"Kaori-sama, you really came!" the overweight middle-aged man smiled when she came close. She had just arrived to the rice's seller's house. It was the celebration of his only daughter's wedding. The skies were clear and the front garden of the humble house was filled with the first blooms of the new spring. A small band was playing near and everyone was happy.
"Thank you so much for inviting me." She replied gently. The young lady was wearing a bright red furisode filled with white flowers and her hair was tight on a ponytail.
"Daughter, come here!" he called the bride and she came close, shyly. It was a beautiful young woman with dark hair and kind eyes.
"It is an honor to have you here today, Kaori-sama." She made a reverence.
"I came to wish you happiness and health to your children when they come." She placed a small bag of golden coins on the bride's hand. "I hope this small gift can be at use."
"Oh!" her father got nervous. "Kaori-sama, you shouldn't mind! It's too much, we can't accept and…"
"Please, do." She smiled gently. "I will be heartbroken otherwise."
They were unable to protest anymore.
Kaori was under a big tree, watching the party, when Shuichirou got close, standing side by side with her.
"Nice party, right?" she was surprised for a moment. The green looked kindly at her and she averted her eyes, embarrassed.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was invited, as well. His younger child is my student at school." He pointed at the little boy with dark hair running around with other children. Since Shuichirou left Muramasa's army, he started to teach at the local school.
"I see." Her expression softened.
"I missed you." he held her hand, discretely and came a little closer to her side. Oishi didn't see her for a week now. They were in good terms after the mermaid escaped and Kaori would visit him every night, but since he proposed, she stopped going to his house. "Are you avoiding me?"
"I am sorry." She confessed. "It is just… I did not know what to do; I did not want to keep you waiting for me."
"You do not have to worry about that, Kaori." He stood in front of her and looked at her seriously. "I did not say that to pressure you. I just needed you to know my feelings did not change. I do not want you only on my bed. I want to do things properly. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives. So, no matter what kind of response you are going to give me, even if you turn me down, I..."
"I will not do that!" she said, sincerely and Shuichirou smiled. She blushed profusely after realizing her words and looked down. "I did not plan to reject you at all."
"Kaori." He got even closer and she held her breath. The pink eyes were filled with nothing by him. "Can you say it properly then? Please?"
"I…" her delicate fingers squeezed his. "I will marry you, Shuichirou. I want to be your wife."
His forehead was against hers and he smiled, happily.
"Thank you."
She smiled back at him.
Suddenly, the music stopped and it called their attention back to the party.
"Ren." Kaori's pink eyes were wide in surprise. Her brother was there, with a smile on his face and with 10 guards. He came down from his horse and looked around the party.
"Well, well, what a shame. Such a lovely celebration and Muramasa's lord was not invited."
All the guests and the bride's family were extremely uncomfortable with the situation.
Before Shuichirou could do something, Kaori left his side and appeared in front of his brother, wishing to avoid a scene.
"What are you doing here?" she asked with clenched teeth.
"What are you saying? I do not need permission to do anything on my state."
"You are drunk, Ren." She grabbed his arm and pulled him close, able to smell the sake on his breath. "Go home. You were not invited here."
"Watch your tongue, dear sister." He released himself from her and looked at his twin with an annoyed expression. "You cannot tell me what to do."
"We don't want you here!" the father of the bride said, bravely. "No one here likes you!"
The young lord looked at the rice seller for a moment, before he started laughing.
"You got some nerve, fat man." He got close, looking at him from above. "I could kill you for that."
"Please, don't!" the bride ran to her father's and stood in front of him with opened arms. She looked at Ren with brave eyes, but he noticed her whole body was trembling.
Her husband tried to intervene, but Ren snapped his fingers and the guards pointed spears to everyone around him, including his sister.
"So, you are the lovely bride." His hand touched the girl's face, his thumb caressing her lips. "You are cute. Are you a virgin?"
"Ren, stop it!" Kaori tried to stop him but a guard was in front of her.
"Stop it, you bastard!" her husband also tried to act, but another guard placed the spear near his neck.
"Are you sure you want this fool to be your first one?" he whispered on her ear and a small tear ran on the girl's face. "What if I do it for you? I guarantee you would like that."
"If you touch my daughter, I will kill you!"
Ren smiled wickedly at the rice seller's words.
"Oh, really?" he embraced the young bride from her back. "What do you think if I not only take your daughter's virginity, but from all the brides in Muramasa from now on? Would that be enough for your insolence?!"
His smiled died when he felt the spear sharp tip on the back of his neck. Looking with the corner of his eye, his handsome semblance was taken by anger when realizing his sister was the one threatening him. She had pulled from one of the guards in a fast move.
"Kaori."
"I will not let you hurt anyone anymore, Ren." She pressed the spear deeper. "Let her go and leave this place."
"Or else? Are you going to kill your own brother? Are you against your own brother because of some insignificant bitch?!"
"The way you behave is disgraceful, Ren." she said, seriously. "I will marry Shuichirou soon, I am also going to be a bride. Are you going to rape me too?!"
Ren turned around in a flash and grabbed Kaori's arm, tossing her to the floor while twisting her hand. The spear was just a few centimeters away from her forehead and Shuichirou froze on his spot.
"I can always arrange someone to do it, Nee-sama. Do not doubt me."
"Do not call me sister anymore." The pink eyes narrow. "I am done with you."
The Muramasa's lord released her and started to distance himself back to his horse, without saying anything else. All the happiness of the wedding celebration died immediately and Kaori felt horrible and useless when the bride started to cry on her special day, being comforted by her family and her brand new husband. The only thing she could do was apologize, deeply, for her brother's cruel behavior.
###########
Ryoma sat down on the sand, after putting a small lantern by his side. He also had a bowl of vegetable soup on his hand and started to eat, his golden eyes never leaving the waves.
A week had passed since Sakuno had left and he would wait for her every day. First, he would call her name, running around next to the waves, hoping she would return to him once again, but it was in vain. Absolute, heartbreaking silence was his only response.
Ryoma finished to eat and took a deep breath. The night breeze blew his dark hair softly and he held himself inside of the heavy coat he was wearing. Winter had finished for good, but it was still a little chilly at nights. Or, perhaps, he was just missing Sakuno's warmth.
His last days were extremely long and his heart was heavy. Food had no taste and sleeping was hard. The small house seemed so vast. He missed her. Ryoma missed Sakuno's smiles and the sweet scent of her hair when she slept holding his body close. He wanted to hear, once again, her gentle "good morning" at the beggining of each day.
He wished to see her so badly. He wanted to apologize for making her cry and hug her tightly.
Ryoma stood up and shouted her name into the darkness one more time. It was a very long call and he was breathless.
He lowered his head, before turning around, collecting the lantern and the small bowl and going to his empty home. The young man remembered Sakuno's soft touch on his face, before saying she loved him. He remembered her tears and he felt extremely stupid and unworthy.
Even if she was mistaken with her words, on those days filled her absence, Ryoma was absolutely certain that the mermaid was not the only one who had fallen in love.