Izumi Kiyowa did not shift the responsibility for his thoughts onto Rengoku Wajuro; these were his own feelings, plain and simple.
As Ume listened to his words, her face flushed an even deeper shade of crimson. The way Kiyowa treated her—with such solemn sincerity—felt entirely different from the affection she received from her brother.
She looked at him, watching his lips, which were slightly pursed from his own underlying nervousness. In the clarity of his eyes, she saw her own flustered reflection. A mixture of immense bashfulness and a secret, burgeoning joy welled up inside her, like plum wine that had been shaken, sending sweet yet tart bubbles fizzing to the surface.
She turned her head slightly and lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes trembling in the sunlight. Her voice was so soft it seemed as though it might melt into the summer heat at any moment.
"If... if it's convenient, please bring me some udon. I've heard people say that eating it in the summer helps beat the heat."
Before Kiyowa could respond to Ume's request, he was interrupted by a harsh, irritable voice.
"Hey! You two! What do you think you're doing over there?"
It was Gyutaro. His voice was thick with suspicion and an indescribable hint of bitter jealousy.
Hearing the voice, Kiyowa immediately turned around, leaving Ume with one final promise: "I'll bring it back. And I'll remember it from now on."
With that, Kiyowa waved to Gyutaro with a smile, offering a quick explanation. "It's nothing! Mr. Rengoku and I are heading out to get some food!"
Watching Kiyowa leave with Rengoku Wajuro, Gyutaro stared at his sister with a look of helpless exasperation. He noted the lingering blush on Ume's cheeks and grumbled, "Ume, no matter what, you have to remember—the age for marriage is still years away!"
"Huh?!"
Hearing Gyutaro's outrageous statement, the blush that had finally started to fade surged back with a vengeance. Ume balled her fists and stood on her tiptoes, shouting at her brother in a fit of shy pique:
"What on earth are you talking about, you idiot!"
Even as she spoke, her eyes drifted to Kiyowa's retreating figure. She was worried he might have heard her brother's blunt remarks, yet a part of her perversely hoped he had, just to see how he would react. This internal conflict left her heart in a state of utter confusion.
"Hey, Ume, fetch some water for me too. I'm thirsty!"
"I know, I know! You big dummy!"
Meanwhile, Rengoku Wajuro walked down the street with Kiyowa, a boisterous smile on his face as he clapped the boy on the shoulder.
"Well done! You're quite the fine young man! Did she say what she wanted to eat?"
Kiyowa, feeling the weight of the man's strength, replied somewhat helplessly, "Mr. Rengoku, please, a little less force, or my shoulder is going to give out. Also, Ume wants udon. I hope there's a noodle shop nearby so we can find some. By the way, I'll make sure to pay you back for the money later, I definitely won't—"
Before Kiyowa could finish, Wajuro cut him off. With a look of absolute resolve, he declared:
"I have no money! Umu! I just remembered—I gave all the money I had away! Last night I ran into some elderly folk and children who were struggling, so I gave them everything I had so they could survive. My apologies! Over the years, I've basically given away all my pay, so I have no savings to speak of. If we want to buy lunch, we'll likely have to do some manual labor to earn it. But don't worry—every cent we earn, I shall hand over to you!"
Staring at the owl-like, serious expression on the man's face, Kiyowa could only sigh softly. He had actually suspected as much. In fact, this was perfectly in character for Rengoku Wajuro. How could a man who lived like a wandering knight-errant possibly keep wealth for himself?
There were many miserable souls in this era, and given Wajuro's temperament, he certainly wouldn't stand by and watch people perish. Therefore, it was actually more "logical" that he was penniless.
In a way, this made Kiyowa feel a bit better. He didn't want to owe Rengoku too many favors, as it felt somewhat improper. Food earned through one's own labor always tasted better, anyway.
"You don't need to apologize, Mr. Rengoku. This is a problem we should solve ourselves. But what can we do right now to earn money?"
In response, Wajuro flashed a mysterious smile. He led Kiyowa toward the outskirts of Yoshiwara, explaining as they walked:
"I already scouted some work last night! There has been a plague of wild boars and bears near Yoshiwara recently. Because food has been scarce lately, the beasts have been coming down from the mountains into the villages to forage. The villagers there have posted a request; if we can deal with those beasts, the reward is quite handsome! It'll be more than enough to buy plenty of food! Furthermore, they provide weapons: pitchforks and machetes. The hunters have also set many traps in the mountains; fearing we might get hurt, they'll tell us where the traps are so we can use them to our advantage."
Wajuro's voice carried a hint of excitement, his flame-red hair flickering like a dancing fire as he ran. Hearing this, Kiyowa's spirits rose. This was indeed a good plan—it provided food and money while serving as excellent combat practice.
"Is there enough time?"
"With our pace, the round trip won't take long at all. We'll be back in time to buy lunch!"
Kiyowa followed closely behind Wajuro as the two dashed toward the village on the edge of the district.
Two and a half hours later, Kiyowa and Wajuro were hauling a massive wild boar between them. With smiles on their faces, they accepted their payment from the head hunter. As a gesture of thanks, the hunters even carved off a large leg from the boar and gave it to them for their own meals.
True to his nature, Wajuro left some of his newly earned money behind when they departed, refusing to take the extra meat for free.
On the way back, the two split up briefly. Kiyowa went to buy the udon Ume had requested, while Wajuro went to purchase rice and dried sardines—essential staples they couldn't afford to skip.
By the time the sun reached its zenith, the two were heading home, laden with their harvest. Wajuro continued to loudly summarize the combat lessons from the day's hunt, while Kiyowa carefully carried the packaged container of udon in his hands.
Before they even reached the door, Kiyowa spotted Ume standing under the shade of a tree, looking out with an expression of "longing through parched eyes." The moment she saw them, she instinctively reached for a nearby water bucket, pretending she had been busy fetching water all along.
Kiyowa unconsciously quickened his pace, leaving Rengoku Wajuro behind.
As Ume watched Kiyowa hurry toward her, her entire body felt warm. She smoothed her wind-tousled hair, tucking it neatly behind her ear, revealing a soft, pale-pink earlobe that was slightly flushed.
A small wish had been solemnly accepted; a budding affection was quietly growing in the summer breeze.
Meanwhile, in a small village to the east of Yoshiwara, Gyokko was in the middle of meticulously carving a man's body. Suddenly, he paused his movements, and his mouth split into a wide, grotesque grin.
"Oh? Yoshiwara? A Hashira has been spotted moving toward that area?"
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