Chapter Text
“Soukaku, can you get my hairpin?” Tsukishiro Yanagi holds her bun together as she looks in the mirror. She finds she doesn’t mind the grey streaks anymore. Not that she didn’t try, but no amount of pink hair dye will change the facts: all those years of overworking has gotten to her. Then again, similar to Yanagi’s obsessive hair dyeing, everybody else in Section 6 had some sort of coping mechanism… how long has it been?
Yanagi looks at the calendar on the wall beside the mirror. One year next month. She clenches her jaw, and sees Soukaku approach from behind. “…Thank you.” She takes the hairpin, completing the bun and standing up to review herself in the mirror.
She doesn’t look too dissimilar to her old work attire, though she’s traded her skirt for black dress pants, and smooths over a black dress jacket. “We should become boxers, Soukaku, don’t you think?
“Huh?” Soukaku tilts her head.
“We already look quite striking !” Yanagi smiles and adjusts her glasses.
Soukaku frowns. “Are you alright, Nagi? You’re making terrible jokes again.”
Yanagi sighs and admires Soukaku’s kimono in the mirror. Blue and black floral patterns with red accents decorate the patterned cloth. “Yes, don’t worry,” She takes a lint roller to Soukaku, who raises her arms. “Just trying to make it feel a bit less stressful!”
“There’ll be food there, right?” Soukaku looks out of the window of their apartment, watching cars go by in the morning winter sun.
“Should we pack a bento just in case? I haven’t been to the Hoshimi estate very often, so I can’t make any promises regarding the food situation.” Yanagi stands up and finds that the top of Soukaku’s head doesn’t end where it used to. She’s grown quite a bit.
“Probably not. We won’t be there that long, right?”
“There’s no plan to stay any longer than necessary, but it’s not like we’re in any rush. Do you have plans?” Yanagi steps toward the front door with Soukaku in tow.
“If I did I would tell you!” Soukaku flashes a grin.
“Sometimes I wish you were a bit more rebellious.” Yanagi laughs, leaving the apartment and locking the door behind them. “Still, you’ve grown a lot. I’m very proud of you, Soukaku. You’re almost as tall as the chief—er, Miyabi—now. Maybe just as tall if we include your horns but not her ears…”
“I’ll probably grow taller than you!”
“I would like to see that…”
They step into Yanagi’s car in the parking lot and begin the journey north. As New Eridu passes them by, Yanagi’s intentions and self-reflections swim. 19 years since the fall of the old capital, and one year since Hollow Zero was eradicated. One year since Section 6 collectively retired, and one year since…
Yanagi decides to distract herself again. “Do you think Miyabi listens to traditional music?”
Soukaku, leaning against the passenger side window, glances to the side at Yanagi. “What?”
“You know, fox music?” Yanagi tries to force the word “fox” to sound like “folk”, but it flies over Soukaku’s head and out of the window, tumbling onto the speeding asphalt until it dies.
“…What?”
Yanagi laughs. “Sorry, that was probably my worst joke yet.”
“You seem really nervous.” Soukaku sits up straight. “Wanna talk about it?”
“…Maybe another time. It isn’t a fitting occasion at this current moment.”
Soukaku likely won’t be a kid for much longer, Yanagi thinks. At present, she’s more like a late-stage adolescent. It shows in everything; her deeper voice, longer hair, taller stature. The way she talks more naturally and cooks her own meals, too. Yanagi knew it would take longer for Soukaku to reach this point than a human, but she hit a growth spurt recently—perhaps a typical age range for this type of development in oni?—and the ex-deputy chief doesn’t quite feel ready for it.
The populated districts of New Eridu shrink as they approach the estate’s grounds, parking up on the outer walls and getting out. They stretch their legs and straighten their clothes before beginning the walk up to the entrance.
Yanagi’s heart races faster with each step toward the intimidating building; a traditional eastern styled castle with five generations of history within its walls.
She approaches the front door and knocks. Soukaku takes her hand and Yanagi’s shoulders relax as the door opens. A familiar housekeeper answers and bows for them.
“Good morning, Tsukishiro-sama, Soukaku-sama. Please, right this way.” They take their shoes off, setting them beside the door as she leads them inside of the vast estate. “Thank you for letting me know ahead of time that you would be here this morning. A certain… family friend tends to often drop by unannounced.”
“Yes, well, I need to have an important discussion with Hoshimi-sama, after all.” Yanagi squeezes Soukaku’s hand. “I can’t afford to have anything compromise it, so a scheduled meeting was the best choice.”
“Of course,” The housekeeper nods as they walk down the hall toward the head of the household’s office. “The door is open for you.” She leaves Yanagi and Soukaku, and Yanagi finds herself staring at the second set of doors today that make her chest pound.
“You got this.” Soukaku squeezes her hand, and they open the doors, stepping inside the office.
“Yanagi, Soukaku!” Hoshimi Souichirou greets them warmly. “Please, have a seat. I’ve prepared snacks and tea, too.”
Soukaku’s eyes light up at the array of food she assumes must be there exclusively for her. All other noise drowns out as she gorges herself.
“So, Yanagi, what is it you wanted to discuss?” Souichirou pours tea into three cups, handing two to the guests.
Yanagi’s hands tremble as she kneels at the table and brings the tea to her lips, its steam fogging her glasses. She’s had a lot of thoughts and feelings turning up out of the woodwork on this topic for quite some time, yet she never once thought to prepare for this specific moment. No written-out, planned speech to try to sway Miyabi’s father in her favor. Not like the kinds she would write up at work. This time it’s different—it’s impossibly personal. “Well… I-I don’t want to beat around the bush, Souichirou.” She closes her eyes and exhales. “I want to marry your daughter.”
Souichirou chokes on his tea, eyes widening as he barely manages to swallow it. He dabs his mouth with a napkin and sits up straight. “I see… and you’re seeking my approval?”
Her eyes open again, and she tries to steady her breathing. “Yes.”
A grand laugh fills the room and Souichirou puts the teacup down. “And here I thought Zhu Yuan would be the one to ask. Though, she’s never been too interested in formalities. Not as much as you, Yanagi.”
Soukaku looks up from the food and tunes back in. “Oh, is Zhu Yuan the one who comes by randomly?”
“Yes, she does. At this point, though, Miyabi and I have gotten used to it.”
“So…” Yanagi’s eyes fill with desperation. “What do you say?”
“Ah, right,” Souichirou clears his throat and sits up straight, bowing at Yanagi. “Tsukishiro Yanagi, I would be honored to have you marry my daughter.”
The odds were high, but Yanagi still had her doubts. After all, she knows all too well the complexities of Miyabi’s relationships. There truly is a real chance that Zhu Yuan would have pursued this first. Miyabi is a complex woman, and even her relationship with Yanagi goes beyond any simple label. Still, her fear has mostly subsided with this approval. “Thank you.” She bows, and Soukaku shortly joins her. “I’m relieved to hear that.”
“Relax, Yanagi. You, Soukaku, and Harumasa are treasured friends of the Hoshimi family. It would be foolish of me to question your intentions.”
“Of course.” Yanagi sips her tea again, her trembling lessened.
“Is Miyabi here?” Soukaku asks, polishing off the last of the snacks.
“She will be returning from her morning training any minute now.”
Of all the things Yanagi anticipated, she had completely forgotten to take note of Miyabi’s own schedule. “I see. Then perhaps I’ll seek her out.” Yanagi stands up and bows again. “Thank you again.”
“Yes, thank you, as well.” Souichirou returns the standing bow and watches Yanagi and Soukaku leave through the doors.
As they turn around, Yanagi spots a glance of a familiar fox walking down a perpindicular hallway. “Chief!” Yanagi tries to keep her voice down. She knows Miyabi isn’t the chief of anything anymore, but old habits die hard.
Soukaku decides to run past Yanagi to catch up with Miyabi, not exactly trying to mask her footsteps.
Miyabi’s ears twitch. Someone approaching from the rear? Before she can look, a familiar oni rushes in front of her.
“Miyabi!”
“Soukaku.” Miyabi blinks, eyes wide. Her ears twitch again and she turns to see Yanagi catching up. “Yanagi…? What are you two doing here?”
“We had a meeting with your dad!” Soukaku smiles.
“My father…?” She tilts her head up at Yanagi for an explanation.
Yanagi blushes and stammers. “A-ah, yes! It’s nothing bad, don’t worry! I just needed some information, so to speak!”
Miyabi looks the two of them up and down. “You’re dressed well.” She smiles. “Whatever the reason, it’s nice to see you.”
Even though the squad has retired a year ago, Yanagi notices Miyabi’s katana, Tailless, on her hip. Her face is red with exertion, and she smells… unpleasant. It’s clear she’s still training hard despite everything.
Section 6 no longer has a place where they consistently gather. No office, no break room, nothing. Yanagi misses it. The rate at which she regularly sees Miyabi has largely diminished. Is this why she’s doing what she’s doing? For them to possibly all be regularly together again?
“Is there something on your mind, Yanagi?”
Once again she got caught up in nostalgia and stood there overthinking. “Oh, apologies. There’s been a lot on my mind, actually. But… we can discuss it soon. Since we’re here, do you mind if we spend some time together?”
“Yes, please! I miss hanging out with you, Miyabi…” Soukaku bounces on her toes.
Miyabi lowers her head and chuckles. “I have a lot of menial tasks to do. It isn’t very exciting, I’ll warn you. But… no, I don’t mind at all.”
To do menial tasks with Miyabi is something Yanagi could never tire of. It’s the entire reason she dressed up this morning, after all; to do menial tasks together, until the end.