CHAPTER 141: CHAPTER 141 – “A MESSAGE FOR TOMORROW”

The sun dipped low over the horizon, casting the world in hues of soft amber and lilac. The breeze was warm, salted by the sea, and filled with the faint rhythm of waves gently kissing the shore. Inside their private seaside villa, the silence wasn’t empty—it was alive with meaning.

Aoi sat cross-legged on the soft outdoor cushions, her bump comfortably supported by a wide silk sash Lucia had prepared. She was wearing a pale peach sundress, her hair loosely tied, eyes calm.

Ren knelt beside her, setting up a compact recording drone. It floated into place, stabilizing itself in mid-air. With one tap on his wristband, it began to record.

"Are you ready?" he asked her softly.

Aoi smiled, one hand over her belly. "She deserves to know who we were. And who she made us."

They sat side by side, their faces framed by candlelight and stars, the ocean a quiet witness behind them.

The Recording Begins

Ren looked into the lens, speaking slowly and clearly.

"Hi. I guess... if you’re watching this, you’re older now. Maybe you’re in high school. Or college. Or maybe you’re just having a bad day and needed to hear our voices."

He glanced at Aoi, who continued with a warm, gentle voice.

"We made this before you were born. Right now, you’re still inside me, kicking around like you’re practicing your dance moves."

Ren chuckled. "She’s got your energy."

Aoi smirked. "And your brain. Dangerous combo."

They both laughed, the sound soft and true. Then Aoi’s expression turned tender.

"We just wanted you to know... how deeply you were wanted. How much joy you brought to our hearts long before we ever saw your face."

"You’re the second star in our sky," Ren added. "Your sister Hikari lit up our world first. And then you arrived, like a soft sunrise. We wanted to build a world you’d feel safe in. A place you could fall and still be caught. A future full of choices—and love."

Aoi paused, her voice growing more emotional.

"And if someday, you feel lost or unsure... know this: you were born out of love, raised in a home where you were the universe. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be yourself."

"And we’ll always be here," Ren whispered, "in every circuit, in every page of our journals, in every echo of this home. Even when we’re old. Even... after."

Aoi leaned in and kissed his cheek.

After the Recording

Lucia blinked gently in blue and said, "Recording stored. Secure encryption enabled. Timestamp marked for generational archive."

They sat in silence, staring at the sky.

"Do you think she’ll really need to watch it?" Aoi asked.

Ren smiled. "Maybe not. But if she ever does... I want her to feel us. Just like tonight."

Aoi curled up beside him, her head on his chest, as the stars blinked above them—timeless, like the love growing quietly beneath her ribs.