One's Eden: Hanayuki Travel

Chapter 66: Future, Dreams, and Memories

Flowers are in full bloom. Colorful petals dance floating in the air as the heavy wind blows. A wonderful scenery indeed. When the flowers are in full bloom, it only screams one season. Yep, the year has entered the spring season.

Unlike the other day, Shaymi and I weren’t encountering monsters or demons.

Walking on the trail going to the next town.

“So beautiful… I wish every day seemed like that.”

“Me too…” I replied. While looking at Shaymi who was playfully walking in front of me, I wondered what kind of thing she wanted to do in the future.

Unlike me, she does have some plans in mind.

This might be the perfect time to talk about it.

“Shaymi?”

“What is it?”

“Um, I was wondering if Shaymi had a dream? Something you want to do or achieve.”

Shaymi tilted her head. After a short time of thinking, she turned toward my face with a big smile, saying,

“I would like to be a performer or an actress… I love playing roles. Back in the amusement park we did many role plays and I think it was super fun.”

I had no idea till now that she wanted to be a theater actress.

Having goals in life. Something you wanted to achieve. A reason for someone waking up early in the morning, excited about what they are doing.

Feels like living in a dream.

Oddly, I got a sensation of relation to those feelings. Unlike Shaymi, I don’t exactly know what will happen in my future. I’m still searching for my forgotten past.

There are days when I think of myself about giving up on my purpose of searching.

But if I give up my purpose, what is left to me? What is left to me is Hanayuki Travel? Nothing will be left to me. I’m afraid of having no purpose.

Having no purpose is like having no life.

“How about Hanayuki? What is Hanayuki’s dream?”

“My dream… I have none of those things.”

“That’s weird… My grandfather told me that everyone in the world has something they want to do in their life. Something they called a calling. Everyone must have dreams.”

“I think it does not apply to everyone… Waking up, working day by day… To average people like myself, that is fine. Living for the sake of seeing tomorrow until the day of death arrives. Maybe I’ll fall in love and marry. Having kids and growing old with my husband on my side.”

A simple life is fine.

“Does that excite you?”

“Not really. Who is excited about growing old anyway? It is like a curse, but everyone will eventually grow old… Shaymi, I’m planning on leaving you somewhere. My travels are very dangerous for a child to stand beside me all the time. I’ve been thinking about this for a very long time. Shaymi staying with me will result in death that I might regret in the future. Something I feared so much.”

“I see, I’m a burden.”

“That’s not it…”

“Then, I’m weak?”

I stopped walking and my hand on my chest.

“Shaymi is very strong… But I don’t want to feel the same regret I felt losing other people besides me. You and I have traveled for half a year now. You have become somewhat important to me. The next town is a city. A wonderful city where you can go to school and live normally. You could become an actress, make more friends and not worry about facing life-threatening disasters. Shaymi has a wonderful future to see.”

I said with my head bowed down. Anyone would know that I don’t look good.

Emotions raced through my heart. I loved Shaymi, she’s like a sister to me.

Shaymi was silent, I could sense her sobbing a little. Tears fell and were wiped out immediately by her arms.

“...”

“Shaymi… All I wanted is for you to live normally. Unlike me… I’m not normal.”

Normal life is something foreign to me. Understanding myself by observing others as I travel. I know for sure that I’m not one of them.

I felt like I was an outcast. Something that doesn’t belong in the crowd of people.

I’m not a functioning adult or someone doing my best to chase my dreams.

Tied down to my unknown memory from the past. I continue to wander around like an i***t. My purpose might not be fulfilled or I will find my memories and find them unpleasant. Disappointed about spending my life searching for the truth.

I don’t want Shaymi to copy my lifestyle.

Leaving her and giving her hope for achieving her dream is the right thing to do.

“I’ll think about it…”

Shaymi replied.

Our eyes don’t meet but I know she's sad about the words I just said.

We reached the city of Yumeria. The city is filled with colorful structures. People look nice and children wearing uniforms walking to school can be seen. Girls in Shaymi’s age spending time with others of the same age as her are seen hanging out in the park.

Life is short, Shaymi must not regret her life.

Shaymi and I continue to be awkward with each other. As we stroll around the city and eat lunch. We never talked to each other.

After lunch, we went to the children's park to sit on a swing.

Shaymi is still upset.

She stood up and said,

“Wait for me here before the sun sets.”

I nodded at her. She ran away from me.

I wonder where she is going? She said to wait, she would come back. All I have to do is behave and wait for her here.

I slowly swing myself and think.

This is the only option to make Shaymi happy.

To avoid danger. To live a normal life.

I would like to continue traveling with her so that I can open myself to creating more meaningful relationships.

I then realized that being together with someone you share bonds. That doesn’t mean you don’t have a meaningful relationship with them.

The emotions and memories we share are the most important. Her grandfather told me the truth about her and saved her from the lost amusement park. They sacrifice their lives so that Shaymi would be able to live normally outside.

I must fulfill their dying wish.

With my head full of thoughts, I didn’t notice that the sky was already dyed orange. Everyone seems to be going home already. The orange sunlight cast a long shadow behind my back. While looking at the setting sun, someone blocked the illuminating light.

Standing in front of me was Shaymi.

I raised my head to look directly at her face. She wore a forced smile and her eyes were already gushing with tears.

She presented a ribbon to me. She said no words, but I think it's not needed anymore. I took the red ribbon in her hand and stood up. Hugging her back, crying.

I tightly squeezed her. She did the same.

Every second of time feels like an eternity. I want to keep holding her at my side. I’ll miss her acting like an adult and childish at the same time. She teased me about my weight and my hoaxed voice.

I won’t feel lonely… Because this is not goodbye. We’ll see each other again in the far future.

I felt like hearing that from her, or maybe it was something I wanted to hear from her.

After the hug, we stared at each other for a long time as a gentle breeze brushed our cheeks, urging us on.

It was time for us to part.

“That ribbon is my gift… I’m sorry it's the only thing I could buy for you.”

“What are you talking about? This ribbon is so pretty.”

I said and tied my hair together with it.

“Do you want something, I’ll buy something for you?”

Shaymi shook her head. Refusing to offer.

“You’ve already given lots of things to me. Fun experience to sad experience. Times that I won't forget for the rest of my life. Thank you so much Hanayuki… Thank you so much.”

She leaped toward me and gave me another hug. She pressed her face on my chest and continued crying.

…

On the following day, I introduced Shaymi to the orphanage that will take care of her from now on. She was enrolled in an academy and made new friends. She is happy that she got new clothes. Her school uniform.

After a week of staying in Yumeria city,

I have to go.

At the entrance gate of the city, Shaymi was standing. For the last time, we looked at each other's faces with big smiles, sweet smiles on our faces.

“Don’t forget about me…”

I said.

“I won’t forget… I won’t forget… All of the crazy things we did. I won’t forget a single thing. Even if I tried, I wouldn’t. Because Hanayuki is someone I loved the most.”

I turned my back on her as I answered.

“Me, too… I promise.”

… There is no way I will forget these wonderful memories.

A wispy cloud floating in the air seemed to follow the road creeping along the ground below. The path was surrounded by colorful flowers, and a cool breeze blew through them, sending blossoms bobbling.

In the distance, we could see a small river flowing at a relaxed pace like us. The scene was permeated by the crisp lapping water.

And we slowly went forward.

Each on our journey.