When a soldier died while fighting for his or her country, there's always a military funeral for them attended by their fellow soldiers. Their service is honored and their bravery is recognized. Usually, may have guards of honor that will fire volley shots as a salute, there will be drumming and a flag draping over the coffin.

However, that's not the case for Espers like Diana. There is no special recognition given to them. What's worse, is that Diana's body was never recovered from the camp. It's like they took her body.

A few days passed by since the Russian soldiers attacked the U.S. base near the state border, but it's almost like only a day for Arthur. It's like his time slowed down since Diana's death.

Diana's funeral was held alongside the other Esper soldiers that were killed. However, Diana's body was not recovered from the site. That's why on the day of her funeral, there's nothing to cry on. It's just an empty coffin that's displayed alongside the coffins of the other soldiers.

Lea took the initiative to stay there and greet Diana's visitors while on the other hand, Arthur didn't show up.

A flashback of what Arthur said came into Lea's mind.

"What's the point of going there? Diana was not even there. . . ."

"I wonder, what I'm doing right now?" Lea said to herself while staring at the empty casket.

There are only a few Esper soldiers attended the funeral. Not a single Normal showed up to give their condolences except for Colonel Hutchinson.

He brought flowers for Diana, he wanted to give it to Arthur but he was nowhere to be found. He handed it over to Lea who at that time was surprised to see the colonel. Lea greeted Colonel Hutchinson with her swollen eyes that cried for a whole night.

"Where's Arthur?" the Colonel asked.

"He doesn't want to go, sir."

"Well then, just send him my condolences."

Lea bowed to the colonel who was about to leave. "Thank you for the flowers, sir. Diana surely appreciates it."

"I know. Diana has always been like that ever since. I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything to give her a gun salute."

"It's okay, sir. We're kinda used to it by now."

The Colonel tapped her back. "Thank you for staying on Arthur's side. He badly needed it." Colonel Hutchinson gave her a small piece of folded paper. "Give it to him. Tell him it's from me."

Colonel Hutchinson leaves right after the conversation. Roger and Sky saw him as he left when they arrived. Both of them approached Lea and asked some things they talked about.

"Why Colonel Hutchinson go here?" Roger asked.

"What did the two of you talked about?" Sky asked.

"He just gave some flowers for Diana. He was close to Diana and Arthur even before the ESP outbreak. Colonel Hutchinson was like a father figure to them," Lea said to Sky and Roger.

After hearing what Lea has said, the two immediately ran after Colonel Hutchinson and then they gave him a salute.

"Sir, thank you, sir, " they both said at the same time.

The Colonel just smiled at them and then continued to walk past by them.

Roger and Sky go back to Lea after saying thank you to Colonel Hutchinson. When they arrive, they saw Lea packing her things.

"Both of you, stay here. Sub for me, while I'm not here. I'll just give Arthur the message from Colonel Hutchinson." Lea wore her backpack after she finished packing. "I'll be back right away."

She teleported instantly into the quarters where they are currently staying at. She went inside and saw Vincent just sitting there on a couch and patiently waiting for his father to come out.

"Is he in his room?" Lea said to the little boy.

"Yes. Could you talk to my father? Please big sis," Vincent said to Lea with his pleading eyes looking straight into Lea.

Lea smiled and patted Vincent's head. "Of course. I'll definitely do that."

Lea knocked at the door of Arthur's room. Not a single reply was heard from Arthur, so she knocked again.

"Arthur, you know that I could just teleport inside your room right now. But you know what, because I respect your personal space and privacy, I wouldn't. So I'm begging you to just at least talk to me," she said.

There was a long silence as Lea waited for Arthur to say something. When Lea thought that Arthur might not be ready to talk to her, she decided to leave. However, as she was about to leave, Arthur finally spoke to her.

"What do you want to say to me?"

Lea turned back and once again stood in front of the door. "Colonel Hutchinson came to send his condolence to Diana's death. He also wants me to give you the letter he wrote for you."

Lea slid the piece of paper through the thin space under the bottom part of the door.

Lea teleported back at the funeral right after she successfully gave the message to Arthur. After all she promised to Sky and Roger, that she'll be back immediately.

Arthur was standing at the other side of the door for the whole time. He listened to every thing that Lea had said. He picked up the piece of paper that Lea slid through his door.

As he read everything written on the paper, his tears started to fall again.

"Don't keep the burden to yourself. It will not be too long before it breaks you, if you keep doing that. Try to share it with people who are always there for you and are willing to carry it with you," Colonel Hutchinson said in the letter.

"How could I? I don't want to trouble them," Arthur said as if he was actually talking to the Colonel. He continued to read the letter.

"I'm always here for you, you could share it to me. I'll be willing to take more than you're willing to give, " the Colonel said in the letter.

"I'm already very thankful to you for everything you've done for me and Diana. You could have chosen not to come but you still tried even it's hard for you. You hated Espers after what happened to your family, but why? Why are you still concerned about us?" Arthur said out loud.

"Because that's what family do, caring for each other. . . ." Colonel Hutchinson said in the letter as if he answered Arthur's questions.

The letter ended there with the Colonel's signature.

Arthur hugged the letter and crouched at the corner wall of his room. He was crying as if there's no tomorrow.