Kenshin began working in the kitchen, skillfully working on the meal, but Kira's constant nagging grated on his nerves.
"Master, let me help! I promise I won't ruin anything!" Kira insisted, standing on her tiptoes to peer over his shoulder.
Sighing, Kenshin finally relented. He grabbed a cutting board and some vegetables, handing them to her. "Fine. Chop these. But be careful."
Kira took the task eagerly, picking up a knife with surprising precision. Kenshin kept a cautious eye on her at first but soon noticed she was incredibly adept with the blade. The vegetables were sliced evenly and quickly, her movements fluid and confident.
"Kira," Kenshin said, raising an eyebrow, "you're… actually pretty good at this. I thought you'd make a mess."
Kira grinned, clearly pleased with herself. "What, you didn't think a princess could handle knives? I've been good at this since I was little. Cooking was one of my favorite things to do when I was bored back home."
Though still slightly surprised, Kenshin nodded, accepting her help as they worked together. After some time, the meal was ready, and the aroma wafted through the house.
Returning to the living room, Kenshin, Kira, and Kaede found the others still too drained to move on their own. Kenshin scooped Kana up into his arms with ease, while Kira helped Akane to her feet, and Kaede supported Yukari.
As Kenshin carried Kana, she grinned up at him mischievously. "You know, Ken-chan, you're kind of like a daddy to me. Always taking care of me so lovingly."
Kenshin sighed but couldn't suppress a playful smirk. "Shut up, Mom. Being called 'daddy' by my own mother feels… off."
Kana giggled, resting her head on his shoulder. "Why not? You're probably older than me in your mind anyway."
Kenshin exchanged a confused glance with Akane as he set Kana down on a chair. Akane shot him a knowing look and gave him a playful smack on the shoulder. "She told aunt Yukari, you know. Did you seriously think Mom could keep her mouth shut in front of her best friend? Mom is, after all, a child at heart."
Kana's grin faded as she pouted dramatically. "Akane-chan, that's too far! I'm not going to actually start calling him 'daddy.' That'd be weird, even for our family."
Her pout turned back into a teasing smile. "But I don't mind doing it once in a while. Especially since Ken-chan's embarrassed face is so cute—a rare sight for me."
Kenshin cleared his throat, his cheeks slightly red. "By that logic, I'd be… what, 34? Still three years younger than you, Mom." He glanced at Akane. "And you'd be 38—just a year older than her."
Akane nodded approvingly, enjoying the banter.
Yukari, sitting quietly with Kaede's help, raised a hand slightly to catch Kenshin's attention. "Kenshin-sama, Akane-sama… may I ask something?"
"Of course," Kenshin replied, his voice steady.
"How do you manage not to stand out?" Yukari asked respectfully. "From what I've observed, neither of you seem to act or feel like middle-aged individuals despite what's inside."
Kenshin shrugged, thinking for a moment. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I think it has to do with the fact that we didn't grow into adulthood the first time around. We've spent our childhoods twice now, so maybe that just… balances things out."
Akane nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's not like we had much time to mature the first time. At least he didn't, and I'd rather not talk about mine. And the second time around, we're stuck growing up alongside everyone else again."
Kana, fully settled into her chair, perked up. "Well, I think it's nice. You kids get to enjoy life twice. Not many people get that kind of opportunity!"
Kenshin chuckled softly. "Yeah, I suppose that's one way to look at it."
Kira, who had been listening with a smirk, leaned over the table. "Well, let's just enjoy this meal for now."
With that, they all turned their attention to the food, the teasing moment giving way to shared laughter and conversation as the family began to eat.
As Kaede and Kira took their first bites of the meal, their faces lit up with expressions of pure bliss. Kaede's usually composed demeanor melted as she closed her eyes to savor the flavors.
"This… is divine," Kaede said softly, her voice tinged with wonder.
Kira, less restrained, grinned widely. "Master, this is amazing! I didn't know human food could taste this good."
Kenshin chuckled. "It's just a simple meal. You two act like I've made some sort of feast."
"You underestimate your skills, Ken-chan," Kana chimed in, a playful smile on her lips.
The meal continued with lively chatter and laughter, and when everyone had finished, Kenshin rose from his seat, picking up the empty plates.
"I'll take care of the dishes," he said, starting toward the kitchen.
After the meal, Kenshin stood, gathering the dishes to clean them. But before he could take a step toward the kitchen, Akane grabbed his arm firmly, stopping him in his tracks.
"Young man," she said in a mock-stern voice, her grip unwavering. "You're not going anywhere."
Kenshin blinked, slightly confused. "But the dishes-"
"-can be handled by your so-called servants," Akane interrupted, casting a glance at Kaede and Kira. "Kaede, Kira, you're on cleanup duty."
Before either of them could respond, Akane stood, tugging Kenshin along. "Excuse us. I need this brat for a bit," she said with an innocent smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Without waiting for a response, she began dragging Kenshin upstairs.
Kenshin cast a confused glance back at the others, who merely watched in amused silence. Once in his room, Akane locked the door behind them, swiftly tossing her tool pouch and katana aside.
Before Kenshin could say a word, she closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms tightly around him and pulling him into a deep, passionate kiss. Her sudden intensity caught Kenshin off guard, but he didn't resist. Instead, he leaned into the kiss, matching her fervor.
When they finally pulled apart, Akane was slightly out of breath, her cheeks flushed. "How long has it been?" she asked, her voice soft but laced with longing.
Kenshin tilted his head, initially confused by her question. But after a moment, realization dawned on him. "Five... no, wait. Ten days probably. No... I think it's somewhere around 18 days. Yeah, definitely 18 days."
Akane smirked at his precise answer. But before she could say anything, Kenshin leaned in, capturing her lips in another kiss. This time, it was slower, more deliberate, as if he was savoring the moment.
When they parted again, Kenshin rested his forehead against hers, a soft apology in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Akane, but we can't... not right now. I still have to meet with the Hokage."
Akane frowned slightly but didn't pull away.
"I promise," Kenshin continued, his tone firm and sincere, "tonight, I'll make it up to you—all night, if that's what it takes. I won't let my dear sister feel lonely again, since my heart belongs to you."
Akane's frown melted into a small, satisfied smile as she nodded. "You'd better keep that promise, Kenshin. Or I'll have to make you regret it."
Kenshin chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I wouldn't dream of it."
They stayed like that for a moment, holding each other in silence, before Kenshin reluctantly pulled away. "I should probably head out soon. The Hokage didn't exactly give me a deadline but the sooner the better."
Akane sighed but nodded. "Fine. But tonight, you're all mine."
As Akane picked up her tool pouch and strapped it back onto her belt, Kenshin glanced at her hesitantly. "Akane, could I borrow your katana for a while? Mine got pretty badly chipped during the fight with Kaede."
Akane tilted her head, giving him a curious look, but then nodded. "Sure," she said, picking up her katana and handing it to him. "Just don't chip it too much."
"Thanks." Kenshin offered her a small smile before taking the weapon.
As he turned to leave, Akane picked up his katana from where he had left it, her curiosity piqued. Unsheathing the blade, her eyes widened in shock. The sword was in terrible condition, with chips that went as deep as one-third of the blade's width in some places.
She muttered to herself, "This sword is beyond saving. How did Kenshin even survive a battle like that? And just how strong is Kaede?"
Her gaze lingered on the damaged blade, and an idea sparked in her mind. She considered her current finances: the payment from their recent S-rank mission combined with her savings meant she had nearly half a million ryo on hand. It was more than enough to have something special made.
The Rinne Festival was in 15 days, and she had been racking her brain for the perfect gift for Kenshin. Now it was clear.
She could take this sword to Tenten's family weapon shop and have a new katana forged from it, incorporating as much of the original metal as possible. It would be both practical and deeply personal.
Akane recalled a conversation with Tenten about a year ago when she mentioned she could forge a sword from scratch in about three weeks. If Tenten focused her efforts, she could likely finish the weapon in less than two weeks.
A warm smile spread across Akane's face as she imagined Kenshin's reaction. He wasn't one for extravagant gifts, but something like this—a blade forged from his own katana—would be meaningful to him.
As she sheathed the damaged katana, a fond memory surfaced from their past life. She thought back to when she visited Tom's home with her family when she was 15, long before her stepbrother's abuse began.
Tom had excitedly shown her his computer. While most of the setup was standard, one part had caught her attention: his GPU. It was an old computer he'd gotten from their uncle, and the GPU had seen better days.
It was supported by a makeshift brace made from old pens, and instead of the usual GPU fan, he had rigged a CPU fan onto it with zip ties because the original fan wasn't cooling it properly. She remembered being half-amused, half-impressed by his ingenuity.
Letting out a soft chuckle, she realized how that memory encapsulated who Kenshin was—practical, resourceful, and always finding solutions that worked, no matter how wacky it seemed to others.
"Yes," she murmured to herself, determination shining in her eyes. "This will be perfect."
Tomorrow morning, she would head straight to Tenten's shop and get started on the katana. Now she just needed to think of a good gift her mom could give Kenshin.
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Once again, thank you everyone for your continued support and power stones. And as always, please give me your power stones and comment your opinions. They make a big difference and motivate me to write more.