The Good Old Days

A tension drifted between the two, awkwardly uncomfortable and uncertain.

"Souta," Kaito turned, trying to keep a smile. "Let me be honest with you, I think it’s better if you give up on my sister.”

"Where did this even come from?” Souta asked, his smile dimming like the sun on a rainy day.

“We haven’t had the time to talk in between just us in a while, so I thought I might as well finally get this off my chest.” He adjusted his jacket, slipping one of his hands into his pocket.

Souta turned his body annoyingly. “It’s only a crush. Nothing dangerous.”

“Then get rid of it before it grows; it makes it all the less painful.” He reached for a close-by branch, still clinging to his body, and snapped it.

“It’s not that easy.” Souta faked a smile, growing irritated underneath.

“Souta, I’m serious,” Kaito whispered, taking a mild sigh. “She’s not interested in you or romance, and you know that very well.”

"I know that, but feelings are feelings. You can’t just get rid of them at will." Souta closed the distance, budging against his shoulder in insistence.

Kaito didn't answer, looking at Souta with a flat expression.

"If I'm going to lose my only family to someone," Kaito murmured, taking a calming breath. “It'd better be to someone who treats her like a goddess."

Souta's expression cracked. "No one in this filthy world is close to perfect," Souta exclaimed, aggravatedly, his fists clenched. “Damn it, you’re not the only one who’s lost loved ones.”

Drip!

A drizzle began. Faint droplets started to fall from the gathering clouds.

“You never had anyone to lose, Souta. You were spared the pain.” Kaito glared at Souta with envy.

“That doesn’t excuse your obsession with pushing everyone away, you bastard!” Souta shouted, pushing his hand through the air sharply.

Kaito froze for a moment, exhaling deeply.

"My sister deserves nothing less than the best." He stood his ground, unwaveringly.

Souta looked away, streaks of lightning emitting from his pupils. "Then you shouldn’t be talking either.”

The sky was split by lightning, and when Kaito blinked, Souta had disappeared too.

As the storm intensified, he stood still in sorrow, reflecting on his actions as raindrops pelted his body. His chest tightened, his hand shivering.

Have I really become a bad brother?

He glanced up into the hefty sky, a gray canvas of sorrow.

A moment of silence encased his deep breaths.

"It was this type of weather..." He whispered, voice trembling. "...when I became a brother."

As the sweet rain poured and his husk's glowed, he couldn't help but remember the day he met his precious little sister.

The rustling trees and rain around him faded, softened, and became memories.

The same sounds returned, thirteen years ago, creaking towards the paned windows of his home.

Kneeling on the seat's cushion, he glanced excitedly back and forth from the kitchen's clock and the forest. "Cmon, Mom, where are you?"

From the kitchen, beyond the sizzling chicken and the faint microwave, came a cheerful voice.

"Kaito, what do you want me to make you?" His father, Kazai, asked from the kitchen as he cautiously placed the meat onto a plate.

The smell was tempting, the crisp aroma tickling his nose, but he refused.

"I'm not hungry right now, Dad." Kaito rested his head on the chair's rim, letting out a sigh.

He reached for the window with his finger, following the running droplets pouring down the window as if it were a race.

"Don't tell me you're still waiting for her?" He washed his hands and walked over to his impatient son.

"Yeah! Today's gonna be so awesome."

Halfway to the living room, he stopped by the end counter and picked up a box of macaroni.

"What about your favorite, macaroni and cheese? Trust me, the pizza won’t be enough.”

Kaito turned his head in joy, tightening his grip as he leaned away from the chair's rim. "Yeah, I guess I’ll take that."

Suddenly, Kazai's heart tightened, tight cushions of air coming from every direction. He dropped the box and grabbed hold of the counter.

He then looked towards Kaito, patting his chest as the pain vanished.

What was that, Kazai thought to himself worryingly.

Exhaling in relief, he crouched and rested his arms on his legs. "Okay, come here for a second."

Kaito tilted his head in confusion, returning to looking at the sulking window after a second.

"I need to check your husk, son." Giving up on his posture, he instead knelt, resting his hands on his knees.

"The weird thing next to my heart?" He turned his body, swinging his legs, now hanging off the cushion.

He took off his pink soft apron and rested it on the countertop. "Yes, that thing, c'mon now."

"But what about mom and the pizza?" He extended his hands wide and apart if he were a theater kid.

His violet hair slightly swayed alongside his soft chuckle, dark shades of black hidden across a few spots.

"It won't take too long, I promise." Putting his hands together, a faint glow rose from his firm palm.

Kaito leaped from the chair and walked over to him, only taking a few seconds.

Placing the glow by Kaito's chest, Kazai momentarily closed his eyes. "How interesting," He murmured. "Your husk is still vibrant."

He placed his hand under his chin curiously, pondering his thoughts.

"What does that mean?" He tilted his head slightly, confused by his father’s words.

He clasped his hands together, smiling softly. "You remember what mana is?"

"Yeah! The energy, something that um..." He paused for a second in thought. "...half of the world uses, I think?"

"Correct," Kazai nodded. “Mana is the essence that fuels everything but humans and anything made by them, for example, this very city."

The table behind them remained unprepared, a sign of their inevitable fate.

"Yokohama?" Kaito guessed as he sat down, mimicking his father's posture.

"Yes, exactly. However, the mana in husks is different." Kazai traced his finger over his other arm, looking like a lecturing teacher. "At the cost of its quantity, its quality grows older and grayer as time goes on."

“So you’re saying that mana gets old?”

"No, your husk does." He lightly tapped at his heart. "It's like Naomi's or her child, Luna's."

"Is yours gray then, Dad?" He covered his mouth dramatically, taking a step back.

"Not as much as theirs," He whispered proudly. "Since I'm a Kijomi. But if we're using that as a standard, then you should be half as vibrant as me."

"So... am I strong or weak?" Dumbfounded, Kaito blinked blankly. "Sorry, Dad, I don't get it."

"Kaito, think of it this way." He then gestured his hands across, like a narrow line. "If I exchange my bucket for two smaller ones, but with the same amount of water, and we leave them out in the sun, what happens?

"The water dries up?" He scratched the back of his head.

"Bingo, that's what happens to husk partnerships." He pointed back and forth between them. "Of course, not all husk wielders out there have an inheritor, or do they have to be parent and child, but the principle remains the same."

In the distance, the faint whisper of a car drifted by the open area in front, muffled by the heavy rain.

"That's so cool!" He exclaimed, raising his hands in admiration.

Kazai stood, taking a moment to stretch. "I'd like to think that maybe your husk hasn't realized it’s supposed to be dull yet or something."

He gently pushed his back, leading him towards the table's other side.

"But why did you give me half of it if you'd be stronger if you had the whole?"

Resting his elbows on the table, Kazai leaned closer as if he were sharing a secret. "Even though husks can survive without a host, leaving them in the open risks the world's safety. In fact, all seven are currently within someone, whether through collaboration or a single holder. Splitting a husk means... a safeguard so that it may escape the clutches of–" He paused, pondering dramatically. "...super duper bad guys who only want power!"

He sat up straight in disgust. "Bad guys? Like the humans?!"

Kazai hesitated. "Okay, I wouldn't say all humans are," He corrected swiftly. "Especially because your mother used to be–"

He froze in fright, realizing what he was about to reveal.

"My mom?" Kaito tilted, a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

"I meant that..." He coughed loudly, fidgeting with his fingers. "...she was a human rights advocate. Yeah, that."

"What does an ado cat have to do with the husks?" He asked as he played with the utensils.

"If humans get too close to mana of any sort, especially husks, humans blow into a million pieces.” Mimicking an explosion sound, he leaned back and stretched his arms wide.

His jaw dropped in surprise. "Oh my goodness, that's crazy."

But something caught the corner of his eyes, and he noticed the knob moving, standing up straight in nervous realization.

"And that's not even all there is to our husk." Getting further distracted by the topic, he counted his fingers. "Husk wielders can telepathically speak to one another, though circumstances and experience also play a role."

Then the door opened, creaking slowly towards the kitchen.

"Um, Dad." He tried to call, but Kazai was lost in the conversation.

A lady entered cautiously and then stood still, shocked. Her smile dropped rather quickly, making Kaito chuckle nervously.

Kazai looked up at the glossy ceiling, smiling softly. "And finally, the way to prevent quicker dulling of vibrancy is to refine your mana through battling and training."

Breaking out of her disappointment, the lady left the pizza on the counter, standing behind Kazai.

Kazai carried himself back, resting his hands on the soft tablecloth. "It'd be like me going against mom's friend Naomi, don't tell her I said that, a totally unfair match."

Still behind him, she began scratching the side of her head in frustration. However, what Kaito found strange was how she also stroked some type of carrier attached to her back.

"Hey, Dad!" He lunged across the table and pushed his dad with his hand.

"Wait, what? Am I talking too much? I'm sorry, you know how I get." He asked, glancing at the window where Kaito was a minute ago.

He slapped his own face in disappointment, pointing behind his dad.

"She's right behind you." Kaito blinked, maintaining a face straighter than the arranged furniture.

Kazai exhaled in defeat, closing his eyes.

"Oh." Tapping his hands on the table, he leaned to the side and tried to escape slowly.

"Why isn't the table set, and where’s the side of chicken?!" She pulled him back, turning him around with one hand.

"Ava, my dear!" He acted surprised, raising his hands in defeat. "See, my heart skipped a beat, so I thought something was up with Kaito's husk–"

His excuse was cut short by Ava grabbing hold of his face, leaning in, and kissing him.

As the two returned the affection for a few moments, Kaito closed his eyes in embarrassment.

"No crappy excuses next time, okay?" She whispered, stepping away from the warmth.

"I'm sorry, my dear, it won't happen again." He replied, smiling softly and satisfied.

Kaito scurried to get the chicken and pizza, excited to eat, fixing the table afterwards.

"I'm not mad that you spoke about it, but the timing is what pisses me off." She guided him closer to the table, having them both remain standing.

Kaito and Kazai glanced at each other, confused about the sudden instructions.

"But you know the feeling, right? Like how you gave yours to Naomi." He shrugged his shoulders, unsure whether to continue or stop talking, as he ruffled through Kaito's black hair.

"Hold it right there." She raised her finger, waving it in denial. "I'm fine with one nerd in this household, but I don't need you infecting our son, let alone our new family member."

He quickly covered his son's ears, taking an offended gasp, but then, after a second, he acknowledged the other half of the sentence.

"I don't remember doing anything with you recently."

Kaito tried to fight back, curious about what his mother had to say.

"No, silly, adopted." She approached the two, gently removing his hands from Kaito's ears. "I didn't want to wait six months."

Kazai's eyes lit up, getting closer to her in admiration as Kaito looked with confusion.

"So where are they?" Smiling brightly, he noticed the straps around her shoulders and gasped in excitement.

Ava carefully unfastened the straps, slowly moving the toddler from her back to in front.

"Say hello to our precious daughter, Elena." She whispered, carrying her gracefully as she slept peacefully.

Kazai gently extended his pinkie finger to her small and soft hands, stroking the top slowly.

"Oh wow, she's like a mini you." He chuckled lightly, noticing how her resting face appeared a little mad.

Ava giggled as she began rocking her steadily, rubbing her forehead with hers.

"Mom, Dad, what's going on?" Kaito tried to catch a glimpse, tilting his head from side to side. "Who's that?"

Kazai grabbed him from underneath his shoulders, lifting him and placing him on his arm.

"Look, you have a sister now." He put his hand over his mouth, hinting at Kaito to be as quiet as possible.

"How nice." He whispered, looking at her with gleeful curiosity.

Mesmerized by her warmth, one similar to his parents, he was both happy and reluctant.

"Yeah, say hello to Elena." Kazai patted him on his legs.

Kaito gathered his bravery and introduced himself.

"Hello, Elena, nice to meet you." A small and timid wave.

Then she slowly opened her eyes, a beautiful emerald green that popped against her dark hair, stretching her tiny hands.

"Oh my, she has your eyes." Kazai glanced at Ava, smiling joyfully.

"Surprise." She commented, resting her forehead against his romantically.

"They're mom and dad." Encouraged to get to know her more, he pointed at them, then at himself. "And I'm your big bro."

Surprised by the gestures, Elena giggled. "Big bo!"

Looking with mixed expressions of shock, surprise, and astonishment, their jaws dropped. But Kaito quickly broke out of his state, leaning in closer to her sweet warmth.

"Yeah, that's me." He smiled once more, happier than ever as her tiny fingers wrapped around his pinkie. "My name's Kaito, welcome to the family."

The memory shattered violently.

Bump!

Kaito stumbled over a rock, the cliff's edge rushing to reach his feet.

"Wait–ah!"

The wind rushed before him, roaring against him like an angry crowd. From the gossiping cliff to the nervous trees, the edge grew further and further.

"Oh, great," Kaito exclaimed with a blank expression, looking from where he fell, rather worried.

Crash!