5:21 p.m., August 28, 2063
We arrived at the shrine, and I opened the door of the black car for Lady Bito.
"We've arrived, milady."
On the other side, Seto opened the door for Haruki's family and their father, dressed in a black suit.
"Please watch your step."
"Strange, you're unusually polite today," Haruki remarked to his usual rival.
"Oh~ just got a nice bonus this month," Seto replied with a grin. "Better hurry, or Bito-sama will be waiting."
"I take that compliment back already," Haruki muttered as he stepped out, Mr. Bito following behind.
I glanced into the car and nodded to the driver, Majima. "If anything happens, you know what to do," he said quietly.
Seto and I flanked the Bito family as we walked, until Mr. Bito bent down to speak to his daughter.
"Your mother loved this place, you know. Back then, I donated here so often she remembered my face."
We walked along a long path lined with towering trees and softly glowing round lanterns hanging from the branches.
"Then… if Mom was a shrine maiden, could she really marry you?" Kurayami asked in a child's innocent tone. "Wouldn't that bring a curse?"
"She could—after leaving the priesthood and returning to ordinary life," Mr. Bito replied gently. "Curses are just fate playing cruel tricks."
The sky had begun to darken, and visitors were slowly heading home. We passed beneath a massive torii gate into the heart of the shrine forest.
"Your mother was a truly beautiful woman," Mr. Bito said softly. "Just like you."
"Even when she left this world," Haruki added, his voice distant with memory, "she must have been beautiful."
"My birthday's coming up soon," Kurayami said, looking between her father and brother. "I wonder what I'll get."
"Why don't you go make a wish inside?" Mr. Bito suggested.
"I'll take her," Haruki said. "Come on."
"Mhm!" Kurayami took her brother's hand and ran toward the shrine ahead, leaving Mr. Bito standing with just the two of us at a distance.
Seto stretched his arms, loosening the stiffness in his shoulders."Uh… Bito-sama. May I ask something?"
"Go ahead," Mr. Bito said, smiling as he watched his children.
"What happened to your wife?"
Mr. Bito fell silent for a moment before speaking.
"Back when things were bad with the Oniwabanshu… we left Kurayami with the housekeeper. It happened during a family dinner. I was sitting next to Haruki. My wife was by the window. Then suddenly—gunfire. A whole barrage."
Seto and I listened intently.
"I pulled my son down, but my wife didn't have time to react…" He raised a hand to his face, struggling to steady himself. "A bullet tore through her throat. I tried to stop the bleeding, but…" His voice broke. "I saw her eyes as she looked at me—eyes filled with disappointment in her husband—right before she died."
"You and your wife were already having troubles, weren't you?" I asked quietly.
"She knew what I did for a living. She wanted me to quit—completely. But once you step into a gray world like this… it's hard to leave. I promised her I'd stop, but it was nothing but empty words."He let out a bitter breath. "If I couldn't even keep my word, how could I ever call myself a father?"
His words struck close to home. Before I could respond, he placed a hand on both our shoulders.
"I lied to my daughter. Told her her mother died of illness… of a curse! I couldn't even let her see the body." His gaze dropped. "And I feel guilty for pulling you two into this life. You could've grown into something better."
"No, Bito-sama," Seto said firmly. "This is exactly what I was born for." He smiled, confident and unwavering. "Look at us now. You said it yourself, we're like family. We protect each other. No matter what happens, we move forward together. Kurayami will be safe. Everyone will be safe."
"Thank you," Mr. Bito said softly. "You're sons to me."
"The best thing we can do," I added, "is leave the worst behind us and keep moving forward."
Just then, a voice cut through the air. "Well, well. Never thought I'd see an old man needing hugs from kids." We all turned sharply. An elderly man stood there, long beard flowing, leaning on a cane. At the same time, Haruki emerged from the shrine—and froze when he saw the stranger. He instinctively tightened his grip on Kurayami's wrist, stopping her from coming any closer to us.