~~~~~~ Flashback ~~~~~~

“Lloyd!!” Harumi called while looking around, trying to find Lloyd.

It was getting pretty dark and it was almost time for the sun to set. Harumi kept trying to find Lloyd but she couldn’t find him. She was crying on the bridge, staring at her reflection. Then, when she closed her eyes, two hands covered her eyes and she nearly screamed, before she figure out whose hands that were covering her eyes.

“Guess who?” A voice behind her asked.

“Lloyd..” Harumi whispered to herself.

“Who?” A teasing voice asked.

“You,Lloyd!!” Harumi shouted and chuckled.

“Why are there tears on your face?” Lloyd asked and wiped Harumi’s tears.

“No reason.It doesn’t matter anymore.” Harumi answered and chuckled.

“You thought I left you,didn’t you?” Lloyd asked in a teasing tone.

“Yeah!I tried to find you but you weren’t anywhere!” Harumi answered.

“I was somewhere.” Lloyd said.

“Somewhere where?” Harumi asked.

“On the roof.I was watching you from the roof.” Lloyd said and Harumi pulled a bit of his hair with a ‘you’re so annoying’ face.

“Ouch!” Lloyd whined and chuckled.

“You freaked me out!I thought you actually left me alone in the night!” Harumi complained.

“Sorry.I just wanted to make this date fun.You looking for me.” Lloyd said with a chuckle and Harumi couldn’t help but giggle.

“I have to admit,it was pretty fun.At first.” Harumi said with annoyance at the end of her sentence.

Lloyd and Harumi both laughed and the sun was beginning to set. They watched the sunset from the bridge and the held each other’s hands. They both admired the sky as the sun sets, it felt so romantic for both of them, but…it wasn’t as romantic for Harumi. She started thinking about her plan with the S.O.G that she had planned for years. She felt so confused, she knew she had to make a choice, between with Lloyd and start a new life which will lead to happiness with his help to get through everything or against Lloyd and and continue on with the vengeful life which may lead to disastrous consequences. She was lost in her thoughts until Lloyd snapped her out of it.

“Rumi.” Lloyd called, snapping Harumi out of her thoughts.

“H-Huh?” Harumi asked right after she was snapped out of her thoughts.

Lloyd placed his hand on Harumi’s shoulder and asked, “Are you ok?”

Harumi hesitated for a second but then she finally answered.

“Y-Yeah,I’m ok.Just…just got too distracted with the sunset.” Harumi lied.

“It is beautiful,isn’t it?” Lloyd asked while admiring the sunset.

“It sure is.” Harumi answered while admiring the sunset.

When the sun had set, they decided to get some food at a restaurant called RosePedals Resto, which was basically the perfect place for a couple to dive in with each other. And the restaurant was pretty fancy and perfect because there were lots of rooms, so each couple can have their alone time with each other without anyone getting in the way, except maybe the waiter and waitress because they had to take the orders.

“Wow.” Harumi said, admiring the restaurant she had never seen before.

“It’s amazing,isn’t it?” Lloyd asked and Harumi nodded with a smile.

“Come on,let’s go in one of the rooms.” Lloyd said and walked to one of the rooms with Harumi while holding her hand.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

Harumi kept crying on the dungeon cell while thinking about Lloyd and her moments with him.

“I wish I could turn back time and just..stop myself from doing those awful things to Lloyd!I was so foolish to let my hatred get the best of me.I just want to fix everything!” Harumi said while crying.

Meanwhile, Lloyd still hadn’t woken up yet and Misako was still sitting next to him with anxiety.

“You’re gonna be alright,Lloyd.I’m right here and I won’t let anything happen to you,and I will make sure that girl stays away from you.” Misako said to Lloyd.

Then Lloyd started moving and he moved a bit until his head was on Misako’s lap.

“Lloyd,are you ok?” Misako asked.

Lloyd had just woken up from a nightmare of Harumi trying to kill him so many times.

“Mom?What happened?Where’s Harumi?” Lloyd asked.

“She’s somewhere,right where she won’t come near you any time soon.” Misako answered.

“Ok,good.I never want to see or hear from her again.” Lloyd said in relief.

“You won’t,don’t worry.” Misako assured.

“That’s good.” Lloyd replied and started falling asleep.

“Lloyd,you gotta eat first.Then you have to take your medicine.” Misako told Lloyd to stop him from falling asleep at that exact time.

“Ok.” Lloyd replied and Misako placed Lloyd’s head on the pillow gently and grabbed his food.

“You want me to feed you?” Misako offered and Lloyd chuckled.

“Mom,I’m not a baby.But ok,I want you to.” Lloyd said playfully and Misako fed him.

“Finally I got to feel what it feels like to be fed from a parent!” Lloyd said and they both laughed.

“It really has been awhile since the last time I fed you,and that was just milk.” Misako said and she started tearing up.

Lloyd of course, noticed and hugged Misako and wiped her tears.

“Your son is still here,isn’t he?And don’t every parents always think their children are still a baby even when they have grown into an adult?” Lloyd asked in a playful way and Misako chuckled.

“You are still a baby.Every night,I just have to clean you up,putting away your books,put you on the bed,always have to remind you about when is the time for what,kept whining to buy more books even though you already have more than enough,I have no idea where to put those books,this monastery is gonna be a library!” Misako said with a chuckle.

“Exactly!” Lloyd replied and lay his head on Misako’s lap.

“How am I suppose to feed you if your position is like this?” Misako asked with a chuckle.

“You think about it.” Lloyd answered.

“Why me?” Misako asked.

“Mom..!We just talked about it!” Lloyd said and Misako giggled.

“Oh,Lloyd.” Misako said and put Lloyd’s food on his desk.

Misako put Lloyd’s head on his pillow but he insisted on leaning his head on Misako’s lap. Misako chuckled and she leaned Lloyd’s head on her shoulder while she was leaning against the pillow.

“You gotta finish your food and take your medicine,Lloyd.” Misako told Lloyd.

“No!I don’t want any medicine!YUCK!!” Lloyd complained.

“You really don’t want medicine or are you acting like a baby still?” Misako asked as the situation got her disoriented.

“I’m not acting like a baby.I really hate it!’ Lloyd answered and hid under his bed.

“And here I thought the green ninja has grown up.” Wu teased.

“You know I have never taken any me-di-cine before,uncle!I’ve never been sick before!” Lloyd complained.

“But you like something new.” Wu said.

“DO something new,uncle!NOT TASTE!!” Lloyd shouted.

“Well,taking a medicine is technically a doing since it is taking instead of feeling,such as taste.” Wu pointed out.

“Does that even make sense?” Lloyd asked.

“I thought you read books.” Wu said.

“None of my books say anything about taking a medicine is a- Oh..” Lloyd complained but then he saw that what Wu just pointed out was right.

“See?I was right.Now you gotta eat and take the medicine like your mother said.” Wu told Lloyd.

“I’m not taking it!” Lloyd shouted.

“Then you will have extra training at night and no books!Just training and sweat!” Wu said.

“You’re joking.You’re just trying to make me drink that trashy medicine!” Lloyd said.

“Then I will get rid of your books,all of it.” Misako said and Lloyd stood up.

“How is it possible that a mother can convince their child to do something they don’t even want?!” Lloyd complained.

“Parents always know their children better than the children know themselves,Lloyd.” Misako said.

“Ok,I can’t argue there.” Lloyd said and Wu and Misako laughed.

“So now you better eat and take the medicine before we take all of your books away.” Wu told Lloyd.

“Can I go back to being a baby?I’m sure the medicine they have to take when they are sick are very fruity.” Lloyd said.

“You can.” Wu said.

“Ok,good!” Lloyd replied.

“Wu..!” Misako whined.

“But whenever your mother and I are busy,you will be babysat by the ninja.” Wu finished his sentence.

“Oh come on!Kai,Nya,and Cole are boring babysitters!!” Lloyd protested.

“Lloyd,we heard that!!” Cole shouted from the other side of the room.

“Well,it’s true!” Lloyd replied.

Misako chuckled a bit and told Lloyd to sit on the bed and let her feed him. Lloyd refused and Wu thought of something.

“If you drink your medicine,you can have a candy.” Wu said but Lloyd just stood still, looking at Wu with a ‘are-you-serious?!’ face.

“2?3?” Wu asked.

“Most of Jay’s candies.” Lloyd said.

“Why his?Don’t you have your own?” Misako asked.

“Jay’s candies taste better.” Lloyd answered.

“I’ll talk to him,but ONLY if you take the medicine right after you eat.” Wu said and Lloyd jumped to his bed.

Misako and Wu laughed and Misako started feeding Lloyd.

“I will leave you two for a moment.” Wu said and left the room.

“You’ll actually talk to Jay about the candies,won’t you?” Lloyd asked, making sure his uncle was serious about what he said.

“Only if you take the medicine.” Wu answered and closed the door.

“Talk to me about what?” Jay asked from the other side of the door.

“That you will give him some of your candies if he takes the medicine.” Wu answered which shocked Jay.

“WHAT?!?!WHY MY CANDIES?!?!” Jay yelled.

“He said yours have better tastes.” Wu answered.

“Aw,man!” Jay nagged.

“But you don’t have to worry,you will only give some to Lloyd if he takes the medicine.If he doesn’t,then you won’t have to give him anything,not even your candies.” Wu assured and Jay was relieved.

“Good,I doubt that kid will even take the medicine.He hates it!” Jay said in relief.

“Lloyd,you gotta eat slowly,you’ll choke!” Misako told Lloyd.

“I want to get Jay’s candies immediately,mom!” Lloyd said.

“He ain’t gonna.” Jay said and walked to his room and relaxed.

Meanwhile, Misako was still feeding Lloyd. Even though Lloyd was a teenager and could eat by himself, he enjoyed being fed by his mother. But then he thought of something better.

“Wait,mom.Put that spoon down.” Lloyd said.

“Why,Lloyd?Is everything ok?” Misako asked.

“Just put the spoon down.” Lloyd said and Misako put the spoon down.

“What’s wrong,Lloyd?Are you ok?” Misako asked.

“No,I’m not ok.” Lloyd answered and Misako got worried.

“Omg,you gotta lie down!” Misako said and she was about to put the food down on the desk but Lloyd stopped her.

“Lloyd,what’s wrong?” Misako asked confusedly.

“You don’t want to feed me with your hand?Like,actually with your hand?” Lloyd asked and Misako chuckled.

“Alright,lean against your pillows and I’ll feed you.” Misako said and Lloyd leaned against his pillows.

Misako started feeding Lloyd with her hand and they both enjoyed it. After the plate was empty, Misako gave Lloyd his medicine. Lloyd still remembered that if he takes the medicine, his uncle would persuade Jay to give him some of his candies. So, he immediately took the medicine and swallowed it and drank some water and he was waiting for his candies.

“Uncle Wu!!I took the medicine!!” Lloyd shouted.

Wu entered the room and looked at Misako and asked, “Did he really?”

“He actually did.He immediately took it as soon as I take it out.” Misako answered.

“Alright,I will go tell Jay.” Wu said and went to Jay’s room.

“HAH!!I told you he wouldn’t take the medicine!My candies are-” Jay shouted but was interrupted by Wu.

“Not save.He took the medicine.So now you have to give some of your candies to him.” Wu interrupted and Jay was shocked and was unhappy at the same time.

“He actually took the medicine?!” Jay asked in disbelief.

“He did.You can go ask his mother if you don’t believe me.” Wu answered and Jay went to Misako.

“Where are the candies,Jay?” Lloyd asked.

“No way you actually took the medicine.” Jay doubted.

“I did.I can still feel it in my tongue.” Lloyd said but Jay didn’t believe him and looked at Misako.

“He actually did,Jay.I was the one who gave it to him and I saw he actually took it.” Misako told Jay.

“Oh…great.” Jay whined.

“So,I need my candies,Jay.” Lloyd said and Jay went to get his candies.

Lloyd was beyond excited to get and eat Jay’s candies. Jay came with some candies he picked to give to Lloyd and Lloyd ate one immediately.

“I never thought you’d actually take a medicine!” Jay said.

“I got a motivation actually.” Lloyd said.

“‘A sweet motivation,huh?” Jay asked.

“Yep!” Lloyd answered.

“You really gotta grow up!” Jay said.

“Says the person who got upset right after he heard that he had to give some of his candies to someone else.” Lloyd mocked.

“Hehe….ok,I can’t really argue there.” Jay said and Lloyd laughed.

“I’ll leave you alone now.Hope you get better soon,buddy!” Jay said.

“Thanks,Jay.” Lloyd thanked and Jay walked out of the room and closed the door.

Lloyd was about to eat another candy but Misako stopped him.

“That’s enough candy for now,Lloyd.You gotta rest.And I don’t want you to get a cavity.” Misako said and Lloyd frowned like a baby.

“You can have more tomorrow.For now,you should rest.” Misako said.

“Fine.But I don’t want to put my head on the pillow!I want to sleep on your lap!” Lloyd said and leaned his head on Misako’s lap.

“Alright.” Misako said and stroked her son’s head lovingly.

Soon enough, Lloyd was asleep. He was sleeping so peacefully, mostly because he was sleeping on his own mother’s lap. Misako was more than happy to finally have her child sleeping on her lap. Both of them never wanted to end, but they both know it could not always be that way. All they could do was just do everything together as a family while they could.

Misako gently put Lloyd’s head on the pillow and pulled Lloyd’s blanket over his body. She kissed his forehead and was about to walk away. But once she turned around, Lloyd grabbed her arm while still sleeping. Misako sat next to him and placed her left hand on Lloyd’s head. Lloyd moved closer to her until his head was on Misako’s shoulder. Misako held him close and she started thinking, or rather, having a flashback of when she held Lloyd in her arms when he was a baby.