Chapter 21

A little bit less than two weeks after being freed from the Green clan and fighting Yukari to death, although neither of them has died in the end, Kuroh Yatogami was finally released from the hospital. For a normal human being, assuming they would have even survived which he wasn't completely certain of, less than two weeks to recover from the wounds Yukari has inflicted would have been impossible. However, between the influence of the Colourless sanctum and the efforts of the Gold clan's doctors, Kuroh considered it has taken long enough, especially when he thought about the company that has been forced onto him.

The new Colourless clansmen would have been enough for him to handle, with their bizarre interests and the utter and complete lack of respect for their King. They were nice though and he appreciated the effort Erika and Walker made to keep him occupied in the hospital. If it was only them, Kuroh wouldn't have minded so much, but he was stuck in the same hospital room as HOMRA's Misaki Yata and that meant an unending line of visitors, all of them loud and rude and sometimes thoroughly annoying. The worst was, of course, when Sceptre 4's Fushimi came visiting, because he and Yata wouldn't stop arguing about the stupidest things. Unless Erika was there as well.

Of course, when she was there it meant they were talking about manga, so Kuroh had mixed feelings about it. He had mixed feelings about leaving now as well, because he was moving in with his new King. About a week earlier, Mai Ueno has asked whether he had a place to go after he was released from the hospital. Clearly, he couldn't go back to the Ashinaka High School. She seemed to have expected a negative answer, because she barely paused before suggesting that she finds a two-bedroom flat where they could live, at least until Kuroh decided what he wanted to do.

What he "wanted to do" was one of the big topics with Mai Ueno. She visited almost every day, even if most often it was for a short while, despite her apparently busy schedule of arranging a break in her studies with the university, discussing with the leader of Dollars and helping Munakata with the rehabilitation of Yukari Mishakuji and Sukuna Gojo. Almost every time she visited, she had a different question.

Did he want to live in Ikebukuro? She wanted, but they could move a bit away if he preferred to be somewhere else. She made a face when he said he would follow his King wherever his King wanted to go. Was there anything he wanted to bring back from home? She has arranged for that pause in her studies, so they could go back to his old village for a while if he wanted, shocking Kuroh by the immediate assumption that "home" was the village and not Ashinaka High School. Actually that was now agreed for, for as soon as he was fully healed: they were going to stay for a while away from the bustle of the city. She even asked whether he wanted to move out of Tokyo, but he could see she wanted to stay, so it didn't count as a real question.

Then there were the difficult questions. Things he has never considered before. What did he want to do afterwards? There was no clear "mission" for the days and weeks to come, maybe even months. Would he like to study? He has never considered that option before. There could be issues, she said, but depending on what he wanted, things could be arranged. Did he want to work? He has done some odd jobs when they were looking for Shiro, in what felt like a different life, but he could tell his King didn't mean that king of work. She has even found some dojo where he could try to teach. It would not be a problem, because the dojo was owned by a member of Dollars and Kuroh was now also a member of Dollars and Dollars helped each other out.

That was another thing he had mixed feelings about. In his ears "gang" rhymed with HOMRA and "online" with Jungle. And yet he suddenly was a member of a gang, with an account on their server and an online nickname of "demon and butler", after that manga Erika and Walker have basically force fed him as soon as he regained consciousness for long enough to read a page or two. Well, in all honesty, it wasn't a bad one and although his King claimed there were no hidden meanings to all the mentions of the "Black Butler", Kuroh thought the idea of being somebody his King could count on always and in any sort of situation was not bad.

In any case, it was an easy solution, compared to all the questions Mai Ueno asked. Entering into the flat she has found for them in record time and moved into just the previous day, he wondered what it would be like to live with her.

'You have to excuse the mess,' she said sheepishly as they walked in straight into the main area that was going to be their living and dining room, with a kitchenette in one corner. Rather than leaning on the walls when the effort of moving after the hospital stay got too much, Kuroh has borrowed crutches, but he wasn't really familiar with using them yet, which slowed them down the entire way.

'I did my best last night, with the guys, to put the furniture as it should be, but there was no time to unpack any boxes anymore,' his King excused herself needlessly, while Kuroh looked around. The room was simple, with three windows on one wall and three doors on the other and his King turned to open the first one. 'I put a bed in for you here, but we can exchange if you prefer the other room. They're both more or less the same size and they both have built-in wardrobes,' she continued, walking up to the second door and opening it.

Kuroh had no intention of going into a woman's room, much less into his King's room: it would be highly improper. So he only said that the first room was ok and his King quickly mentioned the bathroom behind the third door, before inviting him into his new bedroom and coming in after him, putting the duffel bag, which he mainly had to hide Kotowari on their way from the hospital to the flat, on the floor.

'Once you're in a better shape, we can go to find some furniture you like and of course we can paint the walls a different colour if you want. I mean, it might only be temporary, but of course I'm not kicking you out. I've been thinking that it's nice to have a flat mate for a while now,' the young woman, older than him by a few years all the same, babbled. Kuroh wondered if she was nervous about this situation. He wondered if he should say something that would calm her down, but nothing came to his mind.

Master Ichigen would surely know, he thought, a pang of loss and regret making him wince. The steady flow of Mai Ueno's talking ceased immediately and Kuroh too late remembered that the new Colourless King could sense the emotions of people around her. He looked at her to apologize, because he shouldn't be thinking "master" about Ichigen Miwa anymore, but she spoke first.

'You must be tired,' she said with a soft smile. Was she purposefully misinterpreting his grimace? 'I sure am. I've been running this whole day, so I'll just take a really quick shower first, alright? You can refresh yourself afterwards and then I'll see if we have something to make as dinner. We should, because Kadota has been shopping for us today in the morning, but I have no idea what he bought.'

She was gone before he could reply and, with nothing else to do, Kuroh sat down on the bed and looked around. The walls were white and clean and there was a dark curtain pulled over the window, so that nobody could look inside now that the lights were on. Apart from the bed, the duffel bag and the wardrobe there was literally nothing in the room, but he didn't even have the time to grow bored before his King was back, holding something in her hand.

'I found it when I was packing,' she said, handing him the thing she brought. It was a modest sized book. 'I got it once, in high school, but I think you'll appreciate it more than me. So I guess it's a sort of welcome gift,' she explained, although it didn't explain anything at all. He blinked, surprised, before finding back his manners.

'Thank you very much, you didn't need-' he never finished speaking, because his eyes finally caught up with the elegantly calligraphed title and author on the cover:

"Three loops around a word" by Ichigen Miwa.

For a moment, he could only stare at the cover, stunned. For a moment, the room, his King, the world around disappeared. Then he blinked and his thoughts picked up like a tornado, rushing one after another. Could it have been "his" Ichigen Miwa? Kuroh has never heard about any books, never seen his master prepare or proofread one. He couldn't remember anything like this, but really, why would Mai Ueno give him this book otherwise?

There was a short author's note on the back cover: "I dream sometimes. The dreams are so vivid I can't help but write." On the inside, there was the publication date, almost two years before Kuroh was even born, which was good enough explanation as to why he has never heard about the book or seen one being prepared. There was also a list of words, each only a single kanji, presumably about which the author has written his poems. And when Kuroh found "error" and "reason" beautifully calligraphed on the page, he knew without any more doubts that the author of the book was his adoptive father. Then he also saw "black" and "violet" among the words and he held his breath for a moment. Just how far ahead has Ichigen Miwa seen?

If he has known, even before Kuroh was born, that he would come to him, did it mean that Kuroh's family has always been meant to die?

The last kanji among the list could be read as "after one's death". It would also simply mean "later", but somehow Kuroh knew the first was the correct meaning. Rather than changing the page to find out, he snapped the book closed. The poems would clarify everything, but he wanted time to read them and contemplate, rather than rushing between things.

When he went out of the bedroom, Mai Ueno was already in the kitchenette, clothes changed and wet hair piled up into a messy bun. She turned when he approached, smiling and telling him that the bathroom was all his and that she has left some clothes for change, if he wanted to get rid of the hospital smell fully. He acknowledged it with a bow, clumsy due to the crutches, and went to the bathroom.

Cleaning oneself with unhealed wounds was awkward, although there has been great progress in the last few days. Having a young woman dress one's wounds was even more so. Therefore, he took his time after his King has left him again to finish dressing up. Enough time for Mai to be finished with the food and waiting for him at the table, much to his chagrin. He immediately apologized and sat down opposite from her.

'Happy birthday, Kuroh,' his King replied to his apology. She outright laughed at what must have been a completely shocked expression on his face. 'Don't tell me you forgot! Especially since it's the important one: your twentieth birthday. The guys say "happy birthday" as well, by the way. We thought you might prefer a quiet evening today, so I just cooked what I hope is a nice dinner. Instead, we already decided that we should go out for a celebration on the Coming of Age Day, since it's conveniently soon,' she added. Kuroh blinked.

'What?' he asked. His memories lazily provided him with images from a huge party thrown in the village every time somebody turned twenty, which happened perhaps twice or three times in all the years Kuroh has lived there.

It felt like a century separated those happy years from the present, when in reality it has barely been two years. He has barely turned eighteen when Ichigen Miwa finally lost his battle against the illness that has been eating on him for a long time. He has spent months in solitude, searching for the new Colourless King only to find another. Back then he has thought he found his new place, but the happiness only lasted a few days, before Shiro lied and left Kuroh.

Like everybody always had. Back then, he thought that nothing could hurt as much as the death of one's King. He went along with Neko's search, because it gave him something to do, just like searching for the new Colourless King has helped him get over Ichigen Miwa's death. He wanted to believe that Shiro would be alright, that he would come back to them as Neko always said he would. Back then, when Yukari has completely overpowered him, just before Kuroh lost consciousness, he heard Neko desperately crying for Shiro. For a split of a second, he has thought that Shiro would magically appear. And he found out that being abandoned was a far worse pain than losing a King.

'Are you alright?' he heard and realized he must have been silent for a long while. His new King was looking at him with a worried expression. 'You know, I can't pretend I understand how you feel, ability or not, but if you ever want to talk about it, or about anything else, don't hesitate, alright?' she asked, propping her chin on her hand, elbow on the table.

'Thank you,' he replied with some hesitation. It was a kind offer, but he couldn't accept it just like that, could he? Because: 'It would be impolite of me to burden my King with my problems. As a King you have many duties and matters that require your attention,' he explained. Mai Ueno raised an eyebrow.

'Isn't it part of King's duties to make sure their subjects are happy?' she asked. He looked at her in surprise. 'I mean, that's what they taught me at school, about "normal" kings. I don't know all that much about Kings nominated by the Dresden Slate. Captain Munakata provided me with some information, but I have no doubt it was written in such a way that it benefits him. He's this kind of a sly guy,' she paused and looking Kuroh straight in the eye. 'I was actually hoping to learn from you,' she added.

'Ah, I'm not sure I'm-'

'The Colourless King, the weakest of Kings has nonetheless the power to influence the other Kings, as perhaps the only being in the whole world,' Mai Ueno didn't let him express his doubts. 'Ichigen Miwa found a balance between using his power for the good and not abusing it, at least that's what I got from reading captain Munakata's notes. You're the one who knew him best.'

'Is this the real reason why you risked going to the Green clan's home base to get me?' Kuroh asked as the thought occurred to him. Surprisingly, he wasn't sure he minded if it was the case. After all, wasn't he the blade of his master? His only reason of being was to help and protect the one he called a master. That was, at least, what he has always aimed to be even as he appreciated being the beloved son of Ichigen Miwa.

Mai Ueno grimaced.

'I went down there with hope of gaining a formidable swordsman as well as a person well versed in this confusing world of Kings, Strains and superpowers. I will not insult you here by denying that,' she admitted in a neutral tone. Kuroh nodded in understanding. 'I want to make things perfectly clear. Back then I had no other reason to help you. I believed it wasn't me who should do it, but Weismann, who has called himself your friend. Now, however, things are different. Now, for better or for worse, you have accepted to be my clansman and the least I could do was help you whenever you should need this help.'

'I understand,' he replied earnestly. He really did. 'As your clansman, I will do everything in my power to help you. Be it my sword or my knowledge you need, you can always count on me,' he paused, calculating: should he or should he not? He should: she would like it. Thus, he added, with a sardonic smile: 'My Lord.'

His King looked at him in surprise for a full second before laughing out shortly.

'Well then, will you be cooking from tomorrow on?' she asked with a wicked smile and the intense atmosphere disappeared like a soap bubble.

'I'll have you know that I'm an excellent cook,' he retorted, unable to completely stifle the pride he felt. It seemed like she hasn't expected that answer, but she took it in a stride.

'It is absolutely perfect, because I hate cooking,' she admitted. She paused before starting to invent dishes she would like to eat, mixing in a few he recognized from the damned manga. And Kuroh thought that maybe living with a young woman didn't need to be awkward. After all, she was first and foremost his King and that he was more than familiar with.

The End