6. Masaharu family

Musashi stumbled as Rin dragged him toward the junkyard, her grip firm despite her cheerful demeanor. "I can't wait to show you to the others!" she said, her red eyes sparkling with excitement. Musashi remained silent, still in disbelief at how quickly things had escalated. One moment, he had a knife to someone's throat, and now he was being introduced to a group of scavenger kids as if nothing had happened.

As they reached the yard, Minoru stood there, arms crossed, waiting for them. His expression was far less enthusiastic than Rin's. The second he saw Musashi trailing behind her, a deep sigh escaped him. "You've got to be kidding me."

Rin, oblivious to his frustration, waved. "Hey Minoru, I got a new friend!" She grinned, tugging Musashi forward by the wrist. "This is Musashi!"

There was an awkward silence as Musashi stood there, unsure of what to do or say. He didn't know if he could trust these kids, and he didn't know if they could trust him. Minoru, on the other hand, was clearly exasperated by the whole situation.

Minoru took a few steps closer to Rin and gave her a light chop on the head. "Ouch!" she yelped, rubbing her forehead.

"That's for running off again," Minoru said, his voice carrying more concern than anger. He then turned his attention to Musashi, his expression more serious now. "So, are you mute or something? You haven't said a word."

Musashi averted his gaze, uncomfortable under the scrutiny. Talking had never been his strong suit, especially when he was surrounded by people who didn't trust him. Minoru let out another sigh, rubbing his temple as if trying to ward off a headache.

"Ugh, fine. Look, I know we scared you earlier, but pulling a knife on Hideaki was a bit too much, don't you think?" Minoru's tone wasn't accusatory—more like he was trying to be reasonable. "So, here's the deal: we'll apologize for trying to catch you, and you'll apologize to Hideaki for almost, you know, killing him. Sound fair?"

Musashi nodded slowly. He wasn't sure if an apology would fix what he had done, but it was clear that these kids weren't out for revenge. They just wanted peace. At least, Minoru did. Hideaki's opinion was still up in the air.

As they walked back to their base, Minoru kept glancing at Musashi, as if trying to get a read on him. "Do you have a family?" Minoru asked suddenly.

The question startled Musashi. His breath hitched for a moment, and he found himself instinctively retreating inward. "...No," he answered, his voice barely audible.

Minoru didn't press further. He just nodded, seemingly satisfied with the brief response, and they continued in silence.

When they reached the base, the door swung open, and Hideaki was waiting for them, his eyes filled with worry. The moment he saw Rin, he rushed over. "Rin, are you hurt? Did that kid do something to you?" His voice was frantic, a mix of anger and concern.

Before Rin could respond, Minoru cleared his throat, grabbing Hideaki's attention. The second Hideaki spotted Musashi, his face darkened. "What is he doing here? Why are you letting him in?"

Minoru let out a long, tired sigh. "Well, Rin wanted him here."

Hideaki shot Musashi a glare so sharp it felt like a knife in itself. "Rin, were you brainwashed or something? This guy almost killed me!"

"Calm down, Hideaki," Minoru said, raising a hand to diffuse the situation. He then turned to Musashi. "Well?"

Musashi swallowed hard and met Hideaki's glare. "Sorry," he said flatly, his face void of any emotion. It was the best he could manage under the circumstances, but it wasn't enough for Hideaki.

"Don't apologize like that! Apologize like you mean it!" Hideaki snapped, his voice rising with frustration.

Minoru shook his head. "That's enough, Hideaki." He then glanced at Musashi and spoke more calmly. "We're sorry for trying to catch you like that. We just didn't know who you were."

Musashi nodded in return, though his movements were shy and reserved. His whole body felt tense, as if at any moment things could turn hostile again. But Rin jumped in, her boundless energy breaking the tension.

"How about I show you around, Musashi?" she asked, smiling brightly as if nothing awkward had just happened. Musashi, feeling cornered, simply nodded, allowing himself to be dragged once again.

Rin led him around the base, pointing out everything from their scavenged tools to their makeshift beds. "And this is where we sleep!" she said proudly. "It's not much, but it's home."

Musashi glanced around the room. The beds were little more than thin mattresses and blankets laid on the floor, but compared to the streets, it seemed almost luxurious. He nodded in acknowledgment.

"Since you've seen everything, let's go back to the others," Rin said, pulling him by the hand once again. He didn't resist, letting her guide him back to the main room.

When they returned, everyone was waiting for them. Minoru approached, his expression serious but not unkind. "Are you sure you want Musashi to join us, Rin?"

Without hesitation, Rin nodded enthusiastically. "Hn!"

Minoru sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright then. Musashi, there's one thing you need to understand. We consider ourselves a family here. We're not related by blood or anything, but we share a last name and trust each other like a real family."

Musashi listened quietly, unsure where this was going.

"So, if you want to join us, you can take our last name too," Minoru continued. "But don't feel pressured. It's just a symbol of the trust we have in each other. Do you want to be part of that?"

Musashi stared at the ground, thinking it over. The word family echoed in his mind, stirring something deep inside him that he had long tried to bury. After a long pause, he nodded.

"Alright then," Minoru said with a slight smile. "From now on, you're Masaharu Musashi. But if you don't want to use the name, that's fine too."

Musashi glanced around the room. Rin was beaming at him, Hideaki was glaring, and the other kids seemed mostly indifferent, just waiting to see what would happen next.

"Yeaay!" Rin cheered, jumping up and hugging Musashi. "Welcome to our family!"

Musashi stood stiffly, not sure how to respond to the sudden affection. His body had grown accustomed to violence and isolation—this warmth was foreign to him.

"Can I ask you a few things?" Rin began, but before she could launch into another flurry of questions, Arata, the third boy of the group, yawned loudly, interrupting her.

"Rin, give him a break," Arata muttered. "I'm tired."

Minoru nodded in agreement. "Yeah, let's all get some sleep. We've got some treasure hunting to do tomorrow."

One by one, the kids shuffled off to bed, leaving Musashi with a thin blanket and a spot on the floor. Minoru glanced at him apologetically. "Sorry, Musashi. We didn't have time to make a proper bed for you yet. Arata and I will put something together later."

Musashi nodded, pulling the blanket around himself as he lay on the cold floor. 'At least it's better than the street,' he thought, though the ache of being disconnected from his old life lingered in the back of his mind. 'I guess I won't be seeing my family again...'

As he drifted off to sleep, he could feel eyes on him. Hideaki was still glaring from across the room, his face twisted with jealousy and distrust. 'Who does this guy think he is?' Hideaki fumed inwardly. 'I'll show Rin that I'm better than this freak.'

With that, the room fell into an uneasy silence as everyone settled in for the night. Musashi curled into himself under the blanket, still unsure of what tomorrow would bring.

(End of Chapter)