July 26, 2009 (Afternoon)

"And what's this?" Rin's voice held an excited tremor as he leaned over Ryuuji completely to point at a picture so Konekomaru could see.

"Ah, those are pictures from Gion Matsuri. I'm afraid we've just missed the festival dates though, Rin-kun." Konekomaru smiled sympathetically as Rin flopped limply over Ryuuji's lap, letting out a groan of disappointment.

There was a small spark of happiness, however. Slowly but surely, he had begun to win his way back into his friends' good graces. The reveal had come as a surprise to all of them and a few reacted worse than others, but after Ryuuji and Rin both got on their knees and begged Konekomaru for forgiveness, answered all his questions, and endured a scolding, the shorter teen had come around and was smiling at Rin again. Rin was happy that he was. He really looked up to Konekomaru.

Now, they were in a train, on the way to a new mission. Shura had even given him a small little booklet which Rin had clung to and began to flip through. A Kyoto Tourist Guide.

That's right. They were going to Kyoto. They'd briefly gotten a small amount of detail about the mission before they were all rushed off to pack and were told they would receive more information once they were on the train, but Rin's focus and excitement had been on the city itself. Not only had he never been, but it was where Ryuuji, Konekomaru, and Renzou came from. The thought of finally seeing where Ryuuji grew up was making him giddy.

Ryuuji did not share his enthusiasm.

The older teen had grown more and more antsy as they had gotten on the train. The thought of returning to Kyoto had filled him with dread and made him drag his feet the entire way. He hadn't contacted his family, not even once since leaving for Tokyo. He hadn't planned on going back, not until he had fulfilled his ambitions.

The idea of seeing his dad again, after the argument they had the last time they'd seen each other, caused a heavy weight to settle in his stomach.

As for his mom…

Ryuuji shivered. He really wasn't looking forward to her reaction at all.

In the seat in front of him, Renzou turned around and leaned over the headrest. He snickered at the look on Ryuuji's face, but for once, instead of teasing him, he chose to join the conversation instead.

"What're ya lookin' forward to seeing the most, Rin?"

Rin braced his elbows on Ryuuji's thigh, leaning up a bit to beam brightly at Renzou with excitement. "I wanna see Ryuuji's family's inn!" he replied honestly. "And then Kyoto Tower! And I want to see cool temples! And I want to sit in some hot springs! And go to a sauna!"

Renzou laughed at Rin's back-to-back responses. "You might need to cut down some of that list. I don't think we'll have that much free time." The pink-haired teen glanced over to their left, to where Izumo and Shiemi were sitting. They'd been pretty quiet so far, but that was normal with Izumo. The purple-haired girl was reading a novel in the aisle seat while Shiemi stared out the window in silence. There was a meek expression she was wearing reflecting from the window. It was one that had not been on her face for weeks. It was strange to see it now, after all the progress they had made in getting closer to her. She usually liked to join them during their trips, sitting by Konekomaru if not by Rin.

"Should we take a vote? What do you ladies wanna see?" Renzou asked.

"I thought you just said we wouldn't have time." Izumo's eyes didn't look up from the book. "We should focus on our mission rather than sightseeing."

"You're no fun, Bushy Brows," Rin grumbled. He got a glare for his troubles.

"Kamiki-san is right." In front of them, Yukio folded down the sleeve of his coat, having just gotten the preliminary vaccine they needed. A familiar calico cat sith was perched on his shoulders, giving a greeting purr, though Tamiko stayed mostly quiet as Yukio spoke. "We'll be doing a lot of work so we won't have time for being frivolous. This isn't a field trip." His tone only held a trace of scolding but Rin stuck his tongue out at him regardless. Yukio gave him a glare in response.

That's right, this is a mission. Somehow, the reminder managed to loosen some of Ryuuji's tension. Although his hands were still curled tightly on his lap, he took a deep breath through his nose and exhaled it through his mouth.

"Could we hear the details of the mission now?" he asked. They hadn't even received the coordinates yet of where they would be heading. Ryuuji had been so caught up with thinking of the 'what if's' when he should have been asking more questions.

Rin shifted back into his seat as Yukio crossed his arms. The exwires' attentions were all drawn to him as Yukio began to speak.

"A few days ago, a dangerous artifact called the Left Eye of the Impure King was stolen. It was sealed away in the Deep Keep of the Order's base. It was discovered that the former director..." Yukio paused for a moment. "The former director, Toudou Saburota, had a hand in the matter and is at least an accomplice, if not the man who stole it himself. We don't have any leads as to what his intentions with the Left Eye may be or who he is working with but we currently have a retrieval team tracking it down.

"At the exact same time, we received word that the Kyoto Branch Office suffered an attack. It leads us to believe that this was a coordinated attack, as currently the Kyoto Branch Office houses the sealed Right Eye of the Impure King. The artifact was defended successfully but many exorcists were injured in the attempt. Our job is to help care for their injured, and bolster their weakened defense while the retrieval team seeks to retrieve the stolen eye."

"But… who's this Impure King guy?" Rin frowned. The tourist guide was closed on his lap.

"Put simply, it's a very powerful Upper Class demon that spread several plagues across Japan during the Edo period." Yukio pursed his lips. "It was rumored to have been defeated by a powerful monk at that time, but in fact, he was merely sealed away, the eyes separated and put under protection. The eyes themselves give off an intense miasma so even just having one out of our reach is dangerous enough. We must do everything possible to make sure that the Right Eye doesn't get taken as well."

"So… That means…" The peace of mind that Ryuuji had almost achieved shattered at once. His shoulders slumped. "We're definitely runnin' into everyone…"

Renzou twisted back around on his seat to look at Ryuuji's desolate expression. A slightly sympathetic smile crossed his lips, though there was far more mischief in his eyes. "Okami-san's definitely goin' to lay it on ya, Bon."

Izumo's ears perked up at the comment.

"Oh! So that's how it is." An amused smirk had crossed her lips. For all that she had been pretending to not pay attention earlier, it was clear that she had pierced together various parts of the conversations they'd been having since they had gotten on the train.

"I'd been wondering why those two kept calling you Bon all this time. So you're the young master of an inn? How adorable."

Ryuuji's eyebrow twitched. As always, Izumo seemed to know how to press on the wrong buttons. "Can't ya butt out of people's business?" he snapped at her.

Izumo was about to retort back, a familiar sneer curling up her lips, when Shiemi abruptly stood up.

"E-Excuse me..."

The blond girl walked around Izumo carefully, then quickly brushed past Yukio on her way out without giving any of them a glance back. The group stared as the door closed behind her, a little stunned.

"Well. That wasn't awkward at all," Renzou commented when no one else said anything.

"...You haven't had a chance to talk to her yet?" Konekomaru asked, looking at Rin with a frown.

Rin shook his head, staring at the closed door. His tail twitched anxiously. "She's always at home and I don't got a way to get there. She always gets to class right when it starts and leaves right when it ends. I never got a chance." He glanced at Konekomaru before clenching his jaw. "I should go after her." He grabbed on to the back of the seat in front of him and stood up.

"Is that such a good idea? She might just need some time, yanno. It didn't look like she was angry or scared at least," Renzou said as he slid back down to his seat, waving Yukio over to sit next to him.

"She's probably just feeling hurt," Konekomaru said quietly. "She didn't have many friends before, right?"

"Which is why I should talk to her, right?" Rin frowned, looking at Ryuuji as if asking for his opinion. Yukio just sighed heavily and sank into the seat next to Renzou, turning away and not bothering to give a response. The frown on his face was even deeper than Rin's. Tamiko jumped down from his shoulders and sat in his lap instead.

"Er..." Ryuuji floundered for a moment. He had little experience in trying to figure out what went on through a girl's mind, much less her heart. He tended to rely on his friends for that kind of stuff, but he wasn't sure whether Renzou's experience with them held more truth in this scenario than Konekomaru's good instincts.

"Well, it doesn't hurt to try, right?" he said in the end. "Not talkin' is what got us in trouble in the first place. It'll probably be more awkward if we just ignore the problem."

"Right!" Rin beamed, seemingly satisfied with the answer. He shuffled past Ryuuji and Konekomaru. "So, I'll be right back!" He nodded and hurried down the aisle and into the next cart.

"Shiemi!" he called out, his tail twitching nervously behind him. He was still getting used to having it out all the time, but as awkward as it felt, it also felt more natural.

The blonde girl had not gotten too far away, so when Rin called out, Shiemi's spine straightened in surprise. She glanced over her shoulder, then, clearly flustered by the direct confrontation, she picked up her pace and scurried off, heading towards the door that led to the next car.

"H-Hey! Wait! Don't run!" Rin hurried after her and grabbed her wrist to stop her from running. "Listen to me! I want to talk to you and apologize!"

Shiemi didn't turn around at all. She tugged on her wrist, but when Rin didn't let go, her entire body became stiff. Her hair was like a curtain over her face as she stared at the floor.

"...W-Why?"

"Huh? What do you mean why?" Rin leaned in, his brows furrowed. "You're my friend, aren't you? Why wouldn't I say sorry? I just want to talk to you and set the record straight so we can be friends again!"

"A-Am I?" The word "friends" struck a sensitive chord inside of Shiemi. A swirl of self-deprecating thoughts that had plagued her in the past rose in her again.

"I... I'm not like Suguro-kun, or even Miwa-kun, or any of the rest of them though. W-We only just met recently."

Shiemi's eyes were watery when she finally looked at Rin.

"You've been so nice to me... And I really thought we'd all finally become friends..." she whispered. "Back at the camp, when we were all working together, I really felt like I finally belonged. But... but..."

Rin's brow wrinkled with guilt and concern. "I know." His voice lowered in volume a bit. "I really am sorry. It's not like I wanted to keep the secret. I had to." He thumped a fist in his own chest. "But I'm still me! I'm still your friend! If you have any questions or anything, I'll answer them! I'll tell you everything!" His declaration was loud and sincere. Determination burned behind his gaze. "I want to keep being friends with you, so I'll work hard to bring that trust back again!"

It was difficult not to get caught up in Rin's heartfelt words, but there was a part of Shiemi that felt hesitant to open her heart again. Her inexperience of the world, her doubts about herself, the hurt she had felt about not being trusted, first by Rin, then by Yukio who had known her for far longer, all of it weighed down on her. Still, Rin's hand felt warm around her wrist.

"Do you mean it?" she asked in a tiny voice.

"Of course I do!" Rin beamed and then quickly released her to bow low at the waist. He had to be proper about it! "I'm sorry, Shiemi! I really want to keep being friends with you!"

"Ah!" Shiemi floundered for a second, wide-eyed by Rin's gesture. Manners caused her to bow as well. Her cheeks heated up a rosy pink as she pushed herself to deliver her own feelings just as genuinely. "I'll do my best too! So p-please, please rely on me from now on!"

"Really?!" Rin lifted his head, his eyes shining with appreciation. "Okay! Rely on me too! And please don't be mad at anyone else since the secret was mine!" He bowed again before giving Shiemi a big grin. His tail was wagging gleefully. "Hehe, you sounded really cool there, Shiemi!"

The flustered noise that escaped Shiemi's throat at the compliment was entirely too high.

The two made their way back once Shiemi had calmed down a little more. However, they came to an abrupt stop upon opening the door that led back to their seats.

"Really, we can't sit in a train for five minutes without someone flying off the handle…" Yukio stared at the rest of the class, all of them on the floor of the aisle between the seats with familiar Bariyons on their laps. The calico cat sith was sitting on the backs of one of the chairs, staring down at them and looking as amused as a cat could look. Yukio turned around at the sound of the door and nodded. "Good. Saves me the trouble of having to track you down." He pointed to the floor in front of the rest of the group. "Sit."

"HUH?" Rin shouted incredulously. "We weren't even here!"

"Sit." Yukio's voice turned stern, the glare of the light blinding his glasses and covering his gaze. It was no less piercing. Rin let out a frustrated yell before he trudged forward and flopped down on the ground.

"What even happened?!"

Izumo let out a loud huff, turning away. Sitting right behind her, Ryuuji scowl darkened further.

"I'll give you three guesses..." Renzou grumbled.

Yukio walked over and pressed a finger to Renzou's forehead. "Don't act like you weren't an instigator."

"Yuki-chaaaaan...!"

Konekomaru chose not to comment, but he let out a loud sigh. It was a familiar noise of pure resignation.

The whole scene was so familiar, so absurdly routine, as if nothing at all had happened just days ago, that it caused Shiemi to burst into short giggles that she struggled to contain. Even as the Bariyon was placed on his lap, Rin couldn't help but smile in return.

"Bon… It won't be as bad as you're makin' it out to be…"

Konekomaru was attempting to soothe Ryuuji's nerves as they got closer to his mother's family inn, but it was a futile effort. He dragged his feet out of the bus, dread clear in his expression as he followed the large crowd of exorcists that they had traveled with, the rest of his friends and classmates following behind him.

The reception he received as they made it through the front door was exactly what he expected. Not that it made him in any way happy.

"Bon!"

"You came back!"

"Welcome home!"

For a split second, Ryuuji wished he wasn't actually as tall as he was so he could hide behind his classmates for once. In the next, he straightened his shoulders back and plastered on a scowl as he glared at a sea of familiar faces.

"This ain't a social visit! I'm here for work!" he told them with a stern growl.

His words went entirely ignored.

"Call Okami-san!" someone said, much to Ryuuji's ire and panic.

"No one's gotta call her! Will ya just listen to me?!" he protested.

It was at that moment that a beautiful, mature-looking woman, who seemed much younger than her actual age, stepped into view. Her kimono was crisply pressed and free of wrinkles, the light floral print a delicate detail that stood out among the smooth lavender fabric. Her dark hair pinned up into an elegant bun. She had a kind looking face and a welcoming expression to go with it.

"Ryuuji!" his mother said, her eyes wide with surprise.

Ryuuji's stomach clenched at the sight of her. A part of him was very glad to see her again, but…

"I can't believe it!" His mother's face became stern at once. "You dyed your hair?! Are you tryin' to be a chicken now? What happened to my handsome boy?!"

"There's nothin' wrong with my hair!"

"I-I think his hair is cool!" Rin's voice was just a tad more meek than usual. He peeked out from behind Ryuuji, bouncing nervously on the balls of his feet as he looked up at Torako. His eyes were shining with admiration, respect, and fear.

Torako's expression changed at once upon spotting him.

"Oh, if it isn't Rin-kun!" Although she had only ever seen pictures of him as a kid, Ryuuji's mom recognized him in an instant. Rin's tail became a blur as his smile brightened and his face flushed. The extra limb seemed to surprise her for a second, but her delighted smile did not fade even an inch. "It's so nice to finally meet ya, sweetheart. Look at how handsome you've grown up to be! But you don't have to defend this ungrateful son of mine." As she turned back to look at Ryuuji, a fire that reignited in her eyes.

"What're you doing back here anyway? Didn't ya say you were never coming back?!" She pressed her finger right into Ryuuji's chest.

Ryuuji gritted his teeth. "The Order just happened to book us here. If it was up to me-"

"H-Hi, ma'am! It's nice to see you again." Konekomaru cut in before Ryuuji could dig himself into a bigger hole. Renzou stepped up beside him, giving a casual greeting of his own.

"Renzou! Neko! I'm so glad you're back safe and sound. Thank you for always looking after my troublesome boy."

"I take care of myself just fine!" Ryuuji protested.

Torako paid him no mind and instead introduced herself to the rest of her son's classmates. "You must all be exhausted from the long trip. Please come in and settle down." Her eyes scanned their faces as if to commit them to memory, though they halted upon spotting Yukio, who she recognized just as easily as she had Rin.

"Ah, Yukio-kun, you're here as well?" She seemed pleased to see him. "Did your father come along too?"

"I'm afraid not. He's currently on a mission but as soon as it's done, I believe he'll be joining us if nothing else comes up." Yukio gave her a polite smile and bowed. "It's very nice to meet you after all this time. Thank you for allowing us to stay here."

"It's my pleasure! I'm delighted to see you all. And of course, we are always grateful for the Order's patronage."

Torako ushered them all in, only pausing when Yukio asked her where he could find the Director of the Kyoto Branch. She gave him clear directions and as he turned away to follow them, she told him she would be right along.

"There's plenty to do. I've sent the rest of your group to where we are keeping the injured. But before you get caught up on all that, please come see me once you are done settling in. Yaozou-san would be pleased to see the three of you home."

One by one, they all began to spread about the inn, finding things to do and people to help. Rin gave Ryuuji a warm reassurance before heading off himself, following people, asking what he should do to help. Frustration quickly began to build as not one, not two, but almost every teacher and exorcist ignored him in favor of passing him off to someone else. Rin knew why they were doing it, but he couldn't help but yearn for a task or a goal. Sitting down and doing nothing now would just feel terrible. He had a momentary thought of going to find Ryuuji. Maybe if Rin found him and stuck by him, people would be more willing to accept his help. He was about to turn around and try to remember Torako's directions when something made him pause.

"Psst!"

Rin blinked and turned around, his eyes connecting with an older looking man leaning in from outside. He looked around. There was no one else in the hallway. Rin pointed to himself. "Me?"

The man nodded and waved him over with a wide, welcoming grin. "Gimme a hand, would ya?"

Rin's expression brightened and he rushed over. "Okay!" He followed the man out the door and finally got a good look at him. He looked older, bald, red-cheeked, and broad shouldered. The clothes he was wearing seemed like something Rin had seen out of a book when he first looked up what a temple might look like. Still, his tail wagged happily at the prospect of helping someone out. "What do you need?"

"I brought a little treat for the injured." The old monk sat down on the veranda with a soft thump. He leaned his weight back on his hands after directing Rin's attention to the watermelons he had lined up along the ledge. "You can have a slice for yourself if you give me a hand here," the man told him with a toothy grin.

Rin beamed and bounded over happily, grabbing one of the watermelons. "I can do that!" he chirped confidently, knowing very well that he could. He had sliced watermelons before when his dad had brought one or two home during the summer. He arranged the melons in an easy to grab fashion and grabbed a knife to begin by chopping the first one in half. As he began his work, a strange smell entered his nose. It was a familiar scent, one that he associated with the times he'd run into his dad late at night and Shiro wasn't quite walking straight. He glanced at the old man.

"It's a little early, isn't it?" Rin pointed out bluntly as he lowered his gaze back to the melons.

"Ha! Caught me, did ya?" The monk rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish smile crossing his flushed face. "It's just too hot. I couldn't help myself!" he said.

Rin glanced at him and couldn't resist the smile that twitched at the corner of his lips. "I guess all old men are like that!" he said as he started placing slices off to the side on platters. "Do you work here?"

"Mmm, I help out my wife from time to time. I'm not always around," the monk explained, lines of regret creasing his face just a bit. "How about you? I heard reinforcements had come from Tokyo, but ya look a little young... Are you a student at the exorcist cram school? What's your name?"

"Yeah!" Rin pulled over the second melon and sliced it easily in half. "I'm Okumura Rin. I'm an exwire so I'm here to help everyone out!"

"Oh! I thought you looked a little familiar." The monk leaned over his knees and twisted as if to get a better look at Rin. There was a bit more curiosity in his eyes as he glanced at Rin's tail this time, whereas before he had quickly dismissed the sight. Still, he made no comment about it. "Well, I suppose I really oughta introduce myself in that case." His smile became somewhat apologetic, crooked as it was as he bowed his head forward a bit. "I'm Suguro Tatsuma, Ryuuji's father," he said. "Thank you for taking such good care of my son all these years."

Rin looked at him, eyes wide as his spine immediately straightened. "Wh- You're Ryuuji's old man!?" He glanced at the watermelons then back at Tatsuma. How many times had he heard Ryuuji's complaining over the phone about his father, about how he was never around? Rin's brow furrowed slightly. "Ryuuji's… He's mad at you, you know?"

"Haha, you sure don't mince words!" Tatsuma glanced back up. That good-natured smile of his remained on his lips despite Rin's words, or perhaps because of them. "What an honest kid. It's no wonder Ryuuji likes ya."

Rin pursed his lips but his cheeks quickly flushed at the compliment. "L-Look! I like Ryuuji a lot! He's my best friend and… I know you two can get along if you just listen to him!" His tone was earnest, pleading. "So, you gotta make time for him! I dunno how long we'll be in Kyoto so this is your chance, isn't it!?"

A wistful look overtook Tatsuma's face. "...Those are some wise words. You've got a good head on your shoulders. Your father was just as good at not beating around the bush."

"You know my dad?!" Rin stepped back in shock. The strap of the sword on his back suddenly felt a bit tighter as he remembered what Ryuuji once told him. The Kurikara, his sword, was originally under the care of his family. Did that mean Tatsuma ended up handing it over to Shiro? But why? And when?

"Urgh…" He gripped his head. "I'm getting a headache." Rin shook his head quickly and returned to chopping the watermelon. He was supposed to be distracting himself with work. Instead, he'd only ended up with more questions.

"Haha, it's an old tale. Perhaps I'll tell ya about it one of these days." Tatsuma rubbed the back of his head, but he did not seem too repentant about the turmoil he was causing Rin. Instead, he leaned back on his hands again, just as relaxed as before, and stared up at the sky, almost contemplative. "Tell me, has he at least quit that awful smoking habit of his?"

Rin furrowed his brow as an image of his dad with a cigarette flitted into his mind. Somehow, the image looked wrong. "I've never seen him smoke," he answered honestly. Though most of his focus remained on the melons, he was glancing every so often to the man sitting near him. "Did he used to?"

"Like a chimney," Tatsuma confirmed. He caught Rin's eye and shared a mischievous grin with him as he said, "I stole a couple of his packs from him once. I kept tellin' him not to smoke around the sick people he was treatin' at the time, but he said then, 'either I smoke while I keep 'em from dyin', or they'll die while I go have a smoke. Take your pick.'" Tatsuma shook his head at the memory, amusement visible in his eyes. "He was furious, but in the end, he was more concerned about the patients so it wasn't until he was done that he went lookin' for me. I got an earful about it."

Rin had paused his slicing to listen, watching Tatsuma's expression instead. A degree of wonder sparked in his chest that brought a small smile to his lips. "So… You and my dad were friends too? I never really heard a lot about the stuff he used to do." He put the knife down and sat next to Tatsuma, his tail twitching curiously.

"Friends, huh?" Tatsuma mused out loud. "Well, it wasn't quite like you and Ryuuji but... he helped me figure out some pretty important things when I was much younger. I'm very grateful to him. For that and a few other things."

"Wow," Rin whispered, his expression slowly brightening. "That's like… fate or something!" He ended up with a grin. "It sucks that dad's away on a mission right now though. I bet he'd be happy to see you."

"It's been a long time," Tatsuma agreed. "Perhaps fate will have our paths cross one more time. I'd be happy to see him as well."

A comfortable silence returned as Rin finished up cutting the last of the watermelons. The heat of the summer sun bore down on both of them, making small beads of sweat run down the side of their faces. Rin wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt, but as he began arranging the slices neatly on a pair of awaiting platters, Tatsuma's voice drew his attention again.

"Say, Rin-kun... Tell me a bit about you. Are you enjoying cram school?"

"Yeah!" Rin replied happily. "There's been some ups and downs since this stuff's kinda hard but, I really like it and I like all the friends I've made. Ryuuji helps me study too. I don't get as good grades as he does but I think I'd be failing without him!" He grinned.

"I see. He's always been a smart boy, that one. I'm glad he's helping you out." There was a slight pause. Though Tatsuma's expression did not change, there was a hesitance in his voice now. A worry masked in a warm smile. "...What about him? Do you think he's happy at school?"

Rin paused to look at Tatsuma. He really does care about Ryuuji… so why? Rin did his best to stop his brow from furrowing and nodded. "I think so. Ryuuji is a really dedicated guy. He's the kind of person to put his all into something." He stood straight, the watermelons all sliced and arranged. "I think he's really happy because he's been looking forward to this for a while. He worked hard for it. He's working hard now!" Rin rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, sometimes he gets really passionate about it but I think he's enjoying himself." He ended his words with a confident nod.

"I see..." Tatsuma said. "So he's happy, huh?"

Rin's words had not surprised him in the slightest. Despite their rocky relationship, Tatsuma was intimately aware of his son's heart. It was because of that that Tatsuma let out a small sigh. There was something resigned in the sound, but it wasn't unhappy at all.

"He can be a little reckless sometimes, as I'm sure ya know. He's always willin' to put heavy burdens on his shoulders, even if it's sometimes more than he can handle. But I'm relieved knowin' he has a friend like you. Please continue to take good care of him, will ya?"

Rin stared at him. He felt bad. Tatsuma seemed to really care about Ryuuji, that much was clear. So why was he talking to him? Why wasn't he seeking out Ryuuji instead? Rin felt almost as if he was intruding on something that was never supposed to be his. Ryuuji should have been here… As Tatsuma's earnest request hung between them, a familiar voice cut in before Rin could answer.

"Oh, there you are!" Torako stepped into view, slipping out onto the veranda with her eyes set on Rin. A glance down had her surprised expression deepen. "Tatsuma-san!"

"Torako!" Tatsuma looked a little sheepish about being caught lounging around, but he stared up at his wife with fond delight.

"As usual, you never warn me when you're going to pop by…" Despite her scolding words, Torako was happy to press a kiss on top of Tatsuma's head.

"I hope he didn't bother you too much, Rin-kun," Torako said as she took in Rin's expression, as well as the trays in front of him. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the latter. "Oh, good. Why don't ya bring those along while we go check out what all this commotion is about?"

"Oh no, I'm not bothered!" Rin was quick to put on a bright smile as he grabbed the platters, balancing them easily. He gave Tatsuma another glance before he finally settled on Torako, his curiosity rising. "What kinda commotion?" He stepped up on the porch, ready to follow.

"I'm surprised you didn't hear it from here…" Torako murmured, an annoyed crease forming between her eyebrows. "We have a few guests here that can get a little out of hand sometimes. Let's go see if we can calm them down, and after, how about you join me in the kitchen? Ryuuji's always singin' praises about your cookin'."

"H-He is?!" Rin's cheeks flushed and his heart pounded a little. Ever since Torako had sent them care packages for the holidays when they were kids, Rin had looked up to her. He'd never been able to replicate her food or find a recipe close to what she'd managed to create. "W-Will you teach me?!" he asked loudly, impassionedly.

"Haha! Looks like you've snared another one with your cookin', dear," Tatsuma said.

Torako let out a small huff at her husband's teasing, but she answered Rin's earnest request with just as much sincerity.

"I'd love to. You can join me in the kitchen anytime ya like while you stay here. And perhaps even you will teach me a thing or two," she told him with a warm smile.

Rin's eyes were wide and alight with pure excitement and admiration. His tail was a blur behind him. "P-P-Please take care of me!" He bowed his head, nearly dropping some of the melon before quickly righting himself to catch them before they fell. "Sorry! I'm ready!"

"I guess that's my cue to leave…"

Tatsuma climbed to his feet with a slight groan just as Rin climbed back on the veranda. The monk ruffled his hair as the teen passed by.

"I'm glad we met, Rin-kun! Let's talk again sometime!" he told him before turning to his wife.

"I'll see ya later too," he said, pressing a kiss into her cheek.

"Oh? Will I?" Torako swatted him lightly as he stepped down onto the grass. "Go see that hot-headed son of ours when ya have a moment. Ugh, you would not believe what he did to his hair!"

"It looks really cool!" Rin called out after him. "He looks like a punk! It's awesome!"

Tatsuma's faint guffaw could be heard as they walked away.

First of all, thank you everyone for joining us this far. We want to say that though this website has served us well, we've decided to no longer update here and completely move over to Ao3! Please join us there!