Epilogue

Yasushi, Jingliu, and Xinyi moved toward the hidden grove just off the campus grounds. Cherry blossoms drifted from the branches, the petals cascading over the quiet place, giving it a scene like something out of a film. On a nearby bench, a young man sat, his gaze cast downward, face locked in a serious expression. By his side stood a maid they'd met during their summer break in China, her presence quiet yet pointed.

She leaned down, murmuring something under her breath to him. His head snapped up, eyes sharpening as he spotted them approaching. He rose, straightening his tie — a sharp, professional suit perfectly arranged, a slick look that seemed more suited for a business conference than this meeting.

When the trio stopped before him, Xinyi stepped forward, her eyes fixed on him for a long moment. Finally, her voice broke the silence, firm and direct. "Today's supposed to be a day to celebrate," she said, unflinching. "So let's skip the preamble. What do you want?"

Guo Tianyu hesitated, caught off guard by the directness of Xinyi's words, her tone just short of hostile. He couldn't say he didn't deserve it, though — not after all the arrogant, self-centered behavior he'd shown before.

Xinyi's stance made it clear she hadn't forgotten, and even Yasushi, who hadn't spoken yet, glared at him with an intensity that made his palms sweat. That look sent a chill down his spine; Yasushi wasn't just any student.

He'd heard stories, had dug up some details about the city's rumors surrounding Yasushi, and what he found only heightened his nerves. Their first meeting had been tense enough, but Yasushi hadn't acted on his anger then. This time, Guo Tianyu knew he couldn't afford to misstep.

Clearing his throat, he raised a hand to cover his mouth, coughing before he spoke, voice a bit shaky. "Since we last met, I've been traveling…seen quite a few places. And — well, I learned some things along the way." He paused, swallowed, then continued, "First off, I want to apologize." With that, he bent forward, bowing low, his arms straight at his sides in an earnest attempt to show them he meant it.

All three stood still, taken aback, though they kept quiet and allowed him to speak, watching as he rose from his bow. When he looked up, his gaze held something none of them had expected — guilt.

He drew in a breath, then started, "While I was traveling, I came across a lot of people…people who didn't put up with the way I acted. I got…well, put in my place a few times because of my attitude. And being in places where people struggle just to get by, especially in parts of the world I'd never even thought about, it all started to hit me hard." He paused, eyes lowering. "I have so much, so many things I've taken for granted, and I used what I had to hurt others. I can see how twisted that was."

He glanced off for a moment, pulling his thoughts together. "There was this old man and woman at a small inn in Hawaii…they didn't have anything beyond that little place, but they were happy, welcoming. They knew every single person in their village, like they were family, and it was…eye-opening to see how little they needed to be…at peace." He trailed off, letting that sink in.

After a long pause, he spoke again, choosing his words carefully. "I…want to go back there. To Hawaii. I want to live in a place like that," he said, meeting their gazes directly.

The three of them stood there, unable to hide their shock at his words, though before any of them could respond, Xinyi broke the silence. "Hawaii? Why would you want to go back there?" she asked, her tone blunt.

Guo Tianyu hesitated, then answered, "I met someone important there. My parents had cut back my money, and by the time I reached Hawaii, I had nothing left to lean on. I was desperate, so I went to this older couple, and they took me in. They didn't know me, didn't owe me anything, but they let me stay — and before long, I was…part of their village. It was tough at first. I was clueless and got knocked down more than a few times because of it. But eventually, I learned enough to start pulling my weight, handling their work."

He lifted his hand, fingers curling into a fist, the skin roughened and calloused, a far cry from the soft hands he'd once had. "After some time, I had to move on. Xing Yu, my maid, updated my parents, and they pulled me away. They had other plans, sent me somewhere new. I didn't want to go, not after I'd promised the girl there that I'd be back. That village, those people — they feel like a second family now," he said, his voice low as he looked at them, almost like he was laying himself bare.

Guo Tianyu paused, shaking his head. "I know, I'm going on. The thing is, I just want to change. I needed to start here, with you three. I owe each of you that much, even if it's not accepted. I want you to see I'm serious." He took a breath, focusing on Xinyi. "Especially you, Xinyi. I treated you horribly, and I'm done being that guy. I'm not going to bother you anymore. I've met someone else, someone I actually care about."

From his pocket, he pulled a folded piece of paper, stepping forward to hand it directly to Xinyi. She looked at it, then back at him, puzzled. "Take it, please. I earned it working in France, at another family's restaurant. I saved up. There's food, activities, things you can all enjoy for your graduation. It's my way of saying…thanks, I guess."

The three of them stared, stunned, while he took a step back, bowing again. "I don't want to take up any more of your time, so I'll just—"

"Wait a minute," Yasushi stepped up to him, extending his fist. "Look, I respect people who make the effort to change. It's not easy, but it seems you're actually trying here. We may have started out rough, but let's start over."

Guo Tianyu's eyes widened, a flash of hesitation before he lifted his own hand, meeting Yasushi's fist with his. For a second, he seemed lost for words, his lips shifting before he managed, "Thanks… Yasushi. And… I'm sorry for all the things I called you before."

"Forget it. Not worth holding onto," Yasushi replied, studying him for a moment. "Are you heading out already?"

Guo Tianyu gave a nod. "Yeah… I've got a few more stops to make. After that, I'm going back to China, and then Hawaii. I'll be there for a while, setting up what I can. I'm hoping to start something there, maybe connect it with the rest of the world, make things easier for people." His expression turned, the look on his face serious, revealing how invested he was.

Yasushi nodded slowly, his expression softer. "Alright, man… good luck. From what I've seen, you're on a better path. I think you'll actually make it happen."

Guo Tianyu's lips curled into a smile, and he gave a final nod before turning and heading back toward his maid. The two of them moved away, fading from view until it was just Yasushi, Jingliu, and Xinyi left standing in the open space.

Yasushi turned back to his friends, only to realize Jingliu had drifted a few steps off, her expression a mix of discomfort and regret as she gave him an awkward, almost embarrassed smile. But Xinyi stood much closer, her cheeks flushed, though she made no effort to hide it.

"Is everything okay—" Yasushi started to ask, but she interrupted him, almost as if the words had been building up and she couldn't hold them back.

"Yasushi!" Her voice was louder than usual, almost a shout, and right then, a sudden breeze whipped through, catching them both off guard. Xinyi's gaze stayed fixed on him, her face even redder, her expression conflicted.

"Yes?" Yasushi replied, his focus fully on her, his own voice dropping to match her mood, though he didn't look away.

She took a sharp breath, her voice low, just barely a whisper. "I know… alright? I know it's silly… maybe not even worth saying. But… I just want you to hear it from me." Her words trailed off as her eyes began to glisten, her hand raised just slightly as though reaching for something she hadn't yet found.

Yasushi took a steady breath, knowing what was coming, though he hadn't expected her to choose this moment. He waited, saying nothing.

"I… I love you." Xinyi's voice came in a rush, like she'd held it back too long. "I don't even know when it started… maybe right after I transferred. But it only kept growing. And I know you're with Jingliu, and I've tried so hard to hold this back. But today's the last day of high school, and I just had to say it!" Her voice broke a little as the words tumbled out all at once.

Then came silence, Xinyi's breaths uneven as she looked at him, face expectant, though he could see her worry clear as anything. She knew what came next, and so did he.

Yasushi shut his eyes, nodding once. He'd known about her feelings, had noticed how she'd turn away whenever he and Jingliu shared a moment, how she'd push her own feelings aside, staying silent. It must have stung, watching from that close, but this was how things stood.

"Thank you for sharing your feelings, Xinyi. But… I have to be honest here." His words came slowly, no rush, each one measured. "I love Jingliu. I want to marry her someday, so I can't accept your feelings."

Xinyi nodded as his words sank in, and though she didn't stop, each nod seemed to draw more from her until her heart felt cracked wide open. She'd braced herself, told herself she was ready for this, but as the tears began, as they ran warm and fast down her cheeks, she understood how wrong she'd been. It hurt more than she'd let herself believe.

Jingliu walked over, wrapping Xinyi in a quiet embrace, pulling her close, her arms steady and warm. And for a moment, Xinyi accepted it, sinking into the gesture, finding something she could lean on as her chest heaved with each breath.

This was a piece of her heart she couldn't claim, and the weight of it, the loss, pressed down until she wondered if she could ever let it go. Yet, as the last tears left her eyes, she wiped her face and looked up, a grin breaking through her exhaustion.

"…If I can't have him that way… then maybe there's another way I can." She looked from Yasushi to Jingliu, her words strange but firm, and saw the confusion on both their faces.

She blushed, eyes steady, voice unwavering. "I'll be his mistress!"

Both Yasushi and Jingliu stared at her, shock twisting across their faces. "Huh!?" they cried, voices sharp and full of disbelief.

But Xinyi didn't waver, a spark of defiance in her eyes that told them both she meant every word.

+-+

Yasushi turned his head away with a twinge of awkwardness. On one side, Jingliu clung close, her arm wrapped around his, marking her spot as his girlfriend. But to his other side stood Xinyi, smiling wide with that boldness of hers, still dead set on her intention to become Yasushi's "mistress." She'd even announced it openly to their families and friends, shocking everyone present.

Yasushi wanted to let her down gently, so he'd spent the day trying every approach he could think of to convince her to drop the idea. But Xinyi stayed persistent, determined to play the role she'd claimed, and he finally gave up any further attempts, at least for the night.

Yet Jingliu wasn't ready to back down. She and Xinyi had exchanged plenty of heated whispers throughout the day, their arguments filling every corner of their interactions and extending into the evening. Now, gathered in the living room of Yasushi and Jingliu's shared home, their families and friends had settled in, filling the place with their presence and the sounds of chatter.

"Left foot on the blue dot, Furuya!" Laura called out, pointing sharply at the spot.

"I'm trying!" Furuya shouted, clearly struggling as he stretched, fighting to position his foot just right.

While their friends tangled themselves in a game of Twister, their parents and the gods gathered in the next room, each one enjoying the moments, chuckling now and then as bursts of laughter from the game filled the air.

+-+

Later that night, most guests had headed home, leaving only those who lived with Yasushi behind. Jingliu had managed to pull Xinyi aside, wanting yet another private word with her. Yasushi, meanwhile, tried to slip away to get a moment alone, hoping for some quiet.

But as he reached the balcony and looked out over the city lights, he noticed Shiva standing beside him, sharing the silence as they took in the darkened view.

After a stretch of quiet, Shiva finally broke it. "Yasushi." His voice cut into the night, and Yasushi turned, waiting for him to go on.

"I know you've got that young girl, Yunxue, under your wing," Shiva continued, his tone careful yet firm. "But, to be blunt, I don't think she's quite up to the mark just yet."

Yasushi raised a brow at this, a flicker of curiosity passing over him. Shiva pressed on, though, not waiting for a response. "So, here's my proposal. While you're in college, stick with her — teach her what's needed, guide her so she becomes the kind of maid Yinhaie expects. However, if she still doesn't meet the standards when you're done with school…" He paused for effect, his gaze steady. "Then I'll personally assign one of my own secretaries to assist you."

Yasushi's gaze stayed on Shiva before he finally spoke. "Why? Yunxue's made real progress. Yinhaie even mentioned how she struggled with a lot of what Yunxue now handles without a hitch."

Shiva sighed, glancing up toward the night sky again. "She's not quick enough. If she hasn't caught up by the time you finish college, I'll send a secretary your way and send her back to China for more rigorous training. Experiencing the outside world was valuable, sure, but she's still coming up short in several areas."

Yasushi let out a deep breath, casting his eyes toward the handrail. The frustration was there, but he didn't speak yet. Just as he opened his mouth, a voice from behind broke in.

"I'll take that as a challenge, Lord Shiva," Yunxue said, her tone steady. "But if I fall short, I'll return to China, then come back stronger than before."

They turned, finding Yunxue standing there, her gaze fixed, brimming with confidence that seemed aimed directly at Shiva, as if daring him to doubt her. Shiva held her stare for a few moments, then let out a quiet laugh. "Is that so?" he said. "Well then, maybe it's time for a little change."

"A change?" Yasushi asked, an eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"Let's make this a bit more… engaging, shall we? Instead of waiting until the end of college, I'll send that secretary of mine to stay with you right away. They'll stick around until Jingliu and Xinyi are set to work alongside you and your parents. I'd say that should add some excitement to things," Shiva continued, a grin spreading across his face.

Yasushi let out a long breath, giving his head a slow shake. "Do we even get a choice here? It's not like we can just ignore a god…"

Shiva broke into laughter, reaching over and giving Yasushi a solid smack on the back. "Think of it as a bit of harmless fun — a way to liven things up. So, that's how it'll be. I'll get going now, but don't let me down," he added before disappearing without another word.

Yunxue placed a hand on her chest, her eyes fixed on Yasushi. "Don't worry, Yasushi. I'll push myself harder than ever to prove Lord Shiva wrong. And if I can't, I'll go back and train even more. Jingliu has Layena and Yinhaie, Xinyi has her own team of two, but you only have me. So, I'll make sure to handle the work of two! Just watch me!"

Before Yasushi could respond, she dashed out of the room, her drive stronger than ever. He rubbed his face, sighing. "I thought things might finally settle after all this… but I guess not."

He turned back toward the night, gazing over the city, and sighed again. The future loomed with a mix of uncertainty and hope, leaving him optimistic that things would take a turn for the better.