The sound of their footsteps hovered in both Shizune and Kurono's ears until they finally stopped and were replaced by a small silence, one that seemed to be part of the place they were in and would be somewhat difficult to ignore.
"How about we clean up the area a bit first?" Shizune had just asked that question once she looked around a bit.
"Sounds good to me. Everything is indeed better compared to last time, but I think it's somewhat necessary." Kurono immediately agreed with Shizune's idea.
"Hehe, surely it won't happen again in the future, don't you think?" The conversation between the two seemed a bit mysterious, but honestly, that was because they were both aware of what they were talking about or what they were referring to, while any other bystander would need some more context or clues to fully understand it.
"I'll make sure that doesn't happen. I was already very careless in the past and I don't want to repeat it… Do you want to help me?" Kurono's sight had been focused on what was right in front of him, but when he said that question, the figure, but especially Shizune's calm expression, had appeared in his sight, as she nodded showing all her attitude to support him.
Both had begun to move efficiently, especially since Kurono had brought with him some tools that could be identified as small gardening utensils, while, on the other hand, Shizune had moved away a little to then bring with her a small bucket of water and a container that were near a water source.
Both were focused enough on the work at hand, simply talking or exchanging words about what they were doing or asking each other for opinions. That situation was not new to both of them, so they had not had any problems in between, and if you asked them, they would say that everything had been much simpler than the first time they did it.
"Sigh… It was just a few details but getting everything perfect takes time and it's completely worth it." Accompanying those words, Shizune couldn't help but let out that sigh as a sign of the effort it had made, although the same calm smile remained on her face, so Kurono didn't have any strange ideas about it before responding to her words.
"I guess it was something I had never really paid attention to, but I must say that it's quite nice to see everything clean and tidy… I think that if mom were with me, she would scold me for all these years that I put that aspect aside." There was no need to continue avoiding the main topic, but if it had to be described in another way, at that moment Kurono stared at the two structures that were near him quite calmly.
They were quite similar to each other, and it was as if they had always been together without anything getting in the way between them; The material they were made of could be identified as some kind of smooth stone, but the work that had been done with it resulted in the shape of two small pillars with several details that improved the appearance of both.
Both pillars were not too large, but they were surely enough to reach the height of an adult kneeling, perhaps there was not much more to mention other than how said structures harmoniously combined with the landscape of the place, but leaving all that aside, what kept Kurono's attention completely occupied were the words that were carved on each of those pillars, since those words precisely expressed a pair of names that he could never forget as long as he was alive.
"It's all right." Those words brought Kurono back to reality, and unconsciously, his gaze turned to his hand, which was currently being held by Shizune as she approached him. "Last time was a small visit, but today you have a lot of things to talk about, don't you?"
"You're right… But before that, I want to thank you for everything you do for me." Kurono could think that this gratitude was not necessary, or was not something that Shizune was looking to obtain, but in the same way, Kurono knew and understood the true help that Shizune was for him.
Understanding that as well, Shizune did not deny Kurono's words and simply kept them in her heart. Possibly, that would be a moment where they could share many feelings or some warmth, but there was something else to prioritize, and both Shizune and Kurono were quite clear about that.
After a few seconds, Shizune stepped away from Kurono a bit before taking the flowers she had brought and placing them properly in the designated places that were part of those pillars, and although it was a bit difficult to imagine, that simple detail gave it a more vivid image, one that caught Kurono's attention until he shook his head and then approached both pillars and kneeled in a position he found comfortable.
"Mom, Dad… Sorry for being late in coming again…"
…
…
Honestly, it is very difficult to put yourself in the shoes of someone who has suffered the loss of someone very dear, and it is even more difficult if you have never experienced something similar. You tend to hesitate a lot about how to act or what you should say to that person who is going through or has gone through all of this, even if you have already experienced it, you cannot really understand the meaning that that person or those people had in the hearts of others, so it is always a difficult situation.
In Kurono's case, the loss of his parents was a feeling he could never shake off and one that had accompanied him throughout his life. Perhaps it was true that he had come to understand that it was something he could not change, and although they were no longer with him, the affection and love his parents had for him was something he would never forget, but all of that did not take away the fact that not having them with him hurt him, and in turn, he could not help but be flooded with many sad ideas or memories at the same time.
Kurono had been able to cope with everything thanks to the help and support of the people who had become close to him, even to the point of being able to consider them as his family, so he was able to put aside the great amount of pain and sadness he had experienced as a child. Perhaps the passing of the years and maturity would make him understand a little better that the memory of his parents did not have to be linked to so many negative feelings, and instead, they would only carry a warm and happy feeling, but after Kurono met Mei, it had led him to experience once again that pain that he tried to overcome every day.
Thus, once again, a period of his life was present in which he had no clear answer of what he wanted, he had no idea of what to do, and all those feelings that tormented him were something he wanted to completely forget. All of that, even though he tried to move on with his life and there was never a lack of those people who supported him wholeheartedly, had made Kurono completely close himself off.
As horrible as he felt, as much as those negative thoughts flooded his head, he had told himself that he would move on, that he would live to see the tomorrow that those people he once loved could not; he did not want to disappoint the words or wishes that they once put in him, and although perhaps that idea was not entirely correct, he clung to it as the years passed without stopping.
Right now, the above described was what was going around Kurono's mind, it was as if he were looking at his past, and although he could accept it, he felt that he had not made the best decision at that time. His vision had cleared once more, looking at the name of his mother and father on each pillar in front of him respectively as he took a final sigh before beginning to speak calmly.
As mentioned, this was not the first time Kurono had come to visit them in the company of Shizune. It had all happened a little after Kurono had opened up to Shizune about his past and his history with Mei. He had felt the need to visit both his parents and Mei, and clearly, Shizune was there to support him.
Everything had developed in such a way that leaving behind many doubts and negative memories, Kurono was able to visit those people who were once very dear and loved by him, and he continued to do so in the present. The reality was that he had always taken his time to visit them, but, even so, those visits were quite rare since he always felt complicated about them or simply could not bear the sadness that everything caused him.
Perhaps he hadn't gotten rid of all those feelings, but compared to the past, Kurono knew he had no reason to avoid or try to forget those people... Those that defined the person I was now.