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"Do you remember this young man, Susato?" asked the girl's father, hand placed gingerly on the aforementioned young man's shoulder.
Of course she remembered. She'd seen him a few times, though they've never spoken. It was during the rare occasion in which she'd accompany her grandmother to visit the great Asougi family home that they'd meet. As she'd peek out from behind her grandmother with wide, curious eyes, the boy would look back at her and offer a polite smile. On one or two of their visits, while the adults were talking, she'd sneak away to the courtyard where she'd watch the boy dutifully practice his family's famed technique with his wooden sword. He always seemed too focused to ever notice her.
Today, a real katana was strapped to his back, slightly too large and unwieldy on his still small frame. He stood with perfect posture, dressed in a plain, neatly pressed kimono. His gaze was impassive, that usual polite smile completely absent.
"His name is Kazuma," her father continued, patting the boy on the back. "He will be a part of our family from here on out."
"… Family…" Susato echoed distantly. She'd been told the same thing by her grandmother when she first met her father for the first time, only a few months ago.
She wondered for a moment if "family" was always inclined to introduce themselves like this, arriving so fashionably late.
Kazuma stiffly bowed towards her, his greeting a quiet mutter.
"Thank you for having me."
She gracefully returned the gesture, just as her grandmother taught her.
~*~
It'd been a week since Kazuma had joined the family, and Susato found his habits to be a bit odd.
He didn't like to leave his room often, instead spending his waking hours studying from massive tomes full of complex, technical kanji that Susato couldn't read. When he wasn't doing that, he was training with that sword out in the backyard or meditating. He constantly insisted on preparing his own food and doing his own chores, murmuring about how he'd "hate to be a bother" to the family. Every interaction with him was so overly formal, as though she was talking to a businessman rather than a supposed family member.
However, after watching him this past week, Susato finally figured out why he acted so strange:
Kazuma was just very, very shy. There was no other explanation.
Susato had seen this before, just last year as she befriended a meek little girl in her class named Rei. The poor girl was just like him: polite, reserved, and more distant than the lands across the seas. After Susato spent some time with her, Rei began to laugh and play freely, even with the other kids in class.
All she needed was a little support. So, maybe Kazuma was the same…
At this realization, Susato quickly devised a foolproof plan to break Kazuma out of his shell.
~*~
Today was the day, Susato thought to herself as she stood in front of Kazuma's bedroom door. Her father had already left for work, and there was no school, so the conditions were just right.
She took in a deep breath, then let out a determined huff as she lightly rapped the door three times. Kazuma opened the door promptly, confusion etched on his face.
"Good afternoon Kazuma-sama." Susato greeted with a gentle nod.
"Susato-san… good afternoon." He bowed with his usual stiff awkwardness before almost cautiously looking back at Susato. "How can I help you?"
There he goes again, acting so formal to a girl half his age, she thought, a bit disheartened.
"I'm going to the market to buy some things, and was wondering if you wanted anything." Susato began, then she couldn't help but beam as she continued. "Father said he was craving udon, and I want to surprise him when he gets home!"
That was a lie. If anything, Susato was craving udon, but that was irrelevant. Kazuma furrowed his brows.
"Do you intend to go shopping… alone?"
"Of course. It is a surprise for my father, after all."
There was a long pause of consideration before Kazuma crossed his arms, face resolute.
"Then I'm joining you."
Susato shook her head. "Oh, it's ok. I don't wish to bother you–"
"I can't allow you to go shopping by yourself." Kazuma sternly cut in. "The marketplace is dangerous. You'll need someone to watch over you."
"Are you sure? You seem busy…" Susato mumbled with a tilt of her head.
"I'm certain!" Kazuma gripped the hilt of his blade, strapped to his back even inside the house. It was still a bit too big for him. "With Karuma by my side, I'll make sure no harm comes to you while shopping. That is a promise."
…
Hook, line, and sinker. It was almost too easy.
Susato lit up entirely, giving him her best kilowatt smile.
"Thank you Kazuma-sama!" She grabbed his arm and excitedly dragged him out the door, uncaring of his startled stumbling behind her. "Let us not waste any more time, then!"
~*~
The walk to the marketplace was a short one Susato often took with her father. A kilometer, a turn, and a street crossing later, and they would be there in no time. In all honesty, Susato would've been quite fine on her own.
Nevertheless, as the pair walked, Kazuma stayed close to her side, piercing gaze set upon every stranger who passed them by. They'd keep their distance too, some stepping a bit further away whenever the boy would grip his katana.
He reminded Susato of those scary guard dogs she'd see at the neighbor's house. The thought made her giggle a bit, but she didn't bother to explain why when he cast her a curious glance.
They approached the large street crossing that stood as their final obstacle to the marketplace. These streets were always so busy at this time of day, crowded with carriages and people of every kind, the air filled with the chattering of people and the clip clop of horse hooves on cobblestone. Susato felt a hand gently grab hers, then she looked up at Kazuma, who was still focused entirely on glaring at anyone who so much as breathed in their direction. She giggled again, and this time, Kazuma didn't let it slide.
"What's so funny?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Susato brought her free hand up to her mouth to stifle her laugh.
"You're always so serious, Kazuma-sama!"
And shockingly, Kazuma appeared to be a bit bashful, looking away as pink dusted his cheeks.
"Ah. Well…" He cleared his throat and puffed out his chest. "My father taught me that a samurai must always be vigilant, especially when protecting others."
This was the first time he's made mention of his own family. Susato felt her whole face brighten.
"Your father? He sounds so cool!"
Kazuma's bravado then suddenly faltered, his proud expression dropping to something Susato couldn't quite place.
"…Yeah… he was…"
As curious as she was, Susato didn't ask him to elaborate on his use of past tense. Intead, she just squeezed his hand gently, catching the subtle softening of his eyes right before they crossed the street.
The marketplace was bustling with life at every turn, merchants working, customers bartering down prices, the scent of fresh vegetables and newly caught fish permeating throughout.
Susato took out a list she'd kept in her kimono sleeve, organized neatly and meticulously, just as her grandmother taught her. Kazuma read it as well, hovering over her shoulder, before gasping in surprise as the girl suddenly began to excitedly drag him along the stalls. The merchants were already quite familiar with her, as she'd often come by this marketplace with her father, so they greeted her and Kazuma with cheerful smiles and small talk.
"Ah, hello Susato-chan!" exclaimed the beef butcher with a shining grin. "Here, have a little extra, just for you and the lovely young man!"
"Good afternoon, Susato-chan! And hello to your friend as well!" greeted the vegetable merchant. "Be sure to give your father my best wishes!"
"Susato-chan, it's been so long!" said the woman selling buckwheat flour. "What a handsome young man you have with you! Is he your brother?"
Kazuma seemed to get a little flustered at all the attention, stuttering a bit each time as he returned their hospitality with his usual politeness. Time flew as the pair spent it generously, collecting ingredients as well as some extra snacks to enjoy along the way.
Not once did Kazuma let go of her hand, still watching diligently.
At their final stop, they gathered the ingredients for dashi. The stand was well stocked with dried ingredients, from kelp to bonito flakes to shiitake mushrooms. Behind it stood a rather gruff old man that Susato often thought looked just as dried up as the things he sold.
Her father recently told her that was rude to think.
The stand itself was a bit too tall for her, so she stood on the tips of her toes to look over the display.
"Excuse me, Mister!" Susato called out from in front of the stand.
The old merchant didn't seem to hear or see her, so Kazuma loudly cleared his throat. That garnered the old man's attention.
"Ah, good afternoon young man. What can I… get ya…" He trailed off, staring up at the sky.
Overhead, thick, dark clouds glowed ever so slightly with the setting sun's pink and orange hues as the scent of rain tinted the market's busy air. Shopkeepers were already preparing themselves for the incoming storm, donning cloaks and hats and placing large tarps over their goods.
"We should head home. Quickly," Kazuma warned. Susato wasn't too happy about their trip ending so soon, but they hastily purchased their final ingredients and carefully wrapped up their bags before bidding the merchant farewell. He waved them off as he pulled a tarp over his goods as well.
Then it was a race against time, both children rushing through the dissipating crowds as it already began to drizzle. Past the marketplace and into the street, Susato struggled to keep up with Kazuma's faster gait, so Kazuma stopped and squatted down the moment they reached the other side. He peeked back at her, determination set upon his face.
"Here. Get on my back."
Excited at the prospect of getting a piggyback ride, Susato eagerly hopped on, taking hold of the bags he couldn't carry. Kazuma then got up and dashed with impressive speed.
Halfway down the block, the light drizzle gave way to heavy sheets and the puddles beneath Kazuma's feet splashed sporadically with his rushed pace, leaving waves of droplets in their wake.
By the time they'd reached their home, they were completely soaked. Kazuma set Susato down with a heave, then both of them took a moment to rest at the front door, beneath the house's overhead awning.
They watched the rain fall in silence for a moment, the loud crashing of water falling on pavement doing all the talking for them. Susato looked up at Kazuma. He was shivering from the cold, drenched so badly that his hair fell over his eyes and stuck to his cheeks. At this rate, he'd end up catching a cold. Susato cast her gaze down in guilt.
"I'm sorry Kazuma-sama… If I hadn't dragged you out here, none of this would've happened."
For an agonizingly long moment, Kazuma didn't reply. And just when Susato feared that she'd angered him, she heard a snort. The snort then turned into a light, spirited chuckle.
"What are you talking about?"
Kazuma turned to look at Susato, and for the first time ever, she saw him grinning. No polite smile, no formal neutrality, no sadness in his eyes.
A genuine, boyish, toothy grin.
"Today was the most fun I'd had in a while!" His grin then fell into something softer, more vulnerable. "I have nothing but gratitude for you, Mikotoba-san."
Susato's eyes widened to the size of saucers, and Kazuma gently ruffled her hair.
"I'd like to go shopping with you again sometime," he continued, "if you don't mind the company."
Susato couldn't help but grin right back at him.
"Of course! I'd love nothing more!"
~*~
That night, the rain still sprinkled onto the window of a very messy kitchen. Wet footprints littered the floor as flour painted the table and walls. Broth stained Susato's kimono while dried bonito flakes dusted Kazuma's hair. Charcoal burned beneath a well-loved kotatsu that held three neatly placed bowls accompanied by cups of steeping tea. When the front door opened, a soft, weary smile twisted their father's bushy moustache upwards.
As they all enjoyed the fruits of their labor around the kotatsu, Susato watched her father laugh as Kazuma gave a dramatic retelling of their outing. She hid her gleeful smile behind her teacup, deciding that her new family wasn't so bad after all.
~*~
