Chapter Text
Ayato: This view reminds me of another time it snowed... that was a long time ago.
“KAYOOOO!!!” Shouted a high pitched voice. A powdered blue haired boy came running into Akayo’s dancing room, where she was learning every dance the face of the Kamisato Clan must learn. As the firstborn, she was the heir of the clan, and as the first lady, she has to be the face of the clan as well.
Chasing after Ayato was Thoma. He panted heavily while Ayato was still grinning jovially, right out of his reach.
“Apologies, milady, young missus,”he nodded towards her mother who was teaching her, and to herself. “Young master had escaped his training lesson and his instructor asked me to go after him.”he apologized profusely.
“But I can fight! See?” Ayato interjected, swinging his wooden sword back and forth. Suddenly, his hand slipped and the sword flew right for Akayo’s face. Due to her fast reflexes, she swiftly blocked her face with her fan.
“Young missus! I’m so sorry, I should have taken it away when I had a chance.” Thoma continued to apologize.
“It’s alright Thoma, he keeps me on my toes,”she laughs it off. Thoma relaxes at the sound of her laugh, hoping to hear it again. Her mother, who was watching at the side, chucked at his pining face.
“But…”she turned to Ayato, who was scratching his head sheepishly,”you should still be more careful. What if you hit Ayaka?”
“Sowwy…”he pouted his lips.
“Ugh…alright what do you want?”she asked.
“Let’s go outside and play! I’m bored…”he exclaimed. Right then, a small hand tugged on her kimono.
“Sister…will you play with me and brother, please?”asked the youngest sister. Her puppy dog eyes were irresistible. Akayo cleared her throat.
“Mother, may I join my siblings?”she asked politely.
“Yes, you may.”she smiled softly. “I’m going to find your father to make sure he hasn’t buried himself under his work. I haven’t seen him all day. Don’t follow his example and always make time for your spouse when you grow up, alright?”she smiled, winking at Thoma. Both of their cheeks turned red.
“Mother!”she raised her voice, embarrassed. It was no secret that the two liked each other, but both of them refuse to admit it.
“I’ll…go do the laundry now, milady.”he said as he rushed out of the room. Ayato was just sipping on his boba, watching the show while Ayaka stood innocently next to him.
The three siblings, all bundled up, started running all around Chinju Forest, building snowmen and creating snow angels. While Akayo had just put the finishing touches on her snowman, she felt something cold hit her back. She turned around just to see Ayato behind a snow fort. He looked ready to launch another one while Ayaka made more.
Thinking quick, she started zigzagging through the trees. Abandoning their fort, Ayato and Ayaka chased after her, giggling like crazy while Akayo ran for her life. Forgetting to look forward, she ran right into Thoma, who has been taking a stroll, trying to take his mind off of what her mother had said.
“Thoma! Save me!”she yelled, laughing, ducking behind him. He expected to see a few slimes, but instead, he was bombarded with a bunch of snowballs. Akayo dragged him behind a tree, while Ayato and Ayaka took position behind another.
“Come on Thoma! We got to beat them!”she giggled, scooping some snow.
“Young missus…I can’t!”he protested.
“Please…Thoma?”she asked with her big doe eyes. This picture looks horribly wrong. There he was, standing behind a tree, with his liege kneeling on the ground, gathering snow and pleading to him. He quickly dropped to her height.
“But young missus…”he tried to interject.
“No buts. Right now, you are not my servant, and I’m not your missus. Call me Akayo.”she demanded.
“Alright Miss Akayo.”he agreed.
“I guess that’ll work.”she sighed at the honorific. Just then, Thoma got a face full of snow. Behind them was the other two siblings.
“Are you two lovebirds going play or not?”he smirked. Looking at Thoma’s shocked face, Akayo couldn’t help but to bust out laughing.
“Hey! Who’s side are you on?”he asked, mock offended.
“Yours, always.”she smiled, grabbing his hand to chase after them. He blushed at her forwardness.
“Ayato…I’m tired of running.”complained Ayaka.
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you!”he declared. Ayato grabbed his younger sister and set her on his shoulders. Ayato started running after the lovebirds with Ayaka and her dead aim pelting at them relentlessly.
“Did you forget about us?”asked a voice. Thoma froze.
“Milord…Its not what it looks like…huh?”he looked at the sight. The head of the clan was also had his wife on his shoulders.
“Well it looks like you are having a snowball fight and didn’t invite us.”he said with a shocked face.
“Come on father, join us!”shouted Ayato.
“Does this mean I’m not fired?”he asked.
“Of course not!”the mother laughed, throwing a snowball at Akayo.
“Thoma, lift me up too!”she said to Thoma.
“But young…”he saw her glare. “Alright, Akayo.”he relented. She beamed as she sat on his shoulders. The current leaders of the clan looked at each other knowingly.
Thoma boldly threw a snowball at Ayaka. Ayato ducked, and the snowball fight started all over again.
Thirty minutes later, the family collapsed on the snow. The rested together peacefully. That morning, the leaders of the clan felt like children again, Akayo felt free from the burdens as the heir of the clan, Thoma felt at home, and Ayato and Ayaka, they just had a fun time.
This was the best day of their lives, little did they know, it would also be their worst.