Change of Fate // Kyojuro Rengoku

.066

First Mission

The Moon and Flame Pillars stood across from each other just outside or the Rengoku Estate entrance.

Worried golden eyes peered into excited purple ones. Emi was restless, her foot tapping against the dirt as she jittered around in anticipation for her first official mission.

"Emi-"

"I already know what you're gunna say." The shorter girl quipped, sending a bright and teasing smile. "I'll be careful."

"Just promise me you won't do anything..." He trailed off, as if searching for the right word.

"Stupid?"

Kyojuro frowned, adamantly shaking his head and reaching out to brush his hand over the imp's hair. "You never do anything stupid. I was thinking more along the lines of unnecessary. Reckless maybe."

Emi let out a playful huff. "Yeah, call it what you want. It's all the same, you don't want me to do anything stupid." She shrugged, as if it was plain and easy for her to read his mind.

Sometimes it felt like she could, to Kyojuro at least.

Yet she was still a mystery to him. Sometimes. But he liked to think he was getting better at unraveling the enigma that was Emi.

"I promise I won't do anything reckless, unnecessary, or stupid." Emi finally vowed with a soft smile, one that made her words seem believable. "Okay?"

Kyojuro sighed, lowering his hand from her hair to press his palm to her cheek. "Alright." Finally, he returned the silly little smile that she kept giving him. He didn't want to ruin her excitement anyways, and he knew he didn't have to worry about her safety. She was strong, he would remind himself.

He wished that he could accompany her, but unsurprisingly, Kagaya Ubuyashiki assigned Kyojuro a mission that was in a completely different region. It wasn't hard for Kyojuro to imagine why.

Oyakata-sama wanted Emi to do this alone.

She needed to do this alone, she was perfectly capable anyways.

Emi grabbed Kyojuro's hand that was still beside her face, pressing his palm closer into her warm skin and smiling reassuringly. "Don't worry so much, Kyo. We'll both be done with these missions before you know it, okay?"

And then, she leaned forward to wrap her arms around his torso in a tight hug.

Kyojuro let out a quiet breath, nodding to himself and returning the hug with just as much force. And when he leaned his head down to place a kiss onto Emi's hair, he spoke. "I love you, Emi."

Her response was muffled as she still buried herself into his chest. "I love you, Kyo!"

.・゜゜・

Later that same evening after a short journey, Emi Tokito found herself in the very town that she had visited with Mitsuri Kanroji. The same one where she had seen banners being hung, and decorations being put out. And now, it was fully adorned in all its autumnal glory. A beautiful, wondrous autumn festival.

"Wow." Emi sighed to herself, standing to the side in quiet assessment. Iji the Kasugai Crow sat patiently on her shoulder, tilting his head at the Hashira's awestruck behavior.

"We must patrol." Iji chirped. "Find the demon!"

She nodded in agreement. "Right." But it was hard to not become distracted by the beauty of the festival. The string lights twinkled in the night, swaying across the open air above the streets. The many booths were crowded, filled with people and vendors trying to sell their goods. And the smell, Emi had to turn away for a moment so as not to go chasing after the lovely smell of freshly baked food.