"Very, Nick! Very! I haven’t been this happy in my birthday! I don’t understand what's going on with you, Nick. You're not a romantic man! "
Nick didn’t answer, just suck his smile.
If only you knew, Maya. Perhaps this was the first and last time I can give something romantic for you in your birthday. Forgive me because never do this before.
If my time on earth is finished, you have to face your birthday and this world without me again, Maya.
-Flash Forward-.
Phoenix swinging on a swing at People Park along with Trucy. Trucy seemed very happy at all, many times she swung her swing very quickly.
"Daddy, why the sudden Daddy would take me to the swings here? Usually Daddy always says I'm too big if I asked you to accompany me to play the swings in the park. "
Phoenix chuckled. "There is no harm in it a Father and his beautiful daughter spent quality time together? Furthermore, it may just Daddy later can’t accompany you play swing again. "
"What do you mean? What’s wrong? Any swing in the park will be demolished? "Trucy asked again, with confusion, try to digest Phoenix’s words.
"Hahaha, forget it. Never mind, "said Phoenix, making Trucy more astonished. Phoenix got off the swing and pushed Trucy’s swing.
Please forgive me, Trucy. Please forgive me for this may be the first and last time I can accompany you to play swings. Please forgive your father who always denies your request to accompany play the swings.
-Flash Forward-.
"Nice, Athena! You ripped off my tie! How could I work without a tie? “shout Apollo and Athena quarreled one day in the office.
"Apollo, I sincerely apologize, I didn’t do it on purpose!" exclaimed Athena, sounded close to tears.
Phoenix stepped into the room Athena and Apollo were arguing.
"What's wrong, Apollo, Athena? Sounds like you two were fighting. "Phoenix asked, frowning.
"No, boss! Nothing! "said Apollo and Athena together, along with nervousness. Phoenix raised his eyebrows.
"Then why are you yelling, Apollo? I think I heard you complain about the tie, "urged Phoenix.
"Er ...... .."
Phoenix scanned Apollo’s neck and saw Apollo’s tie which has been torn.
"You're tearing Apollo’s tie, Athena?" asked Phoenix.
"I didn’t do it on purpose, Mr. Wright! Really!" said Athena nervously while biting her lip.
"Yes, but you can’t make me work!"
Phoenix chuckled again. "Life was hard, Apollo. Don’t make it even harder. You could buy a new tie! "
Apollo shook his head. "Yes, if it’s easily searchable. The tie is limited edition, Mr. Wright, and it is not easy to get it! "
"Then let's search in the mall together. Get ready. " Phoenix continued.
Athena and Apollo exchanged glances with a million questions explosive in their heads.
"You sure, boss? If we search for my tie in the store, it would spend all day long! Aren’t you most annoyed if lingering in the mall? "asked Apollo astonishment.
"It's okay, Apollo, Athena. You are my good students. There is no harm in it, if your old teacher invites you refreshing once in a while? "Phoenix replied with a wink.
"You guys ready? Let's go."
Still feeling very great astonishment, Apollo and Athena follow Phoenix step out of the office and together they went to the mall.
And, as Apollo said, it’s very difficult to find the limited edition tie marred by Athena. It has been almost six hours they searched, but to no avail. Apollo and Athena’s foot began to feel blisters.
"Boss, please, don’t need to be forced. We can go home now. It’s okay if we can’t find it, "said Apollo fatigue.
"It's okay, Apollo. We will be looking for your tie until we can find it. We don’t know if we can search again tomorrow ... I--why did both of you dragged your foot like that, Apollo, Athena? " Phoenix asked , confused.
"Our feet blisters, Boss." moaned Athena.
Phoenix raised his eyebrows. "You certainly will not be able to walk with blisters foot. Come on, we visit here, " said Phoenix, leading Apollo and Athena into a shoe store.
"What we’re going to do here, boss?" asked Apollo confused.
"To buy new shoes for both of you, of course. Sore feet are not good for health. "
Apollo and Athena were stunned. They exchanged glances again and shrugged.
"Just choose the model you want, Apollo, Athena."
Apollo and Athena then choose models of shoes that they want and immediately replace their old shoes. When they finished, they continued hunting tie.
"I don’t understand your attitude lately, boss," murmured Athena.
"What do you mean, Athena?"
"You often do unusual things...... Which you never did before. As if you would leave all of us. "murmured Athena again.
And you're absolutely right, Athena. I will leave you all. To a distant place, where I would never go back and we will never meet again.
Phoenix snorted a laugh. "That's just your imagination, Athena. I'm still the same person. "
They continued searching for the tie, until nightfall, they finally found the tie which they searched after circling three malls. They went back to the Wright Anything Agency office with fatigue, but Apollo looked very happy.
"It's time for us to go home. Thank you very much boss. It’s very fun today, "said Apollo. Athena nodded in agreement.
"OK. Be careful on the way home "said Phoenix, then suddenly he kissed Athena and Apollo’s head, making them both very surprised and touched. When they want to say something, Phoenix already hurried up to his room.
-Flash Forward-.
Phoenix unpacks cabinets and drawers in his room, and he found some photographs with Athena and Apollo, which was scattered everywhere. Phoenix then looks for an empty album and composing his photographs along with Apollo and Athena with caution.
If I’m not wake up again the morning, Apollo and Athena probably will not work in the Wright Anything Agency again. At least, I could give this photo album as a memorial for the days they work here.
Once finished arranging the photos, Phoenix felt like laughing and amused by himself. There are so many weird and embarrassing pose in the pictures along with Athena and Apollo. Other people who saw it probably would not think that they are the boss and employee. In the photographs, Phoenix really looks like father of Apollo and Athena.
This photo album is not yet full .... Can I re-fill the latest pages of this photo album?
-Flash Forward-.
Phoenix stepped into the room Solitary Cell No. 13.
"How are you, Kristoph?" asked Phoenix friendly, to his greatest enemy, the enemy who had ruined his life, which has made him lose his attorney badge.
"Wright? What are you doing here? See me and laughing at me? "replied Kristoph coldly.
Phoenix smiled weakly. "No, Kristoph, I just wanted to tell you, that I have no any grudge again to you. I have already forgive you. There is no point for me to hold a grudge. "Phoenix replied, holding out his hand to shake Kristoph.
While stunned, Kristoph welcoming Phoenix handshake although he still feels much doubt.
"I think you have a very strong reason for this?" Asked Kristoph again, staring suspiciously to Phoenix.
"Yes," said Phoenix, chuckling. "Because I'm still learning about life, you know." Phoenix walked out, leaving Kristoph with a thousand question marks in his head.
I give forgiveness that I’ve been denying. It feels so good.
-Flash Forward-.
Phoenix staggered after coming home from the doctor's control. Medications and therapy given by the doctors are very painful, making him dizzy, all he wants to do when go home is sleep.
Slowly Phoenix opened the door of his house. Very quiet. It seems Trucy still not coming home from school. "Truce?" called Phoenix. No answer.
Shrugged, Phoenix took off his shoes and immerses himself in the couch. He had just closed his eyes when suddenly his face sprayed with water.
"Surprise !!!" exclaimed Trucy, Apollo, Athena, Edgeworth, and Maya together. "Happy birthday, old man! Wish you long life and good health always!"
Phoenix annoyance because his face doused by water vanished instantly. Seeing all his relatives gathered, say happy birthday to him.
"Happy birthday, happy birthday Nick Dearie Dearie!" cried Maya glad and handing him a large piece of birthday cake.
"Thank you, thank you all very much. You actually don’t need to bother! "
All of them laughed. "Really, Mr. Wright. After what you have done for all of us ... And you said you bother us because a piece of cake? "called Apollo, followed by laughter from Trucy, Edgeworth, Maya, and Athena.
Edgeworth then took a lighter from his pocket and lit a candle located on top of the cake.
"Why the wax figure is 53? I'm not that old, you know, "said Nick scowled. They all laughed again.
"Because you're going to live until the age of 53 years and more, Nick! It’s the hope from all of us! Now inflatable candles ... blow out the candle now! "cried Maya.
Phoenix felt his chest punched. He looked at them all, feeling guilty for hiding everything from them. Then he blew out the candle. All his relatives applauded.
If only they know.I will never reach age 53. Or even 40.
"Well, Mr. Wright. Of course you don’t mind playing maybe one-two songs on the piano for us on your birthday? " asked Apollo enthusiastic.
"What?" said Phoenix stunned. "Apollo, you were trying to tease me, huh? You know very well how bad my piano playing skills. "
"Don’t get me wrong, Mr. Wright! "said Apollo rush. "Really, I didn’t mean anything, I just want you to give something special to us on your birthday! Right, guys? "asked Apollo gulped and looked toward Edgeworth, Maya, Trucy, and Athena.
Edgeworth, Maya, Trucy and Athena nodded with vigor.
"I guess I have no choice, then." mumble Phoenix.
Phoenix then sat down in front of his piano. "You want me to play what song?"
"Imagine, John Lennon!" cried Trucy.
"All of Me, John Legend!" said Apollo.
"November Rain, Gun's N Roses!" said Edgeworth.
"Are You Sleeping Brother John," said Athena, make the family room filled with a burst of laughter.
"Fine. One by one, yes. "
Phoenix started playing songs requested by Trucy, then play Apollo, Edgeworth, and Athena’s requests.
When Phoenix is finished, they all burst out laughing and clapping.
"Not bad, Nick," said Maya. Edgeworth raised his eyebrows. "Come on, Maya. I swear to Jesus Christ, the November Rain piano cover is the worst I've ever heard in my life. It hurts my ears. "
"Oh, you're too cruel, Mr. Edgeworth! I think Mr Wright play the piano pretty good! You just need a little practice, Mr. Wright! " said Athena.
"Yes, you just need a little practice, Mr. Wright, "said Apollo agreed.
Phoenix chuckled. "But I don’t have much time to practice piano," he replied awkwardly.
Apollo laughed. "Really, Mr. Wright. You could practice while there are no cases! You have plenty of time! "
You're wrong, Apollo. You don’t understand what I mean.
I don’t have much time………Because I never know when the last time when I can open my eyes.
Perhaps, this is the last time I play piano for all of you.
"Yes you're right, Apollo. Thank you, thank you all, for remembered the anniversary of this old man. Thank you for the cake. I'm very fond of you. All of you are very important to me! "said Phoenix again, smiling.
"He started again," chuckled Athena. "Boss, we knew we were meant so much for you, but do you really need to repeat these words every day? We get tired of hearing it.”
But I don’t get bored, Athena. I want to continue to say those words before I could not utter those words again in my life.
Phoenix then stared at the walls of his home, where a lot of photographs framed in silent recounts the journey of his life.
There is a photograph in which he won the award as Best Defense Attorney in the country. There is a photograph in which he rowed the boat with Pearl and Maya, near Gatewater hotel. There is a photograph in which he shared with Edgeworth, Larry, Lotta, Maya, Gumshoe, when he won a court case against Von Karma, and solve the mystery of the DL-6 case. There is a photograph in which he played the swing with Trucy.
Maybe, these photographs are the last thing I saw.
"Come on, everyone, move up! We take picture together! "says Trucy suddenly, pulling her pocket camera. Phoenix, Maya, Edgeworth, Apollo, and Athena docked on the couch.
"Lift up the cake, Daddy, so it will be clearly visible in the photos!" exclaimed Trucy again. Phoenix lifted his cake high and smiling.
Could it be that this is my last photo with them? Could it be this is my last birthday?
Like tomorrow is a gift, and I’ve got eternity to think about what I do with it? What did I do with it? What would I do with it?
If only I realize from the first, and be more grateful for always wake up tomorrow.