It was morning. Mirai grabbed Ryosuke’s arm before he reached for his sword and stepped out to leave their bed chamber.

“I even haven’t left but you’ve missed me?” Ryosuke turned at her and threw the teasing.

“It’s not like that,” she could not help but blush. She fiddled with the pendant dangling on her chest.

Ryosuke’s teasing smirk changed into a tender smile noticing her uneasiness. “What is it?”

“When will you take your mother’s pendant back?” She had been attached to the pendant as it represented Ryosuke and his family. When he was away, she felt him close because she had it with her.

Ryosuke looked at her hand that holding the pendant. Realizing that he reached a hand out, she released her hold on the pendant and let him took it on his palm.

“Do you like it?” he said while gazing and rubbing his thumb at the star.

“…yes.”

She knew it was his mother’s memento and it was so important for him, but…

“You can keep it.”

“Eh?” she was surprised by his sudden answer. “But you said… you will take it back when you pick me up... and isn’t it important for you?”

“Yes, it’s very important for me, but I want you to have it. I feel like my parent is watching over you, and it always gave me a little comfort back when we were apart. Besides, Mother had wanted to give something to my wife as heirloom, so the pendant would at least fulfill her wish.”

She smiled happily, “Really? Thank you.”

“And about that ring,” Ryosuke looked at the seal ring on her left middle finger. “You can keep it or throw it away. Do as you please. It’s yours.”

“I’ll keep it. It’s like I have a wedding ring.”

“Wedding ring?” He raised a brow.

She smiled at him and explained. In Hakumei, there was no custom about exchanging wedding ring, thus they did not know the term. But in other kingdom like Heiwa and Kyoukai, they had this custom, and she had dreamed of one when she was young.

Ryosuke chuckled at her expression, but soon halted, bent down and kissed her cheek before saying, “I have to go now.”

“Alright.”

She followed behind him when he covered his sword with the grey cloth as he used to. She smiled inwardly noticing the blue cloth she had embroidered for him years ago still wrapped a part of the hilt. He had told her that he cherished it, and he had also apologized for losing the handkerchief in the battle.

When they stepped out of the house, Ainosuke was talking with Yuri, and as soon as her son noticed his father, he sprang to him.

“Father, will you give me my present today?”

Ryosuke squatted down, “Yes, but you have to wait until I return home, alright?”

Ainosuke nodded enthusiastically and leaned forward to hug his father.

“What present?” she asked while following Ryosuke to walk up to his stallion.

“You’ll know later.”

“Alright. Please, be careful.”

He smiled and mounted his stallion. Yuri walked pass her and assured, “I’ll be with him until he reach Yuya’s place. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you, Yuri-kun.”

Soon after Yuri mounted his horse, Ryosuke and Yuri departed to the downtown. She followed them with her gaze until they disappeared from her sight.

“Mother, let’s go to school,” Ainosuke tugged at her hand.

“Alright. Let’s go,” she replied with a smile.

And they walked to the school hand in hand.

**********

It had been evening when Yuri stopped by Yuya’s place to pick Ryosuke up. He always did that even though he had to make a detour from Aoyama manor. Aside from his own worry, Yuya had asked him to do that and Ryosuke did not refuse, though he was complaining at first since he thought Yuya treated him like a delicate being had to be escorted. But something Yuya said had made Ryosuke went along with the plan.

They bid Yuya good bye as soon as he arrived at the guest house King Yamato had provided for Hakumei’s squad. He noticed a load dangled down Ryosuke’s saddle.

“What is that?” he asked while they were riding slowly.

Ryosuke beamed at him, “Presents. One for Ainosuke, and the others are for Mirai.”

“So the mother gets more gifts,” he remarked, teasingly smirked.

Ryosuke did not hide his smile, “Yes. I want to make up many things to her.”

“Such as?”

“I’m not telling,” Ryosuke gave him a small grin.

He shrugged and replied Ryosuke with his own smile.

“Chii,” Ryosuke called out and he turned to look at him.

“What is it?”

“Do you ever think to have your own family?” Ryosuke turned and met his eyes.

“Erm, no. Why?”

“But do you want to have one?” Ryosuke proposed another question.

He frowned slightly. He knew Ryosuke led him to a point, but he did not see reason to evade the talk.

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. He did never think about having his own family before.

“I suggest you to think about it from now,” Ryosuke unexpectedly ended the topic soon.

“Why do you suddenly bring that topic anyway?” he asked.

“Remember the day I freed you from being my shadow?”

“What’s with that?”

Ryosuke smiled his brotherly smile, “I do want you to have your own life. You have taken care of me and my family for so long. You deserve your own happiness.”

“Hey, it’s not your way to deprive me from your side, isn’t it?” he started to worry.

Ryosuke chuckled briefly, “No. I won’t. Rest assured.”

The rest of the ride was spent in silence while he thought about what Ryosuke just asked. A family? He thought it would be bothersome. Should he really have one? He wanted to just take care of Ryosuke and Ainosuke.

Before he realized, they had arrived at their house. They led their stallions to the backyard and secured it in the small stable they had built. Ainosuke was the first one to welcome them. Running from the back door and noticing his father brought something, the kid jumped up and down excitedly.

“Father, is that my present?”

Ryosuke smiled, “Yes, but be patient.”

“Okay,” Ainosuke suddenly behaved, standing calmly while watching his father took out a hand long wrapped gift.

“Chii, I will take the others from your room later,” it was his cue to hide the remaining gifts. He assumed Ryosuke would make those as a surprise for Mirai.

Giving his thumb up, he took the bag from Ryosuke’s saddle after finishing stripping his stallion off its gears. Mirai came out a moment later with Umika in her tow.

“Mother, look! This is my first present from Father because I have been good when Mother was sick,” Ainosuke chirped happily holding his present.

“So, that’s your secret promise?” Mirai gazed at Ryosuke in amusement.

Ryosuke’s only response was a short chuckle.

“Father, can I open it now?” Ainosuke asked and after receiving a nod from his father, he quickly ripped the paper wrap apart.

Ainosuke stared in awe. The present turned out a wooden sword, usually was used by a kid in swordsmanship training. Did Ryosuke intend to teach Ainosuke? He wondered. But observing the wooden sword, he could judge that it was a good one, seemed made from iron wood, strong but light.

“Why a sword?” Mirai muttered a question to Ryosuke while they were watching Ainosuke was still stunned with his new belonging.

“I’m going to teach him swordsmanship.”

“Is it alright for you? It won’t tire you?”

Ryosuke smiled reassuringly, “Don’t worry.”

After a time, Mirai called Ainosuke to come in, and the little family retreated to the house, leaving him behind.

“Welcome home,” Umika’s voice distracted him from watching Ryosuke’s family.

He turned at her with a small smile, “I’m home.”

“I’ve cooked dinner. You should just clean-up first,” she said.

“Oh, alright. Thanks.” He strode forward to the direction of the door. When noticing Umika did not move from her spot, he halted and looked back over his shoulder, “Let’s come in.”

Umika seemed snapped out from her trance before scurrying to walk behind him. In his mind, he wondered, Umika seemed distracted ever since he returned from Hakumei. She was unusually quiet. Did something happen when he was away? As Umika excused herself to her bedroom, he shrugged. He would ask her when he had a chance later.

**********

The night had fallen deeper. Yuto was waited anxiously in a certain place outside the capital two days after he received the news from General Chinen.

“Don’t worry, Yuto,” from behind him General Chinen’s voice was heard.

He turned around and looked at the general, “How long until they arrive here?”

“It should be in about half an hour before the time limit I set is over. If they don’t arrive in the time, they may encounter a hurdle and we’ll leave for the second rendezvous.”

He nodded in understanding. They were waiting for General Chinen scouting squad of shinobi. They had found a clue about the missing witness and been trying to retrieve him.

“Yuto,” General Chinen called out.

“Yes?”

“I won’t be dependable forever, and this matter is too risky to be trusted to my minion unless Yuri or Kei is here to control over them. What do you think if we just erase them?”

“If I have a say in it, I won’t deprive anyone from their family. It’s not their choice to be involved in this. So, no, I won’t kill them. Just send them away, as far as possible, but keep monitoring them,” Ryosuke answered back then when the same question was asked to him.

“Ryosuke won’t allow that.” He answered General Chinen.

“He doesn’t have a say in it already. It’s only you and me.”

“Let’s wait until we know what actually happen, General.” He eventually answered.

Not long after, a group of ten shinobi arrived gracefully. With them was a man three years older than him, whom he knew well was one of his men in the elite squad of Ryosuke’s guards. The man was bruises badly, and once spotted him, the man gasped.

“It’s clear, Sir. No casualties. Only two are wounded.” The leader of the group reported to General Chinen.

General Chinen instructed his shinobi to bring the man to their hideout while they were listening to the report from the leader. It was true that the witness was captured by Ryutaro’s people. Soon after they heard about the missing, General Chinen had sent people to move the family.

After the report finished, they headed to the building they held the witness. Wakaba Goro. He halted Goro’s movement when the injured man struggled to sit up. General Chinen let him did the investigation.

“What happened to you?” he asked.

“Please pardon me, Sir. I was drunk and blurted out about me being in the elite squad, and before I knew, I had woken up in their capture.”

He frowned, “What they asked you?”

“About Morimoto Akagi, Sir.”

“Did you leak it out?”

Instead of answering, Goro fretted, “Please help me, Sir. They have my daughter.”

“Did you or did you not?!”

Goro gulped, tense, “No, Sir. I swear. I was going to, but you saved me first.”

“You were going to?” He showed his intimidating stare.

“I… they threatened me with my daughter, Sir. They would kill her if I didn’t tell them…”

“And so you were going to break your oath?” he hardened his stare even more.

Goro gulped, fear was all over his face.

“You know the consequence, no?”

“Y-yes, Sir. It’s my fault. Please spare my family. They don’t know anything about this, and I swear I haven’t told them anything that can endanger the secret. Please, Sir.”

He distanced himself from Goro’s wriggle. “Your family, including you daughter, is under our monitoring. For you, I’ll decide your fate later.”

General Chinen watched him as he was walking to the door, leaving the chamber behind with Goro kept pleading.

Walking together, General Chinen said, “It’s our warning, Yuto. Even an elite soldier has weaknesses. It’s not impossible it will happen again with the other ten witnesses.”

He was considering General Chinen proposal when he remembered his conversation with Ryosuke back then after Ryosuke had a clash with Ryutaro.

“This is why I chose Daiki instead of Ryutaro, even though Ryutaro has stronger public image,” Ryosuke said. “He is still immature and can lose control of his emotion quite easily.”

“He is still in his early twenty. It’s youngster blood, I assume.” He replied. That time Ryutaro was still twenty one going to be twenty two.

“Possibly. But I believe he will have a chance once Daiki’s era ends. He needs time to grow himself. Once he is matured enough, maybe it will be alright to tell him about the truth." Ryosuke paused before quickly correcting himself, "No, it’s better if the truth is keep unfold forever.”

“You are worried about him?”

“It’s not solely him that I’m worried about. The transition we will do may take years or even decades before it eventually settles down. We can’t deny the fact that Morimoto currently is the strongest influence in politic and will be so for a few decades ahead, judging by ho