Myon looked over Ichi, who had bags under his eyes. She sensed that asking about what Syon said now would be dangerous. She'd grill Ichi later.

"Let's go home to Grandpa," Myon said.

Ichi noticed Myon had a large backpack mounding behind her shoulders. Myon urged Ichi along with her hand, under the moon and stars the bloodflow from walking began to revive Ichi. He looked at his right hand again, wondering why he patted Syon's head like that. The loss of control bothered him. It's like there was a whole different side of himself he knew nothing about. Does being half-tanuki factor into that? Ichi mused. Then, Ichi noticed something that bothered him about the way Myon addressed Grandpa.

"He's my Grandpa, not your Grandpa. Why do you call him that way?"

"I've known him since I was a kid. Before you came here six months ago, I used to have dinner with him when work wasn't in the way."

Ichi's brow furrowed. He would have liked to have know this in advance.

"We're not blood related are we?"

"Our families go back centuries, but there's no marrying between them, so no. Our fathers arranged that."

Ichi sighed. He'd grill Grandpa and Myon for all they were worth about his dad.

"I'm glad. By the way, what's that backpack for?"

"Oh, I'm moving in."

"Ah, I see."

The vestiges of the sun would rise in a few hours over this small town. It would light up all the expansive rice paddys with an amber glow. Looking to the forest in the distance, Ichi couldn't imagine it being further away.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"What?" Ichi said.

"I think Syon is training Renya. We've worked together a long time, it's the sort of thing she'd enjoy doing."

"That doesn't mean you can just move in!"

And when they finally got to Ichi's house:

"Grandpa!" Myon shouted as she ran in and hugged him. Ichi never saw Grandpa smile so happily. His face melted. Ichi grumbled to himself. Why is Grandpa even awake now?

"Too shy to come around lately because there's a boy here now?" Grandpa mocked her laughing.

Myon blushed as they went into the kitchen. ichi thought, no wait, who is that girl. His mind went back to a few hours to when Myon had him hanging in the air.

"Ichi, come sit down. Myon will cook us an early breakfast."

No, no, Ichi thought, she can't cook, that should be impossible for someone like her. Ichi sat down as Myon was already in an apron heating water. Ichi watched as Myon bustled his kitchen with a smile on her face.

"Are you the same girl?" Ichi asked. Myon knit her brows and gave Ichi a dismissive look. Grandpa put a hand on Ichi's shoulder.

"Girl trouble?"

"Yes, very girl trouble."

"I bet they're all crazy for you at school."

"Yes, that is definitely true. And Myon is right there."

"It's not a secret that you're a teenage boy."

Myon interrupted from the side, as she was cutting up potatoes she mentioned it casually.

"Renya doesn't seem too happy about the punishment the seer's council gave her. Think Syon's on her side?"

Grandpa laughed and slapped Ichi on the back.

"Ohh, I'd like to be young again! You're going to have so much fun, Ichi."