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His hand tightly gripped his father's. They had gone shopping and were now walking back home. In his free hand he carried a brown bag. A big smile was planted on his face. His father had bought him that red toy car that he had seen on television. He couldn't be happier!
"Dad," the boy spoke, capturing the attention of the man who was walking next to him.
"Yeah?"
"That cloud is shaped like a porcupine, can you see it?" The redhead pointed to the sky with his index finger. His father followed the direction that the little boy was pointing, trying to figure it out.
He didn't make it. Wow, Rin had a limitless imagination . He squinted, and tried to find the cloud's resemblance to the porcupine. Toraichi glanced at his son, who was watching him with anticipation.
"Have you been able to see it yet?" The boy jumped slightly in his place.
"Honestly, no. In my opinion, that cloud has the shape of a horse," the man tilted his head.
"Horse? I can't distinguish it," now it was Rin's turn to narrow his eyes at it.
"Do you understand it now? We don't all have the same perception of things."
"Mmm… " And the redhead was silent for a moment.
Toraichi knew that the boy was processing what he had said earlier. There were a few minutes of silence, in which Rin remained focused. He couldn't understand how he could see a porcupine and his father a horse. He was seeing it with his own eyes!
That kept his mind occupied for a while.
The oldest could only smile, enjoying the company of his son.
"Dad," the little boy spoke again after a while.
"What's up?"
"Why are your teeth and mine like that?" Toraichi raised an eyebrow, amused.
"Like what?”
"Like shark ones," Rin showed his sharp teeth and his father simply let out a soft laugh. Rin frowned. He didn't see the funny thing in it.
"I don't know," he shrugged. "I'd have to ask your grandfather."
"How will you do that?" Rin's expression was covered in confusion. "He is no longer here..."
"Just because he's no longer here doesn't mean I can't talk to him anymore."
"Do you talk to grandpa?"
"Very much," he turned to look at his son with a small smile. "And one day, when I'm gone, you can talk to me."
"Really?"
"Yeah," he murmured. "And I will listen to you..."
"And then, it started to rain. I remember how wet we came home, and how mom scolded us for not having brought an umbrella," Rin laughs, quietly.
Haru smiles a little, as he continues stroking the boy's hair.
"I also remember that we both got sick and didn't go swimming for a week," the black-haired guy frowns.
"It must have been the worst," he murmurs, wrinkling his nose.
Rin laughs again.
"It would have been if it weren't for him," he answers, amused. "He told me stories about his swim team all that time. That's why I started getting interested in relays."
The boy gives a meaningful look to Haru, who only murmurs:
"I guess I'll have to thank your father for that."
After saying that, a deep silence spreads in the room. Rin stares at a specific spot on the ceiling for a few minutes, before Haru decides to speak.
"And you do it?" He questions.
"Do what?"
"Talk to your father" Rin turns to look at him.
" Every day ," he murmurs, with a soft smile.