Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“This should be everything.” Sakura set down the last box filled with his belongings and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

For the last time, he let his eyes wander around the room he had lived in for several years. It wasn’t the best room, and it wasn’t the most comfortable either, but this small space held most of his memories and struggles. It had once been his home, even if only for a while. Now's the time to leave it behind.. 

Sakura Haruka’s life had never been easy. His first heartbreak did not come from romance but from his own family. Because of his unusual appearance—his two-toned hair and mismatched eyes—people mocked him, pointing, laughing, calling him a freak. His family was ashamed of him, thus, eventually cast him out, disowning him completely.

He had been so young then. For five days he wandered aimlessly, sleeping in a cardboard box by the roadside with only his bag as a pillow. On the sixth day, someone appeared in front of him and offered a freshly baked bean bun. Sakura devoured it in one bite, finally easing the hunger in his stomach.

“There’s more where that came from. Wanna come with me, kid?” the man asked. He looked at Sakura with genuine kindness. For the first time, someone looked at him with genuine sincerity, without disgust or ridicule. That's why, Sakura did not hesitate to follow the man.

It turned out to be the best decision of his life. The man, whose name was Umemiya, took him in and gave him shelter in a small town, in a modest space above the café owned by Umemiya and his sister, Kotoha.

Sakura offered to work at the café for free to repay their kindness, but Kotoha firmly refused and told him he would still receive some pay, even if it's only a little.

Over the years, Sakura knew nothing but kindness from the siblings. He learned many things as well: Umemiya had a strange obsession with plants, Kotoha had a habit of collecting little trinkets, and the town was often attacked by thugs and gangs. Whenever that happened, Sakura stepped up to defend it.

He had learned to fight not only for himself, but also for the people who had accepted him and for the place he had come to call home.

After many years, Sakura finally saved enough money to look for a place of his own. He couldn’t stay in the space that Umemiya and Kotoha had lent him forever. He didn’t want to take advantage of their kindness. It was also time for him to think about his future. He was no longer getting any younger.

The house search was surprisingly easy, thanks to Umemiya once again. He knew of an empty house being sold at a cheap price. It fit Sakura’s budget perfectly, so he didn’t hesitate to take it.

“You ready to go?”

Sakura turned and saw Umemiya leaning against the doorframe.

“Yeah. I just need to load this into Shitara-san’s car and then we’re good.” Sakura let out a sigh, casting one last glance around the small apartment that had practically watched him grow up.

Umemiya stepped away from the door and placed an arm on Sakura’s shoulder. “We’re going to miss you, Sakura-kun. Me, Kotoha, and especially everyone here in town.”

Sakura frowned and raised a brow at him.

“What nonsense are you saying? It’s not like I’m leaving for good and never coming back. Once I settle into the new house, I’ll still return to town. I just need to find a job that pays better,” Sakura said, scowling a little.

Umemiya chuckled, patting his shoulder. “You never know, right? Fate has its own way. One day you find yourself on top, the next you’re suddenly back at the bottom.” His words were as cryptic as ever.

“But Sakura… whatever happens, just remember it happens because it’s meant to be. You’ll meet many more people who will help you along the way. Who knows? You might even find your fated partner out there! Ha ha ha!”

Sakura sighed and shook his head. He was used to Umemiya talking like this. Most of the time he didn’t understand what he meant, but now… Sakura had the feeling there was something deeper behind those words.

He would figure it out later. For now, he needed to settle into his new home.

Umemiya helped load the remaining boxes and drove Sakura to the house he had just bought. It was already clean, thanks to the time he, Umemiya, Kotoha, and several townsfolk had spent tidying it up together.

All it needed now was Sakura’s presence.

“Need help bringing your things inside?” Umemiya asked.

“No need. You’ve already done more than enough. You, Kotoha… everyone in town. I’ll never forget everything you’ve given me,” Sakura said, giving him a small smile filled with gratitude.

Umemiya grinned widely and pulled him into a hug. “Just visit us, okay? Well… that is, if you can. Hahaha!” he laughed, patting Sakura’s back.

“There you go again! Of course I’ll visit! Don’t make it sound like I’m never coming back!” Sakura pushed him away and grabbed the box of belongings.

“Mmm-mm. Even if you can’t make it, then I’ll be the one to visit." Umemiya replied, giving him a meaningful look.

“Right, right. Just go already. I need to bring these inside and get some rest,” Sakura said, humoring him.

But before Umemiya left, he called out to him.

“Haruka.”

"What now?"

Sakura was about to hiss at him when the look on Umemiya's face sent chills down his spine. He's looking at him straight on his mismatched eyes. It was as so unlike the usual Umemiya. Sakura instinctively held the boxes tightly close to his chest.

“There are many things in this world you’ll never be able to explain. But always remember that everything happens for a reason. And also…” Umemiya gave him a small smile.

“Trust your instincts.”

That was the last thing Umemiya told him before bidding him goodbye and wishing him luck. Sakura stood there for a while, watching the car disappear into the distance before he started carrying in the boxes one by one. It wasn’t much, since he only owned few clothes anyway.

.

.

.

“Whew. Finally done with unpacking.”

Sakura flopped onto the couch after arranging his belongings. He had already swept away the dust, set up the bed with clean sheets, and placed two soft pillows on top.

A smile tugged at his lips as he remembered the time they had cleaned the house together. Some townsfolk had come by, carrying wood and cushions. They built him a bed so he could sleep comfortably. It was their gift to him, a token of appreciation for his hard work and for all the times he had protected their town.

They were truly great people. If it were up to Sakura, he would have chosen to stay in that town forever. But he knew that as long as he remained there, he would always be on the receiving end of their kindness. He wanted to become successful, so that one day he could help the people who had shown him so much goodwill.

“Hm?”

His thoughts were interrupted when the sky suddenly grew dim with heavy clouds. He walked to the window to check for signs of rain, but his eyes caught something else instead—a well in his backyard.

Had it always been there?

Sakura decided to take a closer look. Then he remembered, when they were cleaning the house, Umemiya had insisted on tidying that particular area himself.

As Sakura drew near the well, a sudden gust of wind rushed past him, making the hairs on his neck stand on end. It felt almost like something invisible had brushed against him.

He lifted the well’s cover absentmindedly and peered inside, trying to see if there was water at the bottom. He didn’t even know why he felt the urge to check, it just felt like... he needed to.

“Of course there’s no water. What am I expecting? Free water to cut the bills?” Sakura muttered with a scoff.

But just as he was about to close it, he noticed something move inside.

There was a ripple. Small, faint, but unmistakable, spreading across the darkness of the deep well.

Sakura leaned forward, squinting his eyes to get a better look,

“Huh. Nothing. Now this shit is creepin' me out. Maybe I should—”

Before he could pull back, a powerful force shoved him from behind, sending him tumbling forward.

“Shit!! AAHH!” His scream echoed as he fell.

It happened so fast, but in that split second Sakura caught sight of the one who had pushed him..

And it was… 

Haa.. man..

Why?

Why you?

“Umemiya…”

Chapter Text

When Sakura woke up, he found himself lying on the grass. The surroundings were dark, with tall trees towering around him.

Where the hell am I?

He sat up and rubbed his temple. His head was spinning. Strangely enough, when he fell into the well, he didn't feel the impact. He had simply blacked out right after catching a glimpse of Umemiya.

Umemiya…

Why did he push me? He was even smiling at that time…

Sakura shook his head, stood up, and brushed off his clothes. He looked around and realized he had landed in some kind of forest. It was dark, but the grass was glowing faintly, which made it easier for him to walk.

He could worry about Umemiya later. For now, he needed to find a way back.

That brought him right back to the most pressing question—where exactly was he? Was this a parallel universe? A hidden world inside the well? Did he die and reincarnated? And more importantly, why was the grass here blue?

“H-help! Help! Help mee!!”

The desperate voice startled him, and he immediately followed the sound. His instincts telling him that there's danger nearby.

He spotted five strange-looking creatures surrounding a trembling figure. Without hesitation, Sakura jumped in to protect the boy from those monsters—or whatever they were.

“N-no! You can’t fight them with brute force!”

But Sakura had already thrown a punch before the warning even reached him. To their shock, his fist glowed, and the monster he struck turned to stone before crumbling into ashes.

“W-w-what… this can’t be…” the boy gasped, more stunned than Sakura himself.

There was no time to share in his shock. Sakura quickly dealt with the rest of the creatures. They looked like emaciated zombies, tall and thin, with a dark aura seeping from their bodies.

With a few more punches and kicks, each of them turned to stone and faded away like ashes in the wind. Sakura covered his nose and mouth, afraid of inhaling whatever they left behind.

“I’m saved…”

Sakura turned to the boy he had rescued. He had blond hair and brown eyes. He stood up and sighed in relief, clutching the stem of a giant leaf that looked like an umbrella.

“Thank you for saving me! Honestly, I didn’t know monsters roamed this area. Normally, they don’t. Anyway! I’m Nirei Akihiko!” he said cheerfully, extending his free hand.

“Sakura,” he replied simply, refusing to share his full name. He slowly reached out his hand.

The moment their skin touched, Nirei recoiled with a sharp cry.

“OUCH! That hurts!!” he yelped, shaking his hand as though it had been burned.

Then, Nirei's eyes slowly widened in horror as realization struck him. He trembled and stumbled backward, collapsing onto the ground again. He looked more afraid of Sakura now than of the monsters earlier.

“H-hey..? Are you okay?” Sakura asked, stepping closer to help him up.

“No! Don’t come near me! Aahhh!! Help! I’m going to die!!”

He hugged the huge leaf tightly as if it were his last lifeline.

“Don’t kill me! I’m just… I’m just a harmless little Korpokkur…” he pleaded, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.

“Korpo—what? The hell are you talking about? I thought your name was Nirei?” Sakura's brow raised.

Suddenly, a memory flashed in Sakura’s mind—back at the orphanage with Umemiya, he once came across a children’s picture book titled: The Ultimate Guide to Japanese Yokai!

He looked closely at the boy in front of him, and sure enough, his appearance perfectly matched the illustrations he had seen.

"A Korpokkur (コロポックル) is a type of yōkai that appears tiny with gentle features. They are kind and generous, shy and elusive. They carry a butterbur leaf like a parasol. They are portrayed as benevolent nature spirits."

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Sakura closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

He wanted to deny it, to gaslight himself that maybe this was just a trick or cosplay, but he couldn’t ignore the fact that he had just fought weird ass monsters. The chances that this boy really was a yokai were high. 

Sakura sighed, watching the frightened Korpokkur curl into himself. “Hey.”

The little spirit flinched, slowly raising his tearful eyes to meet Sakura’s.

“I’m not going to hurt you. If I intended to, I would’ve left you to die back there, wouldn’t I?” Sakura said, scratching the back of his head in irritation.

“I don’t understand why you panicked when I touched your hand, but I’m telling you—I have no bad intentions. If anything, I’m the one who feels threatened here. Where the hell is this place?” He looked around the strange forest.

“W-wait… you don’t know this place? I thought…” The Korpokkur trailed off, adjusting his posture.

“I thought you came here to wipe us all out…”

“What?!” Sakura snapped, raising his voice. “Wipe you all out?? You think I’m even capable of doing that?!”

The poor Korpokkur shrank back again, clutching his giant leaf tightly. “I mean…! Because you…! You have the power of an Onmyōji! That’s why!” he shrieked.

Another unfamiliar term. What even is that supposed to mean.

Sakura frowned at him, clearly waiting for an explanation.

“An Onmyōji… you know? Like a priest…”

“Me? A priest?! Are you kidding me???”

Sakura and priest in one sentence don't feel right. 

“No, no! Listen! Well.. not exactly a priest, yes it is kind of one! But they’re more like sorcerers too…” the Korpokkur said, scratching his cheek nervously.

“And to us youkai… an Onmyōji is definitely a bad news! They can seal us away with just a flick of their finger, or worse, they can erase us from existence completely! Waah…!"

He trembled, using his leaf as a shield against Sakura.

“If you’re going to kill me, please… give me one day to say goodbye to my family and friends! Huuu.. hic… hic…”

Sakura’s patience was wearing thin. Did this little youkai really think he would kill him just because of some supposed Onmyōji power or whatever it was called?

“I already told you I’m not going to hurt you. If you say that again, I might actually change my mind.” he threatened.

“Eek! N-no, no! I was only joking… hehe.. I know you won’t hurt me, of course.. I’m a peaceful and obedient youkai, after all.” He slowly stood up, brushing the dirt off his clothes.

Youkai, huh.

“Are there many like you?” Sakura asked.

“Huh? Oh… if you mean other Korpokkur, then yes. Here in Furin no Kuni, the Nirei clan is actually the largest of our kind." he said with pride.

“Furin no Kuni..?” Sakura asked.

“Yup! That’s the name of this land!"

A sudden gust of wind swept through the forest. Birds flapped their wings overhead, and the rustle of countless leaves echoed all around.

“Furin no Kuni (風鈴の国)… The Land of Windchime Spirits. This is our home.”

Chapter Text

“First, we need to do something about your powers, Sakura-san.” said Nirei as they walked side by side, leaving the forest behind.

He was scribbling in his small notebook, looking rather cheerful with whatever he was writing.

“Good thing you’re a nice person, Sakura-san! Today must really be my lucky day, huh? Not only did you save me, but I also got to meet an onmyōji like you! I have to record this!” he beamed, happily writing again in his notebook.

“What are you doing here anyway? And what were those things that attacked you earlier?” Sakura asked.

“Oh… they’re the manifestation of corrosion. A real problem in this land. They’re often the cause of crops withering and ordinary animals dying. Everything they touch eventually decays.” He closed his notebook and slipped it into his pocket.

“That’s why fighting them directly is a big mistake. The moment they touch you, you’ll be corroded, and your body will decay. But you have the power of an onmyōji! Your punches and kicks actually exorcise them!” he said with excitement, punching the air for emphasis.

Soon, Sakura noticed that the sky was much brighter as they stepped out of the forest. He looked back in confusion. Inside, it had been as dark as night.

“So it’s still morning? Why did it look like night in there?” Sakura asked, pointing at the forest with his thumb.

“Haha, that forest has always been like that! But there’s a legend behind it. They say a tengu tragically died there after a battle with a nue. The crows gathered in mourning, and the darkness has stayed ever since." Nirei explained while twirling the giant leaf he carried.

Sakura only half listened, he's more fascinated by the scenery around him. Everything looked alive and full of color. Wide green fields stretched before him, dotted with plants, flowers, and vibrant butterflies. Even the air tasted crisp and fresh, untouched by pollution.

“So, where exactly are you taking me?” Sakura asked when he realized he had no idea where they were going.

“Oh! I’ll take you to my house first. We’ll look for a way to hide your onmyōji powers. If others find out, it’ll cause huge chaos. You know how I panicked when I realized what you were, right?” Nirei scratched his head with a sheepish laugh.

“But you adjusted just fine. Look at you now, acting all chummy with me.”

“Ehehe that’s because I can sense you don’t mean me any harm. But not everyone is like me. If they find out you’re an onmyōji, they’ll definitely try to challenge you.”

“Then let them. I won’t back down from anyone." Sakura said with confidence.

“We can’t afford that. Our youkai powers must be reserved for even greater disasters.”

They eventually arrived at Nirei’s house, and he invited Sakura inside. Sakura sat in the living room while Nirei went upstairs, looking for something they could use to conceal his powers.

Sakura’s eyes wandered. Everywhere he looked, there were books and notebooks scattered around.

He let out a long sigh and closed his eyes, silently praying that all of this was just a dream. Maybe he’d wake up and found himself in his new house, just sleeping on the couch.

If only he hadn’t gone near that well… damn it. He could’ve been cooking dinner, or soaking his body in a warm bath.

He clenched his jaw. Once he got back, he’d wring Umemiya’s neck for this.

Just then, his stomach growled. He realized he hadn’t eaten anything yet since earlier. 

Luckily, there's a cookie jar on the coffee table. He grabbed one cookie, then another. It was so delicous that before he knew it, he had eaten six.

“Sakura-san! I found these gloves. Maybe they can help with—huh?” Nirei suddenly froze.

“Hey, Nirei. I’ve been meaning to ask. Do you know any way I can return to my world?” Sakura asked while munching on his seventh cookie.

“There is… but right now, there isn’t." Nirei replied with an uneasy expression. He sat on the sofa and placed the gloves on the coffee table.

“What do you mean? There was a way and now there isn’t? Make it make sense." Sakura complained, reaching out for another cookie.

Nirei sighed and looked at him apologetically. “That’s because… you ate that cookie, Sakura-san…”

Sakura’s hand froze midair. His eyes widened.

“Huh?! That cookie has side effects?!” he asked, pointing accusingly at the jar.

“It’s a little complicated… For us youkai, it’s just an ordinary cookie. But for someone who isn’t a youkai, there can be problems.” Nirei admitted, his face full of guilt.

“What?! Then why didn’t you tell me earlier?!”

“S-sorry! I didn’t know you’d be so hungry you’d just eat them! I’ve never had a non-youkai visitor before either…”

Sakura slumped against the sofa, feeling defeated. He knew it was partly his fault for eating without asking.

“Haa… so what’s the effect?” he asked, bracing himself.

Nirei cleared his throat, fidgeting nervously. “W-well… according to the records, if someone other than a youkai eats food from this land, their soul will be bound to here. This rule was made long ago, after outsiders invaded and caused trouble here. As punishment for their greed, anyone who eats our food is tied down to this world and forced to follow its laws…”

Sakura listened closely, but all he could think was that this wasn’t his punishment for greed—this was his punishment for being a glutton!

“I’m sorry, Sakura-san… I should have warned you sooner..” Nirei said softly.

Sakura waved his hand dismissively and shook his head. “No, it’s not your fault. It’s mine. I should’ve asked before eating.”

Nirei still looked guilty, watching as Sakura silently tried to process what to do next. Suddenly, the little youkai shot to his feet, as though he had just remembered something.

“Ah! Wait here, Sakura-san! I think there might be a way!” he said, and dashed upstairs.

Sakura heard a series of loud thuds, followed by the heavy crashes of books hitting the floor. He frowned, wondering what on earth Nirei was doing up there.

After a few minutes, Nirei came running back down, carrying an old storybook. He set it on the coffee table, and the two of them leaned closer.

“A storybook?” Sakura asked.

“Yup! My grandma used to tell me this story when I was little,” Nirei explained, blowing the dust off the cover.

“Here goes.” He opened the book and began to read.

“Long ago, a human fell from the sky into the land of youkai. The youkai feared her and kept their distance, but she wandered on, searching for a way home. One day, she met a kind youkai who saw her not as an outsider, but simply as herself. They became friends, and little by little, their hearts grew close. Yet even as she fell in love, the girl still longed for her homeland.

But the truth was cruel. Because she had eaten food from the youkai world, her soul was tied from there. If she tried to return as she was, her soul would shatter. However, a wise told her a solution to her problem — it is to marry her beloved! Marriage would bind their souls together, making her part of both worlds. And so, she became his bride. Through that bond she walked safely back to her home, her heart forever carrying the warmth of the youkai who loved her.”

- - - -

“And... The End!” Nirei announced, snapping the picture book closed.

“Urgh...” 

“Hmm? Sakura-san, are you okay? Your face is all red.” Nirei asked with concern and reached out to touch him, but Sakura quickly tapped his hand away.

“I’m fine! Geez. W-what kind of story was that? It's like something a hopeless romantic teenager would write!” Sakura snapped, grinding his teeth.

“That’s oddly specific,” Nirei murmured, rubbing the hand that had burned again.

“And that’s it? She just married that youkai and left? Isn’t that kind of cruel?” Sakura asked with a scowl.

“Well… if I remember correctly, this was the expurgated version. The original copies were all burned. They edited it to make it fit for a children’s bedtime story.” Nirei explained.

That made sense. Once they found out it was possible to travel between the human world and the youkai world, greedy humans would no doubt—cause some trouble. That’s why the tale had been sanitized to hide these details.

“So you trusted me enough to tell me this? What if I actually wanted to exploit this information and cause harm?” Sakura raised an eyebrow.

“It’s okay. I’ll take full responsibility.” Nirei said with a small smile as he wiped a smudge off the storybook.

“If it weren’t for you, I’d be dead right now. You see, I’m very weak... A small Korpokkur like me gets picked on by stronger youkai. I can’t fight... The only thing I’m good at is reading books, gathering information, and.. running errands, I guess? Ehehe..” Nirei’s voice grew small. He put the storybook on his lap and looked down.

“It's kind of pathetic, right? Sometimes I dream of being born as an Oni. They’re strong. They can do whatever they want—”

“Nah, you’re not pathetic at all.” Sakura cut in while looking away. His ears were pink.

“Look at you now, doing your best to help me. There aren't many like you these days. Those youkai who take advantage of the weak are scum. They deserve nothing.” He sighed and scratched the back of his head in frustration.

“That’s why, as long as I’m here, tell me if anyone bullies you. I’ll give them a good punch.” Sakura added, raising his right fist.

Nirei laughed and wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve. He gave Sakura a bright, grateful smile, 

“See? That’s why I trust you so much, Sakura-san! You’re really a good human!"

“Hmph..” Sakura replied and looked away.

“So what’s next? Can’t you just be the one to help me go back to my world?” Sakura asked, causing Nirei to freeze and turned red.

“H-h-huh?! I can’t— I mean, it’s an honor, but I can’t do it. No, I’m not qualified!” Nirei stammered, shaking his head.

Sakura frowned. “Why not? The story says a human married a youkai. You’re a youkai. What’s the difference?”

“A lot!” the Korpokkur cried, blushing further.

“Explain yourself, will you?” Sakura demanded. He was getting stressed and even hungrier by the minute.

Nirei cleared his throat and calmed himself. “Ehem. First of all, yes—I’m a youkai, but I’m not capable of that. I’m not strong enough! My power isn’t enough to help you cross into another world.”

“So others can?” Sakura reached for another cookie. He's already screwed anyway, might as well enjoy it.

“Not just any youkai. Especially not someone below your caliber…”

“What do you mean?” Sakura asked, savouring his cookie to his heart content.

“Since you’re an onmyōji, Sakura-san, ordinary youkai wouldn’t be able to handle you. The only one who can help you is…” Nirei trailed off, his face morphed in hesitation.

“His Majesty.. The God of Youkai. The ruler of this land.”

.

.

.

“My lord, the corroded monsters in the entertainment district have been dealt with. None of the Rokurokubi were harmed." the yokai reported to his lord.

“Mmm, good work, Anzai.”

The lord only waved his hand. He did not even glance at his loyal subject. Instead, he stood gazing out the window with a distant look. 

“Is there... anything I can help you with, my lord?” Anzai asked, forcing himself to look where his lordship stared. He just saw nothing but peace outside.

“An outsider has come to this land.” his lord said calmly.

Anzai stiffened. Panic immediately surged through him.

“My lord, give me your orders—!”

“No need, Anzai. Return to your post or rest. You deserve it after your good work.”

“I beg your pardon…? My lord, this is serious! We should—”

“Exactly why I should be the one to deal with this.” The lord answered, casting a glance at his worried subject.

“Off you go now, Anzai. You look tired. Take some rest.” he added, waving his hand to shoo him away.

Anzai hesitated, but later he obeyed. After he left, the lord looked out the window again. A smile crept across his lips, revealing his sharp fangs.

“I’ve been bored to death anyway. I should take this opportunity to amuse myself for a bit.”

Chapter Text

“Sakura-saannn! We can’t! We can’t!” the poor Korpokkur struggled, tugging the hem of Sakura’s clothes.

“Why not? You said the only one who can help me is your god here in this land. If you won’t go, then just tell me the way to his palace and I’ll go myself.” Sakura replied, staring at the trembling little youkai.

Nirei shook his head over and over, gripping the fabric tighter. “You didn’t let me finish! Yes, His Majesty is the only one who can help you right now, but I didn’t say he’s willing to help you!” he said, eyes tightly shut.

Sakura paused, raising an eyebrow. “Why not? You said he’s the god of this land—the ruler, the king, or whatever. Isn’t it his job to help, especially if I could pose a danger to this place and to all of youkai?”

“You’re right, but… it’s not that simple. His Majesty is…” Nirei finally let go of Sakura when he realized he wasn't going anywhere now.

“What? Is he a tyrant or something?” Sakura rolled his eyes and picked his ear with his pinky finger.

“Far from it! His Majesty is a pacifist. Actually, he’s very kind!” Nirei’s voice brightened as he pulled out his small notebook from his pocket. “There was a time he visited this humble area. It was my first time seeing him in person! He carried himself with authority and grace. Even though he’s above us, he treated everyone politely! And and—” Nirei froze when he noticed Sakura giving him a weird look.

“You seem like a die-hard fanboy of this guy.” Sakura said.

“Not just some ‘guy’! It’s His Majesty!” the Korpokkur barked, quickly tucking the notebook back into his pocket. “But yes, I am. Everyone in Furin no Kuni admires His Majesty. He’s smart, powerful, and everything he does is for the betterment of this land.” the little youkai added, voice full of admiration.

“So, what gives? According to your story, he seems like a good guy—err, youkai god. Why wouldn’t he want to help me?” Sakura asked.

“Well… I shouldn’t be saying this, but…” Nirei glanced left and right, making sure that no one else was around. When he confirmed they were alone, he leaned his face close to Sakura’s, careful not to touch him.

“I heard from my grandma… that His Majesty strongly detests humans.”

Oh.

“Huh. If your grandma said that… then this god of youkai must be really old?” Sakura asked. Of course, it had completely slipped his mind. If he’s truly a god-level, he must be an ancient yokai or something.

He couldn’t believe he had considered marrying some old fart.

“Not quite. He’s actually the youngest ruler in Furin no Kuni’s history. I wasn’t even born when he claimed the throne, so everything I know about him comes from my grandma,” Nirei explained.

“Wait—how old are you?” Sakura asked.

“Hmm? Ah… I’m turning…” Nirei thought for a moment and counted on his fingers. “…fifteen.”

“You’re fifteen? So I’m older than you then. I am—”

“One hundred fifteen! I’m 115 years old, Sakura-san!” Nirei beamed proudly.

“The fuck??”

Sakura stared at the small Korpokkur in disbelief. Nirei tilted his head innocently.

“You were saying? How old are you again, Sakura-san?” he asked, pulling the notebook out of his pocket.

“Never mind. Go away, gramps.”

“Eehh…”

- - - - - 

Sakura decided to just explore since Nirei wouldn’t let him meet their god. Along the way, Nirei told him stories and shared things he needed to know about the land. Eventually, Sakura also learned that their lord was actually three hundred years old.

“You said earlier he’s the youngest ruler in this land, and now you’re telling me he’s three hundred years old? Are you messing with me?” Sakura asked, plucking an apple from a nearby tree.

“His Majesty really is the youngest! According to Furin no Kuni history, the previous ruler of this land was five hundred years old!” Nirei replied proudly.

Oh, come on.

“What, did he finally die of old age?” Sakura chuckled, taking a big bite of the apple.

“Hmm… nope. Actually, the previous ruler suddenly vanished.” Nirei answered, flipping through his notes.

Sakura went silent for a moment, savoring the apple. It tasted far better than any apple in the human world.

“What kind of youkai is he?”

“Who? His Majesty or the previous one?”

“Both.”

“Hmm… hold on..” Nirei flipped back two pages in his notes before continuing. “The previous ruler was a Byakko. His Majesty is… a kitsune.”

Sakura’s ears perked up as he looked at the Korpokkur beside him.

“A kitsune? Sounds cute.”

“Hey! Show some respect! His Majesty is already a six-tailed fox youkai, you know!” the little spirit protested, swatting Sakura with the giant leaf he was holding.

“What? Aren’t the number of fox tails supposed to depend on their age?” Sakura asked after dodging the leaf.

“Not strictly. Yes, age matters, but… His Majesty is the most gifted kitsune ever born in history. He was born under a special eclipse, and angels are said to have descended to bless him. He mastered his mystic arts at a very young age, which is why his divine tails grow so quickly!” Nirei said, sounding proud, as if he were bragging about his own child.

“At this rate, we wouldn’t be surprised if he has nine tails next year.” he added.

Sakura looked ahead, finishing the last bite of his apple before tossing the core aside. He scanned the nearby trees, searching for another fruit to eat.

“You keep talking about this kitsune god, but you never told me his name,” Sakura said.

Nirei froze and swallowed nervously. He cleared his throat and pointed forward.

“Look, Sakura-san! See that river over there? Legend says the water is blessed by the fairies!” Nirei said, changing the topic.

Sakura did glance at the river but then turned his attention back at him. “Hey, answer my question. What’s his name—”

“KYAAHH! Monsters! Help!”

Both of them were startled by a woman’s scream. They ran toward the river, where the voice had come from.

“Eek! Corroded monsters! There are so many of them!” Nirei shouted, gripping his leaf tightly.

“Nirei! Protect that woman over there! I’ll take care of them!” Sakura ordered before charging in. Nirei nodded, quickly running to the woman’s side and shielding her under his giant leaf.

Sakura struck fast, dispatching the monsters one by one. As usual, his fists glowed whenever he landed a hit, turning each enemy to stone before crumbling them into dust.

“Ahh! Behind you!” the woman shouted, pointing at a monster sneaking up behind him. Sakura twisted his body and delivered a powerful kick, sending it to the same fate as the others.

The fight was easy thanks to his unfamiliar onmyōji power. Sakura stared at his fists, feeling the massive energy coursing through his body. He clenched and unclenched his fists, repeating the motion.

He needed to control this power soon. If he didn’t, he could accidentally hurt someone.

“Sakura-san! Are you okay?” Nirei ran up to him, glancing around to make sure the area was clear.

“I’m fine. How about you two?”

“I’m okay! She’s also—”

“Ahh, thank you! My hero!” the woman suddenly cried out, throwing herself into Sakura’s arms.

“HUH” Sakura/Nirei

“I would’ve been in terrible danger without you! If you hadn’t come, my body might already be lying here by the river, rotting away!” she wailed with invisible tears, rubbing her cheek against Sakura’s chest.

“W-w-what are you saying?! Get off me!”

“Sakura-san!” Nirei panicked.

“This won’t do! Words aren’t enough to express my gratitude! How about this? There’s an inn nearby, shall we go there? I’ll show you just how thankful I really am…” Her voice suddenly dipped into something sultry as she loosened the strap of her dress, revealing a flawless shoulder and the smooth line of her neck.

Sakura frowned and quickly fixed her clothing. “Have some decency! Let’s go, Nirei!”

He turned to leave, but the woman caught his wrist. Sakura tugged, but she wouldn’t let go.

What the..?? Why is this woman so strong?!

“If you don’t want to walk, then we can just do it here! Hardly anyone passes this way except for cargo wagons. What do you think? Your little friend here can watch…” she purred, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.

Nirei squeaked and ducked under his giant leaf. “I-I will not!”

“No, WE will not!” Sakura barked, wrenching his arm free. He grabbed Nirei by the collar and strode away in long steps. The poor Korpokkur nearly fainted from trying to keep up with him.

“Haa… haa… S-Sakura-san… wait… let me breathe…” Nirei gasped, clutching his chest.

“Uhm… sorry, Nirei. You okay?” Sakura asked, feeling a little guilty.

Nirei took a few moments to catch his breath, then steadied himself and clutched his butterbur leaf again.

“Did we really have to run that fast? … Are you scared of women, Sakura-san?” he asked bluntly.

Sakura blinked in surprise. The little thing was getting a bit too bold with him.

Or maybe Nirei was just pissed because Sakura literally dragged him out of there.

“It’s not women—it’s that woman! She creeped me out! What kind of youkai was that anyway?” Sakura snapped irritably.

“Hmm… good question. I can’t seem to figure her out either. She wasn’t a Jorogumo.. she didn’t have multiple arms.” Nirei muttered, flipping through his notebook to jot it down.

No, not just that… how was she able to hold Sakura like that? Sure, she only clung to his clothes earlier, but when she grabbed his wrist? It was a direct skin contact, and yet she doesn't seem bothered by it unlike this Korpokkur. 

Sakura just couldn't react right away because he was too flustered by the nonsense she was spouting.

He sighed and looked straight ahead. They were already far from the river.

“You know any place to eat around here? This whole thing just made me even hungrier.”

.

.

.

“Hmm~ ♪ hmm~ ♪ ”

A soft humming blended with the cool night air. The lord was treating himself to a relaxing bath in the river after a day well spent.

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

Suddenly, the river froze over, but before the ice could touch him, the lord waved his hand casually and summoned fire, unfreezing it away in an instant.

“Kiryu-kun.” the lord called when he noticed a figure approaching. “Is that how you greet your lord? I could pull you into this water with ease and melt you down as punishment, you know?” he added with a hint of both threat and jest.

“Apologies, my lord.” Kiryu bowed his head. “How could I, a mere yuki-onna, ever go against your divine self?”

The lord sighed, resting his cheek against his palm. “Cut it out. I’m only kidding, Kiryu-kun. And drop the unnecessary formalities, there’s no one here besides us.”

Kiryu smiled. “As you wish, Suo-chan.”

“So what is it? Anything interesting to share?” Suo asked, closing his eyes in boredom as he let the water wash over his body.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? I saw everything, you know.”

Suo opened his eyes, then grinned as the memory of earlier came to him.

“What do you think of our uninvited guest?” Suo asked, closing his eyes again as Sakura’s face replayed in his mind.

Kiryu let out a long sigh as he stared at him. This cunning fox had shapeshifted into a beautiful woman and played the role of a damsel in distress.

“Why go that far? Were you testing him, to see if he harbored greed or filthy desires?” Kiryu asked.

“Who knows. Maybe I just find him cute and wanted to tease him a little?” Suo shrugged.

“Just don’t overdo it, my friend. That human is still an onmyōji. Very ominous.”

“Except that he can’t hurt me.” Suo said as he stood from the water.

The moment he rose, a reddish flame enveloped his body, and in the blink of an eye, he was dressed again—wearing a striking red kimono and his signature tassel earrings.

“I should arrange a meeting with him soon. It’s proper etiquette for a lord to receive his guest and treat him with warm hospitality, don’t you think?” Suo gazed at the dark sky, a mischievous smile curling on his lips.

Kiryu sighed and shook his head. “Condolences, Sakura-chan..”

Chapter Text

Days has passed with Sakura doing nothing but bury his face in the book Nirei had given him. The little yokai said he needed to study, because it would help him survive for a while in Furin no Kuni. It would also stop them from getting suspicious if he didn’t even know the most basic facts about the land.

Nirei had been a great help. He let Sakura stay at his house and gave him a comfortable place to sleep. Everything was fine, except for the vegetables Nirei insisted he should eat.

You know what’s even better?

Sakura finally convinced Nirei to let him meet their youkai god. It took a lot of time and convincing, but Sakura told him he missed the human world and his friends there. The Korpokkur sobbed as he listened, and in a sudden rush of feeling, he agreed.

Today they set out on a journey to see the youkai god.

“Bye, Cecil… bye, Lilia… bye, Miguel!” Sakura watched as Nirei said goodbye to his plants one by one. Yesterday he had even sent a letter to his family to say farewell, he’d also written his will too.

“You know you don’t have to do that, right? Why are you acting like you won’t come back?” Sakura asked, puzzled.

Nirei took a deep breath and saluted his plants one last time before turning to Sakura.

“I’m already prepared for my death, Sakura-san.”

“Huh? Get your shit together, will you? I ain't gonna let anything happen to you.” Sakura frowned as they started walking.

“And why are you acting like that? We’re just going to meet this god. Isn’t that guy your idol? Shouldn’t you be glad you have the chance to meet him?” Sakura added.

Nirei laughed awkwardly and fiddled with the stem of his butterbur leaf. “Of course it’s an honor to meet him. But, Sakura-san… you know how it is.”

“His Majesty hates humans. You’re… a human, Sakura-san. An onmyōji, no less,” Nirei answered, walking with his head down.

Sakura stared forward as they walked. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Sakura stopped and turned to Nirei, but the little spirit beat him to it.

“I know what you’re about to say, Sakura-san. And no, I’m not going back,” Nirei said while twirling his leaf.

“Why not? This is my problem to begin with, Nirei. You’ve done enough for me. I don’t want to drag you deeper into this mess.”

“Silly Sakura-san! I’ve been involved for a long time! Since the first day I let you into my house.” the Korpokkur giggled.

Guilt tightened Sakura’s chest as he watched the small spirit walk ahead. He wanted to stop him, to tell him to forget everything and go home safe.

“Sakura-san! You coming or not?” Nirei called.

Sakura realized he had drifted too far in thought. He jogged to catch up.

“I still think you shouldn’t do this.” he said once they walked side by side.

“Even if I go back and try to forget everything from the past few days, I still won’t be safe.” Nirei replied.

“What? Why not?”

“Don’t underestimate His Majesty. He knows almost everything that happens in our land. We don’t know—he could be disguising himself as one of my plants, or using the wind to eavesdrop on our conversations. The possibilities are endless!” the Korpokkur explained.

“If that’s true, then he probably already knows an onmyōji outsider landed here, right?” Sakura asked, causing Nirei to pause.

“Y-yes… I think His Majesty already knows.”

“Then why hasn’t he done anything? Shouldn’t his knights be out looking for me and take me out?” 

“That’s exactly what worries me, Sakura-san. It’s been a few days, yet His Majesty stays silent.” Nirei said, nervously scratching his cheek. “But who am I, a small insignificant youkai, to question His Majesty's intentions? If anything happens, I will try to speak to him and beg. If he refuses, then I will protect you with my life, Sakura-san!” the little Korpokkur said with all the confidence he could muster.

Sakura couldn’t deny that his chest warmed at the words. At the very least, his luck isn't that shitty, since he had found a kind youkai who helped him. Still, he didn’t like that Nirei was willing to give his life for him.

“Stop that. I already told you, nothing bad is going to happen to you. If they dare lay a hand on you, I won’t be nice.”

Nirei chuckled and twirled his giant leaf happily. “You’re really a good person, Sakura-san! If only they could see what I see.. that you’ll never harm anyone, and that you’re nothing like the other humans out there.”

Sakura felt his cheeks warm at the compliment, but once he processed Nirei’s words, curiosity hit him.

“Right. Just how did humans invade this land before? What kind of ‘greed’ are we talking about that made the youkai—and even this god to despise us so much?”

“Hmm… unfortunately, I don’t know much about that either. Older youkai might know, but their lips are sealed. Even my grandma refused to tell me. She only ever said that humans are bad and greedy.”

Sakura now had more questions than answers. It wasn’t really his business, but at the very least, he wanted to understand why, so he’d know how to deal with this youkai god when the time comes.

They kept talking along the way to pass the time. Eventually, Nirei finally confessed that the reason he never mentioned their youkai god’s name was because he was only a lower-class youkai. In the eyes of others, it was taboo for a lowly spirit to call their god by name. It was considered extremely disrespectful.

“Hmph. I don’t think he’d mind if you or other small youkai call him by name.” Sakura muttered while looking at the map in his hands. If they followed this path, they’d reach a street market.

“Aha, Sakura-san, you’re already starting to see His Majesty in a better light, huh?” Nirei teased, nudging Sakura in the side.

“H-hah?! That’s because you always make him sound so great whenever you talk about him!” Sakura exclaimed, crumpling the map in his hand. “I’ll make my fair judgment when I actually meet him!”

Soon, they found themselves in a bustling street market. The smell of food filled the air, making Sakura’s stomach growl. Luckily, Nirei was hungry too, so they bought food. His treat, of course. Sakura is penniless. 

“Mmm! The skewers here are really the best!” Nirei said, munching happily.

Sakura stayed quiet, too busy savoring his own food. The meat was so tender, much more tender than anything he’d ever tasted back in the human world.

As he chewed, his eyes wandered to the forest not far from where they stood.

“Sakura-san! Can we go to that bookstore real quick—”

“Nirei, what’s that forest over there?”

Nirei followed his gaze. The moment he realized what Sakura meant, he froze, his face tightening with unease.

“T-that’s… another land’s territory, Sakura-san.”

“Oh? So there’s another god there?”

Nirei nodded, his hands trembling as he flipped open his little notebook. “That land… that is the Shishitoren-kyō (獅子蓮境). The line over there is the boundary. If you cross it and enter the forest, the youkai of Shishitoren won’t let that pass.” He shut his notebook with a nervous snap.

“Let’s just go, yeah? We don’t need any more problems than we already have, Sakura-san.” the little spirit said, tugging at Sakura’s sleeve.

Sakura was about to turn and follow him when the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. His gaze was pulled back to the forest, instincts screaming that something was very wrong over there.

“Sakura-san?” Nirei asked carefully, noticing his unease.

“Nirei, I’ll just go and take a quick look over there,” he said and strode ahead.

He could still hear Nirei shouting after him, but Sakura followed his gut and approached the forest.

He stopped right at the line Nirei had warned him about—the boundary. His eyes fixed straight into the forest’s shadows. Soon enough, the sound of frantic footsteps echoed, followed by a desperate cry for help.

“Help! They’re chasing me!!”

A small youkai stumbled into view. It looked like a kid.

“It’s a kappa youkai! What is he doing in Shishitoren’s territory?!” Nirei cried in panic behind Sakura.

Moments later, they saw the pursuers. Two inugami beasts came charging on the poor kappa. Just as one lunged to sink its fangs into the child’s leg, Sakura launched forward, with his perfect timing, he delivered a sharp kick into the inugami’s side.

The beast went flying, leaving the other to snarl at him.

“You struck one of us. Do you know what that means?” the remaining inugami growled.

The kappa quickly scurried behind Nirei, trembling.

“It means you’re just another piece of scum who gets off by picking on someone weaker than you,” Sakura shot back firmly.

The inugami sneered, glaring at him. “You know what? Just hand over that little kappa, and I’ll forget this ever happened. We weren’t finished playing with it.” He bared his fangs, making the kappa flinch.

“If you want to play, then I’ll be your playmate,” Sakura said, sliding into a fighting stance.

“You bastard—”

“Hmmm? What’s going on hereee..?”

All of them froze at the slow, dragging voice. Heavy footsteps approached at an unhurried pace. When the figure stepped into the open, the inugami immediately bowed, giving him a respect.

“General.” he greeted.

Sakura didn’t need Nirei to tell him what kind of youkai this was. It's clearly obvious that this massive guy is a genbu.

“Sooo… what’s the ruckus hereee…? Hmmm? Ohhh… why are there youkai from Furin here…?” the genbu asked, eyes lazily sweeping over them.

Nirei squeaked and hid behind his giant leaf, pulling the kappa with him.

“I kicked that pup out for harassing what’s ours. Got any problem with that?” Sakura said, referring to the inugami he’d knocked unconscious earlier.

“Ooohhh… so that’s why he’s out cold… hmmm??” the genbu’s gaze shifted and locked on Sakura. His heavy-lidded eyes widened slightly. “You’re…”

Sakura furrowed his brows. “What? Do you know me?”

The genbu stared at him for a long moment, then suddenly burst into booming laughter.

“Ha… haha… HAHAHA!”

His body shook as he wiped tears from his eyes. “Ahhh, I see what’s going on now… that sly kitsune bastard sure is slick as ever huh?” he chuckled again.

“I can’t even remember the last time I laughed this hard. Because of that, I won’t make this into a big issue between Furin and Shishitoren.” His speech quickened, making his voice much clearer.

“But General—!” 

“Stand down, pup.” The genbu silenced him with a sharp glance. “Of course, there’s still a catch. You knocked out our inugami, while your kappa is fine. Normally, something like this would be treated as a serious matter, because of the agreement between Furin and Shishitoren to stay out of each other’s affairs. But thanks to you, I’m in a good mood today.”

He walked over, hefted the unconscious inugami onto his shoulder with ease, and turned away.

“I’ll just use this as an excuse to make some demands from your kitsune god. Haha… until we meet again, Sakura-kun~”

With that, the Shishitoren youkai left, disappearing into the forest with his underling.

Sakura turned and saw Nirei curled up, shaking as he clutched his giant leaf to his chest.

“This is bad! This is bad! This is so baddd!!” the Korpokkur cried.

“It’s already been solved.” Sakura said calmly, walking back toward the food stalls.

“Yet another problem arises! No, this time is a crisis!!”

“Calm down, will you?” Sakura sighed, motioning to the vendor for two skewers.

“Sakura-san, he knows your name! That means word is already spreading among the youkai that a human outsider is here!”

“Yeah, I wonder why.” Sakura responded dryly, biting into his skewer.

“Don’t take this lightly, Sakura-san! Especially now that they have a card to demand something from His Majesty! And it’s all our fault! Waaaah!” Nirei wailed, tugging at his hair in despair.

“Wouldn’t that actually make things easier for us?” Sakura replied, tossing away the empty skewer he had just finished.

“Huh?”

“We’ll have a valid reason to seek out this His Majesty. We can use our apology as an excuse to meet him.” Sakura clasped his hands behind his head and began walking casually.

“Let’s go. Lead the way, Nirei.”

The poor Korpokkur sighed and trailed after him. The kappa had already been escorted to safety and, as his thanks, he paid for all the food they had eaten.

- - - - -

“It’s getting dark, Sakura-san. Should we camp here?” Nirei asked as the forest around them grew dimmer.

They had once again found themselves wandering into the woods, though this one seemed safe… at least for now.

“How much farther until we reach the palace?” Sakura asked.

“Hmm… we’ve already come a long way. I think we just need to cross a bridge, pass through the tanuki village, another forest, and then we’ll be there!”

“Finally, some progress.” Sakura exhaled in relief.

“Wait here, Sakura-san. I’ll set up our tent. Oh—could you gather some firewood?”

“Sure, I’ll look around.”

Sakura wandered through the trees, searching for branches he could use to start a fire. As he walked, he noticed a flock of crows suddenly taking off and scattering from the forest canopy.

Is it going to rain? I should tell Nirei.

He returned to the spot where he had left the Korpokkur, only to find it empty. Nirei was gone. He scanned the area, looking for any trace of him, but not even the sight of his ridiculous giant leaf was anywhere to be seen.

“Nirei! Where are you?!” Sakura shouted, but his voice only echoed through the forest.

Maybe he was the one who got lost? He began to walk again, calling Nirei’s name louder and louder.

“Nirei! Nirei! Scream if you can hear me!”

“Nirei!”

Eventually, Sakura stopped walking. For one, he was exhausted. Two, his throat ached from all the shouting. And three… he kept hearing a strange bell ringing every ten seconds.

That can’t be Nirei, right? That guy doesn’t carry bells. He only lugs around notebooks and that ridiculous leaf.

Kling

There it was again, the sound of a bell.

Sakura shoved his hands into his jacket pockets as a sudden chill spread through him. He started walking once more, but this time, he no longer called out Nirei’s name.

Kling kling

The sound was getting closer.

Kling kling kling

His fists curled inside his pockets as a dense fog began to seep into the forest out of nowhere, making him feel cold. His hands trembled inside his jacket, and he's getting super distracted as the ringing grew louder and louder.

Kling kling kling kling kling

“Urgh…” Sakura covered his ears, feeling the noise drilling painfully into his eardrums. And then, through the fog, he caught sight of someone in the distance. It was Nirei!

“Nirei!”

He ran toward him without hesitation.

“Nirei, stop right there!”

The korpokkur froze but didn’t turn to face him.

“Let’s get out of here, Nirei. This forest is nuts.” Sakura muttered. Then, he noticed that the bell had gone silent, and the fog had vanished as well.

He stepped closer and glanced up, looking at the moon above them, it was far larger and nearer than the one in the human world. This moon seems like it's watching him.

“Nirei, let's go.”

As he stepped closer to him, a strange mist suddenly wrapped around him, carrying with it the sweet scent of... cherry blossoms?

“Go where?”

Nirei’s form dissolved into smoke, blending seamlessly into the mist. Sakura squinted and closed his eyes against the thick haze wrapping around him.

And then, he felt it.. a presence directly before him.

Kling

Sakura opened his eyes and met his gaze. 

“Hello there, Sakura-kun.”

He smiled.

“The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?”

.

.

.

Chapter Text

Sakura didn’t know how long he had been unconscious, but thanks to that, it was no doubt, the best sleep he had ever gotten since coming to this world.

He even dreamed of going back to the human world where he punched Umemiya over and over again for pushing him into that cursed well. It would have been perfect, if only he didn’t wake up to realize it was just a dream, and he was still stuck in this land of youkai.

What made it worse was that, when Sakura opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the face of a kitsune sitting right in front of him. The fox sat comfortably in a large chair, his chin resting on his hand, with one leg casually draped over the other, smiling at him as if he had been watching Sakura sleep the entire night.

“You don’t seem very pleased to see me.”

“..…”

Sakura said nothing. Instead, he let his eyes wander around the room. The floor was covered with soft tatami mats, and the ceiling stretched above in neat wooden squares. There are also paper lanterns glowed warmly in every corner, filling the room with a soft cozy light. Finally, the fusuma sliding doors has different designs of clouds, pine trees, or even small animals. But one in particular fusuma panel caught Sakura’s eye, it’s the one painted with a fox sitting under a grand cherry blossom tree and a bloody red moon.

The kitsune sighed. “Haa… and here I thought you’d be excited to meet me. How disappointing.” He pouted, sulking like a child.

Look at him. Oh, Nirei… if only you could see your Majesty right now. He looks like a kid who just lost his candy.

“This isn’t how I imagined our first meeting, you know? But still, this is not so bad either, don’t you think so too, Sakura-kun?” he asked with a cheerful smile.

“…me down…”

“Hmm?”

“UNTIE ME! PUT ME DOWN YOU JERK!”

Sakura shouted, struggling against the sturdy vines that tied him to a wooden pole. Flames burned in circle around him, dangerously close enough that the heat made his skin sting.

“What’s that? My fire is too tame? Don’t worry, Sakura-kun~ we’ll fix that!” The kitsune snapped his fingers, making the flames flare higher.

“AAAHHH!!”

The kitsune laughed like he was enjoying every second of Sakura’s misery. Behind him, a yuki-onna named Kiryu appeared, glancing him with a judging look.

“Is this what you meant by warm hospitality, Suo-chan?” he asked dryly.

“YEAH, IT’S VERY WARM ALRIGHT!” Sakura shouted on his behalf.

“As expected of my onmyōji, you’re quite tough!” Suo clapped his hands and leaned back to his chair. “Any other youkai would have burned to ash by now. For example, this yuki-onna right here…”

Kiryu flinched as Suo side-eyed him with a mischievous smile.

“JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, I SWEAR!” Sakura yelled, kicking wildly against the vines.

The yuki-onna only sighed and walked closer to Sakura. “Just humor him for now, Sakura-chan. Our god here has been in a foul mood ever since the nue god of Shishitoren and his general visited. They demanded a sacred relic from us because of what happened at their border.”

Sakura’s mouth went dry. Right... that genbu had mentioned using the incident as leverage against the god of Furin no Kuni.

“A sacred relic…?” Sakura asked.

If it was sacred, it must have been something very important. That must be why this kitsune was tormenting him now, because his actions from yesterday had cost them something valuable.

“I couldn’t care less about the relic,” Suo said plainly. “I would have given it away for free if someone asked for it nicely. Honestly, I’m just glad it’s not on my hands anymore.” he adjusted in his seat, crossing his legs again.

It wasn’t actually the relic that pissed him off. It was that arrogant genbu youkai.

Suo’s brows knit together as he remembered what that insolent turtle told him earlier. If Tomiyama wasn’t there, he would have burned Togame alive for running his mouth.

“What kind of relic was it?” Sakura asked. Suo’s calm smile returned as his gaze fell back on him.

“It’s just the sword that killed Yamata no Orochi.”

Kiryu shot him a disapproving look. “Hey, that sword belonged to a god. And you just gave it away like that?”

“I’d much rather give up that sword than start another war with those war-freak beasts. Fighting them doesn’t interest me.”

So, Nirei was right. He really is a pacifist.

However, almost everything Nirei had praised about his beloved Majesty seemed to lost all credibility in Sakura’s very eyes. Kind and gentle? Not in the slightest, Nirei, for fuck’s sake!

Then again… Sakura couldn’t deny at least one thing that Korpokkur had gushed about.

He stole another glance at the kitsune, who was now chatting with the yuki-onna.

And you know what..? Yeah…

He’s actually really handsome.

…ehem.

Who said that.

“Hey,” Sakura called out.

Both the fox and Kiryu turned to look at him, but the yuki-onna especially stared in shock—maybe because of the way Sakura had just called their god.

The kitsune only gave Sakura his warmest smile. “It’s Suo for you, Sakura-kun.”

That made Kiryu even more shocked. This sly fox never offered his name to just anyone, only to those he truly trusted or considered friends. Though if some random youkai tried to call him by name, he wouldn’t mind much, but they’d surely get a raised eyebrow from him.

Kiryu’s eyes darted between Suo and Sakura, and suddenly he felt excited. He even giggled to himself, realizing he was starting to feel like a third wheel here.

“Right, Suo. What happened to my Korpokkur companion?” Sakura asked.

Instead of answering, Suo looked at Kiryu.

“I actually came to report about that little youkai, Suo-chan. As you instructed, I had Tsubaki-chan check his condition and moved him to a proper room to recover,” Kiryu said, bowing his head to his lord.

Sakura frowned at what he heard. He shot Suo a nasty look. “What the fuck did you do to him?” His teeth clenched, and his onmyōji power suddenly burst out of him.

The yuki-onna took a step back and released some snow as a shield against the impeding danger. But Suo just waved his hand at Kiryu, signaling him to drop his defenses.

“I want you to calm down, Sakura-kun. I didn’t do anything to your little companion.” Suo stood from his seat and walked toward Sakura.

With each step he took, the flames surrounding Sakura grew weaker, until they completely vanished when Suo stood just two steps away from him.

“He fainted on his own when I appeared before him.” Suo lifted his hand and began brushing aside Sakura’s sweaty bangs caused by the earlier fire.

He combs the strands of Sakura’s two-toned hair between his fingers in admiration.

Then, he lowered his head so that his lone eye was level with Sakura’s. His gaze lingered, as if he were memorizing every detail of Sakura’s face.

“He’s been worried about you these past few days, Sakura-kun. Every night, he prayed to me for your safety. He even begged me, hoping that I wouldn’t have come to hate you..”

Sakura’s breath were caught in his throat, not because of Suo’s words, but because their faces were barely an inch apart. The way he looks at him right now feels like he could see right through him. Sakura never felt so exposed… it felt as if he is naked in front of Suo.

It was then, when Suo’s gaze slowly dropped down from his eyes toward his lips—

“Ahem.”

Sakura heard Kiryu clear his throat. He could only shift his eyes towards that yuki-onna, but he didn’t dare to move his head. Because if he did.. he’ll…

He’d definitely… k-kiss—

“Oh, Kiryu-kun. You’re still here?” Suo finally pulled his face away, flashing an innocent smile at the yuki-onna. But the annoyed tone in his voice made it clear to Kiryu that Suo did not appreciate that he was interrupted just now.

Meanwhile, something strange jumped in Sakura’s stomach. Strangely enough, he felt even hotter now than when he was surrounded by flames earlier.

“Anyway, Sakura-kun.” Suo waved his finger, and the vines restraining Sakura loosened.

“You’re free to roam the palace, rest, or maybe visit your little Korpokkur friend. My attendants will guide you to your room.” as he said this, the windows suddenly slid open, making Sakura flinch in surprise.

An Aka Manto youkai stepped inside and bowed. “Suo-sama, envoys from Roppo-Ichiza have arrived. They’re waiting in the throne hall.”

“Thank you, Momose-kun. I’ll be there shortly.”

Suo turned back to Sakura and walked toward him again. Sakura instinctively stepped back and raised his fist, ready to punch, but Suo quickly caught his hand and forced it open. He traced patterns onto Sakura’s palm. When he finished, the marks glowed and moved toward his wrist—right where his pulse is located, morphing into the shape of a fox.

“What’s this…” Sakura muttered.

“It's my symbol, Sakura-kun. If anyone is being mean to you in the palace, just show them your wrist. They’ll know immediately who you belong to.” Suo gently lowered Sakura’s hand.

“That means if they mess with you, then they’re also messing with me.”

“I don’t need your protection, and I’m definitely not anyone’s property.” Sakura shot back firmly. Yet his stomach flipped again.

The kitsune chuckled and gave him one last glance.

“I beg to differ, Sakura-kun. Everything in this land belongs to me. As long as you’re here… that includes you too.”

- - - - - -

Sakura marched down the palace hallway, replaying that damned kitsune’s words in his head.

What the hell is wrong with that guy?? Who the fuck does he think he is???

And why the fuck does his stomach keep jumping whenever he’s near?!

He stopped walking and glared at the symbol on his wrist. It looked like a tattooed kitsune, etched into his skin forever. He even tried using his onmyōji power earlier to remove it, but it didn’t work.

It seemed his power is utterly useless when it comes to Suo. No wonder Nirei insisted he was the only one who could help him return to his world.

Well, he is a god youkai after all. He’s probably immune to various shits now.

Speaking of that Korpokkur, Sakura wanted to visit him, but changed his mind as he didn’t want to disturb his rest. So instead, he chose to wander around the palace to pass the time.

Eventually, he stumbled upon a training ground where a massive, muscle-bound oni was drilling the youkai knights.

“Come on! Strike me with everything you’ve got! Show me your virtue!!”

The oni shouted, but all the youkai were already sprawled on the ground, completely worn out from the brutal training.

Sakura smirked as he stepped onto the grounds. “Can I have a go?”

The oni turned and grinned wide. “Oh? You’re His Majesty’s person.”

Sakura flinched, his stomach doing that stupid jump again at the words ‘His Majesty’s person.’

“Looks like you’re training them in physical combat. Mind if I try?” Sakura asked while pulling out a pair of black gloves from his pocket—the ones Nirei had given him. They temporarily concealed his onmyōji powers to avoid direct skin contact with other youkai.

Especially since he still didn’t know how to control them yet.

“Before we begin, I want to ask you something…” the oni’s voice dropped deep, making Sakura instinctively shift his stance, ready in case the oni lunged.

“What’s your virtue?!” the oni roared, flexing his muscles.

“I have none.”

“Eh?? Impossible! Everyone has a virtue! Maybe you just haven’t found yours yet!” the oni cracked his shoulders.

“But since we’re here, we’ll find it together, right here and now! Ready?!” he asked, positioning himself like a sumo wrestler.

Sakura smiled and took the opportunity to strike first.

- - - - - -

“Tsk, ouch…” Sakura hissed, rubbing his dirt and bruise-covered face after that friendly spar with the oni earlier.

The difference in their physical strength is ridiculous. But of course, he was only a human, and that youkai—who introduced himself as Tsugeura, was an oni.

Yeah, he was screwed against bigger youkai without his onmyōji powers. That’s why he needed more training. Especially… if he couldn’t use his powers on that damned kitsune, then he might as well rely on raw strength and punch him square in the face or something right?

Right.

Sakura turned toward the infirmary to look for the palace doctor, hoping to get some ointment or bandages for his cuts. When he spotted the sign above, he slid the shoji door open and peeked inside.

The place was dark as hell. How the fuck was it this dark when it was still bright outside?

Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind him, and he suddenly felt a chilling presence right at his back.

“Am I beautiful?”

If Sakura from day one sees this, he would’ve fainted on the spot. But he had seen a lot of weird shit in this youkai world beyond human comprehension, he was basically immune to it now.

A Kuchisake-Onna loomed in front of him, grinning widely at Sakura with her slitted mouth.

“You’re not my type.” Sakura said in flat voice.

The youkai froze for a second, then burst out laughing, shifting her face back to normal.

Oh. She’s actually really beautiful.

“You’re not my type either!” she giggled. “My heart’s already set on someone else. Besides, Suo-sama would throw me straight to hell if I laid a finger on you.”

“W-wait, you… you’re a guy?!”

Chapter Text

The Kuchisake-Onna was in fact, a man. But he was one of the most beautiful people—uh, youkai, Sakura had ever seen. He said he didn’t care much about his pronouns, but he emphasized that he preferred to be called “Tsubaki” instead of “Tsubakino.”

“You sparred with an oni? Goodness, Sakura-kun. You need to be careful,” he scolded, handing Sakura the ointment because he insisted on doing it himself. He didn’t want another youkai finding out he was a human outsider, especially an onmyōji one.

“Youkai strength depends on their type. For an oni, they’re like a hundred times stronger than normal youkai.” Tsubaki sighed, then handed Sakura a bandage to wrap his cuts. He seemed to think that Sakura is a normal youkai. That's good.

“Still, it's a relief it’s only this bad, no broken bones! You're strong, Sakura-kun! No wonder His Majesty likes you~ Kyaaah! Me too! I like tough guys too!” Tsubaki’s face went red and cupped his cheeks.

“You see, there was a youkai I really liked. No—I loved him.. He was one of the most respected youkai and he loved this land deeply. I was with him since he fixed the order here in Furin no Kuni. Serving him was my pride and joy…” Tsubaki’s voice fell low, and a sudden sadness flashed in his eyes. "But one day, he left without saying anything. I didn’t even see him the day he disappeared. Me, Momose, and Mizuki had no idea why. But Hiragi… I just know that damned Shuten-dōji knows something! Especially he’s always hanging around with—! Oh my, Sakura-kun, are you okay? You look so red…” Tsubaki reached to feel Sakura’s forehead, but Sakura quickly pulled back to avoid his touch. 

All that talk of love and romance made Sakura feel so hot. It was the same feeling he felt when Suo brought his face close to him earlier. 

Sakura shook his head hard. No, no, no, dammit! Now he's starting to get weird just from staying too long in this youkai world.

He really needs to get out of here. And fast. Before he could finally lose it.

“Yahoo, Sakura-kun? Are you really okay? Do you want to rest here in the infirmary?” Tsubaki asked with a worried voice.

Sakura cleared his throat and took a deep breath to calm himself, then resuming to treat the cuts on his face,

“That youkai you l-love… was he the previous ruler?” he asked, setting down the scissors after cutting the bandage.

Tsubaki blinked in surprise, then he beamed. “How did you know, Sakura-kun? Kyaahh! Is it written all over my face?” he blushed again, covering both cheeks with his hands.

Sakura rolled his eyes as he felt his own cheeks warm a little. “I just heard stories… about that previous lord.” he muttered.

Even Nirei, the walking youkai encyclopedia didn’t know why the previous lord vanished, And neither did Tsubaki, who had been close to that lord. That alone is super strange. 

That night, Sakura couldn’t stop thinking about it. There was something so strange about all of this—too many secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Especially Suo, that so-called god of youkai. According to Nirei, not much was known about him. His grandmother had only once told him that Suo never claimed the throne for himself. Instead, he had been appointed to it by one of the guardians of the former god. But who?

“…Hiragi.” Sakura whispered to himself.

Judging from Tsubaki’s story earlier, he had come to a conclusion that he, Momose, Mizuki, and Hiragi were the four guardians of the former god. But Tsubaki swore he didn’t really know what happened that time, nor did Momose or Mizuki. Hiragi might know though, because one day, he told them to devote their utmost loyalty to the birth of their new god.

“Urgh… at times like this I miss omelette rice and a hot cup of coffee. This whole thing is driving me nuts..” Sakura murmured, rolling onto his back in his comfy bed.

Should he take the risk and ask that annoying kitsune to marry him, so he could go back to his world? He wondered what kind of expression that sly fox would make...

“Hmph. I’d love to see his face crumble in shock… though that’ll only happen when pigs fly. Wait… shit, pigs probably can fly in this world…” he muttered to himself before he drifted off to sleep.

⋆.˚ ☾ .⭒˚

The door to Sakura’s room creaked open slowly. It was already late at night, and the entire palace is quiet. But this is an hour where bad spirits loved to stir up some trouble.

The kitsune stepped inside carefully, making sure not to wake the sleeping human. He moved closer, steps as light as a feather.

“You… you..! It’s because of you! It's because of you!!” An onryō sat on top of Sakura with her pale hands clutching around his throat.

“Hurh.. urgh..” Sakura groaned in his sleep.

“Vengeful spirit, you dare lay your filthy hands on what’s mine?” Suo raised his hand. “Imbecile. Get out of my sight!”

In seconds, the onryō was swallowed by raging flames, crumbling her body into dust.

“No..! N-not.. again..!” she wailed before fading away.

Suo brushed himself off and sat on the edge of Sakura’s bed, watching his sleeping face with fond expression. His human looked peaceful now, the knit on his pretty brows are gone.

“It seems like you enjoyed playing with that oni earlier.” the kitsune murmured, tracing Sakura’s wounded face with his fingers. Then, he gently brushed Sakura’s bangs aside and leaned down to place a kiss on his forehead.

“Sweet dreams as always, my Haruka.”

- - - - - - 

In the morning, Sakura woke up to wash his face when he noticed that his cuts and bruises were completely gone. In fact, his face was literally glowing.

Oh wow. That youkai ointment really worked wonders. He nodded to himself and made a mental note to pocket as much of that ointment as possible before returning to the human world—and sell it for a ridiculous price.

He dressed in the new clothes that was placed neatly at the foot of his bed, a black and white hakama. The attendants who delivered it said His Majesty personally picked it out for him.

Breakfast was also served in his room by the youkai servants, and Sakura used that chance to ask them where Suo was, but they only apologized, saying they didn’t know. Apparently, their god was never in the palace during mornings.

After eating, Sakura stepped out and started asking the servants he passed if they’d seen Suo. He needed to talk to him about how to get back to the human realm. He’d been stuck here too long already, and staying any longer would drive him insane.

He wandered around the palace, hoping to run into the kitsune. Soon, his wandering eventually led him to a massive garden behind the palace.

Countless different trees, flowers, fruits, and vegetables filled the space. The grass was perfectly trimmed too, and at the garden’s center stood a huge statue of a tiger.

Why a tiger though? Shouldn’t it be a fox? Sakura frowned.

As he explored further, he spotted a youkai tending to the flower beds and called him out. “Hey, have you seen Su—err, His Majesty?”

“……”

“Hey? You deaf or something?” Sakura asked and stepped closer to him.

But the youkai ignored him completely, continuing to fuss with the flowers without sparing him a glance. Sakura felt irritated and looked around for a way to get his attention, until his eyes landed on a vase nearby. Without hesitation, he strode over and kicked it hard, shattering it.

“See that? Now you better—”

In the blink of an eye, the youkai was in front of Sakura, his fist cocked to strike him.

“I’ll kill you!” he roared.

“Hah, now we’re talkin'.” Sakura smirked. But before he could block the blow, the ground beneath him softened into mud, sucking him down.

“What the-?!”

The solid ground had turned into sludge, dragging Sakura deeper. This was the youkai’s power—and it's putting him in great disadvantage!

“Say your last wishes,” the youkai said coldly, forming a massive block of mud stone with his power. He raised it high, ready to smash it to Sakura’s skull. However, a sudden snowstorm whipped across the garden.

All the plants froze solid, and snow piled up in seconds. Even the mud trapping Sakura froze into ice.

“Geez, you naughty dorotabō~ still hot-headed as ever huh? Want me to cool you down a bit?” Kiryu appeared in the middle of the blizzard. So this was the yuki-onna's power.

“Tsk!” Sugishita threw his mud stone when he noticed it turned into a ball of solid ice. He glared at Sakura one last time before stomping off.

The snowstorm calmed down and Kiryu walked over to Sakura, who was about to punch the frozen mud that held him trapped. His fist glowed, and his onmyōji power surged, shattering the ice instantly.

Kiryu whistled at the sight. If that ominous energy had hit him, he would’ve melted away and died.

“Quite a show. You alright, Sakura-chan?” Kiryu asked as Sakura got back on his feet.

“Yeah, thanks for cutting in. That garden would’ve been my graveyard if you didn’t show up.” Sakura sighed, brushing the dirt off his clothes. “But seriously, what the fuck is that guy’s problem?! I just wanted to ask him something, but he nearly killed me!”

Kiryu glanced around the garden until his gaze stopped at the tiger statue in the center. “That’s because this garden is precious to Sugishita-chan. Most of his happy memories are here with the former god of Furin no Kuni.”

Sakura looked at the tiger statue again. So that’s why it wasn’t a fox. This garden belonged to the byakko youkai, the previous lord of the land.

“And maybe the reason why he almost killed you is because you smashed the former lord’s favorite vase.” Kiryu giggled. Sakura turned toward the broken vase and immediately felt guilty. He couldn’t believe he’d messed with something so valuable.

“Urgh.. sorry. I only did it because he was ignoring me! I just wanted to ask a damn question.” Sakura scratched the back of his neck.

“Hmm, what question? Maybe I know the answer.” Kiryu beamed at him.

“S-Suo.. where is he? I need to talk to him..”

Sakura had no idea why he suddenly felt shy asking this in front of Kiryu. He’d asked other youkai earlier just fine. But why...

Kiryu noticed Sakura is hiding his blush. The yuki-onna smiled secretly to himself. He liked where this was going.

“If it’s Suo-chan you’re looking for, you should’ve come to me. I know where he is.” the yuki-onna said, turning around before starting to walk.

“Really? Where? I’ve been wandering all over the palace.” Sakura complained, hurrying after him.

“That’s because Suo-chan doesn’t live here. He doesn’t like staying in the palace.”

“What?”

“You’ll see when we get there.” Kiryu winked.

Why doesn’t Suo live in his own palace? Isn’t this his home??

Sakura trailed behind Kiryu as they slipped through a small passage with no youkai guards in sight. Then they walked deeper and deeper until they got into the forest. It was bright outside because it's currently morning, but inside the forest was very dark. Good thing there are fireflies around that guides their path. 

“Are you sure we’re going the right way? We’ve been walking forever.” Sakura complained.

“We’re almost there, Sakura-chan. Besides, it’ll be worth it, I promise!” Kiryu replied.

Soon, Sakura noticed foxes roaming the forest. Some were small, others looked older. They froze when they saw the approaching visitor, but instead of attacking, one tiny fox even rubbed its head against Sakura’s leg.

“Woah~ they like you, Sakura-chan! I was worried for nothing. I thought they might pull some tricks on us or forbid us for going any further.”

Sakura grunted and glanced over his shoulder. The foxes were trailing after him, some even wagging their tails whenever he looked directly at them.

The deeper they went, the more foxes appeared. Then, the yuki-onna stopped on his tracks. “We’re here, Sakura-chan. Now, watch your step~” Kiryu warned.

Sakura thought the yuki-onna was screwing with him because all he saw was a dead end. But the moment he took one more step, the scenery changed as if they had crossed into another dimension.

“I told you it’d be worth it. Come on, Suo-chan is here.” Kiryu laughed and started walking again, but Sakura wasn’t listening. His attention was locked on the breathtaking sight before him.

The place was filled with cherry blossom trees, swaying gracefully as their petals drifted down. Kitsune statues and small shrines dotted the grounds. Foxes played around them while others lazed in the sun.

They passed under a torii gate and followed a path lined with cherry blossoms until a massive shrine palace came into view. Two kitsune statues stood proudly at its grand entrance.

Sakura felt a little giddy as they stepped inside. He also noticed something strange—there were no foxes inside.

“Why aren’t there any foxes here? Shouldn’t there be at least some helpers? Or guards?”

“You might not believe it, but Suo-chan tidies this whole palace by himself. As for guards… well, he doesn’t need them.”

Sakura tilted his head in confusion as they circled to the back of the shrine palace. Soon, his eyes widened when he saw an enormous cherry blossom tree towering higher than the palace shrine itself, its branches stretched wide and it looks so majestic.

“Hmm? Sakura-kun? What brings you here?”

Sakura hadn’t even noticed Suo sitting right beneath the tree, with a small table set in front of him as he enjoyed his tea.

“I’m having my morning tea. Come sit with me, Sakura-kun, I’ll pour you a cup.”

Sakura’s cheeks warmed as he walked over and sat down across from him. He watched as Suo elegantly pour tea with clean, precise movements—not a single drop wasted. 

“Here you go.” Suo placed the cup before him, and Sakura lifted it slowly to his lips.

“How is it?” the kitsune asked, lifting his own cup.

“It’s… good…” Sakura muttered, gripping the cup tighter. His ears felt so hot, and it felt like there are feathers tickling his heart right now.

“I’m glad.” Suo smiled warmly, clearly in a good mood.

Sakura drank quietly, glancing around. The air smelled sweet, and everything is so peaceful. No wonder Suo preferred this sanctuary over the palace.

“You’re really living the life, huh? You’re the god of the youkai, powerful, rich, and you even have two palaces.” Sakura said, trying not to sound envious.

“Ahaha, you’re gravely mistaken, Sakura-kun.” Suo set down his cup, sitting upright with his hands resting neatly on his lap.

“That palace was never mine. But here… this is my home.” He gazed at the grand cherry blossom tree before them, “I am more at peace here. At least here, I don’t have to worry about sneaky youkai trying to poison my food.”

Sakura froze and slammed his cup on the table. “What? They’re poisoning your food? How could they do that to you? You’re their god!”

He couldn’t explain why he felt so annoyed upon hearing it. All he wanted was to storm back to the palace and exorcise every bastard who dared to mess with Suo.

“Half the youkai in the palace despise Suo-chan, you know?” Kiryu chimed in from behind, standing like a guard at Suo’s back. “They were the former lord’s servants. They can’t accept that he suddenly vanished and a kitsune over here replaced him. Some even believe Suo-chan killed the former.”

Oh. Kiryu's still here.

At the mention of the previous lord, Suo’s face went rigid. He silently reached for the pot and poured himself more tea.

“If that’s the case, then why are they still hanging around that palace? Why not just leave if they hate Suo?” Sakura asked, raising a brow.

“Because they’re still clinging to the idea their precious god will return. If that happens, I'm afraid they’ll turn on Suo and challenge his throne.” Kiryu explained.

Suo only stayed silent while sipping his tea. His sudden stillness somehow made Sakura uneasy. He glanced down at his own empty cup, remembering the conversation he had with the Korpokkur before.

When you said everyone admires Suo, it’s not true… Nirei.

Kiryu sighed. “Haa… I don’t get why our kitsune god hasn’t gotten rid of those insolent pests. Unless…” He shot a glance at Suo.

“... It’s your way of repaying your debt?”

Wham!

Sakura flinched as Suo slammed his cup down. Suddenly, the air grew heavy that it made his hands tremble. It felt like he was being pressed down hard on the ground. 

“That place is closer to an orphanage than a palace. Those youkai were taken in by the former lord because they had nowhere else to go, and I have no intention of stripping them of their only home, even if they despise me. Does that answer your question?” Suo’s words cut sharp, as if he were speaking to a naïve child.

“Now that reminds me. Have you finished the task I gave you, or is loitering around here all you’re good for, yuki-onna?” Suo tilted his head, narrowing his eyes at Kiryu. “… you're being unusually talkative today.”

Kiryu straightened immediately and bowed. “My deepest apologies, Your Majesty. I overstepped my boundaries.”

Suo’s gaze lingered on him before he picked up his cup again. “Out of my sight, Kiryu.”

The yuki-onna bowed once more before vanishing like smoke, leaving only the two of them.

“Uhm…” Sakura hid his hands under the table, clasping them together. They were still shaking. The tension in the air still hadn’t faded.

“Sakura-kun?”

“Y-yes..?” He looked up. Suo was smiling at him again, though it wasn’t the warm smile he was used to.

“You look so handsome today. I’m glad you wore the clothes I gave you.” his voice softened, leaning an arm on the table to get a little closer.

“It fits me perfectly…” Sakura mumbled, ducking his head as his ears burned. “How did you even know my size?”

Suo only smiled and reached out, plucking a stray cherry blossom petal from Sakura’s hair. He lifted it to his lips and kissed it.

“I really, really want to kiss a different cherry blossom right now... But for now, I’ll hold back.” Suo whispered and drifted his eye towards the massive tree in front of them.

Sakura didn’t fully understand what he meant, but he felt it... the butterflies in his stomach. He wanted to run away because his chest felt so tight, it's suffocating.

And yet… he liked it.

Chapter Text

Sakura never had any breaks these past few days. The reason? That damn kitsune bastard has been annoying him to death ever since he visited the shrine palace. He’s gotten so clingy that Sakura wondered if he ever tends to his duties as the god of youkai, because it seems like he had all the time in this world.

It’s also because of that, Sakura has been wary of his surroundings. Because Suo, at any moment, would just pop out of nowhere to either scare him or make him absolutely go ballistic. The worst he had done so far was when he appeared before Sakura when he was taking a bath. Sakura had gotten so flustered that his onmyōji power bursts through the roof, destroying part of the palace. Suo was unscathed, of course. But Sakura’s room was obliterated that he had to change rooms.

His new room… is now located at the shrine palace. Suo’s home. 

Because of that, Suo has been appearing before Sakura more frequently than ever. Even at the mere thought of Suo’s name, the kitsune would suddenly appear beside him and ask, “What’s wrong, Sakura-kun?”

As much as Sakura hated to admit it, he’s getting comfortable with Suo around. He’s starting to look forward to mornings when they both sit beneath the shade of the cherry blossom tree and enjoy some tea. Sometimes, if he’s bored, he would ask Suo to take out his tails so he can play with them (he’s been hiding his tails and fox ears for quite some time now). Suo will oblige, but his face would often go stiff the moment Sakura starts rubbing them. He also hides his faint blush with his sleeve whenever Sakura compliments his tails, saying they’re fluffy and cuddly.

Even Kiryu—the yuki-onna noticed the change between them and cracked a joke about it. One day at the shrine palace, Suo and Sakura were enjoying their usual morning tea beneath the cherry blossom tree when Kiryu came to inform Suo that some youkai were seeking an audience with him. The kitsune stands up and says,

“I’ll be out shortly, Sakura-kun. If you need anything, just think about it and call my name. After all, I can hear your thoughts from miles away.”

“Yeah, whatever. Take care.”

"Wow, you two are acting like a married couple. Did I miss something?” Kiryu asked.

“I’m very happy you think that way, Kiryu-kun. I’ll raise your wage this month.”

“Yey~”

“Sh-shut up! You two!”

Sakura is no doubt enjoying his stay here. He will surely miss these moments when he goes back to the human world. That is… if he can take it.

Lately, Sakura’s chest tightens whenever he thinks about going home. Yes, he misses his friends, the townsfolk, the food in the human world, but… he also doesn’t want to leave this place… leave Suo.

Sakura knows that Suo already knows. After all, he could read his thoughts if he wanted to. That’s why whenever Sakura is lost in thought, Suo bends his head down and whisper to him:

“Tell me what you want, Sakura-kun.”

“None at the moment.”

“You sure?”

“…Yeah.”

Of course, Suo could’ve brought it up himself and asked him directly, but he didn’t. Sakura likes to think that just like him, Suo maybe doesn’t want him to go…

It’s been like that until Sakura realized he had been staying in this world for five months.

“Sakura-saaan!!”

Sakura’s ears perked up at the familiar voice, and he turned around to see Nirei—the small korpokkur who carries around a giant leaf taller than him.

“Nirei—wuh?!”

“Waaah! Huhuhu! I missed you so much, Sakura-san! You have no idea!” Nirei sobbed as he threw himself at Sakura, hugging him tightly but still careful not to let their skin touch.

This small creature right here—Sakura’s first youkai friend. If it weren’t for him, he might have lost his way in this world.

Sakura slowly rubbed Nirei’s back. “Geez, stop cryin’. Besides, I came looking for you in your room back then, but you weren’t there. You didn’t even tell me anything.”

The korpokkur pulled away and wiped his tears. “Oh, that was because I went back to visit my family! I was about to look for you too, but Mizuki-san said he received a missing-youkai report. Apparently, my family has been worried sick because of my disappearance, ehehe…”

“That’s your fault for writing them a good bye letter and a will. I told you that was unnecessary.”

“You’re right, Sakura-san. But it is all fine now!” the korpokkur jumped and hugged him again, “I’m also really glad to see you’re doing fine!” 

“What did I tell you back then? There’s nothing to worry about— “

“Haaa… what a sweet sight. How nice. I hope that’s only a friendly hug?”

Both Sakura and Nirei search for the voice and they saw Suo floating in the air above them.

“Y-your Majesty!!” the korpokkur squeaked and immediately let go of Sakura to bend half of his body for a very low respectful bow. The sight made Sakura cringe.

The kitsune glided down and smiled at Nirei. “Lift your head, little korpokkur. There’s no need for such formalities.”

“That’s not r-right! How can I—”

“You’re Sakura-kun’s dear friend, so there’s no need to be so formal. You can be casual with me, Nirei-kun.” Suo beamed, pressing the word friend in his sentence.

The korpokkur lifted his head and started pinching himself. “Woaah.. is this real? Am I dreaming??”

Sakura sighed, “You’re not. Stop that.” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose and then turned his attention to Suo. “Why are you here? Don’t you have a lot of things to do in the palace?”

“I went out to reconnect with nature, Sakura-kun. All that paperwork is stressing me out so much I’m afraid my tails might start shedding. You don’t want that to happen, do you?” Suo teased and leaned his face close to Sakura.

“S-shut your mouth! Go far away!” Sakura blushed furiously and pushed the kitsune’s face away from him.

“Aaww… don’t be shy to admit it in front of your friend, Sakura-kun~ After all, you love cuddling my tails!”

“I’m going to choke you!”

“I like the sound of that. By all means, Sakura-kun. Please do so.” Suo lowered his head.

“AHHH! You’re driving me nuts!!”

Nirei was stunned at the sight before him. He couldn’t believe his eyes. But first... priorities!

The korpokkur eagerly pulled his notebook out of his pocket and wrote down:

‘Sakura-san loves His Majesty’s tails. ^_^’

- - - - - - 

Few days later the korpokkur invited Sakura to visit his family with him. He had told them he made a friend (Nirei left out the part that it was a human), and his family wanted to meet Sakura and join them for a celebration.

“What are we celebrating for?” Sakura asked while walking side by side with Nirei.

“Oh, it’s my grandma’s 800th birthday celebration!” the korpokkur jumped in excitement.

“I see.”

“Haha, Sakura-san, you’re adjusting really well in this world now huh? I remember the first time you came here, you just couldn’t believe how youkai age works.”

“I’ve seen and heard way weirder shits than your ages. I’m used to it now.” Sakura grumbled.

“Although I feel bad we left His Majesty behind… he really wanted to come too.” Nirei sighed.

Sakura smirked when he remembered what happened earlier. Suo wanted to tag along but both Kiryu and Mizuki held him down, saying he has a lot of work to do. Plus, the Nirei clan would surely all faint if their god visited the humble celebration of the korpokkur family.

Sakura sneered at Suo, enjoying his misery. It was only one of those rare moments he gets to tease the greatest prankster youkai in Furin no Kuni. He felt superior!

“Oh yes, before I forgot, Sakura-san..”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“About my grandma… she often says strange things. So if you hear her say something odd, don’t mind it too much. Maybe it’s just her age catching up with her.” Nirei scratched the back of his head.

“Old people in my world tend to be like that too. Maybe it’s the same case with youkai as well.”

“Ah, really? So it’s a universal thing, huh? But you know what, Sakura-san.. I think it’s because my grandma has been through a lot. She survived the two great wars in Furin no Kuni’s history, you know?” the korpokkur huffed proudly.

“Two great wars?” Sakura asked, his interest being piqued. Nirei nodded.

“Yup! We all know that Furin no Kuni sometimes has conflicts with other territories, and even now we are struggling to fight off against the corroded monsters. But the two great wars were recorded as the most dreadful war in this land’s history. That was because many youkai lost their lives… that includes my grandpa too.”

Nirei stared at the clear blue sky, “Thinking about it now, I can’t believe this peaceful land was once plagued by something so terrible. It’s just so sad… but at the same time, it makes me admire the previous lord even more.” 

“Isn’t history always sad? But it is all over now. What matters now is the future ahead.” 

Sakura may have said that, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of something tugging at the back of his mind. The past of this land is starting to really bother him, it’s like a huge puzzle with so many missing pieces.

The previous god… he had done so much for this land, and according to Tsubaki, he loved Furin no Kuni more than anyone else did. So why… did he leave? Shouldn’t he have stayed to see the fruits of his hardwork? Isn’t that what he was fighting for? 

It doesn’t make any sense.

Sakura thought if needed to find out what really happened that time, Hiragi… would be the best youkai to ask. He couldn’t even rely on Suo, he’s a tough nut to crack. There was one time when Sakura was playing with Suo’s tails, he tried to ask him minor questions first to see if he could get something from him, but all he got was utter bullshit.

“I’ve been meaning to ask.. but what happened to your eye?” Sakura points at Suo’s eyepatch.

“Promise you won’t tell anyone?”

Sakura rose from excitement and nodded eagerly. “I promise.”

Suo leaned closer to him and whispered, “The truth is… I’ve sealed a powerful dragon in my eye. Most of the time, it’s trying to break free! Oh, woe is really me…” the kitsune said and even put on a dramatic pose. 

“You’re full of shit!” Sakura slapped Suo’s face away from him. He got excited for nothing!

Suo laughed and pinched Sakura’s nose. “Oh my, Sakura-kun~ I’m really starting to worry about you because you’re so gullible! Sometimes, I just want to put you in my pocket to protect you.”

“Don’t talk to me! Or else I’m really gonna shave your tails!”

“Hmph..” Sakura hummed with his eyes closed as he replayed that playful (annoying) memory. 

“Sakura-san? Hello? Your cheeks are suddenly so red… the sun isn’t even that hot though? Do you want to shelter under my leaf too?” the korpokkur asked and came closer to Sakura in attempt to shade him.

“No need! I’m fine!” he exclaimed.

“Well, if you say so. We’re almost at our village anyway! It’s shady there because of the tall grasses, so you don’t have to worry about the sun!” Nirei hopped happily.

Good thing Nirei’s here. Sakura want something to distract himself from Suo. It’s getting bad for his heart.

Soon, they stopped at a field with tall grasses—about as tall as a two-story house. Nirei nodded at him and they walked into the grass. There, Sakura saw a small village. The houses were small, similar to a hut, and all of the youkai here were holding giant leaf too, just like Nirei.

“Akihiko, child! You’re back! Oh my, is that a friend?”

“Aki-chan~! I received the fruits you delivered for me yesterday, thank you!”

“The fertilizer you gave me worked really well! My vegetables looked so healthy!”

The residents greeted Nirei at every house they passed by, they also asked who was beside him. Sakura couldn’t help but feel shy, so he kept his head down all the time.

“You’re pretty famous here.” Sakura muttered.

“Ehehe, you think so?” Nirei blushed and scratched the back of his head.

“AKIHIKO-NIIII!!”

They both turned towards the sharp tiny voice of a girl. A small korpokkur ran up and hugged Nirei’s leg. 

“Akira-chan! Where’s mama and papa?” Nirei asked and ruffled the child’s golden hair.

“Mama and papa are at home, they are waiting for you and your friend…” she said, slowly casting her gaze at Sakura.

The little korpokkur was stunned as she stared at him. Then, her big eyes sparkled and grinned widely.

“Pretty… you’re so pretty! Akira likes pretty things!” the little one said, jumping in excitement.

“W-wuh?! I ain’t pretty!” Sakura argued with a deep blush.

Nirei chuckled and held the small hand of his little sister. “Now, now, Akira-chan, don’t trouble Sakura-san. He’s our guest. Now let’s hurry, mama and papa are waiting.”

The three of them walked until they stopped in front of a small house, not much different from the other houses. 

“Ma! Pa! We’re here!” Nirei announced.

“Akihiko, you’re back.” A woman with golden hair and freckles greets them. She still looked so young for someone who has two kids, one of whom is already 115 years old.

“You must be Sakura-kun… Aki’s friend, right?” she asked. Sakura nodded shyly and scratched his cheek.

The mother smiled warmly and opened her arms at Sakura. “Welcome to our humble abode, Sakura-kun! Make yourself feel at home.”

She was about to give Sakura a hug when Nirei got in the middle of them, “E-erm… yeah, mom! Is the food ready? Sakura-san and I skipped our breakfast. We’re getting a little hungry…” the korpokkur fumbled nervously.

“My! What did you say? I’m always telling you to never skip your meals, Akihiko! You too, Sakura-kun! Never. Skip. Meals. Okay??” his mother fumed and stormed back to the kitchen.

“Ahaha… phew, that was close, Sakura-san. They don’t know you’re a human… especially an onmyōji…” Nirei pressed a hand against his chest and breathed in relief.

“They all look like you,” Sakura judged and crossed his arms. 

“Well, golden hair and freckles is really a trait unique to the Nirei clan!” the korpokkur raised his chin smugly. “Let’s go, Sakura-san. My mom’s a good cook!”

They entered the house where Nirei grew up. It wasn’t that big, but it felt so homey. It made Sakura a little… envious, because he never experienced living in a house with a happy family.

Sure—Umemiya, Kotoha, Shitara-san, and the townsfolk had become his family… but, having a real one is still different.

“I really want it, Papa! If you let me, I’ll behave forever, I promise!!”

They came across Nirei’s little sister throwing a tantrum in front of their father. “Akira-chan, I know you’re a good girl. But papa can’t grant your wish right now, okay…?” her father answered patiently.

“Why! Why! Why!” the little girl stomped her feet. “Akihiko-nii always gets whatever he wants! Why can’t I?! Huwaaahh..!”

“That’s because your brother only asks for notebooks and materials, Akira-chan…”

“Hmm? What happened here, Papa?” Nirei cut in, placing a hand on his sister’s back to calm her. “What is it, Akira-chan?”

“Akihiko-nii…heugh..” the little korpokkur sobbed against her brother’s thigh. Sakura suppressed a laugh because it reminded him of Nirei himself.

“Talk some sense into your little sister, Akihiko… haaa…” their father slumped into his seat, clearly drained.

Nirei crouched down to be at Akira’s level. “Why don’t you tell your big brother what this is about?” he smiled gently at her.

Akira rubbed her teary eyes and glanced at Sakura’s direction. “I… I told Papa I…”

“You told Papa what?”

“I…! I like Akihiko-nii’s friend..! I WANT TO MARRY SAKURA-KUN!!”

“HUH?” everyone.

Sakura felt the world spin all of the sudden. 

“Can I? Can I? Akihiko-nii~! Please say yes!” the little korpokkur insisted, tugging at her brother.

“Y-y-you can’t! You absolutely can’t, Akira-chan!” Nirei shook his head again and again like his life depended on it.

“Akihiko-nii?! Why you too?! Waaaahhh!!” the child wailed, and Nirei could do nothing but hug her.

“Akira-chan… sorry big brother can’t grant your wish this time, okay? It’s just that… I still love my life… I don’t want to die early… please understand huhuhu…” Nirei sobbed with her, like he was terrified about something.

Sakura stood there dumbfounded, staring at the two korpokkur crying in each other’s arms. And damn… he wanted to get out of here.

“Guys, let us all calm down.” The mother korpokkur clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “The food is ready! I want everyone to settle down and I’ll just call Nana.” she declared before leaving the dining room.

“Nana?” Sakura turned to Nirei.

“Ah, that’s what we call grandma,” he answered, standing up. “Come sit here, Sakura-san! Sorry if it isn’t much… but I promise you, my mom’s cooking is amazing!” Nirei beamed proudly.

Sakura’s stomach immediately growled at the smell of the food in front of him. A home-cooked meal made by a mother… He wondered how incredible it would taste?

“Nana!” Nirei greeted his grandmother happily when she arrived and hugged her tight. “Happy 800th birthday, Nana! Here, I bought your favorite wine!” he presented a large bottle of natural grape wine he and Sakura had picked up earlier. It costs a fortune because it was a rare aged wine.

“You really are something, Akihiko! You didn’t have to trouble yourself for this! Just seeing you again is enough of a birthday gift for me.” she ruffled Nirei’s hair. “But since you made the effort to buy this rare wine, I’ll take it! Haha!” she exclaimed, hugging the bottle close to her chest.

Sakura glanced at the grandmother Nirei always spoke of. And she looked… nothing like an old lady. For someone who had lived eight hundred years, she just looked like a woman in her thirties.

Well, Sakura didn’t really have any room to comment on that. Even Suo—who was a three hundred year old sly fox looked only like in his early twenties.

Damn, Suo again! Erase, erase! Don’t think about him!

“Ah, by the way, Nana. This is Sakura, the friend I told you about before.” Nirei smiled as he introduced him.

“H-hey… Nirei told me a lot about you too…” Sakura trailed off awkwardly, unsure how he was supposed to greet her properly.

But the grandmother fell silent, eerily silent. She just stood there and said nothing for a long time. When they finally noticed, it was Nirei who asked what was wrong.

“Nana? Are you okay? Why are you suddenly—“

Next thing they knew, the large wine bottle flew and shattered against Sakura’s head.

“Argh!!”

The blow was so strong that the bottle instantly broke. Sakura was drenched in wine, and the shards has scattered across the floor.

“Goodness, Nana! Why did you do that?!” the mother panicked and supported Sakura from behind. He stumbled forward and clutched his head, blood started to stream down and his vision briefly spin.

“Sakura-san!” Nirei cried out in alarm.

“You… get out of here… GET OUT OF HERE! YOU DON’T BELONG HERE! YOU WILL ONLY BRING NOTHING BUT RUIN TO THIS PLACE! LEAVE AT ONCE!!!”

Sakura felt like the whole sky collapsed on him. He couldn’t say anything back. Not a single word. It felt like his whole system completely shut down. Those words directed on him cut far deeper than the bottle that she struck on his head. 

Why…

Why even here… he still wasn’t accepted?

“Nana! How can you say that?! Sakura-san, I’m sorry but we have to go!” Nirei quickly grabbed his clothes and dragged him toward the door.

But before they could make it out, the old woman shouted again,

“AKIHIKO! LEAVE HIM AND COME BACK HERE! AKIHIKO, DID YOU HEAR ME?! THAT CHILD IS CURSED!! HE’LL ONLY BRING MISFORTUNE TO THOSE AROUND HIM!!”

Sakura couldn’t breathe.

His hands starting to feel really cold.

His senses are dulling.

What she said about him was all too familiar. He had heard of it so many times before.

From a family: ‘Leave this place and never come back! You’re a mistake! You only bring misfortune to this family!’

From strangers: ‘Hey… did you see that kid? He looks like a freak! Look at that hair, those eyes! He’s probably cursed or something! Hahaha!’

And,

From a distant memory…? ‘I don’t want this child! Throw it away!’

“Urgh!” Sakura dropped to his knees and clutched his head. It felt like his brain was being squeezed tight. His breathing started to falter, he tried to gasp for an air but he broke into a series of coughs instead. He dropped his arms to the floor as his vision became unsteady. Even his hearing dulled because of the voices in his mind.

What memory was that…? He didn’t even know where it came from.

"Sakura-san! Sakura-san! Get it together! Help!! Can somebody please help us?!” Nirei screamed for help, but not a single korpokkur came. They must’ve heard his grandmother’s screams from outside.

You don’t belong here!

Leave!

We don’t want you here!

You shouldn’t have been born! Cursed child!

You’re a freak!

Leaveleaveleaveleaveleaveleaveleaveleaveleaveleaveleaveleave

Even though he’s shaking, Sakura forced himself to his feet and ran as fast as he could. He still could hear Nirei shouting behind him, but he didn’t look back. All he wanted right now was to… leave.

His vision was still dim as he sprinted aimlessly. He didn’t even know where he was going, but he didn’t care. He wiped away the tears welling in his eyes, the crushing feeling inside him saying that he had nowhere left to go. As always. 

Right, how could he ever think he owned anything in the first place? He had nothing. Sakura only have himself to lean on, and it’s always been like that.

Just like now, where he is alone once again.

But….

Why is it so unfair? Why? 

Why is the world only cruel to him? Doesn’t he… even just once,

… deserve to be happy?

Sakura didn’t stop running even though exhaustion weighed down his body. Until he slammed into the arm of a tall, muscular youkai and fell on his arse. 

“Hey, you bumped into me—woah, shit.”

“Sorry.” Sakura muttered before he stood up and dashed off again.

“…hey, Takiishi. You saw that kid?”
The youkai glanced at his companion. “Our arms brushed for just a moment… look, my skin burned. Do you know what that means?” he added, rubbing the scorched patch of skin.

“I don’t really care.” said the one called Takiishi.

“Haha, yeah. Of course you don’t! You only ever cared about the missing god in this land. Honestly, it’s starting to make me really jealous—hurk!”

The youkai never finished his sentence because Takiishi’s fist sent him flying.

~ ~ ~ ~

It was already late at night and Sakura had no idea where he was anymore. He had been walking for some time now, feeling exhausted from all that running earlier. And before he realized it, his feet had carried him somewhere he never expected… to feel so comforting.

The sweet scent of cherry blossoms sways in the cold night air, the peaceful sight of foxes asleep instead of other youkai, the shrine palace… that deep in his heart, this is his home.

Sakura circled around the shrine palace until he reached the biggest, most majestic cherry blossom tree he had ever seen in his life—the very same tree where he and Suo always enjoy some tea together in the mornings.

He sat down beneath its shade and leaned his back against its great trunk. Then, he pulled his knees close and buried his face against them. Sakura felt so exhausted.. and only now did he realize that he hadn’t eaten all day.

That was because he had been too busy avoiding every youkai he passed along the way. He could feel their stares… as if they’re telling him to leave. Sakura didn’t even want to see Nirei right now, or Kiryu, or—

“…Suo.”

When are you coming home?

And then, as if his wish had been granted, he caught the sound of light footsteps approaching his way.

Those familiar sound of footsteps… only belonging to someone he really wanted to see right now.

“Sakura-kun?"

Sakura felt tears threatening to fall again. No, not from sadness, but from the overwhelming joy of seeing Suo and hearing his voice once again.

“Suo…”

Suo immediately noticed how shaky Sakura’s voice was, so he rushed over and cupped his cheeks to see his face.

“What happened? Have you been crying? Sakura-kun, tell me what’s wrong.” Suo’s questions came one after the other. Sakura almost wanted to laugh—this was the first time he’d ever seen him like this. That mischievous face Suo always wore was now full of worry because of him.

Sakura shook his head in reply. Then, he leaned further into Suo’s touch, closing his eyes to soak in the warmth of his palms.

“Sakura-kun, your head was bleeding…” Suo inspected his head, spotting the dark stain of clotted blood against the part of his snow-white hair. Suo squeezed his eye shut, stood up and turned his back.

“Hey… where are you going?” Sakura asked, he hated how quickly the warmth of Suo’s hands had left his cheeks.

“Where else? I’m going to kill the scoundrel who did this to you, Sakura-kun. Just give me a moment, hmm? I’ll be back faster than you can blink, so—”

The kitsune froze mid-sentence when he felt Sakura tug softly on his clothes.

“Don’t go… or are you planning to leave me too?” he murmured, bowing his head down.

Suo immediately dropped to his knees in front of Sakura, “What nonsense is that—I’ll never leave you, Sakura-kun. Stop thinking like that, you hear me? I’m with you, whenever, wherever.” 

Sakura’s chest swelled with emotions. He could feel his heart aching with a strange, unbearable sweetness. God… why does this feel so damn good?

“… tails.”

“Yes?”

“Bring ‘em out, your tails…” Sakura muttered as he fiddled with the hem of Suo’s clothes.

The kitsune smiled and nodded. “Of course, anything you want, Sakura-kun. But will you tell me what happened?”

“… no, I…”

Suo nodded with understanding. “Alright. We’ll talk about it only if you want to.” he brushed his thumb gently across Sakura’s cheek.

He was about to release his tails when Sakura yanked him closer. “No, I—! That’s not it! You’re misunderstanding me! What I meant was…”

“Hmm? What is it, Sakura-kun?”

“I don’t want your tails. I changed my mind…” Sakura whispered, hiding his face against Suo’s chest to conceal the flush burning on his cheeks.

“I… I want you instead, Suo. Wrap your arms around me.”

For a second, the kitsune was stunned, before a soft laugh escaped his lips. How could anyone be this lovely? His Sakura—no, his Haruka is the most beautiful soul in the entire fucking universe. He would kill for him without hesitation, rip the heart out of anyone who dared to hurt him, and hang their severed heads on the palace gates for everyone to see.

“With pleasure. Come here, Haruka.”

Suo pulled Sakura into his arms, holding him close beneath the cherry blossom tree. And even though Sakura had refused his tails just now, Suo still released his six tails, wrapping them around him like a cocoon.

“I’m hungry, Suo…” Sakura whispered, resting his head against the kitsune’s chest.

“Mhm, do you want to eat now?” the kitsune asked softly, pressing a soft kiss on his Haruka’s hair.

“Nah… let’s stay like this a little longer.”

. 

.

.

Bonus!

"I WANT TO MARRY SAKURA-KUN!!" Akira-chan bellowed.

It was around that time, somewhere in Furin no Kuni, the kitsune god and his forces easily wiped out the corroded monsters, when he suddenly felt a disturbance in the air.

Suo: I can feel someone's threatening me... I can't just prove it...

Kiryu: Huh?

Chapter Text

“Haruka-kun...”

Sakura heard a soft voice call out his name. “Haruka-kun, wake up..”

He felt a hand softly caress his cheek. “Open your pretty eyes, darling... I miss seeing them.”

Sakura stirred awake, slowly blinking his eyes open.

“There we go,” the kitsune chuckled. Sakura was immediately greeted by the sight of Suo, smiling warmly at him.

“Good morning, Haruka-kun,” Suo whispered, his voice laced with fondness. He brushed a stray lock of hair away from Sakura's face. “How’s your sleep?”

“Like a baby,” Sakura replied groggily. But it was true — his body felt light and energized.

“That’s good to know.” Suo tugged him closer, and that’s when Sakura realized he was in his bedroom now. Yesterday’s memories were a little hazy, but he vividly remembered how this kitsune right here cradled him beneath the shade of the cherry blossom tree last night. He must’ve gotten too comfortable and fallen asleep in Suo's arms.

Sakura blinked slowly, still dazed and soft from his sleep. He could fall asleep again at any moment, especially with Suo’s six tails still wrapped around him like a blanket. Sakura turned his head slightly and found Suo already looking at him with a delighted expression.

“Stop staring at me.”

“Can’t help it,” the kitsune chuckled. “I’m just happy that you’re the first thing I saw in the morning, Haruka-kun. Even your sleeping face is so pretty, I could stare at you all day.”

A sudden blush crept over Sakura’s cheeks and he buried his face against Suo’s chest.

“You’re too damn cheesy...” he muttered, snuggling deeper into Suo’s warmth. Then he felt one of the kitsune’s tails curl around his waist, making him even more comfortable and lulling him back to sleep.

Suo smiled, watching Sakura’s eyes begin to droop shut again.

“You just woke up, and now you’re trying to go back to sleep again?” he asked teasingly. “What a lazy little thing.”

“Hnnn… five minutes, Suo…”

“I’m afraid not.” Suo pinched Sakura’s nose lightly. “You need to eat a healthy breakfast right now. You didn’t have anything yesterday.”

“Mmm..” Sakura grumbled, already half gone.

The kitsune sighed, “Fine then, sleep a little longer. But make sure you get up later to eat, okay? I’ll send someone to check on you.” he slowly stood up.

“As much as I’d love to roll around the bed with you all day, Haruka-kun—I can’t. There’s something I must do today.”

Suo glanced down and saw Sakura hadn’t moved an inch. He’s already fast asleep.

“Haruka,” he softly called, and he got no response. Just a tiny hum vibrating from deep within Sakura’s throat.

Suo kneeled on the tatami mats and leaned down to kiss Sakura’s forehead. “I won’t be long, Haruka,” he whispered fondly. “I’ll see you later.”

With one final glance at those peaceful sleeping features, Suo stood up and adjusted the sleeves of his signature red kimono edged with white patterns, then slipped out without making a sound except for wind chimes dancing briefly by the doorway.

- - - - - -

After an hour, Sakura finally opened his eyes. His bedroom is now quiet, and the space beside him is empty.

Suo must’ve left early…

Sakura blushed at the thought. He couldn’t believe he’s feeling sad now Suo isn’t beside him. He’s just with him earlier when he first woke up, but somehow… he already missed him.

Sakura curled up on the bed and hugged the pillow beside him. It smells like Suo. He buried his face into it while remembering what happened last night. Suo held him until he fell asleep, he feels so safe in his arms. He also stayed by his side the whole night and never left for even a second.

“You’re confusing me, Suo…” Sakura mumbled to himself.

tap-tap-tap

Sakura looked over to see where the sound was coming from, and noticed shadows moving outside his veranda.

Curious, he stood up slowly and slid the shoji screens open, there he saw three little foxes waiting for him.

“Ah, you guys..” Sakura croutched down and patted their heads. “Suo sent you here again, huh?”

The foxes yip as a reply, wagging their tails in anticipation.

It’s very rare for Suo to let foxes inside his palace, but whenever he did, just like now—their business is always with Sakura.

“Tell your master I’m awake.” he stood up.

The foxes nodded, then hopped into the air only to vanish like a smoke.

Sakura stretched out his limbs and released a satisfying yawn. Then walked over to his dresser and slipped into a plain yukata. After tying the sash loosely around his waist, he stepped back onto the veranda and saw a meal waiting on the small table: white rice, warm miso soup, pink pickled radish, grilled fish, and a pot of green tea.

Sakura’s stomach gave a hungry growl. Suo must have sent this right away the moment he knew he’s awake—thanks to his familiars’ report.

Sakura chose to eat on his veranda this time and not under the cherry blossom tree since he only goes there when Suo’s around. That is their usual spot for breakfast and tea, where they would talk and tease each other, (though it was always Sakura who ended up getting teased) and going there without Suo would feel lonely.

As he ate, Sakura suddenly felt the air around him turned cold. He already knew what—no, who—it was, as he shifted his eyes to the sakaki tree near the veranda, and there he saw a yuki-onna, sitting on one of its branches.

“What is it this time, Kiryu?” Sakura asked as he sipped his miso soup.

“Just checking up on you. No personal business, just orders.” the yuki-onna giggled.

“Suo sent you here, didn’t he?”

“Mhm. He said he wouldn’t be at ease unless he knows you were eating. So he kicked me over here to make sure you actually took your breakfast. Now it looks like he was worried for nothing.” Kiryu crossed his legs and gave Sakura a mischievous look. “Seriously though, I know he’s down bad for you, but I didn’t think it would get this far. What exactly happened between the two of you that made him act like this?”

Sakura said nothing, but the way his cheeks flushed was more than enough to confirm Kiryu’s suspicions.

“Instead of sitting there and watching me eat, why don’t you tell me what Suo’s doing in the palace right now?” Sakura grumbled.

“Well, wow. You’re even starting to pick up his attitude now." Kiryu chuckled softly. “But fine. Since I figured a wife should know where his husband is, I’ll tell you.” he teased with an annoying grin.

Sakura was about to throw his teacup at him when Kiryu finally spoke. “I’m not exactly sure why, but I think he’s meeting with a korpokkur youkai right now. They seemed to be talking about some kind of punishment or something. I didn’t catch much of it, especially since Suo-chan sent me rushing over here.”

A korpokkur…?

…Nirei!

“Though that little youkai seems to be in a bad shape… he’s trembling like a kicked puppy. I kinda feel sorry for him–woah!”

Sakura shot to his feet, startling Kiryu and making the dishes on the table nearly toppled over.

“Sakura-chan? What’s gotten into you?” Kiryu asked, watching him scramble and preparing to leave.

A korpokkur, punishment, and what happened yesterday… Sakura was certain it was Nirei. And knowing that little creature, he would surely blame himself for what had happened to him.

Two possibilities ran through his mind right now.

First—Nirei have gone to confess everything himself.

Second—Suo found out on his own.

Neither of those was good, but Sakura would rather it be the first. He didn’t know why, but he had a feeling the korpokkur species would be wiped out of existence if it turned out to be the latter.

“Hey! Hold on a second! Wait for me, Sakura-chan!” Kiryu shouted, but he paid him no mind.

Sakura bolted out of the shrine palace, running faster and faster until the scenery shifted and he found himself dashing through a forest. He lengthened his strides, desperate to reach the palace before even a few more seconds could put Nirei in danger.

When he finally reached his destination, Sakura sprinted down the path to the court hall, even shouting, “Move! I’m coming through!” at the youkai servants blocking the path. As he ran, he suddenly caught a sight of something familiar—a head of golden hair and a giant leaf not too far ahead. Nirei’s eyes widened the moment he saw Sakura, breathless and drenched in sweat charging towards him.

“Sakura-san? Why are you running–ouch!”

Nirei let out a pained groan when Sakura cupped his cheek to inspect if he’s alright, but his touch burned him because of his onmyōji power. And now, he was definitely not alright.

“What’s gotten you so worked up, Sakura-san? Ouchiee… my cheek…” he winced, rubbing the scorched skin over and over.

Thank goodness… Nirei is safe..

“Sorry.. I thought you…” Sakura faltered, exhaling in relief as he leaned against the nearest wall to catch his breath.

“Are you… worried about me?” Nirei asked gently, looking at Sakura with a soft gaze.

“I came looking for you this morning because I was worried after what happened yesterday. But instead, His Majesty summoned me. He made me recount everything word for word. I didn’t leave a single detail out, because I’m sure His Majesty already knows, and lying about it would put me in grave danger.” the korpokkur lowered his head and fidgeted with the stem of his butterbur leaf.

“He was silent the whole time, so I knelt before him and begged for forgiveness. I pleaded for him to punish me instead and spare my family. After all… none of this would have happened to you if I hadn’t brought you along with me…”

“Nirei, no—no, it’s not your fault.” Sakura took a deep breath and straightened to face him. “It’s my fault for running off like that. It’s… just an episode. It happens a lot. It’s very personal, so… I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’ll just talk to Suo myself. Where is he—”

“Ah, no–Sakura-san!” Nirei cut in quickly. “That matter is all settled now, and you don’t have anything to apologize for! It’s actually because of you that His Majesty showed mercy. He said you’d be really sad if anything bad happens to me. Ehehe… Sakura-san, I didn’t know you value me this much..” the korpokkur rubbed the back of his neck with a shy smile.

“Whatever. Since you’re fine, I’ll leave you here.” Sakura muttered shyly before turning around and walking away. And as expected, Nirei trailed right behind him.

“I didn’t know your relationship with His Majesty is that good! I even heard rumors that you two are lovers. Is that true?” Nirei’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as he whipped out his little notebook like some kind of reporter.

Sakura ignored the korpokkur’s barrage of questions and only walked faster. But he froze when he heard his next one.

“It’s His Majesty’s birthday tomorrow. What are you getting him?”

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Nirei finally broke the silence.

“Whaaatt?! Sakura-san! Don’t tell me you don’t even know His Majesty’s birthday!” Nirei accused.

“S-shut up! No one even informed me when it was!” Sakura shot back defensively.

“I did! I told you before, and it’s also written in the book I asked you to read!”

Sakura pressed his lips together, unable to argue. He felt guilty knowing he rarely listened to whatever Nirei rambled on beside him.

But damn, it’s that sly fox birthday tomorrow? Why he didn’t even tell me?!

“Nirei,” Sakura called, as they kept walking, only then did he notice how many youkai servants were scurrying around the palace compared to before. They were probably decorating and preparing for tomorrow’s grand occasion.

“What is it, Sakura-san?”

“What do you think… would be a gift Suo would actually like?”

“Eh? Why are you asking me that?” the korpokkur scratched his head.

“Because you’re the walking encyclopedia of this world, that’s why!”

Nirei laughed, clearly delighted he got complimented. “Ehehe, you really think so, Sakura-san? I’m happy you think so highly of me. But even I don’t know what His Majesty would like.”

He flipped open his little notebook again and skimmed through the bits of information he had written about Suo.

“I don’t know much about him. But I think His Majesty will treasure whatever you give him,” the korpokkur said with a bright smile.

Sakura groaned and ruffled the back of his head in frustration. “Anything… not even a single clue?”

“Hmmm. If you want my advice, maybe give him something unique? Something His Majesty has never seen before. It’ll be a challenge though, since His Majesty has already seen and owned just about everything in this world.” Nirei answered sympathetically.

It could be anything… as long as it didn’t come from this world…

Sakura’s lips curved into a confident smile when an idea came to his mind. Excitement bubbled up inside him because he was certain Suo would like it, especially since it would be something completely new to him.

“Oh? Looks like you’ve thought of something, Sakura-san,” Nirei said, noticing the sudden shift in his mood. “So, what are you getting him?”

Sakura looked at him with a smug grin and declared—“Omelette rice!”

- - - - - - -

Sakura asked Suo for permission to leave the palace and stroll around the market. It took him quite an effort to win him over, but in the end, Suo agreed after Sakura threatened to ignore him for the rest of the day.

Suo agreed, but only on one condition… he had to take a guard with him just in case anything happens.

That’s why… Sakura is here at the market… with a noisy oni as his guard.

“Oohh! Look at that! They’re selling protein shakes!”

“Sakura-kun look! It’s a kitsune mask! Fits me perfectly eh?”

“There are also kitsune plushies here! Vendors knows their stuff huh? They must’ve whip these baddies out since it’s His Majesty’s birthday tomorrow!”

Sakura ignored the noisy oni behind him who looked like he was having the time of his life sightseeing in the market like as if it’s his first time here. He paid no mind to whatever he says and just scanned the stalls for the ingredients he needed for the omelette rice. It was then Sakura came into a halt when he noticed the sky turned dark and black smoke swallowed the whole area around him.

His skin prickled and his instincts were screaming at him that something dangerous is about to happen. Sakura spun around and saw the oni behind him was gone. In fact, he was alone in the middle of this darkness like he had been dragged into another dimension.

“Shit, why does something always happen to me…” he muttered under his breath.

Sakura stayed on guard and swept his gaze over the pitch-black void. He let his onmyōji energy pool on his fist and shifted into a stance, ready to punch through the air to shatter the pocket dimension when a hysterical laugh echoed around him.

“Haha… Ahaha! My master was right! You’re an onmyōji!”

Suddenly, a whirlwind began to form in front of him, twisting and shaping until the face of a man emerged. He looked at Sakura with an irritating kind of excitement.

“Hey, hey, do you think you can hit me with that? Yes, that power! I just want to know how much it hurts… yes, I need to know… I want to feel pain with it!” he said eagerly, drifting closer until he was right in Sakura’s face.

“Come on, strike me! Give me my lifelong wish to feel pain! You see, I’m an Enenra youkai. I’m basically just nothing but an air. And because of that, I can’t feel pain…” he spoke with mock sorrow before grinning wide. “But with you, I can finally feel it! Come on… strike me! Strike me!!”

Sakura cringed and stepped back, glaring at him in disgust. “Get away from me, you fucking creep! Let me out of this place!” he shouted. But deep down, his nerves were twisting in his gut—yet another youkai had discovered what he really was. And from the look of it, this one and the master he spoke of had nothing good in mind for him.

“Eehh… I’ll let you out after you let me taste that onmyōji power. That’s right! How about this? Let’s fight to the death!”

Before Sakura could react, the Enenra lunged and wrapped him in smoke. It twisted into a giant hand and lifted him high into the air.

“Shit—stop! Let go of me, you freak!!” Sakura screamed, and his onmyōji energy suddenly surged through his body, shuttering the smoky hand into nothing.

“Ouch..! That hurts… that hurts! Ahhh! It felt so good!” the Enenra moaned, clutching his face with trembling hands, his expression is wild with excitement. “I want more… more! Gimme more, Sakura!”

He attacked again, moving faster this time. Sakura fought back with all his might, punching and kicking through the smoke that slithered toward him like worms. But there were too many, and the smoke found an opening and wrapped tight around Sakura’s waist, then coiled up his arms and legs, binding him in place. A thick smoke also covered his nose and mouth, choking off his breath.

“Urgh…! Mmrgh! Mmrrghh!!” Sakura protested, and even though he kept resisting with his onmyōji power, the smoke only thickens around his body.

And also made the bastard rolling on the ground in pleasure.

“Uwaah! Ouch! Ouch! It feels so good~! Why is this feels so good, Sakuraaaa~?!!” the Enenra huffs in excitement, his cheeks were flushed in pure bliss.

“I want more… ahh.. more..” he slowly raised his trembling hand to command, “If I kill you, will you give me more, Sakura-chan~?”

As the Enenra was about to squeeze Sakura to death, something ripped through the darkness. A cream-white, majestic cat sprang in and shredded the smoke with its claws to free Sakura. He fell down onto his butt and clutched his chest to catch some breath.

The cat landed in front of Sakura, with just a blink–the cat had already shifted into a man about the same height as him.

“Tch… damned bakeneko. Don’t interfere! Go back to your master and eat your catnip!” the Enenra snarled.

“….”

The bakeneko said nothing, which only drove the youkai angrier. The Enenra sliced his hand through the air to call up more smoke and hurled it like spears. The bakeneko didn’t flinch. He even spat out whatever stick he’d been nibbling before he moved to dodge the attack.

Is that a fucking catnip stick? Sakura thought in disbelief.

The bakeneko dodged every strike. He tore the smoke apart with quick, clean swipes of his sharp claws. His movements were fast and precise, exactly like how a feline move.

The fight escalated and the bakeneko closed in and scored a nasty scratch across the Enenra’s face, in which–Sakura judged if that youkai didn’t dodge in time, his head would be rolling on the ground now.

“Tsk! I do not have time to deal with a cat!” the Enenra howled as the darkness deepened. “I’ll trap you both here to die!!” it crooned, and laughed like a pure madman. He rose into the air and raised his arms, filling the space with a choking black smoke.

Sakura coughed and gasped for air, while the bakeneko frowned and glared at the Enenra.

“Watching you die wouldn’t be so bad either! Goodbye, kittycat~!” the youkai taunted as he summoned an even thicker smoke.

The bakeneko’s claws widened and sharpened, turning into something like tiger talons. He readied himself to spring, but then the whole dimension collapsed. The smoke completely vanished and Sakura found himself back in a market alley.

“Kaji.”

Sakura looked at the one who just had saved them. He was tall with a spiky hair, and has two horns on his head. He looked like an oni… but stronger. He grabbed the bakeneko’s shoulder and told him,

“I’ll take care of Banjo. You take this human somewhere.”

Before Sakura could react, the Enenra’s shrill cry echoed again.

“Hiragi…! Ahhh! It’s you, Hiragi! Will you give me pain too?!”

Hiragi?!

Sakura opened his mouth to speak but the bakeneko yanked him by the clothes and dashed off with him in tow.

“Wait! Wait, that was Hiragi, right?! One of the guardians of the previous lord?! I need to talk to him! Let me go!” Sakura shouted, thrashing in protest but the bakeneko ignored him. He sprinted so fast it felt like they were flying.

Now that they were out in the light, Sakura noticed something strange, the bakeneko was wearing headphones! No wonder he hadn’t spoken since earlier! He probably didn’t hear any word he said!

Sakura yanked his headphones down and screamed, “Let me the fuck go! I need to talk to Hiragi!!”

The bakeneko flicked him a quick glance before facing forward again, still sprinting with him in tow. “You have to be somewhere,” he just said flatly.

“To where?!”

“Less talk, and more running.”

They ran until they reached a secluded spot. When Sakura looked around, he realized they were high up in the mountains, far from any other houses. He kept his eyes on the bakeneko, and his instincts were telling him he meant no harm.

But… what was this feeling?

Every step felt so heavy, like something was holding him back, warning him that something unpleasant was about to happen.

Sakura gulped down the uneasiness and continued to follow the bakeneko. When they finally reached the mountaintop, Sakura was panting and immediately scanned for a pond to drink some water. The bakeneko just shrugged and opened the door to a small, cozy house.

“Come in, but take off your shoes,” he invited while removing his own.

The bakeneko stepped inside first. And as Sakura bent to take off his shoes, a familiar voice shouted through the room.

“Oh, Kaji! Long time no see! Hiragi was right, looks like you really liked the headphones I sent from the human world, huh?”

No way.

No.

Fucking.

Way.

Sakura knew that voice all too well. He’d heard it almost every day back then. He couldn’t be mistaken, (though part of him wished he was.)

His heart was racing and his hands were trembling as he stepped inside. There, he really saw the familiar face he never expected to see today.

“Hmm? Haruka! You look good! I’m glad, I’m glad. But what a surprise, I didn’t expect we’d see each other so soon, hehe!” the man said with a wide smile.

“.…Ume.. miya?”

Chapter Text

Author's Note: Hi! Before you read this, I advice you to reread the previous chapters especially Chapter 3. But, if everything's still fresh to you, then you can proceed! ☆

A bakeneko never backs down from a fight.

It walks dark roads with sharp claws, glares at thunder, and hisses at the full moon just to see who flinches first.

It fights when cornered, when hungry, when someone steals its favorite catnip stick, or when a bigger youkai tries to provoke it.

It’s faced wolves twice its size, wrestled with an oni, and even scratched a drunken tengu across the face. Its feline instincts make it fearless, always eager to prove its strength so no one dares to look down on it.

Kaji, the bakeneko, has never run from a fight. And never will.

But this?

“UMEMIYA!!!”

This isn’t just a fight.

“Wait—wait, hold on! Sakura! I want you to cal—whoa!”

It’s destruction.

Sakura lunged at Umemiya with a powerful punch. But Umemiya dodged just in time, and the force of the blow blasted against the wall, leaving a wide hole straight through the wood.

And before Ume could recover, Sakura followed with a swift, furious kick, but he leapt aside again—this time, it made the ground split open where Sakura’s foot landed.

Kaji meant it literally. This was pure destruction...

… because the house was already on the verge of collapse because of those two.

“Sakura, let’s calm down, okay? If you could just let me explain—”

Ume didn’t get to finish his sentence as Sakura rushed at him again. His movements were faster than before—sharper, stronger, fueled by the power inside him that push him forward and feed his anger.

He grabbed Ume by the collar and slammed him hard onto the floor, making the ground shook so hard Kaji could feel it through his paws. The walls trembled and the floor split apart, until the whole house finally gave in and blew up into splinters and dust.

Kaji flew backward, leaping out of the collapsing house before the shockwave could swallow him. He landed on a nearby tree branch, digging his claws into the bark as the debris scattered below. His fur bristled, and a low hiss escaped his throat.

He had to stay alert. One wrong move, and he might get caught in the wrath of that human.

Kaji narrowed his eyes at Sakura, who was now pinning Umemiya to the ground. The young onmyōji’s aura was spilling out, thick and wild, wrapping around him like smoke. The bakeneko didn’t expect this, he couldn’t believe Sakura still had that much power left, especially after barely surviving the Enenra youkai earlier.

But it looks like something was wrong. Kaji tilted his head, “That human’s power felt unfamiliar but at the same time… familiar.” he muttered to himself while observing them.

He was told to stay put by Hiragi just in case something happened if he brought Sakura here. It seems like his shuten-dōji master already knew this would happen.

And honestly? Kaji didn’t want to get involved anyway. If he ended up being on the receiving end of that power, he might just vanish into thin air before he could even hiss.

“You know,” Ume huffs, breathing hard from where he was pinned down, “I’m kinda relieved you haven’t changed, Haruka. Still hot-headed as ever, huh?”

“Shut up. That’s not what I wanted to hear.”

Sakura grabbed Umemiya by the collar and lifted him up, then raised his fist in front of his face. “Why did you sent me here? And… why are you here?”

Umemiya only smiled.

“Say something!!” Sakura shook him hard, his voice was cracking in frustration. There were too many thoughts in his head right now—too many questions, too many feelings tearing him apart. Anger. Confusion. Betrayal. Relief. Even fear. He feels like he’s just going to explode.

“It seems like you’re faring well—”

“Answer my question, dammit!”

Sakura punched the ground right next to Umemiya’s head, causing the earth cracked under the blow.

“.…”

“….”

For a moment, everything went silent. None of them said anything, it is just only the sound of their breathing that filled the air. Until Sakura’s power slowly began to fade, his shoulders trembled and looked down at Ume, his face is already drained of energy. He’s clearly exhausted now.

“Umemiya… just answer my question, please… please, I need to know...” he plead, rubbing his face with shaky hands.

Umemiya let out a quiet sigh and slowly reached out, gently pulling Sakura’s hands away from his face. But the moment Sakura felt his touch, he froze.

It didn’t feel like a human hand.

He looked down and saw Ume’s hand had changed. It was large with powerful sharp claws, and striped like a great tiger’s paws. His eyes are now glowing too, a vibrant shade of blue with pupils narrowing into thin, slitted lines.

“Umemiya… y-you are…?” Sakura stammered, looking at his arm in horror.

“Hmm-mm, that’s right, Haruka. I am also a youkai.” he smiled faintly.

Sakura immediately  jumped back and stared at Umemiya with wide accusation in his eyes. His mind was even more of a mess, he didn’t even know what he was feeling anymore.

Why? How? For what reason did it all come to this?

It felt like he had been lied to all his life.

Umemiya… a youkai?

Why?

How?

And for what reason why he’s feeling a strange sense of déjà vu right now? This feels so damn familiar—like he had seen this before.

“I know you’re confused, Sakura,” Umemiya said, standing up and brushing the dust from his clothes. His hand slowly reverted to human form again. “And I know you want nothing more than to learn the truth right now. So why don’t we sit—oh, wait. The house is gone. Oopsies! Hiragi’s definitely gonna kill me for this…” he scratched the back of his head, staring at the ruined house with a sheepish grin.

Sakura stepped closer and looked at him straight in the eyes,

“Tell me everything, Umemiya.”

Ume gave him a small, reassuring smile.

“I’ll try my best.”

Once upon a time, a human descended from the skies into the world of the youkai. The youkai grew wary of her and kept their distance. None—even a single one dared to approach, because a youkai also fears what they did not understand. And at that time, no one had no idea what a human truly was.

Because of this, the woman felt lonely and trapped. Unsure of what to do, she wandered endlessly until at last, she came upon a quiet seashore.

There, she sang a sorrowful melody, with her tears shone as white as pearls. A Seiryū dragon, sleeping deep in the sea, heard her cries and rose to meet her.

The dragon was suffering too from a corruption it earned from fighting off the corroded monsters that invaded his land. Half of his grand scales were rotting away, and his flesh were decaying. Even his mind had been poisoned by the corruption, driving him into fits of madness. Because of this, the youkai no longer prayed to him, no longer revered him. Instead, they feared him.

So the dragon felt the woman’s sorrow and saw his own reflection in her loneliness. Thus, he approached her, not to frighten her—but to offer his companionship.

Even for a mighty being such as himself, he was charmed by the woman’s ethereal beauty. She had long, pure white hair, golden eyes, flawless skin, and a smile as radiant as the sun. If someone were to call her an angel, the dragon would have believed it. She was truly that beautiful.

For days, the two of them had only each other. They spoke, laughed, shared their stories, until the woman revealed that she came from a family of priests who owned a great shrine. The dragon’s heart stirred with hope for his land, for he realized that she was an onmyōji.

As a Seiryū god, though nearly corrupted—his divinity allowed him to remain unaffected by the woman’s pure energy. This also explains why the rest of the youkai avoided her, because they could sense a power seeping from her that could endanger their lives.

It is simple. A youkai, by nature—are born unstable with imbalanced energy. But if one ascended to godhood, that imbalance is refined into balance through divinity. That is why the dragon god was untouched by her power—for his divine essence shields him. And the woman, as an onmyōji—her being is a mirror of the pure balance that gods embody. That is why she can harm a youkai but not him, instead—their power resonates. A human who carries balance, and a god who was born from it.

But the woman didn’t like that. She didn’t want the youkai to fear her. So, she offered to help the dragon to fight the corroded monsters. The youkai, who watched her and their god defending their land had a thought: “This human tamed our mad dragon! She fights for us! She is good! She will not harm us!”

In time, they placed their trust in her, and soon became their queen for she married her beloved dragon.

After their joyous wedding, the dragon gifted her a gate. A portal where humans could freely enter the youkai world. The woman rejoiced!—for now she could see her family again! The youkai rejoiced too!—for they could finally meet good humans to be their friends, companions, or even lovers.

But to her dismay, her family was not very happy. They could not accept that their daughter had married a Seiryū—a mad one, at that. They told her plainly: unless she left him, they would disown her. As priests, they could not bear the shame if others learned that their daughter had wed a god of the youkai.

That night, doubts filled the woman’s heart. She realized the truth she had long tried to ignore—that they were not the same species. She was still a human—fragile, destined to grow old and die, while the dragon would remain. She would never come to know the bliss of growing old together with a beloved.

Still, she endured a little longer. She tried everything she could to stall her husband’s madness, but her powers were not enough. His corruption was too deep, too far gone—like a dying man whose last breath cannot be saved, the dragon too, could not be healed.

And so, his madness started to slowly spread across the land. Droughts came, crops withered, monsters grew stronger, youkai turning against one another, and horrible crimes rose due to some who had lost all their reason, just like their god.

The land sank into complete chaos. The weak cowered in fear, never knowing if they would see another dawn. The strong preyed on them, the slavery spread, and darkness consumed what was once a peaceful land. Humans stopped visiting the gate, and in time, the story spread across the human world: “Youkai are barbaric, selfish, and cruel.”

The woman grew terrified for her life. She locked herself away and ignored all the youkai who were begged for her help. Each day, she became more paranoid, wondering if tomorrow would be her last. She even began to hate her dragon husband, refusing to see him out of fear that he would not recognize her and kill her.

The night she gave birth to her child, it should have been a joyous occasion. She thought, “Once this is over, I’ll take my baby and return to the human world.” But the moment she laid eyes on the infant, she screamed in horror and nearly dropped the small one.

The baby had a split color hair—a black and a white. That means… “that could only mean my baby inherited his father’s cursed blood! He’ll grow up mad too, just like him! No! I don’t want it! Kill it! Kill it! Throw it away!”

The woman herself became mad too. But the midwife took pity of the innocent child, and secretly tucked him away with the help of a byakko youkai.

Soon after, the woman did not return to her world. Instead, she ended her own life. In her last breath, she cursed her husband, blaming him for everything, and wished for him to die a horrible death.

The dragon, heartbroken that his wife hated him to death and with their child gone—lost the last of his sanity and raged across the land. The monsters grew even big and stronger, the skies darkened, until every day felt like an eternal night.

But hope was not lost, for a determined byakko youkai—along with his strongest allies, rose to fight. Their battle shook the heavens and earth, marking as the first great war that lasted for 100 years. Until finally, the byakko’s claws were proved mightier than the dragon’s breath.

As the skies finally cleared, like a curtain call—the byakko lifted the dragon’s severed head to the heavens and declared:

“Anyone who causes pain in this land, who brings destruction, who holds evil in their heart—will be purged without exception!”

The youkai cheered, for at last they were free! The byakko took the crown, became their king, and scended to godhood. He restored the peace to the land that had long been lost. The youkai began to live joyfully again—sharing, laughing, and leaving behind the long years of suffering under the forsaken dragon. "Ptooey! Cursed dragon! May his name be forgotten forever."

Everything turned out well enough.

But… the byakko carried a secret that only he and his closest friend, the shuten-dōji, knew. He could never tell anyone else, for it was far too dangerous.

A secret that the child of the mad dragon was still alive.

The byakko couldn’t bring himself to harm the child. The little one was completely innocent. And so, he secretly raised the child in hiding, doing everything he could to ensure the boy would never grow up to be like his father.

The moment the byakko first swore to protect the child was the same moment those beautiful black-and-gold eyes opened for the first time. The baby’s eyes sparkled and smiled at him with such radiant warmth. It was spring then, with trees and flowers in full bloom.

“Hmmm… aha! I’ve decided!” the byakko lifted the baby high into the air, laughing as a gust of cherry blossoms swirled around them.

“Your name will be Haruka! Haruka Sakura!”

“…..”

“Hmmm! The bread from Cactus is always so good, even though it’s soggy. Kaji! Want some? It’s a really delicious bean bun from the human world. I brought a bunch!” Umemiya offered, showing off the plastic bag filled with bread.

Kaji shook his head and kept his distance. He gave a nod toward Sakura, who was quietly sitting beside Ume, looking like he was going through an extreme existential crisis.

“Sakura? What’s wrong? You’re not eating your bread…” Umemiya tilted his head. “Isn’t this one your favorite? I bought a lot of this kind! I figured you’d be dying to eat bread from Cactus again so—”

“You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me…”

“Sakura?”

Just then, Sakura grabbed the bag of bread and smacked it against Umemiya’s face.

“That shit is serious! Are you telling me to act cool about it and eat some fucking bread after hearing all that?!”

Sakura huffed, brushing his hair back in frustration. A moment ago, it looked like he was about to explode from the questions swirling in his head. Now, it felt like he was going insane from what he had just learned.

“Just who the fuck am I…” he muttered. Even he no longer knew who—or what he was.

“You’re just you. You are Haruka Sakura,” Umemiya said calmly, resting his forearm on his thighs and gazing at him gently.

Sakura shot him a glare. “You’re one to talk. I didn’t even know you were the missing previous lord all these years!” he barked, yanking at Ume’s hair.

A little bit of violence was fine. Time to relieve some stress~

“Ow! Ow! Ow! But hey—! It all turned out well though, right? Look at Furin no Kuni..” Umemiya pointed ahead and observed the peaceful life of the youkai from where they sat. “I had my doubts at first, but man… look at that. Suo really outdid himself..”

Sakura looked away at the mention of Suo’s name. Pride swelled in his chest as if he had witnessed Suo’s entire journey to becoming a god.

“Of course he’s amazing. He is Suo… he’s a great ruler of this land, unlike a certain someone—” he said, shooting Umemiya a sharp glare.

Umemiya laughed and bit into his bread. “Aww, don’t get me wrong. I had my reasons for leaving.”

He looked off into the distance. “Still, I’m very glad—relieved, honestly. I never thought Suo would take the job. Him, of all youkai? I actually found it hard to believe when Hiragi first told me the news.” He chuckled, as if recalling some funny memory from the past.

“I thought he would hate this land.”

“What? What do you mean?” Sakura frowned. “I thought Suo hates humans?”

“Oh, are you talking about the food law thing that binds humans here?”

“Yes.”

“Ah—yeah, that happened. Suo did create that rule. Dunno his exact reasons though.” Umemiya shrugged, then smirked. “Though I have a few guesses… hahaha dang! Foxes really are cunning!”

Sakura knitted his brows and bit into his now soggy bread—but it still tasted damn good. Suo… that damned fox was full of contradictions. He’s full of shit too.

“So how’s your stay here? From the looks of it, seems like you’ve been eating well!” Umemiya asked as he pinched Sakura’s cheeks. “Looks like Suo’s been taking good care of you, huh! gasp—don’t tell me you two are already…? Wow, Sakura my boy! How was your first kiss?”

“CUT IT OUT!” Sakura protested, his cheeks were burning in deep blush. “ME AND SUO HAVEN’T—”

“Oh? So you’re planning to give in to him soon then?”

“SHUT UP!!”

Irritated beyond belief, Sakura bit into his bread before snapping again. “What are you even doing here anyway? And how the hell did you get here? Did you jump into the same well you pushed me into?” he asked with a raised brow.

Umemiya looked at him while opening another piece of bread. “I told you I’d visit you. Also, no. The portal in that backyard well is already closed.”

“Then how…”

“Remember the story I told you? When that dragon opened a gate, that gate actually never truly closed—it was just sealed with a barrier. And around this time, during the Full Moon, that barrier weakens. I just took advantage of it.”

“I’ll be leaving soon too since the barrier goes back to normal quickly,” he added.

“What? You’re not planning on coming back here?”

“Nope! My job here is done. Plus…” he bit into his bread, “My family is in the human world.”

“What about me then?”

Umemiya stopped chewing on his bread for a moment, and slowly turned at Sakura. “Haruka—”

“Are you just going to leave me here? Umemiya, you literally fucking took me in like your own kid. Don’t tell me you’re just going to abandon me here?”

“Haruka, you’re not alone here. You’ve made friends, haven’t you?” Umemiya tilted his head with a gentle smile. “Also, you belong—”

“No! I don’t belong here!” Sakura raised his voice.

“Shouldn’t you understand my situation better than anyone? I don’t belong here. You know that. If the youkai ever found out I’m an onmyōji with a damn cursed dragon’s blood, they’d drive me out…”

Suddenly, Sakura remembered what Nirei’s grandmother once told him. She was right—he was a cursed child.

What if… Nirei found out? What if Kiryu did? Or Tsugeura?

…or Suo?

Sakura could already imagine their disgusted faces. He was the son of the dragon who once brought devastation and suffering to this land. It was impossible that they wouldn’t avoid him…

If that happened, would he be left all alone again?

He couldn’t bear that. He didn’t want to be alone anymore.

“Sakura, you don’t really—”

“Umemiya, a favor.” he looked at him,

“Take me with you. Let us go back.”

Chapter Text

Darkness had fallen upon the land. The night hung low and thick, the air was heavy with the promise of rain. No stars. No moon. Just clouds swollen with storm, pressing down on the palace like a fist.

In the great palace of youkai, the atmosphere was thick with dread. The torches flickered in their stands as if afraid to burn too bright, and shadows stretched too long across the stone floors. Guards and attendants were scurrying about their tasks, some faces drowned in worry, while others moved stiffly, as if they would be beheaded on the spot if they made the slightest misstep. All lived in fear of the wrath of the god they served.

At the center of the hall stood the kitsune god. His face was calm… but not peaceful.

That was the most concerning thing. The youkai who had long served Suo knew this very well. When he suddenly became dangerously calm or silent, they knew that something terribly bad had happened, and nothing good would come after. Either someone would be held accountable, or someone would die.

The hall is deathly still, even the softest of sounds seem to echo loudly in the room. No one dares to speak unless the god himself break the silence,

“Has the search party returned yet?”

Suo swept his gaze at a servant, who quickly bowed before him as though afraid to meet his eyes.

“N-no, my lord,” the servant stammered. “Sir Anzai hasn’t reported anything yet.”

The kitsune’s brow furrowed slightly, causing the servant to tremble where he stood. The situation was far too abnormal for Suo. He could not glean any answers from the whispers of the wind or the voices of the animals, and even Sakura’s presence felt unbearably distant.

Unless… he?

Suo’s jaw tightened. No, that was impossible. He had never told him anything about how to return to the human world. All Sakura knew was that he could not leave this place. That was all he knew—that was all he was supposed to know.

He clicked his tongue in frustration. His fangs ached—he wanted to bite, to rip, to crush something—someone—apart. He’s seeing red, furious at the possibility that his suspicion might be correct. There could only be one bastard who could have helped Sakura…

“Your Majesty,”

Kiryu arrived and bowed respectfully before him. Following behind him was an oni, who collapsed to his knees in devastation.

“Y-your Majesty…! I have committed a sin punishable by death! I have failed the task you entrusted to me. It is only right that I perish and bear this shame even into the afterlife!” the oni cried, pressing his forehead low against the floor.

Suo narrowed his eyes at Tsugeura. This oni right here—one of the proudest and strongest youkai type: tall, built for war with scarred fists is now pathetically kneeling before him.

“Tsugeura Taiga, is your family alive and well?”

The oni lifted his head, but before he could answer, Suo cuts in sharp,

“Kill them with your own hands.”

Tsugeura faltered and paled, even Kiryu—the yuki-onna, was shocked.

“Your Majesty! That’s too—“

“If you don’t, then I shall personally see it done,” the kitsune continued, completely ignoring the yuki-onna. “And believe me, oni—my hand will not be gentle.”

Tsugeura clenched his teeth, sweat dripping down his brow as he wrestled with the cruel decision. Unfortunately, the god considered his death to be far too merciful. Now this… killing his own family was a punishment crueler than any grave.

The silence was oppressive as Suo waits for the oni’s response. One, two, three…

With casual ease, the kitsune god summoned his katana, blazing with a heat like the fires of hell itself. It is infused with a crimson flame so fierce it can scorch the eye of someone that dared to look upon it. He stepped forward—but then, the yuki-onna mustered all his courage and stood in Suo’s path.

“Y-your Majesty… if I may, let us not make such a hasty decision—“

“Move, yuki-onna. Or do you wish to melt where you stand?”

Kiryu swallowed hard, fixing his eyes on the blade that is searing with heat. A single point of its tip would reduce him into nothing. But still, he pressed on—it is now or never.

“My sister… my sister is a dodomeki youkai, Your Majesty. If you will permit it, I can request her to open her eyes and scour every corner of Furin. That way, we can find Sakura more swiftly.” he said while keeping his head down low.

Suo was silent for a moment, studying Kiryu while weighing his words. But he was right, seeking the aid of a dodomeki was the wisest choice for now. They were like walking surveillance, as they have the ability to scatter their eyes across the land.

“Very well. But if nothing comes of it—it will be your head, Kiryu.”

Those were Suo’s last words before flames engulfed him and he vanished swiftly before their eyes. The yuki-onna exhaled in relief, he could feel his knees nearly giving way.

“Kiryu-kun, you didn’t have to do that for me…” the oni murmured softly from behind, still kneeling with his face bowed low.

“You’re mistaken, Tsuge-chan. I didn’t do it for you.” Kiryu sighed as he tightened the sash of his kimono, preparing to leave. “I simply didn’t want Suo-chan to do something he might regret later. After all, if Sakura-chan were to find out, he wouldn’t like it.” a wry smile curved his lips at the thought.

“Oh well! Please excuse me—it’s time for me to save those problematic couple~” the yuki-onna chimed before being swallowed by a small snowstorm, disappearing from the oni’s sight.

.

.

.

Suo went to his palace shrine and walked straight to the largest and most majestic cherry blossom tree planted behind his palace. He gazed upon it, from its roots to its branches that stretched toward the heavens. Its petals, once lively and danced joyously in the wind were now hung motionless, dull, and frail, as though parched of life.

“Right, you’re anxious too, aren’t you?” Suo whispered, pressing his palm against its massive trunk. He poured some of his power into it until the petals regained their color. They turned pink again—but not the same radiant pink as before… not like when Sakura was still here.

“Yip! Yip!”

Suo turned his gaze over his shoulder to look upon his fox familiars. He listened to their report intently, until he felt his blood began to boil.

“I see. Good work. You may go.” he waved his hand to dismiss them, and the familiars bowed respectfully before vanishing from his sight.

A bakeneko. They had seen a bakeneko with Sakura earlier this day. And if it was the one Suo knew, then his suspicions would be confirmed.

“Your Majesty,” Kiryu appeared suddenly behind him together with his dodomeki sister, kneeling with heads bowed in reverence before him. “Shall we begin?”

“You think that was the right choice?”

Hiragi spoke from behind Umemiya after the latter had helped Sakura through the invisible gate back to the human world.

Ume sighed and shook his head. “Honestly, no. I kept asking Sakura if he was really set on leaving without saying goodbye. But still, he was stubborn and went through with it.”

The two walked side by side out of the large cave where the gate was hidden. Most of the time, it was invisible; it only revealed itself under the light of the full moon.

“It seems I won’t be getting any rest tonight, not after I already duked it out with Banjo this afternoon.” Hiragi scratched his nape in irritation.

Umemiya laughed. “Right! Your house was in shambles, sorry about that! We can—”

“Not that, you idiot. That’s another matter, and I’ll beat you up for that separately,” the shuten-dōji growled through his teeth. “I meant Suo. He won’t take this lightly.”

Umemiya’s smile faded, and his gaze fell to his feet as they walked on. His mind drifted back to the conversation he had earlier with Sakura.

“I’m asking you to think about this carefully, Sakura. There’s a chance you might never return here again,” Umemiya had pleaded, hoping to change his mind.

“If that’s the case, then so be it. I’ve already had my share of fun here,” Sakura replied, trying to sound dismissive, though his eyes betrayed his true reluctance. “Let’s go.”

Just as Sakura was about to step into the cave, Umemiya spoke again. “Do you really think Suo will let this go? Sakura, I know him. He will use any means necessary—”

“I know he wouldn’t,” Sakura interrupted, dropping his gaze to the ground. “I know that no matter where I go… he might—no, he will turn the world upside down just to find me.”

“Then why?”

“Because unlike you all, I’m not selfish.” He scratched his head. “I can’t stay here as long as I’m a threat to the lives of the youkai. If someone has to make the sacrifice, then it will be me.” Sakura let out a heavy sigh. “Let us go.”

Umemiya looked out at the landscape where he could see the lights from the houses and streets below. Each youkai or family had their own lantern that they would release into the sky at exactly midnight, the first hour of their god’s birth. The lanterns carried their wishes for Suo to hear, and it was one of the most wonderful yearly traditions.

“I remember when you were still the lord here, you had your birthday and sent up your own lantern, not even knowing what it meant. Were you praying to yourself then?” Hiragi asked with a laugh.

“Haha, yeah, that happened, huh? But I only wanted to join because it looked fun.” Umemiya laughed, then closed his eyes, remembering the days when he himself had been a god in Furin no Kuni.

Suddenly, he felt a shift in the wind. It was subtle, but having lived through many dangerous situations, he knew exactly the feeling when something was wrong.

“Hiragi.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yup. I think it’s best if I speak to him. Alone.”

The shuten-dōji sighed and nodded. “Don’t die, ok.” He smirked and patted Ume’s shoulder.

“Ah, thanks for the encouragement.” Umemiya replied with a laugh, watching Hiragi leave until he was out of sight.

Umemiya waited at the peak of the mountain. He gazed down at the sea of lanterns, ready to rise at any moment into the night sky. “Everyone really prepared for this occasion, huh? They must truly love their god…”

“…don’t you think so too, Suo?”

fwosssh!

“Mommy, I’ll hold the lantern, okay?” said the little youkai child, bouncing with excitement to send their lantern flying in just a minute.

“Alright, alright. But have you already whispered your wish? That’s the most important part.” The mother gently patted her child’s head.

“Yup! I wished for toys!”

“Oh, did you? Haha, then hold on tight—it’s almost time to let it go.”

The mother guided her child to the window of their home, where they would release the lantern. Other youkai chose to send theirs from their doorsteps, while some climbed tall buildings to do the same. They believed that the lantern which soared highest first would be the one most quickly blessed by their kitsune god.

The youkai began their countdown, voices uniting, and at the stroke of midnight, they all released their lanterns at once. The dark sky bloomed with light, transforming into a vast sea of lanterns.

“Huh? Mommy, mommy, look! Look over there!” the child tugged at her sleeve, pointing toward a mountain in the distance. “That gloomy mountain is glowing too!”

The mother followed her child’s gaze. To her surprise, the dark mountain did indeed gleam with light. “Strange… as far as I know, no one lives there.” she tilted her head in confusion.

“The moon… it is warning us…”

The mother turned at the frail voice of her grandmother sitting by the window, staring into the distance and muttering strange things under her breath. Curious, she went to see what the old woman was looking at, but found nothing unusual. The moon itself was hidden, veiled by the sea of lanterns.

She sighed. “Alright, grandma. Let’s get you to bed.”

fwoossh! boom!

“Urgh!”

Umemiya groaned as he blocked Suo’s blazing katana with his talons. He couldn’t even shift into his full form because the kitsune attacked immediately—not giving him a chance to speak, much less to transform.

But shit—Suo’s foxfire was overwhelming him. The heat was so intense it felt hotter than the sun. Worse, their powers were a dangerous match: Umemiya wields a blue thunder, and if fire and thunder clashed, it would erupt into a massive explosion.

Though, Suo didn’t seem to care that half of the mountain was already ruined. Umemiya could only hope that Hiragi and Kaji had managed to escape. Otherwise, if he failed to block Suo’s attacks, his blade alone could split the entire mountain into two. Literally.

“I didn’t even get to greet you properly. Long time no see, Suo. It’s been what—200 years since we last met?”

The kitsune gave no reply. Instead, he launched a swift kick at Umemiya’s gut. Ume managed to block with his arm, but the force sent him hurtling backward, crashing through trees before slamming into a massive boulder.

“Khhk! Damn…” Umemiya spat, lifting his gaze to see Suo advancing slowly, each step was unhurried and deliberate, his eyes were cold and devoid of emotion. He looked down on Umemiya as though he were nothing more than a pitiful little tiger, taking his sweet time and utterly unbothered by the devastation around them.

“I know this already, but you really are strong, huh, Suo? Hiragi was right about you. It was only fitting he chose you as the ruler of this land.” his eyes flicked to the six blazing tails behind Suo, each one a whip of searing crimson. Everything about Suo is burning: himself, his blade, the ground beneath his feet, and even the moon above is bleeding red in his presence.

“This reminds me of what happed 200 years ago as well,” Ume muttered, shutting his eyes only to open them to find Suo was already before him, pointing the tip of his burning katana at his face.

“Why did you let Sakura go?”

Suo finally spoke, and as expected, he asked about the one thing he wanted most—Sakura.

“That was his wish.”

“You told him, didn’t you?”

“I only told him part of my story.”

Suo pressed his lips together, but still didn’t lower his katana. “I would’ve let this slide if you were clueless. But you knew, Umemiya.” he clenched his teeth, baring his fangs at him. “You know all my reasons. And yet, you still let him go.”

“If you want to kill me, then do it, Suo.” Umemiya gave him a challenging smile, even pressing his forehead against the tip of the blade, immediately searing his skin. “It would be my greatest honor to die by His Majesty’s hand.”

“I am very much tempted to burn you until you are nothing but ash, then cast you to the pigeons as their food.” Suo replied disturbingly. But to Ume’s surprise, he withdrew his katana and sheathed it at his hip. “But Haruka… he would despise me for that.”

Umemiya let out a sigh of relief and made a mental note to thank Sakura later.

“Instead, your punishment is to stay here.” Suo turned his back at him.

“Wait, huh?! I can’t, Suo. I need to return to the human world before the gate closes—”

“If I killed you here, you can’t go back either. Same thing.”

Umemiya slumped against the rock in defeat. “What use is it for me to stay here…”

“Because I will be leaving for awhile.”

“What?” Umemiya rose to look at Suo who waved his hand, extinguishing the fire around the mountain. The damage, however, was already done, leaving the mountain completely bald.

“I will use the gate and find my Haruka. You are to guard this land, as you did before. Reunite with your old friends or whatever. I don’t care.” Suo said, brushing the ashes from his clothes.

“But it’s too risky for you, Suo. Sakura was able to cross between worlds because he has ties in both realms. You, on the other hand—you are the god of the youkai. Your bond to this land runs deeper than any other. The natural laws of the human world will reject you."

“How did you survive it back then?”

Umemiya was caught off guard. It looks like Suo was dead set on leaving. “Haa… Back then, I was no longer a god, remember? Just an ordinary youkai. And also…” he gave a wry smile. “I turned a dying human into a youkai.”

“What?” Suo looked surprised. Umemiya nodded.

“Yup, it’s true. It cost me my life force, nearly half of my strength, and severed one of my ties to Furin no Kuni.”

“And that human-turned-youkai—where is he now?”

“He lives in the human world, part of my family. He runs a happy orphanage,” Umemiya said with a prideful smile and warmth in his voice. “That’s why I must return. I promised my siblings I’d be back soon—”

“I’ll tell them your situation. You will stay here, byakko.” Suo declared firmly.

“Pleaseee?” Umemiya blinked, giving him wide puppy eyes.

“Non-negotiable. You’re unpleasant.” Suo cringed before walking away.

When Sakura opened his eyes, he was met with an unfamiliar ceiling, an unfamiliar room, an unfamiliar atmosphere, and unfamiliar surroundings.

This day already marked his third day in the human world, and yet—he still felt like he was in an unfamiliar place. For some reason, he couldn’t adjust to the things he was used to before.

Sakura lazily rolled to the side of his bed. He felt like he had no strength. Just yesterday, he couldn’t even eat properly, and he couldn’t understand why he disliked the scent of the air here. It smelled so wrong… it didn’t smell like the sweet cherry blossoms he used to breathe in every morning at the shrine palace.

Sakura grabbed his pillow and hugged it tightly. Even his bed didn’t feel right. He was used to tatami mats and a comfortable futon to sleep on.

rringggg-ringggg

Sakura glared at his phone and angrily turned off the alarm. “You too, you’re damn useless. I woke up earlier than you.” he hissed at the phone before tossing it aside.

He stood up to open the window, and a gloomy sky greeted him. It was still early in the morning, yet it’s already looking like an afternoon because of the heavy grey clouds covering the sun. Then, Sakura swept his gaze to his backyard where he could see the well. He sighed when he found out it was sealed shut, he even tried jumping into it yesterday, only to crash against its dirt-covered bottom.

Sakura went downstairs and made himself some coffee. He didn’t feel like eating today. Actually, he didn’t even feel like drinking coffee too, so after just a few sips, he dumped it all down the sink.

His taste buds longed for something else. A tea. But not just any tea—he wanted to drink a tea brewed by Suo.

Suo…

Sakura bit his lower lip. There was no point denying it anymore. What Sakura missed the most was Suo. He missed his annoying smile, his fluffy tails, his irritating jokes, and especially… the way his name sounded so sweet whenever Suo called him.

“Haruka-kun.”

Sakura clicked his tongue and quickly splashed water on his face at the sink because his eyes were startint to feel hot. Then he let his gaze wander around the house—it was quiet, too quiet, no sly fox constantly bothering him every hour.

“This isn’t it…” Sakura muttered to himself, until he could no longer hold back his tears. This wasn’t his place. This was just a house—this isn’t his home.

His home… is where Suo was.

“Suo… hic…” Sakura sank down on a stool, and no matter how hard he cried or called out Suo’s name, he wouldn’t appear in front of him like he used to.

“Hayato… will I never see you again?” Sakura leaned his head against the counter, quietly remembering their memories together.

.

.

.

By noon, Sakura finally made up his mind to step outside. For three days he has kept himself shut away since returning here, but today he went to visit the town where he spent most of his childhood.

There is someone he wants to meet—someone he needs to talk to. Even after hearing Umemiya’s story, there are still doubts clouding in his mind, too many things that just don’t add up. If he was truly born in the youkai world, then why does he have no memories of it at all? And by the way, he has parents here in the human world—so does that mean he has two sets of parents? Lastly—if Umemiya was really the one who raised him back then, why can’t he remember a single moment of it? The only memory he carries is the day when Umemiya gave him a bread and saved him on a street long ago.

He stops in front of Café Pothos, staring at its familiar facade. He clench his fists, then loosen it again. He isn’t really sure why he feels nervous. At the back of his mind, he wonders—what’s the use of learning the truth now? He’s already back in the human world. Even if the gate does reopen, it could take many years. If that happens… will there still be anyone waiting for him in that world? What if the youkai he once met no longer remember him? Nirei? Kiryu? Tsuegura?... or Suo?

“Oh my, Sakura-kun, is that you?”

The gentle, trembling voice of an elderly woman pulls him back to the present. Sakura turns to see the familiar owner of the convenience store near Café Pothos. If he remembers correctly, she used to slip him ice cream when he was a boy.

She waddles closer and pinches his cheek with a smile. “My, is it just me, or have you gotten taller? How are you, my boy? Are you eating well? Do you want some ice cream?”

A faint smile tugs at Sakura’s lips. He shakes his head. “No, I’m fine, Granny Shan.”

“Well, if you say so. I was starting to worry because you haven’t visited the town in three weeks.”

“Three weeks?”

“Yes. But I thought maybe you were busy settling into your new house, or looking for work. Forgive me for fussing so soon. You know I’ve always thought of you as my own grandson.” the old woman chuckles softly.

But wait, wait, wait. Three weeks? She said three weeks. Sakura’s forehead wrinkles. As far as he knows—he stayed in the youkai world for five months. So you’re telling him he was only missing in the human world for three freaking weeks??

So there’s a huge time difference between this world and Furin?

“Sakura-kun?” Granny Shan asks, noticing his silence. “Are you really alright? You’ve been so out of it. And now that I look closely, you have such deep circles under your eyes. Have you been sleeping well?” her voice is full of worry.

No. I haven’t been sleeping well. Because I hate that every time I wake up, I’m struck by the same cruel truth that I’m no longer in the youkai world, and I’ll never see Suo again.

“Granny Shan… I…”

“Go on, my boy. Tell me your worries.” she smiles at him kindly, urging him to speak.

“I had a strange dream, Granny Shan…”

Sakura begins to recount everything he experienced in the youkai world. All the dangerous situations he faced, the happy memories, the wonderful ones, the painful and sad ones—everything.

“And you know what that damn fox said to me? He said…” Sakura’s voice falters, his expression falling into a bitter smile. “He said…”

“Haruka-kun?”

“What now?”

“I want you to always remember that even if you don’t have anyone else, you will always have me. And if everything goes sideways, you run to me. I will make everything right for you.”

“W-where did that come from?! You’ve gotten so cheesy these days! Just drink your damn tea, will you?!”

“Sakura-kun…” Granny Shan’s gentle call breaks him from the memory. Only then does he realize that he’s crying again.

“Sorry, Granny Shan. Where was I? Haha… I just got something in my eye..” he says and quickly rub his sleeve against his tears. “Right, that fox told me that—”

“My boy, you’re a terrible liar.” the old woman laughs, smiling at him with quiet warmth. “That wasn’t a dream, was it?”

Sakura stiffens and lowers his head. “Do I sound insane, Granny Shan? Youkai don’t exist, right? You don’t believe in those myths, do you? They’re just stories. They’re not real. They don’t exist. They…” he grits his teeth to stop the tears from falling. It’s embarrassing. He is like a child crying in front of his grandmother.

“But the feelings you carry for this fox youkai… those are real.”

Her hand brushes gently across his cheek. “My child, you already know the truth. You love this youkai, don’t you?”

Heat floods Sakura’s face as he shut his eyes tight, and every time he closes them, Suo is all he sees.

“Yes. He is my home.”

Granny Shan smiles and withdraws her hand. Then, she takes Sakura’s palm and places three candies on it.

“And it seems to me that he loves you dearly too. Why don’t you get dressed, my dear? Who knows—he might already be looking for you right now.” The old woman says meaningfully before turning around and walking away from Sakura.

“I know he would… nothing’s impossible for that bastard.” Sakura mutters with a smile before slipping the candies into his pocket.

And when that time comes, I’ll go back to him. Because he is where I belong.

He pushes open the door to Café Pothos, where Kotoha was there wiping down the tables.

“Welcome—huh? Sakura?! What are you doing here…”

“Why am I here, and not in Furin no Kuni?”

Kotoha freezes, clearly caught off guard. After a pause, she sighs, raising her hands. “Haah… okay, fine, you got me.” she walks toward the counter. “So? How did you get back? Oh wait, let me guess… Umemiya?” she asks with a raised brow.

Sakura drops onto a stool, crossing his arms. “You just answered your own question. Anyway, I need to ask you something…”

“As long as it’s something I actually know.” she replies while preparing coffee.

“You’re the one who hid me when I was born, right?”

Kotoha blinks and slowly turns to him. Seeing the seriousness in Sakura’s eyes, she lets out a pained groan. “Urrghh! Did Umemiya tell you that? That idiot! That part was unnecessary!” She clicks her tongue. “But yes, I was your mother’s midwife back then. She was such a handful of a queen, no offense.” she sets the cup of coffee in front of Sakura.

“It’s okay. She may have given birth to me, but she’s a stranger to me. And honestly? She’s terrible.” Sakura says, sipping the coffee. Hmm, at least it tastes better than what he made this morning.

“She shouldn’t have given birth to me if she only wanted me dead. Actually, you shouldn’t have saved me—you should have killed me when she ordered you to.”

Kotoha stares at him for a long moment before grabbing a ladle from who-knows-where and smacking him with it.

“Ow! What the hell?!”

“You idiot! Saying nonsense like that! What do you take me for? Someone who kills innocent children? You’re crazy!” Kotoha snaps.

“But it’s true! I’m the son of the cursed dragon everyone in the youkai world despises. Plus, I’m an onmyoji too. That’s two reasons why I don’t belong in Furin no Kuni, and perhaps I never will…” Sakura mutters, staring at his reflection in the coffee.

Kotoha tilts her head, pressing a finger to her chin thoughtfully. “Hmmm… nope. One of those things is right, and the other is wrong.”

“First, yes—your identity as an onmyōji can scare off some youkai, but they don’t hate it. They even have fond memories because of your onmyōji mother. Second…”

“… you are not cursed anymore, Sakura.”

“Huh?”

Sakura feels even more confused. Now there are too many gaps in the information he has.

“Hmm… judging from your face, Ume probably didn’t tell you? Or maybe you cut him off again before he could finish? You really have that bad habit!” she swings the ladle at him again, but Sakura dodges.

“Wait, what do you mean I’m not cursed anymore? Aren’t I the son of the mad dragon? Isn’t the black in my hair and eyes proof of his blood?”

“Hmmm, it’s hard to explain… since I only know the story secondhand from Umemiya.” Kotoha squeezes her eyes shut.

“Remember it! Dig it out of your brain and tell me!” Sakura demands eagerly. If he really isn’t cursed anymore, then… then..! He can return to Furin no Kuni without shame.

“Hold on, okay?! He told me that a long time ago, I barely remember—” Kotoha suddenly freezes, her eyes shifting something behind Sakura. Then she curls her lips into a smile. “And… it’s better if you hear it from him.”

“Huh? What are you saying—”

Kotoha straightens up immediately. “Welcome, Your Majesty,” she bows her head deeply. “I never imagined you would grace my shop with your presence.”

Suddenly, a ticklish warmth bursts in Sakura’s chest. He can feel it. This familiar feeling—the ache, the thrill, the warmth. He can feel the intensity of the gaze on his back. He can feel Suo.

“Haruka-kun…”

Sakura doesn’t turn yet. He doesn’t know what face to show him. He doesn’t know what to say. But one thing is certain: he is happy. Happy that Suo is here. Happy that Suo didn’t betray his expectations. Happy that finally… he can go home.

“Haruka?”

Slowly, Sakura swivels in his seat and looks at Suo. His lips are pressed together, trembling with the effort to hold back tears of joy.

“What, you damn sly fox?” Sakura says.

Suo bites his lower lip before striding forward to scoop Sakura into his arms. “Haruka… Haruka, my love, you’re real…”

Sakura buries his face into Suo’s shoulder and hugs him back, letting the tears flow freely this time. Suo… he really feels like home.

“A month, Haruka. For a whole thirty days I have been losing my mind.” Suo clutches him tighter, like he's terrified Sakura might vanish again. “I have not seen you, I have not heard your voice, I have not held your hands,”

Suo pulled away and cradled Sakura’s face in his hands like he was the most precious thing in existence,

“Do you even know, what you have done to me? I cannot comprehend a life without you in it. And if you’re planning to leave me again, make sure to kill me first, Haruka.” Suo’s voice was trembling with desperation, but his touch is unbearably tender. The way his thumb grazes Sakura’s cheek says everything about his longing.

“…dummy.” Sakura whispers. “Out of all the youkai I’ve met, you’re the biggest idiot.” he says with a laugh.

Suo looks at him with a sulky expression, making Sakura want to laugh even more, because it’s one of those rare moments when Suo shows a different side of himself.

“Thank you for finding me, Hayato.”

“I’ll always be wherever you are, Haruka.” Suo kisses Sakura’s tear-stained eyes. “Even if you get tired of me, I will never tear myself away from you. Apologies in advance, Haruka. But I will never leave you. I’ll follow you to the ends of the world.”

That sounds so nice…

It’s only then that Sakura notices Suo’s current appearance. His gaze trails down to take in Suo fully. “By the way, why are you dressed like that?”

Both of them glance at Suo’s clothes. It feels strange to see him in something other than his signature red kimono. But now… he doesn’t look bad at all. Actually, it suits him perfectly, as if this look was made for him.

“I just copied the clothes I saw the locals wearing in the place where the gate first dropped me.” Suo scans his outfit. “I took quite a liking to it. What do you think, Haruka?”

Indeed, Suo looks striking. He wears a white changshan top paired with loose black pants, accented by his yellow tassel earrings.

Hold on.

“You said locals. Does that mean the gate didn’t drop you here immediately?” Sakura asks.

“No. That’s why it took me a whole month to find you in this vast world, Haruka. I teleported from country to country, searching for any sign of you. It was exhausting but—” a fond smile curving at Suo’s lips while he threads his fingers through Sakura’s hair. "It's worth it."

“Hmph…” Sakura averts his face and felt his cheeks growing hot. Thank goodness Kotoha isn’t here anymore—he’d die if she caught them in this lovey-dovey display.

“Suo.”

“Hmm?”

“If I ask you something… will you answer me?”

Suo studies him briefly before pulling over a stool to sit right at his side. He smiled at him,

“Ask away, Haruka. I’ll tell you everything I know.”