"Where are you taking me?" Kazuki asked.
"If you don't want the Tanuki to raise you, then I suggest you live with the Bakeneko for a while if that's alright with you." Chiyo explained while they walked back to the residence. "You don't have to be worried. They are like parents to me. When I was five, they took me in and raised me like a daughter."
"Okay."
Chiyo halted and turned to him, having a sense of deja vu. He was also this obedient when she told him about Gohan.
"Are you sure?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "The Bakeneko lived far away from here so you can't back out once we're there."
"I'm sure. You said they are your parents so I am fine with that."
She slowly nodded her head — still skeptical — she doesn't want to waste time traveling there only for the other to change his mind along the way.
"Let's go home first. I need to inform my husband about this, then we'll set out at dusk."
Kazuki silently agreed. The snow started falling again, its flakes dancing around them. It was a melancholic afternoon, but two figures walked side by side along the snow-blanketed city — their hearts feeling something they can't quite grasp. Chiyo's heart beat in longing. She doesn't know why, but the boy somehow reminds her of someone. While Kazuki's beat in anticipation. He wanted to tell her the truth. Wanted to know what happened after death. What did she do? How did she survive? But he doesn't even know where to start nor how to bridge the chasm of lost years.
"Kaito." He said, his voice was low but Chiyo still heard him. "How did you meet your husband?"
Chiyo's gaze softened, and a small smile appeared on her crimson lips, a beautiful contrast against her pale face.
"It was hate at first sight," she said, laughing to herself. No — it's more like dislike for hate is such a strong word. One glance, their personalities clashed like a raging storm above and wrathful waves of the ocean below. "He was my guard. We often argued but somehow fell in love."
"Oh. And what do you like about him?"
"His face, of course."
"What?!" Kazuki's finger twitched. "So you married him because of his looks?!"
Chiyo glanced at him like he'd grown two heads. "What's wrong with that?"
"You can't just marry someone because of their looks!"
Now the child is mad, his nose flaring up. She can almost see the thick mist forming under his breath and she wanted to smack him for overreacting, but controlled herself. He's still recovering, she reminds internally.
"You're acting like a mother, you know." She exclaimed. "Clearly, back then, it was my brother who told me to pick someone as good-looking or better than him."
Kazuki was reminded of the past and remembered what he said to her that very day. His hands flew to his golden locks, regret — he regrets everything. He just shot his own foot.
"Then how long have you two been married?" He asked weakly.
"5 months!"
Now he regrets it more. He should have been reborn earlier, even better if it was before they met that he could have stopped such catastrophe. How did she meet such a strong warrior and make him her guard.
Fate truly is scary.
Does she even know who he is? Of what he'd done?
Kazuki wanted to warn him about the warrior, but he was distracted by the sound of heavy and unhurried footsteps behind them. Chiyo was the first to turn around. She knew exactly who's behind them so she ran up to him as soon as her feet pivoted.
Her smile widened. "You're here."
Kaito hummed in agreement, his hand naturally slid behind her small back — caressing it.
"I was also on my way home. Let's go together." He said, his eyes slowly averting towards the small figure beside his wife.
Again, the tanuki boy is looking at him like an oppressed. Kaito paid no attention to him and started walking. He just finished patrolling the area and is just waiting for Kaoru to go back from his investigation.
"So we were just talking about us." Chiyo started. "Of why I married you."
Kaito's calm gaze swept over her — it was deep and penetrating that Chiyo can't help but be smithen. She immediately averted her gaze, face blushing.
"So why did you marry me?"
Her lips curled up. "Your face! I wouldn't have married you if it wasn't for your face."
"Should I be thankful then?" His brow raised. "But didn't you beg me to marry you?"
"What?! I'd never."
Kaito laughed at her. Their love story was full of push and pull, it was complicated but somehow they managed to find ways.
"You've literally forced yourself on me, is it because of my handsome face?"
He is bragging. Chiyo can't help but cross her arms. While half of it was true, still she wanted to deny it.
Kazuki watched from the sideline in silence. He just became the third wheel. He quietly scoffed. If he didn't know any better, he'd say they were just flirting.
But the two was a beautiful picture under the snowflakes. They looked so perfect together — happy and peaceful, and so in love that the words were stuck in his throat. He doesn't want to ruin such a happy moment so he decided to remain quiet and just let the river take its course.
He swiftly glanced at Kaito, his calm gaze never faltering, but behind those eyes lies a threat that should never be unleashed. A darkness not known to many.
Kazuki knows. He immediately recognized him. His father had told him about him. The warrior from the north — an epitome of death. Legend says about an entire army vanishing into oblivion, and Kaito stood in the battlefield lazily — alone, blood still dripping from his sword. Some says he was death incarnate himself, but no... He was much worse than it. Darkness clung to him like it was his birthright.
The prince of hell — 200 years ago, when war was at its peak, that was the name they called him.