ぶらり旅

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: If I’m not mistaken, you had the woman exterminate a hallucinatory ayakashi… correct? 

Yauchika’s Subordinate: Such ayakashi are rarely seen near human settlements, but they are hardly a serious threat. I am certain that its appearance would not incur suspicion towards you, Yasuchika-sama.

Yasuchika: Oh, I’m not worried about being seen at all! I just wanted to conduct some research for a new technique.

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: O-Of course…

Yasuchika: I’m so happy I got to see Shige-chan get injured, too.

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: …Hm?

Yasuchika: Shige-chan seems like such a disciplined warrior,

Yasuchika: But as soon as the ayakashi turned into a little girl, he immediately hesitated to attack it. How wonderful. 

Yasuchika squinted as he stretched with the languor of a cat lounging in the sun. 

His gaze, however, was not heavy with sleepiness—it gleamed with a sharp, cold brilliance.

The subordinate stiffened at the chill in the air from Yasuchika’s change in demeanor.

Yasuchika: I suppose the next time I’ll see the two of them will be on the battlefield. I’m really looking forward to it. 

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: Yasuchika-sama, isn’t it…

Yasuchika: Hm?

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: Isn’t all of this business with the shogunate and the rebel army rather frightening to you?

Yasuchika: Well, in my opinion, someone who views his work in terms of whether it’s frightening or not wouldn’t be fit to be an onmyōji at all.

Yasuchika: Especially when you work at the palace. You get asked to do all sorts of crazy things, but you can’t exactly turn down the requests, so you just have to get used to it! 

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: I understand… Well said, Yasuchika-sama. It is only natural, given your superior skill in onmyōdō. 

The subordinate’s polite words hardly concealed his eagerness to curry favor with Yasuchika.

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: I sincerely hope that you will demonstrate the new technique you are developing to us when it is ready… 

Yasuchika: You know, I think I will.

Yasuchika nodded, the gesture somehow childlike and elegant at once.

Yasuchika: I’d really like it if lots of people got to see it. 

(So this is Kagetoki-san’s mansion…? Somehow I’m starting to feel on edge just by being here.) 

Shigehira: This way, Yoshino-san.

Yoshino: Okay!

Shigehira confidently led me towards Kagetoki’s estate, seeming as though he'd taken this route many times before.

Yoshino: Do you visit Kagetoki-san’s place a lot, Shigehira-kun? 

Shigehira: I guess I do.

Shigehira: Kagetoki-san mentors me in my studies, so I often borrow books from him.

Shigehira: At some point, he started letting me come and go whenever I wanted.

Yoshino: Really…?

The image of Kagetoki—staring cold, sharp daggers from behind his spectacles—popped into my mind. 

Yoshino: It’s a little hard to think of Kagetoki-san being any sort of teacher… 

Shigehira: You’d be surprised. He’s a pretty good mentor, since he’s so knowledgeable and logical.

✦ part two

Shigehira: You’d be surprised. He’s a pretty good mentor, since he’s so knowledgeable and logical.

Shigehira: But I doubt he would spare his time to teach just anybody, unless they give him a good reason to.

Yoshino: Then what’s his reason for mentoring you? 

Shigehira: I give him koto lessons in return. We're really just exchanging services.

Yoshino: Really?!

Yoshino: I didn’t know you could play the koto too!

Shigehira: I just know the basics, that’s all. 

(But he’s such a skilled biwa player… I’m sure he knows more than just the basics of the koto, too.)

I felt a surge of admiration for Shigehira as I looked at him.

I admire you (Romantic +4, Dramatic +2) You’re a prodigy (Romantic +2, Dramatic +4) You must love it (Romantic +4, Dramatic +4)

Yoshino: You must really love playing music.

Shigehira: I’ve always enjoyed it. I try to make time to practice every day, no matter how busy my schedule gets.

Yoshino: That's amazing! I bet Kagetoki-san must be a wonderful koto player if you’re his teacher.

Shigehira: Well… I don’t know about that. 

I turned my head towards Shigehira to see an uncharacteristically dodgy expression pop up on his face.

Shigehira: Teaching him never fails to remind me that, uh, everyone has unique talents.

Yoshino: What do you mean?

Shigehira: Um… Anyways, Kagetoki-san should be in here. 

Shigehira stopped in front of the door to the main room to call out to Kagetoki.

Shigehira: Kagetoki-san, are you home?

He didn’t wait for a response before opening the sliding door, when…

Woman: …Oh! E-Excuse me!!

Shigehira: …?!

(Huh?)

A woman stumbled out of the room in a panic. I glimpsed a flustered expression on her face as she shot past us.

Then I caught a whiff of a heady, sensual fragrance—there must have been incense burning inside the room.

Kagetoki: You’re too impatient, Shigehira. Did you never learn not to invite yourself into a room?

(O-Oh…)

When I finally looked past the mountainous stacks of books blocking most of the view into the room,

I saw Kagetoki straightening the lapels of his robe, looking uncharacteristically relaxed as he raised his gaze to us. 

Shigehira: W-Well, you’re usually too wrapped up in your reading to respond when I knock, so I just assumed—

Kagetoki: I suppose you’re not wrong.

Kagetoki: I did tell my retainers to ask any guests to wait to be received. There must have been a miscommunication for this to have occurred. 

Despite our sudden intrusion, Kagetoki hardly seemed bothered.

(Well, now I definitely know what was going on in here before we arrived…)

Yoshino: …I’m so sorry for the intrusion. We wouldn’t have bothered you if we’d known that your lover was visiting you. 

(If anything, I’m just a little surprised.)

(Kagetoki-san is quite good-looking, and I’m sure that he wouldn’t have any trouble finding a partner if he wanted one,)

(But he doesn’t seem like he lets people get close to him very easily. I can’t imagine him being interested in romance at all.)

Kagetoki: Lover? She and I have no such relationship. 

Yoshino: R-Really? 

Kagetoki: She made an offer to me, and I accepted it. It wasn’t as if I had any reason to refuse her.

Kagetoki: Unfortunately, thanks to you two, our rendezvous ended before it could begin.

(...This is so awkward.)

Shigehira: …Disgusting.

I could only stand there speechless, but Shigehira didn’t hesitate to mutter his displeased response under his breath.

Kagetoki: Are you still too young to understand such things, Shigehira? 

Shigehira: It doesn’t matter how old I am or how old I get! I will never engage in this debauchery for a single day in the rest of my life!

Kagetoki: What an uncouth thing to say. It’s hardly debauchery. 

Kagetoki: If you’re not in the mood for it, you can simply refuse. 

Kagetoki: You don’t eat when your stomach is full, do you? In that sense, it’s no different than satiating hunger. 

(That sure is an interesting way to think of it.)

Yoshino: Personally, I’m inclined to disagree…

Kagetoki: That’s a rather foolish opinion.

Shigehira: No, I agree with her. 

 ✦ part three

Shigehira: No, I agree with her. 

Kagetoki: Is that so?

Kagetoki: I would expect nothing less from a man who receives countless love letters and rejects every single one. 

(Love letters, huh…?)

Yoshino: Well, I’m sure it wouldn’t be feasible for him to accept every letter…

Yoshino: Haven’t you considered at least one of the people who’s written to you, though, Shigehira-kun? 

Shigehira: No. I don’t have the time to bother with my love life right now. 

Yoshino: …Oh. That makes sense.

(He’s trying to reestablish the Heike, after all, and the shadow of the past is still hanging over him.)

(When he’s on a mission that’s so important to him, he probably thinks that pursuing love would just be a distraction.)

I was sure that my guess was correct, and if so, it would be a perfectly rational reason not to be interested in a relationship. But, for some reason, I felt a sharp prick deep within my chest as I thought it over.

Shigehira: It’s a pain to be barraged with letters from people I barely even know… 

Shigehira: But it’s not like I can stop them, so I still reply to all the letters.

Kagetoki: If you’re truly not looking to begin a relationship with anyone, then why do you bother with responding to any of the letters you receive? 

Shigehira: It’d be rude if I didn’t. Not receiving a response would imply a rejection, so it’s better that I tell them the truth outright.

Kagetoki: I’d think that receiving an implied rejection would be less emotionally damaging than an explicit one.

Shigehira: Do you think so…?

Shigehira: I don’t know. I feel like it would be more stressful to someone if I kept them waiting for a response that they were never going to get.

(He thinks of others so much…)

Kagetoki: That's very earnest of you.

Shigehira: …You’re being surprisingly prudent now, Kagetoki-san. But you’d better be careful not to slip up and say the wrong thing, or else you’ll definitely regret it.

Kagetoki: I would never make such a grave mistake. 

Kagetoki nonchalantly pushed a pile of books to the side, gesturing for us to sit in the space he'd cleared off.

(Even beyond the initial surprise, I'm genuinely shocked by how cluttered Kagetoki-san's room is. Everywhere I look, I see books.)

Shigehira: Be careful, Yoshino-san. 

Shigehira: If you knock over one of these bookstacks, you’ll set off an avalanche. You might never make it out alive from underneath all the books.

Yoshino: …Got it.

(I think I finally get why Shigehira-kun said that Kagetoki-san’s place was dangerous to visit.) 

Yoshino: Um... I don't mean this to be rude, but I don't suppose you're particularly keen on organizing your books?

Kagetoki: My arrangement is organized by my own standards. Your opinion that I am untidy is of no importance to me. 

(Huh.)

Shigehira: Alright, fine. Sure. There’s no need to quibble over this. 

Shigehira: Your room is even messier than usual today, though... 

Kagetoki: War is on the horizon, after all. In times like these, it’s not unreasonable to give a bit less care to the trivialities of daily life.

Shigehira: Just a bit less, huh…?

Kagetoki turned towards me, almost as if he was physically deflecting Shigehira's doubtful look.

Kagetoki: Now, I assume you’ve come to discuss our medicine reserves and the proposed combat medic system?

Yoshino: That’s right. 

Kagetoki: Then why are you here, Shigehira? Is Yoshino babysitting you?

Kagetoki: I didn’t know that you were such a pampered child. She’s spoiling you rotten.

A teasing smirk tugged at Kagetoki's lips as he removed some documents from a drawer.

Shigehira: I just wanted to borrow a book from you! That’s the only reason why I came with her!!

Kagetoki: Oh, really? 

Shigehira: Can you quit being facetious and actually listen to what I’m saying for once?

Kagetoki: I’ll see what I can do. 

✦ part four

Kagetoki: I’ll see what I can do. 

His tone did not indicate in the slightest that he intended to stop. Once he had made his way back to us, he handed me the stack documents he'd retrieved.

Yoshino: What’s this?

Kagetoki: They detail our estimated rations, the route for our troops' march, and other such matters.

Kagetoki: The information in them will be used to calculate an estimate of the amount of medicine we will need to stockpile, and the format in which they are written will be used to document it.

Shigehira: ...These must be the documents that Yoritomo-sama asked you to compile last night.

Shigehira: Have you already finished them?

(Does that mean that Kagetoki-san finished all of this paperwork in less than a day?!)

Kagetoki: Of course. I wouldn't accept a woman's invitation just to make her wait until I finished my paperwork.

Shigehira: ...I can't believe this.

Shigehira: You can write all of these documents in one night, but you can't even clean up your own room?

Kagetoki: These documents and the state of my room have nothing to do with each other.

Kagetoki responded curtly before presenting us with another document.

Kagetoki: This here is a summary of the structure of our field medicine system.

Kagetoki: We'll use this as a basis upon which we can develop the details. Shall we begin?

Yoshino: Y-Yes. If I may ask, when did you happen to write this document...?

Kagetoki: I had some spare time while preparing the documents I gave you previously, so I used it to write this one.

Shigehira: Seriously... If you were capable of cleaning up your room, and you stopped treating women the way that you do,

Shigehira: And you stopped teasing me so much, I'd defer to you without a single complaint.

Kagetoki: How cute, Shigehira.

(Shigehira-kun said that he and Kagetoki-san were just exchanging services with each other, but these two must be fairly close if they're speaking to each other like this.)

From then onwards, we began to discuss our medicine reserves and our field nursing system, using Kagetoki's documents as our reference.

Once our work was winding down to an end...

Kagetoki: Our discussion has gone on for quite some time now. I think I’d like to have something to drink. 

Shigehira: I’ll call one of the maids to make some tea. 

Shigehira quickly rose to his feet.

Kagetoki: Much obliged.

Yoshino: Thanks, Shigehira-kun.

Now, I was alone with Kagetoki...

Kagetoki: It seems like Shigehira has been getting along with you quite well. 

Kagetoki: You’re far more persuasive than I expected you to be, Yoshino. 

(What?)

Flustered, I felt my gaze dart around the room, landing everywhere but on Kagetoki himself.

Yoshino: That’s not true. I didn’t persuade him into doing anything for me.

Yoshino: It’s really just that Shigehira-kun is a kind person. That’s the only reason that he’s being so nice to me—in his own way, of course.

Kagetoki: Is that what you think?

Kagetoki: You should know that Shigehira only takes such interest in people whom he approves of. Especially when it comes to members of the shogunate. 

(I guess I can see what he means… I know Shigehira-kun comes across as quite uptight to a lot of people.)

Yoshino: …Did you know Shigehira-kun before he joined the shogunate, Kagetoki-san? 

Kagetoki: In a way, I did. After Shigehira had been taken as a prisoner of war, I was the one who escorted him to Kamakura.

✦ part five

Yoshino: …Did you know Shigehira-kun before he joined the shogunate, Kagetoki-san? 

Kagetoki: In a way, I did. After Shigehira had been taken as a prisoner of war, I was the one who escorted him to Kamakura.

(Really?!)

Yoshino: I wonder what Shigehira-kun was like back then.

I couldn't help but let my curiosity win over me.

Kagetoki: He was the same at heart as he is now. He was stubborn, straightlaced, and terribly oblique—yet everything he did was for others' sake. 

Yoshino: That certainly sounds like the Shigehira-kun I know. 

The sentiment brought a slight smile to my face.

Yoshino: But I bet he must have been especially full of resolve when he was on his way to Kamakura. 

Yoshino: …His intention in coming here was to negotiate with Yoritomo-sama, after all.

Kagetoki: Oh? Shigehira has told you about that?

Kagetoki's gaze, usually so cool and unconcerned, seemed to sharpen with interest.

Kagetoki: In any case, you would be correct. Back then, Shigehira was…

—flashback

Yoritomo: Unfortunately, our negotiations are now off. 

Shigehira: …I take it the Imperial Court has intervened.

Yoritomo: Do you have any last words, Taira no Shigehira?

Shigehira: None in particular. 

Shigehira: I no longer have anything to say for myself now that I am captive.

Shigehira: For one who has lived their life on the battlefield, there is no shame in dying as a prisoner of war. Just behead me quickly.

Yoritomo: ……

—flashback ends

I was silent as Kagetoki quietly recounted the past to me.

Kagetoki: His honor and resolve astonished everyone in the room, myself included.

Kagetoki: Even Yoritomo-sama was moved by it enough to spare Shigehira’s life and offer him a place in the shogunate. 

Yoshino: I see…

(Shigehira-kun told me that Yoritomo-sama formed an alliance with him on a mere whim.)

(It seems that Yoritomo-sama’s true reason for proposing the alliance was because of Shigehira-kun himself.)

Kagetoki: Yoshino. 

Yoshino: …What is it?

I was caught off guard by Kagetoki’s hushed voice, and my response came out nervous and hesitant.

Kagetoki: I’m sure you’ve realized that Shigehira is a pitifully honest man.

Kagetoki: It would be far too easy for someone to take advantage of his most glaring weakness and hurt him.

Yoshino: …Right. 

The memory of Shigehira interacting with the nobles of the Imperial Court, their honeyed words masking poisoned sentiments, came to my mind.

Kagetoki: But Yoritomo-sama approves of him nonetheless…

Kagetoki: …Because Shigehira possesses a special quality.

Yoshino: Special? What do you mean?

Kagetoki: I won’t tell you that.

(Huh?)

Kagetoki: If Shigehira truly cares for you, then you will eventually learn what I mean for yourself. 

(Well, that doesn’t answer any of my questions…)

I must have looked exceptionally confused; Kagetoki studied my face for a moment before he smiled.

Kagetoki: Do my words truly puzzle you so much?

Yoshino: W-Well, I just…

Kagetoki: Then allow me to put it this way, Yoshino.

(Uhh...)

Long, deft fingers trailed down my jaw before tilting up my chin.

(What is Kagetoki-san doing??)

His eyes narrowed, and his intense gaze from behind his spectacles focused on me as though he was sizing up prey he’d caught in his clutches.

Kagetoki: I’ll make myself clear to you, if you’re willing to take the place of the woman who was visiting me earlier.

Yoshino: Huh…?

My eyes widened in shock at the sultry timbre in his voice, but at the very next moment—

Shigehira: Wh—What are you doing?! 

Chapter 14 →

Notes:

The koto is the national instrument of Japan—a long, many-stringed zither that’s played by striking the strings with one’s fingers or with plectrums.

Shigehira’s “last words” in the flashback are a paraphrase of a quote by the real Taira no Shigehira that was recorded in the Azuma Kagami, which was a historical chronicle written in 1266 that recounted events of the Genpei War and the Kamakura Shogunate. The full quotation was supposedly* spoken by Taira no Shigehira when he was living as a POW, painting him as a warrior of dignified and humble character—even in the face of his impending execution. 

IRL Taira no Shigehira was killed shortly after being taken as a POW by the Genji. During the Genpei War, Shigehira served as a Heike commander in the 1180 Siege of Nara, which was part of a revenge campaign against warrior monks from various monasteries who had aided the Genji in a prior battle. Despite being vastly outnumbered by the warrior monks, the Heike won victory by burning down almost every single monastery and temple in the city of Nara, including the powerful Kōfuku-ji and Tōdai-ji temple complexes. However, their methods earned them revile from many (including the Imperial Court) due to the sacrilegious act of destroying temples and the shocking scale of death and destruction that they inflicted on the city—around 3,500 people died during the siege. A great deal of hatred was directed towards Shigehira personally… even though there doesn't seem to be consensus about if he himself ordered the burning of Nara, or if the Heike even intended to cause the level of destruction they did at all. (Setting fires on the battlefield to increase visibility during night time was a common battle tactic of the era, and the weather conditions during the time of the battle may have spread any fires set by the Heike further than they might have intended.) Regardless of the extent of Shigehira’s role in the Siege of Nara, he would eventually pay the ultimate price for it. After he was captured by the Genji at the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani in 1184, he was handed over to the surviving monks of the Tōdai-ji, who executed him in 1185 as revenge for the burning of their monastery.

Morinaga: Kagetoki, happy birthday! Even if you won't let me celebrate properly with you, I hope you can at least accept my best wishes.

Shigehira: Kagetoki-san, I wish you a happy birthda—Hey. What's with that smirk on your face? Shigehira: Can't I wish a happy birthday to someone who's looked after me?? Is that so wrong?!

Tamamo: Happy birthday, Kagetoki. On such a celebratory occasion, I think we should… Oh? Why are you trying to flee? I wasn't going to suggest anything unpleasant. We foxes may beguile, but we do not lie.

Yoshitsune: Kagetoki, you and I may not have the best history with each other. However, I feel that Benkei would forgive me for wishing you well on your birthday.

Benkei: Kagetoki, I won't forgive what you've done, but… I'll say something nice to you just for today. …Happy birthday.

Yoichi: Hey, Kagetoki, happy birthday. How about I head over to Kamakura to celebrate with you? Of course, I've gotta bring Benkei with me, too.

Kurama: Do you also consider your birthday a happy occasion, Kagetoki? Unfathomable. I don't understand why humans think that being one year closer to their death is something to celebrate.

Yoshino: Huh…?

Tamamo: Ooh, things are starting to get interesting.

Tamamo: You knew what you were doing, didn’t you, Morinaga? Excellent work.

Morinaga: I don’t know what you’re talking about. 

I caught a glimpse of Tamamo and Morinaga whispering to each other out of the corner of my eye, but I didn’t have the time to ask them what they were talking about. 

Yoshino: I was just worried that the rumors annoyed you, Shigehira-kun.

Shigehira: When did I say that they annoyed me?

(Huh? Was I wrong?)

Yoshino: I mean, you went through all this trouble to disprove them, so that’s what I assumed…

Shigehira: Well, that’s…

He hesitated for a moment, looking rather sulky, before he looked intently at me.

Shigehira: That's because the rumors are disrespectful to you.

Yoshino: To me?

Shigehira: …?

(What does he mean by that?)

Shigehira and I exchanged a puzzled look.

However, it wasn't long before I noticed the tinge of pink that had appeared on Shigehira's cheeks.

Shigehira: …

What happened? (Romantic +2, Dramatic +4) I don’t really understand what you mean (Romantic +4, Dramatic +2) Are you embarrassed? (Romantic +4, Dramatic +4)

Yoshino: Shigehira-kun… Could it be that you’re… embarrassed?

Shigehira: What?! Of course not!!

Yoshino: O-Of course. Sorry.

(I get the feeling that I shouldn't push him any further about this.)

Then a laugh from Yoritomo cleaved apart the awkward silence, seeming as though he'd been holding it in for quite a while already.

Yoritomo: You two are really exceeding my expectations. 

Shigehira: What are you talking about?

Tamamo: Oh, no, no, carry on, you two. Don’t mind the rest of us. 

I had a feeling that there was something the rest of them were thinking that neither I nor Shigehira were aware of.

Yoshino: Why are you all looking at us like that…

(I have no idea what's going on, besides that they're definitely teasing us!!)

Just when I was starting to feel more than a little frustrated...

Yoritomo: With all of that said.

Yoritomo: If neither of you are affected by those rumors, there’s no need to get up in arms to disprove them. 

Yoritomo, still smiling his half-smile, spun the kemari ball in his hand.

Shigehira: I-I guess, but…

Yoritomo: Otherwise, you need to accept that if you are unable to get the rumors under control on your own now, you won’t be able to do so in the future.

Tamamo: I see… These are the wise words of a man who has his very own fanclub. He is imparting his learned experience of contending with the “Lord Yoritomo Worship Association.”

Yoshino: …Worship association?

Morinaga: It’s somewhat of a… volunteer organization that’s formed among the maids.

Morinaga: The members collect information about Yoritomo-sama, and supposedly also prevent each other from making any moves on him by themselves…

Morinaga: It’s a tight-knit group with a large number of members, so we don’t know just how much information they’ve been able to gather. What we do know is that they’re not to be underestimated.

✦ part two

Morinaga: The members collect information about Yoritomo-sama, and supposedly also prevent each other from making any moves on him by themselves…

Morinaga: It’s a tight-knit group with a large number of members, so we don’t know just how much information they’ve been able to gather. What we do know is that they’re not to be underestimated.

Yoshino: Wow! I can’t believe it…

(That's honestly really impressive.)

Shigehira: How are you not tired of smiling that vapid, empty smile and putting up with all of this nonsense? 

Yoritomo: You get used to it with time, Shigehira. It’s a small price to pay to keep all our affairs running smoothly, wouldn’t you agree?

Shigehira: I guess. 

Shigehira's thorny response was in stark contrast to Yoritomo's blindingly bright smile.

Nonetheless, Yoritomo continued.

Yoritomo: On another subject. You seem to have built up a good reputation for your work as an apothecary, Yoshino. 

Yoshino: Have I?

Morinaga: Our military training has gotten more intense in preparation for the war, and we’re all very grateful to you for caring for the wounded. 

Morinaga: The soldiers’ morale is high, knowing that they’ll have a doctor accompanying them into battle.

Yoshino: Really? I’m so glad!!

(I've only really made a small contribution, but it makes me so happy that they appreciate it!)

Tamamo: That’s my Yoshino for you. You’ve excelled even when taking up work as an apothecary in an unfamiliar place must have been quite the ordeal. 

Yoshino: It would have only been an ordeal if I’d been alone. I couldn’t have done it all without Shigehira-kun’s help. 

Shigehira: Don't be daft. I didn’t do anything to help you. I was just keeping an eye on you so you wouldn’t screw things up.

(It's just like him to say that.)

Yoshino: Of course. But, still… Thank you.

Shigehira: …Mm.

His response, so curt in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, made my heart squeeze.

(I've decided to stand beside the frontlines for Shigehira-kun's sake.)

(So it's really encouraging that my efforts are being recognized in this way.)

The fire that had been lit within my chest on the day I made my decision still continued to burn—and in this moment, I felt it warming me from within.

Shigehira: So this is what it all came to in the end. Kicking a ball around and getting bullied. 

Yoshino: Well... at least it seemed like you had some fun playing kemari!

After parting with the others, Shigehira and I walked side-by-side through the halls of the palace.

Yoshino: I wish I was as athletic as you are, Shigehira-kun.

Shigehira: Clearly you’re athletic enough to perform all of the stunts you’ve been pulling recently. I bet you’ve been having fun doing them, too.

Yoshino: Hehe, is that a compliment?

Shigehira: Your ears work almost as badly as your brain does if that sounds like a compliment to you. 

✦ part three

Yoshino: Hehe, is that a compliment?

Shigehira: Your ears work almost as badly as your brain does if that sounds like a compliment to you. 

Despite the severity of his words, I wasn't fazed at all by his retort...

Because there was now a noticeable warmth in his eyes and in his tone of voice that had not been there before.

(Does this mean that we've become closer as friends now?)

Yoshino: It seems like everyone we just talked to really likes you. 

Shigehira: Do your eyes not work either?? Obviously they were just heckling me for their own entertainment. 

Yoshino: But I’m sure they were teasing you because they like you.

Shigehira: Then that’s a terrible way of showing it.

(No matter how strict or severe Shigehira-kun might seem, I know that he's honest and gentle at heart.)

(I'm sure that everyone has learned that about him for themselves, and the reason that they love him so much is because of it.)

Shigehira: By the way, what are you planning on doing after this?

Yoshino: I was thinking of visiting Kagetoki-san’s estate.

Shigehira immediately stopped in his tracks.

Shigehira: …You’re going to Kagetoki-san’s house?!

(Huh? Why would he react like that so suddenly...)

Yoshino: Yeah. I wanted to discuss some things with him about the medicine stockpiles and the combat nursing unit that we’re working on setting up. 

Yoshino: But I haven’t been to his estate before, so I’ll have to ask someone for directions first.

He put his hand on my shoulder and fixed me with a serious look.

Shigehira: Yoshino-san, that man’s residence is dangerous to visit if you’re unprepared.

Yoshino: Dangerous?! What in the world could possibly be in Kagetoki-san’s house?

Shigehira: ……

Shigehira: Ugh, I guess it can’t be helped. Shall I accompany you?

Yoshino: Huh? But I don’t want to trouble you.

Shigehira: It’s no big deal. There was a book I wanted to borrow from Kagetoki-san anyways. 

Shigehira: Or are you still worried about the rumors about us?

Yoshino: No, I just...

To my chagrin, I felt a bit of heat rise in my face.

I had to my eyes to the side in embarrassment before I could respond.

Yoshino: I don’t mind the rumors as long as you don’t either.

Shigehira: Then I won’t pay them any mind at all.

Shigehira suddenly turned his gaze away and started walking again.

(This conversation was so short and inconsequential, but something about it feels bittersweet...)

(I wonder if... No, surely there's no way.)

The answer to my own question had risen up to tip of my tongue, but then it slowly began to sink back down into the depths of my chest.

(I'm sure it's just my imagination.)

No matter how much I'd been enjoying spending time with him,

I knew that we had little time to brace for the war ahead of us, and I couldn't afford to get carried away by my own feelings.

Meanwhile, at the rebels' estate...

Yoshitsune: Now, you say you met Shigehira and the fox-possessed woman in the capital?

✦ part four

Yoshitsune: Now, you say you met Shigehira and the fox-possessed woman in the capital?

Yoichi: Yes. It was at the perfect timing.

Having returned to Hiraizumi, Yoichi was reporting to Yoshitsune about the events of his trip.

Yoichi: I happened to have some fellas from the Heike with me at the time, so I got them to approach him to try and see if it’d shake him up. From the looks of it, it worked perfectly. 

Kurama: What a paltry little scheme.

Kurama: That… “Shigehira,” or what have you—is he really so much of an obstacle for us to bother taking such measures against him?

Benkei: Hey. Don’t say that, Kurama.

Benkei: He was a tough opponent back when we fought in the Genpei War. 

Benkei: Especially when you consider how young he was back then, he had some crazy talent as a general. It’s no wonder that bastard Yoritomo snatched him up for himself.

Kurama: Hmph.

Kurama's crimson eyes gleamed, his interest now slightly piqued.

Yoshitsune: If the Heike—with the exception of Shigehira—had not been so drunk on their power, the Genji would have had much more difficulty winning the war.  

Yoshitsune: That is precisely why Shigehira’s presence in the shogunate poses an even greater issue for us now. 

Yoichi: Well… you’ve got nothing to worry about anymore. Talking to him has convinced me of that. 

Yoichi: Shigehira’s as soft as jelly. Much unlike Lord Yoritomo, no?

Yoichi: There’s a good chance we’ll be able to take advantage of that.

Benkei: Hmm. I dunno, Yoichi, but it's not like you to be so… motivated. 

Kurama: How unusual for a man who is always nothing but a pain in the neck.

Yoichi: Oh, come on. You guys don’t understand your pal here at all.

Yoichi: Even a guy like me is capable of doing things when they have to be done.

Yoshitsune: ……

Yoichi grinned, seeming as relaxed as ever, but Yoshitsune was unsmiling as he stared back at him.

Yoshitsune: Yoichi, wait.

Yoichi: …!

Once the meeting had concluded, Yoshitsune followed after Yoichi as he left the hall.

Yoichi: Oh, hey, Yoshitsune-sama. What’s up?

Yoshitsune: It’s nothing. I was just wondering if you were feeling alright. 

Yoichi: …What do you mean?

Yoshitsune: I’ve known you, Benkei, and Kurama for a long time.

Yoshitsune: Though I may not be familiar with all the nuances of others' emotions, I at least am able to tell what my closest companions are thinking. 

Yoshitsune's unblinkingly honest stare captured Yoichi's own gaze.

Yoichi: …Well, I guess you just don't get me. C’mon, can’t you see I’m as sprightly as can be?

Yoshitsune: Yoichi.

Yoshitsune: I know you force yourself to smile the most when you are hurt. Is that not true? 

Yoichi: …Please forgive me for that.

Yoichi's smile remained, but there was a faint, yet desperate plea in his voice.

Yoshitsune: If you truly do not wish to tell me about your feelings, I won't push you any further.

✦ part five

Yoshitsune: If you truly do not wish to tell me about your feelings, I won't push you any further.

Yoichi let out a deep sigh at Yoshitsune's words.

Yoichi: Aw, man. You’ve really got me now. 

Yoichi: I’ve always had a weakness for you saying things like that. 

Yoichi: Say, how come you always try to be there for other people when you can’t even express your own emotions? 

Yoshitsune: …I don’t know. But if I can help you feel better, then that's all that matters to me. 

Yoichi: Ahh. That’s my commander, alright.

Yoichi: No matter how much I try to avoid it, I have no choice but surrender to you in the end.

Yoshitsune: ……

Yoshitsune's only response was to wait for Yoichi to continue.

After a moment of shared silence, Yoichi cut through his hesitation to speak.

Yoichi: Honestly, using those survivors from the Heike to get to Shigehira really rubs me the wrong way.

Yoichi: It just doesn’t sit right with me to take advantage of their desire for revenge.

Yoshitsune: I understand.

Yoichi: But at the same time, I know that we can’t afford to be picky about the tactics we’re able to employ.

Yoichi: That’s why I don’t mind getting my hands dirty, after all—for victory against the shogunate, and for victory against the Heike.

Yoichi: It’s all for the sake of serving you as your vassal… and serving as the chief of the Nasu clan. All of it.

Yoshitsune bit his lip, as though he was feeling Yoichi's pain like it was his own.

Yoshitsune: …Yoichi, I am grateful for your commitment and resolve. 

Yoshitsune: But I don’t wish to trouble you.

Yoichi: Nah, you’re good. It’s no trouble at all. I’m just an old man who likes brooding over sentiments from long ago.  

Then Yoichi made another attempt at jokingly adding onto his words:

Yoichi: You know what? Let me tell you a secret. When I first met Shigehira, I thought he was a girl. 

Yoshitsune: …He does have rather androgynous features.

Yoichi: I’m telling you, he looked even more like it when we were little kids. He had these sparkling eyes… Made him look just like a beautiful girl.

Yoichi: …To tell you the truth, he was my first love.

Yoshitsune: …

Yoshitsune: I’m sorry. I can’t find the words to comfort you.

Yoichi: Nah, it’s alright.

Yoichi eked out a bitter laugh at Yoshitsune's serious response.

Yoshitsune: But I understand your feelings.

Yoshitsune: Shigehira must have been someone very special to you. 

Yoichi: Once upon a time, he was. But now…

Yoichi: I’ve had enough of clinging onto old memories, and I’m not gonna let nostalgia get in our way. 

At the same time, in the capital…

Yasuchika: It seems like Yoshino-san has safely returned to Kamakura!

(Oh...)

Despite their casual tone, his words took my breath away.

Yoshino: You mean Shigehira-san?

Yoichi: Yep.

(They must have been really close in the past.)

Yoshino: …Isn’t it hard for you to fight against him now?

Yoichi: Not really. The childhood we shared was ten years in the past. I’m not the kind of person to get all sentimental about it.

(Does he really mean that?)

Yoshino: But you don’t really hate him, do you?

(Yoichi-san doesn't sound at all like he does... Not now, and not when he was talking about it before.)

Rather than that, I thought he sounded almost wistful and sad when talking about Shigehira, as though he was mourning bygone memories of the past they'd shared.

Yoichi: Whether or not I hate him isn’t what matters. He and I have a score to settle with each other, regardless.

Yoichi: I don’t like throwing around words like “fate” or “destiny” or whatever, but I can’t think of any better way to describe what we are to each other. We’re bound by fate, and not in a good way. 

(Back when we were at the teahouse, he just dodged my questions when I brought this up.)

I thought back to the conversation we'd had not too long ago.

—flashback

Yoichi: Well, back when the Genji and the Heike were at war,

Yoichi: I served under Yoshitsune-sama—meaning I fought under the Genji's banner. Obviously, that's when Shigehira and I had to go our separate ways.

Yoichi: And then… Let’s just say that a lot of things happened, and our relationship took a turn for the worse.

Yoshino: What do you mean by “a lot of things”...?

Yoichi: Not telling.

Yoichi: If you want to know more, you’ll have to act a little more like you’re my lover.

—flashback ends

Yoshino: …Yoichi-san, could we continue our conversation from where we left off the other day? 

Yoichi: Oh? You finally ready to start acting like a pair of lovebirds?

✦ part two

Yoichi: Oh? You finally ready to start acting like a pair of lovebirds?

I could hear the teasing smile in his voice as he responded.

(But…)

Yoshino: We just fought together, and now you’re carrying me on your back. Isn’t that something that lovers would do?

Yoichi: …Didn’t see that one coming.

It makes sense to me (Romantic +4, Dramatic +2)  Don’t change the subject (Romantic +2, Dramatic +4) I just did what you’ve been doing (Romantic +4, Dramatic +4)

Yoshino: I think you deserve a taste of your own medicine every so often. 

Yoichi: Oh, how the tables have turned. You know, I can’t say I like how my own medicine tastes.

Yoichi: Tonight’s been full of surprises, hasn’t it… So what’s one more? I guess I wouldn’t mind telling you about the old days, too.

Yoshino: You’ll really tell me?

Yoichi: Just for a little while.

He paused in thought for a brief moment before beginning again.

Yoichi: Where did we leave off last time…? 

Yoichi: Oh, yeah. So I’m from the Nasu clan, which originally served the Heike, but I fought for the Genji in the war. We got that far already, right?

Yoshino: Yeah. That was when you parted ways with Shigehira-san. 

Yoichi: Well, I already hadn’t seen him for a while by then.

Yoichi: The Heike kept him swamped with so many responsibilities that he barely had time to breathe. 

Yoichi: He was the most promising young warrior in the entire clan, after all. Everybody had high expectations for him.

(I see…)

Yoshino: Shigehira-san must be a really talented person. 

The severity of his demeanor had begun to seem more understandable to me.

Yoichi: You can say that again. He’s just as skilled in the military arts as he is in the literary arts. Real serious guy, crazy dedicated.

Yoichi: Plus he’s got that pretty face… They say that the gods never give more than one gift to each person, but Shigehira must have gotten two or three at least.

(He definitely seems like a perfect person.)

Yoshino: He also seems a bit cold, though. It’s kind of scary…

Yoichi: Cold, huh?

Yoichi: I think you’ve got the wrong idea about him. 

Yoshino: What do you mean?

Yoichi: He’s not the most straightforward guy, but he’s still honest in his own way. Maybe even too honest for his own good. It’s too easy to get a reaction out of him—makes him real fun to tease. 

Yoichi: He’s a true samurai at heart! Meaning his blood runs way hotter than you’d think.

Yoshino: Really? I find that hard to imagine…

Yoichi: Just take my word for it. You should be more forward with him if you wanna get to know who he really is.

✦ part three

Yoichi: Just take my word for it. You should be more forward with him if you wanna get to know who he really is.

(Umm… We’ll have to see about that.)

Yoshino: I’ll give it a try the next time I get a chance. 

Yoshino: …But I’m sorry for going off topic.

Yoichi: No worries. I was about to tell you why I left Shigehira and sided with Yoshitsune-sama, right? 

Yoshino: Yeah.

I listened keenly as I held onto Yoichi's shoulders.

Yoichi: Part of it was just that I wanted to leave home. I was pretty young at the time, and all.

Yoshino: Is that so…

I was about to ask him another question when I suddenly remembered something.

(This reminds me of something he said before...)

—flashback

Yoshino: …Did you get along with your older brothers?

Yoichi: It’s funny how you pick up on things like that.

Yoichi: We weren’t exactly the best of friends.

Yoichi: My brothers hated me.

Yoshino: Why would they hate you…?

Yoichi: Mm…

Yoichi: Maybe it’s because I was favored by the Taira lordling, even though I was just the leftover eleventh son.

—flashback ends

Yoshino: Was it also because you didn’t get along with your older brothers…?

Yoichi: You’re half right.

Yoshino: Then what’s the rest of the reason?

Yoichi: …

Yoichi hesitated for a moment before answering in a hushed voice.

Yoichi: …I wanted to become a person who could provide something for other people. 

Yoshino: Huh…?

Had that sincere whisper been any quieter, the breeze could have blown it away into the darkness.

(What could he mean by that...?)

Yoichi: My name is written with two characters—the first means “providing” and the second means “one.” But it wasn’t always written like that. 

Yoichi: The first character in the name I was born with meant “excess.” Leftovers, scraps. Something useless that no one wanted. 

Yoichi: I was the eleventh son, after all. My family had no hopes for me from the moment I was born. 

Yoshino: That’s awful…

(So that's what he meant when he called himself "leftover"...)

Yoichi: It’s all in the past now. You don’t have to take it so seriously. 

I realized then that my brow had been furrowed; I hadn't been sure what to say until he'd spoken up in a gentle voice to reassure me.

Yoichi: But man, saying I didn’t get along with my older brothers is an understatement. They were just the worst.  

Yoichi: Couldn’t have nothing to myself when I was a kid. Everything I had, they either took it or broke it.

✦ part four

Yoichi: But man, saying I didn’t get along with my older brothers is an understatement. They were just the worst.  

Yoichi: Couldn’t have nothing to myself when I was a kid. Everything I had, they either took it or broke it.

Yoshino: What about your parents…?

Yoichi: Well, my old man was a pretty talented samurai, but he was always too busy to spend much time with the rest of the family.

Yoichi: I was pretty bitter about that when I was a kid.

Yoshino: …It must have been hard for you while you were growing up.

(I can imagine his personality back then must have been different than it is now, too.)

His ever-present nonchalance gave no hint that he'd had such a troubled past.

Yoichi: It sure was tough, being such a talented and brilliant little squirt. I guess it just ended up making people jealous of me. 

Yoichi: I mean, I had fun hanging out with Shigehira—back then, at least. But afterwards, my brothers would treat me even worse.  

Yoichi laughed as lighteartedly as he always did.

(Yoichi-san doesn't seem inclined to go into specifics, so I can only imagine what must have happened to him...)

(But I get the feeling that if he'd been mistreated by his own family ever since he was a child, there wasn't anything he could have done to help himself.)

Yoichi: Me and Shigehira ended up seeing each other less and less as we got older, anyways.

Yoichi: But then one day I had what I guess you could call an impactful encounter.

Yoshino: An impactful encounter?

Yoichi: With Yoshitsune-sama.

(Oh...! So that was when he came into the story...)

Yoshino: You mean you met him when you were still with the Nasu clan? 

Yoichi: Sure did. At the time, Yoshitsune-sama was on his way to join Lord Yoritomo after he’d declared a rebellion against the Heike.

Yoichi: He happened to make a stop at the Nasu clan’s estate along the way.

Yoichi: Back then, I used to hide out in the mountains and practice archery whenever I wanted to get away from my brothers. That was where I first met him. 

Yoshino: What was he like back then…? 

Yoichi breathed out a faint laugh.

Yoichi: He seemed even less human than he does now. I thought he must have been some kind of ayakashi. 

Yoshino: He still doesn’t seem quite like a normal person…

Yoichi: But he’s really changed since then, ever since he met Lord Yoritomo—the only living family member he had left. 

Yoichi: Guess there isn’t much to say about that anymore, though. After Lord Yoritomo betrayed him and all.

(It seems like Yoritomo-sama and Yoshitsune-sama's relationship is complicated... and tragic.)

Yoichi: Anyways, Yoshitsune-sama ended up approaching me ‘cause he was curious about my archery. 

✦ part five

Yoichi: Anyways, Yoshitsune-sama ended up approaching me ‘cause he was curious about my archery. 

Yoichi: I still remember exactly what he said to me.

A warm and melancholy tone bled into his voice.

Yoichi: “You wield the bow as though you scorn this world with your arrows.”

Yoichi: “Perhaps that is exactly why you are able to shoot so precisely without thinking.”

Yoshino: As though you… what? Scorn this world with your arrows??

Yoichi: Makes no sense, doesn’t it? 

Yoichi: He said all of that while staring at me like he could see through me. You can imagine it made me pretty perplexed. 

Yoshino: Well, that definitely sounds like it was an impactful encounter. 

(I've only met Yoshitsune-sama once so far, but I could tell from just one meeting that he had a very compelling aura.)

Yoichi: But, you know…

He trailed off before saying anything more, as if hesitant to continue his train of thought.

Yoshino: Yoichi-san?

Yoichi: Now that I think about it again, it’s occurred to me.

Yoichi: I’d been treated as an afterthought for all my life, not knowing what could become of my life or what I could become as a person. All I wanted back then was to escape from reality.

Yoichi: Especially since the Heike was already gearing up to crush the Genji’s rebellion at the time.

(The war between the Genji and the Heike... It must have entangled the threads many people's fates.)

Yoshino: Did you plan on fighting for the Heike at first? 

Yoichi: Of course I did. 

Yoichi: But as much as I wanted to help Shigehira out, I also knew that proving myself on the battlefield would just make my brothers hate me even more. 

Yoichi: I wouldn’t have gotten anything from them. No rewards, no recognition, nothing. They’d just treat me even worse than they already did.

(That’s so cruel…)

Yoichi: Drawing my bow was the only thing that could get all that stuff out of my head for a while, so... 

Yoshino: …You ended up spending a lot of time practicing your archery? 

Yoichi: You're right about that.

Yoichi laughed again, the sound bright and almost cheerful.

Yoichi: That’s why it felt like Yoshitsune-sama stripped my heart bare when we first met. 

Yoichi: I ended up letting it all out to him before I even realized it—and to my own surprise, at that.

—flashback

Yoshitsune: If that is the case, then come with me.

Yoichi: What? Why? You want me to be your vassal or something?

Yoshitsune: If you wish to be my vassal, then you may. If not, then you do not have to be. 

Yoshitsune: That is something you can decide for yourself. 

Yoichi: I don’t get you. Why are you even asking me something like that?

Yoshitsune: I dislike the phrasing of your question. However… 

Yoshitsune: …I am asking you because I think your archery is beautiful, and I want to continue to observe it.

Yoichi: Huh…

Yoshitsune: Is this reason not sufficient?

Yoichi: …No, it’s just…

Yoichi: You’re not an ayakashi in disguise or something, are you? 

Yoshitsune: I believe I am not, but I cannot be fully sure.

Yoshitsune: I, too, have long been searching for my place in this transient world. 

Yoshitsune: So if you would be willing to join me in my search for a place to belong… it would make me happy. 

Yoichi: A place to belong…?

Yoshitsune: Indeed.

Yoshitsune: Oh. If you do not like being seen as unnecessary, you could change your name.

Yoichi: …Did that thought just pop into your head out of nowhere? 

Yoshitsune: I do not think it is a bad idea.

Yoichi: Are you serious? It really throws me off, every last thing you say. 

Yoichi: …So, uh, what kind of name do you think I should change it to? Gimme an example. You know, just for reference.

Yoshitsune: Hm…

Yoshitsune: You could change the first character in your name to that which means “providing.” The pronunciation would remain the same—”Yoichi.”

Yoichi: That’s more sensible than I thought it’d be. …But why “providing”?

Yoshitsune: I’m certain that one day, you will find your place in this world and become someone who can provide for other people.

Yoshitsune: That is why I suggested it.

Yoichi: …

Yoichi: Oi. You trying to sell me on some kind of prophecy? 

Yoshitsune: I’m afraid I don’t possess the gift of foresight.

Yoshitsune: But… I believe that my intuition regarding others is often correct.

Yoichi: …You really think so?

Yoichi: I guess that doesn’t sound so bad.

—flashback ends

Yoichi took a breath, his tale of the past finished.

Yoichi: That was when I became the “Yoichi” I am now. 

Chapter 9 →

Notes:

Alright, here we go! Yoichi’s name is written in kanji as 与一. The first character, 与 (pronounced yo in this usage) means “give” or “bestow,” especially in the context of providing something to someone who is in need (as in the word 与える ataeru). The past writing of his name that was given to him by his family is 余一, also read as “Yoichi.” The character 余 (also pronounced yo in this usage) means “too much” (as in the word 余り amari, meaning “excess” or “leftovers”). Historically, the name Yoichi was commonly used for the eleventh son of a family, though I believe it was usually written as 与一 (as naming your child “leftovers,” like whoever named IkeGen Yoichi did, does not have very pleasant implications). There were two other historical figures, Asari Yorito and Sanada Yoshitada, who lived around the same time as Nasu no Yoichi did that also were known by the name Yoichi; together, they are referred to as the "Three Yoichi of Genji."

Sometimes terms associated with Buddhism are used here and there in Yoshitsune’s dialogue, presumably to reflect his upbringing in a Buddhist temple. In this chapter, he notably uses the words 現し世 (read as utsushiyo) and 浮世 (read as ukiyo); they’re pretty figurative terms that mean something like “transient life” or “fleeting world,” referring to the endless cycle of death and rebirth from which Buddhists seek release. 

(I admit that he's right. The priest must have seen me use my fox spirit powers, and I doubt he’s inclined to keep it a secret.)

With Yoichi still holding a knife against his throat,

The priest stared upwards at me, his eyes wide with fear as he took in the otherworldly color of my hair and eyes. 

I remained silent, recalling Yoritomo’s order that with the exception of his closest aides, no one was to learn about my powers. 

(He said it was to prevent the troops’ morale from declining due to fear of the supernatural.) 

Yoichi: If you come up with another way to get him to keep quiet, I’m all ears.

Yoshino: Another way?

Yoichi: Mhm.

The corner of Yoichi’s lips twitched up into a smirk.

Yoichi: Say, for example… I could cut his tongue out and chop his hands off?

Priest: No...!

Yoshino: Yoichi-san!!

Yoichi: What's wrong? It's a perfectly good suggestion.

I bit my lip as he shot me a goading look. 

(I have to come up with something that's less… gory, but that Yoichi-san will still be satisfied with. I’ll need to think hard about this.)

I racked my mind for solutions until, suddenly, an idea came to me…

Yoshino: …There’s no need to do anything special.

Yoichi: …

✦ part two

Yoshino: …There’s no need to do anything special.

Yoichi: …

It took all of my might to keep my face blank as I approached the priest. 

Slowly, I removed the tie from my hair. Silver locks cascaded down my shoulders, stirring in the cool nighttime breeze. 

(I just hope this will help make me look as otherworldly as Tamamo does.)

Yoshino: You there.

Priest: Huh? A-Are you talking to me?

Yoshino: Indeed.

I recalled how cold Yoichi’s eyes had looked earlier, pictured them in my mind—and looked down at the priest as I tried to imitate the same expression.

(...I know I’m not a good liar. But I will make this lie believable, no matter what it takes.)

Yoshino: You have witnessed me exercise my powers tonight.

Priest: …

Yoshino: Now, I shall show you another enchantment that I am capable of performing. 

Priest: Wh..What are you going to do?

Yoshino: Yoichi-san, give me your knife.

Yoichi: Sure thing.

He handed me his knife with a look of amusement, giving the priest some more room to move.

Yoshino: Your hand. 

The priest’s hand trembled as I took it into my own. 

Priest: W..Wait…

Yoichi: Hold still, won't you?

In a flash, Yoichi pinned the priest down again, making him let out a frightened whimper. 

Priest: Nn…

I felt a pang of guilt at the terror in the priest’s eyes,

But I resolutely placed the tip of the knife against the pad of his thumb.

(...I’m sorry.)

Yoichi: !

Priest: Gh-!

Blood oozed from the shallow cut on his finger and dripped onto the earth.

(I’m glad I didn’t hurt him more than I had to.)

I relaxed my shoulders and steadied myself before I pressed the tip of the knife to my own thumb.

(Here goes nothing...)

Yoichi: ……

After feeling a slight prick, I let a drop of my own blood fall onto the same spot that the priest’s had.

Yoshino: …The enchantment ritual has concluded.

Priest: Wh…What did you do to me?! Tell me! I'm begging you!!

Yoshino: My power is carried within even the smallest droplet of my blood.

Yoshino: By combining your blood with my own, I have gained the ability to observe your actions at all times. 

The priest’s face drained of color as I spoke in a deliberate tone. 

Yoshino: You must never tell anyone about what you saw tonight, nor must you ever perform another immoral deed, or else… 

Priest: What’s going to happen…?

(Uhh… I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet.)

Yoshino: …You will be punished.

Priest: I—I understand. I swear will never tell a soul about you o-or do anything bad ever again…

(I get the feeling that he’s being sincere…)

I looked up at Yoichi almost beseechingly. 

Yoichi: You’ve gotta be kidding me.

(Is he going to expose me? Was this all for nothing?!)

I stiffened as my breath caught in my throat. 

Yoichi: I can’t believe you’d use your sacred blood to cast a spell on him…

(Huh?)

Yoichi couldn’t have looked more serious as he spoke, his voice low and thick with foreboding.

Yoichi: If you break an oath you swear to her in blood… Man, even I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about what’d happen.

✦ part three

Yoichi: If you break an oath you swear to her in blood… Man, even I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about what’d happen.

(Wait. What is he talking about?)

Yoichi: Oi, listen up. If you don't have the guts to live with the curse she put on you, I’ll spare you a world of misery by killing you here and now. 

Priest: Is…Is the punishment for breaking the oath truly that horrible? 

Yoichi: Well, I once saw what happened to a guy who broke his oath… The carnage was just insane. Every single bone in his body was…

(Yoichi-san!?)

Yoichi: Nah, no need to elaborate. All I’m saying is you better keep your oath no matter what. Make sense?

Priest: Yes...

The intensity of Yoichi’s words left the priest lost for words of his own. 

(...I can hardly believe it, but it seems like he was helping me keep up the act after all.) 

Yoichi: I think it’s about time you get going now. Oh yeah, you’re leaving Kamakura tonight, aren’t you? 

Priest: Y-Yes, of course…

The priest scrambled to his feet, stumbling over himself as he ran away into the night. 

Yoichi: I guess that’s one thing taken care of, yeah?

Yoshino: What a relief.

I instantly slumped back down, overwhelmed with relief. 

Yoichi: …Damn. You don’t look like the kind of lady who can out-con a conman, swindling and threatening him like it's nothing.

Yoshino: I just acted on an impulse…

(But I still had to think it out thoroughly to see it through.) 

Yoshino: Maybe I was inspired by the time that he almost swindled us, and the time that you threatened me. I remember both incidents quite well.

Yoichi: I see, I see. 

Yoichi: You might seem like a harmless little softie, but it looks like you’ve got the guts to get yourself out of trouble when it counts.

His gaze softened with what almost seemed like admiration. 

Yoichi: If you ask me, though, putting on an act like that was pretty risky.

Was my acting really that bad? (Romantic +4, Dramatic +2) I thought I did a good job (Romantic +2, Dramatic +4) It was the best I could do (Romantic +4, Dramatic +4)

Yoshino: Well, risky or not, it was the best I could do…

Yoichi: I know. I’m acknowledging that you did well.

Yoichi: At the end of the day, I’m just glad it was enough to scare off the geezer.

Yoshino: I agree… Thank you for helping me with it, Yoichi-san.

Yoichi: It's no biggie. Keeping up our deal was well worth playing along with your act.

Yoichi: But I wanna ask you something.

Yoichi: Why’d you bother going out of your way to spare the guy? I mean, he summoned an ayakashi to attack you. 

(Well…)

It took me a moment to mull over my thoughts before I spoke. 

Yoshino: Of course I didn’t want to see him die, but… it wasn’t the only reason. 

Yoichi: Oh?

Yoshino: I also didn’t want to see you kill someone.

Yoichi: What does that mean?

He gave me a stern look as I unraveled my thoughts and slowly spun them into words.

Yoshino: You could have chosen not to come to my rescue at all tonight, couldn’t you? 

Yoshino: You’re supposed to be undercover, after all. Someone could have busted you while you were coming to help me. 

Yoshino: Besides, it’d be pretty convenient for the rebels if I happened to die tonight. It would have been perfectly reasonable of you to abandon me to the ayakashi.

Yoichi: …

Yoichi: Maybe I just wanted you to owe me a favor. For all you know, I could’ve rescued you just to get you to strike another deal with me. 

✦ part four

Yoichi: Maybe I just wanted you to owe me a favor. For all you know, I could've rescued you just to get you to strike another deal with me. 

Yoshino: Maybe—but I get the feeling that taking such a risky chance would give you far too much trouble for it to be worth the outcome. 

Yoshino: So I have reason to believe that… that even if it was only in the slightest measure… you came to help me out of kindness. 

Yoichi: …

Yoichi’s eyes flared wide, as if I’d caught him off guard. 

Yoshino: That’s why I didn’t want you to kill the priest—I didn’t want to see a kind person take someone’s else’s life. 

Yoshino: It was selfish of me. I’m sorry for that.

Yoichi: You did it for… my sake?

Yoshino: I don’t know. Maybe it was just for my own self-complacency. 

(Perhaps it isn't a big deal to Yoichi-san, but I couldn’t bear to see a person die. If anything, I stopped him for my own sake.)

Yoichi: No matter how kind you want to think I am, I'm still a samurai. I didn’t kill someone in front of you tonight, but I might have to do it another day.

Yoichi: You, on the other hand, might end up getting me killed one of these days. Think about that for a second.

Yoshino: I’m aware of that, but it doesn’t change what I think. 

(If that ever happened, I know that Yoichi-san wouldn’t forgive me either.) 

Yoichi: You…

Yoichi was silent for a moment before muttering in exasperation. 

Yoichi: Man. You really are a handful, you know that?

Yoshino: What do you mean?

(I'd imagine someone as oblique as Yoichi-san would be harder to deal with than someone like me.)

Yoichi: Turns out you really are simpler than I thought you were. 

Yoshino: …You can be really rude sometimes, Yoichi-san.

Yoichi: I'm just being honest. Would you prefer it if I lied to you instead?

(Well, no, but that’s not the point!!)

Yoichi: Well, anyways, let me explain.

Yoichi glanced away as he cleared his throat before looking back at me.

Yoichi: I assumed you were an easy touch when we first met, but you turned out to be more headstrong than I could’ve imagined.

Yoichi: It's like if playing things fair is all you know how to do.

Yoichi: The way you negotiated with me, even when I was threatening you—I guess it got me to see you in a different light…

(Really...?)

Yoichi: But even then, I still thought I was dealing with an ordinary woman.

Yoshino: …Do you not think I'm ordinary, now?

Yoichi: Even if you're naive, and your plan is way too optimistic,

Yoichi: It'd be hard for anyone else to pull off what you've done so far. You've made allies with all sorts of people and given everything you have to stay true to what you believe in.

Yoichi: It’s incredible how you’ve made the best out of... well, everything that’s happened to you since you came here. 

Yoshino: I think you’re giving me far more credit than I deserve.

Yoichi: You'd be surprised. Taking advantage of a situation that sucks as much as yours does—it's a lot harder than you think.

Yoichi: Not to mention, it’d be easy to turn bitter and jaded in your position, but you’ve managed to stay as genuine as you’ve always been.

Yoichi: I go back on what I said before, about you being like a stray cat. You’re more like some kind of… strange creature. 

Yoshino: S-Strange creature? Couldn’t you have come up with a better comparison?! 

Yoichi: I meant that as a compliment, okay? More or less.

✦ part five

Yoshino: S-Strange creature? Couldn’t you have come up with a better comparison?! 

Yoichi: I meant that as a compliment, okay? More or less.

(Well, now that I’ve finally had a second to think about it…)

(I guess… receiving his acknowledgement makes me happy.) 

An inexplicable warmth kindled deep within me.

Yoichi: …It’s tough to keep my guard up when you smile like that.

Yoshino: …? Sorry, what did you just say?

Yoichi: No~thing.

Yoichi made a languid gesture with his hand; I nodded in response, even though I still wasn't sure what to make of the situation.

Yoichi: Alright. We’re heading back for real this time.

Yoichi: Is your ankle okay, by the way? Your finger, too. 

(Oh...)

He gently took my hand, turning it palm-up to examine the cut on my finger.

Yoshino: My finger is fine. I only made a shallow cut, and the bleeding has already stopped. 

Yoichi: Then what about your ankle? You were running earlier. That couldn’t have been good for your sprain. 

(He’s very perceptive…)

Yoshino: It still hurts a little bit, but it’s nothing I can’t patch up at home. 

Yoshino: I am a doctor, after all.

I cautiously shifted my foot back and forth; the motion roused the forgotten pain in my ankle.

Yoichi: Hmm. Would you rather be carried in my arms or on my back?  

Yoshino: W-What?

Yoichi: Walking through the forest’s just gonna make your ankle worse, so I’ll carry you the rest of the way back.

Yoshino: I’m fine, really!! I can walk! I couldn’t ask you to carry me that far!

Flustered, I frantically shook my head. 

Yoichi: You just don’t get it, do you? Being modest won’t do you any favors at this point.

Yoichi: Come on. If you don’t choose how you wanna be carried, I’m just gonna have to make the choice for you.

(If he’s willing to go that far, then I’d rather just suck it up and choose for myself…)

Yoshino: …Then I’d like to be carried on your back. Thank you.

I bowed to him, trying to fight back my embarrassment. 

Yoichi: Of course. 

He turned and bent down to allow me to climb onto his back.

Yoshino: Seriously, you can put me down if I’m too heavy for you…

Yoichi: Hahaha. You better not underestimate me, mmkay?

I timidly held onto his shoulders, and he grabbed me under the knees and lifted me onto his back with ease as he rose back up.

Yoichi: Now let’s get going. 

(His figure is lean, but it seems like he’s much stronger than he looks.)

(I guess that's only natural, since he’s a samurai.)

Suddenly, I was all too aware of the warmth of his back against my chest, and I felt heat slowly rise up in my cheeks.

(Thank goodness I asked him to carry me on his back instead of in his arms. At least he can’t see my face this way.) 

I leaned my weight against his back as he began walking, fixing my eyes on his crimson hair.

(...This is the first time I’ve noticed the whorl of his hair.)

Yoichi: So, how are you liking the ride?

Yoshino: What? Uhm… I guess… seeing you from this angle is a new experience? It kind of feels like getting a change of scenery.  

Yoichi: The hell’s that mean?

Laughter rumbled in his voice, so much closer to me than before, and I felt my pulse skip a beat.

(Why is my heart racing? Oh, no, no, no…) 

Yoichi: Well, then this makes you the second person who’s ever seen me from this angle. 

Yoshino: Huh?

Yoichi: It’s been over ten years since I’ve carried anything but my quiver on my back. 

Yoshino: Is that so…

(He did say he had ten older brothers. I guess it would make sense that he never got the chance to give piggyback rides to any younger siblings he might have had. But…) 

Yoshino: If I’m the second person to see you like this, then you must have carried someone else like this first… right?

Yoichi: The first person I ever carried like this... That would be the Taira lordling.

Yoshino: Do you think my hair and eyes will change back to their normal color by the time we’re back in town? 

Yoichi:  Well, from what I’ve seen of Yoshitsune-sama’s eye, it takes some time for it to go back to normal… 

Yoichi: But I guess it doesn’t take all that long.

Yoshino: I hope mine change back quickly too. I—I mean, it’s not like I can see what my own eyes look like, but it still feels a little unsettling. 

Yoichi: Well, besides it feeling a little unsettling, you seem like you’ve gotten used to the whole magic powers thing pretty well.

Yoichi: I’m kinda surprised that it’s not a big deal to you.

(I wouldn’t quite say that…)

Yoshino: Maybe I've just gotten desensitized to it since the night I came to Kamakura. At this point, I have no idea what is and isn’t normal anymore.

Yoichi: Is that so. You were just a regular old doctor before you came here, right? 

Yoshino: That’s right. …Do you pity my situation?

Yoichi: Maybe a little bit. But it’s none of my business, yeah?

You’re right, but… (Romantic +2, Dramatic +4)  That’s inconsiderate (Romantic +4, Dramatic +4)  I thought you said you were interested in me (Romantic +4, Dramatic +2) 

Yoshino: That’s not very considerate of you to say.

Yoichi: Did you expect me to comfort you instead? I can be sweet to you if that’s what you want. 

Yoichi: But you’ll have to be just as sweet to me, too. 

Yoshino: …No thanks. 

Yoichi smiled in the way he always did when he was enjoying the reactions he got out of me, 

But then his gaze shifted to my hair, lingering on it as it reflected the silver moonlight, before returning to my golden eyes. 

Yoichi: You know…

Yoichi: Your hair and your eyes are the same color as Tamamo’s, but it doesn’t make you look mysterious like he does. 

Yoshino: Huh?

Yoichi: It definitely gives you a different vibe, and I can't say it isn't easy on the eyes, but… you still look like yourself. 

Yoichi: Maybe ‘cause you’re so… I dunno, honest?

Yoshino: Honest? What do you mean?

Yoichi: You aren't so self-aware, are you?

The dark of night half-obscured Yoichi’s wry smile. 

Yoichi: That serious face you make when you’re fighting, and the look you’re giving me now when you get confused...  It’s like you wear your heart on your sleeve.

Yoichi: You don’t tell any lies, make any bluffs… or hide behind any sort of facade. 

(Why is he saying this…?)

He held my gaze, making me keenly aware of the pounding of my own heart. 

My efforts to calm my escalating pulse only made me feel more agitated. 

Yoshino: …Do you mean that I’m simpleminded?

Yoichi: Hm? Ehh, well, when you put it that way…

✦ part two

Yoshino: …Do you mean that I’m simpleminded?

Yoichi: Hm? Ehh, well, when you put it that way…

Yoshino: You weren’t supposed to agree with that.

(Am I... really smiling right now?)

I could still feel the fervor of battle lingering in the air, even after the ayakashi had disappeared. 

Surely that must have been why I was feeling so restless. 

(This isn't good. I shouldn't let my guard down around him. Just because Yoichi-san and I fought together doesn’t mean that we’ve gotten any closer with each other.)

The conversation we had before fighting the ayakashi flashed through my mind.

—flashback

Yoichi: You’re lucky I’m such a nice guy. I’ll only ask you for a contingency fee.

Yoshino: What do you want…?

Yoichi: Your trust.

Yoshino: Huh…?

Yoichi: I’m not asking you to trust in me completely.

Yoichi: But if you can manage to get rid of that ayakashi, I want you to let me into your heart a little.

—flashback ends

(That was what Yoichi-san said, wasn’t it?)

(Before I knew it, I’d started to feel like I could trust him… Is this going exactly as he planned?) 

My brow furrowed as an uneasy feeling built up within me. 

Yoichi: Whatcha thinking about, Yoshino?

Yoshino: Nothing, really.

Yoichi: Hmm…

Yoichi’s gaze wandered away as though he’d lost interest.

I supposed he was right that I wasn’t a good liar. 

(But I should still keep my feelings hidden as best as I can when I’m around him.) 

(No matter how much he helps me, and no matter how reliable he wants to make himself seem to me… This man is my enemy.) 

Yoichi: ……

Yoichi’s eyes returned to me as I had fallen into silence, looking at me as if there was something he wanted to say.

Yoichi: …I haven’t been feeling like myself while talking to you today. Dunno why.

He shrugged his shoulders, his voice having returned to its usual carefree tone. 

(Is that a lie, too? Or could Yoichi-san be feeling just as restless as I am right now?) 

Agitation smoldered like the embers of a fire within my chest. 

Yoshino: …Are you ready to go back now?

Yoichi: Sure thing. Just give me a second.

Yoichi responded as he started picking up his throwing knives from the ground.

Yoichi: ……

All of a sudden, I saw his gaze dart over to a bush nearby. 

Yoshino: What happened?

Yoichi: Nothing. Must have been a rabbit or something. 

Yoichi: Anyways. Yoshino, how’s your leg been feeling? 

✦ part three

Yoichi: Anyways. Yoshino, how’s your leg been feeling?

Yoshino: Oh—I feel fine. It’ll be alright as long as I don’t run or put too much pressure on my ankle. 

Yoichi: Then we’re good to go. Let’s get going.  

Yoshino: Yeah.

We slowly began walking, standing side-by-side.

(...I’m still unsure of how to treat him, but at the very least, there’s something I should tell him.)

Yoshino: Yoichi-san?

Yoichi: Hmm?

Yoshino: Thank you for helping me. I couldn’t have fended off the ayakashi without you. 

Yoichi: …You’re very welcome. 

Yoichi: You owe me big time for that~

Despite his readiness to make a joking remark, his eyes were avoiding mine. 

(Is he embarrassed? …No, surely not.)

(But perhaps he really was telling the truth when he said he wasn’t feeling like himself today.)

The thought that I might have gotten a glimpse of Yoichi’s true feelings made me strangely happy. 

We had already been walking for a while when Yoichi suddenly stopped. 

Yoichi: Oh, shoot! Hold up.

Yoshino: What happened?

Yoichi: Dammit, I must have forgotten to grab one of my knives before we left. 

Yoshino: Oh, should I go back and get it for you? 

Yoichi: You’re injured. It wouldn’t be fair to make you walk more than you have to.

Yoichi: You keep going ahead; I’ll just go back by myself to get it. My bad, sorry. 

Yoichi: I’ll probably catch up with you before you’ve left the woods, anyways. 

Yoshino: Okay…?

(It’s so dark now. Will he really be alright, searching for his knife without my help?) 

Yoichi: Hmm? Are you gonna be scared without me by your side? 

Yoshino: No, no, but…

Yoichi: Then I’ll be off for a bit.

He turned in the other direction with a jaunty wave. 

(And he’s already gone...)

(Well, there’s nothing I can do about it now. I guess I’ll keep moving.)

Yoichi had disappeared from my sight in a flash. I would have kept walking in the same direction like he had told me to do, but…

(Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?)

I had no solid evidence that there was anything to suspect about the situation, but I felt my gut churn in unease nonetheless. 

Yoshino: …Well, worrying about it isn’t going to help.

(I don’t know whether or not this suspicion is justified, but I should follow Yoichi-san anyways just in case.) 

I retraced my steps in the direction we’d come from, being careful not to trip over any stones or roots in the way, when… 

(Is that someone’s voice?)

???: AAAH! Stop!!!

✦ part four

I retraced my steps in the direction we’d come from, being careful not to trip over any stones or roots in the way, when… 

(Is that someone’s voice?)

???: AAAH! Stop!!!

I heard the sound of a man’s scream coming from the place Yoichi and I had been just a moment ago. 

(What in the world is happening?!)

I tried to be as quiet as possible as I hurried towards the sound of the voice.

My injured ankle burned with the pain of bearing my weight.

(I think sound is coming from behind these bushes…)

I peered through the shrubs to see two figures illuminated by the moonlight.

(Oh...!)

Priest: I-I haven’t done anything!!

Yoichi: If you want me to stop, you better have an explanation for why you were hiding here and watching us. 

(Is that Yoichi-san… with the priest who scammed Yashichi-kun’s family?!)

I had never seen Yoichi’s face look as cold as it did in this moment. 

He was pinning the priest down from behind as he held a knife against his throat. 

Yoichi: Answer me quickly and clearly.

Yoichi: Did you make that ayakashi attack us?

(What? Could it seriously have been him?!)

(The magic beads that he used in front of us turned out to be a fake trick. He was clearly just a fraud… wasn’t he?) 

Priest: I… I don’t know…

Yoichi: So it’ll take some pain to get you to talk, huh?

Priest: Hrk… S-Stop!! 

(...!)

Yoichi casually wrenched the priest’s arm behind his back.

Priest: I—I’ll talk…! Please don’t break my arm…

Yoichi: Well? Don’t keep me waiting too long. 

(...Yoichi-san looks like a completely different person now.)

Priest: Urgh… Listen, I just—some stranger gave me this talisman…

Priest: A-And he told me that you can use it to summon a lesser ayakashi and make it attack someone.

(I can’t believe it…)

Astonished, I continued to listen to Yoichi’s interrogation.

Yoichi: Really. So you used it to terrorize a woman and a child? 

✦ part five

Yoichi: Really. So you used it to terrorize a woman and a child?

Priest: I-I wasn’t even sure whether or not it would really work!!

Priest: And when I saw that woman and the boy go into the woods, I…I just acted on impulse! Believe me!!

Yoichi: ……

Yoichi: Who was the man who gave you the talisman? What did he look like?

Priest: That’s what I don’t remember…

Yoichi: Are you kidding me? It didn't happen years ago, did it? 

Priest: I-I mean it! I truly mean it! My head feels all fuzzy whenever I try to remember who he was…

(How could that be possible?)

Yoichi: Somehow, it feels like you really are telling the truth. 

The priest nodded his head frantically at Yoichi’s chilling voice.

Yoichi: I wouldn't be surprised that a guy who can get his hands on that kind of talisman would be up to some shady stuff.

Priest: So you believe me, right?!?

Yoichi: Sure.

Yoichi: Is that everything you know?

Priest: Y-Yes.

Yoichi: Got it. 

Yoichi’s eyes narrowed, bereft of even a single hint of emotion. 

The hair on the nape of my neck stood up in fright as it suddenly became clear to me:

(Yoichi-san is going to kill him…)

Yoichi: …

One of Yoichi’s hands clamped over the priest’s mouth.

I couldn’t hold myself back once I saw it—I rushed through the bushes at that very moment.

Yoichi: …! Yoshino?

Yoshino: Stop!!

Yoichi’s eyes widened as he looked to me, and the knife in his hand stilled just as it was about to slash open the priest’s throat. 

(My ankle… It hurts…)

Searing pain radiated from my ankle; I collapsed to my knees, unable to bear the agony of standing. 

Priest: Y-You’re…

Yoichi: …The hell are you doing here, Yoshino?

Yoshino: I just… got a bad feeling when you left.

I looked up at Yoichi, speaking in a hoarse voice.

Yoshino: …Did you lie to me? When you said you forgot your knife?

Yoichi: That was because I knew that someone was watching us.

Yoshino: Then why did you hide that from me?! 

Yoichi: Because something like this would have happened.

His frigid, unfeeling gaze sent a shiver rattling down my spine. 

Yoichi: You wouldn’t stand back and watch without intervening if someone was about to be killed in front of you. Am I wrong, Yoshino?

Yoshino: …You’re not wrong. 

(I knew that Yoichi-san is the kind of man who would do anything it takes to achieve what he wants.)

(But I’d never personally seen him go to such extreme lengths before now, so I didn’t truly understand...)

(....That he was capable of looking at someone with such cold eyes.)

Yoshino: But don’t forget what you promised me. If you kill any of the townspeople of Kamakura, our deal is over. 

Yoichi: …

Yoichi stared hard at my face, as though he was trying to discern the true reason that I'd spoken to him so coldly.

I felt my palms grow clammy with sweat.

Yoichi: That said, it’s gonna make for a headache to let this guy free if he can’t keep his trap shut. 

Yoichi: For me, at least. But I bet he'll be trouble for you, too.

Yoichi: Don’t you think, Yoshino?

Yoichi: I knew your birthday was coming up, Benkei, so I thought up an idea for an extra special gift for you. Here you go! Three "Vouchers for Yoichi to Come to War Councils on Time"! Yoichi: What do you think~? I bet you wanted these more than anything, huh?

Kurama: Benkei. Before you shrivel up and die of old age, how about I let you go against me in a real sparring match? Kurama: I haven't been feeling much like myself today, so I will not kill you. Probably. Doesn't it sound like fun?

Yoritomo: You've got quite the troublesome lord, haven't you, Benkei? ...Well, the least he should do is give you a proper celebration on your birthday.

Kagetoki: Benkei. I assume you wish to spend your birthday in peace? If my assumption is correct, then it would be wise not to set foot in Kamakura today.

Morinaga: Is it your birthday today, Benkei? Best wishes to you. Morinaga: If only you chose to join us, it would make it a bit easier for me to take care of Yoritomo-sama as well... Hah, is that a no?

Shigehira: Hmm... It seems that Benkei-san is a surprisingly caring person. Someone who fusses over others even on their own birthday must be considerably selfless.

Tamamo: Today is the day of your birth, Benkei. Why don't you take some time off from caring for Yoshitsune and relax for once? Tamamo: ...You wouldn't feel comfortable doing that? Oh, you worry over such trivial things.

Yoichi: That’s me.

He hurled another knife at the ayakashi, the flash of its blade splitting the black of night. 

The ayakashi let out a roar, and its mistlike form dispersed until it seemed like it had dissolved into the darkness.

Yoichi: Get over here, Yoshino!

Yoshino: !!

My body moved faster than my mind at the very moment that I heard him call for me. 

I dashed to Yoichi’s side despite the limp in my gait—at the same time, the dark shadow began to coalesce again, writhing with new vitality.

Yoshino: No…!

Yoichi: Well, this isn’t good. If a knife isn't going to cut it, there’s nothing else I can do. 

(How can he say that so casually?!)

Yoichi: Now—oof!—up you go.

Yoshino: Yoichi-san?! What are you doing??

He’d hooked his arm under my knees and lifted me up against his chest with ease.

Yoichi: Stay still, mmkay?

Yoichi spoke in a hushed voice, breaking into a sprint with me still held tight in his arms.

Yoshino: P-Put me down! You’re putting yourself in danger…

Yoichi: No way am I letting you do any running. Your leg’s injured, from the looks of it. Just keep quiet and hang on. 

(He noticed…)

Warmth bloomed in my chest as I entrusted my body to Yoichi despite my disorientation.

I cast an apprehensive look back towards the ayakashi—it hadn’t caught up to us just yet.

(It looks like the ayakashi needs to take a while to recover after it’s attacked.)

Yoshino: What are you even doing here in the first place?

Yoichi: Yashichi ran to my stand and begged me to come rescue you. Kid was just bawling his eyes out, so it wasn’t like I could say no. 

Yoshino: So Yashichi-kun called for help after all…

(Thank goodness that he returned safe and sound!)

(...But that makes this the second time that Yoichi-san’s saved me, now.)

Yoshino: …Thank you, Yoichi-san.

Yoichi: Don’t thank me just yet. 

He jabbed a finger out at the darkness,

and I followed its line to see the ayakashi creeping towards us almost vengefully. 

(....)

We had hidden ourselves in a grove of trees, but the ayakashi was still roving through the thicket as though it was searching for us.

Yoichi: Sure, I could run around playing cops and robbers with that thing all night.

Yoichi: But if we don’t deal with it eventually, we’re gonna end up bringing it back to town with us when we go back.

(If that happens…!)

Yoshino: We can't let it attack the townspeople!

Yoichi: Ehh, speak for yourself. It’s not like I've got any reason to care about the people of Kamakura.

Yoshino: How could you—?!

I swallowed the rest of my words before they could spill out.

(Yoichi-san came all this way to rescue me.)

(Regardless of why he did it, it’s not right for me to complain about what he says when he’s helping me.)

Yoshino: I just wish I could use my powers to get rid of it…

Yoichi: What? You can’t even use them?

Yoshino: I tried, but… Yeah… I have no idea how I was able to use them without thinking earlier. 

Yoichi: …

Yoichi: I heard Kurama tell Yoshitsune-sama something once.

Yoichi: Supernatural powers are transferred to and from the soul. Using them is less about thinking and more about feeling. So, the stronger your will to use them is, the stronger they’ll end up manifesting. Or something like that.

(That means…)

Yoshino: So you think I can’t use my powers well because I don’t believe enough in myself? 

Yoichi: That could be it, yeah.

(...Well, I was pretty doubtful about whether or not I’d be able to use my possession powers when I tried earlier.) 

Yoshino: So, if I try my hardest to will myself to use their power… will I finally be able to do it? 

Yoichi: Sure, yeah.

I looked intently at Yoichi in spite of his indifferent response. 

Yoshino: Yoichi-san, please put me down and stand back.

(Yoichi-san is right. There’s nothing we can do about the situation just by standing around.) 

(This time, I will stop the ayakashi before it attacks the town!)

Yoichi: ……

I held his gaze as he cast a long look at me, as though he was sizing me up. 

Yoichi: Nah, I don’t think I will.

(Huh?)

Yoichi: If you’re gonna use your powers, why don’t you use them with me by your side?

Yoichi: That way, I can have your back. 

He drew a knife from his pocket, so deftly that it seemed to appear out of thin air. Like a magic trick.

Yoshino: But…

Yoichi: Oh? You’re worried about me? You’re such a sweetheart.

(That wasn’t what I—)

The spark of mirth that always danced in Yoichi’s eyes suddenly disappeared, his face now cast in a serious light.

Yoichi: You’re the kind of person who’d throw your life in danger just to protect a little fox you found on the side of the road. 

Yoichi: So if you’re gonna try using your powers again, I think it’s best if you’ve got someone to protect you while you’re at it.

(...So he’s saying he won’t leave? He’ll stay with me?)

Yoshino: I just don’t get why you would help me. What’s in this for you…?

(From what I’ve learned about Yoichi-san, he doesn’t seem like he does things purely out of the kindness of his heart.) 

That devil-may-care smile reappeared on his face, but I had a feeling that he was far more calculating than he let on. 

Yoichi: You’re lucky I’m such a nice guy. I’ll only ask you for a contingency fee.

Yoshino: What do you want…?

Yoichi: Your trust.

Yoshino: Huh…?

Yoichi: I’m not asking you to trust in me completely.

Yoichi: But if you can manage to get rid of that ayakashi, I want you to let me into your heart a little.

Yoichi: Well, that’ll be good enough for now, at least.

Yoichi’s eyes glinted provocatively. 

Yoichi: So, what do you say? You gonna take me up on this gamble?

(It’s a risky deal for me to cut.)

(But right now, the only thing that matters to me is defeating the ayakashi, no matter what it takes.)

Yoshino: …I will.

I answered Yoichi with a resolute nod of my head.

Yoshino: Thank you, Yoichi-san.

Yoichi: You’re my partner now. Don’t mention it.

Yoichi: Oh, and by the way—there’s this other thing that I’ve seen Kurama and Yoshitsune-sama do.

Yoichi: You’ve got to have a strong will to use your powers and all that… 

Yoichi: But apparently it’s easier to control them if you associate some kind of gesture with it. 

Yoshino: Some kind of gesture?

Yoichi: You know, like how Yoshitsune-sama swings his sword to help him cast his blades of wind.

Yoichi: And how Kurama uses his war fan to do the same thing. Your gesture can be whatever you want.

(“Whatever you want”? It sounds pretty simple when he puts it that way…)

Yoshino: I guess that makes sense. I’ll give it a shot!

Yoichi: You can do it.

Yoichi stroked my hair with one of his hands.

Yoshino: …What was that for?

Yoichi: Hm? Oh, that? It’s a magic spell that’ll give you courage. 

(He’s as vexing as always… but I do feel a lot less nervous than I did before.)

Yoichi: You ready now, Yoshino?

Yoshino: I’m ready.

Yoichi: Marvelous.

With that, Yoichi picked me back up and dashed in front of the ayakashi.

(Ah-!)

He gently lowered me to the ground—and, a split second after, sent his knife hurtling towards the ayakashi with a practiced flick of his hand.

Yoichi: It’s no fun, hitting a target when it’s this hard to miss.

His knife struck the center of the black mass before us, and the ayakashi let out a groaning howl. 

Yoichi: Now, Yoshino!

Yoshino: …!

I raised my dominant hand high with its palm facing the ayakashi.

(I have to be strong.)

I focused my eyes forward, readying myself to use my power at its full strength.

(Let me take away its power!)

My hair whipped in a sudden gust of wind.

Yoshino: Ah…!

Silver light danced in the periphery of my vision, and I realized that the color of my hair—and my eyes—must have changed again.

(My hand… feels so hot…)

A thick golden haze rose in the air and illuminated the dark surroundings. 

It lingered for a moment before floating towards me, shimmering as it seemed to absorb into the center of my outstretched palm. 

The strange sensation of magic flowing into me shook me to my core, but…

Yoichi: You’ll be alright. I’ve got faith in you, I really do.

Yoichi: So just relax and do your thing. 

One of his hands settled firmly on my lower back as I felt a powerful warmth envelop my whole body.

(Somehow… I’m not afraid anymore.) 

Yoichi drew yet another knife at the ayakashi, ready to protect me.

The ayakashi stretched out towards Yoichi, as if aiming through the mist hanging in between itself and us.

Yoshino: I won’t let you hurt anyone—so you won’t get any further than here.

Yoichi: …

And at last, the tendrils of darkness was dispersed into the golden mist that then flowed back into my body. 

(Even someone like me… is able to be a protector.)

Yoshino: It’s… over…

Yoichi: Mm.

Yoichi: …Beautiful.

I only barely caught the sound of him murmuring to himself as he gazed at the dimming light that surrounded me.

Yoritomo: It seems that fox spirits are natural deceivers, but I think I'd still win against you in a game of deception, Tamamo. You keep on amusing me, just as you always have.

Morinaga: It feels like the estate has gotten a lot livelier since you arrived here, Tamamo. Will you be causing a stir on your birthday too?

Kagetoki: Tamamo, I've heard that it's your birthday today… I find it hard to believe that you are older than I am. Kagetoki: Put a stop to your childish foolishness—I've had more than enough of it.

Yoshitsune: Kurama always seems so happy when he talks about you, Tamamo. Yoshitsune: I hope that the two of you will continue have fun together. …You don't want that?

Benkei: You must be a hell of a powerful guy for Kurama to meet his match in you… So I bet you've gotta be pretty old, too. Benkei: …I meant that as a compliment, so you should take it as one. Happy birthday.

Yoichi: So it's your birthday, huh, Tamamo? How about I cook up a nice dish to celebrate? Yoichi: Dunno if it'd be up to your standards, though. Heard you're a real connoisseur.

Kurama: Tamamo, today is an auspicious day for you, is it not? I'll grant you the privilege of playing with me to celebrate. Now come at me!

Benkei: Your birthday, huh… Do you even remember how old you are, Kurama? Benkei: Well, I guess it doesn't matter too much, anyways. Happy birthday.

Yoichi: So, Kurama, how old are you gonna turn? …Heh, that's what I thought. Even if you could tell me, I don't think I'd be able to comprehend it. Yoichi: At any rate, it's your birthday. Take it easy and have a good time today.

Yoritomo: Kurama, you are my enemy for as long as you stand by Yoshitsune—so today might be the last birthday you'll spend in one piece. You'd better prepare yourself.

Shigehira: Kurama-san, would you say that ayakashi have a different idea of what birthdays are than humans do? Shigehira: …I'm just curious. That's all. I have no intention of congratulating an enemy on his birthday.

Kagetoki: Tell me, Kurama. Do ayakashi become more powerful as they age? If so, it is troublesome, indeed… Kagetoki: I must make sure that this is your last birthday.

Morinaga: Kurama, I heard from Tamamo that it's your special day. Happy birthday! Morinaga: …Oh? He told me ayakashi aren't against being congratulated on their birthdays, too. So then what's with that look on your face?

Tamamo: The lives of ayakashi are long… Even longer than you are yet aware, Kurama. May you live as long as can be so that we can enjoy our time in this world. Tamamo: Have a happy birthday.

1st Birthday

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday

Yoshino: How am I supposed to do that…?

Yoichi: What, you want me to show you?

His nimble fingers toyed with a lock of my hair. 

Yoshino: …No thank you!

Yoichi: I told you not to be formal with me.

Yoshino: …

Yoshino: Are you trying to make fun of me?

My eyebrows tensed upwards as I looked at him petulantly.

Yoichi: Sorry. I guess I am. You just get this look on your face that makes me want to screw with you.

I don’t look like that (Romantic +4, Dramatic +4) Well, whatever (Romantic +4, Dramatic +2)  You’re not sorry (Romantic +2, Dramatic +4)

Yoshino: I doubt I actually look like that…

Yoichi: Nah, you definitely do. You just don’t realize it.

(Why is it me who looks like the fool here?!)

Yoichi: See? You’re making that face right now.

Yoshino: Nn…!

He traced a finger down the column of my throat, making me jerk my chin away from him.

Yoshino: S-Stop, that tickles…

Yoichi: You're adorable. Just like a kitty cat, being all mean while it's still letting me pet it.

(...I wish he wouldn’t smile at me like that.)

But I hesitated to shy away from his touch—I’d agreed to pretend that we were a couple, after all.

(It's too bad that I didn’t get to hear more about what happened between him and Shigehira-san.)

Yoshino: You’re really good at dodging questions, you know…

I tried my best to sound sarcastic, but it didn't seem to get to Yoichi at all.

Yoichi: Maybe it comes with age.

(“Comes with age”? He can’t be that old, can he?)

But right when I was about to ask him about it—

Yoichi: Alright, I think it’s time we blow this joint.

Yoshino: Oh! Sure.

Yoichi stood up and called out to the tea shop owner at the back of the store.

Yoichi: Oi, I’ll cover the bill for the both of us.

Tea Shop Owner: Thanks for your business!

(Huh? I thought we’d be splitting it!)

I hurriedly fumbled inside the pocket of my sleeve for my own money as he tossed his coins on our table.

Yoshino: Wait, I’ll pay for my share! 

Yoichi: It’s all good. I was the one who dragged you here, so I should pay. Besides, I don’t feel right about letting someone my junior pay when they’re with me. 

Yoshino: Your junior…?

(I’m starting to wonder just how old he is…)

I stared quizzically at Yoichi’s face.

Yoichi: What's with that look?

✦ part two

Yoichi: What's with that look?

Yoichi: Just so you know, I’m over 30.

(Is he serious?!)

Yoshino: I thought you were the same age as me, or even younger…

(He has a boyish face, but now that he’s mentioned his age, the strange air of calmness about him definitely seems like a product of maturity.)

Yoichi: ……

Yoshino: Umm…

Yoshino: I guess you have a ba—

Yoichi: Don't say I've got a baby face.

I blinked in surprise that he’d denied it before I could even finish speaking.

(I’ve never seen him make such a sullen face before.)

Yoshino: Looking young for your age is a good thing, isn’t it?

Yoichi: …You’re just saying that. Looking like a kid’s not all it’s cracked up to be, you know.

Yoichi: Rookie soldiers are always mistaking me for one of their own, and sometimes it gets me caught up in some really weird shit.

Yoichi: Having a mug like this will give you more trouble than you’d think.

Yoshino: Hehe…

I couldn’t hold back a giggle at his unamused words.

Yoichi: What’s so funny to you?

Yoshino: It’s just that this is the first time I’ve seen you get so moody.

Yoichi: Ahhh. So that’s how it is.

(I finally feel like I’ve scored a point over him, even if it’s just something as silly as this.)

Resting his chin in his hand, Yoichi stared at me for a moment before his gaze suddenly softened. 

Yoichi: Well, at least I got to see you smile in the end. I guess that makes it alright.

Yoshino: Oh…

(I knew I shouldn’t have let my guard down!)

(It’s so frustrating when he just casually says things like… like that!)

I stood and hurried after Yoichi as he strolled towards the door. 

Yoichi: Hey, don’t space out while you’re walking. That was close.

Yoshino: Huh? …Oh, sorry!

Right as I walked out of the tea house, Yoichi grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him.

I’d been so lost in thought that I had almost run into someone passing by. 

(...It must be things like this that make him mature.)

Yoichi: I’ll be a chivalrous lover and walk you halfway home. 

Yoshino: …Even though you’re in enemy territory?

I tried my hardest to deliver a composed response, as if the warmth of his hand—his fingers entwined with mine as if it was the most natural thing in the world—hadn’t sent my heart reeling.

Yoichi: My passion burns brighter in the face of adversity. Or something like that. In other words, I don’t really care.

✦ part three

Yoichi: My passion burns brighter in the face of adversity. Or something like that. In other words, I don’t really care.

Yoshino: It would be more romantic if you had left out the last part…

Yoichi: Don’t sweat the details.

(Wahh!)

He tugged me by the hand and pulled me along as we wove through the crowd.

(I wonder if he’ll ever let me take the lead like this someday.)

That night…

A certain man was aimlessly tottering through the streets of Kamakura.

Priest: Damn it all… It’s those bastards’ fault that I’m all out of business.

Priest: Word’s gotten around about the tricks of my trade. Not a single sucker out there is falling for it anymore.

The priest who had tried to deceive Yashichi’s family gulped down the liquor he was holding, grumbling all the while.

He’d drank so much that his whole face was flushed deep red.

Priest: I have real powers! I’ve exorcized an ayakashi or two! 

Priest: So what if I take money from worthless commonfolk?? What’s wrong with a holy man doing that?!

Suddenly, the priest bumped into someone as he staggered forward.

Priest: Oi, watch where you’re…!

???: You should tell me more!

Priest: Eh?

A startlingly cheerful voice emerged from the darkness.

Yasuchika: You were talking about exorcizing ayakashi, no? That’s something I’m very interested in.

Three days later.

(Today's been such a peaceful day! It looks like it’ll end just as calmly too.)

Yashichi: Yoshino onee-chan! Is this enough?

I had brought Yashichi along with me to help me pick medicinal herbs in the outskirts of the city.

Yoshino: Mhm! It looks like it’s getting dark, so we should start heading back now.

Yoshino: Thanks for your help, Yashichi-kun.

Yashichi: No problem! I owe you for helping my dad, anyway.

(He really is a good, honest kid.)

(...I want to protect the smile on his face.)

My face clouded with gloom as I remembered the “deal” I’d made with Yoichi.

Yashichi: Umm, by the way, can I ask you something? I was wondering about your relationship with Yoichi nii-chan. 

Yoshino: Huh?

Yashichi: He said you’re a friend he made when he came to Kamakura… But are you guys really just friends?

Yashichi: I mean, you spend a lot of time alone together, so I thought maybe you were actually dating.

Yoshino: N-No, we’re not dating!! There’s nothing like that going on between us.

(I don’t think Yoichi-san even really considers me a friend.)

✦ part four

Yoshino: N-No, we’re not dating!! There’s nothing like that going on between us.

(I don’t think Yoichi-san even considers me a friend.)

(That's why I can’t think of him that way, either…)

No matter how many times Yoichi had helped me,

And no matter how charming of a person he was, I couldn’t allow myself to forgive him. 

Yashichi: Yoshino onee-chan?

Yoshino: Sorry. It’s nothing.

Yashichi gave me a curious look; I smiled at him in  return, trying to soothe the keen ache in my heart.

Then…

(Hm…?)

Yashichi: What’s wrong?

Yoshino: It’s gotten chilly all of a sudden…

(Maybe it’s just the evening breeze.)

I looked around as a frigid current of air curled around my feet.

Before I’d even realized it, our surroundings had become shrouded in fog.

Yashichi: …What’s that?

Yoshino: Huh?

Yashichi: I thought I saw something over there. 

He pointed towards the bushes behind us, but I couldn’t see anything there in the dusk light.

Yashichi: M-Maybe it’s just my imagination…

(This is creeping me out.)

Yoshino: Let’s go home, Yashichi-kun.

Yashichi: Yeah.

We linked hands and began walking as our surroundings grew darker, but…

(Oh, no...)

Our shadows on the ground in front of us were suddenly engulfed by another huge silhouette.

Yoshino: What…?

Primal fear shot through my body.

I slowly turned around to see a massive black cloud of mist looming over us.

(What is this…? Could it be an ayakashi?!)

(I’m terrified…)

Yashichi: Eek!

The feeling of his hand squeezing mine in fright finally shocked me back to my senses.

(I have to protect Yashichi-kun!)

But before I could react, the dark mass convulsed and enveloped us.

Yoshino: Gh-!

I shoved Yashichi out of the way, tumbling to the ground in my hurry.

(That hurt…!)

Yoshino: Run!

I let out a rough shout as Yashichi pulled me to my feet again.

Yashichi: Yoshino onee-chan!

The two of us broke into a desperate sprint.

But we’d hardly gotten away from it before—

Yashichi: It’s following us!!

Yoshino: Come this way!

✦ part five

Yoshino: Come this way!

We quickly hid within a thicket of trees. 

(My right foot still hurts… I must have twisted my ankle when I fell earlier.)

The black cloud was slowly nearing us all the while, creeping around the bushes as if it was searching for us.

(It’s only a matter of time until it finds us again… How do we escape?)

Breathless and dizzy, I frantically tried to think of a plan. 

Yoshino: …Listen, Yashichi-kun. When I give you the signal, I want you to run towards the city without looking back. 

Yashichi: But what about you?!

Yoshino: Don’t worry. I’ll be right behind you.

Yoshino: Do you remember what Yoichi-san said the other day? I’ve dealt with ayakashi before.

Yoshino: I know how to beat this one, but in order to do it, I’ll have to be by myself.

I tried to stop trembling and smiled as reassuringly as I could.

Yashichi: Really…?

Yoshino: Really. Now go!

I gave Yashichi’s back a forceful push.

Right when he started running, I dashed out to draw the ayakashi’s attention to myself. 

Yoshino: I’m over here!

The black cloud immediately began moving towards me.

(I have to make sure it stays as far away from Yashichi-kun as possible!)

I ran in the opposite direction as Yashichi, trying to endure the pain in my ankle.

Some time later…

Night had descended, cloaking the forest in darkness.

Yet the pitch-black mass was still pursuing me; it had now driven me to the edge of a cliff, almost as if to taunt me.

(There’s no escape now…)

I took a deep breath, desperately trying not to let myself be overcome by fear.

(My fox-possession powers can take away the power of ayakashi.) 

(But I was only able to use my powers on the night they were given to me because I instinctively threw myself in harm’s way.)

(There’s no guarantee that I’ll be able to pull it off again…)

The ayakashi slowly crept closer before extending in my direction—

Yoshino: Aah!

I shrieked as the cloud of mist tried to envelop me again.

Yoshino: Stay back!

I felt a strange heat building within the core of my body, just like it did on that fateful night.

The ayakashi stopped moving as the golden haze of my powers began to materialize.

Yoshino: D-Did I do it?

But—

(Nothing happened?!)

The heat in my chest quickly subsided before it could fill the rest of my body.

The golden haze, too, disappeared into thin air.

Yoshino: No…

Having regained its strength, the dark mass shuddered as it moved towards me again.

(It’s going to swallow me…)

My eyes widened in despair, but then all of a sudden—

Yoshino: Oh-!

A silver flash carved through the moonlight, hurtling towards the ayakashi from out of nowhere.

The ayakashi let out a thundering roar as the dark mist of its form bled out like spilt ink.

(Was that a knife!?)

The blade that had cut through the ayakashi and was now stuck in the ground looked awfully familiar…

Yoichi: Aww, man. I really hate working off-schedule. 

Chapter 5 Normal Story →

Notes:

Kagetoki: What's all this about your birthday? Morinaga, did you call me all the way out here just to have me congratulate you? Good grief...

Shigehira: Morinaga-san, would meat be alright as a birthday gift for you? Well, now that you've said that you want it, it happens that I've already gotten it for you.

Tamamo: Don't you want to have a nice dinner for your birthday, Morinaga? Not only in taste, but in appearance as well... Tamamo: It seems I'll just have to take it upon myself to teach you what fine dining is.

Yoshitsune: Morinaga, you're quite like a brother to Yoritomo, aren't you? ...If that's the case, I'm a little jealous. Yoshitsune: But that doesn't mean I resent the day of your birth.

Benkei: I can't believe you can live with the likes of Yoritomo and Kagetoki and still be so carefree... You must be tougher than I thought, Morinaga. Well, anyways, take it easy and have a good time on your birthday.

Yoichi: Y'know, Morinaga, I've always felt like you and me could really hit it off. Yoichi: If you were one of us, I'd even wish you a happy birthday.

Kurama: Morinaga, you should stop bothering with protecting Yoritomo and start fighting us seriously. Kurama: How about I make a special trip out there and let you go up against me in honor of your birthday?