A Daily Life

By the time I got back to Ryouko's apartment, the sun had risen higher, casting a soft warmth over the quiet neighborhood. 

The walk back was uneventful, which gave me time to think about my earlier blunder at the café.

Still, I had to admit, seeing Kaya smile slightly before I left was worth the embarrassment. 

I opened the door quietly, not wanting to disturb them if they were still getting ready. 

A sweet aroma hit me almost immediately.

"Welcome back, Grey," Ryouko greeted warmly from the small kitchen, a soft smile on her face.

Her hair was tied back, and an apron was loosely draped over her delicate frame. 

She has a knife in her hand as she carefully slices an apple. 

On the table, I spotted plates of fruits. An orange, apple slices, and a half-empty pomegranate bowl. 

Hinami, seated at the table, was engrossed in trying to peel an orange.

She looked up as I entered, her face lighting up in delight. "Good morning, Grey-oniichan!" she chirped, holding up the orange as if it were a prize. 

"Good morning, Hinami," I said, chuckling as I noticed the struggle she was having with the stubborn peel. 

I went to wash my hands and face. The cool water refreshed me, washing away the sweat and dust from my morning jog. 

Returning to the table, I sat down just as Ryouko brought over a small bowl filled with colorful fruit salad. 

She placed it in front of me with a soft smile. "Here. It's simple, but fruits are good for recovery. I hope you don't mind. We're not exactly in a position to get anything...fancy" 

Her words carried an undertone of apology, but I dismissed her concerns with a warm smile. "Nah...This is more than enough, Ryouko-san. Thank you." 

As I started eating, the refreshing sweetness of the pomegranate and the crispness of the apple surprised me. For a moment, I thought back to the nature of ghouls.

The fact that they could eat fruits was a small detail I hadn't considered, but it made sense. After all, fruits were consumed by many living beings, why not ghouls too?

I kept my thoughts to myself, focusing instead on the thoughtful gesture. 

Across the table, Hinami was still wrestling with her orange. The stubborn peel refused to budge, and she was growing increasingly frustrated. 

"Here," I said, reaching out to take the orange from her hands. "Let me help." 

I quickly peeled it, the citrus scent filling the air, and placed the neatly separated slices on her plate. Then, with a chuckle, I picked up a slice and held it out to her. "say Aaaa." 

She hesitated for a moment, muttering, "I could have done it myself..." , she said Half-hearted. 

But she leaned forward almost immediately and took the bite I offered, a small, embarrassed smile tugging at her lips. 

Ryouko chuckled softly, "Hinami, you should learn to do it yourself. It's good practice." 

"It's okay to let her have a little help" I replied with a smile. "She's still a child, Ryouko-san," 

Ryouko sighed softly but happily, her expression warm as she watched us. "I suppose you're right. Thank you, Grey." 

I leaned back, enjoying the simple but fulfilling moment.

Sometime Later,

The house had grown quiet. Hinami and Ryouko had gone out for groceries, leaving me alone in the house. I decided to take advantage of the calm to work on something Imp. 

Sitting down on my knees in the living room, I carefully laid out my tools: a brush, inkstone, and ink, along with a small stack of yellow talisman paper I kept stored in my spatial ring.

I ground the inkstone slowly, the rhythmic sound echoing in the empty house as I focused. 

Once the ink was ready, I dipped the brush lightly, ensuring the perfect balance of ink on it. With a steady breath, I began. 

Creating talismans wasn't just a matter of writing symbols on paper; it was an intricate art, a balance of spiritual focus, precision, and intention. 

Every stroke needed to flow with the natural rhythm of Qi, and every line had to resonate with purpose. 

Breathe.

Let the Qi flow.

Visualize.

And Capture.

The words of my Sifu echoed in my mind. 

My hand moved steadily, each stroke of brush imbued with focus and energy. 

I know that I am not a master but I am pretty sure to pull off some basic stuff with what I understood from my Sifu's training.

The brush flowed across the paper like a river, calm yet purposeful. I could feel the Qi in my Dantian, flowing through my meridians, and channeling into the brush with each stroke. 

As I inscribed the final symbol on the last talisman, a faint shimmer of energy pulsed from the paper before settling. 

When I finally looked up, I realized I was sweating heavily. My mind is worn from the intense focus. 

This wasn't like physical training, rather it is mentally draining in a way only few other tasks could compare. 

Then I noticed her. Hinami was sitting in front of me, her small hands resting on her knees, and curious eyes fixed on the talismans laid out before me. 

I blinked in surprise. "Little Hina, you're back? So soon?" 

Ryouko's soft voice came from behind me as she walked in, drying her damp hair with a towel. 

"Soon? Grey, we've been back for nearly an hour now. And we were out for three hours at least," she chuckled. 

"Eh?!" I exclaimed, genuinely shocked. 

It seemed that I was engrossed in this for around 4 hours straight, Damn!

"You were so focused, we thought it's best not to disturb you," she added, giving me an amused smile.

Hinami leaned forward, her gaze fixed on the talismans. 

"...umm, Onii-chan, what are these? Are you practicing writing like me?" Her innocent tone carried genuine curiosity as her fingers hovered near one of the slips. 

I chuckled softly, reaching out to gently move her hand away from the talisman. 

"Not exactly, Hinami. These are talismans. They help me with special things." 

She tilted her head, clearly intrigued but not entirely understanding. "Special? Like magic?" 

I smiled as I patted her head. "yes, Something like that" 

Ryouko, now seated at the table with a cup of coffee, glanced at the talismans with quiet interest. "It must be something meaningful if it kept you so focused. And you made...a lot" 

I nodded. "They'll come in handy soon," I said vaguely, not wanting to dive into too many details.

"Oh, Grey," Ryouko said suddenly, as though remembering something. "You should take a bath while the hot water is running. It's only available for a limited time every evening."

"Got it," I replied, as a good hot bath after an intense session sounds heavenly 

I got up, stretching, as I walked toward the bathroom.

Just as I was about to open the door, Hinami called out from the hallway, her voice filled with playfulness. 

"Onii-chan, don't practice Alphabets in the bath! Don't worry, my handwriting is good, I can help you if you need it!"

EMOTIONAL DAMAGE!

I almost coughed up blood from the sheer impact.

Even in this world, people won't leave my handwriting alone....

The quiet hum of the night settled over the small home. 

After dinner, Ryouko and Hinami began preparing for bed while I remained in the living room, cleaning my sword. 

Then out of the blue, an idea formed. 

Setting the sword aside, I reached for my inkstone and brush again, inscribing a new talisman

When it was finished, I smiled to myself, standing and making my way toward their room. 

The door was slightly open, so I gave a gentle knock. 

Ryouko looked up from the bed, where she was tucking Hinami in. "Grey, what's wrong? Is everything alright?" she asked softly. 

I shook my head, a reassuring smile on my face. "Nothing to worry about, Ryouko-san," I said as I stepped into the room. 

Ryouko adjusted herself on the bed, making space for me to sit.

As I took the seat beside her, Hinami's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Onii-chan, are you here to sleep with us?" she asked eagerly, her voice full of joy. 

"Hinami..." Ryouko sighed gently, though her lips twitched with a small smile. 

I chuckled. "Not tonight, Little Hina. But I do have something magical to show you." 

Hinami perked up immediately, clapping her hands. "Oho~ What is it? What is it?" 

Ryouko looked curious as well. 

I pulled out the freshly inscribed talisman, holding it up. "How about I tell you a fairy tale?" 

"A fairy tale...?" Hinami tilted her head, intrigued. 

I flicked my wrist, and the talisman floated gently to the ceiling. 

With a quiet pulse of energy, the room transformed. 

The walls seemed to melt away, replaced by a mesmerizing enchanted forest and towering castle. The soft glow of moonlight illuminated the scene as the story began to unfold. 

"It's a tale as old as the time," I said, my voice steady and warm. "About a beautiful girl and a fearsome beast..." 

As I narrated, the talisman projected vivid, moving images onto the ceiling. 

The enchanted rose, the towering beast, and the graceful dance in the grand ballroom, all came alive in front of them, like a living storybook. 

Finally, I brought the tale to a close.

"And they lived happily ever after..." I said softly, 

glancing down to find Hinami sound asleep, her breathing slow and peaceful. 

Carefully, I tucked the blanket around her small frame.

As I moved to stand, Ryouko's quiet voice stopped me. 

"You're really good with children," she murmured, her half-lidded eyes meeting mine. 

I paused, my smile tinged with something deeper.

"I've always dreamed of having my own," I admitted quietly, a flicker of wistfulness flashing in my eyes before I shook it off. 

Leaning down, I pressed a light kiss to her forehead.

"Goodnight, Ryouko," I said gently. 

She hummed in response, her eyes drifting shut as she settled into sleep. 

As I left the room, I glanced back once more, the soft warmth of the moment lingering as I stepped into the quiet night of the house.

As I stood on the balcony, one of my shadows came out, "Master, he is ready to speak now" he said before returning to the shadows.

I smiled, put on my Oni mask and Shadow Cloak as I stepped into the shadow realm.

The young man was chained to the cold, dark ground, his head drooping forward. 

His long blond hair, damp with sweat, partly covered his narrow eyes, which flickered faintly as I approached.

 His pale skin was bruised, his breathing labored, but there was still a stubborn strength in the way he held himself.

He wore a brown jacket with patches of different shades, torn and scuffed, over a black undershirt and white pants now dirty and bloodstained. 

Around his neck hung a chain with a triangular pendant that caught the faint light of the strange realm we were in.

The most noticeable thing about him, though, was the jagged lightning bolt tattoo running down his left eye.

"Your Name?" I asked my voice deep and dark.

"Ryuuchi...." he replied with a hoarse and tired tone, 

"Kagami Ryuuchi"