When Mirai saw his father lying in the hospital bed, Xiu Ke seemed to be holding on to his last breath just to see Mirai one final time.
Xiu Ke could no longer speak. His face was pale, his eyes clouded and unfocused. Only when he heard of Mirai's arrival did a trace of awareness return to his gaze.
Haku struggled to raise his wrinkled right hand. He wanted to touch Huey's face, but he no longer had the strength.
"Father, I'm here..."
Mirai felt an overwhelming sorrow, and tears began to gather in her eyes.
He reached out with both hands, clasped Xiao's right hand, and brought it to his face, letting Xiao's hand touch his left cheek.
Whether it came from memories of the past or from another world, the warmth from his father gave Mirai the same feeling—comforting and deeply nostalgic.
Tears spilled from the corners of Mirai's eyes and fell onto Xiu Ke's hand, which was touching Mirai's face.
Haku wanted to smile, but he could no longer force even the faintest one.
Haku wanted to tell Huey not to cry, but he could not say a word.
He had thought that, since he had expected to face this moment, perhaps he should have regarded Haku as merely his adoptive father rather than his biological one. Then he would not feel the same way he would for his real father.
But when this moment truly came, Mirai discovered that the father he had only known in name in this world, Xiu Ke, had caused him immense pain as his life neared its end.
Tears completely blurred his father from Mirai's sight. Only when he could no longer feel the last trace of warmth, when Anna stood beside him with her hands clasped and her eyes closed,