Paradox Saga: Rising Sun

I Get To See My Parents' Faces More Clearly

As I laid on the bed and tried to enjoy its comfortable fluffiness, I turned my head to the left and my eyes widened. There were images of me and my loved ones in picture frames just above the cabinet. There was a picture of me eating a cotton candy with Sadao and Saemon-san forming a peace sign beside me. One image showed a five-year old me smiling widely and pointing at a part of my mouth where a tooth was missing. I sat up and looked at them one-by-one. All of them were beginning to make me remember some memories that I’ve forgotten along with Mom’s spell. However, my heart seemed to stop beating as I looked at the picture in the middle. It was a picture of me as a young baby. I was carried by my Mom and Dad was looking at me with a smile on his face.

“Mom…Dad…” I uttered as I held the image with a shaking hand. Tears started streaming out of my eyes as I hugged the frame. I don’t remember this memory and I wish I did.

The door opened and the girls chattered excitedly.

“Shiro’s room looks wonderful!” Saiko remarked. “Isn’t it, Shiro?”

I wiped my tears hurriedly and looked at them. “Yes, it does…”

“Shiro…are you fine?” Nami asked and walked towards me. “Shiro, what is– ” She must’ve seen the frame on my hands.

“It’s my picture as a child…with my parents,” I said and showed them the image.

Nami hugged me from behind. More tears started to flow from my eyes. “It’s just…It’s just even though it’s just a picture, I had the chance to see my parents…”

The other girls hugged me.

“Don’t worry, Shiro. I’m sure they’re okay. They ain’t Beta-Tier Figures for nothing,” Saiko said.

“Here…” Midorima said and handed me a handkerchief.

“Thanks…” I sniffled.

Thyme patted my head. “We’re always here, okay? Don’t be shy.”

“Thyme’s right, Shiro,” Fritz said. “Besides, we can always be by your side now that your room’s beside ours.”

All of them started to crowd-hug me again.

“Okay, I’m fine now, guys…” I said. “Seriously, I’m fine,” I added when they still didn’t remove their selves from me.

They backed away and looked at me.

“Well, if you’re okay, you can follow us on the living room, okay?” Nami said and they went outside.

I blew on the handkerchief and looked at the picture again. At least, I still got the chance to see what my parents looked like. 

I tried to remember how I looked in the mirror, and looked at the images of my parents. I shook my head. Except for my Dad wearing some glasses and my Mom’s slightly brown skin, I think I didn’t retain much of my parents’ characteristics (and I bet it’s not even part of Mom’s amnesia spell).

Dad’s face was much younger in the image, maybe 20 or so, though I cannot be sure with the Figures’ extraordinary human anatomy. His beard was starting to form, though it wasn’t that much, and had a very charming look. He also was lean and muscular and looked like a nerd that loved to go on the gym with his glasses. Mom wasn’t that similar to me, too. You can tell she was the type of girl who any man would fall in love with. Her skin reminded me of an underdeveloped pearl; she looked slightly tanned though her skin seemed to shine. Her smile with me was also nostalgic like I’ve seen it many times. Her long black hair looked smooth and her face was so pretty I can’t believe she was my Mom. As I looked at the image, something suddenly came inside my mind.

Dad’s face did looked like he was in his youth. Mom’s was the same. If so, I would’ve been 21 or older today, approximately. How can I still be 16 years old?

I rushed out my room and went downstairs. Every step was like a thousand and I almost slipped on the last step on the ladder. If this is another secret of theirs, I need to know what that is or what is the reason behind it. Nami was mixing some orange juice powder on a pitcher in the kitchen while the girls were talking to the workers back in the pool. 

Fritz noticed me first. She waved at me. “Hey, Shiro, you fine now?” she asked.

I walked outside and faced her. “Is there still a secret that you haven’t told me?” I asked in return, which wasn’t really an answer to her question, but nevertheless, I still asked her.

“What secret do you mean? We’ve told you everything that we know,” Fritz replied. “I swear!”

“Then how could you explain with me still 16?!” I questioned

“That ain’t their fault, young boy,” someone with a deep voice said on my back.

I turned around. I can’t tell if it was real or not. Someone I saw in the pictures just a while ago was here standing in front of me now.

“Hello, Alonio. I’m Appius, your godfather," the stranger revealed. 

His words seemed to echo inside my mind. How can this be happening?