-Ryoma-
Age 32

I stare up at the building that had been my home for more than half a decade and feel something stirring inside me.

Is it hate, for the people that made my childhood a living hell?

Is it admiration, for the people that had gone out of their way to rescue not only me, but hundreds – thousands – of other children as well?

Is it gratitude, for the people that had protected me and given me the first home I'd had since I'd been kidnapped?

It's probably a mix of all of them, but there's also something else…fear. I'm ashamed to admit it, but there's still that little stirring of fear, hidden in the very deepest depths of my heart, that one day, I'll be forced to go back there.

It's completely illogical, of course. There's no way they could make me go back, for any number of reasons. But even though my mind seems to know this, I can't help but feel a little scared.

Pushing the fear out of my mind, I remind myself that I'm now in a better place in my life, that I've broken free of my past, and that it has no power over me anymore.

Once I've calmed down, I walk up to the door and pull it open.

The smell inside reminds me almost of a hospital, and I can't help but wrinkle my nose a little.

Before I've taken more than three steps into the building, I feel a hand on my shoulder, and turn to see a very stern-looking man staring at me. "May I ask what business you have here, sir?" he asks, and I realize I'd forgotten just how tight the security is around here.

Something about the man seems familiar to me, though, and when I can pinpoint what it is, a wide smile grows on my face.

"Michael!" I exclaim, and he looks shocked that I recognize him. "You're Michael, aren't you?"

"I am," he says slowly, as if suspicious, "And who might you be?"

"Well, it has been twenty years so I guess I can't blame you for not recognizing me," I say before holding out a hand for him to shake. "I'm Ryoma. Ryoma Echizen."

"R-Ryoma?" stutters out the older man, staring at me in shock, before he ignores the hand completely in favour of wrapping me in a bone-crushing hug. "I can't believe it's you! You've grown so much!"

I can't help but laugh at his enthusiasm as I return the hug, saying, "Well, I should hope so. After all, the last time you saw me, I was only twelve."

"And now you're thirty-two," he says, a smile dancing on his face, a fierce pride hidden somewhere in his eyes, "And looking even better than I'd expected."

"Well, that's what happens when you have friends and family as amazing as mine," I tell him, and I see the expression in his eyes soften.

"You're happy, then," he says, something akin to relief showing on his face. And then, before an awkward silence can start up, he asks me, "So, what're you doing here? Not come to say thank you, I suppose?"

"That's exactly what I'm here for," I tell him, causing him to look incredulously at me for a moment. I scratch my cheek with a finger, smiling sheepishly. "To tell, the truth, my wife's the one that put me up to this, so…"

"I see," replies Michael with a broad grin on his face, "Even little Ryoma's married now, is he? Any children?"

I perk up at this question and, being the doting father that I am, I take out my wallet to show him. "That's my four-year-old son, Akira, and my three-month-old daughter, Ryokka," I tell him in a proud voice, pointing out my children in the relatively recent picture, which had been taken only last month, at Akira's fourth birthday party.

Michael looks at the picture in my hand, and after a moment, he nods, saying, "You have beautiful children."

"Of course!" I tell him in response, "They are my children, after all!"

Michael doesn't say anything to that, merely allowing me to gush about my wonderful kids for the next five minutes or so.

After I'm done, he tells me quite seriously, "I'm glad that you seem to be doing so well, Ryoma. You, of all people, deserve a happy life."

Looking away from his face and out the window, I catch site of the full moon outside, and a smile stretches across my face.

Looking back at Michael, I tell him, "Well, it's really all thanks to you and everyone else here that I was able to break free of my past, so…thank you. Thank you so, so much."

The End

SkyGem: Well, after forever and a half, I've finally finished writing this fic! So sorry it took me so long to post this, but I hope you guys liked it, ne? Please do leave one last review on here letting me know what you thought, and if you have the time, please do check out some of my other fics, ne? I don't really write for PoT anymore except for one ongoing fic that I have, but I've got a lot of fics for KHR, if you're interested. That's all for now, and I hope to see y'all again someday, ne? Ja ne, minna-san!