It had been two long weeks since the death of Daichi Akarawa. The Akarawa Clan, once filled with constant movement and voices, had fallen into a heavy silence.The sound of mourning lingered in every corner of the estate.
Sensei Gohan had taken responsibility for all affairs in the main room. He was the only one moving around with purpose. Both father and daughter had locked themselves inside their rooms since the tragedy, refusing to speak to anyone or step outside. Servants tried to offer food or tea, but no response ever came.
But that silence finally cracked.
"How long have you two been standing here?" Gohan asked as he approached Rei's door.
Two maids stood stiffly beside it. When they turned and saw him, they both bowed deeply.
"Sensei," one of them said. "We have been trying to speak to Young Master. She has not come out once."
"You both can leave. I will take things from here," Gohan said.
"Yes, Sensei," they replied before walking away quietly.
When they left, Gohan released a slow breath. He rolled his shoulders once, as though preparing himself for something difficult. Then he knocked softly on Rei's door. The sound echoed faintly in the silent hallway.
No answer.
He knocked harder. Still no response. The heat of fire pressed weakly through the cracks of the door.
Rei had been unreachable for two weeks. If she refused to open the door, then he would do what Rei herself might have done.
He went outside, stepped into the courtyard, and looked up at her window. He placed a foot against the stone wall, gripped the edge with his fingertips, and climbed. When he reached the window, he tried it.
Thank goodness. It was unlocked.
He pulled it open and slipped inside.
The room was glowing. Fire danced across the floor, forming a wide ring around Rei. She sat in the center of the flame, legs folded beneath her, head lowered. Her hair had lost its usual neatness. Her clothes were wrinkled and lightly burned at the edges.
The fire circle burned without consuming anything. It was controlled. It was the shape of her grief.
Gohan stepped inside and closed the window behind him. His eyes adjusted to the warm light and drifting smoke. Rei glanced at him once, then turned her gaze away as though he did not exist.
He crossed the ring of fire without hesitation. When he reached her, he stopped and crouched down in front of her.
"Crying over the dead will not bring them back," he said quietly.
She did not move.
"How will you lead us if you sit here alone and cry like a baby? Mourning is meant to last for three days," he said. He lowered himself to sit across from her, the fire painting orange patterns on both their faces.
"You are not the only one who lost someone that day. Many guards never returned. They had people waiting for them too. Even Roku…" His voice wavered for a moment. He looked down at his hands, holding them still. "My son. His body was never found."
He swallowed and steadied himself.
He had lost a son, just as Rei had lost her father. But he had no place to break down. Not yet. Not while the clan shook under the weight of the tragedy.
"Young Master. Everyone in this clan lost someone dear. Parents, children, siblings, husbands and wives. And the Clan Lord still has not delivered justice for what happened to us." His eyes lifted to hers. "Now that your father has stepped down, you are the one who must decide if the Akarawa remain silent or rise for vengeance."
Only then did Rei slowly lift her head. Her eyes were swollen and red, the skin beneath them bruised from sleepless nights. When she spoke, her voice no longer shook with grief.
"My dad stepped down as Clan Master?"
Gohan nodded.
"Master Akarawa has decided to leave Kaida. He said he has a promise to fulfill."
Her breath hitched, but she forced it steady.
"Where is he now?"
"He is at the gate preparing to leave. If you hurry you can still—"
She did not wait for the rest. Rei rose to her feet in a single burst of movement and ran out of the room without looking back.
Gohan followed slowly.
Rei raced through the estate, her steps unsteady from sitting for so long, yet filled with urgency. Servants stepped aside as she passed. Some stared in surprise. Some sighed in relief. They had not seen her in days.
When she reached the main gate, she saw him.
"Dad. Where are you going?" Rei said, breath catching as she stopped in front of him.
Ryuji Akarawa turned to her.
He wore simple traveling robes, the kind meant for long roads and quiet departures. A modest hat rested over his brow, and a small pack hung across his back. His face looked older than she remembered, weeks of mourning had settled into the lines around his eyes, leaving a heaviness that had not been there before.
"Rei," he said softly. He stepped toward her and pulled her into a warm, tired hug. "Thank you, Sensei, for bringing her out."
Gohan stood a few steps away and bowed slightly.
Ryuji placed his hands on Rei's shoulders. He met her eyes with a gentle expression that hurt more than his sadness.
"Rei. Daichi gave up his dreams and his life of adventure just to stay with us. With me." His voice trembled at each word. "I never appreciated him the way he deserved. I always told myself there was time. That later I would thank him. That later I would walk beside him. He never complained. He always waited for me."
Ryuji's eyes softened as memories flickered across them.
"All my life I followed a path I believed was correct. I held tightly to it. But Daichi… he was my safe home. And now he is gone. I cannot keep living in this house pretending to follow the same path. I need to go to the island. I have his ashes with me. I will find the place he wanted to see. I will take him there. I want to fulfill his dream. He lived for me and now I want to live for him."
Rei's tears began to fall again. She clutched his sleeve tightly.
"What about me? Dad… what will happen to me? Papa is gone and now you too…" Her voice cracked completely.
"Rei. You can come with me if you want." He touched her cheek gently. "We can go to the island together. We can live your papa's dream together. Somewhere peaceful. Somewhere without rivalry, lands or clans. Somewhere we can breathe as a family."
A small, fragile smile appeared on Rei's face for the first time in weeks.
"What about Akari? Will she come too? Will she be able to join us?" she asked.
Ryuji paused. He looked thoughtful for a moment, weighing the idea. Then he placed a hand on her head.
"Whatever you choose, Rei… your happiness comes first. If you wish to bring Lady Akari with you, then bring her. I will wait for you. When you return with her, we will leave together."
Rei wiped her tears and nodded. She turned, ready to run toward the Gate.
"Young Master," Gohan called out before she could take a step farther.
She stopped and looked over her shoulder.
His expression was firm, but his voice was calm.
"Remember. Your Papa Daichi was killed by a Hoshino. Not just any Hoshino. The sister of the one you love."
Rei paused, her body still for a moment, then she walked again.