"If she has, tell this big brother of yours"
He rubbed his cheek against hers.
"I'll-"
"You will what?"
Kagerou immediately turned his head toward the source of the voice.
Kanae.
The moment he saw her, his expression brightened.
Kanao, meanwhile, took advantage of the distraction and quickly slipped free from Kagerou's embrace. She immediately put some distance between herself and him... and, naturally, didn't forget to take the parcel of sweets he had brought.
Because... why not?
"...Kanae, I missed you," Kagerou spread his arms wide as he approached her. "You have no idea what I've been going through. I'm so tired"
Kanae didn't move an inch.
She simply smiled and allowed him to wrap his arms around her.
Kagerou had been like this for the past year.
Sometimes, Kanae found herself wondering whether this was really the same man she had met on the night before Final Selection.
Was this really the same Kagerou who had taken one glance at her back then... only to immediately look away as though he had already lost interest?
Apparently so.
And yet...
She didn't mind.
No matter how much he had changed, and no matter what he had become, Kanae didn't really care.
Because, in the end... He was the man she loved.
Kanae quietly rested her head against Kagerou's chest and returned his embrace.
"...I missed you too," she whispered.
They remained like that for several moments.
Eventually, Kagerou reluctantly released her.
His hands, however, remained resting comfortably around her waist.
He looked directly into her eyes.
"You look beautiful today too, Kanae~"
His voice dropped into a soft, almost teasing whisper.
Kanae's cheeks immediately warmed.
Kagerou leaned forward, clearly intending to kiss her. At the last moment, however, Kanae turned her head.
*Kiss*
His lips landed harmlessly against her cheek instead.
"Control yourself," Kanae said softly. "Kanao is still here"
Kagerou slowly turned his head. And there she was. Kanao was sitting on the engawa a short distance away, calmly eating the sweets he had brought.
She was also watching the two of them like they were some kind of performance.
Kagerou stared at her.
Kanao stared back.
"...Kanao-chan"
No response.
"Could you go play somewhere else?"
Kanao simply shook her head.
Kagerou sighed.
"...I see," He looked toward Kanae. "She's getting more like Shinobu"
Kanae couldn't help but giggle.
Kagerou shook his head before looking around.
"Speaking of that little witch... where is Shinobu?"
"Oh, her?" Kanae's expression became slightly more serious. "She's currently participating in Final Selection; it's been five days"
"Already?!" Kagerou's relaxed expression immediately disappeared. "Isn't it a little early for her?"
"I know," Kanae replied, shaking her head. "Fortunately, Kyojuro-kun and Obanai-kun went with her, so I can relax a little"
"Ohh~ Good," Kagerou nodded. "They'll be able to look after each other"
"Right? I just hope nothing serious happens to them"
"..."
Kagerou stopped.
"..."
Kanae continued smiling.
"..."
Kagerou slowly turned toward her.
His eyebrows furrowed.
"...Excuse me"
"Hm?"
"What did you just say?"
Kanae blinked.
"I said I hope nothing serious happens to them"
"No," Kagerou's expression became increasingly suspicious. "... Before that"
Kanae's smile slowly disappeared.
"...Oh"
Kagerou stared at her.
Kanae stared back.
"...Kyojuro and Obanai..."
"Yes"
"... Are"
"Yes"
"Currently..."
"Yes"
"Participating in Final Selection?"
"...Yes"
Kagerou's eyes widened.
"Wait..." His voice became dangerously quiet. "...What did you say about my little brothers?"
Kanae's expression immediately became awkward.
"Kagerou-kun-"
But it was already too late. Kagerou turned around and sprinted away.
"WAIT, KAGEROU-KUN!"
He was already several meters away.
"KAGEROU!"
He didn't stop.
He didn't even remember to take his kiseru.
Kanae stood there, watching the back of her boyfriend rapidly disappear into the distance.
For several seconds, she simply stared.
Then she sighed and shook her head.
"...I hope Shinjuro-san had a good reason for that"
Her eyes fell toward the kiseru Kagerou had abandoned on the engawa.
Kanae picked it up before walking over to Kanao.
She sat beside the little girl.
Kanao silently offered her one of the sweets.
Kanae smiled.
"Thank you, Kanao-chan"
The two of them quietly enjoyed the sweets together.
Meanwhile...
Somewhere far away...
Kagerou Rengoku was running toward his home.
There was no point in going to Mount Fujikasane now.
The Final Selection had already begun. There was nothing he could do to stop it, even if he was a Hashira.
But that didn't mean he couldn't have a little... talk with the person responsible.
---
*Plak!!*
The sliding door of the Rengoku residence was thrown open with enough force to nearly rattle the frame.
Kagerou stepped inside.
And, coincidentally... Shinjuro was already there.
More importantly, the former Flame Hashira was currently putting on his sandals.
The moment Shinjuro saw his eldest son standing in the entrance, his entire body froze.
Kagerou stared at him.
Shinjuro stared back.
A bead of sweat slowly rolled down his forehead.
Then...
Shinjuro calmly turned around.
And began walking back into the hallway.
Kagerou's eye twitched.
"...Where are you going, oh, my dear father?"
His voice was soft.
Far too soft.
There wasn't even a hint of gentleness in his expression.
"I... I-I want to go buy something at the market," Shinjuro answered, refusing to stop walking.
"The exit is right here, Father"
Shinjuro stopped.
He slowly looked toward the entrance.
Then back toward the hallway.
After a moment of consideration, he turned around again and began walking toward the door as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately for him, Kagerou was already waiting.
As Shinjuro attempted to pass through the entrance, Kagerou's hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.
Shinjuro froze.
"Care to explain, FATHER~?"
"E-Explain what exactly, K-Kage?" Shinjuro asked, still refusing to turn his head.
Kagerou's smile became wider.
"We have an agreement, right?"
"..."
"Only when they are sixteen can they take part in the Final Selection"
"R-Right?"
Shinjuro nodded stiffly.
"We did have something like that"
"So?"
Kagerou's voice was sweet.
Almost angelic.
Shinjuro's eyebrow twitched.
"...So?"
His forehead was already covered in sweat.
Kagerou's smile disappeared.
"SO WHY THE HELL ARE THEY TAKING PART IN THIS YEAR'S FINAL SELECTION?!"
"-!"
Shinjuro finally dropped his shoulders in defeat.
He knew he had lost.
"Actually..." he began with a tired sigh. "I didn't even know they had taken part in this year's Final Selection"
Kagerou narrowed his eyes.
"I only found out later, after they didn't come home"
Shinjuro finally turned around to face his eldest son.
"They told me they were going to buy something outside. Then they disappeared"
He raised both hands helplessly.
"Look, Kage, I can't do anything about it now. Let's just hope nothing bad happens to them, alright?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...Alright?"
Shinjuro gave him an awkward smile.
Kagerou continued staring at him.
For several seconds.
Then-
"Haaaaaah..." He released a long, heavy sigh. "Whatever"
Kagerou finally let go of his father's shoulder and walked back through the entrance.
Shinjuro blinked.
"W-Where are you going, Kage?"
Kagerou didn't stop walking.
"...I'm going to Mount Fujikasane myself"
Shinjuro's eyes widened.
Kagerou glanced over his shoulder.
"And when those two finish the Final Selection..." His smile returned. "...I'll personally welcome them home"
A chill ran down Shinjuro's spine.
Kagerou disappeared from sight.
Shinjuro remained standing at the entrance.
He slowly sighed.
"...Those two are screwed"
For a moment, he imagined Kyojuro and Obanai returning from Final Selection...
Only to find their sixteen-year-old older brother waiting for them.
Shinjuro shook his head.
He could only pray that the two boys survived the Final Selection.
And, perhaps more importantly...
That they survived the wrath of their older brother afterward.