(Kalemonath 14, 45 / 8:01AM)

Four years and five months later…

Blossoms began to sprout towards the end of winter, the purple blossoms radiating the large garden that grew tall grass and fertile soil. With the smell of early spring radiating across all corners of the garden, the smell makes it hard for men to feel butterflies and rainbows.

In the middle of the garden lies a gentle streaming river, flowing clear water as it spreads throughout the crops and plants near the little banks. Crops such as simple carrots, potatoes, and beets created an earthy aroma along the center of the garden.

The sounds of sparring can be heard in a small field with short grass and infertile soil.

(Kenichi’s thoughts) Why is she this strong!? Couldn’t I fight someone like Gabriel for a change?!

Kenichi wielded a sparring hard stick, causing his hands to blister as he thrusted his entire body. His movements were amateurish for his sparring and strength were relatively mediocre compared to his adoptive sister.

In front of him was Iris. Her long dark purple hair swayed in motion with the stick as she battered her arms down at the 14-year-old ginger-haired boy. Opposite of him, her moves were practically flawless.

In no time, Iris managed to knock Kenichi down, using her sparring wood stick to thumb the top of his head in a loud snap. Falling on his bottom, Kenichi placed both of his hands on top of his head, and his eyes saw in front of him the same stick being in front of his face.

(Kenichi) Ow!…

(Iris) You just have a bruise you wimp. Even Gabriel doesn’t complain this much.

Still caressing the top of his head, Kenichi looked up as Iris folded her arms, her face looking down on him. Slowly, Kenichi got up as he shook away the dirt and grime off of his butt and back thighs.

Both started to walk towards the other end of the garden, with Kenichi placing his left hand on the back of his head.

Meanwhile, Iris continued to frown as she crossed her arms. Looking towards Kenichi, his face started to fluster red as he avoided eye contact with her, causing her to sharpen her eyes at him.

(Iris) You know that look won’t make me kinder to you.

(Kenichi) I know… I’m sorry.

(Iris) Honestly, be more like David or something. He has ten times more confidence than you do.

(Kenichi) That’s because he’s the strongest one here. I’m not that strong, or fast… I’m kind of the black sheep here…

(Iris) Well if you’re the sheep, then David’s the shepherd you have to follow .

Iris then stopped walking as she turned her entire body towards Kenichi.

(Iris) You shouldn’t be that shy. Cause, believe me, most people use other people’s shyness to get what they want.

Noticing Kenichi’s silence, Iris let out a sigh, her face sharpened even more as her right eye started to sprout a vein. Kenichi, who still turned his head away from Iris, looked towards his right side, his face down as his cheeks flustered even more.

(Iris) What? What is it? Say something.

(Kenichi) I-It’s nothing…

(Iris) I know you want to say something, so say it.

(Kenichi) I said … I said it’s nothing.

Iris turned her body back towards the direction of the end of the garden, her hands forming into tight fists.

(Iris) tch … Whatever, just follow me.

Walking towards the end of the end of the garden, Kenichi noticed two boys older than him, both of them having envelopes in their hands.

One of the boys was 16 and had a golden cross necklace, with his black hair tied up in a bun.

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While the other boy was 17 and had a brown cowboy hat, eating an ice cream cone.

Reaching the two of them, Kenichi and Iris stood in front of them, sweat and some dirt on their clothes as they saw the two teens. David, his ice cream cone slightly melting on his right hand, looked towards Kenichi.

(David) So how was sparring?

(Kenichi) It was ok. She was stronger than me, but it was nothing too bad.

(Iris) He was way too weak. Gabriel put up a better fight than him.

Kenichi looked down towards the tall grass as his ears perked up, covering his face with both his hands as his face hottened.

(Gabriel) Hahahaha … oh man, this means I’m not the weakest out of the bunch.

(David) Hehe … don’t go to that harsh man, he’s just 14.

(Gabriel) Hey, better for him than me.

Iris, who had a vein sprouting onto her forehead, clenched her fists tightly as she put herself in front of Kenichi. Looking towards Gabriel mostly, her eyes sharpened ferociously, while Kenichi stood behind with his hands cusped in between them.

(Iris) Quiet! You’re starting to annoy me.

(Gabriel) Why do you always appear to give aid to Kenichi? Do you like him or something?

(Iris) pfft … no, too wimpy for my taste.

(Gabriel) I don’t know … you always seem to get passive-aggressive whenever someone talks about him, especially when a girl compliments him.

(Iris) Whatever. What are those envelopes?

Iris looked down towards the two white envelopes that both David and Gabriel had, her cheeks flustered for a second before she replaced them with bulging hidden veins on her neck.

David and Gabriel both looked downwards, their eyes avoiding eye contact with her as they shook the envelopes on both of their left hands. Looking up towards Iris, David’s voice slightly broke as his eyes were droopy.

(David) Me and Gabriel are being drafted into the war. They needed all the men they could get so they extended the age from 18 to 13.

Iris turned her head towards Kenichi, her eyes widening at the ginger-haired boy. Looking back towards the other two, Iris gulped down as she straightened her back, a bead of sweat rolling down her right temple.

(Iris) I thought it was just a bunch of riots.

(David) They say it’s a civil war at this point. They’re calling it the Great Demi-Human Skirmishes. A bunch of skirmishes and battles have been going nonstop recently in parts of our country and Aizzonia, so I guess the government is that desperate.

(Gabriel) Yeah, and I heard Kepputha and Ticia are under intense curfews and lockdowns, I heard major cities like Lagefor and Ticia are filled with rioters.

(Iris) But why teens…

Iris’s hands started to shake, her knuckles on the verge of breaking as she continued to eye Kenichi. Noticing her sharpening eyes towards him, Kenichi looked away, turning his head towards his right side.

Until a little girl with glasses ran up towards Kenichi, tackling his leg from behind. With enough force, she managed to move Kenichi forward a couple of steps.

(Jenny) Kenny!

(Kenichi) Hey Jenny. Be careful when you ram me.

Kenichi turned his focus towards Jenny, who continued to hug his left leg tightly. Pecking his right hand on Jenny’s head, her four-and-a-half-year-old body warming up as she clung to him.

His face softened, with no redness or flustering from his cheeks, his eyes seeing the little bundle of fire tightly clutching around his leg, causing him to stay put.

(Jenny) Piggyback!

(Kenichi) Come on Jenny, I’m in the middle of…

(Jenny) Piggyback!

(Kenichi) Oh fine…

Untangling herself from his leg, Jenny walked in front of him as he carried her upward with his rough hands. Putting her onto his back, she clung her arms onto his neck, causing him to lose air for a second.

Despite this, Kenichi didn’t pay any mind to Jenny’s tight grip. Turning his face back towards the three, he scratched his cheek with his right hand, the lack of facial hair upon his youthful face.

(Kenichi) I guess this means I’ll be going to…

(David) Yeah, but I heard teens can be in the same regiment as their friends so that’s a plus.

Everyone felt a sense of relief, their breaths letting go in unison. Kenichi, looking towards Gabriel, noticed that his lips formed an evil-like grin, his smile causing Iris to fold her arms and tap her foot.

(Gabriel) Don’t worry Kenichi, I’ll take care of you. Oh yeah, I heard a myth that if you give a girl flowers after a war, that girl will forever be your wife.

Turning his head towards Iris, her hands turned into fists as she continued to fold her arms in place.

(Iris) And? Your point is?

(Gabriel) If Kenichi makes it out alive, I’ll force him to give you flowers.

(Iris) Please stop talking.

Having veins bulging out of her neck and forehead, Iris glared at Gabriel, her face reddened from both anger and something else. His face turning pale, he slowly put his hands in front of him as he took a couple of steps back.

But Jenny, still clutching onto Kenichi’s neck, had her ears perked up as she remembered the myth. Placing her head right next to his ear, Jenny showcased a bright smile as her hands tightened his neck.

(Jenny) Kenny! Give me flowers!

(Kenichi) What?

(Iris) Jenny!

(Jenny) Give me flowers! Pinky promise!

(Kenichi) Jenny, you’re still only four…

(Jenny) Promise!

Now feeling the tightness of his neck starting to slightly suffocate him, Kenichi put his pinky up towards Jenny.

Making a vow, Jenny let out a cheerful smile as she put her arms in the air, letting go of Kenichi’s neck.

(Jenny) Yay!

(Kenichi’s thoughts) She’s just a little kid, I’m sure she’ll forget eventually.

Iris tapped her foot violently, her forehead and neck bulging with veins as she looked toward Kenichi. Noticing her deathly glare, he flustered his cheeks as he looked away, avoiding eye contact with her.

(Iris) tch … Fine go ahead, I don’t like flowers anyway.

(Gabriel) … Iris?

(Iris) What?

(Gabriel) You lost your crush to your little sister… I never thought I would see that with my own—

Iris thrust her leg into Gabriel’s bloodline, causing him to collapse onto the tall grass.