Glimpse of Future?

Early in the morning at the Shiba Clan residence, Kazuki and Kukaku sat at a low wooden table spread with a breakfast feast: steaming bowls of miso soup, grilled fish, and an assortment of pickled vegetables. Their chopsticks danced gracefully, intermittently pausing for sips of green tea. Just as Kukaku was about to comment on something, the sliding door burst open.

Kaien ambled in, his 14-year-old frame radiating an air of youthful earnestness. He was leading his 4-year-old brother Ganju by the hand, who upon spotting Kazuki, let go and dashed toward him.

"Big Brother Kazuki!" Ganju's voice filled the room with a buoyant energy that only a child could muster.

A chuckle rose in Kazuki's throat as he effortlessly caught the pint-sized whirlwind in his arms. Effortlessly lifting him, he settled Ganju on his lap. "Hungry, are you?" he asked, directing the child's attention to the table filled with food.

Ganju's eyes widened at the spread. "Uh-huh!" His little hand already reaching for a rice ball.

"Hey, not so fast. Let's get you seated properly first," Kazuki grinned, helping Ganju into a seat next to him before handing him a child-friendly pair of chopsticks. Kukaku watched the interaction with a subtle smile.

Kukaku watched Kazuki. The way he interacted with her younger brothers seemed to pull at the strings of her heart. She took a sip of her green tea, the warmth of the liquid unable to match the warmth she felt watching him.

"You're a natural at this, Kazuki. You sure you haven't been an older brother before?" she quipped, breaking her silence.

Kazuki looked up from helping Ganju hold his chopsticks correctly. "Well, considering I can't recall much of my past, who's to say? But being here, with all of you, it feels like I've found where I'm supposed to be."

Kukaku nodded, her eyes a mix of emotions she dared not unravel at that moment. "I feel the same way. You've been a blessing to this family, and not just because you're a quick learner."

Ganju's chopsticks wobbled, sending a piece of pickled radish tumbling onto the table. "Oops!" he giggled, looking guilty yet immensely pleased with the chaos he'd caused.

Kazuki simply chuckled. "It's all right, buddy. That's what practice is for." He scooped the radish back onto Ganju's plate. "Here, give it another try."

Kaien, who had been watching the scene unfold, finally broke his silence. "Kazuki, you're missing out on the grilled fish. Best dig in before Ganju decides he's up for the challenge."

Kazuki took the hint, seizing his chopsticks to join in the meal earnestly. As they ate, Kukaku couldn't help but feel that the room was full, not just with people, but with something ineffable, something that transcended the physical space.

Catching that brief, electrifying glance between Kukaku and Kazuki, Kaien couldn't resist. "Ah, love in the morning. It's even better than miso soup, isn't it?" He nudged Ganju playfully, who seemed confused but delighted by the sudden spike in energy.

Kukaku cleared her throat, feigning annoyance as she picked up her tea. "Kaien, you're too young to understand the complexities of adult interactions."

Kaien laughed. "Oh, I understand more than you think. I also understand that Ganju here will soon start asking uncomfortable questions if you two keep exchanging looks like that."

Ganju, sensing his name in the conversation, chimed in. "Like what, Big Brother Kaien?"

Kaien winked at Ganju. "Never you mind, little guy. Just eat your breakfast."

Kazuki chuckled, amused by Kaien's audacity but also somewhat relieved by the shift in focus. He turned to Ganju, who was making another attempt at pickled radish. "You're getting the hang of it," he said encouragingly.

"Really?" Ganju beamed, successfully lifting the radish with his chopsticks and transferring it to his plate. His small victory was enough to momentarily steal the spotlight, relieving the room of its sudden tension.

Kaien's grin widened to an almost mischievous extent. "What is this? Practice for parenthood? Tell me the truth, sis, are you pregnant?"

Kukaku's cheeks flushed a vibrant red, and the words seemed to catch in her throat. On the other end of the table, Kazuki choked on his tea, sputtering a bit before regaining his composure.

Ganju, not fully grasping the situation but sensing the excitement, began to clap his tiny hands together. "Big Sis Kukaku is pregnant?"

Kukaku shot her younger brother a glare, her eyes narrowing just enough to communicate the sentiment: 'You're in for it later.' "Kaien, don't confuse Ganju with your idle talk."

But Kaien merely laughed, unfazed by her icy stare. "Ah, come on, it was worth a shot! But you can't blame me. I mean, look at you two, acting all domestic."

Caught in the whirlpool of Kaien's jest, Kazuki decided to dive in. "Ah, you got me," he said, looking at Kukaku with mock gravity. "We were actually discussing baby names. How does 'Kaien Junior' sound?"

"Absolutely not," Kukaku replied, her voice tinged with playful irritation. Yet her eyes met Kazuki's, silently acknowledging the humor—and perhaps a tad more—behind the joke.

Kaien chortled, delighted by the back-and-forth. "See, even in jest, you both make it sound like an actual consideration. Very convincing, I must say."

"That's because you have an overactive imagination," Kukaku countered, turning her attention to the green tea before her, as if its calm demeanor could transfer to her.

The room settled into a gentle rhythm again as chopsticks clicked and bowls shifted. Ganju, buoyed by the burst of laughter and tension, began humming a tune under his breath, satisfied with his newly mastered chopstick skills.

Kukaku stole a moment to catch Kazuki's gaze, a single glance that seemed to sidestep the playful banter and inquire, ever so softly, 'Is this what it could be like?' Her eyes dropped back to her tea before the question could fully form, leaving it suspended in the space between them, fragile but deeply felt.

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