Not as shallow as a label

They reach the estate. Avery gives the guards a tired wave as the gates roll open.

Atsunori leads her into a private room, its thick walls swallowing sound, and quietly instructs a servant to allow no interruptions unless urgent.

He kneels with formal precission. Avery, in contrast, drops down crosslegged and leans to one side.

He takes a deep breath and finally speaks.

"After everything you saw, are you still certain you want to be part of this? Do you believe you can change any of it for the better?"

"There's always something to improve." Her tone sharpens. "Like, maybe don't treat workers as disposable? Sure, that might raise costs, but isn't it better than hunting for replacements every time someone gets hurt?"

"Believe it or not, it isn't." He sighs. "But… I can't deny there's room for refinement. Especially after seeing it through a different lens than usual."

A grin adorns her face. "Look at you, giving real thought to my ideas. Makes you seem way more like a proper leader who cares about the system he belongs to."

"Let's stay on topic," he mutters, though he can't really hide his smile.

"Welp, my answer is clear. I disagree with a ton of what your family does. It's corrupt, infuriating, and wrapped in so many sweet lies it could pass as a political campaign." She taps her chest. "But I've made plenty of my own mistakes. If I'm serious about becoming better, then fixing a broken system from within is exactly the kind of challenge I should take on."

"Even if it's close to impossible? Even if Tomoe crushes you under the weight of the Munakata?"

"I'd rather fail than keep running from hardship." She winces. "That was a bit corny even for me." A brief pause—then she looks at him. "Anyway. Your turn, Atsun. Will you help me chase this ridiculous dream?"

"Truth be told, I want to. But—" Avery's mouth opens but he stops her with a raised hand. "There's something I need to confess first. None of this works unless I tell you."

"Okay, I'm listening."

The Mistress' face flashes in his mind—expression unreadable, judgement razor-sharp.

He hears her voice:

"Don't you dare."

The words coil around him like chains.

Part of him wants to retreat, wave it off, change the subject.

He thinks of Avery, bruised by her own choices and still walking forward when it would be easier to leave. Even when she stumbles—and she does, often—she gets back up and keeps going.

Reaching into his bag, he takes out his amulet. The broken ring turned pendant.

"This is a symbol used when marrying from outside the family, passed from mother to eldest son. When accepted, it binds an outsider to the Munakata. Forever."

The ring stays gripped in his hand—just for a moment—before he forces himself to let go and set it aside. "The Mistress… gave me a certain order."

Avery says nothing. She just stays there, eyes on him, waiting.

"She… asked me to use it. To bind you to our family."

With a snort, she says, "Okay, but did she really think you'd—"

Her laughter dies off at Atsunori's solemn expression.

"I hated the idea. It felt like an insult to you. To the tradition. To marriage itself. But… I still tried to justify it, just because it came from her." His head bows low. "And I'm ashamed I even considered obeying."

Without lifting his gaze, the confession continues. "You can shout at me, call me a mindless slave, a brainwashed fool, or even withdraw your offer. I'll accept it. I owe you that much."

She lets out a small, warm huff—not quite a sigh, almost a laugh.

"Atsun, come on. You know me better than that." Her voice is soft, but steady. "Thank you for telling me. And apology accepted. Who cares if Grandma Doom thinks every boy-girl duo must be engaged?" She lets out a playful tut. "Hell, you can even tell her we are, if it keeps her pacified. We both know whatever this is… isn't as shallow as a label."

Avery pauses, humming. "Though I'm not even sure what I would call it. Friends without benefits? Partners in crime? Tradition terrorists?"

She brings her hands together in a soft clap. "Jokes aside, you can raise your head now. What matters is that you made your own choice and stopped just obeying."

One foot lands on the table as she stands. "That's where change begins, by being honest with ourselves." A shudder. "Ugh, okay, that one was definitely too cheesy. Forget I—"

Atsunori rises and pulls her into a soft hug before she can finish.

A quiet laugh slips out from her. "Careful. A casual hug from a Japanese man? At this rate you might just shatter tradition."

His throat tightens. A sniffle escapes him, one he tries to disguise as a grunt.

Avery notices—she definitely notices—but she's kind enough to pretend otherwise.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

The estate rests in calm silence. No neighbors chatting, no distant laughter of children, no insects or birds—yet it feels alive. Guards move through it at regular intervals, discreet but constant, keeping the quiet intact.

They walk up a gentle slope along a stone path, houses thinning as vegetation slowly closes in. At a torii gate, he bows slightly and Avery copies him. Crossing it, they walk along one side of the path, now surrounded by a bamboo forest.

After climbing a few sets of stairs, they reach an ancient wooden shrine. Its pale, wooden walls glow faintly against the dark roof. Fresh talismans sway gently, their power buzzing the air like static.

Under the roof, a slim statue sits with arms extended, face hidden by a veil.

Atsunori moves to the stone basin, lifting a ladle engraved with a non-human creature, and rinses his hands in practiced order. The freezing pain of the water serves to ground him in the process. A small gesture invites Avery to do the same.

Returning to the center, he bows deeply at the statue. The Elders come into view, then the doctor and Atsunori's enforcer companions. The Mistress stands at their head—and then becomes the image of the First herself. The sight almost breaks his stance.

Another bow follows as he corrects his stance.

The silhouettes of the estate children, his mother, father, Kairi—and finally, Avery—flood his thoughts.

Two claps clear his mind. A silent prayer calms the remaining ripples. With a deep breath and final bow, he steps aside for Avery.

They remain silent until they pass back through the torii gate.

"That was cool," Avery breaks the stillness. "I didn't even know you had a shrine here. What did you pray for?"

"Nothing in particular. Just peace and prosperity."

"Is that so?" She looks at him intently.

It's fine if she doesn't believe him.

"Well, I wished for things to work out in the end," she adds. "Not gonna be so self-centered as to ask for them to go my own particular way. I just want it all to end up well, even if it's different from what I envision."

"That's a surprisingly mature wish for you."

"I know, right?"

They spend the rest of the day walking the estate, patrolling quietly. At one point, they pass Elder Yorinobu taking a solitary stroll.

Atsunori glances at him, briefly concerned that he's unguarded, but the Elder waves him off with the reassurance that the estate is so well protected he's safe anywhere within its walls.

Still and orderly, the estate hums with quiet vigilance. Atsunori knows Kairi is never far off—he could be watching from a distance, preparing to act as soon as he recovers in ten or so days.

For now though, there's time—to breathe, to rest, and to steady themselves for what comes next.