Chapter Text
Gojo Hikaru was a quiet child. Even the moment he was born, just minutes after his older brother's world-shattering entrance, Hikaru barely even cried. He'd only whimpered, small hiccups escaping his infant lungs as scorching hot tears scalded his fragile skin.
Having emerged from two separate placentas, the two were thankfully free from the inherent misfortunes that came with twins. Still, some whispered that while it was a good omen that the wielder of both Six Eyes and Limitless was finally born, the other child seemed to be more like his mother. Abundant in cursed energy but with no technique to speak of.
How ridiculous, to judge a person's abilities when they're but a mere infant. Gojo Rangiku heard those whispers and couldn't help but sigh. Tucking a strand of white hair away from her face, she instead shifted her gaze to her babies sleeping peacefully on the futon with her. Satoru looked as serene as an infant could, his tiny breaths a pleasant melody to her ears.
Next to him, Hikaru's small face looked a bit more distressed. His nose scrunched up with whatever dream he was having, making the creases of his forehead more prominent. It also brought attention to the large, scar-like marks that spread all over his body and covered the left side of his face almost entirely. The edges were sharp and looked more like cracked porcelain on his otherwise fair skin. She and the midwives were concerned at first, but after some checkups, it was concluded that they were simply a collection of rather unfortunate birthmarks.
She tensed upon hearing some shuffling outside, only relaxing once the noise was gone. Her heart felt like it would leap out of her chest, her ears only able to hear the rhythmic pounding in her ears, and yet all she could think of was how tiring this was, always having to be on guard.
Her husband had warned her of this, long before they even got married. Jujutsu families were ridiculously cutthroat. For one that hadn't produced its desired sorcerers for centuries, the Gojo Clan would not take any chances with its long awaited heir. Any time now, they would take Satoru away. Maybe even Hikaru too, if he were to awaken a cursed technique. After all, according to their conservative logic, she had nothing to teach them that specialized tutors couldn't do better.
Both she and her husband had been trying to delay it for months, somehow getting the support of the midwife and reasoning that the children needed more time with their mother at the very least, in order to get the nutrition they need. It's been working so far, four months after birth, but they were closing in. Just this week, several new servants were assigned to ‘help’ her with the boys, especially after such a difficult delivery. Nevermind that she only ever had one attendant around ever since she married into this family, or the fact that they weren't really much help in the first place.
She looked at their gently snoozing forms, expression forlorn, shifting to bring the both of them closer. Satoru, who was closer to her body, unconsciously nuzzled into her bosom while her hand stroked the fine white hairs on Hikaru's head. Sooner or later, her babies would be taken away from her. Perhaps it was inevitable, but not this soon. She closed her eyes, feeling soft strands sway under her fingers.
“Just a bit longer…” she whispered. “Don't leave me yet.”
She felt a strong grip. Upon opening her eyes, she saw her younger child blinking awake, his small hand tight around her index finger, not letting go even when she testingly gave it a light tug. Rangiku let out a small laugh.
“Hello, my love. Go back to sleep.”
Stubbornly, Hikaru instead blinked more as if to wake himself up, staring straight at her with dull blue eyes, and… Rangiku found herself caught. It felt like staring into a void full of dying stars, like she could spiral into it forever. It was with much effort when she finally managed to shake herself back to the present.
“Huh.” What in the world was that? She focused her gaze back to her son and found him squinting at her with his nose scrunched up. Cute. “Did you mean to do that, Hikaru?”
The infant made a chuffing sound, tugging her finger back with all his might.
Rangiku almost laughed again. “You don't want us to be separated either?” she asked, almost to herself, because she knew a four-month-old wouldn't understand it.
And yet, Hikaru insistently tugged again, his other hand gripping the front of Satoru's clothes. Whether a coincidence or an actual statement, Rangiku found herself smiling still.
“Alright, then.” She caressed the infant's head, cooing when he leaned into it. “Our little family will stay together, I promise.”
Only when she uttered that, did Hikaru finally close his eyes again, his breaths steadying after a few minutes. The hand around her finger loosened, but the ones on his brother's clothes did not. How sweet.
“With a world as cruel as ours, a bond such as yours is both a blessing and a curse,” she murmured softly, her determination steadying at the sight. “Still, I hope you will be there for each other no matter what comes next.”
She laid down properly and, with her children's breathing as a lullaby, fell asleep.
___
“They're babies. They can't even walk yet. For what reason aside from contempt do you have to separate them from each other?”
“You think I don't know that?! Don't take that tone with me, Kaoru, I'm still your father and the current head of this clan.”
“And it is my wife and children's lives you're unnecessarily tampering with. Training doesn't start until they're at least three years old! Why are the elders demanding results now?”
“Because one of your children has both of our clan’s techniques for the first time in centuries. His training is high priority.”
“You know it's illogical to try training a baby, Father. Just admit it: they want to isolate Satoru so they can control him when he's older. And if Hikaru ever shows similar potential, they will drag him in too.”
“...”
“Father, please.”
“... fine. I'll try to convince them. But you must remember who holds the real power here, Kaoru. I may be the clan head, but…”
“... I know. But as their parents, the consequences are ours to bear.”
“Did your wife tell you that?”
“Heh, maybe.”
“Alright. I can already tell that none of them will be pleased. I hope you're ready for the consequences, son.”
“I am. Thank you, Father.”
___
Gojo Hikaru was a quiet child. Unnervingly so, some clan members would say behind closed doors, where neither parents nor children could hear.
Kuki couldn't have cared less, if he wasn’t the kid's bodyguard and glorified babysitter. He was used to toddlers being fussy and noisy – his nieces were like that during their terrible-twos stage – so the thought of a silent charge was refreshing at first.
That was until the boy learned to walk and would sneak away whenever he was left alone, and Kuki would have to frantically search for him in fear of his parents’ wrath.
The first time it happened, the twins were together while their parents were away; their father on the umpteenth mission of the week, their mother forced to socialize with the ladies of other houses who had come with for the annual conference.
Given that this was one of the first times they were completely separated from either of their parents for more than an hour, Satoru understandably got fussy and successfully diverted nearly all present servants’ attention to him. Kuki had only glanced at the toddler for a split second to make sure no assistance was needed, but when he turned to look at his own charge, the boy had disappeared. Hikaru's assigned nursemaid, who was next to him the whole time, had been similarly bewildered.
It only took a whole five minutes of frantic searching before the boy returned with his mother right behind, which also successfully calmed his brother down. Thankfully, Lady Rangiku was too amused to punish anyone too harshly, though they did receive a stern reprimand.
Today was one of those days. Just a few weeks after the twins turned three and started training with the basics of cursed energy control, Hikaru quietly disappeared again under his watch. If Kuki had to guess, it was probably to look for his brother. Despite starting with the same thing, Gojo Satoru had specialized teachers placed by the elders themselves. Premium education, apparently. A load of bull.
After checking the boy's usual haunts and confirming that yes, he was definitely going to be with his brother, Kuki went straight to the dojo.
And indeed, he was right, but instead of waiting by the doors as usual, Hikaru was at the corner of the hallway where it transitioned to the engawa. The reason became clear enough, because he could hear raised voices as he got closer.
“– have no common sense?! It is clearly too early to even be attempting that!”
“And what do you know? You don't have a curse technique and you don't even belong to any clan!”
That was Lady Rangiku and… one of Satoru's tutors? Kuki sped up, reaching Hikaru in five large steps. The boy did not acknowledge his presence and simply stood there, peeking at the scene. Kuki also dared to take a look, just in time to see the lady get backhanded across the cheeks, so forcefully that she collapsed to the side.
“Mama!” Hikaru exclaimed, rushing to his mother before his bodyguard could even register what happened. When he finally did, his charge was already standing before his mother's assailant, blue eyes burning fiercely.
The man sneered, moving to push the boy aside. “You useless brat, get out!”
Kuki moved. “Hikaru-sama –!”
“Hikaru, no–!”
Before the tutor's wrinkly palm could touch him, a burst of cursed energy pushed it away. The smell of burning flesh followed soon after, along with a grown man's scream.
Kuki's instincts screamed at him, no, don't get close, and his feet skidded to a stop. Just as well, because as the tutor fell to his knees clutching his burnt, sizzling hand, Gojo Hikaru slowly advanced. The air around his small frame seemed to distort, sway, and even from several paces away, Kuki could feel the scorching heat.
Later, after the tutor was carted away due to the multiple second degree burns all over his body, and Hikaru was sobbing quietly in his mother's arms, Kuki learned that Satoru had collapsed from overexertion just earlier that day. Seeing his mother get assaulted after learning such news was probably the last straw for Hikaru, because after careful inspection from multiple sorcerers within the family, the poor boy was declared to have unlocked his curse technique at the cost of a nearly dead man and lightly blistered hands.
___
“Hey, hey, Hikaru! Check this out!”
“Hm?”
“Mama bought these, uh, marshmallows? Yeah. I heard they're good when toasted!”
“...”
“...”
“...’Toru, l'm not… a toaster…”
“Please?”
“... alright. Don't blame me… if it gets… burnt.”
“Yay!”
“Boys, please don't play with fire inside.”
“But Papa!”
___
Gojo Hikaru was a quiet child. Much like his father, others would say: capable of speech but choosing not to. His mind didn't even seem to be there most of the time, always gazing off to some unknown distance. Upon first meeting the child, one would assume he was simply uninterested, contemplative at most.
Gojo Kaoru's eyes saw more than that. Even now, as their small family sat together on the rare picnic the elders let them indulge in, he could see a faint sparkle in his younger son's dull blue eyes as they watched Satoru squirm in his mother's embrace after being caught sneaking sweets behind her back. When the older boy looked at his twin and father with a pleading gaze, he was only met respectively with a bemused tilt of the head and a small smile.
“You'll spoil your appetite if you eat so much this early, Satoru,” Kaoru chided.
Rangiku chimed in. “Why don't you take your brother to play? We can eat by the time you get back.”
Satoru pouted, but he still darted to his brother the moment his mother let go. “Fine! Hey, ‘Karu, I see some weakling curses over there! Wanna kill ‘em?”
Hikaru nodded slowly, eyes wide with wonder, and let himself be dragged to a nearby tree to observe a cluster of shaking flyheads. Kaoru waved for some of the surrounding servants to follow them just in case and settled on the blanket to watch them silently. He heard his wife shuffle closer until she was next to him, before she placed her head on his shoulders to watch their boys as well.
All around them, the sakura trees rustled with the gentle spring breeze. In the distance, below their private spot, a few other families could be seen enjoying the same scenery. Ahead, distantly flanked by four servants, Satoru made a game of hunting the curses with his brother's ‘help’. Hikaru, a veritable magnet for curses since he was born, would lure them out into the open where Satoru could tear them apart with precise bursts of cursed energy. The flyheads did not stand a chance.
Even from this distance, Kaoru could see how both his children's faces light up with every kill. Satoru seemed on it for the love of the game, but the fascination on Hikaru's face was clear. Compared to the dead-eyed stare Kaoru would often see in the mirror, Hikaru was practically the embodiment of his name. One only needed to spend more time with the boy for the nuances to become obvious.
Unfortunately, good company was rarer than these family picnics of theirs, and time was not something any sorcerer could waste with the sudden uptick of curses in this era. Just thinking about it made his head throb. He was getting more and more missions nowadays, and even as a skilled Grade 1 sorcerer, it was getting harder to keep up. With the twins’ sixth birthday coming up in a week, he would need to wrap up every one of his missions in a few days if he wanted to be there with them.
Tap.
He blinked to the sight of his wife's delicate finger near the bridge of his nose.
“What's got you thinking so hard?” she asked.
Another blink, before Kaoru huffed a small laugh. “Nothing important, just…” He found his gaze drawn back to the children, who seemed to have run out of curses to torment and were now tumbling around on the grass. Judging from Satoru's whining, Hikaru was probably winning their little wrestling match.
“... I don't want this to end.” He finished, tone low enough that only his wife could hear him.
Rangiku hummed. “Everything ends eventually, whether we like it or not.”
“I know.”
“Our boys would need to face the world in all its glory without us holding their hand all the way.”
“I know.”
Rangiku cupped his face and turned it to look at her. “All the more reason to savor the present moment, right?” she said with a beaming smile. Around them, the servants have started laying out lunch in the form of fancy stacked bentos, and she let go of his face to call out, “Satoru! Hikaru! Food's ready!”
And Kaoru watched as the two perked up, Hikaru hurriedly getting off his brother, pulling the other boy up and yanking him along back to their parents. This child was as food motivated as his brother was picky.
“Food!” Satoru exclaimed when they reached them, already eyeing the mizu mochi next to his mother's lap.
“Food…” came Hikaru's voice. He turned to Kaoru with pleading puppy eyes. “... fish?”
Kaoru chuckled and ruffled his younger son's white hair. “Yes, you can have the fish.”
The way the child brightened up could have lit the depths of the abyss, and Kaoru couldn't help the small fire that warmed up the dark pit that was his soul. It wouldn't last, he knew – nothing ever lasted, especially for jujutsu sorcerers. Still, as his wife said, the least he could do was be there and savor the present moment until he was no longer able to.
___
“Hikaru! Since I'm the strongest, you better make sure to keep up!”
“Not… the strongest.”
“Not yet! But I'm definitely going to be.”
“Hm. You don't… even eat… your vegetables.”
“Hah?! What does that have to do anything?”
“An unhealthy… body can't… be the strongest.”
“Hmph! We'll see about that.”
“Heh. Want to… bet?”
“Huh?”
“If I win our… next spar, you will… eat my salads.”
“Ew, hell no! Just because you like munching on leaves doesn't mean I do too!”
“...”
“...whatever, I'll win anyway. Bring it on!”
(Satoru did not, in fact, win. He didn't know Papa was going to have them spar with weapons that day! If it were hand to hand combat and techniques were allowed, he definitely would have won! Probably.
The salads were surprisingly tasty, though, so he wasn't too upset.)
___
Gojo Hikaru was a quiet child. When an assassin pretending to be a private tutor tried to take his life at eight years old, the rest of the estate only knew about it when the attacker had already been burnt to a crisp.
Akihiko grimaced as he finished bandaging the boy's wounds. He turned to the person standing stiffly next to the bed. “My apologies, Kaoru-sama. I did my best to save it but unless there is someone out there capable of reverse curse technique, Hikaru-sama will not have full functionality of his left eye from now on.”
The upper half of the man's face was covered by his brown fringe, but Akihiko could see the thin line of his lips, the veins of his neck prominent from how hard his jaw was clenched. When he spoke, his voice was strained. “Is he stable now, doctor?”
“Yes. Aside from his eye, the rest of his injuries were minor. Though the chance is low, I suggest keeping him isolated for now in case he gets worse.”
There was silence. Akihiko wiped his sweaty hands onto the fabric of his trousers. Minutes seemed to crawl along until finally, Gojo Kaoru released a heavy sigh. “Fine, I'll hold you on to that. But doctor…”
Said doctor dared to raise his head and felt the hairs of his arm stand on edge. Even through the curtain of hair, those eyes glowed with promise.
“... if something ever happens to my son while he's in your care, that will be on you.”
He pressed his lips together. “... of course.”
When the man finally left while muttering about meeting the elders, Akihiko took a deep breath to calm his nerves.
He wasn't a combatant. Not in the slightest. There was a reason he chose to be his own clan’s doctor instead, because while his cursed technique allowed him to see the flow of cursed energy, it was a far cry from the Six Eyes. His energy stores couldn't even sustain it for more than half a minute at most.
If Gojo Kaoru decided to get rid of him, he wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
Though, looking at the young boy swathed in bandages, Akihiko couldn't really blame him. Private tutors were thoroughly screened before being employed. The estate itself was heavily guarded, and the barrier surrounding it had an added layer of security by not allowing outsiders unless specifically authorized. As far as anyone was aware, there wasn't any breach in the barrier.
An inside job was the most logical conclusion. Whether that was true or not remains to be seen, but in his position, Gojo Kaoru had every right to be paranoid.
“Doc…tor…”
Akihiko sighed, lips curling into a relieved smile at seeing the boy half-awake. “You should really stop ending up here with me, kid.” The number of times he had to treat Hikaru's burns over the years was ridiculous.
“Sorry…”
“It’s fine. It's not your fault.” He looked at the clock: just half past 5 in the afternoon. “Sleep first, alright? Your family should be here by the time you wake up.” Well, mostly his mother and brother, probably. Akihiko knew the boy's father enough to guess that he'd be unavailable for hours when dealing with the elders.
Hikaru didn't need to know that, though. With a barely audible hum, the boy was out cold.
The doctor stayed a bit longer, just watching the rise and fall of the blanket atop his chest. “What a mess,” he murmured. “Despite this, you're quite loved, kid. Not everyone gets to have that.” He shook his head, standing up with a stretch. “God, I need a smoke.”
Lady Rangiku did come to visit not even an hour later, little Satoru at her heels. As the older boy gently pounced at his brother's bed and jolted him awake, Akihiko had to stand next to their mother, who had a gentle smile plastered on her face. It would have looked nice on her otherwise elegant face if it actually reached her eyes. She wasn't even looking at him, yet Akihiko felt a shiver run down his spine anyway.
When it was time for the two visitors to finally depart after Hikaru fell asleep again, Lady Rangiku met the doctor's eyes, and Akihiko found himself unable to move. A brief glance was all it was, yet he felt as if his very soul was being meticulously probed.
And then it ended as soon as it began, and the mother sent him a nod. Whether it was of acknowledgement or approval, Akihiko didn't know, but he wasn't eager to find out.
Days later, when Hikaru was finally allowed to go out and about with a new eyepatch over his injury and somehow more active than ever, a few guards were mysteriously replaced and an elder was suddenly said to have retired to the countryside. Visits from other jujutsu clans were also restricted to only a set part of the estate, far from the residential areas.
Akihiko didn't question it. It was better for his sanity in the long run.
___
“Oh, Satoru. You're… here.”
“Hikaru, what the hell is that?”
“Sword.”
“I can see that. Why is it so big, though?”
“Why not?”
“It’s almost bigger than you! Actually, how are you even lifting that up?!”
“I don't have… Satoru's noodle arms.”
“You–!”
“Now, now, my children, don't start.”
“But Mama, Hikaru's being mean!”
“Hi, Mama.”
“Hello to you too. Hikaru, stop teasing your brother.”
“Not my fault… he hates exercising.”
“I don't hate it, I'm just not as obsessed as you are. Besides, we're ten! Your arms are too freaking huge for a ten-year-old, you look weird!”
“Hm. Lame.”
“I am not, you're just weird!”
“Alright, stop that. Who wants some snacks?”
“Me!”
___
Gojo Hikaru was a quiet child. So quiet, in fact, that Toji wouldn't have even looked at him if he hadn't been next to his powerhouse brat of a brother.
Well, if what he'd heard around the Zenin compound were true, both brothers were powerhouses. The old geezer had been livid, still is, at the fact that a decrepit old house as the Gojo had produced two powerful sorcerers, with one even anticipated to be the strongest in the current era, while the Zenin were stuck with a monkey who didn't have a drop of cursed energy.
Hah.
Point is, both brats were supposed to define the next generation of jujutsu society. When Toji's eyes met a glowing blue pair, he actually felt the reality of that statement. It was unsettling, the power behind that gaze – it made him feel small, like being gazed at by a god looking down at a peon; it made him want to look away, and he hated it.
But then those eyes looked away first, continuing to move forward, small hands tugging at the other kid next to him. Said kid looked back at Toji as well, and all he could think of was quiet.
Gojo Hikaru, with large scar-like marks all over his face and body, left eye useless behind a medical eyepatch, had a quiet presence, but it was no less intense. It felt more like root fire, smoldering under the earth unnoticed until it already burned everything to the ground. It was only when the kid looked away as well that Toji realized how tense he was.
What a horrifying pair. Toji was willing to bet they could destroy the world if they wanted to. Keeping a leash on them would be a nightmare.
Speaking of…
“What brings you to this part of the estate, Zenin Toji?”
He looked behind him to see Gojo Kaoru regarding him with a blank stare. As per usual, if not for the fact that the other man's eyes looked more alive nowadays.
Toji smirked. “Geez, calm down. The old man couldn't stand being in the same room as me so I saw myself out. Don't even know why he brought me in the first place, but…” He shrugged.
Gojo Kaoru raised a brow, but nodded nonetheless. “Still, you're a bit too close to the residential grounds.”
“Not my fault there weren't any guards around to stop me.”
“Let me escort you back then.”
Toji scoffed but followed along. The entire trip to the main areas was silent.
Finally, before arriving at the entrance of the building where the heads were discussing bullshit, Toji said lowly, “Heard the old men up high hate your guts. They'll probably try to do something about that.”
The older man stopped, his head turning back slightly. Then he nodded. “I am aware. But thank you for letting me know.”
Toji scoffed. “Sometimes I think they hate you more than me. That's good enough reason.”
They parted ways soon after, and Toji stuck to staring at the drifting snowfall settling on a frozen pond.
___
“Papa…”
“Hikaru? What are you doing up this late?”
“You leaving?”
“... I am. An emergency came up, they need reinforcements.”
“...”
“Go back to bed, Hikaru. I'll see you in the morning.”
“You're… coming back, right?”
“...”
“Papa?”
“... Hikaru, promise me something, will you?”
“?”
“The bounties on your heads are getting bigger by the minute, your brother's especially… Promise me you'll always take care of yourselves.”
“!”
“I have no doubt that both of you will grow to be stronger than I can ever imagine, but…”
“Is that… your wish, Papa?”
“...”
“I promise. For you… and for myself too.”
“... Thank you, Hikaru.”
“...”
“I need to go. See you tomorrow, alright?”
“See you tomorrow, Papa...”
___
Gojo Hikaru was a quiet child. Gojo Satoru was not. On this overcast winter morning, both were quieter than the grave they stood in front of. Gojo Rangiku, with swollen eyes and reddened face, pulled them closer amidst murmurs of condolences.
It was snowing lightly, but even when none of it landed on the three of them under the umbrella held up by a servant, Rangiku still felt shards of ice penetrate her soul every second. It felt more painful with every tick, now that the truth of the situation was sinking in.
An unregistered Special Grade. What started as a routine exorcism by a pair of Jujutsu Tech students rapidly devolved when a supposedly Grade 2 curse turned out to be stronger than expected.
Curiously, out of all the sorcerers who had gone to serve as reinforcements, only her husband ended up dead. Most especially when the sorcerers with him at the time were known to be quite chummy with the higher ups. Even more so when the curse they were supposed to dispatch was reported to be a giant slime monster that corroded everything it touched, and yet those who came back carrying Kaoru's corpse had no such wounds. Instead, they had cuts that one would get from a blade, like the cursed tools her husband had tended to carry.
Along with the deep, permeating grief in her bones and the constant worry for her children, there was a sort of rage, just simmering beneath the surface and threatening to burst out with the slightest nudge. Because how dare they, when both her and Kaoru tried so hard to give their boys a relatively normal childhood. How dare they take her husband away.
There had to be something she could do, because she knew they wouldn't stop at eliminating just one nuisance to their plans. She had gained many allies throughout the years, within the house and with other families, but until her boys could fend for themselves, she couldn't risk leaving them alone.
She held them tighter, staring at the stone slab with her husband's name.
“Satoru, Hikaru, both of you listen to me, alright?” She felt the two tense up, Hikaru turning his head slightly. “Once we get back to the estate, never get too far from each other. I can’t do much when you eventually get sent out on missions, but make sure to always stay close to me or any of ours.”
‘Ours’, the people within the clan with absolute loyalty. The servants around them shift slightly in recognition, nodding when she turned her gaze to them. Good. The twins, on the other hand, stared at each other for a while, having a silent conversation with their eyes.
Then, they both looked up at her with similarly red-rimmed eyes. It was Satoru who voiced the question. “You're not leaving too, right, Mama?”
It was asked with shaky bravado, a try at his usual confidence, but the underlying fear was clear to her ears. She smiled as best as she could, crouching to their level to pull them into a tight, almost desperate hug. “Of course not,” she said. “Not for a long time.” I won't let it happen.
Just a bit longer, just until they get a little older. Until then… She kissed their foreheads, fresh tears running down her face and resolve solidifying within her heart.
The Gojo Clan required a purging. The rest of those old men in their high horses may be unreachable for her, but these ones… yes. Let all her – their – pent-up rage and hate and sorrow consume them until there's nothing left. Until her children's freedom was secured.
(Such strong emotions were rare for her, yet she didn't question it. All these years of having to bow down to such people, who wanted nothing good for her loved ones, were simply pushed to the surface with Kaoru's death. That's what she told herself, at least.
Nevertheless, the purging went surprisingly smoothly. It helped that father-in-law was willing to look away and cover her schemes, for he too was blindsided by his son's sudden departure. He could have done more, in her opinion, but he cared enough.
Three long years later, she waved goodbye as the car carrying her beloved sons drove away to Tokyo Jujutsu Tech. She clutched at her heart and felt it settle.
“Time flies so fast, Kaoru,” she whispered. “From now on, it's up to them.”
She sent a prayer into the wind. May their journey ever be so fruitful.)
___
“Why so quiet?”
“Huh? What, did you miss my voice that much, ‘Karu?”
“Your voice… sounds stupid.”
“Hey! At least I can sing better than you!”
“Lies.”
“Hmph!”
“...”
“...”
“... gonna miss her too.”
“Yeah… Hey, think we can find a present for Mama when we get back?”
“Mm, good idea.”
“I get to choose the colors though. The shades you pick always su – ow! Is that how you treat your older brother, huh?!”
“HKS.”
“What's that even mean?!”
(Up in the front seat, Kuki would have rolled his eyes if he wasn’t driving. These boys, seriously…)