CHAPTER 161: CHAPTER 159 – “IN THE FIELDS OF MEMORY”

The late afternoon sun painted the sky with warm strokes of orange and gold. The Kamishiro countryside home—still standing strong, though now cloaked in ivy and age—hummed softly with the echoes of decades past.

It had been over twenty years.

Inside the home, a small wooden frame sat on the mantle. The picture showed Ami, now a confident young woman in her early twenties, proudly holding her acceptance letter to the World-Class Institute of Surgical Medicine. Below her was a photo of Hikari’s younger son, a boy in eighth grade, shy but brilliant with robotics already piling up in his room.

On the other side, another frame showed Hina’s children:

Her daughter, recently accepted into an elite advanced AI program

.

Her son, now a mischievous yet bright-eyed fourth grader, known for asking philosophical questions like "Can AI dream like Grandpa Ren?"

Slower Days, Softer Voices

Ren’s footsteps were slower now. His black hair had turned silver, and Aoi’s once-shining gal style had matured into elegant grace—soft dresses, wide hats, and her warm, knowing smile.

They spent mornings together in silence or soft conversation. Ren had finally shut down all his tech systems—every lab, every server, every machine—except Lucia. And even Lucia was now just a holographic orb that floated quietly near the window, occasionally reading poems aloud or playing old music softly.

"You sure you’re okay with letting it all go?" Aoi asked one morning, handing him tea.

"Yes," Ren nodded. "The world has moved on. We gave it what we could. Now... I want to remember what it means to simply be."

In the Wildflower Fields

That afternoon, Ren and Aoi walked hand-in-hand through the flower-filled fields behind their home. The same fields they once ran through as college sweethearts during summer breaks. Now, they walked slower. But the silence between them was full—not empty.

"This is where you confessed the second time," Aoi smiled.

"You wore that terrible sunhat," Ren chuckled."Hey!" she smacked his arm lightly, "I still have that hat."

"I know," he said, then paused, "It’s in the same drawer as our first blueprint."

She looked at him. Her eyes, though touched by time, still glowed with that fire he first fell in love with.

"Ren... do you ever wonder how we made it this far?"

"Every day," he said softly. "And I thank the universe every single time."

Evening at Home

That night, Aoi and Ren sat on their porch. Fireflies danced, and the sky above shimmered with stars. A few meters away, Lucia floated silently, her light now a dim golden hue, like a candle nearing the end of its wax.

"Lucia," Ren whispered. "Can you record this?"

Lucia beeped softly.

"Recording. For whom?"

"For our children. And theirs. A final message from us."

Aoi placed her head on Ren’s shoulder.

"Tell them... that love is the greatest invention of all."

Lucia pulsed once in acknowledgment.