Kasane's Solution

Yukihiro Kagenashi’s black limousine parked near Kasane Hattori’s flower shop. Kasane turned to her brother, Kazuya, and his colleague, half-dog-yōkai Inuko Takeda.

“I’m going down to meet Yukihiro,” Kasane said. “From what I understand, Miss Takeda used Raijū’s Bark, which badly injured Yukihiro’s subordinate, Hikari?”

“Yes, the golden five-tailed fox.” Kazuya nodded.

“Yukihiro is very fond of him.” Kasane sighed. “He wouldn’t have risked ordering the death of Raijū’s kin otherwise.” She glanced at Inuko, whose ears and tail had slumped in worry. Kasane smiled. “I’ll settle everything if you two stay here and keep quiet.” She pointed her finger at Kazuya. “Especially you!”

Having chastised her brother, Kasane headed down the stairs. Kazuya and Inuko watched her descend. Kazuya gripped the balcony rails with his sweaty palms, while Inuko kept hiding behind him.

“I hope she’ll be okay,” Inuko muttered, eyeing Kasane’s elegant figure. She’d already become Inuko’s idol, with the fierce resistance she showed the Kagenashi foxes. “I got us into this mess. Those foxes are after me!”

“No.” Kazuya frowned. “It was my fault.”

Kasane covered the little distance between her flower shop and the black limousine. Some kitsune thugs opened the car’s door. Yukihiro, heir-apparent of the Kagenashi Clan, stepped out. His usually neat ponytail was now hanging messily down his back. He breathed heavily, and his hands were covered in blisters, having used too much magic. He gave Kasane a pained gaze. She could’ve sworn she even heard him yelp like a troubled fox. She’d never seen him like this. Her heart pounded.

“I-I tried healing him,” Yukihiro stammered. “But I couldn’t do it. Raijū’s Bark is potent. Ugh, not to have Myōbu’s Jewel at times like this!” he cried, gripping his hair. He meant the powerful healing magic that Inari’s guardian foxes used, but he couldn’t, despite being one. Inari Ōkami-sama has long turned away from me. He thought bitterly. And to think that half-breed has access to her patron god Raijin’s magic! He glowered at Inuko, standing on the balcony with Kazuya. Yukihiro’s blood boiled at the sight of Kazuya’s frown. If that brat weren’t Kasane’s brother, I would’ve crushed him and that dog! He snarled, but tried to calm himself. He turned back to Kasane. “Please, Kasane, heal Hikari! I-I can’t lose him, too!”

His pleas were unnecessary. Kasane had already forgotten about her anger. She got into the limousine, where the injured Hikari lay – a five-tailed golden fox man, looking like a comely twenty-five-year-old. He was the rare kind among the Kagenashi Clan who loved humans. Kasane smiled and held her hands over his heart, channelling her warm, green energy. Hikari inhaled the soothing, floral aroma of her magic. His broken spine and other injuries began healing.

Yukihiro sighed in relief, seeing Kasane’s success. He leaned on top of the car with his arms and put his forehead on the upper edge of the door, shutting his eyes. His heartbeat relaxed. Kurone and the fox thugs grew relieved when they saw Yukihiro’s expression soften. It meant Hikari would live.

“Thank you, Miss Hattori.” Hikari smiled at Kasane, able to speak now that he was nearly healed.

“You silly boy, you worried everyone!” Kasane smiled bitterly. She closed up the last of Hikari’s wounds with her magic. “There, you’re healed. Now, get out!” She grabbed his arm and took him out of the car. She set him before Yukihiro and told the latter, “Here, collect your kid!”

Yukihiro dashed to Hikari and embraced him. He kissed his golden hair amidst his fox ears, almost like he was Hikari’s father and not his thirty-three-year-old boss.

“Never scare me like that again!” he said, his voice trembling. He cupped Hikari’s cheeks and looked at his ruddy face. The pupils of his crimson eyes dilated with love. “I was worried sick, boy!”

“S-Sorry, Boss,” Hikari muttered, wagging all of his five tails at Yukihiro’s paternal affection.

Yukihiro sensed a hostile look directed at him. He glanced at Kasane. Her brows were knitted, and her arms were crossed. Yukihiro guessed that she wanted to “talk with him”. He sighed and let go of Hikari.

“Go to Kurone and the others,” he ordered, regaining his professional demeanour.

“Y-Yes, Wakagashira!” Hikari bowed.

He ran to Kurone, the black nine-tailed fox woman, and hugged her like a lovesick man. Kurone returned the hug of an older sister. The other foxes encircled them, each congratulating Hikari on his recovery.

Yukihiro turned to Kasane, whose frown had deepened. He gulped, then cleared his throat and averted his eyes from her, his cheeks flushing.

“Uhm, I…” he began.

“I might’ve saved Hikari’s life, but my service has a price,” Kasane interrupted him, her voice cold. She spoke loudly so all of the foxes could hear her. “A life for a life!”

“Oh?” Yukihiro’s seductive smile appeared, amused by Kasane’s usage of criminal world terms. He crossed his arms and feet and leaned against the limousine. “Interesting! Whose life do you demand?”

“Hers!” Kasane pointed at Inuko on the balcony. “She’s mine now. You can’t touch her without my consent!”

Inuko pricked up her ears, peeking at them from behind Kazuya’s shoulder. Kazuya blinked at Kasane, not having expected her gangster talk. His childhood memories flooded him, how Kasane would poison his bullies with her plants and heal them in exchange for leaving him alone. No one dared bother him after her interference.

She hasn’t changed at all. He smiled fondly, gazing at Kasane.

Yukihiro raised his eyebrows, then chuckled and turned to his fox thugs.

“What do you say? Let’s humour the lady on this one!” he said. “She’s earned her prize.”

“Yes, Wakagashira!” The fox thugs bowed, although Kurone did so reluctantly.

“You heard the men!” Yukihiro rubbed Kasane’s cheek with his clawed hand. “The dog woman’s life is yours.”

“Her name is Inuko Takeda,” Kasane retorted. She gently pushed his hand away. “And I’m still mad at you. You lured Kazu into your den! – For what?”

“He came of his free will.” Yukihiro shrugged, the corners of his mouth lowering. “I only laid the tracks. I wanted to confront him. The way he kept chasing our clan and worrying you upset me.”

Kasane’s hand whizzed in the air, and a loud slap echoed. The fox thugs gasped. She had slapped their wakagashira, Yukihiro Kagenashi! They bared their fangs and claws at Kasane. Kazuya watched them all from the balcony, his eyes wide. Inuko even put her tail between her legs in fright.

Yukihiro raised his hand at his thugs, stopping them. His crimson eyes glimmered at Kasane, sending her chills. But she didn’t flinch.

“You have no business meddling in my family matters, Yuki!” she said. “If you upset my brother again, you’ll get more than a slap.”

Yukihiro’s smile reappeared. He caressed Kasane’s neck with his claws, aroused by her defiance. She kept up a fierce façade, but there was a tinge of fear in her scent. It pleased Yukihiro’s predatory yōkai senses. He took her delicate hand and kissed it, setting her heart at ease.

“I promise,” he said. “In return, tell your brother not to snoop around my turf… because I don’t know if my clan can hold back again.”

“I’ll warn him,” Kasane replied. “But if you can’t keep your promise, I’ll kill you.”

“Oh, that sounds exciting!” Yukihiro laughed, his heart burning with passion at Kasane’s threats. “Thanks again for Hikari! We’ll be taking our leave now. Have a good night!”

He and his clansmen returned to their cars and bikes and left the quiet street. Kasane watched the rear lights of their vehicles moving farther away from her shop until they vanished. Only then did she go back to her apartment, climbing the stairs. On the balcony, Kazuya clutched her in his embrace.

“Thank you so much, Big Sis!” he said, relieved that all ended well.

“Thank you, Miss Hattori!” Inuko grabbed Kasane’s hands, wagging her tail. Her golden, canine eyes sparkled with admiration.

Kasane heaved a sigh. At least, she had kept these two children safe. She rubbed Kazuya’s head and smiled at Inuko.

“They’re a touchy bunch,” she said, referring to the Kagenashi Clan. “So don’t upset them anymore!”

Soon, Kazuya and Inuko left as well. But Kazuya promised to keep in touch with Kasane from now on, unlike during their four-year-long misunderstanding. She waved her hand at his Honda Civic as he and Inuko departed. Then, Kasane returned to her chamber and went back to bed. She stared at the ceiling.

Oh, Kazu… She thought. Out of all jobs, you had to pick the police work! – I’ll never know peace.

She shut her eyes. She hoped that Kazuya would never have to call her frantically again, begging her to save him and his friends from some yakuza yōkai.