He really was handsome

Zhiyan woke even earlier than usual the next morning.

Or rather, he had barely slept at all.

He had lain in bed for a long time last night, his father's nonsense echoing through his mind, along with the two girls' laughter-although he hadn't gone inside, he had heard them clearly from across the courtyard.

What were they laughing about?

What exactly had that little brat Wana told Shoko?

Zhiyan rubbed his brow, then got up and dressed.

Whatever the case, he needed to check on Shoko today. It was her first visit to the Zenin Clan, and Wana had dragged her off to play the moment she arrived yesterday. He didn't know whether she was settling in. As the person who had brought her here, he ought to ask how she was finding her accommodations and whether she needed anything.

That was all.

That was what he told himself.

He passed through the covered walkway and around the courtyard. Wana's courtyard lay just ahead.

Morning sunlight spilled into the courtyard, carrying autumn's distinctive crispness. A few maple leaves drifted to the ground, their red just right.

Zhiyan had only just reached the courtyard gate when he heard voices from inside.

"Shoko, look, look! My brother gave me this rabbit for my birthday last year! Its ears can move! Look-"

"Mm, I see."

"And this! I made this seashell wind chime myself! Listen-"

A series of clear, tinkling notes rang out.

"Doesn't it sound pretty? Doesn't it?"

"It does."

Standing at the courtyard gate and listening to their conversation, Zhiyan couldn't help the slight curve of his lips.

He was about to step inside when Wana spoke again. This time, she lowered her voice, but he could still hear every word-

"Shoko, did you sleep well last night? Did you think about my brother?"

Zhiyan's feet froze in place.

"Why would I think about your brother?"

"Because he's going to marry you!"

Zhiyan: "..."

He took a deep breath.

Then he strode inside.

"Wana."

His voice wasn't loud, but both girls in the room turned toward him at once.

Wana was sprawled beside Shoko, her little face still bright with excitement. Her eyes lit up when she saw her brother come in, completely oblivious to the approaching danger.

"Brother! You're just in time! I was telling Shoko-"

"Telling her what?"

Zhiyan walked up to her and looked down at her.

Wana blinked, finally realizing, a little too late, that something was off about her brother's expression.

His expression... how could she put it? He looked as composed as ever, but there was a chill beneath that composure.

Just like last night in their father's study.

Wana shrank back, instinctively ducking behind Shoko.

"N-nothing..."

"Really?"

Zhiyan watched her without speaking.

A faint crackle of electricity came from his fingertips.

Wana's eyes widened instantly, and she grabbed Shoko's arm.

"Shoko, save me-my brother's going to zap me-"

Shoko swayed under her grip, but her expression remained as mild as ever as she looked up at Zhiyan.

"Morning, Zhiyan."

Her voice was even, as though nothing had happened.

Zhiyan met her gaze, and the crackling at his fingertips faltered.

"Morning." He lowered his hand, his usual composure returning to his voice. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Pretty well." Shoko nodded. "Wana talks a lot, but once she falls asleep, she settles down."

"That's good."

Wana poked her head out from behind Shoko, looked at her brother, then at Shoko, and pouted.

"Why are you both ignoring me?"

Zhiyan glanced at her. "What were you saying just now?"

Wana immediately ducked back out of sight.

Amused by her reaction, Shoko smiled, her eyes curving as she reached out to pat Wana's head.

"There, there. Your brother won't zap you."

As she spoke, she looked back at Zhiyan.

"Zhiyan, have you had breakfast?"

Zhiyan paused briefly.

His name sounded so light and gentle on her lips, yet somehow it felt different.

He looked away, his voice steady. "Not yet. I came to check on you two. I'll go back and eat in a bit."

"Then eat with us," Shoko said. "Wana says breakfast here is really good, and I haven't tried it yet."

Wana immediately popped out from behind her, nodding like a chick pecking at grain. "Yes, yes, yes! Let's eat together! Brother, have breakfast with us!"

Zhiyan looked at her, then at Shoko.

Shoko was watching him, her eyes as clear as spring water. There was no particular expression on her face; she simply waited quietly for his answer.

As though nothing had happened last night.

As though she hadn't heard any of those words.

For some reason, Zhiyan felt his heart settle.

"All right," he said. "I'll have someone bring breakfast here."

Wana cheered and jumped off the couch.

"Yay, yay! I'll tell the maids to bring lots of tasty things!"

She pattered outside, leaving a trail of cheerful footsteps behind her.

Only Zhiyan and Shoko remained in the room.

Morning light streamed through the window and fell across Shoko. Today, she wore the kimono Wana had prepared for her, tiny flowers embroidered on a pale pink background that made her look soft and gentle.

The beauty mark beneath her eye rested quietly there, looking especially sweet as she tilted her head slightly.

Zhiyan suddenly remembered his father's question from last night.

Was that girl pretty?

He averted his gaze and sat down by the window.

"Are you settling in?" he asked.

"Mm." Shoko nodded. "Wana's very welcoming. She showed me all sorts of things. Your home is huge. I nearly got lost yesterday."

"You'll get used to it," Zhiyan said. "If you need anything, tell a maid, or Wana, or-"

He paused.

"Or tell me directly."

Shoko looked at him, her eyes curving.

"Okay."

Silence lingered between them for a while.

Birds called outside the window, and the wind rustled softly through the maple leaves.

Remembering Wana's ridiculous remarks earlier, Zhiyan felt he ought to say something.

"Shoko," he began, trying to sound as natural as possible, "Wana's young. Sometimes she doesn't know what she should and shouldn't say. Don't take those things she said to heart."

Shoko blinked at him.

"What things?"

Zhiyan briefly choked on his words.

"...Those things." He looked away, watching the maple leaves outside. "All that talk about marriage. She made it up."

"Oh." Shoko nodded, her voice as mild as ever. "You mean the part about you marrying me?"

Zhiyan froze.

He turned to look at Shoko.

The girl was watching him, her eyes slightly curved. The beauty mark beneath her eye lifted with her smile, lending her a hint of sly mischief.

"You..."

"Wana overheard by accident last night," Shoko said, her voice even but carrying the faintest trace of amusement. "She told me when she came back."

The tips of Zhiyan's ears began to burn.

"So you know everything."

"Mm."

Shoko nodded. Her expression was as mild as ever, but amusement was unmistakably tucked away in her eyes.

Zhiyan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he didn't know what.

This nine-year-old girl knew every last bit of the old man's nonsense-

While he was wondering how to explain, Shoko suddenly moved.

She rose from her seat by the window, walked over to Zhiyan, and leaned down slightly.

The distance between them abruptly narrowed.

Zhiyan's breath caught.

A faint scent of gardenia drifted to his nose, delicate and fresh, like a flower beaded with morning dew. Only then did he notice the little gardenia tucked into Shoko's hair-Wana had probably put it there.

The girl's face was inches from his, her clear eyes studying him intently.

She stayed there for a moment, then drew back and sat by the window again.

Before Zhiyan's heartbeat had settled, she made a remark seemingly out of nowhere:

"You really are handsome."

Zhiyan blinked.

"What?"

Shoko looked at him, her tone as earnest as if she were commenting on the pleasant weather.

"Wana said you were handsome. You really are."

She paused and tilted her head, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment.

"But I think you'd look even better smiling."

Zhiyan's ears instantly turned scarlet.

The flush spread from their tips across his ears, all the way down to the base of his neck.

He picked up his teacup and took a sudden gulp.

Hot.

But he endured it, swallowing without a change in expression.

Watching him, Shoko's eyes curved. She didn't laugh aloud, but there was no hiding her amusement.

The room was quiet for a few seconds.

Zhiyan set down his teacup and took a deep breath, trying hard to make his voice sound normal again.

"That girl Wana... all she does is talk nonsense."

"Really?" Shoko tilted her head. "But I think she was quite right."

The flush that had only just begun to fade from Zhiyan's ears returned.

He looked at Shoko. The girl was watching him with clear eyes and a faint smile on her lips.

Her smile was subtle, yet it seemed to soften even the sunlight outside the window.

"Shoko." He began to speak, but didn't know what he wanted to say.

Shoko spoke first instead.

"Zhiyan," she said, her voice as mild as ever, but a little more serious now, "what Wana said wasn't entirely nonsense, was it?"

Zhiyan paused.

Shoko looked at him, her gaze calm and clear.

"To protect me, you need to make me a member of the Zenin Clan. That's what your father said, right?"

Zhiyan was silent for a moment.

"...Yes."

"Then he wasn't wrong," Shoko said. "Only by truly becoming one of your own can I be completely safe. Whether I'm hired or retained, I'd still just be an outsider."

As she spoke, she lowered her head and looked at her hands.

Those small hands had brought a sparrow back to life just a few days ago.

"My Cursed Technique... you said it was very rare. That makes me like a giant panda. A lot of people will definitely want me in the future. Not all of them will be good people."

She raised her head and looked at Zhiyan again.

"So, if I have to become a member of the Zenin Clan to be safe, I'm fine with marrying you."

Zhiyan froze.

He stared at the girl before him, unable to speak for a moment.

This nine-year-old child was saying something so levelheaded in such a calm voice.

There was no shyness, no fluster, none of the innocent bewilderment a girl her age should have had.

She was simply stating a fact.

As naturally as if she were saying, "The weather's nice today."

"Shoko..."

"At least you and your sister are good people," Shoko said, her eyes curving slightly. "Wana likes me, and you... you don't look like you'd bully me, either."

She paused, then added something else.

"You have a nice personality, your family is well-off, and you're good-looking, too. Wana said you should marry someone handsome, or looking at him every day would make you miserable. So however I look at it, I don't think I'd be losing out."

Zhiyan: "..."

He took a deep breath.

"Shoko, you're only nine."

"I know." Shoko nodded. "That's why I didn't say I wanted to marry you right now."

As she spoke, she tilted her head, her eyes curving with her smile.

"I'm just telling you in advance. So you won't be unaware of it later."

Zhiyan looked at her, suddenly at a loss for words.

Sunlight from the window fell across her, tracing her outline in pale gold. The gardenia tucked into her hair made her look soft and gentle.

A nine-year-old child, saying the most clearheaded things in the most innocent tone.

He didn't know whether to call her precocious or perceptive.

But he knew that, from this moment on, he would probably never look at her the same way again.

"Shoko," he began, his voice a little lower than usual.

"Hmm?"

"Those things..." He paused. "It won't be too late to say them when you're older."

Shoko blinked, then smiled.

Her smile was a little brighter than before, her eyes becoming two crescents, the beauty mark beneath her eye lifting slightly with her smile.

"Okay," she said. "Then I'll keep that in mind."

Just then, Wana's voice came from outside, drawing closer and closer-

"Brother, Brother! Breakfast is here! It's here! The maid said there's red bean soup today-"

She rushed inside and saw them sitting face-to-face, one red behind the ears and the other all smiles. Suspicion immediately crossed her little face. There was definitely something going on between these two.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," Shoko said. "Just that your brother would probably look even better if he smiled."

Wana blinked, then slapped her thigh.

"Right? Right? That's what I've been saying! Brother always looks so serious. He doesn't seem nine at all! Shoko, you should make him smile more from now on!"

Zhiyan: "...Eat."

Wana giggled and pulled Shoko over to sit at the table, putting food on her plate every so often as she chattered about how delicious the red bean soup was.

Shoko listened quietly, occasionally responding, occasionally glancing at Zhiyan.

Zhiyan met her gaze, then looked away.

The redness at the tips of his ears never faded.

After breakfast, Wana tugged Shoko along to look at the koi.

Zhiyan stood up, ready to return to his own courtyard.

When he reached the courtyard gate, Shoko's voice sounded behind him.

"Zhiyan."

He turned back.

Shoko stood beneath the covered walkway, sunlight spreading a wash of warmth behind her. She looked at him, her eyes curving slightly.

"Remember to go to bed early tonight."

Zhiyan froze for a moment at her words, then seemed to remember something and nodded.

"Okay."

He turned and left.

He walked out of the courtyard, through the covered corridor, and slowly made his way toward his own quarters.

He remembered what she had said-

"You'd probably look even better if you smiled."

And so the corners of his mouth lifted.

Although he couldn't see himself, she was probably right. After all, she had said so.

The weather was lovely today.

Maybe I'll really get a good night's sleep tonight, he thought. Yeah. I hope so.