Sayuri's temple, evening
The end of another day.
Much like every other evening, Renka and Hanabi are cleaning up the courtyard in front of the temple.
But this daily routine is far from what it used to be.
The temple is surrounded by a forest and isn't far off from a small town either.
Not even a month ago, the temple was surrounded by signs of life. The beating of a bird's flight. Canopies rustling under a gentle breeze. Even a distant rumbling of a car's engine, heard in the temple only thanks to their acute senses as shinobi.
Now, they heard nothing. The air was still and morose. Not a single sign of life, human or not, was carried through to the temple. It was as if, after months of unceasing disasters, the world was falling into a coma.
It wasn't just the outside of the temple either, the inside also felt empty. With Kafuru often leaving, Sayuri kept busy outside and Kagura had her own business with Naraku against Yōma. It's not like they don't understand why they're not there, but they couldn't deny the sour mood it gave them either.
And tonight, the sisters feel something else looming over them.
Anxiety.
For they've learned what Kafuru actually does outside the temple and they must reach an understanding with her regarding it.
But, even as her older sisters, they've never considered how to handle such a situation. Even if they refuse to actually say it out loud, they didn't expect Kafuru to actually be dating someone, even less for her to have a pleasant attitude toward anyone.
"Renka…" Hanabi says in a hushed voice.
"Yeah?" Renka says back, in an even quieter murmur.
"..."
Hanabi is reluctant to speak further.
But she needs to express herself…
"Why must everything be so complicated? I… I don't understand anything, I hate this…" Hanabi says, her voice rising more and more as she brushed the ground more and more fiercely.
Renka is stunned, failing to find anything to say back.
Should she explain? Ignore her? Tell her to focus on their duty?
She doesn't know…
But, as the oldest sister, she must carry her younger sibling no matter what.
"I don't know, but don't worry. I'll deal with the complicated things. Just believe in me, Hanabi." Renka says in a motherly tone of voice.
Hanabi stopped brushing after hearing her sister's words. She took a huge breath and resumed brushing the ground.
"Thank you, Renka." She says in a calm voice.
Renka smiles in return.
"Still working?" A childish voice asks.
Both Renka and Hanabi quickly turn around.
It's Kafuru, with a confused grimace on her face.
"Eh? What's up with you? Gave you a fright? How pitiful…" Kafuru says with scorn.
But neither Renka or Hanabi react…
They remain silent and serious.
And this is unusual enough to gives Kafuru a bad feeling.
"Wait, did something… Happen?" Kafuru asks worriedly.
"Kafuru…" Renka began speaking wistfully.
"Yes?" Kafuru asks, suddenly getting worried.
"Why didn't you tell us about your boyfriend?"
Kafuru froze.
That's the last thing she wanted them to ask her.
She did her best hiding her relationship from her siblings, but a part of her always knew it couldn't last forever.
But, as the shock passed, another feeling came upon her.
Shame.
Yes, why did she hide it from her own sisters?
It's normal to not tell your family everything about your private life, but she has no real reason not to tell them either.
So why?
"Sorry, it's just… I didn't know how to tell you…" Kafuru mumbles.
Renka immediately understands it's just an excuse.
But before she could insist more…
"Oh? Okay then!" Hanabi shouts.
"Eh?!" Both Renka and Kafuru spat.
"What? She didn't know how to tell us, but now we know! Everything's alright, yeah?" She asks in a candid voice.
First, her sisters were exhausted by what they think was another show of Hanabi's free mind attitude.
However…
When they think about it a little more, they realize something's hidden behind this blunt statement.
"Y-Yeah, I can't wait to meet your boyfriend! What's his name, again?" Renka asks, faking a joyful voice.
"I haven't told you yet, you dummy… His name is Kenichiro." Kafuru answers, tired yet happy.
"I see! How'd you two met?" Renka asks, still keeping up fake joy in her tone.
"Well…" Kafuru stammers, her face going aflush.
She falls quiet for an extended moment before finally recounting the tale.
"So, I went to a popsicle store I heard about. I was waiting for my turn and he was right in front of me… He ordered a flavor I find disgusting. I told him. He got pissed off. We started arguing and…"
Kafuru pauses again.
Her older sisters are both captivated, their insistent gazes made Kafuru even more uncomfortable.
"We made, like too much noise, so, the manager told me to get out. Kenichiro felt bad for me though so, he purchased a popsicle of my favorite flavor to apologize and… Well, we ate together, we introduced ourselves, we exchanged our numbers since we were getting along. He then asked me to go out with him, which I accepted…" Kafuru explains.
First, she doesn't get any reaction from her sisters, who were still gazing at her with confusion.
"Pff…"
And then, they burst out laughing.
Renka is holding her ribs while Hanabi falls to the ground. Their faces are both turning red.
Kafuru's face is turning red too, but for a very different reason.
"Eh?! Why are you laughing?!" Kafuru shouts
"Sorry! It's just… AHAHAHAH!" Hanabi starts without finishing.
"It's so silly! I can't…" Renka adds, failing to keep it in just the same.
Kafuru clenches her fists.
"So mean! I hate you!" She yells before leaving the courtyard to go to her room.
Two hours later
The sisters just finished eating.
Kafuru's still a little mad at her sisters for laughing at her, but decided to drop it.
It was about to be another typical evening… Until someone came to them.
"Master Sayuri?" Hanabi says with surprise.
"Welcome back, anything new?" Kafuru asks.
Sayuri sighs.
"As usual, things are becoming worse day by day…" The old woman answers with frustration.
In return, the Mikagura sisters bowed their heads, Hanabi even clenches her teeth.
"I'm gonna ask you one last time. Are you sure you want to stay and fight?" Sayuri asks.
The three siblings hesitated for but a brief moment before rising their heads and answering in unison:
"Yes."
Their master feels the resolution, but can't smile because of what it implies.
"Alright, we don't have…" Sayuri starts.
But a sudden change in the atmosphere put a premature end to her speech.
The old lady feels weak, as if something just wiped out all her energy. She has to struggle not to lose balance, to the point she has to lean on the wall just behind her.
The Mikagura sisters, on the other hand, fall on their knees. It was as if the gravity suddenly increased by fifty degrees.
It's hard for the four of them to even breathe.
"Master, what is going on…" Renka asks in a weak voice.
Sayuri, slowly recovering from that sudden change in the atmosphere, clenched her hands and raised her head to face the dusk outside the window.
In a firm voice, she answers:
"It's coming…"
Special thanks to NeoDingleBat for his precious help