The duel with his fellow clansman lingered in Rui's memory, a quiet satisfaction from his victory over a more experienced samurai. But more significant was the nod from the head of the Kusanagi clan—a silent mark of approval. Rui couldn’t help but wonder what it truly meant. A selection was rumored, but what—or who—it was for remained unknown.
└───❀*˚───❀*˚┘🍡└───❀*˚───❀*˚┘
The Lantern Festival was in full swing, its warm glow lighting up the streets. Stalls with caramel apples, dango, taiyaki, and miso soup radiated mouth-watering scents. Rui, free for the evening, joined the children to hang final lanterns, amusing them by mimicking an old Kabuki actor.
He felt the weight of someone’s gaze and turned. A girl, dressed in a delicate kimono. Her cold eyes peered over the beautiful fan she held, fixed on him. He wasn’t sure if the silence meant disapproval—or curiosity.
With a playful grin, Rui tilted his head slightly. “I believe I’ve found the harshest judge at this festival. Was my performance truly that poor?”
She flinched—just slightly—as if caught staring. Without a word, she straightened her posture, shifting her weight in a way that almost looked rehearsed. The fan in her hand rose a little higher, half-hiding her face again, though not quite in time to disguise the awkward pause that followed.
A child struggling with a lantern caught Rui’s eye. He stepped over, fixed it with ease, then paused—seeing the boy tremble. With no hesitation, he slipped off his haori and wrapped it gently around him.
“There’s more to being a samurai than fighting,” he murmured. “Sometimes, it’s simply about giving warmth.” Something about saying it made him feel lighter.
Nene, watching, was surprised by his gentleness. Finally, she spoke, her voice curious. “It’s rare to meet a warrior who’s as skilled with children as he is with a sword.”
“Most warriors spend so much time among their own, they forget what real talk sounds like.” Rui said with a crooked smile. “Swords are simple. People—especially children—aren’t. If I can make them laugh, maybe I haven’t lost my way just yet.”