Where The Torii Leads Us Home

Morning sunlight poured into the classroom like melted gold, dust floating lazily in the beams. Youchan finished straightening the cubbies just as small footsteps thundered down the hall.

She braced herself. The door slid open. Eight yokai children burst in like a festival parade with no adult supervision. Mutsuki followed slower, holding his coffee like a shield.

One look at him and Youchan already sighed. Dark circles, sleeves half rolled, hair nearly in his eyes. But, every time he looked at her, even briefly, his cheeks turned faintly pink.

He kept trying to talk to me all weekend… poor thing… And when I woke up this morning, he was gone. I wonder what time he snuck back to his own place last night.
Youchan thought.

Mutsuki lifted a hand in greeting, but before he could speak—

‘GON!’ Mon yelled. ‘SAY THAT TO MY FACE, YOU CHICKEN-TAIL FOX!’

‘I DID!’ Gon yelled back. ‘AND YOU RAN INTO A TREE!’

‘THE TREE RAN INTO ME!!!’

Like wild animals, they crouched, preparing to launch. Mutsuki manifested a barrier faster.

Kojiro’s feathers bristled irritably. ‘Can you two not? Class hasn’t even started.’

Sumire lifted her chin, elegant as always. ‘Honestly, the lack of decorum. It’s Monday. Compose yourselves.’

Meow tripped on her own shoelace and knocked over an entire stack of picture books.

Honey threw her arms wide. ‘Sensei!! Bear hug?!’

Akashi derailed that plan immediately. ‘ME FIRST. We bonded this weekend. He’s MY sensei now.’

Kishin trembled while frantically setting toppled chairs upright.

 ‘Sensei, I fix! I can clean everything! I can… I can.’

‘Kishin,’ Mutsuki said gently. ‘Sweetheart. Breathe.’

The oni boy inhaled. Exhaled. And surprisingly, didn’t cry. Youchan smiled proudly at both Kishin and Mutsuki. 

Mutsuki clapped his hands, adding a tiny pulse of magic. Ping. The air shimmered. Noise dimmed. Children focused.

‘Alright, everyone,’ he said steadily. ‘Since we all had… interesting weekends…’

Eight children blushed at once.

‘Today, we’ll learn about yokai powers. Who remembers what we talked about Friday?’

Hands shot up. Voices collided. He took them one at a time.

Mon announced, ‘Tanuki are tricksters but can be gentlemen if properly trained!’

‘Keyword, properly,’ Kojiro muttered.

Gon bragged, ‘Kitsune operate on emotion! On heart! On charm! On attractiveness! On—’

‘We get it,’ Mutsuki sighed.

Sumire recited, ‘Kappa maintain river etiquette. We bow. We reciprocate respect.’

Gon snorted. ‘Except when you made Sensei crawl in the river looking for your dumb rock.’

Sumire kicked his shin so hard he flew into the wall.

‘Says the one who was first to let go of the rope during our kombini excursion.’

Mutsuki manifested a fluffy barrier to catch Gon’s impact.

Kappas are strong. This one is particular, more so. He reminded himself.

Meow raised her paw. ‘Maneki Neko are supposed to bring luck but I only bring… um… events.’

Everyone nodded solemnly.

Honey beamed. ‘I give magical hugs of protection!’

He lunged. Mutsuki sidestepped. Akashi immediately caught him like a wolf-shaped safety net.

‘Honey,’ Akashi declared, ‘Sensei is occupied.’

Honey pouted.

Akashi cleared his throat. ‘Werewolves are warriors of justice.’

Then he sneezed. Poof. Fur sprouted up to his elbows.

He shrugged. ‘Involuntary. Working on it.’

Kishin said bravely, ‘Oni are strong! …But sometimes being strong means doing stuff even when you’re scared.’

Mutsuki nodded warmly. ‘Very true.’

Kojiro added dryly, ‘Tengu possess clarity, discipline, and discernment.’

He stared directly at Mutsuki. Then Youchan. Then back to Mutsuki.

I’m watching you. His entire expression said.

Mutsuki pretended not to notice and move on to the next topic.

“We’re going to make yokai trading cards.”

The moment he announced it, the children gasped. Mon’s hat coughed out origami stars in celebration.

Pairs formed:

Mon & Gon - Immediate fighting. Predictable.

Sumire & Kojiro - She lectured. He suffered. 

Honey & Meow - Honey hugged; Meow panicked.

Akashi & Kishin - Akashi made Kishin do 80% of the work. 

Chaos bloomed immediately.

Mon and Gon fought over glitter ink.

‘YOU STOLE IT!’ 

‘YOU SHOVED IT IN MY HAND!’ 

‘THOSE ARE DIFFERENT COLORS!!’

A glitter explosion coated their entire table.

Kojiro groaned. ‘Unbelievable.’

Sumire sniffed. ‘They lack grace.’

‘You pushed Sensei #1 into a pond last week,’ Kojiro reminded her.

‘Trials and tribulations,’ she said serenely. ‘And he failed. At least we have a better one now.’

Meanwhile, Honey’s attempt to comfort Meow triggered bad luck. A paint jar rolled, bounced, stayed upright… until Mutsuki walked by. Plop. Paint on his pink lolita shoe.

‘Of course,’ he sighed.

Akashi kept popping into partial-wolf form whenever Honey shouted too loud.

An hour of this “controlled chaos” went on, until lunch time. The only time they’re “quiet”. Allegedly. Youchan set out bentos while Mutsuki helped kids wash hands.

Mon swiped Gon’s karaage. Meow sneezed her chopsticks off the table. Kishin offered Mutsuki half his rice ball like a sacred offering. Honey sat on Mutsuki’s right. Akashi on his left. Both stared each other down. Sumire floated on a small water cloud, refusing to sit beside “mortals."

When Youchan passed, Mutsuki tried to compliment her cooking, then choked on daikon.

‘Sensei!’ Honey yelped.

‘He’s fine,’ Akashi grunted, slamming his back with excessive force.

Kojiro stared. Pathetic.

Mutsuki eventually whispered a shy, ‘Thank you… it’s really delicious,’ to Youchan.

She smiled softly, which made Mutsuki’s aura a bit lighter. Something some of the magically adept students didn’t miss.

Next was Mutsuki most awaited time, kids nap time, which turned out to be a lie. The children fought on sleeping positions and was too full to settle. However, Mutsuki would be damned if he doesn't attempt to put these kids down for a moment of quiet.

Youchan dimmed the lights. Soft music. Tatami mats. Six seconds of peace.

Mon’s hat burped. Gon sparkled. Sumire lectured someone in her sleep. Akashi snored like a feral pup. Honey rolled directly over Mutsuki. Kishin slept standing up. Kojiro meditated but peeked constantly. Meow tripped on a blanket and took out a chair.

Mutsuki quietly infused the room with lullaby magic. Children settled. He leaned against the wall beside Youchan.

‘How do you stay calm?’ he whispered.

‘Years of practice,’ she said.

‘Teach me.’

She smirked. ‘Being a shrine maiden means I sometimes babysit yokai shrines.’

That smile sent Mutsuki straight to another realm.

Kojiro glared even in his sleep. They’re flirting. Absolutely shameful.

******

After almost two hours, everyone awakened and got hydrated. The day went ahead.

‘Alright,’ Mutsuki said, ‘let’s try reading each other’s auras.’

They formed a circle. Or something close to a circle. The children volunteered their sensei as the first victim subject.

Mon said, ‘Sensei’s aura is pretty! Like… sparkly moon frosting!’

Gon said, ‘It’s gorgeous. Obviously.’

Sumire added, ‘A bit chaotic… but warm.’

Honey exclaimed, ‘Soft like blankets!’

Akashi hesitated, but chimed in. ‘Comforting.’

He clutched Mutsuki’s sleeve again.

‘Not lonely today,’ Kishin whispered.

Mutsuki’s breath caught. He’s right… I might be enjoying myself…

Kojiro said deadpan, ‘You’re tired.’

Mutsuki nodded furiously.

Meow confessed, ‘Your aura doesn’t push me away,’ she whispered. ‘Everyone else’s does sometimes… but not yours. So… thank you.’

Mutsuki’s chest tightened. He patted her head. ‘You’re not bad luck, Meow. Not to me.’

Her eyes watered as she purred. 

Youchan watched from the side. The way he softened for each child, the way they glowed in return, and the way his gaze always drifted back to her. As if looking for her approval.

When the chime sounded for home time, the children didn’t cheer, they whined. One by one, they hugged, high-fived, bowed, or saluted Mutsuki and Youchan.

Kojiro paused just long enough to mutter, ‘If you hurt Youchan, I’ll know.’

Mutsuki was taken aback and stood frozen for a second.

‘He’s joking,’ Youchan said, patting his back.

‘He was not!’ Mutsuki groaned. ‘I sense hostility in the wind!’

Youchan could only giggle. ‘Are you ready to meet some of the parents this time?’

Mutsuki swallowed, then nodded. They led the children outside. 

The red torii shimmered with Maria’s sigils and Youchan’s stabilizing magic. Tiny lights drifted around it like gentle fireflies.

The children formed a line, still buzzing with leftover energy from the day. Each held a small charm on their belongings, an aura tracker agreed upon by their parents, Maria, and every clan elder involved. The charms glowed when their guardian waited for them.

‘Alright, little ones,’ Youchan said with a warm clap, ‘time to go home.’

Sumire stepped first. The air beneath the torii rippled like sunlight on water, and beyond it appeared a quiet riverside hut. Her grandfather sat with a cup of tea, looking up as she came through.

‘Welcome home, princess,’ he said.

The portal dimmed.

Next was Honey, whose charm sparkled golden. Him home appeared. Cozy wooden lodge built with bear-spirit craftsmanship. Her parents waited at the door, waving enthusiastically.

Honey hugged Youchan. Hugged Mutsuki. Hugged the torii. Then walked through.

Akashi’s turn. His aura charm flared silver. The portal shifted to a small clearing where his older brothers and cousins sparred lazily, pausing as he stepped in.

‘Hey, pup!’ they called.

He waved proudly.

Meow’s charm flickered uncertainly, then steadied. Her portal led to a tiny apartment where her grandmother waited with warm milk and cat-shaped biscuits.

‘Take care, sweetheart,’ Youchan told her.

Meow nodded and vanished through.

Gon swaggered next, tails flickering even in illusion. Through the torii, a bustling kitsune household was visible. He winked at Mutsuki dramatically, then trotted through.

Mon’s charm dimmed and brightened like someone flicking a lantern. His home appeared. His grandfather tapping his cane impatiently at the porch.

‘YOU STOLE NOTHING, RIGHT?!’ Grandpa yelled through the portal.

‘Probably not!’ Mon chirped, saluting, before running in.

Kishin’s charm glowed a soft, steady red. His father stood in the forge doorway, firelight warm behind him.

‘Welcome back, son.’

Kishin beamed, waving at Mutsuki before stepping through.

Kojiro was last of the children. His wings twitched. The torii opened to a tall mountain perch, where a stern tengu elder watched with arms crossed. Kojiro paused, glanced back at Youchan, then at Mutsuki, then hmph’d and strutted through the portal with immaculate dignity.

And just like that, the courtyard was quiet again. The torii dimmed, its magic settling like a sigh. For a while, Mutsuki simply watched the slows whirling embers of the spell fade. Youchan stood beside him, hands folded neatly, expression unreadable.

And just like that, the courtyard was quiet again. The portal dimmed, its magic settling like a sigh. For a while, Mutsuki simply watched the slows whirling embers of the spell fade.

After some hesitation, Mutsuki asked, ‘Youchan… why does the portal always take them to the right place? I mean… shouldn’t a portal drop you into another dimension or onto someone’s roof?’

She laughed gently. ‘Normally, yes. That’s why Maria designed it with the families. The portal connects only to waiting hearts. The children don’t go to a location… they go to whoever loves them enough to receive them.’

‘Waiting hearts…’ Mutsuki echoed.

Youchan continued with voice softer. ‘As long as someone is waiting for them… parent, grandparent, guardian… the portal will deliver them home. Yokai magic responds to bonds first, coordinates second.’

Mutsuki stared at the torii, suddenly still. That makes sense. Just like summoning anything. Only the most compatible, soulmate level bond gets manifested…

‘If…’ he murmured, ‘if I walked through… where would I end up?’

A question so quiet it nearly vanished with the sunset.

Youchan froze. Before she could think, her hand reached out and gently took his. His fingers curled instinctively around hers. Both of them blinked down at their intertwined hands in shock.

‘I—’ Youchan stammered softly, ‘I don’t… know why I…’

Her cheeks flushed pale pink. ‘S-sorry, Sensei. That was… uncharacteristic.’

Mutsuki swallowed, eyes warm in a way she wasn’t prepared for.

‘Youchan… it’s fine. Really. I… didn’t mind.’

She didn’t let go right away.

She breathed, voice barely above the evening cicadas, ‘When you walk through the torii, you would go where your heart feels expected. Where someone hopes for you to arrive.’

He stared at the torii again, expression caught between longing and fear. She squeezed his hand once.

‘And who knows,’ she whispered. ‘Maybe someday… someone will be waiting for you too.’

Mutsuki looked at her. The way the amber light caught in her hair. The way she held her composure yet blushed beautifully. The way she said “someone” like she wasn’t sure if she meant herself. Or hoping.

He felt his own cheeks warm. Before either could say anything more, Maria’s distant voice echoed from inside the shrine.

‘YOUCHAN! MUTSUKI! The parent meeting papers… Where are the ones from the fox clan?!’

When the heck did she arrive? Mutsuki thought, but it wasn’t surprising if Youchan also thought the same.

Youchan sighed lovingly. ‘…Coming.’

Mutsuki laughed under his breath. Their hands parted reluctantly.

Together, side by side, they walked back toward the main hall. And behind them, under the quiet torii, a single ember of magic glowed, like a promise waiting to be fulfilled.