The two dissolved into laughter and playful scuffling, the lingering distance and heaviness between them vanishing in the fun.
They carried on for quite a while. Only when Hanabi was limp with laughter and struggling to catch her breath did Toru Kujyo finally let her go.
Hanabi sprawled on the tatami, panting, a healthy flush coloring her fair little face. She turned to look at Toru Kujyo, who had lain down beside her, the bright sunlight outside the window reflected in her pure white eyes.
Suddenly, she grew quiet. Her voice softened too, carrying a barely perceptible trace of hurt and longing.
"Big Brother Toru, I missed you so much."
Toru Kujyo turned to look at her.
"It's been... almost two months since we last saw each other, hasn't it?" Hanabi held up two fingers and said softly, "You never come to play with me."
So this was the real reason for all her fuss today. It wasn't that training was too hard, or that she was jealous of her sister. She had simply... missed him.
Toru Kujyo's heart softened at once. He reached out and ruffled Hanabi's hair again, this time with incredible gentleness.
"Sorry. I've had a lot going on lately."
"I know," Hanabi said, burying her face in the crook of her arm, her voice muffled. "But... I still wanted to see you."
Seeing her like this stirred something in Toru Kujyo, and a wonderful idea came to him.
He sat up and smiled at the little girl, who was still sulking. "Hanabi, since training at home is so hard and boring, why don't you... come train here with me from now on?"
Hanabi snapped her head up, disbelief shining in her eyes. "Huh? C-can I? Father and the others..."
"They'll agree." Toru Kujyo spoke with unquestionable