A/N: I love Mikami Shun's portrayal of Koumyou in Saiyuki Kagekiden. So I just had to write something featuring him.
Sanzo let out a long sigh as he took a break from his work. He turned his head towards the pile of documents he still needed to deal with.
Why was managing a monastery as big as this need to require so many documents to peruse and submit?
He sighed. Suppose now he could understand why the previous abbot prefer to run off outside using frivolous reasons and leaving the assistant abbot to deal with most of the management matters.
Abbot Jikaku. If he'd known things would end up the way it did, he could've tried getting to know that old man a bit better. Especially since the old man also knew his master. The two of them could've been able to chat about his silly master.
Why hadn't he recognised the old man's name? Years ago, his master used to tell him stories about his youth. How he—back then being called Houmei—had trained with a group of friends to earn the rights to inherit the title of Sanzo. His master used to tell him of one 'demon' instructor called Jikaku.
He turned his head towards the glass cupboard nearby and saw his own reflection in the glass pane. Dead eyes, huh? Back then, he used to be getting comments about him having such lifeless eyes. And he remembered being told that he wouldn't have been able to find anything as long as his eyes remained lacking in life. Was that why he hadn't been able to notice things that he should've noticed before back then?
Interesting how it's been almost a year and a half since that night when that old man passed away. And now, he's here taking over the old man's position as well as taking over the leadership of this place.
Ah, how he wished he could've run off somewhere and abandoned this workload...
.
The sound of Goku's laughter outside caught his attention as Sanzo got up from his chair and walked to the nearest window.
What greeted him was the sight of his ward happily playing with the puppy the boy had found prior. And now somehow, the boy had found a ball and used it to play with the puppy. Goku's smile seemed to shine like the sun. Sanzo leaned his body against the window sill.
How adorable... that silly monkey. So innocent, playing around like that without a care in the world...
Looking at Goku like this, he had to wonder if his master used to harbour the same thoughts he was having right now. His master used to tell him to play around like a normal kid. Having fun like a normal kid, instead of studying the scriptures and whatnot. Though to be honest, he doubted he could do that as well as Goku did, when he was that small. He wouldn't have known what he was supposed to do by himself.
"What a shame, isn't it? And you're such an adorable child as well, Kouryuu. I would've loved to be able to see you smile like that child as well..."
Sanzo blinked, as he hastily turned his head around him. What was that? How could he be hearing his master's voice when the man was already—He cocked his head in confusion. Somehow his ears could hear the sound of a familiar voice... chuckling at him. Was he imagining it? Just because he had been thinking about his old master...
"Sanzo, catch!"
Sanzo turned his head just as he heard Goku's voice. Seeing the ball zooming towards his face he instinctively tried to catch the ball while closing his eyes. It's likely that he'd missed and the ball hit his face instead.
But miraculously, he was able to catch it. Sanzo opened his eyes as he confirmed that he did indeed catch the ball.
He threw the ball right back out as he hurled himself out of the window.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR, MONKEY?" he shouted as Goku apologised right away.
"Sanzo... are you done with work?" asked the boy as Sanzo shrugged, giving a side glance at the documents still piled up on his desk.
"Nah, there's still a lot."
Goku dropped the ball he was holding as the boy ran back to Sanzo. The puppy Goku was playing with followed along behind the boy.
"Play with me?" said the boy suddenly as Sanzo immediately declined.
"Nah, you go on playing along with the puppy... don't mind me—"
But Goku wouldn't accept a no for an answer as he pulled Sanzo out of the window. "Come on, it'll be fun!"
Due to the sudden action, Sanzo was taken by surprise as he was dragged out of the window. Because of that, one of his feet got caught on the window sill and both Goku and Sanzo end up crashing onto the ground outside.
Sanzo got up on his knees as he barely recovered from the fall. Goku grinned sheepishly at him as the boy pressed his hands together.
"Sorry?"
Sanzo grabbed one of his sandals that had flown off during the fall before pointing the sandal at the boy.
"I'll get you for that!" he cried out before getting on his feet to start chasing after the monkey. Goku fled immediately as the boy tried his darndest to avoid being caught by Sanzo...
.
Back at Sanzo's office, a ghostly chuckle echoed in the empty space.
The spirit of Koumyou Sanzo glanced out of the open window as he watched over Genjo and Goku fondly. The two started chasing after each other without care around the yard. If ever there were other monks witnessing the display, none of them dared to say anything for fear of the wrath of the golden-haired Sanzo upon them.
Koumyou smiled to himself.
"—You looked happy, Kouryuu. I'm so glad for you..."
.
Sanzo froze, just as he managed to catch Goku in his arms. He turned around towards his office.
Was he hearing things again?
