The Future We Fought For

THE FLATSCREEN TV STUCK OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB, inside a room in an ancient temple. There, it dutifully presented the morning news against the mountainous backdrop beyond the window.

“According to preliminary investigations, the Obon Incident was caused by a catastrophic failure in a cursed energy containment plant. Acting Director-General Takahashi Rei has vowed to get to the bottom of it by any means necessary. Thankfully, the heroic actions of Colonel Hino Katsuro saved the day, bringing the dreadful incident to a harmonious close. In other news...”

The TV was promptly shut down, and then—

“Man, what a load of shit,” came a complaint from Minase Ren. “Katsuro wasn’t even there, for God’s sake! And they barely even mention the Amaterasu, let alone you. Ryuuji, are you hearing this?”

He was indignant, but Ryuuji couldn’t really give a damn. The man was busy resting his head on Hotaru’s lap, letting her clean his ears with an ear pick.

“Yeah Ren, I’m happy for you. Or I’m sorry it happened. Whatever.”

“Are you kidding me right now?”

He truly didn’t care.

“Fufufu, you’re so mean to him,” said Hotaru, poking Ryuuji’s cheek.

“It’s his fault for being a pain in the ass. I don’t get why he’s even here with us.”

“Oh, don’t be like that. Akari is stuck with us too.”

“Yeah, but Ren doesn’t have to. He can go his merry way anytime, unless… Say, do you think he’s gunning for Miyuki?”

“For Miyuki-chan? I don’t think so, but… they’d make a good couple, now that I think about it.”

“Let’s help them. I’ll be their wingman, and then we can get rid of him.”

“Fufu, but Ren would stay here with us forever if he married her.”

“Ohh, that won’t do. Gotta step between them, then.”

“Ryuuji, you’re so mean,” she said with a soft laugh.

“Well… yeah. All things considered, that’s a given. I don’t understand why you and Akari are still a pair of saints.”

“Not in bed, though.”

“Ahh, ahh! I’m not listening!” Ren screamed from the other room.

“Hotaru, don’t torment the poor man,” Miyuki walked inside, followed by Akari.

“Eh, a little bit should be fine. He can take it,” his sister said with a shrug, making Miyuki sigh in defeat.

“Yep. You guys are definitely oni.”

It wasn’t obvious from a distance, given their skin and hair color was the same as before. However, their foreheads were a different story, each of them with a pair of horns sticking out.

As it turns out, the plan with the Moon Mirror was only a partial success. They did manage to beam the cursed energy to outer space, but the mirror itself got tainted halfway through, and so did most of the team.

Only Ren retained his humanity somehow, with Aoi being adamant that the power of siscon compelled him.

Nevertheless, Ryuuji and the girls turned into oni, and they were ready to be killed by Reigetsu when the dragon decided to spare them. For some reason, he determined that they were still redeemable, and he entrusted them to the Divine Veil for long-term purification.

It had only been a few weeks since then, but Ryuuji and the girls were slowly adapting to their new life in the mountains. If anything, the air was fresh there.

“Well, it could’ve been worse,” said Ryuuji, counting his blessings. “I didn’t expect to survive after the horns sprouted from us. I still don’t understand why Reigetsu-sama let us live.”

“The condition for killing you was to fall beyond helping,” Miyuki explained. “But despite turning into oni, you didn’t go insane. That’s plenty enough to give you a chance, even if you are two-timing my friend.”

“Just for the record, it was her idea,” Ryuuji pointed out.

“I have no regrets,” Hotaru replied, smiling impishly.

“Alright, maybe you did lose a few marbles there,” Miyuki sighed.

“Oh, what’s the harm?” asked Akari, sitting next to them. “We’re alive and happy to be together. That’s all that matters, isn’t it?”

“Well… Oh, fine. If you’re all okay with it, then it’s not my place to complain.”

“It is mine, though,” Ren grumbled from the other room.

“Yeah, he’s still not over it,” Miyuki scratched her head.

“Just marry him already, get him off our case,” Akari poked with her elbow.

“M- Marry him? Me!?”

“Fufu, you turned red.”

“Akari, watch out. If they marry, then Ren will stay with us forever.”

“Oh crap! Never mind, Miyuki. Ren picks his nose all day, you wouldn’t like him.”

“Like hell I do!”

And on they argued like a happy family, no matter the uncertainty of the future ahead. There was no telling how long it would take for Ryuuji and the girls to recover their humanity, or how long they’d be stuck in the temple.

But at the end of the day, at least they were together in a safe place, enjoying a second chance they couldn’t have expected.

Ryuuji was well aware of this, and although he wouldn’t say it out loud, he was deeply grateful. Whatever it was that possessed Reigetsu to spare them, well… only time would tell.