𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐌𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 | 𝑺.𝑺𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒛𝒖𝒈𝒂𝒘𝒂

𝟏𝟖 | 𝐔𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐓𝐢𝐞𝐬

~*~

FIVE MONTHS LATER 

The discomfort of the humidity came around.......

Missions became more frequent over time, and moving from the past wasn't easy to look upon, let alone forget. I wanted to forget it all. With Sanemi coming to my brother's estate to see me becomes regular. Yet the more tension builds between my brother and Sanemi, the more I question if Sanemi was hiding something from me. Not being the nosey kind of person, it confused me to great lengths as to why my brother gave him his menacing gaze. 

It's always been like that for a few months, and soon Sanemi began to visit me as regularly which worries me.

"It is quite humid I must say," My sword-smith comments, taking off his woven hat hearing the bells chime together. Placing it carefully off, his Hyottoko mask remains intact concealing his identity fully from my view. Though despite his face being concealed, his voice told me enough that he was somewhere in his thirties. 

Nodding in agreement, "It is," before kneeling down, placing two cups between us. Pouring an iced aloe drink, I take a seat myself on my knees in front of him. "Thank you again for taking your time to deliver my blade, I should come to the sword-smith village next time..."

He chuckles, "Well you'll need to take a very secretive trip there, it's not easy to find," he lifts his drink, tilting his mask a little to sip it. He hums in delight of his drink, "This is delicious, what is it may I ask?"

"It's Aloe.......just a family tradition during the summer," smiling gently, before taking a sip myself while adjusting to the humidity. Glancing at the black material around my blade, I was eager to know if Ryoma was well. For a while he's been busy without a break, according to one of the kakushi. 

"Well this is delicious, Kohana would love this," He spoke gently, his voice melting when he mentions his wife's name. She was too a sword-smith, but also a mother to a son. His name is Taiga. He soon clears his throat lowering his cup, "So.......how is everything here? You're still living under your brother's roof?"

I sheepishly give him a wry smile, "I might think about moving to the butterfly mansion,"

His mouth frowns in confusion, "What do you mean by that?" taking another sip.

Glancing over my brother's untamed garden, my eyes fell upon the small pond with floating algae that has formed. The fish still swimming cluelessly, with small ripples.

With a breathy chuckle I shook my head, "Don't worry, it was just a suggestion...." dismissing my thoughts. Brother has been pushing me away further and further, he stopped training me as his Tsugoku and went on missions or disappeared with kanae. Though his actions has spoken loudly than his words, I was in denial. He's my brother. Deep down I just didn't want to give up yet, because I still love my brother.

Pouring Ryoma some more tea, I felt more spaced out than usual. 

"It's rare to have requests for a sword upgrade," Ryoma spoke up, breaking the stillness of silence whilst the cicadas buzzed in the background. The warmth coaxed my cheeks, that sweat glides down from the heat. "Maybe I can help figure a way to make it less stiff and heavy, and make it durable to slice it was precision....."

He went into his deep thinking, murmuring to himself while began considering whether I should change my blades structure design. 

"....or maybe we could make it a little lighter and flexible...." he continues rambling to himself, while I couldn't help myself but to chuckle in response. Sipping his tea quietly, I focused on the company he brought with him. Ryoma Kobayashi, the Chief's second step-son of the Swordsmith village, and a wise man at that. He wasn't as uptight or angry when my blade gets chipped badly, but he's rather patient and laid back.