Kitsune no Ken GAIDEN Chronicles
Written by Neon Majestic
(DISCLAIMER: The Naruto franchise and the characters therein belong to and were originally created by Masashi Kishimoto.)
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GAIDEN 25 – Café Confrontation
(N.B. This Gaiden chapter takes place on Tuesday, August 15, three weeks after the events at Parliament in the final arc of the main story.)
"Sooooo, you're the new guy who's been making motions in Guren's ocean, huh?"
Guren flushed bright crimson. "Sumire!"
"What? I can't embarrass my little sister now? It's in the universal 'older sibling rules'," Sumire chuckled.
"There's no such thing!" Guren hissed.
Sagi, sitting beside Guren, let out a sheepish chuckle. "Actually, I suspect my sister Toki would say otherwise…"
"Hmph! Well, she certainly wasn't making any complaints about you when I met her," Guren huffed.
"Ah, so she's met your family, then, Sagi-san?" Sumire nodded her approval. "Nice, very nice."
Sagi smiled. "Well, Dad's approved, at least…I think Toki's still playing the overprotective little sister."
"Heh-heh. Sounds like your sister really loves you, Sagi-san." Sumire smirked.
The three were sitting inside a café in Iwa City's main square, with steaming hot lattés in front of them. Now Sumire picked up her bug and took a brief sip before setting it back down. "Honestly, though, I'm happy to finally meet you in person, Sagi-san," she remarked to the purple-haired young man. "And I'm happy for you, sis," she addressed Guren. "You've really picked up a good match, from what I can see."
"Yes…I do believe I have." Guren gave Sagi a brief glance and a smile to accompany it.
"Sumire-san," Sagi spoke up, "Guren-san's told me you've been married quite a while, yourself."
"Sixteen years, to be exact," Sumire confirmed.
"Sixteen? Nice!" Sagi nodded sincerely. "Your husband must be a truly fortunate guy."
"Well…more like, I'm a fortunate woman," said Sumire. "My hubby's been a true paragon all the years we've been together. Not that we haven't had a few bumps in our married life, but so far we've been able to get through the roadblocks together and be true to the spirit of marriage…unlike some people we've had the displeasure of knowing…" and here she gave Guren a pointed look.
Guren sighed. "You'll never miss an opportunity to badmouth my ex, will you?"
"I make no apologies." Sumire looked back at Sagi. "You do know about him, Sagi-san?"
"Just the basics." Sagi shrugged. "He cheated on her, so she divorced him. It's sensitive, I know."
"You haven't seen or heard of sensitive yet, Sagi-kun." It was Guren's turn to smirk. "Or maybe I should tell you about Sumire's spa experience…"
Sumire was in the process of sipping her latté again—and nearly choked on hearing that. "Guren! I told you that in confidence!" she hissed, a betrayed look on her face.
"See, sometimes younger siblings can embarrass the older ones too." Guren had a smug expression as she sipped on her latté.
"Ah-ha-ha…right." Sagi chuckled nervously.
"Anyway! On to other subjects…" Sumire took a deep breath to recompose herself. "You guys have been dating for a few months now, yes? Have you discussed…your next step?"
"We've had a few discussions, yes," said Sagi. "But we don't want to rush too quickly into anything. We're just taking it one step at a time, coordinating life-plans so they mesh together smoothly, getting to know each other's respective families better—which is where this meeting comes in, by the way; I was really hoping I could meet Guren-san's big sister who she's mentioned quite often."
"And now you've met me, and I've met you. I think this is going to be the beginning of a lovely friendship, as long as Guren's happy with you." Sumire's smile thinned a little. "That is the case, right, sis…?"
"Sagi-kun is definitely more sensitive to my opinions than I initially gave him credit for," said Guren. "Mind you, there are some things where we'll always have differences of opinion, but as long as I'm not beating him over the head with my views and he's not trying to force his ideas onto me, and we can discuss those differences like mature adults, then that's what's most important, right?"
"Just make sure you don't get carried away by the euphoria of romance, that's all." Sumire's smile was totally gone now. "It's nice to be in love and be head-over-heels for one another—but please make sure you balance reality with any high expectations you have. Even with me and my husband…the first few years weren't all smooth sailing, as I indicated before, and that was even more so after we had our kids. But if you really are willing to weather the storms together, face them head-on, and be mature adults…"
Sagi nodded. "That's the only feasible way to deal with whatever lies ahead of us."
"Don't worry, Sumire. I learned my lesson the first time around." Guren eyed her sister. "I'll make sure to learn from my mistakes. Experience teaches, right?"
"And I'm sure experience is a very good teacher…" Sumire's smirk returned as she cast a significant look at Sagi. "Right, Sagi-san?"
"Ahem…ah…" Sagi blushed.
"Moving right along!" Guren broke in. "How's the real estate market lately, Sumire?"
Sumire shrugged and took another sip of her latté. "It's been pretty slow lately. Not a lot of fresh demand for housing in the last few months, but I'm still keeping my network of contacts active for any potential buyers looking for prime property. On the other hand, this allows me to get in more in-depth exercise than I'd usually be able to spend time on."
"She's a real exercise fanatic," Guren said in response to Sagi's inquiring expression. "When we were younger, she had a regimen that had her active at least four days a week. Speaking of which, do you still have that home-gym equipment, sis?"
"Still making good use of it," Sumire grinned in response.
"If you don't mind me saying so, Sumire-san, you look fit, but not overly muscular," Sagi remarked.
"Oh, that's because I don't focus on only one aspect of fitness, Sagi-san," Sumire replied. "I do a bit of weight training, sure, but mostly aerobics and a lot of punishment of my punching bag."
"Boxing?" Sagi cocked his head to one side.
"More freestyle than anything else. Purely recreational, though; don't expect me to be able to kick butt in a fighting ring anytime ever." Sumire shrugged.
"Tell that to all the kids you used to beat up when they teased me back during school days," said Guren.
"Hey, when kids pick on one's kid sibling, it's the bigger sibling's responsibility to protect said kid sibling." Sumire gave Sagi a look. "Right, Sagi-san?"
Sagi rubbed the back of his head. "Eh, well…maybe my dynamic with my sister is different…she was always worried about me more than the other way around, when we were growing up…like I said, overprotective little sister and all."
"Hmm. Well, I suppose not everybody can follow the same script." Sumire chuckled.
Guren made to respond—and suddenly her eyes widened as she looked right past Sumire. "Ah…"
"Hmm?" Sagi looked at Guren, then in the direction where she was now staring. "Guren-san, what is it?"
Sumire, too, had noticed Guren's gaze had diverted. "Hey, Guren, something wrong?"
"…Genkei…" It was all Guren said.
Sumire automatically turned to look…and her expression hardened. "Ah."
Standing at the café door, directly behind Sumire, was a man with spiky black hair and narrow eyes. He was just then looking in their direction; a moment later he walked over to their table. "Well, well, hello. This is unexpected."
"Hello, Genkei." Guren's voice was tight.
The newcomer nodded. "It's…good to see you, Guren. And I see you're out with your sister," here he gave Sumire a brief nod, "and an associate," and he gave a nod to Sagi. "Good afternoon to both of you."
"Yes, Mr…Genkei, Guren-san said?" said Sagi, politely standing up.
"Oshiro Genkei," the man introduced himself. "And you?"
"Owashi Sagi," and Sagi gave a little bow. "And I see you already know Guren-san and Sumire-san…"
"He's my ex-husband," Guren said bluntly.
"…ah. I see." Sagi nodded, understanding, as he sat back down. "The ladies have mentioned you before."
"Have they, now?" Genkei queried.
"Yes. We've told Sagi-san about how much of a selfish, cheating, backstabbing bastard you were when you were married to Guren," Sumire said waspishly.
"Sumire, please…" Guren whispered.
"What? I'm just telling it as it is. I won't be a hypocrite," Sumire replied.
Genkei shrugged. "Well, naturally, you want to defend your sister. It's only to be expected."
Guren shook her head. "What brings you here, Genkei?"
"Business, of course," Genkei answered. "You know my job requires me to travel across the country from time to time; I'm currently on my way to meet a couple of clients here in Iwa City. I just thought I'd grab a cappuccino before I reach the venue…and as far as I'm aware, cafés and coffee shops are open for anyone and everyone to give patronage."
"Well, just buy your coffee and go. Please." Guren averted her eyes from her ex.
Genkei cocked an eyebrow. "Well, if that's what you desire, fine, I can do that. Well, let me go place my order with the cashier." And he turned and walked toward the counter.
Sumire glared daggers at Genkei's back. "All the coffee shops in this city, and he had to show up here…"
"Sis, please, it's all right," Guren tried to placate her. "He'll have his cappuccino, and he'll be gone in a few minutes, and we can continue enjoying our lattés." She looked at Sagi. "And…Sagi-kun…I hope he hasn't gotten to you…?"
"I think I've got thicker skin than that," said Sagi. "It's been eight years since you guys broke up, right? And you've moved on, and he's obviously been living his own life. Should I be worried?"
"Even if you cut the head off a snake, its fangs are still poisonous," Sumire muttered.
A moment later, Genkei collected a foam cup from the barista, and he turned and headed back to the trio's table even as they eyed him. "Hmm…" He took a brief sip of his cappuccino. "Well, this is good. I rate this coffee shop three-point-five stars out of five."
"Yeah, yeah, the coffee's good, and it'll get better once you leave," Sumire said darkly.
"Right, right, I'm going. I don't want to be late for that meeting anyway." Genkei nodded. "I just wanted to say something to your friend before I take my leave," and he nodded at Sagi.
"Yes…?" Sagi looked him right in the eye.
Genkei took another sip of his cappuccino. "Just a word of advice, from an older man to a younger man: if you're going to listen to stories about people who're in conflict, at least make sure you try and get both sides of the story. Otherwise you'll only have an incomplete picture."
Guren looked sharply at Genkei. "Are you suggesting that I didn't catch you plowing my so-called best friend in our matrimonial bed?" she snarled.
"Oh, no-no-no-no-no, I'm honest enough to acknowledge that," Genkei replied. "But tell me, uh, Owashi-kun, right? Tell me…was Guren honest enough to tell you that she can't have children?"
Guren's face turned ashen at that.
"…you did not go there. Tell me that you did NOT just go there." Sumire's tone was flat, but her gaze could have set Genkei and the rest of the café on fire.
"What? I'm just telling it as it is. I won't be a hypocrite," Genkei answered, and Sumire gritted her teeth as she recognized her own words.
Sagi's brow furrowed. "No, I was not told that. Should it matter? Lots of women can't have children of their own, and that doesn't make them any less of women."
"Oh, I'm sure you can say that now, but I've lived longer than you, long enough to know what life is all about. Every man wants to have a child who can carry on his name, and if his wife can't carry out her part because her plumbing doesn't work, well, a man has to do what a man has to do." Genkei took another mouthful of his drink.
"That's IT." Sumire slowly stood up and faced Genkei, standing just three inches shorter than him but still glaring out of eyes blazing with undisguised anger. "Get out of here in five seconds before I go to jail for committing grievous bodily harm."
In an instant Guren jumped up and rushed around to post herself between Sumire and Genkei. "Sumire, stop it!" she urged, glancing around at the rest of the café. "People are starting to stare!"
"Oshiro-san."
As one, the three looked at Sagi, who was still sitting in his chair. "I appreciate that you want to advise me, from one man to another…but indulge me a minute, if Sumire-san will allow me that long," Sagi commented, before taking up his latté and sipping from it.
"Sagi-kun…" Guren blinked.
Sumire cocked an eyebrow as she looked at Sagi. Then, with visible effort, she relaxed her stance. "Make it quick, Sagi-san."
"Thank you." Sagi returned his attention to Genkei. "Now, as you said, I only have one side of the whole situation, so I want to hear a few things directly from your mouth, if you please."
"What is it?" Genkei queried.
Again Sagi sipped a bit of his latté. "You and Guren-san were married how long?"
"Six years. Why?" Genkei cocked his head slightly to one side.
"I'm just wondering…in the six years you and she were married, I assume you and she tried multiple times to have children?" Sagi continued.
"We did." Genkei's grip on his cappuccino cup tightened slightly. "Where is this line of questioning going?"
"It's going somewhere pertinent, don't worry," said Sagi. "You and Guren-san have been divorced for the past eight years. Have you had any children since your marriage dissolved?"
Genkei's eyes narrowed. "What does that have to do with—"
"Yes or no, sir?" Sagi asked pointedly.
"…no. I haven't been trying for children since Guren and I split." Genkei took a swift gulp of his cappuccino. "So what?"
"So, my point is…" Sagi leaned back in his chair. "I'm going to hazard a guess and say that maybe the problem with your childless marriage had nothing to do with Guren-san…and everything to do with you."
Genkei gave the younger man an incredulous look. "What the hell do you mean by that?"
"I mean, if the ability or lack thereof to have children was the issue here, instead of placing all the blame on Guren-san, you could've gotten a checkup of your own from your doctor. But based on what you admit you did, you never tried to eliminate that as a possibility, did you?" Sagi stood up. "And to make it worse, betraying her trust didn't make anything better, did it? All that resulted from it was that she lost both her husband and her friend, and she was left for the next eight years with heartache that you admit you contributed to. Which basically means, Oshiro-san, that assuming the biological fault was in fact on you and not on Guren-san as you claim, then what Sumire-san said before wasn't at all accurate. You're not a selfish, cheating, backstabbing bastard…you're a selfish, cheating, backstabbing bastard with possibly weak balls that you've been too cowardly to get checked."
Now Genkei's eye was twitching hard, and his grip on his cappuccino cup was so tight that, for a moment, Sagi thought the man would crush it right there. Then Genkei spoke, his voice tight. "I'm going to be late for my meeting. Excuse me." And with that, he turned and walked out of the café.
Sagi, Guren and Sumire watched as Genkei departed. Then Sumire looked at Sagi. "Sagi-san…if I wasn't already married and you weren't already with Guren, I'd kiss you right here and now."
"One doesn't need fists to strike a decisive blow, Sumire-san. Words spoken in due season do just as well." Sagi turned to Guren. "Although…"
Guren sighed. "I'm sorry I never mentioned…that. I mean, we tried for so long to have kids and never succeeded…and now, for him to have blurted it out like that…"
Sagi shook his head. "Whether you can or can't have kids, Guren-san, it doesn't matter. You're still you. You're still the woman who's given me a chance…and to whom I'm still going to give a chance. At least…if you'll let me."
Without realizing she was doing it, Guren brought a hand to her mouth as her eyes glistened. "Sagi-kun…"
Sumire shook her head and smiled. "Hey, Guren, you'd better not lose this fellow, you hear? Otherwise I'll drag you all over town by your ankle."
"Hai, hai," Guren waved her off. "Well…we still have our lattés to finish before they get cold."
"That we do." Sagi chuckled. "That we do."
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END GAIDEN 25
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NEON MAJESTIC: And so we meet Guren's ex-husband Genkei. And yes, he is as every bit a jerk-ass as he's portrayed here.
In canon, Genkei was the unnamed Third Kazekage, and Sumire—who I've made Guren's older sister—had no relation to Guren whatsoever. And just in case anybody reading this has gotten confused and needs a reminder, no, Sumire is not the same Sumire from the Boruto spin-off, but a very minor character from the original series.
And while I'm at it, let me just say that I will NOT be utilizing any characters from Boruto, to include Boruto himself or any of the new-generation characters. The reason? I see Boruto as a snotty little brat who knows next to nothing about what his father Naruto had to endure in his childhood, and indeed the Boruto series itself is, to my mind, a wholly unnecessary continuation of a story that got a grand-enough sendoff with the manga's final chapter and The Last: Naruto the Movie. For that same reason, although I know Yagura's family name was revealed in the sequel series, I will not be using it in the Kitsune no Ken universe, and in fact I will avoid making any reference to him having a surname here as much as I can.
All right, now that that's out of the way…next Gaiden coming up soon!