"Don't stay out too late, alright? Come back before sunset – we have to eat dinner then."

Yao called out to Kiku as the boy put on his sandals to head out into the backyard forest. Little Yong-Soo slept on a straw mat in the afternoon sun as Yao wrote his letters to various officials and princes. Kiku turned around to give a final greeting,

"Yes, 哥哥！– I'll be back soon! Don't worry!"

And he slid the door closed before hopping off along the garden path – crossing a bridge and unlocking the gate before walking into the forest with a bit of reverence. He took a deep breath before continuing his footsteps – he remembered the path that he and his brother used to take before they found Yong-Soo. They went on walks together and sat in a clearing, dotted with wild flowers. With that picture in mind, he smiled and look around for the path that they used to walk.

Yao was feeding Yong-Soo when he realised that the sky got darker. He checked the time – it was certainly not past sunset. Was there an unprecedented storm? Yao didn't think the earlier wind would bring much – it didn't seem too humid. He lifted the baby into his arms and walked over to the back door, sliding the door open – the sky was darkening fast, and he saw low, looming clouds flashing with lightning. He had only one thought.

Kiku.

The boy was not having a fun time. In fact, he was lost. hopelessly lost. It didn't help that the trees and bamboo looked all the same everywhere he went, and that the sky seemed to get darker with every minute, and that heavy droplets started to fall from the sky. He clung onto a tree, panting with exhaustion. His legs ached – how long had he been wandering, walking, running, crying out to his brother that was too far away to hear? It was a wonder that he did not encounter a dangerous animal yet.

Suddenly, he heard a rustle behind him, and he felt his breath hitch in nervousness. The sounds seemed to get closer and closer. Kiku sprinted off, runing in whatever direction seemed to be the fastest. He leapt over streams and roots on the ground and ducked past low branches, slipping through the muddy ground and scratching his arms on bushes, ripping his robes – and tripped on a rock, landing face first into a muddy puddle. He lifted himself up with his hands, struggling to get back onto his feet when arms caught him around his waist, shouting something, while Kiku panicked and struggled.

Yao left Yong-Soo with a nearby villager before setting off into the forest himself to look for Kiku. It didn't help that the rain seemed to wipe away any pervious footsteps that might have given him a clue. He called out Kiku's name a few times as he traced his usual path swiftly. The rain started to seep into his clothing by the time he reached the clearing, but Kiku wasn't there. Frustrated, he furrowed his brow and headed back to onto the path – calling out Kiku's name a once in a while as he slowly traced the route.

He cought a hint of blue – that was Kiku's usual clothing – the one that he wore this morning. Was that him? Yao took a few steps forward and sw Kiku run off in the other direction. Quickly, Yao ran after the boy – branches scratching his face and as he tried to catch up. He was faster that Yao gave him credit for. When the Kiku fell, Yao let out a shout before quickly helping the boy out f the puddle, trying to calm him down, as the boy continued to flail in his arms.

"Kiku, calm down. Kiku, please, it's just me. Kiku – Kiku!"

He held tight onto the boy until Kiku slowed his panicking and started to cry. Yao hushed him, rubbing his back and kissing his muddied head. He was safe. Kiku looked up with a frightened expression.

"哥哥 — is that you?"

"Yes, it is. Shhh, don't cry – I'll get us home, and everything will be alright."

Once Yao knew the baby was sound asleep, he walked back into the bathroom, where Kiku had been taking his time to wash off the mud without hurting his scratches too much. Bending down, Yao rolled up his sleeves, wet his hands and rubbed a bit of soap, laced with gleditsia, on his fingers before starting to wash Kiku's hair. Kiku looked up at his brother, smiling a little bit before curling up in the tub.

"Thank you for finding me, 哥哥 –"

Yao kissed the boy's forehead and looked down with a small smile.

"As long as you're safe."