KNY Fanfic: Priceless Smile

Chapter 42: Warmth Inside Emptiness

After Kazumi cleaned up their wounds and scratches and let them rest at a nearby inn, they're all walking back to the Frost Estate now. Kano's lucky not to have his left arm severely hurt to need an arm-sling. Haruna's also lucky not to have any broken ribs after she hit the tree with her back.

"I'm really glad I came on time. I'm sorry if I'm late." Kazumi said still smiling at them.

"Oh no! Please don't be, nii-sama!" Haruna replied while waving her hand up and down to her side.

"It's our own fault nii-sama! We're weak that we can't even defeat a single demon!" Kano added with a slight blush on his face.

"Then I'm glad you two managed to hold on until I arrived." Kazumi gave them a closed eye smile.

'Too bright!!!'
The two thought seeing her do that.

As they go on, Haruna remembered the fight they had with the demon. Her and Kano managed to hear his shouts of curses to Kazumi.

"Nii-sama.... can I ask you something?" Haruna asked.

"Go on."

"Me and Kano heard the demon yell curses at you.... do you perhaps.... know each other?" Haruna continued.

She might think of this as a wholesome question but, she can't really help but be curious and ask.

"Yes. We do know each other. But don't worry about that! I'm fine! It's just curses." Kazumi answered in a cheerful way.

The two felt a little relieved in them but still, they can't help but think. What's the relationship behind the two and how do they know each other. Haruna's about to ask more but, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to the side to look at Kano who's looking at her shaking his head. Haruna just nodded and decided to change the topic.

"Nii-sama! Do you have any mission right now or tonight?"

"Yes definitely. Is there something wrong Haruna-chan?"

"Nothing, she's just asking since maybe.... we could tag along with you!" Kano instantly answered gaining a pinch from Haruna.

"No no. You two will stay at the estate for a while to recover. After that, I'll take you guys with me." Kazumi replied.

The two just sighed since they knew she's right, they wouldn't be able to fight demons properly looking like vegetables.

As soon as they arrived, Ringo opened the doors. Seeing how the two looked like, she gave the two a smack on the head.

"The hell were you guys doing being so careless?!" She blurted out a tick mark appearing on the side of her forehead.

"We're sorry." The two apologized rubbing the top of their heads Ringo hit.

They cleaned theirselves up before going into their own rooms to continue to rest. As they rest, Kazumi heard a knock on the door and opened it herself.

"Hello there Aza-chan!" Shinobu greeted with her usual smile.

"Hello Kazu-kun." Muichiro greeted smiling at her too.

"Ara~, I didn't expect you two to visit. Good morning Shino-san and Mui-kun!" Kazumi greeted back letting them in.

"Well, it's just suppose to be me but Tokito-kun here decided to come along." Shinobu replied.

"I'm also planning to visit here so I just came along with Kocho-san." Muichiro smiled at her.

"I see. It's really nice to see you two again."

As the three of them enter the living room, Nahori came to serve them some tea.

"So.... did you just came back from your mission or are you about to leave?" Shinobu asked sipping her tea.

"Actually both, I just arrived earlier with Kano-kun and Haruna-chan. But I'm also going to leave in a short while." Kazumi answered.

"Then why don't we go together?" Muichiro suggested.
"I'm also on my way to my mission today!"

"Alright then, if that's what you like." Kazumi answered nodding a little.

After their short conversation and some tea and snacks at the estate. They all left together.

"So this is my stop, I wish the both of you good luck." Shinobu said standing near her own estate.

"Thank you Shino-san! Same thing to you!" Kazumi replied patting Shinobu's shoulder.

The two soon walked away giving Shinobu a last hand wave.

"Seems like you changed a lot lately Mui-kun." Kazumi said starting a conversation on their way.

"Hmm.... I think not that much. I only talk like this with you Kazu-kun!" Muichiro answered showing a smile.

"Well, you're smiling now unlike before. Though, I think you should talk the same way with the others too." Kazumi scratched the back of her head.
"You know, not only with me. They might think of something like favoritism."

"I don't care and I will never care about them. But if they say anything bad about you, I'll beat them up." Muichiro said in his usual monotone voice and his expressionless face.

'He's still his usual self I see.'
Kazumi thought while chuckling a bit.

Muichiro glanced at her before smiling. He enjoys having Kazumi's company and being with her makes him feel warm. Unlike before, he feels nothing but emptiness. But everytime he would talk with her and spend time with her, he could feel something inside, he feels warm and just seeing her smile makes him smile too. He enjoyed it.

"Kazu-kun, let's have a snack together on our way!"

"Alright, I'm fine with it!"

'Her cheerfulness is a calm one, I like it. It's not too much like an over reacting person out of joy.'
Muichiro thought observing her a little.
'And her smile just really reminds me of my mother.'

"You know what Mui-kun.... I just really hope you'll be able to regain your full memories someday." Kazumi said looking up the sky before looking at him.

"Me too. I wanted to remember my family." Muichiro replied.
"But at least I could remember a bit about my mother now."

"Don't worry! I'm sure the day will come when someone would be able to help you remember them. Just like me. And I'm sure that someone would be a very wonderful friend of yours." Kazumi reasurred him.
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Muichiro have a saddened look on his face now. Him and Kazumi already finished eating some snacks at the village where his mission is located, Kazumi's location is still further.

"Don't be sad now Mui-kun. We'll still see each other."

"It's not like that. Can't you just really wait until I finish my mission tonight? I really wanna have a joint mission with you."

"No Mui-kun, a lot of people could get killed by those demons if I won't go there." Kazumi explained.

"But Tomioka-san, Shinazugawa-san, and Rengoku-san already had their joint missions with you. Even Kanroji-san last month and then Iguro-san two weeks ago. Almost all of them already had a joint mission with you except me, Himejima-san, and Uzui-san." Muichiro replied looking down with a pout.

'So.... all this time he could remember that many. Mui-kun,what a memory.'
Kazumi thought looking at her friend who kept on pleading.

"Alright here. I'll ask Oyakata-sama if we can have a joint mission together once I come back. Is that okay now?"

"Yes! Make it fast okay?! I'll wait!" Muichiro instantly answered looking full of energy now.

'What an instant change of mood.'