't love me the way I did long time ago. I kept my feelings locked up. I was hoping she would confess to me to make it easier for me but she never said anything to me at all. I was too late when I heard the news that she died. Since then I never found another woman"

'Then why did you marry okaa-san in the first place?"

"She reminded me of her. From her looks to her personality she reminded me of her"

"But did you really love her?"

"At first I did but after we had you, things went downhill. Our relationship was strained, but I tried my best to keep my marriage with your mother. One night she snapped and she left me to raise you alone"

"Then why didn't you stop her from leaving"

"You mother was right about one thing: It was pointless to be with her when all I think is her. I knew it was stupid to go after all and it cause more complications so I didn't fight back."

"Tou-san…I don't know what to think about this…but all I know is that you should really move on. You named me after a woman who's already dead and you didn't put up much of a fight for okaa-san. What I'm trying to say is that you got to move on. Yes I'm sorry that she died but you've been obsessing about her for a long time."

"Sakuno, I…"

"Don't 'Sakuno I' me tou-san. If she was here then what she say about this? If I were her I wouldn't want to be with someone who does nothing but obsess about her. I'd rather leave instead"

"Sakuno, I loved her. But she never knew about it. I couldn't even put 2 words together to form how I felt about her back then"

"That's no excuse. You had the chance but you did nothing about it. All you did was hold in your feelings until you realized she was gone."

"…"

"Tou-san…I know out that she's out there somewhere but I know one thing: She wants you to be happy and content with your life. No matter how faraway you are to her or how close she is to your heart: She will be watching you in life and in death."

What she said to me shocked me. To understand something simple was made clear. I felt so foolish to thin it would take 40 years to understand what everyone wanted me to do: To move on from her death and to start a new life.

"Arigato Sakuno"

"For what?"

"For helping me to understand what I didn't know"

"U-uh…yeah no problem tou-san…"

"And one more thing…"

"Yeah?"

"Don't make the same mistake I did"

At that point she blushed and I chuckled to myself

"Go get him"

"Sure"

She stood up and left me while I watched her retreating back. At least she won't make the same mistake I did so many years

"It's time to move on…goodbye…. Sakuno…" I whispered. I took out a long red rose from my pocket and placed it on the soil. I stood up and looked at the tombstone one last time before I took a step. As I walked back to the house, I felt a sight gust of wind. I spun around and the rose was gone. Was it-? It couldn't…could it? It could have been an illusion. I spun around for the final time and the rose was still there. For a second there I thought it was Ryuzuki.

"Che…mada mada dane" I muttered. I continued back home until I heard something

'Thank you…'

It sounded so familiar but I knew who the voice was

"I love you…" I replied back. I hope she heard that. But knowing her she already knows that. As I close the door on my old life and open up a new one I know that was gone…gone but not forgotten…

Fast-forward 20 years

"Awww that story was sooooo romantic," Gushed a girl

"Cut it out Rika, You're annoying me"

"What did you say Hikaru no baka?!" The two of them started to argue. It was always like this. Her two children always arguing like this. Her father did say they reminded him of 2 old friends on his junior high tennis team. Sakuno sighed as she left her children and went upstairs to check up on her father.

"Tou-san? Are you okay? Tou-san?"

She opened the door to see her father sleeping on the rocking chair where it was faced to the stars.

"Tou-san? Tou-san? Wake up…Tou-san?"

She shook him a little. Then she realized something. He was gone. She knew there would be a time he would have to go. She noticed a piece of paper he was holding. She pried his fingers open and saw a scribble on the paper

Wait for me

She smiled. At least her father would be happy. She had a feeling they would see each other someday. She just hoped he was happy…

He opened his eyes. A figure was in front of him. She smiled at him

"Ryoma-kun…"

He snapped his eyes open and he was in his 15 year old self. He looked at the figure that was coming at him

"Ryuzuki…I'm sorry…for not telling you…"

"It's okay…At least we're together now…"

"I love you"

"I love you too"

Midori: Argh…that was crap…but I managed to sneak a little ryosaku for you guys. I hope you enjoy it. I had another epilogue in mind but I chose this one. If you like I'll post up. Please review!