Akyuu "..." Shuffle, shuffle

Kosuzu "..." Flip

They were in a room of the Hieda mansion within the human village. It was Akyuu's private study and work room. Within this room Akyuu stored her records of daily events, youkai danger levels, human friendliness levels, etc. The bookcases inside of the room were packed with those records.

Kosuzu was helping Akyuu to sort and file the writings that she had yet to store. When the rental library back home was closed she would come to help like this. Akyuu was unable to read the writings of the youkai from long ago, so Kosuzu would read them aloud for her so she could write them down into her own records. They were currently in the middle of this process.

The clock on the wall began to chime softly.

Akyuu "Three already. Let's take a break."

Kosuzu "Sounds good."

Kosuzu stood up and stretched.

Akyuu "Phew. Thanks for helping me out again today. I know you have enough to do at the store already."

Akyuu seemed to feel guilty about needing the other girl's help.

Kosuzu "It's fine."

Kosuzu smiled cheerfully without a trace of annoyance or resentment.

But having just worked for about three hours straight, now that they were finally taking a break the fatigue that had built up during that time hit them all at once.

Akyuu "I'm feeling a bit hungry from all that work. I'll have a servant bring us some tea and snacks."

Kosuzu "Are you sure?"

Akyuu "I'd feel guilty if I didn't offer you at least this."

Akyuu rang a small bell with a sharp jingle and the door slid open as a servant entered. Akyuu asked for tea and snacks, to which the servant bowed and departed once more through the sliding door.

Kosuzu seemed to be surprised at the cool and collected expression and tone Akyuu used when addressing her servant.

Kosuzu "Hmm~? So that's what you're like at home?"

Akyuu "Surprising?"

Kosuzu "Yeah."

Her reply was immediate.

Akyuu "Let's put that aside for now. How about we have a chat while we take our break?"

Kosuzu "About what?"

Akyuu "Hmm, how about this?"

She lifted her left hand to show the ring on her finger.

Kosuzu "Ah, that."

Kosuzu had a matching ring on her finger as well. Both the same silver metal. The only difference was the engraving that each bore: Akyuu had a scroll and Kosuzu had a book.

Yes, both girls were already married at their young age. And to the same man - Rinnosuke.

After what had happened they had exchanged vows and married. Of course both of their households had been shocked by this chain of events, but between both girls consenting and refusing to take no for an answer, their families had eventually accepted.

With both girls having yet to have their first periods, neither of them was pregnant.

Akyuu "What do you think, Kosuzu?"

The first to speak was Akyuu.

Kosuzu "What do you mean?"

Akyuu "About having married him. Rinnosuke."

Kosuzu "Mmm~ Sorry to flip the question, but what do you think, Akyuu?"

Akyuu "Me?"

Kosuzu "Mhm."

Akyuu looked up at the ceiling as she pondered her response.

Akyuu "Well I don't feel bad."

Was all she said.

Kosuzu "I see."

Akyuu "The truth is, and this is just between us, I actually had several candidates for marriage. To help find the best genes for my next rebirth."

Kosuzu "Oh? I had no idea. I guess that's normal for a family like yours."

Kosuzu seemed excited at the news of her friend having suitors to pick from, but Akyuu's expression was pained as she let out a sigh.

Akyuu "It's not so great as you think. In reality it's just a bunch of men trying to become part of the Hieda family so they can live the easy life and gain access to our money. Or men trying to gain access to my power."

Kosuzu "S-Seriously?"

Akyuu "Seriously."

She stood up and opened one of the side doors. She searched around inside for a few moments before pulling out a scroll. Unlike the other scrolls, this one was quite thick.

Kosuzu was shocked at what she found upon opening it.

Kosuzu "Uwaa, so many names..."

The scroll was filled with the names of Akyuu's potential partners. The sons of wealthy families or skilled craftsmen - many of the names were unfamiliar to Kosuzu - but as she looked she was unable to find any that looked good.

Just about every single one of them was a good-for-nothing who had only inherited wealth or fame from their parents. The parents of such sons had no idea what to do with their lazy, useless offspring. Marrying their sons to Akyuu just seemed to be an easy way for them to be rid of a troublesome child.

Not only would a marriage to Akyuu rid them of their problem, but they'd also become bound to the Hieda family and gain standing. Such a marriage would bring great fortune to them, but for Akyuu it would cause nothing but trouble. It was clear that Akyuu had suffered a great deal in handling the issue of her marriage.

Having to meet them each time and figure out that her potential marriage partner was just going to be a burden she was taking from his family - a burden she might be stuck dealing with even in her next life - made Akyuu feel as though a hole would open in her stomach. She felt as if these constant pressures on top of her work would eventually be too much and crush her. But she couldn't just refuse them outright, so she had been stuck to play the game and stall them out while trying to maintain cordial relations.

Akyuu "It was during all of that... that Rinnosuke came, and..."

Akyuu began to fidget awkwardly.

Kosuzu "And you fell for him?"

Akyuu "Guh."

Akyuu's face turned red at Kosuzu's words.

Akyuu "Th-That's right."

Kosuzu "Well I don't have any room to talk."

Kosuzu looked embarrassed too as she awkwardly scratched her head. She had been aware of Rinnosuke just as Akyuu had.

And then that night at the Moriya Shrine they had all been freed to act on the desires they didn't understand.

Akyuu "It's not like we really made a decision for all of that to happen, but because it did I was finally able to cut free from all of this."

Kosuzu "Cut free? Because of that?"

Kosuzu seemed confused.

Akyuu "I turned all of them away. I was able to say that I was engaged to Rinnosuke, which gave me the reason I needed to tell everyone else no. When they saw the ring on my finger they had no choice but to give up. Who knows how many others that had yet to approach me will also be kept away now."

Kosuzu "So you used him. Rinnosuke."

Akyuu "Just being practical."

Akyuu seemed proud of herself.

Kosuzu "But this doesn't change that you're marrying a person you don't love, right?"

Akyuu "I wouldn't say that."

Akyuu's reply was immediate.

Akyuu "Putting aside whether or not I love him, I certainly don't dislike Rinnosuke. I never have, not since I first met him."

Kosuzu "Really? This is the first time I've heard of that."

Akyuu "Because I never told anyone. I didn't think I would ever need to. Aren't you the same?"

Kosuzu "Oh, so you did realize."

Akyuu "Vaguely. Any time we were in Rinnosuke's shop your eyes would wander back to him. I had a feeling that might be why."

Kosuzu "Yeah. He looks cooler than the men in the village, he reads, he's smart, and most importantly he treasures books. At first I just felt a bit interested in him, but before I knew it I liked him and I'd spend more time looking at him than looking at the stuff he was selling in the store."

Rinnosuke is not human. They had both understood that, though they had not known it. Nobody had told them, and it wasn't obvious in any way by looking at Rinnosuke. Based entirely on appearance Rinnosuke seemed to be a normal young human man. Unlike Reimu and the others, Akyuu and Kosuzu had no powers that enabled them to feel the mystical energy that his youkai half gave him.

However they had both felt that he was different from any other person. At first that had been all there was to it. It had began slowly enough - just greetings exhanged in passing.

But then when something would happen that placed them alone together they would begin to talk. Chatting about beloved books while checking out from the store, or running into each other at a restaurant and sharing a table to discuss a history book, or any number of other small events that turned into drawn out conversations. These conversations are what lead to the distance closing over time.

Neither girl had regrets. Rinnosuke was far superior to marrying some random man. In fact they were glad to have married him. But even if some other man were to appear who was superior to Rinnosuke in every way - appearance, personality, wealth - they would both still choose Rinnosuke.

They had no proof.

They had no guarantee.

But they were certain.

Neither of them knew why. Just...

Kosuzu "So what if you have a baby?"

Akyuu "Hm, yeah..."

In the eyes of the two young women shined a bright future.