CHAPTER 137: CHAPTER 137 – “A FUTURE ETCHED IN LIGHT”

The early morning light crept in through the tall windows of the countryside home. The air smelled faintly of wildflowers and fresh linen, and Aoi stirred gently in bed.

But someone was already awake.

On the tatami mat beside the bed, Hikari sat cross-legged with a coloring book open in front of her, quietly humming. Instead of her usual space shuttles and robots, today’s drawing was different—two small girls holding hands, one with long hair and the other in pigtails.

Aoi blinked, smiling softly. "You’re up early, love."

Hikari looked up, her eyes bright. "Morning, Mama! I’m making a drawing for the baby!"

Aoi rubbed her eyes and sat up. "Oh?"

Hikari scooted closer, holding up her page. "See? This is me, and this is her. I think she’s gonna like swings, and maybe cats, and maybe she’ll want a room with stars on the ceiling!"

Aoi chuckled. "We’ll definitely paint stars for her. And you’ll help, right?"

"Of course! I’ll help with diapers too... unless it’s yucky."

They both laughed.

Aoi placed a gentle hand on Hikari’s head. "You’re going to be the best big sister. She’s lucky to have you."

Hikari tilted her head. "Will she love me more, or you more?"

Aoi paused, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. "She’ll love you with all her heart, just like I do."

Meanwhile, in the underground lab...

Ren stood before a gently glowing sphere the size of a grapefruit—its surface rippled like liquid glass, refracting color and light with each heartbeat of the room.

The Living Memory Crystal was suspended in a zero-gravity magnetic field, its data core reacting to biometric energy—coded to Ren, Aoi, and their children.

Lucia’s voice pulsed softly from the walls.

"Memory seed initialized. Emotional resonance thread complete. Time-locked moments can now be recorded and played back in voice, video, or neural projection."

Ren exhaled. He ran a hand through his hair.

"She’ll be able to speak to it and see our family’s history. One day... when we’re not around."

Lucia replied, "Would you like to record a message now?"

He nodded and stood in front of the sphere, taking a breath.

"Hey... I don’t know how old you’ll be when you first hear this. But if you’re holding this, that means you’re part of something beautiful. This crystal contains our life—mine, Aoi’s, Hikari’s, and yours. It’s our gift to you."

His voice cracked, just a little. "This is what love looks like."

He stepped back, watching the core glow brighter—crystallizing his voice inside its structure.

"Message embedded."

Later that evening, Aoi entered the lab holding Hikari’s drawing.

"She drew this for the baby," she said, smiling as she placed it gently next to the crystal.

Ren nodded. "Then I’ll make sure her voice is saved in it too."

Aoi leaned on his shoulder. "We’re building more than inventions, Ren... we’re building forever."

And as the crystal softly glowed, recording the hum of their warmth, the quiet future began to echo through time.