The salty wind swept gently over Windmill Village, rustling the sign outside Makino's bar as if it too were excited by the return of its missing soul.
Inside, the tavern buzzed. Laughter flowed as freely as the ale, and even the clinks of glasses held a rhythm of reunion.
"It's really lively here," Kuina remarked, helping wipe down some cups alongside Makino. Her voice was light but slightly tense. "Makino-san, your business is doing really well."
Makino gave her a warm smile that could melt mountains. "The people in this village are kind. I help them, they help me. That's how it's always been."
Jin, seated at the bar with a slight slump, reached for a glass of wine and let out a tired breath. "That's what I admire most about you, Makino. Even after half a year... this place hasn't changed a damn bit. Neither have you." He raised the glass toward her. "You face hardship like it's nothing. That's amazing."
Makino chuckled as she filled another cup. "You'll get used to it. It's just part of life."
Kuma—the massive, looming beast of a bear—nodded solemnly from the corner. "Makino-san, you're awesome." His deep voice was honest and a little too loud. "Your face is nice. It makes people calm."
The whole bar paused for a second at the comment, then erupted into laughter.
Jin grinned. "You flatter her more than I do, furball."
Kuina stepped behind the bar and leaned closer to Makino. "Actually… have you been keeping up with the standing posture I taught you? You know, the one for internal balance."
Makino blinked in surprise, then nodded sheepishly. "Yes… I was terrified at first. My appetite went wild, I thought I was growing fat." She giggled. "But after a while, I understood what you meant. I stuck with it. For more than half a year now."
Jin swirled his wine. "That's good. The method I taught you isn't just some martial trick—it's a way to keep your body and spirit sharp. You stick to it, and you'll live longer, fight better, and age slower." He glanced at her from the side. "The world's not kind to women like you. Being strong helps."
Makino smiled, touched.
"I won't nag you about it," Jin added, turning to Kuina. "But you too—keep working on it. At your pace, you'll pull off a proper sword-ki slash before you hit twelve."
Kuina nodded solemnly. "I will. I've got someone to protect now… I'll guard Makino-san out on the sea." She looked over at the barmaid with a newfound sense of duty.
Jin tilted his head, watching them both. "Tch. Women bonding over wine and training. Who knew?"
"Women are confusing," Kuma grunted.
"That's the most honest thing I've heard all day," Jin muttered.
Just then, the bar door creaked as more patrons flowed in. Jin stood, cracked his neck, and waved toward the shelves. "I'll handle the shop while you two catch up upstairs. Ina, didn't you say you brought gifts?"
"Oh—right!" Kuina snapped out of her haze. "Makino-san, I bought you a ton of stuff. Let's head up before the bear crushes the staircase."
Makino laughed. "Kuma, I think you'd better wait down here. We'll serve you later!"
Kuma grumbled, "Understood, boss."
Makino linked arms with Kuina and gently tugged her toward the back stairwell. "Let's go, then. Leave the mess to Jin."
"Damn right you should," Jin muttered, smirking. "Don't expect the place to still be standing though."
"I'll be back to clean your mess if you mess it up!" Kuina yelled from the stairs.
Watching the girls disappear, Jin turned to Kuma. "You, hold the bar. Just don't eat the peanuts."
"Got it, boss."
As Jin heaved a fresh barrel to the side and began pouring drinks, the villagers erupted again.
"Mr. Jin! You're back!"
"I missed this cold face of yours, ha!"
"Drinks are on him tonight!"
Jin raised a brow. "Yeah, yeah, sure. Go wild. Just don't puke on the floor."
In the midst of the chaos, Makino reappeared, dragging a slightly embarrassed Kuma toward the counter.
Jin blinked. "What the hell—?"
Makino cleared her throat. "This is Kuma. He's under your command from now on, right? So I figured, better to let the whole bar know what's up."
"Oi, people of Windmill Village!" Jin barked. "This bear here? His name's Kuma. He's my little brother now. Be nice, and maybe he won't sit on you."
Kuma bowed. "Hello. I'm Kuma. I hope I can serve Makino-san well."
The entire bar fell silent.
Then:
"…Holy shit, the bear talks!"
"It TALKS?!"
"Boss Jin got a talking bear!"
Makino's jaw dropped slightly. "You didn't tell me he could speak…"
Jin shrugged. "Slipped my mind."
The villagers roared with laughter again, voices overlapping.
Makino shook her head and smiled. "You really never change."
This story is inspired from various fanfics i have read from around the world so if you find any similarities please dont mind . Thank you
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T/N :
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