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Title: The Ship of Theseus
Series: テセウスの船/Theseus's ship
Characters: Sano Bungo, Sano Kazuko
Summary: In Greek mythology, there is an episode called the "Ship of Theseus". The ship sailed by the hero Theseus, was kept for posterity. The wood began to rot one by one and soon, all of the parts were replaced with new ones. Now, a contradiction appears here. Is the 'restored' ship still the same as the original?
-------------------------------------
It seemed unreal.
To have just lost your youngest son from the future as he lied dead in your arms... and then holding the newly-born 'him' just a few hours later after his 'death'. Tears started flowing without warning as Sano Bungo hastily wiped them away with the back of his hand.
His wife started to chuckle. "What're you doing, dear? You should be happy to finally be able to see your youngest son!"
He hastily shook his head before forcing a smile to his wife.
"I am happy..." he started to say before becoming emotionally overwhelmed again. "—Shin-san... really is a beautiful child."
Kazuko started to chuckle again before giving him a light slap on the wrist. "Why're you so—just because we decided to name this child with the same name as Shin-san you shouldn't call our youngest the same way you treat him." She paused. "That reminds me, how're the kids? Are they with Shin-san at home right now? When the contraction started I could barely ask Suzu to get help. Neither you or Shin-san were around so I had to leave them behind when the ambulance arrived..."
"It's fine. Don't you worry about the kids too much, I've already called someone to watch over them..."
"That's good..." she started to say again as he gently placed baby Shin beside his wife. He smiled weakly.
He'll wait for a while until Kazuko recovered her strength before telling her that they wouldn't be able to see the adult Shin again.
xxx
He went back towards that part of the woods before staring at the spot where he last saw Shin. The memories from the other day immediately rushed to mind.
He had gone to put a cuff on Masashi, leaving Shin's body for a while to prevent the man from running away once the shock of killing Shin had worn off him. He barely snapped the cuff on Masashi's wrist before a strange gust of wind brushed past him without warning.
It was the same sensation he felt the last time Shin disappeared behind him at the shrine so he immediately turned around to find Shin's body gone. An uncomfortable sinking feeling surged inside him. Would Shin return back to his own time... dead? Or would he be alive and well since they've changed the past... Shin's past? But if Shin's life was changed... would the former Shin have existed to come into the 'past' and prevented his fate of being framed as a criminal?
Sano shook his head as the lines of confusing thoughts made him dizzy. Pushing the thoughts aside he went back to the village with Masashi in tow to turn him in.
It was then when he found out that Kazuko had been rushed into the village's hospital.
xxx
Six years later...
Everyone already started to forget about Shin—the adult Shin—even Kazuko and the kids. Which was surprising considering how much time they've spent together back then. Kazuko didn't even think much about how much their youngest looked like their former 'guest' as he grew bigger, though at times she occasionally commented about how she kept having these overly nostalgic emotions every time her eyes set on young Shin.
Sano let out a weak smile.
Come to think, even from the first day Shin arrived at their village, Kazuko had already become fond of him when they first met. As if unconsciously she had sensed that Shin was part of their family. How incredible was that?
"Father!"
He immediately turned around as a small ball of speed rushed onto him. Sano smiled as he looked down to see his youngest boy clinging onto his legs. "What's wrong, Shin? I've just come home, did you missed me that much? Did anything happen at the kindergarten?"
The small child immediately shook his head. "I need your help, Father! Shingo-niisan is too strong, I can't defeat him without you. Suzu-neechan didn't want to join in."
Sano ran his hand over his youngest son's face. He could really see how this child would grow into the Shin-san that he knew before. Little Shin already started to show bits of personality quirks that seemed to have remained when he grew up after all.
The traits of the youngest son of the family...
He chuckled again before lifting Shin onto his arms. "Were you playing sumo again with your brother? All right, let's go! Your brother had never defeated me in a face-off, even when he's with your sister. We'll win this fight with your brother if we band together!"
"Yay!" cheered young Shin, as both of them sauntered into the living room to start another session of the family sumo battle.
xxx
July 2019
He took out the small envelope from a hidden compartment of his desk. During the commotion back then after Shin's 'death', he'd reburied the family time capsule at the same spot but kept the envelope left by Shin with him. He never opened it since then and kept it close to his side, telling himself to finally look into it once the 30 year period has passed.
The old memories were starting to fade but he could recall how Shin had hinted that the content of the envelope was his treasure. That alone was all the more reason to not open the envelope before the 30 year period was up.
It's been so long since then that he almost forgot about it. But since Shin had called recently for a family gathering today he might as well look into that old envelope from the past.
He opened the envelope to find a letter and a ring coming out of it. Sano unfolded the letter and starting reading the names written in it before letting out a soft gasp.
xxx
"Dear... are you inside?"
Kazuko's voice suddenly jerked him from his reverie as he hastily hid Shin's envelope behind him. His wife walked into the room before giving him an exasperated sigh.
"Are you still sitting around doing nothing? We're going to be late at this rate!"
He grinned at her before getting up to calm his wife. "There there, you go get ready yourself," he said as he led his wife out of the room. "Don't worry about it, we'll get there in time."
After his wife left, Sano went back to his desk and picked up the letter that he hid.
Sano let out a smile.
Life... surely had its mysterious ways.
Series: テセウスの船/Theseus's ship
Characters: Sano Bungo, Sano Kazuko
Summary: In Greek mythology, there is an episode called the "Ship of Theseus". The ship sailed by the hero Theseus, was kept for posterity. The wood began to rot one by one and soon, all of the parts were replaced with new ones. Now, a contradiction appears here. Is the 'restored' ship still the same as the original?
-------------------------------------
It seemed unreal.
To have just lost your youngest son from the future as he lied dead in your arms... and then holding the newly-born 'him' just a few hours later after his 'death'. Tears started flowing without warning as Sano Bungo hastily wiped them away with the back of his hand.
His wife started to chuckle. "What're you doing, dear? You should be happy to finally be able to see your youngest son!"
He hastily shook his head before forcing a smile to his wife.
"I am happy..." he started to say before becoming emotionally overwhelmed again. "—Shin-san... really is a beautiful child."
Kazuko started to chuckle again before giving him a light slap on the wrist. "Why're you so—just because we decided to name this child with the same name as Shin-san you shouldn't call our youngest the same way you treat him." She paused. "That reminds me, how're the kids? Are they with Shin-san at home right now? When the contraction started I could barely ask Suzu to get help. Neither you or Shin-san were around so I had to leave them behind when the ambulance arrived..."
"It's fine. Don't you worry about the kids too much, I've already called someone to watch over them..."
"That's good..." she started to say again as he gently placed baby Shin beside his wife. He smiled weakly.
He'll wait for a while until Kazuko recovered her strength before telling her that they wouldn't be able to see the adult Shin again.
xxx
He went back towards that part of the woods before staring at the spot where he last saw Shin. The memories from the other day immediately rushed to mind.
He had gone to put a cuff on Masashi, leaving Shin's body for a while to prevent the man from running away once the shock of killing Shin had worn off him. He barely snapped the cuff on Masashi's wrist before a strange gust of wind brushed past him without warning.
It was the same sensation he felt the last time Shin disappeared behind him at the shrine so he immediately turned around to find Shin's body gone. An uncomfortable sinking feeling surged inside him. Would Shin return back to his own time... dead? Or would he be alive and well since they've changed the past... Shin's past? But if Shin's life was changed... would the former Shin have existed to come into the 'past' and prevented his fate of being framed as a criminal?
Sano shook his head as the lines of confusing thoughts made him dizzy. Pushing the thoughts aside he went back to the village with Masashi in tow to turn him in.
It was then when he found out that Kazuko had been rushed into the village's hospital.
xxx
Six years later...
Everyone already started to forget about Shin—the adult Shin—even Kazuko and the kids. Which was surprising considering how much time they've spent together back then. Kazuko didn't even think much about how much their youngest looked like their former 'guest' as he grew bigger, though at times she occasionally commented about how she kept having these overly nostalgic emotions every time her eyes set on young Shin.
Sano let out a weak smile.
Come to think, even from the first day Shin arrived at their village, Kazuko had already become fond of him when they first met. As if unconsciously she had sensed that Shin was part of their family. How incredible was that?
"Father!"
He immediately turned around as a small ball of speed rushed onto him. Sano smiled as he looked down to see his youngest boy clinging onto his legs. "What's wrong, Shin? I've just come home, did you missed me that much? Did anything happen at the kindergarten?"
The small child immediately shook his head. "I need your help, Father! Shingo-niisan is too strong, I can't defeat him without you. Suzu-neechan didn't want to join in."
Sano ran his hand over his youngest son's face. He could really see how this child would grow into the Shin-san that he knew before. Little Shin already started to show bits of personality quirks that seemed to have remained when he grew up after all.
The traits of the youngest son of the family...
He chuckled again before lifting Shin onto his arms. "Were you playing sumo again with your brother? All right, let's go! Your brother had never defeated me in a face-off, even when he's with your sister. We'll win this fight with your brother if we band together!"
"Yay!" cheered young Shin, as both of them sauntered into the living room to start another session of the family sumo battle.
xxx
July 2019
He took out the small envelope from a hidden compartment of his desk. During the commotion back then after Shin's 'death', he'd reburied the family time capsule at the same spot but kept the envelope left by Shin with him. He never opened it since then and kept it close to his side, telling himself to finally look into it once the 30 year period has passed.
The old memories were starting to fade but he could recall how Shin had hinted that the content of the envelope was his treasure. That alone was all the more reason to not open the envelope before the 30 year period was up.
It's been so long since then that he almost forgot about it. But since Shin had called recently for a family gathering today he might as well look into that old envelope from the past.
He opened the envelope to find a letter and a ring coming out of it. Sano unfolded the letter and starting reading the names written in it before letting out a soft gasp.
xxx
"Dear... are you inside?"
Kazuko's voice suddenly jerked him from his reverie as he hastily hid Shin's envelope behind him. His wife walked into the room before giving him an exasperated sigh.
"Are you still sitting around doing nothing? We're going to be late at this rate!"
He grinned at her before getting up to calm his wife. "There there, you go get ready yourself," he said as he led his wife out of the room. "Don't worry about it, we'll get there in time."
After his wife left, Sano went back to his desk and picked up the letter that he hid.
Sano let out a smile.
Life... surely had its mysterious ways.
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