I've been contemplating something. There's content I want to include, but not entirely sure of how likely it'll be. The content I want to include could be seen as mature, so I might end up bumping the story's rating to M for safety. Still, it's not official, but it's an idea I'm considering.


Chapter 17: At It Again

It had been the first day since Bikou's return to Kunlun and, already, the gang was in a bind. They were having tea and dim sum with Sun Quan, Lianshi's fiancée, and possibly, Bikou's rival or even enemy. The problem was, he just got them out of an issue, so it was hard to feel any resentment towards him right now.

"So, I take it that he's treating you well?" Lianshi asked around.

"Incredibly. He just rescued us from a problem." Issei chuckled sheepishly.

"It was nothing. I was just sorting out some issues." Sun Quan shook his head modestly.

"I see. I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I am Bu Lianshi." Lianshi introduced herself to Issei.

"Hello, my name is Hyoudou Issei." He returned the polite courtesy.

"I hope he hasn't been too strict. Sun Quan is currently a Magistrate within Kunlun."

'Wait, but he's from a crime family, why's…ooooooh…" Everyone in the Gang thought at the same time.

Sun Quan was his family's way out of the criminal life. Issei honestly had shadier expectations of him. Then again, he wouldn't be surprised if Sun Quan turned out to have ulterior motives.

"I've done no such thing. I was actually offering to show our guests around." Sun Quan shook his head.

"Then, do you mind if I join? I'm off tomorrow." Lianshi offered.

"It's the decision of our guests. Would you like to have an official tour? I promise we're not up to anything." Sun Quan earnestly swore.

Issei thought about this for a moment. He wasn't very sure he could trust Sun Quan yet. Still, he was kind of over-extending like that too, intruding on others and all that stuff.

"I would be honored." Issei nodded.

"Excellent. I'll arrange for everything tomorrow." Lianshi smiled.

'Oh, when Bikou finds out later, he might arrange our funerals and his last will and testament.' Issei responded in his head.

"Well, it is time for us to leave now, as we have other matters that we cannot delay. We should take our leave now. We look forward to tomorrow." Issei politely rose alongside the others.

"Yes, we can continue tomorrow. I've been looking forward to getting to know Mei Hou's friends better." Lianshi said.

Without another word, the group took their leave. Issei breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's up with you?"

"What do you think Bikou's gonna do when he finds out?"

"It's Bikou. He'll be fine." Kuroka shook her head in exasperation.

"Are you sure? He might pop a vein." Issei raised a skeptical brow.

"It'll be fine, Issei. I've known Bikou for 4 years. It'll be fine." Kuroka waved away his concerns.


"A field trip tomorrow? Sure." Bikou shrugged.

"See?" Kuroka smugly said to Issei.

"You're not mad?" Lefay asked.

"Of course not. Guys, I'm not going to just get pissed off like an immature child. I'm not a homewrecker or girl-stealer either. I just wanted to evaluate where Lianshi stood in all this." Bikou shook his head in exasperation.

"And have you gotten your answer?" Vali walked into the Living Room.

"How'd the meeting go?" Arthur asked.

"I'll explain later. More importantly, what's going on, Bikou?" Vali asked, sitting down.

"I think she's willing. I've known her since we were kids and the entire time…I felt as if she was ready and fine for the wedding. I know when she's lying and when she's holding something back. She wasn't showing any of those signs." Bikou pointed out.

"What will you do if you're wrong?" Issei asked, now serious.

Bikou didn't answer.

"I think you should be a bit more thorough, Bikou. I can only imagine just how much it hurts, but maybe her façade is stronger than it was before, maybe it's not as willing as it looks. I suggest you investigate for a bit longer." Issei continued.

"The only thing I can do is watch them, Issei." Bikou pointed out.

"Then do that. Watch and see if anything different shows up. Don't quit like this, man." Issei sighed.

Bikuo was silent for a long while. What was he to do now? He'd felt so confused a while earlier. The girl he liked was moving on to another man via arranged marriage. In secret, he had felt so angry and hurt when he'd heard this news. All these years, it was the memory of Lianshi that kept him going. Now, he was feeling so listless. Issei took note of this. The look in his eyes weren't as chipper or happy as usual. There was a certain lack of enthusiasm and that was very unlike Bikou. He'd been right with his gut with his attempts to pick at the façade Bikou was wearing.

"So, I assume that you're gonna go with us tomorrow?" Issei asked.

"Of course." Bikou nodded.

It was settled. While Bikou wasn't feeling overjoyed over this, he wasn't going to be all depressed and mopey. He was going to try and adapt to it.


The next morning, everyone was ready to explore Kunlun and all it had to offer. It was kind of odd to agree so suddenly to an offer like this, but the group decided that they wanted to leave a positive impression on Bikou's friends and those connected to them. Vali considered everyone in her Peerage a part of her family, so she wanted to treat his friends like a sister would to her brother's friends. The others were of the same accord.

After meeting up at Lianshi's family teahouse, they were on their way. Due to Kunlun being closed off from much of the known world, there weren't any tourism services or anything similar there. Thus, personal guides were the only choice. Thankfully, Sun Quan had arranged for carts to take them from place-to-place.

Their first stop was the Shopping District. It had many vendors selling their products in shops, despite the expectation for them to just be stalls. They ranged from jewelry, to clothes, charms, weapons, all of them a mix of items combining the pantheon of China and modern items. The area was made of grey and red buildings with black tiles, with stone roads, and

"It's so beautiful." Vali noted.

"Right? There's so much here and everything's so clean." Lefay noted.

"I'm glad you think so. It looks old-fashioned, but Kunlun decided to keep traces of their culture while modernizing. I understand that the other pantheons have kept their traditional appearances, but Kunlun was growing too stale, so it was decided that we modernize a bit. Of course, Sun Wukong put that idea out there." Sun Quan explained.

"Come on, let me show you around." Lianshi guided everyone into a store.

While everyone else was running inside, Issei wasn't exactly sharing the same excitement. In fact, he felt horrible. Right now, he felt his brain pulsing against his skull to an excruciating degree. He was feeling nauseous and worst of all, a giant mix of emotions was swirling within him. He felt angry, worried, sick, and sad, all at the same time. What was going on with him?

It was so different from the feeling he got while at the Pendragon Compound. Instead of feeling pulled by something, he felt repulsed on top of feeling the way he did the day after defeating Kokabiel.

"Are you okay?"

Issei looked to see who it was. It was Kuroka.

"Y-Yeah, I'm okay." He nodded.

"Clearly, you're not." She raised a brow.

"Just feeling a bit sick and overwhelmed from all that training." Issei nervously chuckled.

"Well, you shouldn't let Vali beat you around. She tells me you've got tons of levels stronger. You might be capable of giving up-and-coming Devils some real problems, apparently. Still, let me check."

Kuroka grabbed Issei's wrist and placed her fingers on it.

"Your pulse is going nuts. Issei, what's wrong?" She looked at him, worried.

"I don't know. I'm just tired and I'm still trying to adjust to Bahamut's power. When I first awakened my Sacred Gear and after that fight with Kokabiel, I felt myself going through changes. My body was having bouts of pain and I'd get headaches for hours. I think every time I gain a new power from Bahamut's Sacred Gears, my body has to take time to adjust." Issei groaned in pain.

Kuroka immediately placed her hands on his temples. Using senjutsu, she began relieving him of his migraines.

"How long's this been happening?" Kuroka asked.

"Once in a while, usually around a few weeks after the new Sacred Gear settles in, I feel better." Issei winced.

"Does Vali know?"

"She does. Azazel's talked with us about it. It'll pass. It's just that I've got a human body, so it's a bit more stressful for me." Issei said.

"Well, don't overdo it. Imagine how sad we'd be if something happened to you." Kuroka warned.

"You're awfully sisterly today." Issei chuckled.

"Big Sis looks out for her little brothers and sisters." Kuroka stuck her tongue out.

"Thank you, Kuroka." Issei sincerely smiled.

"You're welcome. Now, hurry up before they buy the store out."

Issei staggered up. Just before he could cross the threshold, he heard the storeowner sigh.

"There they go again. They're about to start."

"What?" Issei asked.

The answer came from behind him.

"What did you say, you wretch?!"

Issei turned around and did a spit-take. There were two groups of people outside, both facing opposite of each other.

"Where're the Bu's?!"

"Gather the Sun's!"

"Uh…gang war?" Issei wondered.

"Go get Sun Quan and Lianshi." Bikou face-palmed.

While Lefay ran upstairs, chaos unfolded in the streets.

"Be thankful that our Young Master is marrying that princess of yours."

"Young Master? More like Little Man. Our Lady Lianshi is a shining example of grace, beauty, and strength."

"Hey, hey, hey, don't involve the soon-to-be bride and groom. If you're gonna fight, fight concerning yourselves." One storeowner yelled.

"She's right. You Sun cowards always run away when a fight gets heavy. No wonder you're reduced to criminals." A Bu woman said.

"Like you can talk. You Bu imbeciles can't even arrest one person. You've gotta rely on the Zhaos to do anything. You're all better off serving tea." A Sun woman scoffed.

"That's it! You don't offend the tea! Beat them senseless! They're Kung-Fu can't even rob a toddler anyways!"

"We told you, we're done with that life!" A Sun man cried out.

Both sides immediately clashed. If Issei didn't know better, he felt like he was watching some kind of Kung-Fu fight scene.

'Yo, is there a Wong Fei-Hung here? Or Hua Yuan Jia?' Issei paled at the chaos.

The crowd fight was bashing away at the shops and streets, causing a ton of property damage. People were being flung into walls, kicked into the ground, and tossed around like ragdolls. Heck, he thought he even saw blood.

Almost immediately, Issei almost doubled over. Bahamut was flaring up. He had to step away or something might escalate with him too.

"WILL YOU ALL KNOCK IT OFF?!" A fierce roar came out.

Issei moved out the way as Sun Quan and Lianshi quickly walked out to the front.

"What's the cause of this?" Lianshi asked sternly.

"Those Sun swines were badmouthing Lady Bu."

"The Bu curs were acting all high-and-mighty, just because they think they're above others."

"Are you calling us out?" A Bu follower asked.

"Enough!" Lianshi ordered.

"The time for childish games and pettiness is over! Are you seriously going to get riled up over childish insults?" Sun Quan turned towards his family's followers.

"And you all, don't you have any shame? We're supposed to keep the peace, not break it!" Lianshi scolded her side.

"We're leaving the crime life behind and in order to do that, we need to stop getting into fights just because we can't control our temper. Do you want your descendants to remember you as people who cause trouble? Do you want them to look back upon you in shame?" Sun Quan asked.

"It's our duty to make sure that the legacy we leave behind is a positive one. We want our descendants to look back upon us with pride. We want them to have a brighter future and we want them to avoid the mistakes that we've made."

"Now, apologize!" Sun Quan and Lianshi ordered.

'Whoa…they're gonna be strict on their future kids.' Issei and the Gang paled.

Despite their reluctance, both sides relented. Sun Quan and Lianshi meant a lot to their respective families and followers. The words they said hit home, as their legacy was a core value that they all held dear.

"We're humbled by our misdeeds and we all apologize."

When the crowd dispersed and reparations were made, Sun Quan and Lianshi walked back looking completely embarrassed.

"We're sorry you had to see that." Lianshi apologized.

"Don't be. We actually thought that it was extremely impressive and inspiring." Issei shook his head.

"It looks like both houses are in good hands." Bikou nodded.

"Oh, stop it. Now, let's keep going. Let's not let a small setback keep us from enjoying the rest of the day." Lianshi blushed, wanting to get back to the day's plans.


The group continued to tour around Kunlun, trying out foods, clothes, and seeing the sights, with one last place being a place that Bikou and Lianshi were fond of. It was the Jade Forest, which was on the outskirts of Kunlun's cliffside. Like its named implied, the trees were made of black wood, with veins of glowing jade-green marking all of them. Their leaves shined a special green, glowing luminously like lanterns. The water was sparkling clean, traveling through the forest like a curing network. Animals of all sorts from Chinese mythology lived here, along with some people who disliked the noise of city life.

"Whoa…" Issei remarked.

"This was our favorite spot as kids." Lianshi looked at Bikou.

"Sure was. I'd fish here all the time and the geezer would scold me if I damaged the place." Bikou chuckled.

"I remember how much trouble we'd get into." Lianshi giggled.

"Well, we've grown so, that life is behind us." Bikou shook his head.

Issei turned to look at the view presented from a rock formation in the forest. Looking around, there were five mountains surrounding Kunlun.

"What're those mountains for? They've all got different colored veins." He said.

Unlike the Main Mountain, the other mountains glowed orange, blue, white, red, and a lime-green.

"Those mountains represent the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Kunlun is also called Five Elements Mountain since this is where the concentration of the elements' power is strongest."

"I see."

Issei kept staring at them, feeling something peculiar. It made him wonder, was the Khaos Brigade coming for these mountains?

"Shall we have a picnic here? I've brought food for it." Lianshi suggested.

She held up a basket that she'd been carrying the whole time.

"A good idea. Your cooking beats any restaurant. Did you all know that the dim sum at the Teahouse is made by her?" Sun Quan pointed out.

"It's why the teahouse is so popular nowadays. If you retired from the Royal Guard, your Teahouse franchise would be a perfect fallback." Bikou added.

"Oh, it's nothing special. Now, let's get set up and eat. Here, we don't have to worry about the noise of the city or any family elders intruding." Lianshi modestly replied.

While eating, Issei just couldn't help but keep staring at the Earth Mountain. Something was just so odd about it. It was starting to seriously bother him. He felt his right arm twitching, shaking, as if it wanted to do something. He had the urge to investigate, but this wasn't his land, so he couldn't just do whatever he wanted.

"Issei, what's wrong? You keep staring at the Earth Mountain." Vali asked.

"Nothing, just admiring the view." Issei shook his head.


After finishing the food, everyone decided to walk around and browse the area. Issei found it utterly pleasant. Just walking through the shiny green forest was enough to dazzle anybody that could appreciate a scenery. However, it was soon spoiled. In the distance of the forest clearing, he saw two figures, ones which he recognized.

"So, did you come to mock me?" Bikou sighed.

Kuroka scoffed.

"I'm not always going to tease, Bikou. I just wanted to talk."

"Well, what's up?"

"What's been going on with you recently?" 'Kuroka sat down next to him.

"What're you talking about?"

"Come on, Bikou, we all know you're in the slumps."

Bikou sighed.

"And?"

"Man up." Kuroka said.

"What?!"

"How long are you going to keep moping around like some kid who just lost their favorite toy? It's happened. It's time to move on. I'm not like Vali, who'll keep giving you space. You need to get back up, dust yourself off, and bounce back. If you love her, then tell her and stop retreating."

"Easy for you to say, the person you love isn't marrying someone else." Bikou scoffed.

Kuroka looked away.

'You've known me for 4 years and you still don't know a thing about me. Just how did we regress like this?' She growled to herself.

"Bikou, when have you become such a sorry person?" Kuroka raised a brow.

That was the last straw for Bikou. For the past few weeks, Kuroka had been antagonistic towards him, slowly getting on his nerves more and more. They kept fighting even more than usual and it was just getting worse and worse. And now, she had the nerve to act like she could give him a talk to shape up? What was up with her? His irritation had finally built up.

"Buzz off, Kuroka. Shouldn't you do the same thing? For the past few weeks, you've been bugging me and snapping at me with almost no reason. What's up with this change?" Bikou scoffed.

"I'm just trying to help, Bikou."

"Fat lot of good your help is, Black Cat."

Bikou then froze, realizing what he just said.

Kuroka visibly flinched, looking absolutely speechless. Her eyes were wide with shock as she backed away, visibly hurt.

"K-Kuroka, I didn't mean that."

"If you hate me that much, then go ahead. I'm done talking to you. I'd expect it from other people, but for you to call me that…" Kuroka mumbled as she ran away.

"Kuroka, wait!" Bikou called out after her.

Issei watched from the sidelines, completely flabbergasted by the scene. He decided to stop snooping and decided to make sure that Kuroka was okay. He still remembered when Vali told him about how Kuroka was going through an emotionally volatile time. He didn't exactly remember how long it'd last, typically a few weeks. He was going to have to be careful with her. He probably looked stupid or nosy to others, but he wanted to make sure that nobody did anything crazy and he didn't want to his friends to split up over something like this. Bonds and relationships were far too important to be torn apart over this, especially since he knew the entire peerage saw each other as family.


He followed the footsteps in the dirt and listened for any noise. Soon enough, in a forest clearing, he heard a few sniffles. True to his suspicions, Kuroka was sitting by a lake, quietly crying.

"You okay?" Issei asked.

Kuroka jumped.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

Issei saw her wipe away her tears, recomposing herself.

"You certainly don't seem like it, Kuroka. I heard you and Bikou yelling at each other." Issei say beside her.

Kuroka merely looked away, still replaying that memory in her head.

"So, wanna talk about it?" Issei offered.

"Are you going to give me a choice? You're not known for doing that." Kuroka scoffed.

"Well, I figured I'd give it a shot for a change." Issei chuckled.

"I…don't want to talk about it, Issei." Kuroka gently denied him.

"Well, it's usually good to do that after a big fight or when you're upset. If you bottle those feelings up, it's just gonna get worse and worse y'know. Now, go ahead and let me have it. What's troubling you? I might even be able to help. Of course, if you decline again, I'll stop bothering you."

Kuroka took an annoyed sigh. That was when she remembered what Arthur had told her before. She had asked why he'd changed his mind about going back to the Pendragon Compound. He said it was because of Issei's challenge towards his decision that he rethought everything. It was short, but the impact of his words caused a chain of events that really showed him something new. Perhaps telling Issei wasn't a bad idea.

Kuroka relented. Issei had become a good friend within the past few months since they got to know him. Not only that, but he did save them from Kokabiel at the Conference.

"It's Bikou. We had another fight."

"You know, what's up with that? Recently, your fights have been getting worse lately. Back then, a few words got thrown around but now, you two are literally ready to fight. Mind explaining that to me? Vali did tell me that Nekoshou have two phases in a year."

Kuroka blushed a bit.

"Well, it's true that Nekoshou have a mating season and an emotionally 'unstable' phase. Right now, I'm just…having some temper issues, is all."

"That doesn't really explain what's going on with why you only seem to get mad at Bikou. You also haven't told me why you were crying a few minutes ago, either. I take it he's done something stupid again." Issei followed up.

"Well, yes, he was being a jerk, but that's not all of it."

Kuroka felt her pulse pound as her heart started racing out of anxiety, nervousness, and embarrassment.

"Issei, you have to swear that you won't tell anyone else about this next part."

"Alright, I swear."

"Swear on something that matters."

"I swear upon my lifespan that I won't tell another soul until you allow me to." Issei raised his right hand.

That seemed to satisfy Kuroka.

"Alright, well, I mainly get mad at Bikou because…I've got feelings for him…strong ones." Kuroka mumbled.

Issei wore a straight face but on the inside:

'Holy shit!' He yelled in absolute shock. How could he have failed to notice?

"Do we mean crush level? Dating level? Love level?"

"Definitely dating level at the least." Kuroka answered without hesitation.

'This is completely out of left-field!' Issei exclaimed at the suddenness.

"Have you tried dropping hints?" Issei started, awkwardly.

"Issei, I basically flash him when I lean over in front of him. He doesn't even notice. He's so busy flirting with other girls and joking around that he doesn't even care. I know him well enough to also understand that he'd back away if I got more aggressive. Why do you think I dress so provocatively around him?" Kuroka flailed her arms around in frustration.

"So, basically, you've been really irritated with him because he's too oblivious to notice your feelings and because he keeps rubbing his flirting in your face? Don't you think you should be more direct then?" Issei sighed.

"I know it is! It still pisses me off! If I wasn't going through the 1st cycle, I wouldn't be acting so hostile. But, damn it! He's so stupid!" Kuroka declared.

Issei was in a predicament. He wanted to help Kuroka, but at the same time, Bikou still had feelings for Lianshi. Who knew how she felt about him now. His hands were tied. He was going to have to just let this one unfold on its own for now. Then again, he figured he had to stop meddling around.

"Tell me, how did all this start?" Issei asked.

"It all started when I first joined the Peerage. I haven't told you, have I?" Kuroka asked.

"You don't have to." Issei raised a hand to answer.

"I will. You're a good friend and somebody I can trust. Besides, it's not like it's super secret anyways." Kuroka derisively chuckled.

She took a deep breath.

(Final Fantasy XV OST – Tenebrae. Play Song.)

"It started when Shirone and I were young. I was about 8 and Shirone was around 7. We were living happily with our parents, a Nekoshou and a Byakko. We moved around a lot but things were peachy, even though Shirone was often ill. I even learned my magic from my parents. However, one day, Shirone and I woke up and they weren't there. There were no notes, no explanations, no signs of a struggle, and no help to find us. Shirone and I were left to fend for ourselves. Sometimes, we would end up with friends of our parents but sooner or later, we'd end up leaving because of the abuse. After I'd had enough, Shirone and I just became drifters. Eventually, I was found by a Devil, who recruited me into his peerage. We lived well for a few years but I found out he was going to use Shirone in an experiment to strengthen himself and his family. I knew she was going to be killed, so I took him out before he could do it. I was branded a Stray for it but almost immediately before I could be arrested, Rizevim stepped in. He had been looking into the matter and was about to deal with him too. Still, I committed a crime and was put under his supervision and after a while, I was recruited by Vali." Kuroka explained.

'Wow…that's pretty heavy.' Issei thought.

"Soon after I joined, I developed friendships with the family, Rizevim and Ezagyra treated me like I was their own grandkid. Vali was always there for me and Bikou greeted me with open arms. He even gave me this as a gift." Kuroka touched the headband at the top of her head, blushing.

"That started it all, huh?" Issei hypothesized. Kuroka only nodded.

"When Vali left to travel abroad, we decided to stay behind because things weren't stable enough for us yet. While she traveled with Rizevim, I stayed with Ezgyra and Bikou while occasionally seeing the others. Soon enough, Shirone met Rias and joined her Peerage. During that time, Bikou and I got closer, even if we started getting into arguments more often, it was never resentful. It was kind of our way of showing that we still cared about each other." She chuckled.

Issei nodded, gaining a grasp on things.

"So, all those times you got mad at Bikou, it was because you were jealous too."

Kuroka jumped, embarrassed at hearing it out loud.

"Now, I don't even know anymore."

'Hm…not good.' Issei mused.

"And is that also why it hurt you so much when he called you a black cat?" Issei asked.

Kuroka's face saddened.

"For a long time, I was just constantly followed by misfortune. Shirone was often sick while around me. We moved around a lot too, so it was never easy. We went into the custody of family friends a lot, but it never worked out. Something always happened. The people around us would just gossip, saying that ever since I was born, my parents kept suffering misfortune. They were originally living well, but when I was born, things just got worse. Humans kept coming after my parents, probably to hunt them. My mother fell ill and my father was barely home because he was keeping the humans at bay. Then, when Shirone was born, she was very ill, being very weak. That's why she's so underdeveloped. In that time, people started calling me a black cat because I brought so much misfortune around me. The people that knew my parents blamed me for their sudden disappearance. It was also the reason why the abuse started." Kuroka sighed, resting her chin on her knees.

"That doesn't make sense, though. Why isn't it happening now, then?" Issei asked.

"Vali and Rizevim had Ajuka take a look at me and they managed to come up with an explanation. It was a phenomenon born out of coincidence, like how someone's born with a Sacred Gear. At least…that's what they said but they chalked it up to superstitious nonsense. Honestly, I don't know a thing about how or why so I brushed it off too. Still, it hurt when people called me that. To be fair, it makes sense. So, when Bikou, who knew about it all, said that…"

Issei nodded in understanding. Now it made sense. Bikou knew just how sensitive Kuroka was to that name. For him to call her that, was something she'd never expected. They'd known each other since they joined the Peerage and for someone so close to her to call her that, knowing the history behind it, was like an intentional attempt to hurt her. It was something close to a betrayal to her, a betrayal of trust and comfort. Still, Issei knew Bikou, who didn't think things through sometimes. Riled up by her and the constant remembrance that his feelings for Lianshi wouldn't be returned, it pushed him to lose his temper for a moment. He probably just lost control of himself and said it impulsively. It was an exchange of painful words.

"I think you need to let Bikou have just a bit more time to himself. He'll come around to his normal self. Sure, he's being incredibly sulky, moody, irritable, and you don't like it, but heartache takes time. Also, you do need to raise your patience with him more. It's not worth it to fight over one insult or joke. Honestly, you two need to get a hold of yourselves. Think about it, would Bikou really say something like that to you normally? Would he ever use such a hurtful term for the sake of just making you feel bad?"

Kuroka thought about it. When she first entered the Peerage, Bikou and Vali completely welcomed her with open arms. He showed her around and usually tried to find a way to make her laugh after all those painful experiences. He'd stuck with her until she was healed. That was also the main reason as to why she fell in love with him. Yes, love.

Kuroka scoffed but after letting it ruminate in her head, she relented. Issei had a point. Bikou wouldn't have been pushed to say those words if she had been a bit gentler with hers.

"Still, I think he deserves several slaps upside the head because he has been a prick lately." Issei nodded.

"Alright." She quietly said after scoffing.

"Good." The boy smiled.

Issei was about to get up and leave before Kuroka stopped him.

"Say, Issei, we're friends, right?" Kuroka asked.

"Good friends." Issei corrected.

"Then, can I ask a favor?"

"Of course, if I can help with it, then I will." Issei nodded.

"Could you not tell Bikou about this? I'll forgive him, but…I'll tell him how I really feel on my own. No playing cupid, got it?" Kuroka asked.

"Of course." Issei chuckled.

"Still, thank you. You're a good shoulder to lean on. It's a shame you're not in the peerage." Kuroka noted.

"Eh, who knows. I might join and I might not. Starting to think I'm too much of a free spirit." Issei shrugged.

"I hope you stay that way. You're a fun guy to be around. Now, I should go back. I'll let Bikou beat himself for a bit longer, knowing him." Kuroka smirked.

(Final Fantasy XV OST – Tenebrae. End Song.)

As Kuroka left, Vali entered the scene.

"What was that about?"

"I just agreed to something that stops me from being me." Issei muttered.

"What?"

"What?"

The two stared at each other awkwardly before breaking out into laughter. Issei's laughter slowly faded as he noticed something. On the other side of the lake, he saw two people. They looked like a couple. They were talking but they looked troubled, one of them was even crying. Looking at them, their wrists and ankles were attacked with red strings. Red strings? Red strings of fate?

Issei immediately had that feeling in his gut, the feeling that said that something was about to go wrong. He sprinted forward and jumped across the lake. Too late. The pair jumped into the water of the lake. It looked shallow but the moment Issei jumped in, he saw that it really wasn't. It was so deep that it was completely dark at the bottom.

Swimming after the two he dove with all his might before feeling the red string. Yanking it, he rushed back to the surface. Breaking into the water, Vali's hand reached for him. Pulled out of the water, Issei looked at the two people. It was a young man and woman.

"Just please let us be." The man said.

The woman looked ready to dive back into the water.

"Hold on, what's going on?" Issei asked.

"You wouldn't understand. We need to do this." The man grabbed hold of his female companion.

"Wait, now just a moment. Why're you trying to commit suicide?" Issei asked.

The man looked completely exasperated and tired.

"We have no choice. It's none of your business, anyways."

"Look, I can help, I swear on it."

That was a very terrible lie, but Issei just couldn't let these people give up.

"I genuinely appreciate your concern, Sir, but please, just let this happen. We've already tried our best. Death is the only way out." The woman shook her head.

"Alright, then, I'll make a gamble with you. If I can't help you, then you're free to do whatever you want and I won't stop you." Issei said.

He genuinely had no idea where he was going with this, but he just couldn't stand the thought of people dying. Why give up when you could persevere and turn your life around from wherever it is you're going?

The pair saw that Issei wasn't going to give up, becoming completely irritated.

"Why do you care so much about us, anyways? We don't even know you." The man said.

"I'm just a guy who's passing through that wants to help. Personally, I don't think suicide solves anything. There's so much more to life that you could experience. Rather than just submitting to things that you've decided to stop fighting, you can keep going and try and force things to turn around or just move on. My name is Hyoudou Issei and I swear that I'm going to help you." Issei raised his right hand to the heavens.

Before long, the pair sighed in defeat. This crazy stranger was just going to keep pestering them. Well, it didn't matter anymore. What did they have to lose?

"What're your names?" Issei asked.

"My name is Lu Shui-Zan. This is my lover, Lin Chao-Fang." The man introduced himself, then his lover.

"Why do you want to commit suicide?" Vali asked.

"It's the traditionalist ways of our families. They can't let go of the past. They refuse to allow our marriage, so they're trying to tear us apart. We've tried to run away together, but they keep finding us and bringing us back. We've tried appealing to them, but they won't listen. Now, death is the only way we can be together." Chao-Fang dejectedly said.

"What's with Kunlun and arranged marriages?" Issei sighed.

He was liking this place less and less.

"It's their sense of tradition, which is rapidly fading from the Human Realm. Bloodlines and reputation mean a lot here." Vali explained.

Issei was starting to dislike Kunlun more and more. He knew that arranged marriages were heavily common in Asian traditions, but this was driving him up the wall. First, it gets in the way of Bikou and Lianshi and now it was doing the same thing to these two.

"We've run away from Kunlun, to the Human Realm. Still, we get taken back here. So, tell me, how're you going to help us?" Shui-Zan asked.

"What're your families in? Why're they so against you being together?" Issei asked.

"My family runs a apothecary." Chao-Fang said.

"Mine manages a publishing business. The reason why our families are so against it, is because Chao-Fang's family doesn't have enough prestige."

"And my family sees our love as too unrealistic. The Lus would never accept the daughter of a herbalist as an in-law while the Lins are too afraid of the life of riches and treachery."

'That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard today.' Issei scoffed.

"They want us to marry well and to bring more prestige and honor to our families. They want to climb higher on the social ladder and since we're the only children of our parents, they won't let us live free like that." Shui-Zan elaborated.

Vali looked at Issei.

"This isn't our land. We need to tread carefully here. Got any ideas?" Vali asked.

"I do but…it's really, really, really, really extreme." Issei said.

"How extreme?"

"They'll have to throw their lives away."

He walked back to the couple.

"Where have you run to? I want to know all the places." He inquired.

"Nowhere else aside from the places I've already mentioned." Shui-Zan said.

"Good. So, I do have an idea, but I need to check in with two people that might be able to help us." Issei raised a finger.

"You want us to what?"

Issei was talking with the entire group about his plan to help the soon-to-be star-crossed lovers.

"I know it's really stereotypical and horrible, but I've got no other choice. If these two are going to get the happy ending they want, then they have to do this." Issei pleaded.


"So, you want us to help you fake their deaths?" Sun Quan summarized.

"Yep. Sun Quan's family still has some crime connections and you know tricks with dead bodies and such. Lianshi's family is involved with the Royal Guard and shares connections with the Royal Court, so…we could mess with a bit of the records."

"Issei, that's…asking for a lot." Elaine said.

"Not exactly. The Jade Emperor's pretty lax. We might be able to pull it off if things go right." Sun Quan casually said.

"Alright, what's the detailed plan?" Vali asked.

"We're going to fake the deaths of Shui-Zan and Chao-Fang. Through the Sun families tricks and underground networks, we can get their fake bodies and locations altered. The Bu family can meddle with the morgue and make it so that a convincing story comes out while making sure that nobody else discovered the secret. While that happens, we'll quickly get Shui-Zan and Chao-Fang out of the Mountains."

"Okaaaay, and how're you going to get fake corpses?" Kuroka asked.

Issei promptly looked at Bikou.

"2 hairs." He said.

"Got it but they only last for 6 hours." Bikou nodded.

"6 hours…Right, we'll have to cross that bridge when we get to it." Issei bit his lip.

"Why can't we just tell them that their kids are dead and leave it at that?" Bikou asked.

"The families will have to see that their children are actually dead in order to give up." Lianshi answered.

"I understand. I'll get right on it." Sun Quan eagerly nodded.

"Same." Lianshi said.

"Where do we hide while this happens?" Shui-Zan asked.

"You two need to go home for a bit. Leave notes and get whatever you need. Once you're done, immediately go to Sun Wukong's residence and hide there." Issei said.

He then turned to Kuroka.

"Kuroka, how good are you at making illusions of dead bodies and whatever else on demand?" He asked.

"Not a problem." She smirked.

"Good. Then comes the next part of the plan."

"There's more?" Bikou sighed.

"Yes, there's more." Issei scolded him.

"We'll have to prepare a funeral and all that. If it looks rushed, then it'll seem off. So, we need to pull out the stops. The ending process will be cremation, that way, we can keep future hiccups on the downlow. Last thing we want is for people to make a ruckus because of missing bodies. The key to making this work, is the last will and testament of the dearly departed." He turned to Shui-Zan and Chao-Fang.

"You two will write out your last wishes, desiring to be cremated and to have your ashes spread anywhere you desire. However, you need to make it so that the funeral will be as short as possible. We don't want people noticing the corpses disappearing right in front of them."

"But what about the real pair? Where will they go?" Vali asked.

"My parents have a few connections that I can use. It's gonna be a bit tricky but…it'll work. Now, we just need to be vigilant and play our parts. If it works out, Shui-Zan and Chao-Fang can escape and live their lives without ever having to come back here to be imprisoned. If things go wrong or a fight breaks out, well, pin it on me." Issei shrugged.

"You all don't have to go this far. Can't we just fake our deaths and be done with it?" Shui-Zan asked.

"We need to be thorough. Based off what you've told me, your families are supremely persistent. The harder we hit them, the safer you'll be." Issei said.

"I've just got my calls done. We'll be ready to go at any moment." Lianshi reported.

"Same. My family can sneak them out without anyone being able to track them magically or technologically." Sun Quan added.

"Good. All that's left is to put the plan into action and pray that it works." Issei nodded in gratitude.


Later, that evening, Issei was thinking over the plan. Right now, he was waiting for news from Shui-Zan and Chao-Fang. Bikou and Kuroka had transformed his clones to look like the couple and left the bodies by the side of a lake. Sun Quan and Lianshi would have their families handle the bodies to ensure that nobody found out about the scheme.

As for Bikou's family…well, it'd be better not to involve them. The issue with Bikou was enough as is.

When the messages came, he was satisfied to know that the Lin and Lu families had found their children's final messages and the fake corpses had been found by random people.

Things were shaping up to be ready, but he just kept having a bad feeling. There were only a few days until the supposed attack from the Khaos Brigade, so they needed to hurry. A common man would say to wait for after that, but Issei just wouldn't let things stay the way they were. Even a minute could drive anyone to kill themselves if left alone.

Suddenly, a knock came at his door.

"Issei? It's Vali."

"Enter." He prompted.

"The first phase is done. We just need to wait for tomorrow. Was it a good idea to have us all included?" Vali asked.

The thing was, Issei had it so that they'd be attending as dear friends to Shui-Zan and Chao-Fang. That way, they could keep a close eye on everything.

"Yes. That way, things can stay under control if something happens."

Vali looked at Issei with curiosity.

"What?" He asked.

"I knew you were really into preserving life, but this is kind of extreme for a stranger to go, don't you think? Not that I mind, though. I actually think it's really cool." Vali giggled.

"Well, I just want to give people their happy endings. If things go wrong, I'll take the fall."

"Why? Why only you?" Vali asked.

"It was my idea, so I'll take the responsibility for it." Issei said.

"You know, you shouldn't do stuff like that. We all care about you. We'd hate it if something happened to you." Vali tenderly said to him.

"I know. I promise, I'll do my best. Still, I'd never forgive myself if something happened to all of you. Besides, this plan really is crazy and already full of holes." Issei confessed.

That was when another knock came at the door.

"Enter." Issei said.

It was Kuroka.

"What's up?" Issei said again.

"Well, I was wondering if you could help me with a favor now." Kuroka said.

"Right, let's go." Issei nodded.

"What're you two up to?" Vali asked.

"Just doing a little something. Don't worry, it's nothing crazy." Issei passively said.


The two walked down to the kitchens, chatting in privacy.

"So, you want to learn how to cook?"

"Yeah, I never learned how. I figured I'd try and kickstart the whole reparation process with him. He's probably still being awkward and doesn't know what to do or beating himself up. I might as well make it clear that I'm starting to forgive him. Although, next time, it won't be so easy." Kuroka explained.

"I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted. Also, you're quick to forgive him." Issei deadpanned.

"I'm not one to hold grudges for long. Yes, it hurt but it didn't help that I was coming on too strong with him. This once, I'll forgive him quickly." Kuroka sighed.

"Okay, okay. Let's get started."

He slowly walked Kuroka through the steps of cooking Chinese food. It was relatively easy since Kuroka was a fast learner. The only issue was that she either got carried away or she forgot a few minor details.

"Don't hold the knife so close to your hand and please DON'T!" Issei was cut off as chili oil squirted into his face.

"…squeeze so hard with the bottle." He finished flatly.

After preparing some soup, they moved on to other dishes. That was when others entered the kitchen. It was Lianshi and Vali. As expected, Kuroka immediately froze.

"Oh, what're you two doing in here?"

"Just practicing." Issei answered.

"Do you mind if we help prepare dinner? It's been a while so I figured I'd help out here." Lianshi asked.

"Actually, I think it's better if we let you two take over." Kuroka nervously said, dragging Issei away.

"Oh, of course." Lianshi nodded.

"What's up with that? Do you dislike her or something?" Issei asked.

"No, I don't dislike her. It's just, I'm not exactly comfortable being around my rival just yet." Kuroka explained.


While Issei and Kuroka talked, Lianshi and Vali did the same.

"I hope you all enjoyed the day." Lianshi said.

"We all did. I haven't seen Bikou that relaxed in a while."

Lianshi, however, didn't quite agree.

"He looked kind of tense to me."

"You two really do know each other well. Just one look and you already know how he feels." Vali noted.

"We've been together since we were kids, so it's natural."

"Forgive me for asking this, but…if Bikou had never been banished, would you have married him instead?"

Lianshi immediately stopped washing the carrots. Vali knew she hit something sensitive. The silence was so haunting that it unsettled Vali, like a prey wondering if an attack was coming.

"Honestly…probably."

"Why go through with it, then? Sun Wukong could easily stop it all."

"If the Monkey King intervened, then the peace wouldn't be genuine. If our followers see that two of the opposing families marry, creating a peaceful bond, then it'll create an effect upon their respective families and followers and themselves. Tell me, if your leaders were to step in, would it have as much impact as it would if the followers they were stopping had some of their members intervene instead? Sometimes, higher authorities are targets of ire and their intervention launches a spreading feeling of resentment, as if they were being controlled. However, if someone that they know personally were to, say, see sense…then it might change their minds towards a less aggressive path because the people who do it, are closer to them and can understand them better" Lianshi reasoned.

Vali admitted that she had a point, but it felt flawed to her.

"But what're you sacrificing to do it? For such a sudden thing, others will know that it's false. Also, in a way, you become something of a bargaining chip for the other family to use against your own. The peace would be forced as well, maybe false instead of it just being a stalemate. It might stop fights for a time, but it won't last long and could be easily unbalanced."

"In order to remedy that, the time that passes has to be used to come to a truly peaceful conclusion. It's not just the marriage that'll create the peace, the ones involved need to help it progress over time. Rome wasn't built in a day." Lianshi countered.

Vali went silent. She seemed dead-set on this. What they saw today, probably wasn't all there was to it. It was probably much worse behind closed doors and in the shadows. Bikou did tell her before that things were pretty intense.

"I know you haven't seen it or heard it yet, but the fighting between the Bu and Sun families is even worse away from the public. People have died and lives have been ruined. For the sake of spoiling the mood and cheeriness, I won't go into detail. However, we're truly trying to change. It's just that not everyone is in favor and it's forced our hands. Sun Quan and I have come to terms with it and we're going…to go through with it. My family means everything to me. When I was cursed with illness, they never abandoned, neglected, or shamed me. They always stood by my side and did all they could for me. I won't let this escalating problem consume them and I don't want to fail them."

"And what about Mei Hou?" Vali added.

Lianshi's head sunk low.

"Of course, I'm eternally grateful to him."

"Lianshi, I think you need to be more honest with yourself. Can you truly live like this while also considering what you'll never have and what could happen?" Vali asked.

The young lady went silent. Just what was she to do now? There was just so much to say and so much trouble in conveying them. Why did everyone have to keep poking at her logic and walls? Just how was she to do this if she still loved Bikou?


Was gonna make the chapter longer, but I decided I wanted to upload the chapter now, instead of later since I wasn't going to have time. If I did, the chapter would've had to have been even longer and that was time that I wanted to channel into the next chapter. That, and I'm dead tired from recent events, so I do think this chapter was subpar.

Anyways, I hope you had a good read and I will see you next time.