The house was quiet when Shin returned that evening. The sun had just dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the living room floor. He placed his bag near the door and slipped off his shoes, trying not to make a sound.
Aki, his little sister, was curled up on the couch with her favorite blanket and an old storybook. She looked up when she heard him.
"Onii-chan!" she said with a sleepy smile.
"Hey, Aki," he whispered, brushing her hair gently. "You should be in bed."
She pouted but didn't argue. Their father stepped out from the kitchen just then, drying his hands with a towel.
"You're late," he said. Not angry. Just tired.
"I was at the forest again," Shin replied. "Practicing."
His father nodded and sat down on the worn armchair. He didn't say anything else, so Shin took a deep breath and sat across from him.
"Dad," Shin began, "can I ask you something?"
His father looked up. "What is it?"
"Mom… what was she really like?"
The question hung in the air. For a moment, the only sound was the ticking clock on the wall.
Shin's father didn't respond right away. He looked away, his jaw tightening just slightly.
"She was strong," he said finally.
"I know that," Shin said quickly. "But… how did she fight without an ability? How did she beat a celestial?"
His father stood up.
"It's late," he said, walking toward the hallway.
"Wait," Shin said, standing too. "Why won't you ever talk about her? I need to know."
His father stopped in the doorway. "There are things you're not ready to hear, Shin. Not yet."
"I'm not a kid anymore."
"You're still not ready."
And with that, he left the room.
Shin stood there in silence, frustration burning in his chest. He clenched his fists. Every time he asked about her, it was the same. Silence. Avoidance. Like her story was too heavy to speak out loud.
But Shin didn't want silence anymore.
He wanted to understand the woman who gave everything to protect others.
He wanted to know what it meant to be strong—without a Kami ability, without power… just like her.
Even if his father wouldn't tell him, he'd find out on his own.