Meanwhile, back at the Hashido estate, Kato sat on the steps leading to the training grounds outside his room, lost in thought. Memories of the last time he had seen his mother alive replayed relentlessly in his mind, haunting him with every detail. The weight of those memories had kept him from sleeping, leaving him restless and consumed by grief.
Then Ervin approached and sat beside him.
Kato: (noticing his presence) Mr. Ervin…
Ervin: How are you holding up, Kato? I mean, with everything that's happened with your mother...
Kato: To be honest, I'm still not over it. Everything I thought was a dream is unfolding right before my eyes.
Ervin: I see…
Kato: I realized that I haven't been fully committed to everything I've been telling myself since I was bitten by that shadow bug. Everyone promised to stand by me and help me, but I can't get rid of this hollow feeling in my chest and I can't forgive myself…
Ervin: Is that so?
Ervin thought for a while as memories he had chosen to forget began to make their way to the surface of his mind.
Ervin: I used to have an older brother. That's Kenji's father.
Kato: Really?
Ervin: (nodded) Back then as a kid, I wasn't exactly the brightest one nor was I the dependable person you see now. I ran away from my responsibilities because it was too much pressure and I couldn't handle it by myself. But my big brother Adam, was the only one who made me feel like I could do it. This whole dream of wanting a world where everyone could coexist peacefully was something he entrusted to me. But I just preferred not doing anything back then, so I didn't take it seriously at the time.
Ervin then recollected his thoughts before he continued.
Ervin: But then, something happened and he died because of my inactivity. So I felt the same way you feel right now and I couldn't live with myself. But it was Mira's mother who became my light, my ray of hope. She helped me keep going. Unfortunately, she passed away a few years ago from cancer.
Kato: Oh… I'm sorry.
Ervin: What I came to realize is that what's important isn't that they died, but that they were able to leave a mark on the lives of those who are still alive and we're able to entrust their dreams to us. Your mother entrusted you with something, didn't she?
Just then, Kato recalled his mother's last words to him before she passed away:
"Promise me, Kato, that you'll keep moving forward, no matter how hard it gets. Promise me that you'll extend the kindness you receive from people to everyone else around you…"
Ervin then patted Kato on the head.
Ervin: So, Kato, let's be strong for the people who entrusted their dreams to us. We can't afford to let our experiences hold us back.
Kato didn't respond and Ervin took his leave soon after, leaving Kato his thoughts.
Soon after, Kato's mind wandered back to that dream where he sat on a swing with his six year old self and suddenly, his six year old self appeared in front of him.
Kato: So, what do you think?
Kato (6): I should be asking you that. All the pieces have been given to you. Now it's up to you to put them together. I can't actually do anything because I haven't gotten here yet. So it all depends on you.
Kato: Haven't gotten here yet? What does that even mean?
His six year old self didn't give him a response and then he disappeared just as he had appeared a few seconds ago. But then Kato pondered on everything once more and what Ervin just told him.
Then the words from his six year old self suddenly flashed in his mind.
"What if, instead of hating yourself, you tried to forgive yourself?"
Kato: No way, I can do that.
Just then, Kato heard Yamato calling his name and when he looked behind him, he saw Yamato standing there with Mira, Cookie, Kenji, Uta and Isaiah. Then they all beckoned on him to come.
Seeing all of them standing there, reminded him of what his mother had told him.
"You are not alone. You have people who care for you deeply, just as I do."
Then he clenched his fists as a decision finally reached his mind.
Kato: (to himself) I can't forgive myself no matter how many times I think it through. So until the moment I can, I'll keep moving forward and making due with what was entrusted to me. Mother, it seems I might be able to keep that promise after all.
Then he stood up, turned around and began walking towards his friends who were waiting for him.
The wheels of fate continued to turn.
****
SHADOW BUG ACT 1- END