December, 2010: Fukuoka, Japan.

It's been more than 7 months since Myobi disappeared from Osaka. Life has been very hard for Yurika along with taking care of small Irie who was only 4 years at that time! Sometimes he used to pester Yurika and caused a lot of fuss about Myobi, but she didn't have an answer for him. All she could do was to console him with false hope, "he will be back very soon Irie! We have to patiently wait for him!"- The same answer again and again...

She has been living the life of a single miserable mother for the past few months. All of their savings were forfeited and thus she had to start working for the sake of her child. She initially joined a woolen textile company as a full-time worker but gradually it was very tough to work as a full-time employee with a small child. So, she eventually gave up and started to weave woolen clothes from home while dispatching them directly to the textiles. Eventually, the pay became much less but she endured every hardship for Irie and with a small hope that Myobi will definitely come back someday. She was well aware of the fact that what his family meant to him!

Amidst all hardships, she continued her visit to the police station to inquire about her husband. Even, the police officials had stopped co-operating with her as she was a helpless wife and a mother.

It was just a few days before Christmas, the whole Fukuoka was decorated with glittering ribbons, flowers, and balloons. Christmas was indeed a big celebration for Fukuoka. Yurika was quietly sitting on a bench outside the police station while Irie was gazing at the decorations.

"Mommy, see those ribbons! It looks so beautiful!" Irie was gasping in wonder while speaking. Yurika smiled at his reaction.

"Christmas is indeed beautiful here!" She replied gently.

"Mom, daddy won't celebrate Christmas with us this time? He won't come back home?" Irie sounded very mournful while asking her.

She slowly patted his head with a painful smile. "Your dad will definitely come back home! I know! Police uncle will definitely find your daddy and bring him back!" She answered slowly.

"Really? We will celebrate together again?" Irie's eyes were shimmering with joy while asking. He embraced her gently to covey his affection.

Yurika smiled with teary eyes and nodded her head.

.

"Mrs. Yurika Onodera, you can go inside now!" A police officer came outside and called her. Yurika hurriedly stood up from the bench and went inside the office.

She rushed to a police officer who was over a phone call talking to someone. The police inspector seemed to be displeased to face her again.

"Umm, sir, is there any news?" Yurika sounded very worried while asking him after the phone call.

"Ahhh Mrs. Onodera we have been trying so much but it seems your husband has disappeared in thin air!" He had a negligent tone while answering.

"Sir I believe something must have happened at the hotel! He was very anxious while speaking to me for the last time! Something must have been bothering him!" She replied abruptly.

"Then why didn't you ask your husband about what's bothering him?" He asked her in opposition in a sloppy voice.

"I did sir! I did! But before he could tell me anything his phone disconnected and I couldn't reach him again!" She sounded very wistful.

"Well we have looked over the hotel and we can't find a single clue for this investigation! All we could know that your husband left the hotel in a car! That's all we could find about! Maybe your husband has been really abducted by aliens!" He replied indiscreetly with a smirk.

Yurika felt awful about his behavior. She was glaring at him intensely. How can he joke around with her situation? How can someone be so brutal?

"I don't think you are inquiring properly officer! Something must have been found till now if you have looked into the case properly!" She grumbled in a deep voice.

"What? What did you say? Hahh! We are dealing a thousand cases like this every day! Your husband is not the only person in Fukuoka who went missing! There are plenty of other people too! Now a mere housewife like you will teach us to do our investigation properly?" He almost shouted at Yurika recklessly.

Yurika couldn't control her anger anymore. She sprang up from the chair fuming in wrath. "I don't know who went missing from here but for me, my husband is more valuable than anyone! Do you even know how hard it has been for me and my child to survive without him? Do you have the slightest idea of how much my son waits for his return? Do you know anything about our pain?" She was groaning at him with teary eyes.

The police officer stood up from his chair and looked at her hastily. "Mrs. Onodera, probably your husband will never return again! We have inquired as much we can but we can't waste our time anymore for this case!" He told her abruptly.

"Wasting time? Does finding someone counts as wasting time here? How can you be so indifferent about a person who has a family!" She yelled at him with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Irie was traumatized to witness the situation. He started sobbing while grabbing Yurika's skirt in fear. Yurika was extremely furious.

"Mrs. Onodera I can understand your situation! But we can't find any valuable information for this case! Hence, it's better we should close the case now! Probably your husband won't be back again and that's the truth you have to bear! So you may leave now!" He sounded oblivious. 

"Woah! Without any proper investigation, you are already declaring him dead? That's just because I am an impoverished commoner, not any rich tycoon or celebrity?" She asked him sharply with a frown face.

"If you are so unsatisfied with our service go to any other town and start your investigation there! We don't have time to serve every person here! If you done blabbering please leave now!" He asked her remorselessly while pointing at the main door. All the other officials were glancing at Yurika. Irie was trembling in fear with the dense situation.

"Mommy! What's happening?" Irie seemed too scared while asking.

Yurika firmly wiped her tears while holding Irie's hand and prepared to leave. "Fine! I won't beg before you any more to find my husband! But someday, I will definitely know the truth! Someone will definitely help me to find him! You all can rejoice over your brutal victory for closing the case!" She replied before hastily walking away.

.

Irie was sobbing hard while Yurika was walking away speedily from the police station while holding his right hand.

"Mom! Mom! Why are you so angry? What is happening?" Irie quivered while walking rashly with her.

Suddenly she stopped and turned back. Irie had turned red while sobbing hard. He was very scared to see her getting so furious like never before.

Slowly she knelt before Irie and wiped his tears. Her throat was choked with the urge of crying out loudly. 

"Stop crying Irie! You are my strong warrior!" She was wiping his face with her scarf while consoling him.

"Mom! Why are you so angry? Why were you crying back there?" Irie seemed very gloomy.

Yurika was quiet for sometime before answering anything. "Irie, you won't have a father from now on! And you won't have a father in the future too! I will never marry anyone again. Is it okay with you to accept me as both mom and dad? I promise you, till my last day, I will entirely live this life only for you! Can you accept my decision? Can you live happily with this helpless mother?" She was on the verge of tears while asking him in a mournful voice.

Irie was very surprised to hear something like that from her. After a moment of silence, he slowly replied, "you are all I have now mom! And I have promised daddy to never leave you alone! I will be always by your side mommy!" He gently held Yurika's face with his small hands while answering.

Yurika couldn't hold her tears anymore. She hugged Irie and started sobbing bitterly to take the unbearable pain off her chest. Irie gently held her while she was weeping.

"I promise you... I will be a good mother to you! Till my death, I won't abandon you, Irie! I love you so much!" Yurika's voice choked with the pain while crying. Irie silently nodded his head.

After sobbing for a while she wiped her as well Irie's tears. "Irie, let's go to a new town! We will completely start a new phase of life! Your dad always wanted to run a cafe, I will definitely fulfill his wish! We will start the investigation for your dad again in that new place! I will hope again to find him! We will go to Tokyo! Let's leave the bitter memories here and start a new life!" She stood up firmly while holding his hand.

"Yes! Let's go, mom!" Irie acted maturely to comfort his mom from the pain...

.

.

"Mom?" 

Yurika flinched with the call and saw Irie was standing behind her. She was lost in her old thoughts while being seated before a mirror.

"Yes?" She answered with a warm smile.

"Mom, what were you thinking so hard? I have been calling you several times!" Irie slowly came walking towards her looking all concerned.

"I was just lost in old memories! It's been already ten years since we came here! You were so small back then!" Yurika stood up from the chair and gently walked towards him with a warm smile on her face.

"Ahh, I am all grown up now mom! Now I will take care of you forever!" Irie was all flustered while answering her.

She slowly patted his head, "of course! I remember my promise! You are the only reason for living for me, this time!" She answered with a sad face.

Irie was quiet for a moment. He looked a bit worried. Slowly, he grabbed her arms and asked, "mom? You won't get married again right?"

"What? Marry? Ha Ha! What are you even talking about you silly boy! I am already married to your dad! See I am even wearing our wedding ring!" She smiled widely while showing her ring finger.

Irie felt relieved with her assurance. He happily nodded his head to her response.

With an intense gaze, she slowly answered, "it doesn't matter even if your dad ever returns or not but still I have you, Irie! Maybe our fate has separated us, but he has left me with the duty of taking care of you! And I will proudly fulfill my last duty till my death!"

Irie teared up with her answer and gently hugged her, "I love you so much, mom!" He sobered up a bit while speaking.

"Love you too my honey! I won't leave your side in this life! 

Ahh, Irie I have to visit Mrs. Taka today. She has informed me about a charity organization that helps single mothers enormously to pay their debts off! I am going to visit that today with the hope that they will help me too to clear off the lease. So that the cafe will be our own!" She sounded very glad.

"Okay! Go safely!" Irie answered while gazing at her happily.

Soon Yurika left, Irie was standing on their balcony with a grin over his face.

"No one can separate my mom from me! Not even that creepy old jerk! My mom will never abandon me!" He slowly murmured with a small smile.

.

.

Hirotaka was sitting on a couch in his room while staring at a picture. It was the photo of Yurika and Irie which he took from Myobi's wallet before burning down his body. The room was dark and he had a poignant gaze in his eyes while looking at the photo.

"My whole life... you made me waiting for you Yurika!

When I reached Fukuoka after the case closed, you had already moved away somewhere else. I helplessly searched for you over everywhere but couldn't find a single trace! It took me 10 long years to find you again! Thanks to that girl for uploading your cafe picture in Acebook! I was so happy to find you again!

When I finally thought I can be happy again, that annoying detective and that small brat bugged in between us! But don't worry, I will take care of them as they deserve...

But no matter what, I will never leave your side... till the end!" He uttered slowly in a dark voice.

***To be continued....