The afternoon sun streamed through the open windows of Master Hikaru's house, casting warm golden patches on the wooden floor.
Kanashimi sat quietly on the engawa (the wooden veranda), leaning against a pillar. His body was still sore, and the voice-sealing talisman on his throat glowed faintly, a constant reminder of his punishment. He watched Haru playing with a wooden sword in the small garden, swinging it with exaggerated "whoosh" sounds.
Yuna was inside, folding laundry, but she kept glancing toward the veranda every few minutes.
Master Hikaru stepped out from the inner room and approached Kanashimi. He placed a gentle hand on his former student's shoulder.
"Kanashimi."
Kanashimi looked up immediately, eyes respectful.
Hikaru continued in a calm, fatherly tone.
"I grant you permission to speak freely with Haru and Yuna whenever you wish, as long as you are inside this house. Outside these walls, the seal remains active. Do you understand?"
Kanashimi's eyes widened with visible relief and happiness. A small, genuine smile broke across his face for the first time since his return. He nodded quickly, gratitude shining in his gaze.
He opened his mouth and tested his voice for the first time in days.
"…Thank you, Master."
The words came out soft and hoarse, but they were clear. Kanashimi looked visibly lighter, as if a huge weight had been lifted from his chest.
Yuna, who had been listening from just inside the doorway, felt a small spark of irritation flare up. She crossed her arms, lips pressed into a thin line.
Yuna's inner thoughts:
He looks so happy just because he can talk again…After everything he put me through, after all the pain…And now he's smiling like a child who got candy?
Haru noticed the change immediately. He dropped his wooden sword and ran over, climbing straight into Kanashimi's lap.
"Brother! You can talk now?! Say something! Say my name!"
Kanashimi smiled softly and gently hugged Haru, his voice still a little rough but warm.
"Haru… I missed you."
Haru giggled happily and hugged him back tightly.
Yuna watched from the side, her irritation growing. She walked over with purposeful steps and stood in front of them, arms still crossed.
Haru, sensing the mood, leaned close to Kanashimi's ear and whispered loudly (not realizing Yuna could hear every word):
"Brother… Onee-chan is a little angry right now. She looks like when I spill milk on the floor."
Kanashimi blinked, clearly not understanding. He tilted his head innocently.
Yuna's eye twitched.
She immediately reached down, scooped Haru up into her arms, and held him against her hip like a mother scolding her child.
"Haru," she said firmly, though her voice had that soft scolding tone only mothers seem to master, "I will talk to you later about whispering secrets."
Haru squeaked and hid his face in Yuna's shoulder, giggling nervously.
Master Hikaru, who had been watching the entire scene from the doorway, let out a deep, amused chuckle.
"I think you are gone, Kanashimi," he said with a teasing smile. "You may have permission to speak, but it seems you've already stepped on a landmine."
Kanashimi looked between Yuna's slightly puffed cheeks and Haru's mischievous grin, still not fully grasping why Yuna seemed annoyed. He opened his mouth to ask, but thought better of it and simply gave a small, sheepish nod.
Yuna sighed, but there was a tiny, reluctant smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she adjusted Haru in her arms.
"Come on," she said, voice softening just a bit. "Dinner is almost ready. And Haru — no more whispering about me, understand?"
Haru nodded vigorously while still hiding his face.
Kanashimi watched them — Yuna holding Haru like he was her own, the warm sunlight, the quiet house — and felt a strange mix of happiness and ache in his chest.
Kanashimi's inner thoughts:
Even if I can't speak freely outside…Even if I'm still a prisoner…Seeing Haru smile and Yuna scolding him like a real mother…This feels like home.
Master Hikaru smiled quietly to himself as he turned to go back inside.
"This house is going to become very lively from now on."
The small family — broken, healing, and complicated — continued their quiet afternoon together.
One careful, hopeful step at a time.
After dinner, the house was quiet except for the soft clinking of dishes as Yuna finished cleaning up.
Haru was yawning, already sleepy from playing all day. Master Hikaru gently patted his head.
Yuna wiped her hands on a cloth and looked toward Kanashimi, who was sitting quietly near the veranda.
"Kana… come here. I want to talk."
Her voice was calm, but there was a sharp edge underneath that only someone who knew her well could catch.
Master Hikaru immediately understood. He stood up and called softly, "Haru, come here. Let's get you ready for bed."
Kanashimi leaned closer to his master and whispered urgently, "Master… please don't call Haru away. If Yuna and I are left alone, she'll be too angry. You know I didn't notice her anger earlier…"
Hikaru glanced at Yuna, then back at Kanashimi with a small, knowing smile.
"Haru, come fast," he said firmly, holding out his hand.
Yuna's eyes narrowed slightly. She crossed her arms.
"Kana… are you coming? Or should I come over there?"
Kanashimi sighed softly and stood up.
"I'm coming…"
He walked toward his assigned room. Haru tried to follow, but Yuna gently redirected the boy toward Hikaru.
"Haru, stay," Kanashimi whispered, but the little boy had already skipped off happily with Grandpa Hikaru.
The door to the room clicked shut behind them.
Yuna turned to face Kanashimi. The moment the latch closed, her calm expression vanished. She stepped forward quickly, grabbed Kanashimi's ear, and pulled it hard.
"Ow—!" Kanashimi winced, bending sideways.
"What exactly have you been teaching Haru?!" Yuna hissed, her voice low but filled with motherly anger. "He knows about kissing? About making babies? He's four years old, Kana! Four!"
Kanashimi's face turned red — partly from pain, partly from embarrassment.
"I… I didn't teach him anything like that!" he protested, still bent over because Yuna refused to let go of his ear. "He must have heard things from somewhere else—"
"Don't lie to me!" Yuna tugged harder. "He said you kissed me when I was hurt! He asked if we're going to make a baby! Where did a four-year-old learn to talk like that?!"
Kanashimi winced again, trying to gently pry her fingers off his ear.
"Yuna… calm down… I swear I never said anything like that to him. He's just… curious. Kids pick up things."
Yuna finally released his ear but immediately poked his chest with her finger, eyes blazing.
"And that's the second problem! You didn't even notice I was angry earlier! I was standing right there, arms crossed, and you were smiling like an idiot because you could speak again! Do you have any idea how that felt? After everything — after I stabbed you, after I dragged you back here, after I've been taking care of your brother — you still can't read my mood?!"
Kanashimi rubbed his reddened ear, looking genuinely lost.
"I'm sorry… I really didn't notice. I was just happy I could talk to Haru again…"
Yuna let out an exasperated sigh and sat down on the edge of the futon, crossing her arms tightly.
"You're hopeless. You survived three years on the run, killed over a hundred people to protect Haru, but you can't tell when your own wife is angry? Ex-wife. Whatever."
She paused, then added in a quieter, slightly embarrassed tone:
"And stop letting Haru see things he shouldn't. He's too young to know about kissing and… and babies."
Kanashimi sat down carefully across from her, still rubbing his ear.
"I'll be more careful," he promised softly. "I'm sorry, Yuna."
Yuna looked at him for a long moment. Her anger slowly melted into something more complicated — frustration mixed with reluctant fondness.
"You're really annoying sometimes, you know that?"
Kanashimi gave her a small, sheepish smile.
"I know."
Outside the room, Haru was peeking through a tiny gap in the sliding door with Master Hikaru. The little boy whispered loudly, "Grandpa… Onee-chan is scolding brother again. Is she going to pull his ear more?"
Hikaru chuckled quietly and gently pulled Haru away.
"Let them talk, grandson. Grown-ups need private time too."
Back inside the room, Yuna sighed and leaned back against the wall.
"Just… be more aware next time. And teach Haru properly. He's calling me 'Sister-in-law' and asking about babies. I don't know how to handle that."
Kanashimi nodded seriously.
"I will."
Yuna again pull the ear and said Still teasing me?
For a moment, the room fell into a strangely comfortable silence.
Yuna glanced at him sideways.
"…You really didn't notice I was angry?"
Kanashimi shook his head honestly.
Yuna groaned and covered her face with both hands.
"You're impossible."
But this time, there was the faintest hint of a smile behind her hands.