Daylight slipped through the diaphanous curtains of the room crawling into our bed and cloaking us in threads of aureate light. I awoke next to the still-sleeping Kazuha, his warm breath tickling my neck, his head resting on my arm and the few crimson locks of his hair mildly rubbing against my nose.

I planted a kiss on his forehead, gently put his head on the pillow then carefully got out of bed so I don't wake him up. I went into the kitchen wanting to make him the dish he spent most of the night talking about but then I remembered that I have to be in Konda Village in about three hours.So I made him what I usually would have for breakfast, left him a little note, got dressed, kissed him on the forehead one more time, picked up Tama then left to begin my long journey to reach Konda Village.

I wanted more than anything to spend the entire day...week...year ,with him but If he's going to live with me, what I usually make from the few travels I choose to go on, won't be enough for both of us especially since The Liyue contract won't be viable until the next year and my Katana trading days are long behind me.

With the waverider safely moored in the dock behind me and Tama treading beside me, I made my way through Ritou, keeping a close eye on the contact with whom I'm going to travel to Konda Village.

"Hey,Right here !" Waved at me suddenly a tall Inazuman clad in the signature kimono of The Hiiragi Clan.

"Greetings !" I replied as I joined him under the Otogi Tree where he lied with a book in hand.

"The head of our clan speaks generous words about you." He added still flipping through the pages of his novel.

"I am both flattered and honored." I grinned timidly.

"From what I've heard, you had an unfortunate encounter with the adopted daughter of The Kujou Clan ; Lady Sara. May I know what was the catalyst to such an event ?" He enquired and freezing cold sweats started racing down my sun-scorched back.

"I wished to have an audience with her Divine Personage ; The Raiden Shogun. But Lady Kujou Sara strongly refused and from what It looked like even our ruler declined my request." I explained trying my best to preserve my calmness.

"I see." Responded the man while stroking his beard.

"No one has neither seen nor has been able to have an audience with her Divine Personage for a while now. Rumor has It that The Raiden Shogun even cut all ties with the Archons of the other nations." He then added before closing the book.

"There must be a reason to all of this ?" I retorted worried.

"Let this be the subject of our discussion on our way to Konda Village. Come, time is against us."

Ever since I could remember, all the tales and fables my mother used to recite for me always depicted The Raiden Shogun as this formidable, forever duty-bound warrior who put the greater good of her nation above all else. She safeguarded Inazuma from countless calamities and ensured her people's enlightenment thus becoming the impetus to our prosperity. What could have possibly transpired for our paragon to shut both her kin and people out ? Perhaps an unprecedented occurrence, none has foresaw is the reason to such an action, even though It doesn't seem of a cataclysmic level ?

I pondered on these questions as I gazed upon the endless succession of sceneries through the windows of our carriage while The Hiiragi Clan envoy carried on with the reading of his book.

"Are you familiar with The Kaedehara Clan ?" He enquired,briskly, not even bothering to look me in the eyes.

"Yes, I was told that they lost their leverage with her Divine Personage." I responded, mustering every bit of wit I had to veil my surprised face.

"It Is also said that only Its final heir remains in Inazuma. Have you had his acquaintance ?" He proceeded with a cold tone.

"No... I don't think so." I replied immediately beginning to sense that his questions were not asked out of mere curiosity but rather out of desire to confirm and verify the information he managed to gather about me.

"He is,like you, a Vision bearer but with a particular yet peculiar outlook on life. They say what he sees,hears and feels is intensified by his deep connection with nature. I wonder to what extent such claims can be brought and the vehemence to which SOME of this boy's feelings can get ?" Added the envoy smirking mischievously,unbothered by how uncomfortable his words made me.

"How is this supposed to be of value to me or to my new buisness venture with The Hiiragi Clan ?" I lashed out on him as I had enough with the foul nonsense his viper-like mouth spewed.

"Its value is determined by how well you answer these inquiries... lowborn."

...

With the dwindling of day's last flickers of twilight and the emergence of night's first glimpses of moonlight, I reached my house, completely exhausted but beyond blissful for I finally get to spend some time with Kazuha.

At the sight of the porche, Tama jumped off my shoulder and scurried to reach It. He pounced on one of the planks, purred for a moment then surrendered to sleep.

Abruptly, the entrance's door slowly opened and the boy, to whom my heart, eternally, belonged, stepped out, a large smile on his kind face.

"Welcome back." He spoke with a voice so delicate that all which wearied and troubled me faded away.

...

"I am finally...Home."

...

"You spent all day alone,here ?" I asked after taking a mouthful of the Dry-Braised Salted Fish Kazuha made for me.

"I wasn't alone. The sea kept me company and the skies offered me refuge." He responded then proceeded to recite a poem.

As the harmonious ebbing tide tenderly drenched the torrid sand in Its gurgling waves,the same way your love did my broken heart

I dwelt on the treacherous thought

"will the unseen wheels of a callous fate turn to keep us apart ?"

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A Question whose answer the tidal winds,gladly, carried to the shore, ergo whistling the consoling promise of bringing you back to me safe and sound.

"Well... Here I am !" I chuckled enthralled by his talent before he leaned in for a kiss untroubled by the fish bits covering my face.

"I am thankful." He,then, simpered.

We sat before the porche's glass door gazing upon the distant stars dotting the night's gloomy sky. I rested my head on his lap while he gently combed my messy hair with his kind fingers.

"I came upon an old Minka* today during the walk I took around the island." He, briskly, spoke.

"It looks charming from the outside. But, from the inside not that much." I responded.

"I talked to the owner. She told me I can move in the day after tomorrow." He added for me to,immediately,jump out incapable of believing my ears.

"Why would you do that ?" I enquired anxiously.

"Our relationship is still but a fragile scion. I will be condemning It to wither If I take this big leap of faith and move in with you." Explained Kazuha as he looked me in the eyes and held my hands tightly.

His words spoke a brutal truth for we only got together a few days ago. Be that as It may, what we have is nothing of ordinary that's why we shouldn't treat It as so.

"Kazuha, you are the first and only person I'll ever love. I know It sounds stupid and insane but I'll sacrifice everything to be with you. I will wage war on the world to preserve that beautiful smile of yours. I will defy all the odds to keep your precious tears,evermore, at bay. I will fight for you...for us till my last breath. So I will not let you walk out on me this easily. I love you so much to give up on you." I shouted,tears glistering

"My apologies." He whispered to me as he held me close to him.

"No words can do my love for you justice." He added after wiping off my tears.

"Then why do you want to move out ?" I enquired still clutching at his robe.

"I wished not that my predicaments become yours. I wished not that you get hurt because of the ghosts of my clan's past. I wished only to protect you...from myself."

"Kazuha, we will face whatever the future and Its uncertainties have in-store for us together. I will gladly share both the burdens and the scars with you for now and for always." I told him as my lips clung to his and his body embraced mine.

Minka : traditional Japanese house.

...

Within a viridescent forest soaked in ephemeral silence and bathed in incandescent daylight, the tumultuous sound of clashing steel took place.

"Splendid form !" Shouted Kazuha after parrying one of my strikes with the grace of a falling leaf.

"You should've seen yours !" I responded readying my blade for another attack and minding my footing so I don't get stuck in the roots of another dead tree.

"Truly, I am impressed by how much your swordsmanship skills have improved." He smiled prepared to stand his ground.

"I have a great master,who also happens to be my lover." I chuckled.

"Remain vigilant !" Spoke then Kazuha trying vainly to maintain a straight face.

"Yes sensei !" I uttered before we both burst out with laughter.

We carried on with our training until sundown then sat under an Otogi tree to get some rest before heading back home.

"You're still up for another round ?" Asked me Kazuha playfully.

"Absolutely not !" I chuckled exhausted, before noticing his injured right hand.

"Kazuha you're hurt." I shouted worried.

"Don't worry about It." He responded proceeding to cover It.

"No, I will worry about It." I added grabbing his right arm.

Instantly, I got out from my bag a bandage and some alchohol to bind the wound, carefully poured some on his palm, gently cleaned It then wrapped the dressing around It.

"I'm sorry, I know alchohol's sting is the worst." I said as I planted a kiss on the bandage.

"It didn't hurt me at all." He smiled shyly before my lips adhered to his.

"I hope I never hurt you Kazuha."

"You can never hurt me."

...

"Good evening Taroumaru. How are you doing ?" I saluted the boss of the Komore Teahouse as I stepped into the reception room.

He stared at me for a moment as If he was trying to recognize me then as soon as Tama popped his head from the inside of my kimono, he barked happily.

"Glad you're well." I chuckled then proceeded to go into the chamber Tohma, the Shirasagi Himegimi and I used to spend our nights in.

It's been almost two months since I last came here. I'd blame It on my busy schedule and my never-ending buisness meetings but the truth is I spent all this time traveling around Inazuma with Kazuha, getting to know him better, strengthening our bond and trying to be there for him since what he has been through was the equivalent to hell.

"You're late per usual." Interrupted Tohma my line of thought as I stepped into the room he and Kamisato Ayaka were in.

"I missed you too my best friend." I replied sarcastically after he stood up from the long table, adorned with all kinds of Inazuman dishes, and hugged me tightly

"I know you did." He laughed then invited me to join them.

"Greetings my friend. I hope you're well." Spoke gracefully Kamisato Ayaka kneeling slightly to greet me.

"I'm absolutely fine miss Ayaka how have you been ?" I responded with a smile.

"Splendid." She retorted gently.

"So what have you been up to ?" Asked me Tohma after we all got our full from the dinner.

"Trying to expand my trading empire, raise one as great as that of The Liyue Qixing's." I answered playfully.

"I reckoned you were busy, but Tohma said that your work has never kept you from regularly visiting the teahouse." Intervened Ayaka timidly.

"You're right miss Ayaka and I sincerely apologize for disappearing on both of you for all this time. Truthfully, I fell in love with someone and I wanted to take some time off from everything to work on our relationship." I explained for silence to briefly reign.

"And you had the audacity to keep that from us ?!" Shouted Tohma angrily.

"I'm sorry but I had to since all eyes were on him."

"You could've brought him here If you wanted to avoid unnecessary attention." Suggested The Shirasagi Himegimi.

"He's not the kind of person who'd stay in one place for long." I grinned.

"Who is this lucky guy though ?" Enquired Tohma curiously.

Although I knew Tohma since we were both little kids and miss Ayaka through the countless jobs her brother commissioned me for, and although I trust them with my life, I still hesitated for a bit to tell them about Kazuha.

"He's the last heir of The Kaedehara Clan." I finally spoke and they fell silent again.

"Kaedehara Kazuha ?" Enquired then Ayaka.

"Yes."

"I never took him for someone who'd even try to make friends let alone fall in love." Added Tohma surprised.

"He is a respectful man, a very kind one too. I had the pleasure of making his acquaintance twice and on both occasions, I was left speechless before his profound knowledge over a variety of subjects especially those concerning poetry and nature."

"Yes that's Kazuha." I simpered nervously.

"Well, congratulations ! But next time try to tell us earlier." Told me then Tohma as he patted me on the shoulder and smiled.

"Yes, congratulations. He is welcome here at any time too." Added Ayaka with a timid smirk.

"Thank you both. I'm glad I have you." I retorted.

"The conversation's still not over though. You're obligated to tell us EVERYTHING about Kazuha." Intervened Thoma with a mischievous grin.

"Indulge our curiosity." Chuckled The Shirasagi Himegimi afterwards.

"Alright, where do you want me to start ?"