Just a few minutes later, Kagerou was done preparing.
There was never much for him to bring.
His uniform sat neatly in place. His Nichirin blade rested at his waist. The kiseru was tucked as always. A small pouch of money, just in case.
That was enough.
It had always been enough.
Standing before the mirror, he adjusted his uniform one last time. His movements were precise, efficient… but not rushed.
His reflection stared back at him.
Calm.
Composed.
And yet...
"…Which shop is she referring to?" he muttered under his breath.
A small pause followed.
No answer came.
A quiet sigh slipped from his lips.
"...I'll figure it out on the way"
Whether that was confidence… or an excuse to stop thinking, even he wasn't sure.
Without lingering any longer, Kagerou turned and stepped out of his room.
The morning air greeted him as he walked onto the engawa.
Not far from there, the sound of uneven breathing echoed through the yard.
Kyojuro. Senjuro. Obanai.
All three sat in a straight line, backs upright, shoulders tense, breaths controlled, but strained.
Total Concentration Breathing.
Even for those who had already grasped its basics, maintaining it continuously was no easy task. Their chests rose and fell in measured rhythm, but the effort showed clearly.
Sweat clung to their skin.
Their bodies trembled ever so slightly under the strain.
And yet… one of them stood out.
Obanai.
Though he had started later than the other two, his breathing was steadier. Not perfect, but controlled. Even as sweat dripped down his face, his posture remained firm, his focus unbroken.
Still… Too tense.
Kagerou approached quietly.
So quietly that not even the faint crunch of wood or shift of air betrayed his presence.
Then... A hand settled on Obanai's shoulder.
Obanai flinched slightly.
Not from fear, but from surprise.
He hadn't sensed him at all.
Even Kaburamaru remained still, unreactive.
"…Kagerou-niisan," Obanai said, turning his head slightly.
Kyojuro and Senjuro followed a second later.
Kagerou didn't remove his hand.
"Don't push yourself too hard, Obanai," he said calmly. "You started later than them, yes. But that doesn't mean you need to rush to catch up"
Obanai's breathing faltered slightly.
"…But if I don't-"
"You'll break before you improve," Kagerou cut in, not harshly, but firmly.
A small pause.
"Anything built in a hurry… never ends well," he continued. "Take it one step at a time"
Silence lingered for a moment as Obanai processed his words.
Then slowly…
His shoulders relaxed.
His breathing returned to normal.
"…Understood, Kagerou-niisan"
A faint smile touched Kagerou's lips.
"Good"
He gave Obanai's shoulder a light tap before withdrawing his hand.
"Kage-nii," Senjuro spoke up gently, "are you going on a mission?"
"Yeah"
Kyojuro immediately leaned forward.
"Huh?! Are you alright now, Kage-nii?!"
Kagerou gave a small, noncommittal hum.
"Hmm"
"But-"
"That's enough, Kyojuro. Don't bother your brother"
Shinjuro's voice cut in as he stepped into the yard, his presence immediate and grounding.
Kagerou glanced at him.
"Are you leaving now, Kage?" Shinjuro asked.
"That's the plan," Kagerou replied. Then he paused. "…But"
Shinjuro's brow lifted slightly.
"But?"
"I'm supposed to meet Kanae at this one certain shop," Kagerou said. "But I don't know which one she meant"
A brief silence followed.
Not long.
Just enough to register.
"Father, do y-"
*Clap*
Shinjuro brought his hands together once, sharp and decisive.
"Alright, that's enough rest," he said, turning his attention away immediately. "Back to training"
Just like that, the topic was dropped.
No suggestion.
No guess.
No interest in solving it for him.
Because this… wasn't something that needed an answer from him.
Kyojuro and Senjuro straightened instinctively.
Obanai followed.
And Kagerou… Remained where he stood for a moment longer.
Watching.
Understanding.
"…Tch"
A quiet click of his tongue.
Not annoyed.
Just resigned.
"Figures"
If he wanted to find her… He'd have to do it himself.
And more importantly, he'd have to face her himself.
Without another word, Kagerou turned and stepped away from the engawa.
Toward the street.
Toward the answer he already knew he couldn't avoid.
---
Kagerou walked through the crowded street, his pace steady but without direction.
Since leaving the estate, he had already stopped at several shops.
None of them were right.
Not even close.
In the first place… There wasn't a single shop he could clearly associate with Kanae.
They had never met alone like that before.
No shared routine.
No familiar place.
Nothing he could point to and say "it has to be there"
"…Tch," The kiseru rested between his lips as he exhaled slowly. A thin trail of smoke curled behind him, dissolving into the warm air as he moved.
His eyes scanned the surroundings.
Shops.
Stalls.
People moving in and out, voices overlapping, footsteps blending into the constant rhythm of the street.
Every now and then, his gaze lingered, just for a second longer than necessary.
Looking.
Expecting.
But she wasn't there.
Not in any of them.
The sun had begun to climb higher.
It was already nearing noon.
And they still hadn't met.
"…Fuck," Kagerou muttered under his breath as he came to a stop at the side of the road.
His fingers tightened slightly around the kiseru.
"Walking around like this isn't doing anything," he murmured. "Where the hell am I supposed to look…?"
A pause.
His gaze drifted aimlessly across the street.
"…What shop were you talking about, Kanae?"
"Mom! Mom! Can I get that?"
The sudden, bright voice cut through his thoughts.
Kagerou's attention shifted.
A small child stood nearby, tugging insistently at his mother's sleeve, pointing toward a food stall.
"Please! I want that!"
The mother followed his finger and sighed.
"No. You already had dango earlier," she said firmly. "RThat's enough sweets for today"
"But-"
"No 'buts,' we're going home!"
She took his hand and began to pull him away.
The child resisted for a moment, his eyes still fixed on the stall, before reluctantly being dragged along.
Kagerou watched them go.
A faint, almost absent-minded smile touched his lips as he exhaled softly.
"…Kids," he muttered.
His gaze shifted toward the stall the child had pointed at.
Bright red.
Glossy.
Apples coated in hardened sugar, catching the sunlight like glass.
Simple.
Sweet.
Festival food.
"…Sweets…"
The word lingered.
Then... A flicker.
Something clicked.
Kagerou's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Wait," His posture straightened just a fraction. "Sweets…?"
A memory surfaced.
Not of Kanae.
But of someone else.
A small girl with sharp eyes and an even sharper tongue.
And a quiet moment... At a shop.
Monaka.
"…That place…"
Kagerou let out a short breath.
"…No way"
He said it, but his feet had already begun to move.
Faster this time.
More certain.
"…There's no way it's that simple, right?"
And yet... It was the only place that made sense.
The only place tied to her and him, even indirectly.
His grip tightened slightly as he walked.
"…If I'm wrong, I'm wasting more time," A pause. "But …If I'm right…"
He didn't finish the thought.
Didn't need to.
His steps didn't slow.
Because whether it was the right place or not... He had already decided.
He would face her. No more wandering. No more hesitation.
Just forward.