It rained when Sumire walked out of the school gate — it had been raining all morning, and the rain didn’t seem like it was going to stop soon. The sky was perpetually cloudy, hanging heavily over the city, and Sumire was feeling the same deep in her heart.

Her meeting with Natsuno a couple nights ago kept replaying in her mind. She was trying to figure out ways to help him and Tamamo no Mae, but no matter what, she couldn’t seem to find a way that wouldn’t jeopardize Natsuno’s whole life. It frustrated her.

What currently was more frustrating, a car seemed to be following her from school. It trailed behind her slowly, occasionally honking at her. She heard news about creeps stalking schoolgirls to harass them, even following them to their house, but she had never experienced it herself up until now.

She was about to turn around one corner, when the car suddenly honked loudly at her, alerting her of a speeding motorcycle that came to her direction. She pressed her back against a wall, heart racing, and only then she turned her attention to the car.

Her brother was waving his hand at her from the driver’s seat.

Kazahana Shigure was a handsome man in his thirties, with slicked black hair and wicked smile that could melt women’s heart should he wished to do so. Too bad he was happily married to a man who he loved and devoted his life to.

Once Sumire got over her surprise, she approached the sleek black car. It had been years since she saw him in person, and she couldn’t help the happiness she was feeling upon seeing him again.

“Brother! You’re in Japan?” Sumire asked, leaning over the open window of the car.

“Been a week or so”, Shigure answered, pointing his thumb at the front passenger seat. “Figured that it’s about time we’re moving back here.”

On the front passenger seat was an unfamiliar looking man, frail-looking with wispy white-blond hair and a charming smile that made him look like a prince from foreign land. He had to be Mr. Heinrich Johansen, her brother’s husband.

Sumire had never met him, but her brother had send her his photos. Lots of them. Though he was now a part of family — no matter how hard their grandfather denied — Sumire still felt embarrassed at her outburst.

“She’s always been shy”, Shigure told his husband. Mr. Heinrich chuckled warmly, making Sumire blush even further. “Why don’t you come inside? I don’t want to get ticketed for stopping here too long.”

That was a reasonable request, so Sumire climbed into the back seat and placed her school bag next to her. “Excuse me”, she said.

“We’d like to try Japanese food for dinner”, Mr. Heinrich said. “Do you know somewhere we can have a nice chat together, Sumire?”

“Well…” Sumire hesitated for a bit. “There is this udon place…”

—

It was somewhere between lunchtime and dinnertime, so Kitsune-Ya was not as crowded as it usually was. Tamamo no Mae was lounging by the counter with one of her employees — a young looking girl named Botan, who Sumire suspected was also a fox spirit. Possibly a lower-level one than Tamamo no Mae herself.

“Is this udon shop new?” Shigure asked once they were seated. He examined the brand new looking table and decorations on the windowsill.

“We just opened last winter, dear guests”, Tamamo no Mae answered, as she placed three sets of eating utensils on the table. “What would you like to have on this fine evening?”

“We’d like three bowls of udon, please”, Sumire told Tamamo no Mae. “And plum sake for my brother.”

“And sakura tea for yourself, as usual?” Tamamo no Mae asked, winking. “Got it, young lady.”

“Thank you, Ms. Tamaki”, Sumire said. She looked at the empty restaurant and frowned when a familiar face wasn’t around. “Is Natsuno home yet?”

“He’s upstairs. Let me fetch him for you”, Tamamo no Mae answered, winking, before raising her voice. “Boy! Come down and help your elderly mother!”

“Yes, yes! You don’t have to shout, Mom”, Natsuno’s voice came from upstairs. After a series of footsteps thudding down the stairs, Natsuno appeared from the backroom. He wore a black sleeveless shirt with some band logo printed on it. His hair was tied into a small bun.

His eyes met with Sumire, and he froze.

“Stop gaping at the guests and help Botan out in the kitchen”, Tamamo no Mae chided as she returned to her place behind the counter.

“Such a… lively establishment”, Mr. Heinrich commented. Sumire turned her attention back to him and her brother.

“Momo and I often eat here after school”, Sumire explained. “Do you remember Momo, Brother?”

“Your elementary school friend? Short girl with brown hair?” Shigure asked. “You’re still friend with her?”

“Yes…?” Sumire was unsure how to answer her brother’s question. What was wrong being a friend with Momo? “What’s wrong, Brother?”

“Nothing”, Shigure answered, but Sumire could tell that there was more behind her brother’s words. She decided not to press the issue further.

They chatted for a bit about life’s update. Apparently, Shigure wanted to move back to Japan, but he was unsure if Mr. Heinrich would be well enough to travel such a distance. Mr. Heinrich was one of Shigure’s patients a couple years ago. He had a cardiomyopathy — a condition where his heart muscles became weaker — and he needed a heart transplant to stay alive. They had to wait a few years until Mr. Heinrich’s condition became more stable, before finalizing their plan to move.

It was Mr. Heinrich’s first time in Japan, but he’d taken Japanese lessons between his medical treatments. He told Sumire that he wanted to make her feel more at ease with him, especially since they were family now. Shigure also told Sumire their plan to adopt a child once they were ready.

And yet, Sumire could sense that they were avoiding a metaphorical elephant in the room — namely Sumire’s duties as a yokai hunter and the heir to Kazahana family.

She was about to tell her brother about her own life recently, when Natsuno arrived bringing three bowls of udon to their table. His steps appeared oddly unsteady, somehow. Luckily, Sumire managed to help holding the heavy tray in his hand before he could spill hot soup all over her brother.

“Please be more careful”, Sumire said, placing the tray on the table. Natsuno pouted, and Sumire was expecting a cheeky retort out of him. However, Natsuno simply skulked back to the counter and helped his mother wipe already washed bowls.

“You know that kid?” Shigure asked, amusement in her voice.

“We’re classmates”, Sumire answered. She helped Mr. Heinrich break the chopsticks, and served the sake for him and her brother.

“Oh?” Shigure suddenly sounded amused. There was a twinkle in his dark brown eyes. “Just classmates?”

Sumire was unsure how to answer, but she knew she couldn’t lie to her brother. Not about this, at least. She owed to Natsuno too much to lie about their shared duties to prevent spiritual disasters.

“He’s a yokai cleanser”, Sumire told her brother. “He… helped me often.”

Just as she expected, all the amusement was gone from Shigure’s expression, replaced by a severe frown that made Sumire feel awkward. Sumire looked down to her udon bowl and began to eat quietly.

“Mm, this udon is so delicious! Authentic Japanese food is surely different than what we had back in Germany”, Mr. Heinrich said suddenly, breaking the tense atmosphere that hung over them. “Sumire, this fried tofu is so delicious. What are they called again?”

“Inari tofu”, Sumire answered. “You should try the seafood one, Mr. Heinrich.”

“Oh? Ah, I’m allergic to seafood, sorry”, Mr. Heinrich chuckled. “But call me Heinrich, Sumire dear. Being called mister makes me feel so old.”

“You are five years older than me”, Shigure pointed out. “And stop pretending like you hate being old.”

“Yes, yes. I love growing old. It makes me feel more alive than anything”, Heinrich laughed. Sumire noticed that the corners of his eyes crinkled as he laughed. She eyed her brother, and found that he was staring fondly at his husband.

Dinner ended rather peacefully — Sumire noticed that Natsuno had disappeared into the backroom and didn’t come out again. As they walked into the summer sunlit street, Shigure held Sumire back by her shoulder.

“Brother?” Sumire asked.

“I’m not going back into that house again”, Shigure said, his voice strained. “Sorry, Sumire. You’re okay going home on your own?”

“Oh. Yes, it’s alright…” Sumire was disappointed, but she understood what her brother meant. She still remembered that day, all those years ago. The fight, the shouting —

Her brother leaving her.

“There’s an extra room in my apartment. You should… I don’t know. Maybe you should move out”, Shigure said. “You don’t have to be a yokai hunter. It’s too dangerous for you. I can find you scholarships abroad. You can be— be a normal girl or something.”

“Brother…” Sumire didn’t know what to say, but she knew one thing for certain. “I wanted to be a yokai hunter.”

“Are you?” Shigure asked, but he didn’t wait for her answer. Then, he handed her a piece of paper. “This is my address. Just in case you need a place.”

Sumire watched as her brother’s car pulled away from the parking lot, still fiddling the paper Shigure gave her. She put it in her wallet, before deciding that it was time for her patrol.