"Oooh my precious Kyoto... I'll miss you..." Furuya mumbled, rubbing a small fox plushie against his cheek as they sifted through the little trinkets. The shops were crowded with students trying to grab souvenirs, and today marked the last chance for them before heading back home.
"Once you graduate, you can come here whenever you want, idiot," Xinyi fired back, laughing at him. Furuya didn't bother looking up, just flipped her off with a quick middle finger, eyes still locked on the plushie.
Yasushi and his group were bouncing between shops, picking up gifts for their families and friends. Each of them had already snagged a few items, but they kept wandering, wanting to stock up more. Xinyi, with Yasushi by her side, had been quick to offer to cover the bill, which probably explained why they were still moving from one shop to the next.
"We've got eight hours left, people. Spend it however you want, but don't waste too much time. We've been at this for over an hour already," Yasushi chimed in, glancing around, reminding them of the time.
Yasushi felt a tug on his arm, and before he could react, Laura and Reina dragged him over to a nearby section. They both stood there, looking up at the shelf. "Which one do you think would suit us?" Laura asked, eyes fixed on him.
Yasushi raised a brow, glancing between the two, then grabbed a ribbon off the shelf. "Well…" He paused, eyes flicking to their hair and back to the ribbons. He handed them one, only to second-guess himself, switching the ribbons in their hands. "Opposites, I guess? Reina has blonde hair, so blue for her, and Laura... well, you've got blue hair, so maybe the yellow one."
Both girls stared at him for a beat, then burst into laughter. "Yeah, what Miss Anfeng and Yinhaie said was right... you're a disaster when it comes to fashion," Reina teased, putting the ribbon on her head anyway.
Yasushi let out an awkward laugh, scratching the back of his head. "Never mind, that looks terrible... my bad."
They laughed again, pulling him around, searching for more souvenirs. He went along with it, though a bit puzzled as to why they picked him for this instead of someone with actual style sense. But he didn't argue, following their lead.
They wandered into a section filled with toys for kids. Bright colors, stuffed animals, and little trinkets cluttered the shelves, drawing Reina's attention. Yasushi's thoughts flashed to her younger brothers, and before he even realized what he was saying, the words left his mouth. "Get whatever you want for your brothers. I'll cover it."
Reina blinked, caught off guard, but before she could respond, Laura nudged him in the ribs with a smirk. "Oh? Trying to score points with Reina now, huh? Got a thing for her, playboy?"
She kept pushing the joke, grinning, until Yasushi tapped her on the head with a soft karate-chop. "Enough already. I just want to help, even if it's just a little," he said, voice steady. Reina's situation wasn't a secret — everyone knew about her family. Chipping in was something they all did when they could.
Laura chuckled, a nod replacing her teasing tone. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'll throw in some money too. Go wild... but not too wild," she added, laughing awkwardly before stepping up to join Reina, both of them sifting through the toys, picking out what they could carry.
Once they finished shopping, the group gathered near the exit, bags in hand, checking out a few last-minute items before heading to the counter. Yasushi didn't hesitate to pay for the things Reina picked out for her brothers.
He also covered Jingliu's purchases, though they had a brief back-and-forth over who should handle the bill, with her trying to argue her side, but Yasushi ending up settling it.
With everything paid for, they left the store and made their way to a nearby spot to rest for a bit, sitting down after all that walking around.
"We still have a few hours to kill, like I mentioned earlier. How about we split up again and meet for lunch later?" Yasushi asked, glancing at the group as they settled in.
"Yeah, sounds good. I wanna go look around with Catherine for a bit," Furuya said, slinging an arm around Catherine's shoulders, pulling her closer.
"We talked about it last night, and I'm going to hang with the Chinese students. They want to see more of Kyoto, so I'm down for that," Laura added, with Reina nodding beside her in agreement.
Laura didn't waste time, though, grabbing Xinyi by the collar. "Which means... you're coming with us too," she said, yanking her along without waiting for an answer.
Xinyi's expression drained. "W-wait, I want to—" She started, trying to voice her protest, clearly hoping to go with Yasushi and Jingliu. Before she could finish, Laura pulled her away, ignoring her half-formed complaint, dragging her off without a second thought.
The rest of the group broke off soon after, heading in different directions for whatever they had planned. Yasushi quickly fished his phone from his pocket, realizing he hadn't given everyone details on where to meet for lunch. He sent out the location of a restaurant along with the time, knowing they'd scattered too fast for him to get it out earlier.
Once that was taken care of, he turned to Jingliu, offering his hand. "How about we squeeze in a quick Kyoto date?" he asked. She reached for his hand without a second thought, intertwining her fingers with his, as they walked away from the bustle.
+-+
Jingliu walked beside Yasushi, parfait in hand, her other linked with his. They wandered through a random Kyoto street, no destination in mind, just enjoying the sights. She took bites of her treat, one that Yasushi had bought for her earlier, while their path twisted through the unfamiliar cityscape.
Neither of them had bothered planning to visit any specific location, both content with just the quiet time together, especially after the whirlwind of chaos they'd dealt with in the past few days. The supernatural mess had stirred up plenty of problems, but now, at least, things felt calmer.
Their steps led them to a small park, one that didn't show up on any maps they'd looked at. A quiet place, tucked away from the busier parts of Kyoto, it seemed like a spot used by local families more than anything else. Seeing that they had some extra time before needing to meet back up, they stepped inside and took seats at the swing set, casually talking about nothing important.
"It looks like you two are actually getting to enjoy your trip now," came a voice that broke through their moment, pulling their attention. Yasushi and Jingliu turned their heads toward the sound. To their surprise, they saw Inari standing nearby. Gone were her fox ears and the shrine maiden outfit they'd become used to seeing her in.
She moved closer, stopping just in front of them, wearing a relaxed expression. "I've noticed you've been making the most of your time here since everything went down. I apologize for not stepping in sooner that day," she said, her tone almost conversational, like they were old friends catching up.
"Inari…what are you doing here?" Yasushi asked, his legs stilling the swing beneath him. Jingliu, seated beside him, watched quietly.
Inari didn't hesitate, stepping closer. "Just here to talk, the way you did with Sōjōbō not too long ago," she said. She crossed her arms for a moment, pausing. "Your graduation's approaching. So is the Banquet of the Gods. Sōjōbō already filled you in on some things, but there's more to it."
She glanced around, surveying the area, then waved her hand. The street noises that had buzzed around them dulled to a nothingness that felt thick and strange. "I've put a sound barrier up. We can speak freely now," she added, her gaze shifting between the two. "There are things you need to understand about the banquet."
Yasushi and Jingliu both nodded, their attention fixed on her.
"To begin with, most of the gods are either on your side or remain indifferent. That means you won't need to battle through every step of your case," she said, her eyes narrowing a little as she looked at Yasushi. "But Sōjōbō probably told you this already — you're different. Something about you doesn't fit neatly into this world's balance."
"What I learned from Amaterasu during our gathering in Takamagahara with the others," Inari said, her words slow as if considering how much to reveal, "is that only a few gods are truly opposed to your return to this world. But the ones you really need to sway are the Chief gods — the ones who lead the entire alliance. They hold all the weight in this."
She paused, shifting her stance slightly, giving a subtle glance toward the sky before looking back. "I'm a lesser deity. My influence doesn't carry much weight. But Amaterasu and I are close, and she tells me things... things I probably shouldn't know ahead of time. That's what I've gathered. You need to convince them. Make them believe you deserve this."
Yasushi's brow furrowed. "What about everything I've done so far to make up for it? Did it have any impact?"
"They did well. Gods that are more inclined to act favorably noticed it, and they are now leaning toward supporting your survival. Those who were previously neutral to you are now starting to lean in your favor, swayed by what has transpired. The ones who are against you? They remain unconcerned, indifferent, and unaffected. To put it plainly, it's an 80% to 20% split, leaning heavily toward letting you live," Inari explained, her words measured.
Yasushi's brows furrowed, a wave of confusion washing over him. "Wait, but Sōjōbō told me that 90% of the gods were either in favor of me or didn't give a damn. Why the sudden change?"
Inari's eyes narrowed as she explained further, "It's because the ones who were indifferent before are part of the remaining 10%. They now make up that 20%. Sōjōbō probably gave you a well-educated guess based on what he knew at the time. What I've given you comes directly from Amaterasu, which is more precise than the estimate Sōjōbō made. However, don't get too comfortable just yet. This could still change. It might even fluctuate during the banquet, so keep that in mind moving forward."
Inari turned around, the conversation seemingly over. She waved her hand, the invisible sound barrier around the small park dissolving. "I pray for your well-being, Yasushi. The next time we meet will be at the banquet. I do hope you survive," she said, walking away without another word.
The park fell silent. Yasushi and Jingliu stood still, neither saying anything. He glanced at her, noticing how she seemed even more shaken than him, her expression sinking deeper into sadness.
Yasushi rose to his feet, taking a step toward her. "Come on," he said, his voice calm. "Let's go. We need to take our minds off this... It's better if we enjoy the time we have. It'll be fine. I can pull through, I promise."
Jingliu looked up at him, her eyes brimming with concern. She fought back the urge to cry, refusing to appear fragile. She had always hidden her emotions, guarded herself tightly, but after everything they'd been through, after everything they'd shared, she couldn't keep it up around him anymore.
He raised his hand, offering it to her. She hesitated for just a moment before taking it. Yasushi pulled her to her feet, and she mumbled, "Okay," her voice barely above a whisper. She hugged him, resting her head against his chest. They stayed like that, standing there for a long while, Jingliu's thoughts racing wildly, before they finally left the park, trying to salvage whatever remained of the day.
+-+
Only an hour remained before Yasushi's class would leave for their home city, marking the end of their class trip to Kyoto. Yet, both he and Jingliu lingered at the edge of Mt. Kuruma, gazing at the landscape spread below. The afternoon sun hung overhead, but a cool breeze swept across the mountain's height, giving them some relief from the day's heat.
Jingliu clutched the red wooden rails as she stared at the scene before her, her thoughts drifting to the journey she'd been on. The days had been a mix of highs and lows, though this one seemed to have settled on a better note than the others. Even with Inari's grim warning about Yasushi's looming fate hanging over them, the atmosphere today seemed lighter.
Yasushi walked over, holding two drinks. He passed one to her without a word. They weren't alone at the peak; scattered around were a few tourists, resting before they made their descent. Some sat on benches, others leaned against the railing, catching their breath before continuing their journey down the mountain.
"You good?" Yasushi asked, planting a kiss on Jingliu's head.
She nodded, eyes downcast, and muttered, "Just... it's all a bit much." She leaned into him, pressing her face to his chest and letting out a long breath.
They stood there, the silence between them heavier than the weight of her words. After a moment, she spoke again, "Graduation's right around the corner, but it's not that. I'm more worried about everything else. It's... too much. I don't know if I can handle it."
Yasushi let her words settle, shutting his eyes for a second as he absorbed what she was saying. He got it. Everything about what they were wrapped up in, the mess with the supernatural, it scared the hell out of him. But he wasn't about to admit that to her. He had to hold it together for her sake, no matter what.
"Whatever happens at the banquet," he said, voice firm, "we'll deal with it when it comes. All I can do is fight to live through it. I just hope the gods hear me. I want to stay alive, be with you and everyone else, grow old... that's all I want right now." He pulled her closer, keeping her against him, as if holding on would keep everything from falling apart.
"...Yeah... you're right. Whatever happens..." Jingliu muttered, though her mind wasn't as settled as her words. Unwanted images pushed their way in — dark thoughts of everything going wrong. But she forced them out, clenching her fists for a moment, trying to focus. "We'll handle it all together, with everyone you've gathered."
"Exactly," Yasushi said, his tone lifting as he gave a small laugh.
They stood there for a while longer, the minutes slipping by, before finally turning to start their slow descent from Mt. Kuruma. The way back was quiet, their steps steady as they made their way to where their friends waited. Eventually, they returned to the inn where their class was staying, waiting for the bus that would take them home.
"There you two are!" Furuya said when he spotted them approaching. "Where'd you run off to?"
Yasushi scratched the back of his head, flashing a half-smile. "Oh, we went up Mt. Kuruma. Figured it was a good spot for some views, y'know?"
As he said this, he caught sight of Yinhaie walking up. "Still here?" he asked. "Thought you'd have headed home already."
Yinhaie stood before him, her arm still in a cast but her face relaxed, feeling better than before. "We sent your luggage home earlier this morning. All that's left are the bags you're carrying now, makes it simpler for the trip. I'm heading back now too. Heinz and Anfeng already left. I'll see everyone back home," she said, giving a short bow before turning to leave.
They watched as she got into the car, the vehicle pulling away and disappearing into the distance. Moments later, their own bus arrived, and the group started boarding, one by one. The teachers moved around, doing their headcount to make sure nobody got left behind.
When it was done and everyone was in their seat, the bus pulled away from Kyoto, taking them back to the city they'd all come from, the memories of this trip already beginning to settle into the past.