One day later...

Ichimatsu stooped down outside of the church, carefully watering the delicate flowers in the front. They appeared to have been rejected for quite some time, and the boy longed to see them thrive again.

He hadn't seen Karamatsu since breakfast that morning, but that was to be expected. After all, the priest had things to prepare for each service he held.

"There we go," Ichimatsu sighed contentedly. "You'll be beautiful one day, little flowers."

As the boy turned around, colors of blue, black, and gold (the colors of Karamatsu's priestly robe) caught his eye. And thus, he found the priest. His fingers were poking through the wires of the chain-link fence as he gazed mindlessly out into the ocean.

"Father Karamatsu!" Ichimatsu called out, hoping to grab the priest's attention. But Karamatsu didn't budge. It was as if he were a statue.

"FATHER KARAMATSU!" Ichimatsu yelled, his hands cupped to his mouth in hopes of his voice reaching out farther. Still, the priest remained still.

Squinting his eyes from the wind blowing at his face, Ichimatsu approached the chain-link fence. The ribbons, which flapped gracefully in the wind, were such an extraordinary sight to see next to the priest.

"Father?" Ichimatsu spoke softly, tugging on Karamatsu's clothing.

The priest was jerked out of his thoughts, stumbling back a bit, though his fingers in the fence caught him from falling down.

"Y-You startled me!" Karamatsu stumbled over his words, sniffing a little as he rubbed his eyes with his free hand. "Ichimatsu, do you need something?"

"May I ask you a question?" Ichimatsu sighed a little, staring at two, light blue ribbons next to each other on the fence. "What are these ribbons for?"

A few tears escaped from Karamatsu's eyes before he was able to reply. But when he did, it wasn't the sort of answer Ichimatsu had expected.

"These are my failures," Karamatsu spoke softly, his voice nearly inaudible over the wind. "I wake up every day feeling regret in my heart. I failed my one purpose in this life. These children were never acknowledged enough by me. I should have been more open. I should have shown how much I truly did love them...but our time was cut short."

Karamatsu's face hardened as he met Ichimatsu's eyes. "Don't do it. Ever." Karamatsu put his hands on the boy's shoulders, shaking him a little. "This world needs you. You are loved here. Even if you can't feel it, you must believe it. Somedays, you may feel lonely. But just because you are lonely, doesn't really mean that you are all alone. It's just one constant lie after the other. Our minds trap us, but freedom can be found through our Savior..."

"Y-Yeah..." Ichimatsu muttered uncomfortably. "But...did all of these kids really commit suicide? What could lead anyone to suicide here? My mother wanted to come to this town because of how...happy and positive people said it was here."

"Nobody knows why they did it..." Karamatsu let go of Ichimatsu, smiling sadly. "But I blame myself for being unable to stop them."

"But it's not your fault," Ichimatsu spoke. "I can tell you are a very kind person."

"It's all a lie," Karamatsu laughed bitterly. "This is my punishment, for my sin so many years ago."

"That can't be true..." Ichimatsu sighed.

Karamatsu smiled sadly. "Everyone is given life. But life isn't always granted to last for them. Sometimes we long to cheat and jump to the end. Others are forced to meet that end. Embrace it, as if it were a friend. Is death such a scary thing? No. The pain only lasts a few moments, but the pain it leaves in the hearts of others...that pain lasts forever..."

"Father Karamatsu..." Ichimatsu uttered, not knowing how to respond. "I'm so sorry...." Then, the boy added in his mind, "it's really not your fault that I want to kill myself. But you alone cannot become my reason to live..."

"My boy," Karamatsu smiled kindly, quickly changing the subject. "What is your reason to live? Now that you know mine, I would be pleased to know yours as well."

Ichimatsu didn't have to think twice before he replied, simply speaking, "My mother."

"What would you do without her?" Karamatsu pushed.

"I would kill myself," Ichimatsu wanted to respond with honesty, but instead, he told one, pure lie. "I would live two lives instead of one. I would live in her place, and abandon all my hopes and dreams to fulfill her own."

"You truly are a kind soul," Karamatsu laughed a little. "Be proud of yourself, Ichimatsu, for not many children think in the ways you do. Certainly not the only other child left in this town, at least..."