Yasushi, Jingliu, and Yinhaie stood silent, staring at what lay ahead. They weren't sure how to react, a strange mix of bewilderment and disbelief knotting between them. The scene wasn't particularly unique — just a large Japanese-style home, the kind Yasushi had grown up seeing. Yet, this one seemed to stretch far beyond what he was used to. Its size felt unnatural, the scale overwhelming, too grand to be a simple shrine.
On either side, rows of cherry blossom trees stood tall, their petals drifting down like endless rain. They fluttered around them, caught on some wind that didn't seem to let up. Beside the path, small rivers trickled down, their quiet sounds filling the space.
The stone path beneath their feet was cool, but it wasn't just cold — it felt like something deeper, something more. They couldn't name it, but "divine" clung to their thoughts.
The place Hakufubuki had brought them to wasn't ordinary. The air here felt wrong, too perfect, like a realm meant for gods to gather, maybe share tea over quiet conversations or host small, strange gatherings. But nothing too extravagant, nothing too wild. Just something out of reach.
She let out a low laugh when she saw their faces, then moved forward without hesitation. "It's just a little house I made ages ago. Don't worry about it. It's modeled after any ordinary Japanese home. Although, only a few gods are around today — just four others." Her words seemed casual, like the absurdity of it didn't matter.
Without waiting for a reply, she signaled for them to come along, and she started walking. As they followed, snowflakes began to drift down slowly. Some of them didn't melt. Instead, they shifted, transforming into tiny, fluttering fairies. They moved lightly through the air, surrounding the group.
One of them darted closer, a sharp giggle cutting through the quiet. "Oh, oh, it's Yasushi! Finally showed up, huh?" the ice fairy said, her voice full of energy, like she'd been waiting for this moment forever.
"Yasushi!" another one echoed, joining the first. The two circled him and the others, poking their cheeks, laughter spilling out in fits.
Hakufubuki glanced back, shaking her head slightly. "Leave them be. Go on, tend to the garden," she said, not unkindly but firm enough that they'd listen.
"Okay!" the fairies chirped, vanishing toward the distant trees.
Yasushi, Jingliu, and Yinhaie watched them go, standing there, their heads spinning. This couldn't be real — none of this was supposed to be possible. But there they were, living it, every part of it real, every strange thing happening in front of them.
They finally reached the entrance, and the moment they stepped inside, they found themselves in the dining area like they'd been pulled there instantly. At the long table, four gods sat, their gazes heavy, though none spoke right away. Yasushi recognized one of them, a smirk already creeping onto his face as their eyes met.
"Yo! Took you long enough to get here. We caught the mess that went down during the Moon Twerking event — crazy stuff, right?" Hachiman, the God of War, called out, grinning like it was all some joke.
Yasushi didn't hesitate, his voice flat as he answered, "It's called the Moon Weaving event, Hachiman."
The war god let out a snicker, clearly not phased. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Just messing with you. Don't be so serious, loosen up a bit." He patted the seat next to him. "C'mon, we've got food and drinks here. Grab a seat."
The other gods kept watching. There was a woman, her presence impossible to ignore, and two men who stayed quiet. Yasushi's attention locked on the woman. He knew her without needing an introduction. Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun. The one Hakufubuki had hinted at. The chief deity in the Shinto pantheon, though she didn't need to say a word for everyone to feel it.
Amaterasu sat there, long black hair falling over her shoulders, a fan resting loosely in one hand. Her eyes, calm, drew in attention without effort. Her dress was unmistakably Japanese, draped in layers that brought to mind kimonos, while a golden headpiece glinted faintly on her head. Yasushi found himself staring without realizing, his gaze lingering longer than he intended.
A quick jab from Jingliu to his ribs broke him from the trance, earning a frown from her and a laugh from Hachiman. "Hah! Look at you, staring all wide-eyed at our Chief God. Yeah, yeah, Amaterasu's stunning — everyone's said it a million times," Hachiman teased, trying to steer the moment away. He didn't seem interested in letting that linger.
"Anyway, let me introduce the others before you get too lost in thought." He gestured to his right, pointing to the first god. "That grumpy-looking one over there is Fujin. He's a pain when he's in a mood, but most days he's bearable. God of the Wind, if that wasn't obvious." His finger moved to the next figure. "And that's Kojin, God of Stoves. Not someone you'd hear about much outside Japan, but he's one of us all the same."
"Nice to meet you all," Yasushi said, giving a slight bow. Jingliu and Yinhaie mirrored his action before they settled at the table, where food had been set out. The room fell quiet for a moment, an awkward silence hanging in the air, but Yasushi broke it, "Why was I called here?"
"Straight to the point, huh, kid?" Hachiman said with a laugh, his tone almost mocking.
Fujin stood, eyes locked onto Yasushi, his posture commanding, a heavy pressure filling the room as his divine aura spilled out. The humans began to struggle, their breaths turning shallow as if the very air itself had turned on them. "We want to know why someone like you was allowed to be born," Fujin's voice carried the weight of a question that went beyond curiosity, his words challenging.
"Fujin," Amaterasu interrupted, turning her attention to him. Her voice alone brought a sharp reaction, Fujin stiffened, swallowing hard before he sank back into his seat. His aura receded, allowing the humans to breathe freely again.
Amaterasu's gaze met Yasushi's, her expression calm as she spoke. "Fujin's temper can flare, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. What we really need to discuss is your birth and the memories you've kept. That situation… it's not something we come across often. And considering what happened with that other god, well, it's understandable why we're here now."
Yasushi gave a small nod, waiting for her to go on. Amaterasu's eyes flicked to Jingliu and Yinhaie for a moment. "Do they know?"
"…Partially," Yasushi said. "I figured it's better that way. Less they know, the better. If that's alright."
Jingliu's brow furrowed. Yinhaie glanced at him with the same look of confusion. Jingliu broke the silence first. "What do you mean by that? What haven't you told us?"
Amaterasu nodded, as if expecting that reaction. She turned her attention back to the others. "Yasushi," she said slowly, "was reborn with memories from his past life. A memory that most of us would find difficult to carry forward." Her eyes settled back on Yasushi before continuing, "It was… a difficult one."
Jingliu's confusion didn't fade. "Difficult? Yasushi joked that maybe he was some kind of warrior or something." The question hung in the air.
Amaterasu let out a soft chuckle. "A warrior... that's one way to put it. He spent most of his life alone, fought battles without anyone by his side. There was only one person he truly cared about, like an older sister to him. But things got bad for them, both of them had rough lives. She ended up taking her own life because of someone else's actions. That's why Yasushi got... angry when he saw what happened to your friend Laura."
Jingliu and Yinhaie's eyes widened, but neither spoke. They knew better than to interrupt the Chief God just yet, even though a thousand questions were probably running through their minds.
"He faced a lot of people, more than anyone his age should've had to. Fought through more battles than you'd believe. He almost didn't make it out alive, more times than I can count. People sent killers after him, wanting to wipe him out, but he lived through every attempt. With every fight, his anger toward the world grew, and so did his strength. But in the end... well, he didn't die like you'd expect someone who fought so hard to die," she explained, that smile creeping across her face.
Yasushi's jaw clenched. He knew where this was headed. He could tell she was about to bring up how it all ended for him, and that wasn't a story he wanted to hear again. Not now. Not in front of them.
"How?" Yinhaie and Jingliu asked almost in unison, their voices low, like they were bracing for something big.
Before Amaterasu could answer, Yasushi cut her off. "I was drunk. First time in a long while. Fell onto the train tracks. Splat. That's how I died."
The two blinked, stunned. Jingliu's voice stumbled over itself. "T-that's how it ended? I mean... trains? This sounds a lot more recent than I expected."
Yasushi nodded, looking up at the ceiling. "Yeah, it wasn't that long ago. Modern times. Oh, and by the way, the guy who pushed her to that point? Left him crippled for life before I checked out. And I got away with it too."
Jingliu and Yinhaie's shock deepened, but before they could respond, Hachiman chimed in. "Yeah, well, a god took pity on him. Gave him another shot, let him be reborn in a more... current time. New family, some support, and an annoying best friend. It all just spiraled into what led him here, meeting all of you. Little bastard was a pretty angry loner for most of his childhood. He's gotten better over time, but, well, still some cracks in the wall, you know?"
"Enough reminiscing," Fujin cut in, still sounding annoyed. "It needed to be said, sure. But we're here to focus on why it was allowed in the first place."
"True," Amaterasu agreed. "However, once the other gods got wind of it, the decision isn't entirely ours. The other Chief gods will need to weigh in. So, the final call won't come until just before you graduate... meaning..." Her voice trailed off as she turned to Yasushi. There was something almost regretful in her pause, though she didn't finish.
"If you won't say it, I will," Hachiman chimed in, eyes on Yasushi. "You live or die by the end of it. Simple as that. You're an anomaly, and even if they gave you a pass back then, most didn't know. So now there's a vote."
Jingliu and Yinhaie's faces shifted with shock — Yasushi, though, didn't even flinch. He'd already suspected it. In his mind, his first seventeen or eighteen years had felt like a free trial, and now it was running out.
Fujin, frowning, stared at him. "You don't look surprised at all."
"I got to live a second life, got to live a better one," Yasushi said. His tone remained flat. "There's always a catch, even if that god wanted to help. But there's still a shot to up my chances of living, right?" His words didn't break from their steady pace.
Fujin's face twitched slightly, but he gave a nod. "Yes. You've already earned a lot of credit toward it. We won't tell you how much or through what exactly, but you know what to do. You're not dumb, considering your, uh, combined age." His gaze tightened on Yasushi.
Yasushi's lips curled up as he rose from his seat. "Then it doesn't change anything. I've spent most of my first life on the brink, closer to death than people even older than me. This is just another race. I'll keep moving, keep stacking the odds. And I'm not an idiot — I'm sure those gods will send more people to keep tabs on me or screw with me. All those assholes who attacked or tried to make my life hell... that was them, right?" His stare didn't waver, drilling into the group as he spoke.
Hachiman burst into laughter, slapping his side like he'd heard the best joke all day. "You actually figured that out? Damn, you're sharp! Not all of them, but yeah, a good chunk of those pricks came from the gods who thought it'd be fun to see what you were made of."
He caught his breath, leaning back. "Some gods didn't get the memo, but they've got their own ways of knowing things. Once they caught wind, they decided to check you out for themselves. I won't name names, won't tell you which god sent who, or what group got pulled in to mess with you. But you've probably already got a hunch, right?" Hachiman grinned wide, almost enjoying the game they were playing.
Yasushi gave a small nod, saying nothing. It had been strange, how people kept coming for him and his friends. He thought it was just the usual bull people pulled. That was, until he learned about the gods, the supernatural, and after talking with Hakufubuki. Everything started making sense after that, and now, this just confirmed what he had suspected.
After learning about their existence, the thought struck him hard. He hadn't given it much weight at first, brushing it off like a weird coincidence. But as time passed, it began to add up in ways that bothered him.
Still, there was no clear evidence, and he doubted Hakufubuki would confirm anything for him, no matter how close they had become. Yet today, it had all been laid bare. There was no escaping it now. It stirred something deep in him, an odd mixture of feelings.
"Our time here is almost up," Amaterasu spoke, eyes fixed on Yasushi. "But you understand what needs to be done from here, right?" He gave her a nod, silent but sure. She smiled faintly, gesturing to the untouched food and drinks in front of them. "Eat before you leave."
Yasushi, along with Jingliu and Yinhaie, gave in, even though they seemed a bit unsure. The rest of their meeting unfolded in a quiet, subdued atmosphere. They ate, the weight of everything they'd heard sinking in, minds full of all the things they'd just learned. The silence between them wasn't awkward; it was the kind of silence where words felt unnecessary, almost heavy, after the conversations that had just taken place.
+-+
"We'll see you in a few months, Yasushi. Do your best before that time comes," Amaterasu said. Her tone held a weight to it, like there wasn't room for mistakes.
"Or hell, just fight a god or one of their lackeys if it comes to it!" Hachiman joked, though Yasushi could tell there was more to it than just a joke. The grin on his face wasn't as playful as it seemed.
Fujin stayed silent. So did Kojin, the God of Stoves, who hadn't spoken at all during the whole thing. He'd just watched. But now, finally, his voice came.
"Young man," Kojin began, catching their attention. His beard was long, streaked with gray, and his face carried a look of wisdom that came from centuries. "You know what has to be done." His words were calm. "I can see a bright future ahead of you."
The meaning behind his words wasn't clear, but they seemed to ease something inside Yasushi. Something he'd been carrying in his chest. He nodded, lowering his head one more time out of respect. Amaterasu raised her hands, and in an instant, the room shifted.
One moment, they were still in that place, and the next, the world turned, and they were standing back where they started, back in Ginsukimura. The sudden change hit like a punch, but it was familiar enough that Yasushi didn't flinch.
Yasushi glanced at Jingliu, then at Yinhaie, wondering if either of them wanted to say something about what had just happened. He could tell they had a lot on their minds. There was a pause before Jingliu finally spoke, her voice low.
"Can we hold off on talking about it for now? I just want to go home," she said, her thoughts clearly weighing her down. Yasushi didn't press her, just nodded.
"Yeah, let's head back."
The three of them made their way home that night, each lost in their own world of worries and thoughts. Yasushi couldn't shake the strange feeling that had settled in his gut after everything he learned. He didn't fully understand what the gods had in store for him, but that didn't mean he could ignore it either.
What he didn't realize, though, was that both Jingliu and Yinhaie were already thinking far beyond just the immediate. They didn't care if he had been reborn or if he had some past life hanging over his head. They were determined to keep him alive, no matter what. Even if it meant going up against gods themselves, they wouldn't let him die. Not now, not ever.