My Brother's a Jinchūriki! EXTRAS

2021 Valentine's Special Part One

 A Meddlesome Valentine's

Kotetsu walked through the village with his hands in his pockets. For the most part, he ignored the fuss and the buzz around him, rolling his eyes at the nagging sales folk at the stalls and shops he passed. It seemed like every shop suddenly sold either chocolates, stuffed animals, or flowers, and, quite frankly, he was very much over it. The last Valentine's day he had celebrated was when he was a child still at the Ninja Academy. His gesture of affection for his crush had been, for lack of a better word, crushed. After a humiliating rejection on the playground, he had taken to avoiding the holiday entirely, choosing instead to spend the day alone. Some years, Izumo would spend the day with him as they both enjoyed their lives as bachelors. Other years, he regarded Izumo as a dirty traitor. This was because of the fact that Izumo was an unexpected lady-killer, and, while Kotetsu could understand why women found his best friend attractive- he still couldn't understand how Izumo had better luck in love than himself.

He held up his hand to politely reject the advances of a woman selling Valentine's gift baskets and quickened his pace.

"Valentine's Day is such a pain in the ass." He sighed and moved to walk on the other side of the street to avoid another vendor. "It's just a day for lucky guys to rub their luck in poor sucker's faces, and for rude women to scam a guy out of a free dinner and then never talk to him again."

He moved to avoid another vendor and lost his balance, staggering and bumping into an older woman.

"Oh, sorry. Are you alright, ma'am?"

"Your mind is clouded with thoughts of romance." She raised her brow and turned to look up at him with a faint smile playing on her lips. 

"W-Wha?!" Kotetsu laughed and rubbed his head. "No, sorry, you've got it wrong. I'm not really a fan of Valentine's."

"Or so you tell yourself." She took his hand and traced her finger over his palm, and he jolted slightly and suppressed a laugh.

"H-Hey! What are you doing?"

"Come with me. Baabaa will give you a reading for free." She waved her bony hand and he blinked.

"...Reading?"

"Baabaa is a gifted fortune teller, of course." The woman patted her tightly curled hair. "Baabaa's services are highly sought out in many countries, but Baabaa shall read you for free because you are so pitiable."

"Oh, thanks, but- hey!" He coughed into his hand and his cheeks flushed. "P-Pitiable?!"

"You come with Baabaa now."

"Uh... do I get a choice?"

She raised a thinly-drawn eyebrow at him, and he cleared his throat.

"O-Of course not." He sighed and slouched slightly. "A-Alright. I'll follow."

He followed her down a street that opened up to a field. Normally empty and used by children for games, it was busy and full of workers setting up for the Valentine's festival. The old woman waved for him again, and he followed her into a brightly-colored tent.

Kotetsu coughed as the pungent scent of incense hit him suddenly as he entered. She made him sit across from her at a table with a glass ball between them.

"Baabaa will begin now."

"I-I should tell you that I don't really believe in fortune telling."

She raised her brow again. "Baabaa hears this often. It is no matter. Now, place your hands around the crystal."