Author: Kagutsuchi, Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 10:13 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

A lot of stuff was said, but the gist of it was as long as his mom and dad said they would let Enya live with them she wouldn't have to marry someone as old as her grandpa. Either way it was good news to him, and he hugged Enya with a big smile. "See, I told you it'd be ok! You can stay with us as long as you want until your grandparents make sure your aunt and uncle can't take you." Of course he didn't know this until now, but he was great at bluffing. Half of it was due to his own natural charisma. Then the real surprise came–Effie saying she'd train him. To be honest, he never thought about training until she said it. His big bro never sparred with him and he didn't have much interest in learning combat. But now that Enya needed protection, that wasn't such a bad idea. Effie's offhand comment on the alternative mostly went over his head, but he caught a few tidbits. Come to think of it…wasn't this 'legal guardianship' stuff related to the household the person was under? If Enya got married, then she wouldn't be under her aunt and uncle's household anymore…

That train of thought was interrupted when Enya's cousin told them to that until things were finalized, her living here had to be a secret. "So in other words, Enya has to stay inside and keep a low profile until we get the ok from her grandpa and grandma." Nui mumbled. Yukari nodded in confirmation, but it was clear that everybody would have to start making preparations in case they were suspected again. Genjiro patted Enya on the head as things were looking up. Rashomaru then added, "From now on, if you need anything let us know. We'll do our best to help." While the two lovebirds were happy with just having each other, everybody else knew the fight had begun. When it was time for Etsuji to leave, Enya and Genjiro were hidden and Yukari added more complete alterations to her concealment spells. Scent was now erased, though she told Effie and Nui she might have to leave in a few days' time to obtain more powerful enchantments. Her magic was strong, but she couldn't leave anything to chance. More advanced protection against scrying and other arcane means of detection would be necessary. And with their numbers growing, the inside of the house would require changes that couldn't be seen from the exterior.

Now that the worst was over, Masashi let out a long-held sigh and everyone finally had a much-needed breakfast. They would have to continue their routine as usual to avoid detection. Masashi and Yukari would keep working at the restaurant while his big brother and Effie would help, and he would stay at home. This wasn't unusual as Genjiro wasn't very adept at the art of cooking, and they got nervous at the thought of him handling knives. Nui would be the main method of monitoring activity while the most of them worked, as she had her own house but only came by as a visitor. "Just think of it like this–you're gonna be Enya's personal bodyguard until she's safe. Got it, Genjiro?" The fox girl said, to which he nodded.  

Author: Effie Godfrey, Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 8:44 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Etsuji looked pleasantly surprised. “That’s good to hear.” He also looked rather relieved. “Things might be dangerous for a little bit until we can conclude our investigation. I just want you all to know that for the time being the guards can’t do anything until something happens.”

Effie perked up a bit and folded her hands in her lap. Her eyes looked to Genjiro and back to Etsuji. “I’ll train Genjiro.”

It came as a shock to Enya who had never really known Effie to be a fighter. She had never seen the sparring in the mornings between Effie and Aelos. “You would do that Effie?”

“It’s either that or Genjiro runs away with you and marries you on a whim.” Effie lazily shrugged. “My father once told me that people ran away all the time to break deals like the one with Enya. Damaged goods as one would say. Father was often the reason why the women got out of marrying. Training him sounds a lot better than making two kids get married.”

Enya stuck out her lip. “We’re not that much younger than you.”

Effie sighed a bit and leaned over patting her head. “Situations often cause people to grow up faster. I’m three years older but I’ve had to deal with a lot more. I feel its better if you two continue being free for a bit longer from things like that nature.”

Etsuji rubbed his chin for a moment. “I suppose that is a good compromise. I’ll make sure to let our grandparents know… Judging from the look on Enya’s face she isn’t going anywhere.” The little blonde had managed to cling to Genjiro at that point refusing to move from her spot. “Don’t let Enya outside until I can get the paperwork back to you. It’s important that her being here stays a secret for the time being.”

Author: Aragami, Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 8:32 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Out of pure luck or coincidence, the guard who came to check on Enya's whereabouts happened to be her cousin. Everyone was on edge when he dismissed the other guards, expecting the worst. When the man then called out to Enya stating he recognized and could smell her perfume, Rashomaru's heart dropped to his stomach. There was no point in trying to hide her anymore. She came out and begged her cousin not to have her go back, and Rashomaru was wondering what reasons she had for willingly going along with Genjiro's rather haphazard plan. None of them had the chance to ask him last night, as they were too busy moving things as fast as they were able before daybreak. Apparently Enya was already engaged, and Etsuji took the time to sit down and explain the situation for them all. His father went to get the tea ready as his mother reassured him with a gentle press of his hand. From the looks of things, they weren't in trouble for what Genjiro did. At least, not yet.

Enya's fiance, to everyone's horror, was a man old enough to be her grandfather. If one married and had children early they could easily become a grandparent before the age of fifty. Before the untimely passing of her parents, Enya had been living in Karith. Her mother had married her father with the blessing of Enya's grandparents, but the woman's sister and brother-in-law had disapproved of the union. When Etsuji mentioned Enya's father had been an airship mechanic, Yukari raised an eyebrow. Karith was a very clandestine city beneath general trade and commerce, so the fact he was well-paid for his work was no surprise. There had been threats made towards Enya's father and that marked the end of her visits to Nisshoki. One thing led to another and Enya fell into the custody of her aunt and uncle, but the true legal guardians were her grandparents. It was a lot to take in, but the temptation of wealth was known to drive people towards immoral ends. 

If Enya were to marry, she would inherit her late parents' fortune and whoever was legally in charge of her would get their cut as well. Then she met Genjiro. It was no secret that Enya had told people about her new friend, and that must have been why the guards thought of searching their house the moment she went missing. But not all hope was lost–Enya's grandparents had been informed of their granddaughter's treatment by her aunt and uncle and were filing for her guardianship. They were much more reasonable and humane than the aunt and uncle, but Etsuji had come today to ask his parents if they wanted to be Enya's guardians instead. The tea was on the table and both of his parents were present. His father after hearing the whole situation furrowed his creased brow deeply, not saying a word. It would be expected if they said yes, after all Enya was like a daughter to them and no parent would want to see their child married off to a man more than thrice her age. But they had no blood relations with her, so was it truly alright for them to make such a decision?

Silence hung over them all as Yukari and Masashi contemplated the consequences. At last, Yukari broke the silence speaking for herself and her husband. "My husband and I have given this matter some thought, and while we understand that we may not have as strong of a position to request guardianship of Enya as her grandparents–if she wishes for it, we will gladly accept the responsibility in their stead. In these past weeks, Enya has become like a daughter to us and we only wish the best for her life and future. She may be young, but I believe she should be allowed the choice to pick whom she wishes to marry and how she wants to live."  It was a very diplomatic answer, but it communicated that they were willing. Nui's ears were erect at the thought of Enya not having to move, after all everybody had grown to like the soft-spoken girl.

Author: Enya, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 11:56 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Enya was quiet while Genjiro explained. Well, he didn’t really explain the whole situation. Enya went to explain fully why she was there but the knock had her spooked as they shooed her off. The town guards were at the door, however, the one who spoke up was what spooked Enya a little bit more. “Mrs. Kaname. Where is your son Genjiro Kaname? He’s wanted for the kidnapping of Enya Ito.”

He stepped inside and looked behind him. “Go, I have this under control.” The other guards left as he closed the door. “…Now,” there was a sigh from him. “Enya, I can literally smell your perfume.” No amount of enchantments could hide her scent and this man was an oni.

Enya shyly opened the door and came out. “Cousin Etsuji… I can explain.” Her eyes got all teary. Now really looking at the two of them it was obvious they were related. They held the same red eyes though Enya’s were much softer. “Please… Please don’t make me go back. They are going to marry me to that awful man.”

The man sighed a bit and looked at the Kaname before looking back at Enya. “They are actually going through with that?” Enya nodded and ran over to the table patting the cousins before running into the kitchen.

“Can we have some tea?” Enya asked politely to Masashi. “Please?” She scattered back out and pushed her cousin to the table. “You wouldn’t let them do it… Would you?”

“I don’t like the idea no. I’ve expressed my dislike of it. Daiki is a fifty-some-year-old man. The dowry my parents were going to get for you is… Well, enough. Normally it's the bride's family who would pay but this is a unique and complicated case.” Etsuji let out a sigh as he shook his head. “Enya is also the heiress of her father’s fortune which my parents had no idea about until a few months ago. They had always thought Enya’s father was scum and living on the streets. I don’t know why but Lei was an airship mechanic. He built and fixed them for the Karithian government and as a side job. My grandparents knew this and allowed him to marry my aunt, Enya’s mother. My parents couldn’t understand why. Enya and her mother used to visit us all the time when they were little. They would come here and Enya would play with the village children. That was until Daiki tried to marry her. Something about getting rid of Lei would be easy enough.”

Enya looked sad but Etsuji continued. “Upset, her mother left and never brought Enya back until the accident happened. My parents were eager to take Enya in and claimed she should be where she was familiar. My grandparents live in the capital and wanted Enya there but agreed that Enya might like it here more. I’m afraid that this has all been a plot.”

“You mean… someone had my parents killed?” Enya was teary-eyed. “All for money?” Etsuji reached over and pet her hair. It was clear maybe he was the only one in the house who cared for Enya.

“Should Enya get married she’ll inherit all of what was left to her… I imagine there was a deal met so they get a chunk of it.” He let his hand fall and looked at Masashi and Yukari. “When they told me they thought it was Genjiro… I already knew she was here. She spoke highly of him to me but was scared that they would take him away from her. She was right to be scared. They got spooked that there might be a loophole in their guardianship. There is. I’ve been filling out the paperwork for weeks after getting in contact with my grandparents.” He looked tired. “They aren’t happy that Enya is being mistreated and have asked for guardianship of her… Normally this would mean she would have to go to the capital but I’m going to talk to them and see if Mrs. and Mr. Kaname could be given guardianship. If that is alright with you all?”

Author: Aragami, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 11:29 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Everyone except Genjiro was stunned when Enya emerged out of his room! His mother put a hand to her mouth while his father was most definitely going into shock. They slid the bedroom door open to see it had been converted into Enya's 'new room' with all of her furniture and belongings more or less in the places they were in her relatives' house. And the fancy curtains that Effie had helped to bring back was now around the canopy bed. Poor Masashi was ready to faint. And as soon as Genjiro was awake, Rashomaru grabbed him by the front of his clothes and started shaking him. "EXPLAIN, NOW!" Nui was now up and her eyes were wide as the realization hit. "Oh man…we've really done it now." With all eyes on him, Genjiro had a sheepish little smile as he put his hands up slowly. "Um, so I walked Enya home yesterday and I hung around a little after she went in. Her aunt and uncle aren't very nice people, so I thought she'd be happier living here with us. I asked her if she wanted to come, and she said yes!" At the end there was excitement in his voice, meaning this was most definitely his idea. He was fully admitting to it instead of blaming Enya. 

"Genjiro…did you ask her aunt and uncle's permission before you brought Enya to our house?" Their mother asked, but they all knew the answer. "…No?" Masashi had to sit down and put his head in his hands. Yukari rubbed her temples as she now had to figure out how to handle this situation. Technically it wasn't a kidnapping, as Enya had given her full consent. However, as her aunt and uncle were her legal guardians this would be a big problem. If they knew what Genjiro had done, their family might face charges or at least be on the receiving end of nasty rumors which they'd never hear the end of. Masashi had gone through great pains to start a new life here with her, if people started digging into his past things could take a turn for the worse. Being angry would solve nothing, so she turned to her youngest son with a smile. "I know you were only thinking in her best interest Genjiro, however once her relatives find out they have the right to take her back. As long as she is a part of their household, she will be subject to their decisions. Enya can stay with us for the time being, but until I have a better grasp of the situation she will have to stay indoors. No one is to mention anything about this to anyone outside of this house until I say so. Is that alright with you Enya?"

Thanks to Genjiro's good intentions, they were all sworn to secrecy. There was no doubt that Enya's family would come looking for her, and they would have to keep her out if sight before they had a better solution. And so when they heard a knock at the door, everyone nearly jumped out of their skin. Masashi broke out in a cold sweat, and Yukari gave him a nod. He went back into the kitchen to keep busy while she quickly prepared a few concealment spells for Enya and Genjiro's room. Nui made herself scarce, trying to see who was at the door from a higher vantage point using her fox form. Enya was ushered away back into Genjiro's room to hide while Yukari went to get the door.

Author: Enya, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:46 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

He could explain? Effie was definitely in shock as she took a step back. Effie was handed what looked to be a set of curtains that went around a bed. She had only seen these in a rich kid’s home. She paused a bit and looked at Rashomaru confused. “Aright Genjiro but tomorrow morning you’ll tell us.”

They hurried up through a bit of the night before they were finally done. Enya had been woken up briefly to change out of her kimono and found herself in one of her cute pink nightdresses from Karith. She climbed back into the futon hazily and snuggled up to Genjiro. It wasn’t weird in fact it was very nice. Genjiro was warm and he held onto her and HE SMELLED GOOD TOO!

In the morning, Enya came out of THEIR room to the smell of food cooking. She had been to the Kaname house so many times that she didn’t even think about the problems that she could bring without them knowing. “Good morning Yukari and Masashi.” She gave them her best smiles but even they would notice that something was off.

Effie came out of Rashomaru and her’s room she was yawning still. Her hair still up in the bun cover and she stopped short of the kitchen. “RASHOMARU!” She turned around as soon as she saw Enya. “WE WEREN’T DREAMING.” Oh man, they had so much to explain… and worst yet is that they had helped Genjiro effectively kidnap his girlfriend and steal all of her things.

Enya smiled that innocent smile and waved. “Good morning Effie! Genjiro is still asleep but I finally got him to let me go! Though he looked a bit cold when I left so he should be out any time now!”

Author: Aragami, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:34 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

"What?" Nui said when Effie told them who she saw. Her ears were flat and she couldn't believe it. But then they all saw Genjiro carrying a big box in his arms while trying to safely come down from the second floor. He tested his balance for a moment, then jumped straight down into the grass. Rashomaru was shook. Heavens above, Genjiro was breaking almost every rule of etiquette in the book right now. No only was he trespassing, he was sneaking into a girl's room and taking things out! There was only one girl who Genjiro would do this for… "This is Enya's room…isn't it?" He groaned. Once Genjiro was on the ground and Effie was off his shoulders, Rashomaru was quick to stop his brother from going any further. "Genjiro, just what do you think you're doing?!" Genjiro's arms were full with big boxes and he froze at the sound of his voice. "I can explain! Just…not right now? Here, take this." One of the boxes was shoved into his arms. "What is this?" Rashomaru demanded, eyes narrowed at his rather distracted younger sibling.

"A box of clothes, duh. I'm not gonna move a full dresser by myself. I pulled out all the drawers first." Before he could continue to protest, Genjiro stuffed a bag of things into Nui's hands. "Hurry up, I'm only halfway done! We gotta finish before her mean aunt and uncle find out!" Nui opened the bag to find it full of stuffed animals, while Genjiro was already running back to their house. There was no other option but to help him out, as Effie discovered the room's furniture was mostly gone when she climbed in. There was no sign of Enya, but it was clear that Genjiro had been at work. And so the four of them cleared out the entirety of Enya's room, taking everything except the built-in closet and wallpaper. And when all was said and done, everyone returned to their rooms and fell asleep. The next morning they would realize it wasn't just some crazy dream. 

Author: Effie Godfrey, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:52 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Enya looked at him a bit. “Like… in the fairy tales?” She only paused for a few moments before she got excited. “Yes!” She controlled her voice so they didn’t find her out. She held onto him as he swept her up like a literal princess. She was brimming with happiness. It really felt like he was a prince in that moment. “Okay… but be careful and don’t get caught.”

She curled up on his futon after he covered her up and she nodded to him. “I’ll do my best to sleep. Be careful!” She had an exhausting day and Enya had yawned almost instantly. Her little eyes closed and she left Genjiro to do what Genjiro did best. If there was anything no one could argue it was that the boy was a problem solver… Even if the means didn’t always make sense.

Effie woke up groggily as she rubbed her eyes and pulled herself up. She had a little covering over her hair to keep it out of Rashomaru’s face that looked like a little bun. Her hazel eyes were confused. “Calm down… I’m sure it’s not what you think it is.” But then the front door slid open and Effie was alert. She took Nui’s hand and they moved to watch this shape move back and forth.

Effie even had the shivers as they followed the shadow into the night. Rashomaru put Effie on his shoulders and she balanced herself so she could see. Now the room had candles still lit thanks to Enya. Effie squinted a bit and finally, she saw who their mystery spirit was. “You won’t believe this but… Your idiot brother is taking stuff out of a girl’s room.” She whispered down. “And if I had to bet what girl’s room this was… Well… Do we even have to say it?”

Effie looked around and watched as Genjiro climbed back down with more stuff in his arms. It looked like more big stuff. Out the window after a few seconds of trying to figure out how best to do it… It looked like the boy had brains after all. “We should head back and figure out where Enya is. I don’t see her up there.”

Author: Kagutsuchi, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:38 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

She'd been crying, he could tell. Not for very long though. But Genjiro had a wonderful, marvelous, absolutely incredible idea while he carefully scaled up to the roof by her window. Whispering as quiet as he could, he patted her head and said: "Enya…do you wanna run away with me?" In most situations this would be a very abrupt question, probably not the best timing either. However he had a plan, and like always–he was completely serious. Enya wasn't happy here, but she was happy when she was anywhere else. So all he had to do was find a reason so she didn't have to live with her relatives anymore. Why not have her live with them too, like Effie? From what he heard in Effie and his brother's conversations, Effie was happier after she stayed at their house. Mom and dad were liked by everybody and Nui always found ways to make things fun. And as soon as she said 'yes', Genjiro would break into a grin and sweep her off her feet–and out of her room. 

"You can live at my house from now on, just like Effie and Nui! Everybody's probably asleep so we have to be quiet, but you can stay in my room. I'm gonna bring all of your stuff once you're in, it'll be fun!" This boy was talking about moving the entire contents of a girl's bedroom out of the second floor, through the window of all things–right after saying he would be keeping her in his room. But this was Genjiro after all, and that wasn't going to stop him. If you said 'no', he would ask why. And if he still didn't believe you, he'd go ahead anyway. Making sure she had her slippers, Genjiro snuck Enya into the house promising he'd be back in a jiffy. He lent her his pillow, blankets, and futon while he went to move her stuff out. For somebody as boisterous as him, he was surprisingly competent at being stealthy. With the window still open, he began to systematically remove the furniture starting from the biggest items. 

He carried back her bed, her dresser, and her bedding before someone in the Kaname household caught on. It was Nui who got up to use the bathroom a few hours after dark. She heard strange footsteps and a weird creaking noise that made her fur stand on end. No this was silly, there wasn't anything there–she told herself. The house definitely wasn't haunted. She'd slept over a hundred times. Still tense, she peered through the crack in the door to see a strange shape wobble its way down the hall. She held her breath as it passed by the bathroom, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. There was the sound of a door sliding open and it closing. Then, it opened and closed again. 

Hurrying over to Effie and Rashomaru's room, Nui frantically began shaking them awake. "Guys, guys, wake up! Wake upppp–there's this weird noise and I saw this thing down the hallway and it's gone now but I'm scared!" She begged them to stay up and watch, swearing on her unnamed ancestors that she wasn't seeing things. And so Rashomaru groggily sat up, eyes half open and mind foggy. There was a long silence before the sound of the front door was heard. Nui's ears stood up and her tails were twitching all over the place. Squeezing Effie's hand, she held her breath as a weird looking shape ambled down the hallway again, the shadow showing up against the sliding door. The door to Genjiro's room opened and closed, then footsteps went back outside. 

Curiosity and a bit of fear got the better of the trio as they went to follow after it, only to find themselves at Enya's relatives' house. A window on the second floor was open and something was climbing in. They were all hiding in the shadows, Rashomaru letting Effie up on his shoulders to see what was happening. It was too dark to tell what was going on.

Author: Enya, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:13 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Enya hadn’t even bothered to change out of her kimono. She just laid on her futon and cried. She felt so sad because she knew she loved Genjiro deeply and truly. He was who she was supposed to marry and be with. Why couldn’t they see that? This whole thing started because she told them about how happy he made her. Why didn’t they want her happy?

After a long time, she heard the tapping? “A bird?” She got up and covered her mouth from letting out the scream. Genjiro was pressing himself against the window. Had he heard everything? She got up and opened the window quietly after looking around.

“Genjiro?” She rubbed at her red, sore, and puffy eyes. Enya even had to sniffle. “I thought you went home… Why are you here?” Not that she wasn’t happy seeing him. Actually seeing him made her cry again as she latched onto his neck pulled him slightly but not enough to make him fall on her floor. They didn’t need to know he was there.

Author: Kagutsuchi, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:06 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Genjiro hid out of sight to see her go in, wondering what sort of people her relatives were. Unfortunately he would find out very soon… Enya's voice was so soft that he could barely hear, he had to strain his ears and close his eyes to focus. There was a man's voice and a woman's, both didn't sound like nice people. Even somebody like him could feel it. What made him really mad wasn't the fact they didn't like him, it was when he heard they were trying to force her to marry somebody she didn't want to be with. And then they spoke ill of the dead. Enya had always spoken of her parents fondly, and she wouldn't have if they weren't good to her. Hearing people speak badly about good parents was a sore spot for him too. He might not have remembered much about his mother, but he knew without a doubt that she loved him more than anything. He didn't care what other people said.

When the argument was over, he watched as one of the rooms lit up. He guessed that was Enya's room, and waited a bit to make sure he wouldn't be spotted. Listening for any movement in the rest of the house, he crept over into the bushes below her window and kept watch. When he felt the coast was clear, he poked his head out and tried to climb up. Slowly, carefully, he made sure not to make too much noise. Getting caught outside was one thing, but if they found him on the roof he might never be allowed to see her again. Once he had safe footing, he shuffled over and tapped the window while keeping an eye out for anybody coming outside. His face was pressed up against the window, hunched over like he was trying to make himself smaller. It looked rather silly since he was six feet tall. 

Author: Enya, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 7:22 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Enya looked super excited up until the point where they told her she had to go home. It was a single second where she frowned and it happened every time. “Oh, okay.” She didn’t want Genjiro in trouble and the less her folks knew the better. She looked happy about the snack and they had fun while they walked her home.

The dread though filled her as she went quiet. Her house looked a bit more wealthier than that of most people around it. Family money some would say but it didn’t compare to the coldness inside. Enya took a breath and cradled the pastry in her arms. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She had let him get a foot from the front door before almost shooing him away.

She was proud of Genjiro and she would have never done it to anyone else. She slipped the pastry inside her kimono before going inside. The voices were loud enough for the outside. “You were almost late home again Enya.”

“I’m sorry Uncle…”

“Was it that boy again? He is bad news.”

“No, he is the one who helped me get home Auntie.” Her voice was so faint it was hard to hear it over the yelling.

“It won’t matter in a few weeks once Daiki is here. Then all this foolishness can end.”

“I don’t want to have anything to do with that man!” Enya’s voice raised up. “You can’t make me.”

“We are your legal guardians Enya. You will do as your elders tell you.”

“My parents would never ever do this to me!” She sounded more upset.

“Your father is the reason why your mother is dead. It’s a disgrace to this family.”

Enya got upset and ran up to her room. She was crying and it was fairly obvious what room was hers from the way the candles got lit up. She hated it here and she hated them too.

Author: Kagutsuchi, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 7:12 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Rashomaru committed all the information to memory, after all he knew he might need it soon. And now he knew why Aelos had specifically told him not to let Effie know about her other soul. The shock and sudden loss of identity would cause it all to come crashing down. His role as a support was more important than ever. And of course, Rashomaru did make note of Aelos' comments of his own…looseness. The man had done little to hide it, and it was a wonder how Effie managed to put up with this. He gave Aelos a nod as the latter left. Before he entered the house, he switched his thoughts to happier things so it wouldn't be visible on his face. Nui was hovering over her plate, safeguarding one of the red bean filled sweets for him from Genjiro's gaze. Dinner was finished and the plates were brought back to be washed.

"Genjiro, it looks like dusk will come earlier today. It'd be best if Enya arrived back home before dark." Genjiro looked up and a light went on in his mind. "…Oh! Right, thanks! Come on Enya, let's go! I saved an extra snack for you while nobody was looking~" Just like his older brother, Genjiro spoiled people he liked. After saying goodbye to everyone, Genjiro walked Enya back to her aunt and uncle's house. He'd never seen her house before and it was his first time seeing a friend's house aside from Nui's. But Nui lived by herself, so it wasn't the same. And besides, nowadays Nui spent more time at his house than her own during the colder months. While they walked, he pulled out the red bean pastry he had swiped when everybody heard his brother coming in. It was flaky and delicious, and it was still slightly warm in the cloth he wrapped it up in. He tucked it into her hand, giving her a wink. 

They chatted all the way, then when Enya became more quiet he guessed they were pretty close. He wasn't sure if he should go inside, so he at least walked her up to where he could see her go in at a distance. He also wanted to see which parts of the house were close to the trees, bushes, and other things he could sneak into. Memorizing the way wouldn't be too hard as long as he followed the right path. 

Author: Effie Godfrey, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 5:33 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Aelos smiled a bit. “Never doubted you for a second. Oh, I did manage to hunt down the demon who was with the most recent case besides Effie.” He paused a moment and closed the book. “He said that the closer they got to her nineteenth the worse it got… but it also looks like all of the demons had told the reincarnated who they are. We have an advantage since Effie has no idea who she was. This will make it easier to subdue her.”

He rummaged around in his pockets and pulled out two wooden objects with words written on them. “Here,” He held them out and chuckled. “It just so happens that I know one of the onis who run a spa in Kujishoku. She said that you can’t come too often but… the ever occasional vacation wouldn’t hurt. Just show these to her and she’ll let you have a few days there. If she ever gets too stressed take her for the hot springs. She’s always loved them. The owner’s name is Fuka and she knows about Effie’s condition. She has special herbal soak which is why she asked you don’t come too often. Takes a bit to get a hold of the herbs but she should have them in case of emergencies. Family secret so she wouldn’t give me the ingredients.” There was an eye roll. “Also something about sleeping with her sister… but let me worry about that.”

It should have been no surprise that Aelos was a bit of a man whore. It was after all in his blood but he was a devoted father. “Also, in Nisshoki there is a district where syndicates are. My whore house is there with a woman named Ayane. She’s the one who was Effie’s wet nurse when she was a baby. If you ever need help and I’m not around… Nisshoki isn’t that far from here. Ayane is the madam there so she can help you without too much trouble.”

He rubbed his blonde locks and looked up. “You should have Genjiro take Enya home soon. It looks like it’s gonna be an early night and I don’t much care for her aunt and uncle.” He hopped off the fence. It should have been no surprise that Aelos had looked into everyone near Effie. “Take care and just remember Ayane and Fuka.”

Back inside Effie was anxiously waiting for Rashomaru to come back so when he did she just tilted her head at him. Dessert was already on the table and Enya was halfway through hers. The girl spent more time with them than her actual family.

Author: Aragami, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 3:40 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Letting Effie go in first, he agreed that having them both return with a slight delay would throw off any of Genjiro's wild theories. Rashomaru jumped when Aelos suddenly appeared. He didn't expect Effie's father to appear half the time when he did. While Aelos restated his approval of Effie and his relationship, what he said next changed things in a way no one could predict. Reincarnation was an unusual thing. From what Cyril had told him, there were still mysteries surrounding the causes and possibilities of a soul returning in a new body. It wasn't like necromancy or summoning, from what he had heard. There were more unpredictable elements and involved the lines of fate. So when he was told things would get harder before they got better, Rashomaru began worrying too.

Effie's existence with her other self was no accident, and the positions of the heavenly bodies had played a part. The fact 'Effie' even existed at all was because Amadrya–Aelos former wife and lover, wasn't ready to pass on. From what he saw the night Genjiro's memories returned, Amadrya was already at the line of being a vengeful spirit. She was spiritually and emotionally trapped in her last moments before death, full of rage and hatred. This all meant that on the new moon, Effie would be the most vulnerable. If the necklace had barely contained Amadrya back then, the moment Effie's spirit became weaker than hers–Effie would no longer exist. He came to understand a little more about how Effie came to be who she was when he had rescued her from the flooded river. All her life she had to endure the threat of death and to survive however she could. And while the Kaname household was the first safe haven she had apart from her father's house, she would no longer be constantly reining in her thoughts and feelings. It was a double-edged sword. She was happy, but she would also lower her guard.

"You'll need to take care of her." Those words were nothing new to him, but they held a greater weight now. Aelos was doing all he could to learn more about Effie's unique condition, but what he had found so far did not seem promising. Those like her had never survived past the age of nineteen, because they had to be put down from completely losing themselves due to their reincarnated existence. In spite of everything, Aelos truly loved his daughter. This wasn't an easy decision for a father and Rashomaru could understand that. They all wanted her to live a normal, peaceful life–like everyone else. Back when Nui had teased him, he swore to take responsibility for Effie's well-being. He would keep that promise, even when things would grow more difficult. "I will do everything I can and more to make sure she stays safe. You have my word, and I am sure Nui and my parents would say the same." She had been through so much, it was time she was allowed to live as she wished. He would carry that weight, just like he had with his brother ten years ago, until Effie's spirit was safe.

Author: Effie Godfrey, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:58 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Effie quickly jumped down from Rashomaru’s arms as Genjiro came out to check on them. She managed to stay in Rashomaru’s shadow which helped her face a bit. It would be Genjiro who would break up their moment but Effie was just glad they both got a chance to breathe. “I’ll meet you back inside.” She reached up as far as she could which would be his chin without his help. She placed a kiss and went back inside.

There was a subtle nose and Aelos was by Rashomaru’s side. “Nice save.” The incubus had waited for his daughter to go inside before he came out. “I think… That I approve of you two more than I did before and I didn’t think I would say that. I’m still worried about her Rashomaru.”

There was a book in Aelos’s hands. “I’ve been researching reincarnation. It’s going to get a lot harder before it gets better.” He overturned the really old book. It was written in some kind of ancient dialect. “Turns out reincarnations like Effie are rare and only happen when the deceased bare strong ties to life. There’s one more factor to it.”

He sat down on the fence and kept his voice down. “The new moon.” He pointed up at the twin moons. “It has to happen on the new moon. Apparently, the reincarnated can lose themselves on it. They are more emotional on those nights and for Effie, I guess I never realized it’s true. The difference is how in control she is of her feelings. The circumstances she grew up in forced her to mature a lot more than most children. She’s always been on edge and always aware of everything. She’s not anymore. Just being here is dangerous– It’s good but dangerous.”

Aelos didn’t want him to feel bad. “Her being here is going to keep her alive but it also has a negative to it. You’ll need to take care of her.” There was a sigh. “I tried to figure out more about her condition but of the others, I found out… All of them were killed for their rampaging. None of them made it to their nineteenth birthdays. At least of the documented cases.”

The demon looked uncomfortable. “I need to go away for a while for business… Will you be okay with her? Protect her like I would while I’m gone? I’ve never been away from her and I don’t want to make her go with me. She’s at home here and she’s finally acting her age. She deserves this… So can I entrust her to you?”

Author: Kagutsuchi, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:17 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

It was then that Genjiro realized there were two empty seats at the table. Having conveniently missed the moment they had excused themselves, he looked around to find they were nowhere in sight. "Where'd they go?" Nui, having fully recovered from her food malfunction was busily trying to get a bite of everything at once. "Effie pulled your brother outside for a bit. They'll probably be back soon." That only stalled him for a few minutes as once he didn't see the dining room doors open, he decided to go look for them himself. He was pretty much finished with his food, and he grinned at Enya before giving her a little peck on her cheek. "I'll be back in a minute! Gotta see where they went before everybody's done." Slipping outside, he poked his head in the rooms as he made his way out of the house. Rashomaru and Effie had a few more moments to themselves before they heard his voice calling for them.

"EFFIEEE!!! BRO!!! WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?? You didn't finish eating!" It was a good thing he didn't spot them right away, giving them some time to avoid more badgering from a cheeky younger sibling. When he saw them, he ran over with a smile on his face, waving. "There you guys are! Where'd you go? Nui said you left and you didn't come back, so I came to find you!" Rashomaru was pretending to readjust his hair tie avoiding direct eye contact with him. "I needed some air…and I thought I heard something outside so I wanted to have a look." Both statements weren't technically wrong, but it sidestepped the more obvious reason he and Effie were both coincidentally in front of the house together. Genjiro didn't notice anything different, so he assumed everything was fine. "Oh, ok! I'll be going back in. Better hurry before mom brings out dessert!" Once the door closed behind him, there was a small sigh of relief from outside. 

Author: Effie Godfrey, Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:12 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Effie had been forced to grow up fast in the world she had been born into. Life with Rashomaru was slow and she had finally been able to open up a lot more since she showed up. She even had a bit of sibling rivalry with Genjiro which amused Aelos to no end whenever he would watch.

The days of her yelling how scared she was to Aelos and him talking her through how to fight… It seemed like a long time ago. She had been running a marathon up until that point and finally, she had managed to slow down. If it had been anyone else she probably would have left the tiny village after healing but… she had come to love Rashomaru. She was filled in all the knowledge that Aelos had regarding relationships which stunted her a bit on what to do with who would become her other half.

That’s gross. That’s too direct… Why are you telling me this? What the hell is exotic dancing and why would he like it? I’m sorry I asked.

All of Aelos’s suggestions were more for adults and thus had landed her in the situation of never actually telling Rashomaru how she felt.

She chuckled a bit and shook her head. “Like there could ever be someone else who could captivate me like you do Rashomaru… There was never an option on that front.” Effie’s arms went around his neck as he pulled her up. It would be the only way they could be on the same level comfortable. His hair tickled her nose but she was more in love with how wide his eyes were. Those golden-yellow.

Effie closed the gap and kissed him soundly. Her hand moved from his neck and put her hand against his cheek so she could cradle his face. “I love you Rashomaru.” She only whispered the moment their kiss ended but they were barely not touching at that point. She could feel his breath against her. She was happy.

Author: Aragami, Posted: Sat Nov 9, 2019 11:01 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

While the two lovebirds were cuddling at the dinner table, the other newly announced pair was steaming in embarrassment. Rashomaru was shoving food into his mouth when Effie pulled on him and asked him to come outside. He did, a bit too eagerly, especially after everybody now knew how he and Effie felt towards each other. Luckily Enya and Genjiro were too distracted with sharing food to notice. The coolness of the approaching dusk helped clear the stuffiness in his head. He could feel his face cooling down, taking in a deep breath and letting it out in a sigh. Effie took his hands and looked up, speaking softly. It was different from how she usually was, she was still blushing a little too.

She admitted that what Enya unintentionally revealed to everybody was in fact the truth. She said what they both had been thinking for a long time, but didn't have the courage to put into words until now. Despite having picked up the role of substitute parent early on in childhood, he was still a child himself. It was easy to forget that he was younger than Effie, still shy and inexperienced outside of sibling-family relationships. He was a lot like his father, who was a man of few words and instead spoke through his actions. They were both soft-spoken but incredibly earnest in everything they did. And so when Effie told him how she felt towards him in such vivid terms, he could feel as if somebody were squeezing his heart within his chest. 

He could feel the pricking sensation build in his nose, that feeling that told you it was getting red and your eyes were starting to water. He didn't expect to cry, but he was so very happy. He wasn't the only one who was worried that they would be left behind because they were too boring or not interesting enough. "I've felt the same way too. I know when we first met I said I would take responsibility, but I didn't want you to feel forced because of that. If you had decided that you liked someone else, I probably wouldn't have said anything. But when Enya said how you felt about me I…I was relieved. I'm not like Genjiro. I'm not very good at being open with my feelings. Sometimes I worry I don't have the right words to say. But if you'll have me, then I gladly accept."

He smiled, then reached to wrap his arms around her. Lifting her up so she could reach his face, locks of his hair hung around her. His gold eyes were wide like a cat's, nervous but in a gentle way. The two brothers were like night and day, Rashomaru being the quiet one despite being the eldest.

Author: Effie Godfrey, Posted: Sat Nov 9, 2019 10:28 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Enya was so happy she flopped herself at Genjiro and hugged him. She was so light compared to him. Effie was still staring in disbelief. She could barely hold herself together as she continued to now pick at her food. “You’re my favorite person Genjiro.” Enya lightly kissed his cheek before sitting back down for more food. Her hand was in his while they ate some finger foods.

Effie pulled herself up after she couldn’t eat anymore. She reached down and pulled on her tree of a boyfriend. “Come with me for a second.” She practically dragged him from his seat as they made their way outside. She was looking up at the sky for a second. The sun was delicately trying to set.

She sucked in air before she closed the door before them. Taking both of his hands she rubbed his knuckles with her thumbs. “Rashomaru?” Her voice was soft and low so no one could hear if they tried to eavesdrop.

“Everything Enya said is true but I would rather have said it myself… and perhaps I have been waiting too long for the right moment instead of making a right moment.” Her face was red as she looked up at him. “I love you Rashomaru. You leave me breathless with everything you do for me and my heart bursts every time you say my name.”

She closed her eyes for a few seconds. “I do believe that I was made for you and you were made for me.” Her hazel eyes opened up and she smiled up at him. “And I would have no one else on my futon or even in my bath.” She chuckled a bit. “I took way too long saying anything to you. I’ve loved you for a long time but I was too scared you would get bored or leave me.”

Author: Kagutsuchi, Posted: Sat Nov 9, 2019 9:05 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

At that moment many things happened right after Enya blurted out that bombshell of a confession over the dinner table. Nui accidentally inhaled soup into her nose, Masashi began choking on his tea, and Rashomaru began coughing while doubled over–his face quickly becoming bright red. Yukari was surprised, but not nearly as much as everyone else. Everyone else aside from Enya and Genjiro were in a state of shock. Genjiro's jaw dropped, fortunately after he had swallowed a mouthful of rice. He couldn't believe his ears! A silly adorable grin came over his face as he realized what Enya said. It was like a bunch of happy bubbles were filling up inside of him and he was ready to burst! Of course, he completely overlooked the fact that Enya just spilled the beans on Effie's feelings towards his older brother in the same breath. 

Standing up and placing his hands on the table, he shouted back: "I LOVE YOU ENYA, AND I WANNA BE WITH YOU FOREVER TOO!!" Rashomaru buried his face into his hands and his father had finally cleared his throat, meanwhile Nui was groaning as she ran off to the bathroom to clean out her nose. The lovestruck pair were smiling at each other, Genjiro's eyes shining. In the past few weeks he began to realize he really, really liked Enya–even more than his bro. Soulmates were people you could spend time with forever and not be bored, right? Because that was definitely how he felt towards her. No matter what he did, she'd always smile or be surprised. Even when things didn't go as planned and he made a fool of himself she didn't seem mad. Plus, she was so huggable! One of his favorite things was lifting her up real high so she could pick stuff from the top branches, then she'd put the flowers on his head. Talking with her was always fun.

The peaceful atmosphere of dinner was shattered, even after they went back to eating like their declarations of love hadn't just happened. Effie and Rashomaru's feelings for each other were no secret to the boys' parents, after all it wasn't hard if you noticed. However, neither of them had ever admitted it out in the open. Once everybody regained their composure, Rashomaru was eating unusually fast, keeping his eyes glued to his bowl. His bangs obscured his face but the edge of his ears were still very red. There was this awkward silence that Genjiro didn't seem to notice one bit, and Nui eyed everybody as she slowly finished the rest of her soup. 

Author: Enya, Posted: Sat Nov 9, 2019 8:31 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Everything was going perfect. Genjiro walked her home and she offered him a kiss to his cheek. Her aunt and uncle turned up their noses at him naturally but Enya brushed it off. She didn’t really care what they thought. She thought Genjiro was wonderful.

For the next three days, Genjiro and Enya spent most of their time together. They have lunch together and dinner too. He always made sure to get her home before dark. Before they were scheduled to meet for the fourth day Enya came in and grabbed Effie. “I need you for a second. I’ll be back Genjiro.”

They sat down outside and Enya looked at Effie. “How do you feel about Rashomaru?”

Effie was taken back and she took a breath. “He’s my stars and moon. I would do anything for him.”

“And?” Enya scooted in and looked at her. Enya had really innocent red eyes now that she thought about it.

“He’s my everything. He makes my heart flutter greatly and he’s the only one who can calm me down.” Effie thought about it. “They say everyone has a soulmate and I think I found mine. He takes my breath away and I don’t think he even realizes it.” There was a blush across Effie’s cheeks. “Why do you ask?”

“…I am trying to figure it out.”Enya smiled. “Thank you Effie. See you at dinner!” Enya bounced up and went in to get Genjiro for their daily date.

Effie sat there and rolled her shoulders. She should have told Enya to say anything because that night… At the Kaname house when all of them were sitting around the table getting food and chatting Enya sat still for a moment. Genjiro was sitting next to her and across from them was Rashomaru and Effie. Nui was on the other end and Yukari and Masashi sat next to each other.

Enya slapped her hands on the table. “GENJIRO!” She startled everyone. “I decided that you are my soulmate. Effie says that Rashomaru is hers and that he’s her everything. THAT HE IS HER STARS AND MOON. I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT GENJIRO! I want to be with him FOREVER. I love you.”

Effie had choked and spit out her drink staring at the blonde in total disbelief. Her face was red and she looked at Rashomaru quickly before almost tucking herself away from him. Rashomaru and herself hadn't even told each other they loved each other or discussed it in depth.

Author: Kagutsuchi, Posted: Sun Nov 3, 2019 11:58 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Things were quickly spiraling out of control and the Kaname family barely had time to react. Rashomaru noticed the knife in Effie's hand and wrapped his arms around her out of instinct while Nui was trying to throw off the trajectory in case that didn't work. Masashi and his son were both internally screaming at the brash move Genjiro had just pulled, something neither of them had ever done period. Then the surprises didn't stop as shy little Enya returned that sneaky kiss of Genjiro's with an adorable peck. She asked if he would walk with her and it was no guess he'd say yes. They went out, and once they were out of earshot Effie's pent up emotion exploded. After wresting away the kitchen knife, Rashomaru and Nui let out a groan. 

"I can't believe what he did…and even more, I can't believe she didn't run or cry afterward." The golden-eyed boy put his head in his hands feeling a headache creep around his temples. "Whoooo~ I didn't know he had it in him, but that's Genjiro for you. This is probably the first time he's actually talked to a girl now that I think about it. And no apparently we don't count."  Nui fanned herself with her hands now back in a humanoid form. She slipped away to stuff her face with the untouched leftovers of the date meal, not letting any go to waste. This place was the best in town, no way she'd turn down free food. "They should be fine, I think. I mean, whatsh the worsht that could happen?"


 Meanwhile, they took a stroll down the riverside where Enya stopped to pick some of the budding blooms. He threw himself down on the grass as he watched her make them into a flower crown. She said she was really happy that she stayed for the date, to which he said: "Me too." Stretching, he smiled and sat up. As she carefully laid the crown on him, he touched the little flowers and rubbed the petals between his fingers. "I would like to keep seeing you if that's okay?"

"Sure thing! You can come by anytime! I'll be here at the same time like today if you wanna meet. Oh, hey–do your aunt and uncle need you to get back home before dark?" His mom and dad had always give them a curfew since they were kids. Even when Rashomaru ran errands he always made sure to come back on time. It was dangerous at night, they said. He never had a reason to stay out after dark anyway, so he didn't think much about it. 

Author: Enya, Posted: Sun Nov 3, 2019 11:33 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Enya giggled a bit and even clapped a bit as the steam bun appeared. “OH! You can do magic tricks?” She was completely… oblivious. Effie looked up at Rashomaru confused about Enya but it looked like Genjiro could play it off… and he probably would.

Then the statement came out and Effie let out a gasp. Oh her demon lord, this guy was ballsy. He just told Enya he liked her on the first date! Enya was bright red and she looked away shyly but not before she felt Genjiro kissing her.

Enya was dizzy and she felt like she was going to pass out from how hot it made her. Effie had grabbed one of Masashi’s butcher knives and was about to go stab Genjiro. Rashomaru had Effie in his arms as displeased as he probably was with his brother. This was going to make or break this date.

Enya touched her lips. “Wait… Genjiro.” She bit her lip and honestly, it was probably super cute to look at but she leaned across that table and she kissed him back. “I like you… too.”

Getting up Enya slipped back on her coat before taking his hands. “Walk with me?” She wasn’t hungry and she needed the air after everything.

After they left the building Rashomaru finally let Effie go and she started to yell. “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ABOUT? HOW BIG ARE YOUR BROTHER’S BALLS?! HOW DID THAT EVEN WORK? AND SHE ACTUALLY BOUGHT THAT?!”

Enya held his hand going down to the river before picking up the late fall early winter flowers. Her fingers were nimble as she sat down by him. Her eyes looked up at his as she weaved. “I am glad that Effie stopped me for the date.”

She finished it easily as she reached up and plopped the familiar flower crown on his head. “I would like to keep seeing you if that’s okay?”

Author: Kagutsuchi, Posted: Sun Nov 3, 2019 11:08 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

"Oooh!" Despite his high-energy personality, he had lived a rather sheltered life. The most he knew about the world was what he had seen and heard in the village, and maybe from the few visits to Nisshoki. Genjiro wasn't one to reject a compliment, leaving him beaming like a silly puppy. If he was happy it was easy to see. When Enya listed her hobbies, he made sure to memorize everything. "You know, all that stuff sorta reminds me of what my big bro likes to do too! He's really good at cooking, he makes the best food!" Genjiro bragged with pride. From the kitchen Rashomaru's face as getting red from embarrassment from his brother's exaggeration, but those warm fuzzy feelings disappeared as he kept talking. "Whenever it's a rainy day or really cold out, he'll make these cute little–" In the blink of an eye, a warm steamed meat bun flew into Genjiro's mouth cutting him off. 

Rashomaru was fuming while still trying not to show that everyone else was eavesdropping on the date. If he had thrown the bun any later Genjiro was sure to spill something he didn't want people to know. Thankfully the food distracted his brother long enough to change his train of thought, returning to the last thing from Enya's hobby list. Flower crowns…why did it feel like he'd heard this before? It was sort of hazy in his head, like an old memory back before his big brother started his sword training. Nui was with them, so maybe she would make branch wreaths to put on their heads while they had picnics. 

"What do you like Genjiro?" The question was out of the blue, but he already had an answer. With a genuine smile, he looked back into her red eyes and said: "You! And my brother, Nui, Effie, mom and dad, all our cousins and relatives all the way in Kujishoku…" His voice trailed off as he had a big list, from food to things he liked doing. With both of them leaning so close, a cheeky thought crossed his mind as Enya's eyes were on him. In a brief pause, he leaned closer and planted his lips on hers–pulling back after a few seconds. There was a hushed gasp as the 'lucky fox statue' let out air from her lungs, barely keeping it together. "He kissed her–he kissed her!! Heh heh heh~" 

Author: Enya, Posted: Sun Nov 3, 2019 10:11 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Enya shook her head. “No! My mother was an oni from this village and well a demon is really an oni so I guess my father was an oni as well! I got my wings and tail from my father!” Effie took a huge sigh of relief. Both of them were the same.

“You are cute too… Genjiro.” She blushed a bit more as she admired his hair and his eyes. She had never gotten called cute by a boy before and she really did seem to like his personality.

When he asked her what she liked to do she thought about it. “I like to bake, sew, and read! I also like to make these flower crowns. The river here is actually really good here for the flowers. I used to make them all the time when I was a kid. We would come to visit my aunt and uncle.”

She sat up a bit straighter and leaned in. “What do you like Genjiro?”

Author: Kagutsuchi, Posted: Sun Nov 3, 2019 10:04 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

"Yep, it's definitely cool! I've never seen people with your wings before! Are you part dragon? I remember once my brother told me there are dragons who have to fly with wings. They breathe fire and don't like water much." He kept babbling on, finally having found somebody who was interested in listening. Most people said they were busy and had other things to do, but at last he could sit and chat to his heart's content. "I'm not really sure what that means, but I can make stuff catch on fire! It's kinda hard to put it out though. I wonder if I'll ever get horns too…" Genjiro mumbled loudly, looking thoughtful for a moment. That moment didn't last long, naturally. And when she asked if he thought she was cute, he said without any shred of hesitation: "You are cute! Aww, I really wanna just pick you up real high like this–buuut I don't think bro and everybody else will like that." The fifteen-year-old pouted. 

He had this strange familiar feeling for some reason, but he easily overlooked it since he was so giddy. When Enya then asked if he wanted to continue the date and then said she thought he would leave after finding out she had cute horns, a tail, and wings–it left him pretty confused. "Of course I'd want to continue the date, isn't this fun? Oh! I almost forgot–what do you like to do?" He got out of his seat and leaned close, his hands on the disorganized table. From the kitchen's direction he felt as if there was intense staring at the back of his head, as Nui was hungrily eyeing the forgotten food sitting a few meters away. The rice was a lost cause, but at this point she didn't care if the soup or side dishes were cold. Her tails began to puff as she tried to hold back from having her stomach growl. She should've grabbed a snack before coming…

So far things were sailing smoothly, as Masashi's furrowed brow was no longer creasing. Rashomaru was no longer holding his breath with how Genjiro managed to maneuver around bringing up that sensitive topic, and Enya was too good-natured to be offended by his bluntly innocent questions. The chatter didn't stop as Rashomaru could tell Genjiro was warming up to the girl. Naturally he would know; after all he was the first person who Genjirio had latched onto. 

Author: Enya, Posted: Sun Nov 3, 2019 9:44 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Enya offered a small sad smile to Genjiro’s oh. It might have hit home just a bit. “It’s alright Genjiro. I stopped crying about it a few days ago. Mom and Dad wouldn’t have wanted me to stay sad about it.” Effie held this look on her face. Holy shit, this girl was precious and they were letting Genjiro near her.

Effie facepalmed as Genjiro licked the rice off but Enya giggled at him! Effie couldn’t believe this dweeb was actually winning her over. “You are so silly,” Enya whispered it softly as she cleaned his face. Everything about him seemed funny in a way but also she liked it.

Finally, though he saw what she was hiding and she blushed massively. “You think it’s cool?” Could he be? He had to be! He wasn’t scared of her! He even put out the fire and she was staring at him with big red eyes that seemed to be in a trance. He was the first boy not scared by her appearance.

“You… You think I’m cute?” She felt her entire face go red as she looked up at him. She hid her face with her sleeve for a short time. She finally peeked up at him and gave him a smile. “Does that mean you are like me?”

What she didn’t remember was a very long time before this moment. She had actually met Genjiro and Rashomaru in their childhood… What a shock this would be. “Does that mean you want to continue the date with me? I can understand if you don't… A lot of people leave after they find out."

Author: Kagutsuchi, Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2019 6:00 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

What everyone had missed save for Yukari, was the fact that Enya was no ordinary new girl in town. As she helped the children set the table she made a few discoveries which she chose to keep quiet on until later. She herself felt this particular date might have a better chance at success than the rest. Rashomaru and Effie peered from the kitchen, Effie whispering up to him on what his thoughts were. "It's too early to say…she's much more quiet than the past thirty-one attempts."  To everyone's surprise, Enya didn't get overwhelmed by his questions. In fact after she got her bearings, she started talking. The rest of the family didn't know what to say when she gave such a frank answer…even talking about the passing of her parents being last week. They were all so nervous. What Genjiro would say or do would make or break this date. And it wasn't going to be easy now that this was on the table.

But like always, he found a way. "Oh…" He wasn't really sure what to say about that. Just recently he'd remembered a lot of unhappy things too. There was a period of silence as Enya and Genjiro started to eat, but the tension didn't last long with the doll-like girl's clumsiness–sending a face-full of steaming warm rice right all over him. Awkward silence became a lighthearted panic as the poor girl was trying to clean him up, while he 'helped' by licking off the grains closest to his mouth. In the frantic scramble Enya's coat and hairband came off, revealing a tail, horns, and wings.

She was adorably cute, just downright huggable! When she started getting flustered when she realized the cat was out of the bag about herself, he didn't even realize why she was embarrassed. He looked in awe, at a loss for words for a few seconds before smiling. "You have horns…with wings and a tail too! That's so cool!" The floodgates were opened and there was nothing holding him back from being his usual self. Even her little 'accident' with setting the cloth on fire didn't phase him. Picking up his tea cup he dumped the contents over the flames causing Nui to groan from her hiding spot. "There goes the chrysanthemum tea…" Its sacrifice would not be in vain, despite having never being sipped. 

"They're so cute~ They kinda remind me of my cousins! They have horns too, but theirs are a lot longer and different shapes! One of them only has one and it looks like a deer's, but shiny like coral. I remember seeing a big polished piece of it in the capital in this fancy store, red with pearls in it!" He was babbling, talking way more than necessary. But could you blame him? He was so excited! The only people who were different were him, his brother, and Nui. His brother had friends who visited from the capital from time to time but they didn't count. Although it had a rocky start, things were going along much more smoothly. Nui slipped out from the kitchen and disguised herself as a lucky cat statue, though more like a poor man's imitation using a fox.

Author: Enya, Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2019 8:38 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Effie had thought that at least Genjiro would have caught on from watching Rashomaru and herself court… but doing what you watched wasn’t always how it worked. Nope, it looked like Genjiro was straight up oblivious.

Effie hid in the kitchen under Rashomaru so they could watch together. It wasn’t hard since she was so much smaller than her boyfriend. “Do you think this is the one?” Effie whispered up.

Compared to Effie Enya was a bit shorter. She looked more like a doll sitting across from Genjiro. Her eyes went wide for a moment as she hid her face behind her sleeve once more. Her face was flushed from the sudden barrage of questions.

“Oh… No.” Effie looked a bit defeated but Enya surprised her as the girl brought her sleeve down.

“My family used to be from here. My mother was born here and my father was from Karith. They met when he was traveling in Nisshoki. We lived in Karith until the accident last week.” She frowned a bit. “But my aunt and uncle took me in after the funerals. I only just arrived yesterday night.”

Effie went oddly quiet. This girl told her story so upfront maybe it was because of Genjiro’s aura. He was open and a loudmouth and it caused people to do things they normally wouldn’t do… like run out on him.

Enya reached for the food and started to eat it. She had manners and etiquette something they could definitely say Genjiro did not. However, it would seem she was a klutz as they watched Enya fumble her food and launch the bowl of rice. “Oh! I’m so very sorry.” She went to get up and tripped landing on her face.

Effie sucked in a chuckle but continued to watch. “Sorry!” Enya began to clean off the rice… one grain at a time. Which made Effie quirk an eyebrow. The coat she had been wearing had slid off and it revealed a set of little wings and a tail. The tail whisked and grabbed a cloth from the table as soon as Enya had cleaned Genjiro up. She was cleaning the floor while the tail was cleaning his face. Her little hairband had managed to displace itself when she fell revealing two little horns. Black with white details was what her tail and wings looked like and her little horns were black. Though it could be hard to see in all the blonde hair she had.

“Are you okay?” She stood up and took the cloth from her tail before the panic set in. “Oh no! I wasn’t supposed to let anyone know.” She turned to look at her tail and went in a circle before taking hold of it. “I can leave if you want me to.” Her face was red and the cloth lit on fire but there was no panic. “So-sorry… When I get really upset I tend to accidentally put things on fire.”

Author: Aragami, Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2019 8:15 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

He had never thought of how many girls were in the village that were their age until now. With dying embers of Genjiro's past now quelled, they still had to find a way to ensure he wouldn't resume his old habits. If they wanted to make sure Effie would be able to stay herself, they needed to prevent him from bothering her. Effie was the one who came up with the idea to find Genjiro a girlfriend, or at least someone else who would take his mind off of things. It started simple enough, and they set up the blind date in their family restaurant for a few hours in the day. It didn't go well, to put things lightly. Up until now Genjiro had lived a fairly sheltered life under the watchful eye of him and his parents. Perhaps he himself was to blame for spoiling him in their childhood years. Despite years of being his shadow, Genjiro somehow managed to fail to grasp the finer details of etiquette and tact. Then again, it was different watching someone than doing it yourself.

Thirty more dates later, the Kaname family's spirits had sunk deeper save for Genjiro's. He didn't even seem to grasp that they were doing a not-so-subtle matchmaking, which probably explained half of the failures. His mother, father, Effie, Nui, and himself were seated around the table in the restaurant's kitchen passing a bottle of sake. He had his head in his hands, rubbing his temples. Nui's ears and tails were all deflated. The sound of the door opening had Effie answering the door, ready to attend to a customer. Perhaps fate hadn't abandoned them after all, as a new face was quickly assessed and brought in as the thirty-second attempt.

Rashomaru was outside in the seating area while his parents and Nui peered from the kitchen. His father still had the cleaver in hand, having taken out his anxiety on a head of cabbage. They had been eating dumplings, meat balls, and steamed buns for weeks thanks to his father's stress chopping. The longer the date dragged on the more shredded the vegetables became. The little girl who had stumbled in was adorable, her voice so quiet and soft. When she said she had found her way here due to their restaurant's reputation, he couldn't help but feel a great sense of pride. It was hard to believe she was just fourteen! Though he and his brother could hardly qualify as being average, especially himself. 

Against his expectations, Enya agreed to go on a blind date on the spur of the moment. Rashomaru couldn't grasp this stroke of luck, but went along. Everyone's hopes lifted and he brought the soup, dishes, and rice for two. After relaying the good news, Effie dragged Genjiro back in for one last try. Once the two were seated and the sign saying they were on break was hung outside the door, everyone else who was watching held their breath. He prayed to all their ancestors and saints above that this would be the one. Effie introduced Enya and his brother to each other before letting nature take its course.

When the girl peeped out a hello, Genjiro smiled back with his cheeky grin. "Hi! So when did you move in? Not a lot of new people move here often, are you from the capital?" He was doing it again–that abrupt barrage of questions with that childlike innocence in his eyes. He didn't have many friends aside from Effie and Nui, so he didn't know how to break the silence without coming on too strong.

Author: Effie Godfrey, Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2019 7:37 PM, Post Subject: Come on #32 [R/P]

Effie sat at a table with Rashomaru at his family’s restaurant. Masashi and Yukari were trying to deal with the butchered vegetable of the day. That was the very last girl in the village. Genjiro had managed to flub it and went on his way. It ended badly. He had actually managed to send her out running within five minutes of the blind date.

“That’s thirty-one girls…” Effie groaned as she grabbed the sake bottle poured them each one. They were old enough for a drink. They needed it at this point. She did it like a saint and made a face as the sake went down. She wasn’t used to it but after this last time… Her head hit the table. “How did he manage to scare off thirty-one girls?” Scare off or gross-out… He did it one by one in style.

The door slid open and Effie jumped up as she was used to for helping Yukari these days. “Welcome! Can I–”

The girl standing at the door was one that she had never seen before. She had long bouncing blond curls. A ribbon in her hair that looked oddly placed. She was in a purple kimono and the obi was done wrong. She was clearly not from here. With big red eyes, she looked around. Her skin was lighter than Effie’s. There was an odd cloak over her back but Effie just thought she was cold. “Hell…Hello.” She had a very sweet voice and was very quiet. “I just moved in.” The girl let her fingers scrunch up the kimono in a typical nervous habit. “I heard this place had good food.” She blushed and looked away shyly.

Her Ataiyan was rough but doable. Effie almost fell on her face as she got closer. “My name is Effie and this is Rashomaru.”

“Hello…” The girl shied away and put her sleeve up to cover her face partially. She was really, really shy. “I’m Enya.”

Effie looked at Rashomaru before turning her attention back. “How old are you Enya?”

“Fourteen this past Venti.”

“I know this… is sudden but would you be willing to meet someone?” Effie was on the move and she didn’t know if Masashi could handle another failed date.

“Like… a boy?” Her voice trembled but she nodded. She did like boys they just happened to think she was weird. “Sure…”

Effie held out her hands. “I just need you to wait here… Rashomaru set up a table for them.” She ran out of the restaurant and yelled at Nui on her way past. “I got Genjiro another date!”

This would be number thirty-two and hopefully, he didn’t mess it up.

She found the trouble maker and grabbed him by his kimono. “I got you another date Lover Boy.” She pulled him back if necessary. Before they got in she straightened Genjiro up and pushed him in before introducing him to Enya. “This is Enya, she’s new here… Enya this is Genjiro.”

Enya was sitting with her hands in her lap as she looked up at him. “Hello…” She managed to squeak it out.