ShipTeaser

  “So why am I here again?” Eri asked, looking at Daiyu ah a wry expression on her face. “I don’t think you need my help with what you’re pnning. Not in my curreh anyway.”

  At that Daiyu flushed a little, which made sense as I had sought her out and told her we o discuss Dao panions and Dual Cultivation. Even so, her expression was serene and resolute, as if she had no doubts. Which is amazing, as I’m full of doubts myself.

  “Actually you’d be surprised.” I answered, reassuring them. “But rest assured, we’re rgely just going to be talking tonight. It’s a shame Shaeu and Hyath are dealing with matters at the Spring, but you’ll do fine.”

  “I see, I’m sed, no third choice, huh?” Eri pouted, though her onyx eyes were sparkling with bitter humour. “Well, fialk huh? Disappointed, Daiyu?” she asked, and Daiyu frowrying to uand the Japanese. I then transted for her, and she shook her head.

  “I am beginning to uand his character, Eri. He is quite cautious when it es to itment.”

  “Really?” Eri raised an eyebrow. “I agree he used to be like that, but if you push hard enough he crumbles. He did for me, Shaeu, Hinata and the others. It’s only Hyath and Shiro who didn’t really ask him, though Hyath… well, trying to uand Hyath hurts my head sometimes. But she’s a good girl who deserves some happiness. I think you’re in that situation too, Daiyu.”

  At my transtion Daiyu looked a little surprised, but she bowed gratefully. “I have suffered loss and hardship yes, but life is full of sorrows. Only through adversity shall strength be fed. Though I admit…” she let out a soft, quiet giggle. “… I would have preferred a little less adversity.” Her expression turned serious. “But what is done is dohe will of the Heavens ot be turned aside so easily. Now I am here, and I thank you for your kind words. It must not be easy, a stranger such as I, one who is not even Japanese, ing into your lives and making demands. I am ashamed, but… I do nret it. The will of the Heavens is clear to me.”

  After that lengthy transtion Eri snorted, managing t a little, waving her one good arm. “Well of course nobody likes to share. Ordinarily love is between two people, right? But then ordinarily the world isn’t full of Fae, Yokai, Cultivators and more. I’ve been through this with Akio, but he doesn’t quite get it. He says the words, about making us all happy, but he’s still carrying some guilt. So this is probably a good time. We might as well use this opportunity to clear the air yet again, hopefully for the st time. He’s almost there, but he’s still got a few peculiar hang-ups. Daiyu, tell me holy, what do you like about Akio? I’ll tell you what I love.” She took a deep breath. “I love that he thinks of me. That’s all there is to it. Love is very simple, I found. Back when I was a child, and Akio and Aiko were the only friends I had, I didn’t even realise I was different to other people. Everyone, my parents, those at school, they just thought I was quiet, shy. And I suppose I am. Less so now.” she pursed her lips self-depregly. “But really, I had ay, selfish heart. But when Akio saved me, when he used to take me stargazing on the mountains, or to a festival, or even just listeo me talk about my day, asked me how I was doing, my quiet, empty heart felt full. That’s all there is to it. And when my empty heart was full, I wao spend my life with Akio and Aiko. Forever. And I wao make their hearts feel full, like mine did.”

  “So, you love Aiko too?” I said mildly, and she rolled her eyes.

  “Stupid. Of course I love Aiko. Not like I love you. I’m not bisexual. Girls love girls without it being about lust. Look at Motoko and Natsumi. You ’t tell me they don’t love each other.”

  That’s true. I thought they might have loved each other in a sexual way as well, but from when we made love, it seems not. But their bonds are definitely deep. “I know. I was just joking. There’s lots of types of love. Family, romantic, more.”

  “Well, my love for Aiko is deeper than familial. After all… we’ve shared so mual people never do. All this.” She gestured with her good arm. “I hardly wait until Aiko graduates so she move to Tokyo ah us. We’ll have adventures, spend time together, ugh and cry. And not just with Aiko. Shaeu and the others too. The good thing is… all the others are easy to love. Shaeu especially, she’s a force of nature that ged our world, isn’t she? Without her, we’d have stayed apart, you’d never have made it as far as you have… really, she should be your first wife, not me.”

  Daiyu watched us as I transted rapidly. The versation was intense, so I tried a little trick I had been thinking of. Using Split Thoughts I used wind element to create vibrations in the air, mimig sounds. It was fiddly and difficult, and my first efforts sucked, though it gradually became intelligible, though Daiyu frow the lousy at and pronunciation. Still, I’ve created real-time transtion. And it’s excellent practice for Split Thoughts. Split Thoughts was one of my most powerful skills, as it let me perform multiple tasks at ohough obviously they had to be rgely mental, as it wasn’t as if my body duplicated.

  “I get it.” Eri tinued. “Shaeu enjoys standing beside us, pushing us onwards. Whether that’s because of her upbringing, or because she’s a Fae, I just don’t know. But I do know if I’m ever in trouble I turn to her. The others too… Shiro still makes me jealous, I ’t help it. You’ve shared so much of your adult life with her I don’t know about, but… she’s just so… fht. There’s no lies with her, no masks.”

  “That’s only ret. She used to hide all her fears, her pains. But now…”

  “Now she’s free.” She eyed Daiyu. “I filled my empty heart. Shaeu found someone who would accept and support her for who she was. Hyath found someone who would love her despite her past and broken nature. Hinata found someone who sees that she’s noble as anyone else, and is willing to back her dreams. Motoko and Natsumi found a way to avoid sacrifices, and also remain together. Shiro… I think Shiro needs someone like Akio, someone who will accept any absurdity. And she found someone who truly uands her heart. Tsukiko-san, she found someone who would face the world for her, and would even try and turn aside death. Kana-… well, Kana- is the most puzzling. She’s an ordinary girl, who finds herself loviraordinarily…”

  Hang on a minute. “I think you’ve got a couple of unnecessary here.” I pointed out, and Eri shook her head, a proper firm shake, though she grimaced in pain doing so.

  “No. We’re not doing this. I’m not letting you py the na?ve idiot anymore. It’s frustrating. I have made my peace with most of it, though I admit I have to get over my jealousy with Shiro. This is Polygamy. It’s never going to run smoothly. You’ll be soling various girls, soothing our worries aing squabbles for the rest of your life. Get used to it. But in exge, you have the love of some of the fi girls in the world. I have to believe that. That I’m a match for Shaeu, Shiro, Hinata, the others… otherwise I have no business being with you, and I ’t bear that. So, Daiyu here wants to join our circle. It’s too te to worry about one or two more now. But… I want everything sorted. Dragging this out is only hurting everyone.” She paused. “When you went looking for Daiyu, Kana- came and spoke to me. She retty upset at you being so iive. You be a jerk sometimes, you know. Don’t you like Kana-?”

  “Of course I like Kana. What’s not to like? But… it’s a case of need, isn’t it?” I said, a subject I’d thought about too much.

  “No, it’s a case of liking.” Eri disagreed. “You know she likes you. She’s taken the risk to say so a number of times. And that’s hard.” Eri’s eyes went distant. “I was really scared when I fessed to you, you know. If you said no… I’d have beeated. I’m not sure how I would have recovered from that. But… I would have had to. Just because someone fesses you don’t have to accept them, do you? That’d be stupid. But… it’s worse to not give closure. You know, I’m getting a bad feeling something is going to happen soon.”

  “Is that Fht?” I asked, and she shook her head.

  “Well, I don’t think everything in life is about stats, Akio. Even before you got any, you were still a hero to me. Perhaps it’s just everything that’s happened retly, but… I worry.” Eri said early. “But, put aside Kana- for the moment.” She looked at Daiyu, who had been listening to my wind-transtions ily.

  “Daiyu, I want you to be ho. Well, I think you always are. You don’t seem a liar, you’ve too much pride for that.” Eri tinued. “You’ve said you want to be Akio’s Dao panion. That’s like marriage, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.” Daiyu agreed. “Though…” she paused, unsure of how to say what she wanted.

  “It’s all right.” I sighed. “Eri is right. I o be clear. I’ve rgely stopped feeling guilty about polygamy now. I genuinely believe I make those I love happy. Whether that’s arrogant or not I don’t much care. But what I do worry about is whether I’m splitting myself too thin. That’s ohing I ’t ge, there’s only one of me. To think I’d be surrounded by a lot of geous women and girls who seem to want me, despite all of you already. It makes me uain. So… we o be clear, Daiyu. Though whatever happens, I’ll proted help you, a you enough Spirit Water to improve your Foundation. You don’t have to do anything but reach your potential, and use yifts for the good of the world, Japan and your Sect.”

  “That’s not being clear.” Eri said. “Though it’s very like you.”

  “I shall speak. Eri, you are right. Dao panions are a sacred bond. Not every Cultivator finds a Dao panion they share their lives and Dao with. But there is no greater fort or joy. Love breaks, couples separate, but our Dao, they endure.”

  “Not ours, it doesn’t break.” Eri disagreed. “That’s part of the issue. Akio, I’d be really sad if you were the sort of man who slept around, looked at girls lightly. But versely, it means that you end up too passive, led into things. That’s bad too. I thought that after Shiro, you’d got better, but there’s still problems. You believe that every woman now you accept will stay with you forever. And we all io. But we never know the future. Some of us could die, or fall out of love. Not me.” She insisted. “But you have to prepare for that.”

  “I have.” I sighed. “I know it isn’t fair, me having all you girls and demanding faithfulness. Well, I guess that’s just how men are. How I am, anyway. I’m hardly an expert in romance. But then, you and Shaeu both told me that being so pathetic about it just hurt everyone, and demeaned you all, and your resolve and feelings.”

  “And she’s right. I’m right.” Eri agreed. “We’re not idiots falling for you for no reason. Sure, some reasons were perhaps less sensible that others, but we’re all our own people, and we chose this, chose you. But Akio… we have to accept reality. Not everything in our lives are perfect. Look at me right now. You think I want to be like this? But life is about making an effort, right? I’m not a passive, gy girl anymore. Because if I was, eventually I’d end up alone. We’re not normal. Our paths go beyond what we could have imagined before. So, Daiyu…” she tinued her questioning.

  “Don’t you think that this talk of Dao panions and Dual Cultivation are just ways to pressure Akio into accepting you?” she narrowed her eyes.

  “I disagree.” Daiyu said immediately. “In fact, I am a little affronted. I genuinely believe that Akio is the one for me. You are not a Cultivator, you do not uand our ways, our Fates. I am in awe of his skills, his drive to improve. I have always been a prodigy, respected by others but never liked. Even the rare few others who broke Foundation Realm at my age were behind me in skills. I never… I never had somebody I could pete with early, research with, share triumphs and failures with. Then, in my lowest point, when I was alone in a fn nd, my Sect destroyed, I met Akio. And I knew. He was the one I did not even know I was searg for.”

  “So, it’s all about power, this Dao of yours then?” Eri pressed, and Daiyu shook her head.

  “Perhaps in the past it would have purely been about that. Cultivation was my all. I certainly would never have sidered Dual Cultivation, sidering it beh me.” She paused, face pink. “I fess, it is a Teique that was much derided in Kunlun, and that stigma has persisted through to this day with the new Great Sects, even though it is wildly effit in allowing males and females to share their Qi, especially Yin and Yang. But often those who take this path are those whle with other Teiques, or those that have a promiscuous nature. Most do not have a Dao panion, that deep e.”

  “So why you then?” Eri asked. “I ’t believe you are one who isn’t skilled enough to use other Teiques. You are a prodigy after all. Or is it you just felt you had to offer something?”

  “No.” she shook her head as I watched the two verse via my transtions. They were very different people, Eri a rgely ordinary girl, who had accepted the absurdity of our lives to get what she wanted, and Daiyu, an ascetic, disciplined, dedicated martial artist who already khe impossible, hidden side of the world. I have accepted Daiyu as someoo protect. Dao panions… well, that’s perhaps another matter. “I am not ied in bribes. Though I fess that strengthening each other is a wele prospect.” She smiled then, a full, genuine one. “I wish my Dao panion to be strong, and kind. I am not promiscuous, I have never really sidered romance, up until I lost everything. Now… I seek a family, no, closer than that. Really…” she reached out a hand, toug my cheek, and I didn’t stop her. “I do not see why you uch fidence. You do not believe I could like you so soon, do you?”

  “Well, he doesn’t see himself objectively.” Eri agreed. “I get it. I liked the modest, self-effag Akio, even if it frustrated me. It matched my personality better, but it also stopped us getting together. It took Shaeu rocketing into our lives, spreading her fideo ge that. But Akio’s fidence is a fragile thing. Though retly it is starting to bloom.” As Daiyu stroked my face gently, tenderly, her dark eyes meeting mine, I really sidered her.

  “Hinata was thrilled you stood up for her and yhts with the nobility. I know you like win-wins, even wins where you lose a little so that both sides profit in the end. And that extends to your retionships as well. Else you never would have accepted Hinata, Motoko or Natsumi. Or even me.” Eri’s smile was bitter. “It’s hard ging how you see someone, and I was always another younger sister to you. Not anymore though.” she said proudly to Daiyu. “I won my war, Akio sees me as a woman he loves, and the same goes for the others. You… you o step over that gap.”

  “I genuinely wish for you.” Daiyu reiterated. “I never saw my Dao panion, if I even thought of him, having other panions, wives. But… as I have said before, I accept it. It is not like I do not know what you are, what is expected of me. I find you handsome, kind, supportive, intriguing… my chest feels tight when I look at you, and you make me feel safe, despite the desperate battles we have fought together.”

  “Well, most of that is likely because of what you’ve suffered.” I told her, and she agreed, both hands on my faow, holding me, looking deep into my eyes.

  “Of course. But we are what we have endured. After all, those that ot endure will shatter, and their Dao shall break. However my feelings came about, they are true. I… I wish to be with you. Do you not desire me, like me? What I do to make you like me, want me?”

  “Not just Daiyu. It’s time to get things sorted.” Eri sighed. “Daiyu, I appreciate your hoy. I support you. I think that you’d fit in with us. We could be your family. I never saw myself being so open, not when I railed against Shaeu so, but that was jealousy, uainty. I was just insecure. Now I know that Akio will always love me, spend the long life Shaeu has promised with me, with us.”

  Daiyu nodded, releasing my face, a touch regretfully, I thought, the lingering warmth of her hands on my cheeks.

  “Yes, Akio, you’ve been rotten to Kana-. You rejected her in such a half-assed way it hurt to see. And you keep giving her hope. I get you don’t uand why she likes you, which makes it hard for you to sider her in turn. But fet that. I uand her quite well. She roteg herself with a false, selfish shell her whole life. It’s hard being pretty, I know that. I hid from others, she presented a wall. Sure, she’s a bit of an annoying girl at times, but I know… her i in you isn’t just for what she get anymore. She’s like Aiko. She wants te her own path, but a path you’ll respect, be proud of. She’s a fool, but aren’t we all?”

  “I know. It’s just so hard to uand…” I pined.

  “No, it’s easy to uand. It doesn’t matter why. Kana- likes you. So… what matters is how you feel about her. But I think I’m approag this wrong. Ugh, I wish Shaeu was here, she’s good at expining these sorts of things.” Eri rubbed her eyes tiredly with her good hand. “I really hought I’d have to py matchmaker for you, Akio. It should be a bitter feeling, but I find I’ve already accepted this. We’ll try another approach.”

  Yeah, I know I have to sort Daiyu’s status. I get that. But… no, Eri’s right. I have beey awful to Kana. But I do know why… “All right. I get it. This might be a good time to hash everything out. But I have tried, haven’t I?”

  “Yes, you have. But I still find it hard to scrape up any sympathy for you.” Eri smirked. “If you wanted an easy life, you should never have left Nishimorioka and just married me. We’d have had a quiet life, I’d be a housewife, you’d be in a modest job. We’d be poor and happy, having a couple of children, a boy and a girl maybe, and we’d have to look after Aiko too, she’d be no good without us.” she sighed. “I could have loved that life. But that’s not the o. Instead, I’m going to love this one. But you have to resolve yourself as well. I don’t want you to be the sort of man ts girls recklessly, strings them aloher take them or reject them. Don’t be like that trash that was h around Aiko ba Nishimorioka. You’re better than that.”

  Ugh, like Kenji-san, huh? No, I never want to be that sort… “You’re right.” I admitted. “I’ve been selfish.”

  “Well, being selfish is fine. We’re all selfish, and you’ve earned a little selfishness. But do it right.” Eri sighed. “So Yae-san, Rika-san. Do you want to go out with either of them? Well, Yae-san would say she was your first date, and it annoys me that’s teically true, but nothing happehere, did it?”

  “No. it didn’t.” I promised. “It was just showing a younger girl a good time, like I would for Aiko. Just some dinner and a little gift. As for dating them…” No, they’re niough and friends of my sis and Eri, but I don’t know them that well. They feel like friends or younger retives, not anything more.

  “Or Kana-’s friends and the other shrine maidens?” Eri pressed, not letting me sidestep the tangled web of retionships I was weaving.

  No, I mean, they all seem to be good girls, and I feel rather guilty towards Hotene-san and Keomi-, sihey got so hurt and traumatised, but… I don’t really have any i ihat way. I want to see them grow, flourish, but… that’s all. Shaking my head, Eri smiled in triumph.

  “Now rogressing. We went through this before, where you told us the truth, about wanting Shiro, despite already having us. That was good. But you’ve been backsliding, and as first wife, I should be the oo talk to you about it. So, how about Karen-, or Haru-san?”

  “Karen- huh? It wouldn’t feel right. I’m her employer, and she’s had a bad time with her previous employer and harassment. She likes her career now. No.” I shook my head. “As for Haru-san, that’s worse. You know how she’s suffered. I could never betray her trust like that, I respect her too much for that. I’ll not do anything that’ll jeopardise her newfound happiness.”

  “Hmm.” Eri looked at me, thinking. “All right. Iing. Well then, what about Tsukiko-san?” she said, and I paused at that, remembering her death, the kiss she snatched, the look she gave me.

  That… Tsukiko-san… how do I feel about her? She was beautiful and tragid heroid she deserved happiness, so much so that most of my struggle in Kyoto had been desigo save her life. I had been prepared to marry her, even if it was a sham, but instead, she had given me a great gift, part of her identity. “I…” my mouth closed as I fro, really thought about it. “… the thought of her being unhappy, of not being rewarded, it makes me angry, unhappy. I am determio make sure she returns and that she lives the life she wants. I have to admit… she’s truly geous too, almost unreal. Shiro’s as beautiful, but Shiro feels alive, vivacious, whereas Tsukiko-san is ephemeral, somehow sad. I hate that.”

  “Of course you do. Daiyu, what do you think?” Eri asked.

  “That sounds rather like love to me.” Daiyu agreed with Eri. “You wish for her happiness, you desire her, find her beautiful.”

  “No, it’s not love, it’s sympathy.” I shook my head.

  “And you don’t imagine holding her, soothing away her tears? Akio, you’re deliberately evading the truth again. For you, love is rooted in sympathy and passion a lot of the time. It’s something I feel bad about, but I’ll never regret. But that’s not all. We’ll tinue. How about Princess Mikasa?”

  I nearly choked at that. “Why Yukiko-san?”

  “Well, firstly, calling her Yukiko-san is pretty suspicious.” Eri snorted wryly. “But more importantly, Shaeu and Shiro are two of these Six Princesses Tsukiko-san told you about, right? Two is a bit early to be a pattern, but I’m still wary you’ll end up with the others too.”

  “Holy, I really don’t know her all well. I’ve even spoken to Daiyu a lot more, but I liked her. She’s a bit quiet and withdrawn, except when she’s with Tsukiko-san, and I know she worries about the burden of her role as Amaterasu’s Chosen, as well as being Imperial Princess, but when I’ve talked to her we’ve got on quite detly. I think we be friends, and we’ll have to spend more time together as time goes on, in both the Boundary and the political sphere.”

  “All right. I get it. Well, how about Moira and those two flirty elves?”

  More? All right… “Well, I find Soliteare and Belera a bit… ugh, too pushy. I feel like they are eying me up like meat on a grill. Don’t get me wrong, they’re geous, but…their pursuit is a bit off-putting, and I’m not into more arranged marriages. Moira, I like her a lot. She’s all business, petent and a career woman. She’s easy to talk to as well. And the fact she has no i in me is almost rexing…”

  “Yes, the pieces are ing together now, wouldn’t you agree?” Eri said to Daiyu, who giggled a little.

  “I see why you are asking all these questions. Making him think, making him analyse. It is a very Cultivator-like mi.”

  “So, onto the big question. What do you think of Kana- and Daiyu?” Eri said at st. “And I’m asking about what you think, not why you think they might ht not like you, or have any reason to.” She paused, looking at me early. “If I seem like I’m pushing you, I’m sorry. But… I feel like I’ll lose my pce if I don’t. I’m your first, I uand you better than anyone else. I know it! You’ve rgely stopped making those ents about how you’re a sinful man or a cheat, which is good. They piss me off. But… you still don’t uand the hearts of women.”

  “Yes. To say that I do not know you well enough or have good enough reason to wish you as my Dao panion is quite the insult to me.” Daiyu agreed. “And to yourself. It is disastrous to be arrogant and overestimate oneself, but equally poisonous to the soul to be too humble. Accept the truth about yourself, and you uand others.”

  Wise words. “Fine. We’ve e this far. Kana… obviously we’ve not known each other long, but I’ve spent a det amount of time w with her. When we first met… I thought she was very pretty. And I liked her fidence.”

  “Arrogance. She was so irritating when I first met her.” Eri grimaced. “So prickly and self-important, and so fake. But…”

  “… well, I’m not a girl, so I don’t see these things. But what I do see… she’s gone from a girl who only wao py around to ohat works very hard, far beyond what I could reasonably expect from her. She’s shouldered the burden of being a Chosen, ae my bluhat almost ruined her, with the yakuza… she’s never bmed me for that. I respect her a lot, and she’s fun to be around, her humour reminds me a bit of Aiko’s.”

  “So… you like her?” she pressed me.

  “I do. But… is that enough? She’s not like Hinata or Motoko, she…” I paused as Daiyu shook her head, disappointed. Eri echoed her.

  “We said you shouldn’t worry about her choices. Not every girl you like has to be a damsel in distress, or need you to solve all her problems. Nor do you have to think about carrying their entire life. Say you met Kana- in a normal world, a normal café, and you hit it off… could you see yourself dating her, if she was ied?”

  A normal world. Say I was out with my sis, and we ran into Kana. We talked, we hung out… she fessed she liked me… somebody I didn’t know, didn’t feel responsible for… “I maybe wouldn’t have refused, back before all this. I’d have certainly thought about it.” I admitted, and Eri nodded.

  “Of course not. I happen to think I’m prettier, but… I fess, not by much. Others might disagree as well.” Eri gave her a pliment. “More to the point, you need her in your life.”

  “Why?” I asked, and Eri sighed, exging a long gh Daiyu. Why do I feel like I’m having to transte a long serious of lectures and pints about me? Oh well…

  “Because you need a girlfriend who is fun, not tied down by emotional baggage. One who you don’t jump te, shouldering her whole life. Kana- likes you, but she doesn’t need you. You see that as a ive, but I think it’s far from that. Just… hang out sometimes, go on dates, talk and have fun. And if in the end it doesn’t work out, well, you still have us, and Kana- will always have the memories.”

  “That’s unfair to her. I pn to treat everyone equally...” I protested, though her words did resoh me. Kana’s rexing to be around. I don’t feel stressed when with her or her friends, but with Kana it’s easy, fortable. That’s probably why I’ve been unfair to her. I liked what we have now and didn’t want that to ge, to have to shoulder her life. Despite that, I’ve already ged her life, made her a Chosen. I was wrong. “… but, everyone is different, aren’t they?”

  “As long as we each believe you love us the most, whether it’s true or not, we’re happy. I think Kana- would be happy to win you. People don’t ge so easily. It’s why she won’t go any further in asking you out like we did. She’s said she likes you, but she wants to be like Shiro, one you chase. That would validate her pride and her sense of selfishness. She doesn’t need you to carry her whole life, though she does need you to like her. In the end, I know you better than anyone, I’m sure of it. And I know you like Kana-.”

  “Well…” my arguments against it were rather hollow. Legally, we had ged the w. I could date and marry freely. Eri and Shaeu supported Kana, and I myself was rather fond of her. It wasn’t love, though I liked her a lot, and was genuinely attracted treat figure and looks, and her personality was so easy and fun, the sort boys liked, as Eri would say… I didn’t love Hinata at first, but I let her parents pressure me inte. Now I’d kill for her. Motoko and Natsumi too. I like Kana now a lot more than I liked them at the time… “…I have been unfair to her. Shit. Well, I’ve had a lot on my mind.”

  “That’s true. So, what are you going to do?” Eri pressed.

  “I’ll ask her out. Properly. No pressure.” I promised.

  “Good. Don’t jump straight te like you did with us. Though I expect it’ll end up that way in the end.” Eri rolled her eyes. “Now just hope you haven’t upset her so much she turns you down. If she does, I’d ugh at you having missed your ce. But it won’t happen. Tell her what you like about her, like you told us, and she’ll be thrilled.”

  “All this aill haven’t addressed the main point.” I scratched my head, embarrassed. But I actually feel better, oddly enough. It has felt strange, Kana being so clearly into me, the way our retionship was going. I have to remember that I fought to ge the w just so I could be happy, make my girls happy. What’s one… no, two more? “Daiyu’er, I still think that Dual Cultivation is too soon. But… there’s a lot to like about you. It’s not just sympathy, though I admit Eri’s right, a lot of my feelings seem to be rooted in that. But… objectively, you’re stunning, and you’re brave, dedicated… I’ve already said this. Shit. Daiyu’er, I didn’t say it right before, but if you are sure, and you accept that I’m a man who will have many loves, so I only give you your share… then I would ask you to be my girlfriend. I don’t know about Dao panions, or what it entails, but I’ll learn, and if I think it’s something I want to be with you, then I’ll not hesitate.” Okay, I actually feel better. Eri was right. Who am I to judge their feelings? I only o judge my own.

  Daiyu’s smile lit up the room, her eyes shining. She bowed to me in Cultivator fashion, before leaning over and giving me a kiss on my lips, her face scarlet. It was rather chaste, not a deep one, but even so, I could feel her siy. “Finally. Your words are resolute. Akio, I Zhao Daiyu, Matriarch of the Incorruptible Jade, am hohat you would ask me to be yours, as I wish you to be mine. Finally, we begin te our path through the Dao together, seizing power from the Heavens, though…” she looked at Eri, great respe her eyes. “… not merely for each other. We are a family. We shall strengthen and protect each other, and any others who may join iure, and our children.”

  “Well said.” Eri approved. “Well, it’s obvious that Tsukiko-san will be a part of this. Really, she’s so textbook a girl Akio would love it’s kind of annoying. Well, I certainly live with it. As for the other ao his questions…” they exged gnces and smiled. “… well, we had best report to Shaeu and the others. Really, I don’t want to have to start f a rota. It’s lucky we’re all so busy…”

  Tsukiko-san? Well, I ’t lie to myself. I think about her dyiion sometimes. I don’t know if she will want to find her own path through life, but if she does want to hold our hands… I ’t turn that down. Not now.

  ********

  “Well, this is rather ter than pnned. We got side-tracked. But…” I said as we were in the Boundary in a fortable room in one of the kobold-built dwellings. “… Daiyu’er…”

  “Call me Daiyu. I would be addressed as the others.” She said, tinged pink.

  “All right. Daiyu. I still think Dual Cultivation is unnecessary. Just because we are dating now, together, it doesn’t mean we have to rush. You’re mature for ye, and yes, you are old enough for marriage, but… you’re still young. It makes me feel a little unfortable.” Just like with Hinata. I mean, a little skinship is fine, but going all the way…

  “Such a fool.” Daiyu scoffed affeately, befrasping my hand in hers. “I have made my decision. Power… power is to be used. I would put the arts to use, even those looked down on with s.”

  “Yes, well, I get it. You want to be strong. But Akio doesn’t want to risk acts.” Eri backed me up.

  “That’s right. It seems you gain Yang Qi by refining light element, and if you ’t do that, I teach you. But more importantly… you helped us out trying to map the differences and simirities in our bodies, and I noticed something. Kana gave me the st push though. Really…” I used aether to dispy my own and Eri’s lunar chakras with an illusion of pretty lights. “Isn’t this very much like a Dantian? With Eri’s you ’t really tell, though it increases the aether she gee and possess within her Astral body, but with mine…” I poio all the elements I possessed except wood, which were swirling around and within the lunar chakra, and pared it to the fun of Daiyu’s proto-Dantian. “When I push my Eye, I see there are definitely differences. But the simirities are more striking. So… I wanted us to explore other ways to gain you strength.”

  “Why?” Daiyu asked, genuinely puzzled. “It will strengthehe tags and scrolls were clear. I have no shame, I am not one who will offer my body recklessly. Only to you. There is no reason to reject it.”

  Eri had a plicated look on her face. “Akio, it’s not much different to when we first had sex, is it? Thanks to that my body ged, right? Back then we didn’t have Chirurgery, we were doing it the painfully hard, slow way…”

  “Behind my back. I’m still a little annoyed about that, though I accept Shaeu was thinking of us all.” I pined.

  “Look. It’s just another simirity, right? Lovers’ Link. Through that I’m able tthen myself. I gain levels, and I always draw on a little bit of your strength.” She looked at Daiyu, looking sly. “A little bit of Akio’s strength goes a long way. Besides, I think you’ll know soon. Akio, you share Lovers’ Link with Daiyu now, the two levels, like you do with Aiko? And you visualise it?”

  “You’re well used to this.” I said, my idea having been simir.

  “Of course. I’ve known you forever.” Eri fided pridefully. “But it’s not even that. We’re all learning together, to be stronger.”

  I trated, and looking at Daiyu, who was now waiting expetly, her solemn, almost unreadable expression definitely oinged with excitement, her cheeks faintly flushed, I felt a warmth in my heart that wasn’t just pity and a o protect her. Really, Daiyu would be a dream girl for many. Strong, proud, beautiful… my gaze strayed to Eri, who snorted, reading my thoughts as she seemed to do often.

  “Enough stalling. I see you’ve ged the way you look at her, it’s in your eyes, your body nguage. Before, even though you said you’d accept her, whealked about Dao panions, your heart wasn’t in it. So stupid.” Eri pined, her ears and tail flickerilessly. “When I’m healed, I want a holiday. Just the two of us. it doesn’t have to be for long, just a weekend. But I deserve it. Having to help you with your love life is a very plicated feeling.”

  “Sure. But don’t you want Aiko to e as well?” I asked, promising her.

  “No, not this time. Just the two of us.” she insisted, and I nodded.

  “All right then. Here goes…” Feeling for my skill, the strands of strength within Kin Bonding aoration, I looked into my heart, seeing affe for Daiyu aruggles. Moments ter a shining series of strands appeared, barely visible to my Eye, which I increased the iy of with aher-driven illusion. I could see the strands eg me to Eri as well, though she had a thicker one of a surprisingly simir nature, which my Eye then read as her Spirit Pledged css. This is fasating, but…

  As the strands shone, creeping closer to the fasated Daiyu, I noticed aangle. Eri was also tied in with the spirit light of Ginneka. It was a different sort of bond, but one deep heless. But that was for ter. Daiyu shivered, her greater uanding of her own body, driven by the legacy of thousands of years of Cultivation and an unstinting drive to develop herself, protesting the intrusion, but she blinked her dark eyes at me, before allowing the e, and for a moment I could indeed feel her certainty that I was the Dao panion she was seeking. That’s… f. But her emotions, they are surprisingly sweet and naive. pared to how worldly and battle-ready she is in terms of her Cultivation, socially… she’s rather awkward.

  “I see. You do cherish me. Though I would fan those fmes far higher.” Daiyu was likewise invaded by a small deluge of my feelings as our bonds ected, threads linking our existences like miniature silver cords. “I wish to be desired, as well. If we are to partake in Dual Cultivation, then…” she trailed off, rather pink.

  “Enough of that.” I said, though for different reasons to before. “I’ve told you, I don’t want to be reckless with your body. If we caused you… ah, Cultivatioion, my Eye said…” I remembered the term I had seen before fainting as I looked at her proto-Dantian. “… I couldn’t live with myself. A Daiyu who isn’t able to Cultivate wouldn’t seem right.”

  “He knows what to say to please me.” After the wind transted my words, a far easier task in the Boundary, Daiyu looked at Eri happily. “Why does he make everything so difficult?”

  “That’s just how he is. He’s surprisingly stubborn at times. When he accepted Shaeu, that would be the st. Then Hinata. Thehers. Then Shiro at the end. The same pattern each time. Really, it’s not about how many but why. But we’ve talked it out.” Her feline ears flickered as she looked at me sternly. “No more of this stupidity. Promise me.”

  “I promise.” I mawo pairs of bck eyes watg me ily. “Really, I’ve had a lot to take in these past few months. I’ve had to accept fighting and killing, making choices that could cost lives, lead to wars, and try and bance difficult decisions like what to do with Nie Ling’er. But accepting how I feel about you girls, finding a way to make it work, both for my sd my heart, and all you girls and your hearts too, which gets harder with every newer… that was toughest of all.”

  “Which is why Shaeu wanted me to be first wife. Well, it was a mixture of her not wanting the responsibility, and also to stop me dying from jealousy, but it really was because she could trust me to help you manage us all too.” Eri promised. “But enough. Daiyu, how is it?”

  Daiyu was blinking, surprised, moving her body. “I feel somewhat stronger. Definitely.” She firmed. “And my ability to absorb Qi, it has increased tangibly. I also…” her face was red again. “No. Later.” She looked at the bonds we shared made tangible by my illusions. “So, we are ected. This is…” she reached out, her hands passing through my illusions, scattering them for a moment, though the actual bonds remained unharmed. “… perhaps it is what it is like to be a Dao panion, of a sort. Not bonded by our shared Dao, but bonded heless. I find it… f.”

  “We all do. When I was alone in Nishimorioka, and Shaeu was with Akio, I was so jealous, but I could always tell through our shared link that he cared for me. Sometimes fshes would e through, when I was desperate, or scared. Now it’s much more potent. I feel his love any time I want.” Eri said, surprisi that she raised an eyebrow. “What? You aren’t the only one learning. I’ve lived with this since before my birthday. Of course I was going to learn how to use it. And when I want reassurance…” she said to Daiyu. “… I let my mind drift, and I feel it. Why not try it? You’re a prodigy, right, with experien these sorts of things.”

  “That I am.” Daiyu said proudly. “Though perhaps I have been tant. I sidered our Sect to be the greatest of all, a is dust, while the traitors and turncoats remain, ughing at our fall. But dust be fed anew into stone. As it is with our meeting. Much be fed from nothing. Love perhaps.” I could see her Refining the surroundiher into aether in much the normal way we did, pulling it through her oddly malformed root chakra, around thirty pert of the resultiher cirg through her body as normal. The remainiher was ed by her proto-Dantian, being slightly modified. This energy she then passed through her body, trol deft, far more skilled than I was at the start of my clumsy fumblings with Ortlinde and Shaeu. “Ah, I feel it.” she said, and so did I, like a tingling along my spihe edge of my mind, like small fingers lightly toug me. I could feel curiosity, amusement, and happiness, as well as need and underlying sorrow.

  “Yes, I like that very mudeed.” Daiyu said as she released her Qi. “It is most reassuring as you say, Eri.”

  “I told you.” She said smugly. “Really, there isn’t any reason to fret. Keepis between each other, when we are bonded like this… we always know. Of course, that doesn’t mean we always solve the problems we find easily, Akio’s deep-rooted o prioritise those who need him rather than those who love him shows that.” She snickered a touastily, before her gaze softened. “But I promise to stop pining about it. You’ve done as I asked and thought about it. So… we’ll see how it goes.”

  “It is like extending my Qi to seher Qi and living beings.” Daiyu mused. “The principle is the same, but far more intricate. But the bonds themselves… they are of Qi, but not quite Qi. It truly is fasating.” Her Cultivator soul was boiling with anticipation at delving into the mysteries preseo her. And damn is it cute. Shit. Eri’s totally won here. From now on, just like I had to ge to harden my heart with Yamato-san, now I have to learn to open my heart fully. Though only to those that I love and love me. I’m not going to just greedily grab every girl around. But… if they genuinely share a e of the heart with me, with us… then I’ll be genuine back. Sorry Kana! I apologised in my heart for my shortings, promising to do better.

  “So, we have a retioween the lunar chakra and the Dantiaween Qi aher, between the bond and Qi, possibly…” I mused, asking Daiyu for more details about the Dantians, which she gave with relish, her expression radiant.

  “The Dantian is the main Qi tre of the body. Well, when we say Dantian, we are referring to the lower Dantian usually, as this is where we refine Qi, and is believed from the old records to be where the Golden Core of a Cultivator at that Realm solidifies. Hence our first Teique is always Qi Refining, helping form the Dantian. The Foundation then solidifies it. The middle Dantian and upper Dantian were supposed to be solidified in some legendary Teiques of Kunlun, and logically densing multiple Dantians would be far more powerful, but evehe records say only the stroried for two Dantians, and almost hree, as the Teiques required were torturous and plicated, and while we all seek power, dying before we achieve it is meaningless.” She spoke rapidly, a challenge for my interpretation, and I was once more struck by how verbose she became about these matters.

  “I see. And they are close to the heart and the third eye chakras. Well, that makes me wonder.” I mused.

  “So, I ask… just how does Dual Cultivation work?” Eri asked suddenly, surprising me.

  “Are you ied?” Daiyu asked. “When your body is no longer in flux, if you wished to learn Cultivation, I would happily take you as a disciple. Though teag the first wife…” she made a faint, unfortable expression that made Eri giggle.

  “Well, I do seek to learn useful hings. But, I mentioned earlier, when I first made love to Akio that was when my work became whole. It was different to nht?” she asked, and I firmed it was far more normal, seven chakras and signifitly less perfected or powerful than Eri before she was injured. “Even after that, you gairength though the Fae way of making love tht?” She turo Daiyu, her voice almost a whisper, her own face red now. “It’s rather magical. Ordinary sex is wonderful, it makes you happy to be born a woman, doing it with someone you love, but the Fae way is like your soul is entwining together. It’s impossible to describe, but certainly special. bining both at once, well…” her face was red at the memories of that.

  “I would like to see it, to pare. When you mix, is Yin and Yang Qi produced?” Daiyu leaned forward, and Eri giggled, shiail, still embarrassed.

  “You really are keen. But you shouldn’t be hasty. Oh, if only we could show you, but… I’m too unwell nht?”

  “I’m afraid so.” I agreed, pulling Eri into a hug, stroking her dark hair and flickering ears. “I don’t want to flood your messy work with energy in case it harms you.” She then kissed me, before speaking to Daiyu.

  “See? He doesn’t want to do this Dual Cultivation with you for the same reason. Not that he doesn’t desire your body. Really, I don’t think many men wouldn’t. If I was into girls, I’d be fasated by you. Your ese heritage is simir to ours, but you look just different enough to be exotid your skin is so white, your hair so bck…”

  “Like you, Eri.” Daiyu returhe pliment, dyed pink anew. “The Sects are full of attractive women, for powerful strong men seek equally strong, beautiful women, and the women likewise. A number of Sects are matriarchal, others based on equality. Some…” she frowned, remembering something unpleasant, as she turo me. “… are run by vile men with endless lusts. I am gd you are not such as he, else you would have taken my chastity as the priy rescue, no, merely as your due.” Turning back to Eri, she tinued. “Power corrupt, I would rather he stays a little hesitant, than bees a beast sating his lusts with all the women he desires. But I digress. Eri, were you a Cultivator with any talent, you would have been sought after indeed. Even without talent, as a e, to breed handsome children…”

  “No thanks.” Eri interrupted. “I get the pliment. But I don’t want to be anybody else’s.”

  “Nor I.” Daiyu affirmed. “As I said, this was meant to be. So… you do find me appealing, attractive?” She ought my reassurance again, and I cursed myself for sayiy words to her, promising her before I would sider her, which had led to her insecurity.

  “You’re stunning. Of course I want to hold you. But like I said, I’m having a bit of guilt over ye. It’s not a crime, but it feels a little like one, you know?”

  “Wheeps onto the battlefield, to kill or be killed, there is no longer any room for children. I have cast aside that long ago. I am a Foundation Realm Cultivator. I could climb to my Accumution if I willed it, but now I wish to make my Foundation insurmountable. That again is a gift you have promised me.” She joined Eri and me, snuggling into my p o Eri, who leaned aside a little, expression amused. “I told you… many would sell themselves for your Spirit Water. If yht it to my father…” she looked sad for a moment then. “… much as he treasures me, he would have offered me as a wife to get his hands on it, allowing him his long-held dream of reag Foundation Realm. Even were you to only offer me a spot as a lowly e, his greed may have overe him. And… I do not bme him. I would have been grief-stri, perhaps, but as a Cultivator I would have uood.” Her eyes looked deep into mine, early. “Yet you would give it to me freely? That alone could have won my heart. Not at greed for the Water, but that you were generous enough, a ma enough to offer such without demands. And I would not have made that decision as a child. To say so wounds me. My body, my life, my heart… I choose how to spend them, who to offer them to.”

  I choose how to spend, who to offer… damn, she’s right. Daiyu is more mature than I am. In fact, she’s probably more mature than any of us, despite her age. Even Shaeu admits she’s beeered too much, despite her age, and Hyath is well… never mind.

  “I get it. Were you to take Daiyu out for a date, the police would be cheg to see if you were a criminal.” Eri sniggered. “But then, that happens sometimes with Shaeu, right? We had that trouble in Las Vegas when she wanted wine. Really… you do have a type. I don’t really fit it.” Eri snuggled her ample chest against my other side. “Once I stopped hiding my face with my bangs, everyone was saying how mature I looked, like a uy student. Poor Shaeu’s quite the opposite. Oh well… who cares what anyone else thinks? You’re the one who persuaded the Prime Mio ge the w on polygamy, right? Why do you care if people look aska you because some of your wives are a little on the younger side? It’s not like you are hitting on middle schoolers like a loli pervert.” She turo Daiyu again. “I’d be heartbroken if he did that. You and Hinata, you’re both mature in your own ways. If he ever strays, we have to correct him.” She pressed my head into her chest. “We’re the only girls you should be looking at.”

  “Well, we’ve drifted of-topic again.” I managed, when Eri released me from her dangerous softness. “Daiyu, I am not shying away from you from ck of care, it’s a genuine worry. I’d like to show you how Eri and I share our lunar chakra, so that you have a better idea of the risks and problems, but I ’t yet, so…”

  “Well, you could reproduce it from memory, right?” Eri pointed out. “With your stats you’ve got a photographic memory for things, if not your promises, seemingly. Oops, me too, as I said I wasn’t going to pin about your indecision and unfairness anymore.” She knocked her head and stuck her to in an imitation of my sis, which was charming.

  “Won’t that be a bit upsetting for you?” I asked her gently. “sidering your current state.”

  “No, it’s fine. I know I’ll be healed sooner or ter, just like Shiro was. Sure, it’s frustrating, but I accept it.” Her ears flickered. “Besides, I think I’ll be Daiyu’s guide. We all agreed.” She paused, looking at me. “Well, it’s nothing to do with you really. Us girls decided some things that any girl who loved you has to abide by, or we won’t rest until we chase her out, even if you grow to hate us. But I trust you won’t bring in idiots who are terrible people. Ohing I tell you, is we decided that everyone who joins us should have a sort of… mentor, if you will? That way we teach her the right ways to behave. Well, Shiro sort of doesn’t have one, as she’s a special case, but she gets oy well with Shaeu. As for Daiyu…”

  “I uand. I would be happy to receive yuidance.” Daiyu approved.

  “So, as her mentor, I say go ahead and show her what you remember. I’ll hide my embarrassment. As for Kana-… she probably doesn’t need a mentor, and wouldn’t want me if she did, but… maybe Hinata.”

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself. After all, I might have missed my ce.” I reminded her.

  “Well, I doubt it, sidering how upset she was. but you certainly would have soon. She’s quite a catch, though she’d end up in charge of any normal guy.” Eri rolled her eyes. “All right thearted.”

  All right then. From memory, and I’ve never really looked at it with my Eye, but I could feel what was happening, so… After advising Daiyu it was just an approximation, I created images of Eri’s previous chakra work and mine, brightly-coloured lights tio demonstrate the aether and elemental energies flowiween us, and as I did so, Eri looking ied, Daiyu dev it with her eyes, curious, I found some insights myself. I see, so that’s how elements are shared. Fasating…

  ********

  “Are you ready?” Eri asked me, and I nodded. Daiyu was there too, as well as Shiro, who Eri had obviously filled in that m over our early breakfast, the way she had been grinning at me ulingly while pushing Eri’s wheelchair.

  “Yeah, I guess so.” I agreed, feeling surprisingly nervous. I don’t know why I am. Kana’s already said she likes me, and even if she says no, well, it’ll be a bit awkward for a while, but we’ll still be friends and colleagues. I’d have to watch my behaviour, be less selfish, but… ugh, why does this feel somehow worse than when I asked Shiro out? I thought she was going to shoot me down, so…

  “Hirious. Not that Aki is going for anirl, of course…” Shiro was saying as we headed to the shrine proper, where Kana would be getting ready for school about now. “… I find that a little annoying, but you all had to put up with it, so I’ll live, and Kana was obviously smitten with our idiot Aki, so I had it down as a matter of time, but… that he’s so scared. Shit, Aki, you fessed to me, Shirohime, this should be a walk in the park for you! It ’t be worse than fag that ugly toad blob, it?”

  “You’d think that, but oddly enough, I find battles easier, somehow.” I whined a little, and Daiyu reached out, taking my hand and giving it a squeeze. Well, after st night and our talk, we’ve definitely grown closer. She was so excited over seeing the Fae method, she’s now insisting on seeing me do the real thing. She thinks she make her Dual Cultivation Teique eveer apparently… and safe for her ao use…

  “It will be fine. Even should the worst happen, you shall always have me by your side.” Daiyu said softly, and Tan must have transted, as Shiro cackled.

  “Whoa, looks like you two had some sort of heart-to-heart, you’ve got bold, Daiyu, and Aki here isn’t making that dumb Yasu face he sometimes does like he’s sug on a lemon. Guess you’re really in now?”

  “I am. I shall not pressure Akio to be my Dao panion, though I sorely hope for it. Only to be my man, my … boyfriend, as you would say. Marriage, Dao panionship, Dual Cultivating… I shall entice him into all of them by being worthy, but most of all, by being a girl he delights in loving.”

  “Shit. That killed my mog mood.” Shiro said suddenly, abashed. “Hearing that, it just feels petty, ughing at Aki. Well, wele aboard, Daiyu.” They exged nods, and Eri sighed.

  “Done speaking ese? You could have transted for me.” She looked at me reprovingly.

  “Sorry, I fot, a lot on my mind.” We had reached the entrao the shrine, where Nagi-san was out brushing the steps. On seeing us, she brightened.

  “Oh, Akio-kun, what brings you here this m? Nothing amiss, I hope? I get you some tea, or breakfast, if you haven’t had it? Are you here to see Kana?” She leaned in spiratorially. “She was in a foul mood st night. Are you here to apologise?”

  “ly.” I managed. “Oh, no breakfast thanks, we’ve eaten. But I am here to see Kana.”

  “He certainly is.” Shiro snorted. At that and the look on Eri’s faagi-san’s eyes went wide, before she smiled.

  “Really. I see. So, is this something I should be fetg Daichi for?” she teased, and I held in a groan.

  “Uh, well, I’ll probably o speak to you two afterwards, maybe?”

  “I see. Well, I know my daughters heart. Before all this…” she gestured with her broom, making a strikiure. “I’d have chased you away as a pest and a pervert, Akio-kun. But…” she looked at the girls behind me, who were looking wry. “I’ve been watg your progress these st months. And I know. It’s best for the shrine, and more importantly, it’s best for my Kana. We have spoken to the White Snake kami often, aells us of the battles to e, the dao the world. I’d rather Kana is protected, cherished, even if she’s not traditionally married. So long as she’s happy. And I’ll still see her in a wedding dress, right? Daichi won’t promise on that, every father dreams to see his daughter happily married.”

  I’m sweating, right? I shouldn’t be sweating, my Resilience should be handling this. But Nagi-san is pretty intense.

  “Well, marriage is a bit hasty. The reason he likes Kana- is that he feels fortable and not pressured with her.” Eri interjected. “But…” she rolled her eyes, and Nagi-san softly ughed.

  “I get it. Well, this feels a bit bittersweet. My Kana, ied in romance. She’s always been popur with boys and men alike, but this is the first time she’s been ied in someone else. Well, good luck. I’ll dig out the good sake in case…”

  Feeling er, I headed on inside. On there I ran into Kana in her school uniform, the red bzer, white shirt and red and white checked skirt remi of her uniform at the shrine. On seeing me, she looked surprised, before smoothing her fato a smile.

  “Hey Akio, good m. It isn’t like you to e visit this early. I’m sure mom will make you something if you want?”

  “She’s already offered. In fact, it’s you I’m here to see.” I said, sweating internally.

  “Oh? Is there something you need? I don’t have much time now before school, but if it’s pns for the party ter, I …”

  “Uh, no.” I said awkwardly, hating how I could still be so clumsy with girls at times despite my experienowadays. Taking a deep breath, I surprised her by bowing. “Look, Kana. I’m sorry. For st night, and… for before.”

  “Oh?” she narrowed her eyes, her expression tense. “And do you know why you should be sorry?” she asked, tilting her head. “It’d be a shame if you didn’t treat girls right, big bro.” Seeing her flirtatious appearance from when we first met was somehow soothing, though Eri clicked her tongue behind me. On seeing her, Kana shook her head, and her demeanour ged.

  “Seriously, I set. No, is that the right word? Annoyed. Certainly annoyed. You… wait, I haven’t heard your answer.”

  “I do know. You bared your heart to me, and I’ve not been kind. It’s not that I rejected you, I mean, we don’t have to accept fessions, do we? It’s just…” I sighed, feeling genuinely bad. I had been aware of it in the bay mind, but flirting with Kana had been safe, rexing, and was totally beh me and hurtful to her. I guess even if I didn’t like her, I’d have to make it up to her somehow… “Sorry, Kana.” I bowed again. “It was wrong of me to treat you so carelessly, when I had rejected you. I shouldn’t have got your hopes up like that. I o be clear.”

  She thought that over, nodding. “Yes, you did. I mean, I get it. I am the sort of girl boys love flirting with. But… yeah, it sucked. It wounded my pride, you know? And made me feel bad. I get that you weren’t doing it out of malice, but… well, I get it. We keep a proper distance from now ht? We are friends and I support yoals, but… I think it’ll be better.”

  Okay, not quite the way this is supposed to be going. I’m talking myself into the friendzone here, right? “Kana, we do o redefine our friendship.” I nodded. “I want you to uand, I found you so easy to get along with, fun… it was o spend time with a girl who had no baggage, to carry…”

  “I have plenty of baggage. Every girl does, right?” She blinked, a touch puzzled at the fact I was tinuing to expin myself. Behind me, Shiro shook her head, and whispered theatrically that I was fumbling hard. “Well…” Kana tinued. “I did alortray myself in a way I thought would attract you retly. I failed though.” she snorted bitterly. “So… yeah. ’t wait forever, I?”

  “No, you ’t.” I agreed. “Stringing you along because I liked you, I was the worst. But… it was hard to admit I did like you. Because I feel, no… felt that unless a girl needed me, there were other options, better options for her. And you’re strong, proud, able to do whatever, be whoever you want. I don’t want to call you ordinary, as it sounds an insult, but… even without the ging world, you’d have done fine.”

  “I would. Rich, handsome boyfriend, all the shopping and luxury lifestyle I wanted. I’d have been happy enough. Though now I see it’s hollow. Even though I have more mohan ever.” She sighed. “You do pay us too well. I’m still in high school, but making adult money. Now though… well, I’m K?itigarbha’s Chosen and I guess I’ll be your vassal at some point, so we o keep things good between us.” She tossed her head, dark hair fluttering, and I was struck again how pretty she was. I didn’t want to judge her against Eri, that would be rude to both of them, but they were in the same css of beauty, there was no doubt.

  “We do. But not because of that.” I said, and Eri nudged me with her good arm. Seeing that, Kana’s breath caught as she repyed the words I had just said.

  “Wait, you liked me?” she said, shocked. “As in…”

  “Sorry. No, I’m sick of apologising, even though I was wrong. Kana, I thought you were cute when we first met. Without you, I’d never have got started with the shrines, and I’d have missed out on a lot. Even when my stupidity put you in danger, you never bmed me, though you should have. I’ve ged your life, and you don’t resent me. Instead, I find myself enjoying it whealk together or hang out during training. I thought of you as a friend, yes, but… if I had the guts for it, I’d have…”

  “Hold on, hold on.” She said, panicked, face red. “Eri-, Shiro, is he…? Seriously?”

  “Yep, our Aki is a certified bonehead. Good to see not everything’s ged.”

  “If you thought he was being a jerk flirting with you because he was being mean, he wasn’t. He was being selfish and iive, and don’t worry, he’ll get his punishment.” Eri promised. “But he couldn’t be that way with someone he doesn’t like…”

  “Well, he flirts with Hisano-san, Mio-san and the others too.” She pouted, not willing to accept that. “But I admit… it feels different with me. Closer to like what you all have. Though I wondered if that was just my envy and pride speaking, making me see what simply wasn’t there.”

  “Yes. Now you all be quiet?” I asked, taking a deep breath.

  “Kana, I…”

  “Is he doing it? I’m still asleep, right?” Kana mouthed, and Eri mao shake her head.

  “… I like you. I may be a man with a lot of itments, many women, but in today’s world, I’m hoping you live with that. Well, you k before, so… I think you should be cool on that, all right?” I managed. “But… I’m not asking you out because I pity you, or feel bad for you. I wasn’t pushed into it… well, I was helped along, but only to realise how unfair I was being to you, and why. Kana, I think you’re the sort of girl I want to spend time with, py around with, hell, along with everyone else, we’ll maybe be fighting the world with. I know I hurt you, turning you down when you had the ce to fess, and trust me, right now I know just hh that feels…” I ughed a little to try and diffuse the tension. “… and I’ve been unkind since, letting your feelings for me make me feel good without giving iurn, but… I do like you Kana, and I want to give you happiness, along with the others. Will… will you be my girlfriend, go out with me?” I said the words, feeling relieved, and she froze.

  “You speak.” Eri said, kindly, and after a moment Kana blinked.

  “Wait…” her face was bright red, so red I feared she’d faint, and all the bluster and bravado, Kana’s flirty, charming nature crumbled. “You… this is serious, right? You aren’t going to suddenly ge your mind?”

  “As long as you haven’t.” I promised. “ I like you Kana. Not just your looks, though I admit, they’re right in my strike zone. But you. Your charming, ki. All the other trainees look up to you, your cousin adores you. I love the way you reied yourself, ged, grew. And if I’m ho, when you said you’d move on to anuy and I’d be sorry one day, I khat was true. So, if your feelings haven’t ged, Kana, please join me and the others on our jourhough good times and bad, together. But more importantly, with me. As my girlfriend.” There, I said it. Daiyu, Kana, really, I like them both. Tsukiko-san… well, she doesn’t know much of the world. But I think I uand. Like Yukiko-san wants, I’d love to teach Tsukiko-san all she’s missed. And if she wao experienance, love… with me… I couldn’t say no to that. I wouldn’t want to.

  “Akio. You love the way I rei myself. You like me… my personality? Really? You love me?” she asked, somehow desperate.

  “Well like and love, they are just words.” I started, only for Eri to disagree.

  “Important words. We women live off words. At least until we feel the answers.”

  “Well, to me they are just words. Because, Kana, I’ll prove with my as from now on. Assuming you five me, and still want to be with me, then…”

  “Yes, Akio, I’ll go out with you.” She said, smiling at me brilliantly, her face red.

  “I… ugh… I…” she started to weep, and I suddenly embraced her, letting her cry it out.

  “You dummy, idiot, moron!” she wailed, heedless of her normal posed appearance. “You put me through so much, you made me wait. It’s not fair. You’ve always been so cool, when you saved me, from then on… I couldn’t see anything else… you made the old farts in the faith kneel, made them look at me with respect, our shrioo. I… I saw what the others had and realised I wa too. But… you kept me… waiting! Made me feel bad!” her fists battered me. “I felt so wretched when you flirted with me, like I was being… shown what I wanted but… couldn’t… ever have…” I stopped her words and tears with a kiss, and then she hugged me back, brown eyes peering into mine. As our lips parted, she hiccupped once, before her tears slowly stopped.

  “Damn, I must look a fright. I ’t go to school like this. You’ve scrambled my mind, anyway.” Kana protested. Then she visibly gathered herself, her flirty mask returning. “Well, at least I tell everyo school I’ve finally got a boyfriend, right? Tonight, at the party… you’ll ese properly, won’t you? You owe me that much.”

  “Already making demands. Another ya.” Shiro ughed. Eri sighed, saying she would allow it, and seeing how it went, Daiyu gratuted her in crude Japanese.

  “All right then!” Kana decred. “Just give me a mio wash my face, okay? Uh… I’ll let you tell my dad. Good luck with that!” and with that she darted off, red even to her ears, the soft feel of her lips and the wetness of her tears lingering on my face. Well, the die is cast. But oddly enough, I don’t feel bad at all. Seeing her smile, a genuine one… I was an idiot not to reach out and grasp what was in my sight…

  ShipTeaser