Short story on Kuro and Rikuo's relationship in the Edo period.
Kuro POV
Kurotabou didn't know what to do. Certainly, he had exchanged sakazuki with the Second Head of the Nura Gumi, albeit under questionable circumstances, but could he really just…show up and join the Nura Gumi just like that? After he worked with Sanmoto and even fought against them?
Kurotabou pulled his bamboo hat further downwards. That would be too embarrassing.
"Oi~! Kurotabou!" A familiar voice called out to him. Kurotabou turned and immediately came face to face with Nura Rihan. He almost screamed out loud at the sudden appearance of his...master. Rihan smirked at him, obviously noticing his discomfort.
"Ri-Rihan. Sama." Kurotabou stammered, nearly forgetting the honorific at the end. He gave Rihan a quick bow, which Rihan waved off.
"Eh, I don't really care too much about formalities. Don't worry about it." The Second Head of the Nura Gumi laughed off. Rihan stared at Kurotabou with his single eye.
"So, when do you plan on coming to the main house?" Rihan asked bluntly. When Kurotabou didn't answer, Rihan continued. "Y'know, my son's still waiting for you. He got all excited knowing that you had joined us." That made Kurotabou lift his head up just a tiny bit. Rihan had mentioned a son when they exchanged sakazuki in... Rihan's head. Where was that exactly anyway? In hindsight, does that even count as a proper sakazuki? Kurotabou wondered. Rihan pressed on even further.
"You'll at least visit him, right? Wouldn't be too good for a child-protecting youkai to crush an 11 year-old boy's dreams now, would it?" Kurotabou gave Rihan a slight glare, to which Rihan responded by smiling cheekily back at. Rihan had won the argument. Kurotabou sighed in defeat.
"Great! I've got some more business to do, but I expect to see you at the main house when I get back tonight. Later!" Rihan waved over his shoulder and disappeared into the crowd. Kurotabou sighed again. He could just completely ignore Rihan's order but…No, his nature to help children out won over. Kurotabou sighed again, heading towards the mansion where the Nura Gumi resided.
"So you're Kurotabou?" Brown eyes stared up at him. Kurotabou honestly didn't know what he expected but it definitely wasn't... this.
"I'm Nura Rikuo, current Third Heir of the Nura Gumi. Nice to meet you!" The child held out a hand to Kurotabou, beaming. When Rihan said he had a son, Kurotabou expected something more...Rihan-ish.
The child that stood in front of him looked almost nothing like his father, with big brown eyes, a rounder face, and a soft smile that looked and felt all-too human. The only thing Kurotabou could possibly make similarities with is Rikuo's hair, which was pulled into a low ponytail at the base of his neck. Even so, Rikuo's hair was much straighter than Rihan's and was two-tone colored rather than pure black. Kurotabou hesitantly shook Rikuo's hand.
"N-Nice to meet you too, Rikuo-sama." Kurotabou said hesitantly. He stared at Rikuo a bit longer. He couldn't help but ask his next question. "Are you really Rihan's…?"
Rikuo gave a small, almost nonexistent flinch, which Kurotabou didn't miss. He mentally cursed at himself for asking such an insensitive question.
"Yeah, Nura Rihan's my dad, though we don't really look alike." Rikuo smiled awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head. "I've always taken more after Mom. She's human, so I'm technically ¾ human."
"I see. And your mother is?" Rikuo flinched again, this time bigger. Kurotabou felt horrible. He felt like he was walking around eggshells and failing horribly, breaking every single one of them.
"...She died. Three years ago." Rikuo admitted. Kurotabou winced. He was doing a terrible job at trying to be nice to Rihan's son.
"I'm sorry," Was all Kurotabou could say. Rikuo gave him a small, understanding smile.
"It's ok. You just joined us. You didn't know." Rikuo responded, which only made Kurotabou feel even more guilty. How can he call himself a protector of children if this was how bad he was at trying to get close to Rikuo? As if sensing his mood, like flipping a switch Rikuo switched to another topic.
"Hey, hey! I heard you fought Dad before? Is it true?" Rikuo asked with the eagerness a child his age should have. Kurotabou blinked.
"Y-yes. I did." Rikuo's eyes shone with admiration.
"Wow, you must be really strong then!" Rikuo looked up at Kurotabou with shining eyes. Kurotabou scratched his head.
"Not really. Your father, Rihan-sama, beat me fairly easily." That doesn't stop the look of admiration on Rikuo's face.
"But you're still alive, aren't you? That means you're really strong, since Dad's really strong!" Rikuo said eagerly. "Hey, hey! Tell me how you guys beat that Sanmoto guy! Dad already told me part of the story but I wanna hear it from someone else." Rikuo requested, smiling brightly. Kurotabou couldn't help but smile at the child's eagerness. Perhaps coming to the main house wasn't so bad after all.
The rumors were hard to miss. Kurotabou might have only been at the main house for a handful of weeks, but he had heard much more than he wanted to. He tried asking Kubinashi about it, who only sighed and shook his head.
"They've been around for a while now, since before you came. There's not much we can do though. At least the Young Master isn't affected by such false claims, no matter how bad they sound." Was Kubinashi's reply. The answer didn't satisfy Kurotabou. False claims or not, they would still certainly have some sort of effect on a child that young. Right?
"Hey, Kuro!" Rikuo called out to Kurotabou using his new nickname. "I'm gonna head into town for a bit. Wanna come with?" Even though Rikuo was asking, he knew he didn't have to. Ever since Rihan found out how well Kurotabou and his son seemed to be getting along, Kurotabou was assigned to be one of Rikuo's bodyguards. Kurotabou smiled at Rikuo.
"Of course, Rikuo-sama." Kurotabou went to the Young Master's side, who started talking about his day at school and about the new sweets shop he had heard about that just opened around the corner. Kurotabou smiled. It seems he was worrying about nothing after all; Rikuo certainly didn't seem to be affected by the vicious words said behind his back.
"Is something wrong, Kuro?" Rikuo waved his hand in front of Kurotabou's face. Kurotabou snapped out of his daze.
"Sorry Rikuo-sama. I seemed to have spaced out for a second there." Rikuo pouted.
"I'm not that boring, Kuro. Am I?" Kurotabou stumbled over his own feet.
"Of course not, Rikuo-sama!" Rikuo laughed loudly at Kurotabou's panicked expression.
"I'm just messing with you, Kuro. Don't take it too seriously. Now, come on! If we don't get there soon they'll run out of sweets!" Rikuo grabbed Kurotabou's hand and dragged him into the busy streets of Edo.
Yes, surely Rikuo would be just fine.
Kurotabou learned to appreciate Rikuo's gentle and considerate nature after a week of looking after Rihan. Or rather, a week of looking for Rihan.
Rikuo might have the habit of losing his bodyguards in the daily crowd after school, but he always found and came back to them at the end of the day.
Rihan on the other hand, was a complete and utter disaster to deal with. Like a true Nurarihyon, he slipped and disappeared from everything, everywhere. Trying to catch him was almost impossible unless he wanted to be found. According to his unfortunate bodyguards, Rihan's record was disappearing for five months straight. Kurotabou, who was only filling out for Aotabou for the week after the latter claimed he needed a much-needed break, patted Kubinashi on the shoulder in sympathy. Kubinashi gave him a weak smile before heading out onto the streets again, shouting Rihan's name.
Kurotabou sighed in relief and went back to being Rikuo's bodyguard.
"Does it bother you? That Rihan-sama is never around." Kurotabou finally mustered up the courage to ask Rikuo one day. Rikuo stopped in the middle of his kenjutsu practice.
"Sometimes," Rikuo admitted, wiping the sweat off his brow and walking over to the shade of the plum trees to take a break. "It's ok, though. Dad has more important stuff to do, expanding and strengthening the clan. I've gotten used to it." Rikuo said as he drank some water. Kurotabou frowned.
"Rihan-sama, if I may." Rihan glanced up from looking at some official documents.
"Yes, Kurotabou?" He asked. Kurotabou didn't really know how to bring this up, but if it was for Rikuo's sake…
He took a deep breath.
"Would you be considering taking a couple days off from official duty just this week?" Kurotabou blurted out. He blushed in embarrassment at the bold request, although Rihan didn't seem to think badly of it.
"What's this all of a sudden?" Rihan blinked. Kurotabou exhaled, trying to control his breathing.
"It's just-Rikuo-sama seems to miss you." Kurotabou fidgeted. "I know that you have many duties as the Second Head, but-"
"Did Rikuo request this?" Rihan interrupted, his amber eye studying Kurotabou. Kurotabou's shoulders drooped.
"N-no, Rihan-sama." Kurotabou admitted. "Rikuo-sama understands that you have many duties as the Second Head; that is why he has never mentioned anything. However, Rikuo-sama is still just a child. He still needs his father around." Kurotabou wanted to bite his tongue after saying that last bit. That was maybe a tad bit too disrespectful.
Rihan put his hand to his chin, thinking.
"Alright. I'll see what I can do. I need a break from all of this, anyway." Rihan waved at the table stacked with papers. "Thanks for the suggestion, Kuro." Rihan smiled at Kurotabou. Kurotabou bowed and excused himself out of the room, satisfied at his small victory.
True to Rihan's word, he took Rikuo out the next day and the two didn't return until three days later. Poor Kubinashi had just about lost all of his hair at the stress of having not one but two Nurarihyons missing, especially the Young Master, whose Fear still hadn't quite developed.
When the father-son duo strolled in through the front doors Rikuo was excitedly telling Rihan about some of the stories and events that happened at school and around the streets. Rihan laughed loudly at Rikuo's descriptions, and Rikuo beamed widely at his father. Rikuo caught sight of Kurotabou and sent him a look of pure gratitude.
Kurotabou smiled just as widely in return.
A year had passed since Kurotabou came to the main house and Rikuo had turned twelve, and was steadily going onto thirteen.
The rumors of Rikuo's weaknesses only became worse as Rikuo struggled to train using his Fear. His kenjutsu was unparalleled, even being able to defeat some of the upper echelons in a kenjutsu match. But for youkai, without the use of Fear a battle was essentially lost. As good as Rikuo was at kenjutsu, it wouldn't be enough for him to defend himself with if he were to come under attack from a stronger youkai.
Kurotabou already had to save Rikuo and some of his friends from assassination attempts from other clans.
Kurotabou could see how frustrated Rikuo was with himself. Rikuo tried to hide it, but Kurotabou saw the way his brows knit together and the way his jaw clenched ever so slightly when he would be unable to maintain his Fear during training. The sunshine Rikuo brought to the clan waned ever so slightly.
But Rikuo fought to maintain that ray of happiness and sunshine he brought to the clan. He still acted as if everything was normal, as if he didn't have a deadline for strengthening himself and proving his worth to the rest of the clan.
"Dad says I'm probably just a late-bloomer. Maybe once I become an adult in the youkai world I'll be able to use Fear better." Is what Rikuo always said with a shrug. He smiled through all of it. Kurotabou frowned.
"Kuro, you're frowning at me again." Rikuo said, frowning at Kurotabou. Kurotabou suddenly felt his cheeks being pinched into a forced smile by the Young Master.
"C'mon, smile!" Rikuo demanded. Kurotabou forced himself to smile awkwardly once Rikuo let go of his cheeks. Man, that hurt. Rikuo beamed at him for his effort.
"That's better!" Rikuo declared smiling, hands on his hips. "Besides, I seriously hope you aren't actually listening to the rumors, Kuro." Rikuo said. Kurotabou flinched. Rikuo sighed and bent down, working on some ropes. Kurotabou leaned over Rikuo's shoulders to watch him work.
"What is that, Rikuo-sama?" He asked. Rikuo held up his contraption with a devilish smile on his face.
"It's a trap! I'm gonna get Dad and Grandpa with this one, just watch." Rikuo claimed, a smirk on his face. For a split second, he looked exactly like Rihan and Nurarihyon when they were having fun at others' expenses. Kurotabou raised an eyebrow.
"For someone as considerate as you are, Rikuo-sama, you're being awfully childish these days." Kurotabou said flatly, remembering the pranks Rikuo pulled several days ago with some of the more annoying upper echelons. Rikuo rolled his eyes.
"Yeah? Well I've got less than a year before I officially become an adult and have to take up clan duties. Might as well be as childish as I can for the time being." Rikuo said as he finished laying out the trap. He dragged Kurotabou away and the both of them hid on the roof, waiting for Rihan and Nurarihyon.
Kurotabou's eyebrows shot into his hairline when the two Supreme Commanders screamed as they actually fell into Rikuo's trap. Rikuo laughed so hard he started wheezing, tears falling from the corners of his eyes.
"Wha-Rikuo! Get us down from here this instant!" Rihan yelled at his son on the roof. He was completely immobilized by the giant tangle of strings that held him up upside-down. Nurarihyon was in a similar predicament, his face a mixture of annoyance and grudging acknowledgement at Rikuo's ingenious. Everyone came to look and gape at the sight of the two Supreme Commanders completely helpless and struggling to get out of Rikuo's elaborate trap. Kubinashi was having a field day, finally seeing Rihan unable to slip away from him.
"HA! I finally got you two old geezers, take that!" Rikuo shouted from his place on the roof as he stood up, pointing a finger at his two predecessors.
"Rikuo! I'll get you for this!" Rihan yelled, his threat completely unconvincing. Nurarihyon muttered under his breath.
"To think that I, the great Nurarihyon, would fall for my own grandson's trap," He lamented. Rihan snorted.
"'The great Nurarihyon?' You wish, old man! There's a reason my generation is called the golden days you know!"
"Hey, I founded the clan! You got handed what I created in my glory days!" Nurarihyon yelled back at Rihan. Both of them struggled to get out of their bonds.
"Kubinashi! Get me down from here!" Rihan demanded, turning to the expert string user. Kubinashi, however, was looking at Rikuo's handiwork.
"These knots...These precise angles...Rikuo-sama, where did you learn this?!" Kubinashi turned around to face Rikuo. Rikuo gave Kubinashi a smug grin.
"Hideaki-san from the toy shop in Ginza knows a lot about decorative knots. He sometimes teaches some of us kids how to make them. I just used bits and pieces here and there to create the trap." Rikuo called down to Kubinashi, whose jaw dropped open.
"That-That's impossible! There's no way a child your age should even be able to create such a trap!" Kubinashi spluttered. Rikuo laughed loudly.
"Well, I certainly did, didn't I?" He called down again.
"Kubinashi! You're missing the point here, now get me down from this trap!" Rihan demanded again. He shot Rikuo a glare from his position. "And I'll get you for this, Rikuo! I swear it on my pride as a Nurarihyon!" Rikuo shot his father a smug smirk and stuck out his tongue.
"Gonna have to catch me first, old man! Kuro, let's go!" Rikuo laughed and whooped in delight as he grabbed Kurotabou's hand and ran for the main gates, sprinting out of the main house at full speed.
"RIKUO!" Rihan yelled. Rikuo laughed as he ran away, tears squeezing out of his eyes. Kurotabou laughed along with him as they fled from Rihan's and Nurarihyon's wrath. Rikuo would make a fine Third Head yet. Kurotabou was sure of it now.
"Say, Kurotabou. You're a youkai that protects children, right?" Rikuo asked Kurotabou, swinging his legs as the two of them sat on the porch overlooking the backyard. Tomorrow would be Rikuo's thirteenth birthday, and the main house was already preparing for the upcoming party.
"Yes? I thought you already knew that, Rikuo-sama." Kurotabou answered. Rikuo hmmed, staring up at the night sky.
"So...what happens after that?" Rikuo asked. Kurotabou tilted his head in questioning.
"I'm not sure I understand what you are trying to ask, Rikuo-sama." Kurotabou admitted. Rikuo hmmed again, continuing swinging his legs.
"...What happens after those children become adults?" Rikuo clarified after a few moments of silence. "Do you still protect them? Or do you find other children to protect?"
Kurotabou didn't know how to answer Rikuo's question. Rikuo turned to look at him with his brown eyes. Kurotabou looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Uh...Wow, I never really thought about it. I guess, if those children needed help I would help, but…"
"It's not the same as protecting children?" Rikuo finished for Kurotabou. Kurotabou nodded. It just wasn't his nature. Protecting children felt right for him; he was an embodiment of children's wishes after all. Saving adults, even if they were originally the children he protected, just...didn't have same feeling to it.
Rikuo sighed and looked back at the backyard, at the plum trees. His expression turned distant, as he remembered the day he planted the plum trees together with his mother and father. That was so many years ago now... Kurotabou stared at Rikuo, who had a much-too mature expression on his face.
"...But no matter what happens," Kurotabou started. Rikuo turned to face him again. Kurotabou looked directly in the Young Master's eyes. "You'll always be Rikuo-sama to me." Kurotabou said, giving Rikuo a small smile. Rikuo returned the smile before snorting.
"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not; to be seen as a child forever." Rikuo replied. Kurotabou huffed a laugh.
"You know that's not what I meant, Rikuo-sama." Kurotabou pushed Rikuo's shoulder playfully. Rikuo smiled.
"You've certainly gotten a lot more relaxed around the house these two years, haven't you Kurotabou?" Rikuo asked. "When you first came you were afraid of offending everyone, even accidentally." Kurotabou blinked. He certainly didn't notice until Rikuo mentioned it.
"It's all thanks to everyone in the family," replied Kurotabou. "And of course, you, Young Master." He smiled at Rikuo. Rikuo blinked.
"Me? I didn't really do anything though?" Rikuo asked, confused. Kurotabou laughed at Rikuo's expression.
"Rikuo-sama, you certainly helped a lot! You were the first one to treat me like a regular member of the family, aside from Rihan-sama. It helped a lot in the beginning, when I was still getting a hang of the ropes around here." Rikuo blinked.
"Oh," He said. "That's good, I guess. I was able to help someone in this household after all." Kurotabou frowned at the wording Rikuo used. Before he could ask, however, Rikuo stretched and let out a huge yawn.
"Ahhh...I'm tired. I should get to sleep now. Karasu Tengu's gonna make me wake up at five tomorrow, no doubt. He's always so formal about these kinds of things." Rikuo pouted. He stood up, Kurotabou following suit.
"Do you think I can have Dad tell Karasu Tengu to let me sleep in for once?" Rikuo placed his hands behind his head and walked towards his room, Kurotabou in tow.
"Rikuo-sama. Tomorrow is an important day; waking up early isn't that bad." Kurotabou pointed out. Rikuo pouted again.
"I know, but I usually wake up at around five to six anyway. Let me sleep in for once, it's my birthday tomorrow!" Rikuo protested. Kurotabou chuckled.
"I don't know, you can try asking Rihan-sama if you really want to I suppose." Kurotabou replied. Rikuo nodded.
"Yeah, I'll try that. Thanks for the suggestion." Rikuo nodded his head at Kurotabou. "You should get some sleep too, Kuro. Tomorrow's gonna be really busy, even for youkai." Kurotabou nodded, and turned to leave.
"Oh, and Kuro?" Rikuo called out after Kurotabou.
"Yes, Rikuo-sama?"
"...Thanks." Rikuo said softly, a small smile on his face. "For everything these two years." Kurotabou blinked.
"Well, I'm gonna go find Dad and tell him I'm gonna sleep in tomorrow. Night, Kuro." Rikuo announced and turned to find Rihan.
Kurotabou stood in the same place for several moments. That smile Rikuo gave him...it was wrong. Wasn't Rikuo supposed to be happy? Why did he look sad? And the wording he used… Kurotabou thought about chasing after Rikuo to ask what he meant, but Rikuo had already disappeared into the many hallways of the main house.
It's fine. Kurotabou would just ask him tomorrow morning, after Rikuo woke up.
Kurotabou turned and walked back to his own quarters.
Rikuo slept in the next day, like he said he would. It was certainly unusual, but a brief explanation from Karasu Tengu cleared up the confusion pretty quick. Kurotabou didn't think much of it, and he busied himself with helping with preparations. He was, however, starting to worry when Rikuo still didn't wake up near noon.
"I'll go call him." Rihan said. Kurotabou nodded as Rihan went to go wake his son up. Kurotabou hadn't forgotten about what Rikuo had said yesterday. He'll have to ask Rikuo about it when Rihan woke him up.
Rihan burst out of Rikuo's room and into the backyard.
"Wh-Wait, what's going on Rihan?" Nurarihyon asked at his son's sudden outburst. Rihan paused for less than half a second to slap a piece of paper into Nurarihyon's hands and vaulted over the wall, running out of the main house with a speed Kurotabou had never seen before.
"Rihan!" Kubinashi shrieked, running after his master.
Nurarihyon glanced at the paper Rihan had slapped into his hands. Before Kurotabou could react, Nurarihyon's face turned dark. He stuffed the paper into his kimono as he too, jumped out of the backyard, sprinting after Rihan.
The whole yard went into a frenzy.
"What's going on?! Why did the two Supreme Commanders rush out like that?"
"I don't know! And where's Rikuo-sama?"
"You don't think...Did someone kidnap Rikuo-sama?!"
Kurotabou whipped his head around at the last comment. It couldn't be.
He sprinted out of the main house.
"Rihan! Nurarihyon-sama!" Kubinashi yelled. Kurotabou met up with him after he ran out of the house. Kubinashi had lost track of Rihan earlier, and they teamed up to try and find the ever-elusive Nurarihyons.
"Kubinashi! Kurotabou!" Rihan's voice called out to them. They turned around as Rihan dropped down from a roof in front of them, his hair even more wild and messy than usual. Rihan was panting slightly, meaning he was probably running all around Edo non-stop.
"Second! What happened? Did something happen to Rikuo-sama?" Kubinashi asked hurriedly. Rihan looked conflicted. He didn't look at either of them in the eye.
"I-" Rihan's eyes were wide, as if he were having an anxiety attack. Rihan's eyes flicked back and forth. His face was even paler than usual, a thin layer of sweat stuck to his skin. Something was definitely wrong.
"Rihan-sama, what happened to Rikuo-sama?" Kurotabou asked again, his tone urgent.
"I-" Rihan started again. He swallowed harshly.
"He-he fled. The Nura Gumi." Rihan finally managed to say. Kurotabou's eyes widened.
"What?! Why?!" Kubinashi yelled, attracting the attention of some passersby. Kurotabou could only stare at Rihan in shock.
Rihan waved Kubinashi's question off.
"There's no time for that! From the looks of things, he left last night. I need your guys' help." Rihan pleaded. "Where do you think Rikuo would most likely head towards? You two were always the closest to Rikuo, especially you, Kuro."
Kubinashi stammered. "I-I-I don't know!" Kubinashi yelled, flailing his arms. Rihan turned to Kurotabou desperately.
Anger bubbled inside Kurotabou. He wanted to punch Rihan in the face. Rikuo was his son for crying out loud! Rihan should know better than anyone where Rikuo would most likely go. If Rihan hadn't spent all his time outside the house gallivanting off to do who-knows-what and ignoring his only son-
"Kuro!" Rihan demanded, his voice hoarse. It was then that Kurotabou registered Rihan's brokenhearted expression. Kurotabou swallowed his anger for now.
"You're all idiots," Kurotabou nearly seethed. "Of course Rikuo-sama would head towards-" Kurotabou stuttered at the end, his mind drawing a blank. "Towards-" His eyes widened as he opened and closed his mouth like a gaping fish. His anger disappeared and turned into growing horror.
"I-I-" Impossible.
"He would-He'd-" No.
Kurotabou refused to believe this.
"I-I don't know…"
Kurotabou didn't know. How could he not know? Surely, he and Rikuo were close...weren't they? Did he really not know Rikuo at all?
If possible, Rihan's expression broke even more.
"Spread out. Try to cover as much area as possible. Rikuo left yesterday night so he couldn't have gotten too far. Send a messenger if you guys find anything, I'll head up north." Rihan commanded hastily. He didn't even stop to let them reply before taking off.
"I'll take west. Kuro, you take east." Kubinashi ordered. Kurotabou barely had time to nod before Kubinashi sprinted off. Kurotabou paused for half a second to shake off the growing anxiety in his chest. He ran.
It had been two weeks since Rikuo ran away. Nurarihyon and Rihan had gathered only the most trusted members of the clan to show them Rikuo's letter. Kurotabou was able to attend only because he was considered Rikuo's most trusted.
But did Rikuo really trust him at all?
Rikuo's letter lamented his own shortcomings. Kurotabou's heart broke at the way Rikuo described his own "uselessness." He wanted to laugh.
How could he not have noticed?
Except he did, didn't he? He saw all the signs of Rikuo's suffering. He saw how Rikuo struggled to balance his human and youkai life. He saw how Rikuo missed having a father figure around, how lonely he was without his father or mother around. He saw how Rikuo hated himself for his own failures at controlling Fear. He saw Rikuo hurt when the rumors became more and more vicious.
He was naive.
He saw all the signs and yet still pushed them to the back of his mind. All because Rikuo smiled. Kurotabou should have noticed. He failed Rikuo. As both a protector of children, and as Rikuo's...friend.
Kurotabou looked at Rihan. He couldn't imagine how much Rihan was suffering right now.
Rihan had his fists clenched, his mouth drawn into a tight line. His eyes burned holes into the tatami mat. What did it feel like? Kurotabou wondered. To be a father and not understand his own son at all. To have his own son run away from him because he felt that Rihan was so disappointed in him, that Rihan would rather have someone else be his son.
Kurotabou clenched his own fists. He would find Rikuo. He swore it on his duty as Rikuo's friend.
Two years passed by quickly with still no signs of Rikuo or his whereabouts. There were certainly rumors, but many of them contradicted each other, and no concrete conclusion about Rikuo's position could be made. Rihan couldn't leave the area, as the leader of the Kantou region, but that didn't mean he couldn't ask his subordinates to help out.
That didn't mean everyone did help, however. Kurotabou saw. He saw how some of the upper echelons actually preferred Rikuo gone. Some more so than others, but even the most level headed ones had to admit that Rikuo's disappearance meant one less weakness for the Nura Gumi.
Rihan heard them too. Kurotabou knew that. But Rihan was strong, unlike Rikuo. He still handled all clan affairs and commanded the troops when they had to defend the territory from invasions from other clans. He handled all of the duties that came with being the Second Head and managed to find time to go search for Rikuo.
Kurotabou wondered how long Rihan could keep doing this.
By the fifth year, many of the youkai at the main house had given up. Kurotabou, Kubinashi, Setsura, and a couple other extremely loyal ones kept searching, their hopes of finding the Young Master diminishing with every passing day. The rumors diminished in number as the years passed, giving way to newer, more exciting rumors.
Rihan still couldn't leave, but he used his position as the leader of Kantou to ask for information from the heads of other regions.
Rikuo's exact reasons for leaving the clan were still kept a classified secret, even to most of the clan. Only some of the upper echelons knew why he left. The number of people who knew of and read Rikuo's letter was less than ten. It wouldn't do well for such rumors to spread out across Japan, especially with the Nura Gumi in its golden era. Rumors within the clan were suppressed as Rihan ruled with an iron fist, daring anyone to bad mouth him or his son.
The sensitive subject of Rikuo was avoided at all costs.
Kurotabou wasn't sure if this was a good thing.
Surprisingly, Kubinashi was the first one to break out of all of the devoted youkai.
Twenty-three years had passed since Rikuo disappeared. Kubinashi broke down and went into a rampage, disappearing into town and drinking and starting fights over the smallest of things. Only Kejoro was able to get him to calm down. Kubinashi sobbed drunkenly on Kejoro's shoulder.
With Kubinashi broken, Kejoro broke too; the two were always a pair, even when they first came to the Nura Gumi. They didn't dare look at Rihan in the eyes. A part of Rihan wanted to scream, but he understood.
Kurotabou wondered how long it will be before he himself broke, too.
The answer was fifty-seven years. Kurotabou hated himself. It had been more than half a century and still they couldn't find anything about Rikuo.
It was a logical conclusion to come to. Kurotabou tried to convince himself. The average human lifespan was about 50. Although Rikuo did have a quarter youkai blood in him, he had always felt too human. He aged like one too. It wouldn't be unreasonable to think that Rikuo could have died of old age out in the world. If Rikuo had managed to survive, he would have been seventy this year.
Kurotabou knew he was making excuses to himself, but even he had his limits. He couldn't look at Rihan in the eye anymore.
By the hundredth and thirty-eighth year, rumors had become nonexistent. The close aides who had searched so desperately for Rikuo had all broken.
Kurotabou walked into the bar and slid to the booth at the corner of the room. Kubinashi was already there, drinking with Kejoro. He handed Kurotabou the bottle when he saw him. Kurotabou opened it and took a large swig.
It became a custom of some sorts for these close aides. It started when Kurotabou found Kubinashi drinking here on the day of Rikuo's birthday, forty-five years after Rikuo disappeared. Kurotabou had joined him in silence that time, neither of them saying a thing until morning, simply drinking and trying to forget what had happened. Kejoro found out a couple years later. And then Aotabou. And then everyone else somehow knew of it and it became tradition for them to drink here at this bar on the day of Rikuo's birthday. Even Rihan joined in, although he was the only one of them who still remained adamant that Rikuo was still alive.
Kurotabou prayed that Rihan's fatherly instincts were right.
Another eighty-four years passed when Rihan suddenly didn't show up for their annual tradition.
When Rihan finally stumbled into their booth three hours late, he was already completely smashed, his face red and his words completely incomprehensible.
The aides didn't say anything when Rihan grabbed the nearest strongest liquor and started drowning himself in it.
Rihan had finally broke.
They didn't continue the tradition anymore after that.
It would be another hundred years before Rihan finally went out and found another woman who could heal his heart. Yamabuki Otome was a graceful and beautiful ayakashi, her soft eyes and personality bringing a sense of calm to the clan. According to Kubinashi, she was greatly different from the tomboyish Wakana-sama, whom Kurotabou never had the chance to meet.
Kurotabou flash backed to the first conversation he ever had with Rikuo.
"I've always taken more after Mom."
Yamabuki-san would never be Wakana, and her child would never be Rikuo, but maybe...maybe it was enough.
Another twenty years passed before Rihan and Yamabuki finally decided to tie the knot. The clan rejoiced for their Second Head, who had finally healed and found happiness again. Nurarihyon smiled in relief; his son had finally found someone who could heal him.
The wedding was lively, music and dances continued on for days as well as the food and sake supply. The Nura Gumi had finally returned to its former self, along with the Second Head.
Kurotabou smiled. The Nura Gumi would continue to prosper for years to come, he was sure of it.
Though Rihan had stepped out of his shell and finally found love and married again, that didn't mean he was completely healed. It took another eighteen years for the Second to finally have the courage to produce another heir.
When Nura Rikun was born, the clan partied like there was no tomorrow. A familiar feeling bubbled up in Kurotabou's chest as he stared down at the baby: that instinctive, child-protecting nature of his that he was created from. He would protect Rikun with everything he had.
...He owed at least this much to Rikuo.
Kurotabou had initially thought Rikun would be like Rikuo. Oh, how wrong he was.
Rikun took after Rihan so much that Kubinashi lamented at having a mini-Rihan to look after. Rikun was brash, confident, smug. His lazy attitude was definitely picked up from Rihan, and he loved playing pranks on everyone in the house.
Rikun's Fear control was also starting to show, only at age four. A stark difference to Rikuo, who could barely maintain Hatsu at age thirteen.
Kurotabou sighed as another shriek came from the backyard, followed by Rikun's laughter. No doubt he had pranked another poor servant. Rikun shrieked with delight as he ran past Kurotabou, only to collide with Rihan's legs.
"Dad!" Rikun called out happily, raising his arms. Rihan chuckled and picked Rikun up, who wasted no time swinging his legs around Rihan's neck. He pointed to the backyard, ordering Rihan to take him around the house on his shoulders. Rihan complied with a small laugh.
Kurotabou noticed how Rihan made every effort to spend time with Rikun. He was still busy a lot of the time, but he would always find time for Rikun, telling him stories of his glory days back in the Edo period or taking him around Tokyo or just playing with him around the house.
Kurotabou also saw the way Rihan would look at Rikun sometimes when Rikun wasn't looking. Rihan's eyes would soften and become longing. His smile would disappear and he would dip his head in thought. Try as he might, there was no way Rihan could just forget about his first wife and son.
Kurotabou was the same. He couldn't just forget about Rikuo, the way the child brought smiles and happiness to those around him. He couldn't forget about the child who helped him fit into the family he had now.
Kurotabou looked at the winter sky, tilting his bamboo hat. Rikuo and Wakana were still highly sensitive subjects within the clan. No one talked about them. Newer members never even knew of them. And with the birth of Rikun, Rikuo's memory faded to make way for the new heir.
The plum blossoms scattered around them with a gentle breeze, their owners forgotten. Soon, the sakura blossoms would bloom, and the ume would once again be forgotten within the cold memories of winter.
But Kurotabou would never forget. Rihan would never forget. Kubinashi and the other devoted youkai would never forget. They made a silent vow to keep Rikuo's memory alive, no matter how small, how long ago it was.
It was their duty, as those who remembered.
Sorry not sorry.
I'm so mean towards Rikuo ;^;
It's ok though! He'll have a happy e̶n̶o̶u̶g̶h̶ ending by the end of this story!
Next up will be a short story on Rihan's thoughts while recovering from the fatal blow.
And then probably a happy short story on the New Year's party in the Nura Gumi before moving on with the Hyakumonogatari Arc.
Please Read and Review! Thanks!