IKIGAI

"The reason to be"

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Page XVIII

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"Shippo had disappeared, and all we found was his magic spinning top, abandoned on the road."

"I think there is something you didn't read," you say, interrupting my reading.

"What have you left out, otōsan?" asks Moroha, seating on her futon with her yukata to sleep already on.

"Nothing important," I smile with a certain air of confidence, and look at you sideways knowing what you are going to say.

"That's what you think," you insist.

"What does it say, otōsan?" Your words spread our daughter's curiosity; with her seven cycles of age, she wants to know everything.

"It says that otōsan was too childish in his behavior towards Shippo and that was why he wasn't with us," you reply.

"Want to read it?" I extend her the book. I'm not annoyed, but I feign it.

"No, you can go on," you give me the word, as you sit by Moroha's side.

I throw you a glance of I'll pay you back later, which you understand and smile with a certain mischief our daughter doesn't get to see.

I go back to the words in the book.

"Finally, we found the lair of the youkai, who later we would find out was no more than a little girl called Mujina. InuYasha destroyed the place with his sword, and…" I stop, "Wait, I think you left out something here," I mention.

"Oh, that so? What is it?" You seem actually surprised.

"You attacked me with a spell," I clarify.

Your body tenses, and your blink a few times, trying to clear your thoughts.

"You can't call that an attack," you defend.

"I'd say that when someone voices a spell that makes you eat dirt, it's an attack," I point out, then lay back against the wall, waiting for your retort.

"Okāsan, you don't tell the whole story either?" Moroha inquires, and you seem perplexed by her words.

"It's not that, my girl," you smile at her, and in that gesture, I see the teenager that arrived to these lands years ago, "It's just that I forgot about it," you shrug lightly.

"What?" I can't seem to hide my incredulity.

"I'm sorry," you say in my direction, "When I wrote that diary, I didn't remember that part."

"And now?" I give you another chance.

You breathe in, your eyes on mine, then your brow furrows slightly, as if trying to appear annoyed before having to answer.

"Don't say it," I warn you, "I can smell your shame."

For a moment it seems your words get stuck in your throat, and our daughter starts to laugh as the spectator, as if this were a play the villagers sometimes represent during summer.

"It isn't shame," you defend, not very confident, to then look at Moroha, whose laughter slightly fades.

"A spell is an attack, Okāsan," she voices.

Your gaze seeks me, asking for help which I'm not going to give.

"It wasn't an attack," you seem to clarify, "sometimes, it was a defense."

I lift my chin, and stare at you intently, in a way that makes it clear that, maybe, you'll have to defend yourself tonight after all. I can see your cheeks flushing furiously, and your gaze escapes mine, cast on our daughter once again.

"Alright, that's it for stories tonight. Time to sleep." You voice.

Moroha complains, as she seeks her spot on the futon.

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A/N

I enjoyed my time writing this moment. I wanted to recount what happened with Mujina, but it ended up with many interactions among the three off them, that I thought were much more adorable than the memory of this manga episode.

I hope you've enjoyed it.

A kiss,

Anyara

This text is possible thanks to the translation of: Dezart