How Did a Visit Turn into an Engagement?

In late autumn in Kanagawa, gentle sunlight spilled over the streets of Yokohama.

The morning in the Ieiri household was as peaceful as ever. Shoko's father sat in the living room reading the newspaper, while her mother cleared the dishes in the kitchen. The succulents on the windowsill basked in the sun, and a calico cat yawned lazily atop the wall.

Ever since their daughter had gone to Kyoto for a visit, the house had been much quieter.

"I wonder if Shoko's having fun there." Her mother came out of the kitchen, drying her hands. "It's been seven days, and she's only called twice. She hasn't even said when she's coming home."

"Of course she is." Her father turned a page of his newspaper. "She gets along so well with Wana. How could she not be?"

"That's true..." Her mother sat down beside him and sighed. "But I still miss her a little. She's never been away this long before."

Shoko's father glanced at her and reached over to pat the back of her hand.

"She'll be home after a few more days. She's a sensible child. She won't cause them any trouble."

"I know..." Before Shoko's mother could finish, she suddenly stopped.

She had heard something.

A low rumble came from far away, as though a large number of cars were heading toward them.

"What is it?"

"Listen."

Shoko's father put down the newspaper and listened closely.

The sound drew nearer and clearer-a convoy, not just one car, but many.

"What the..."

He rose and went to the window to look outside.

Then he froze.

At the end of the street, a line of black cars approached slowly, one after another in perfect formation, like a long black dragon. The lead car had already stopped outside their gate, while the cars behind it were still turning the corner. There was no end in sight.

The cars bore no markings, but their grandeur and sheer number were clearly beyond anything an ordinary family could afford.

"W-what's going on?"

Shoko's mother came over to the window too, her eyes widening at the sight.

The cars stopped one after another. Their doors opened, and a number of neatly dressed people stepped out. They opened the trunks and began unloading things-large boxes, small boxes, exquisitely wrapped gift boxes, and towering stacks of brocade...

"Are... are they coming to our house?"

Shoko's mother's voice went shrill.

Her father was just as bewildered. He watched helplessly as those people carried boxes and held gift packages, filing into his little courtyard and stacking everything outside the door.

"They... they must have the wrong address, right?"

He was about to go out and ask when several more people emerged from one of the cars.

He recognized two of them.

One was Shoko.

The other was Zhiyan, the boy who had come to pick her up that day.

Shoko wore a lovely pale pink kimono, with a tiny silk flower pinned in her hair. Zhiyan held her hand as she stepped out of the car. She looked well, her cheeks rosy and her eyes bright, with no sign that she had been mistreated.

Her father was just about to call out to her when two more people emerged behind Zhiyan.

One was a tall, middle-aged man, dressed as casually as if he were strolling through his own backyard. His collar hung slightly open, and a lazy smile played at his lips.

The other was a middle-aged woman, dignified and gentle, wearing an understated kimono. Her hair was pinned up impeccably, and her smile was just right.

They walked straight toward Shoko's father.

"Um-" He had barely opened his mouth when the middle-aged man seized his hand.

"Well, well, my future in-law! No, no, listen to me getting ahead of myself-" The man laughed heartily and shook his hand vigorously. "Shoko's father, hello, hello! We're Zhiyan and Wana's parents. We've come especially to visit you!"

Shoko's father: "...???"

Shoko's mother: "...!!!"

Future in-law?

What future in-law?

Who was becoming whose in-law?

Before they could recover, the middle-aged woman had stepped up to Shoko's mother and gently taken her hand.

"Shoko's mother, we've heard so much about you. Our Wana keeps talking about Shoko and all the delicious food she had at your house. We're so sorry for the trouble."

"N-no trouble..." Shoko's mother replied automatically, her mind still a complete muddle. "Um, what's all this..."

"Oh, these?" The middle-aged man-Naobito Zenin-swept his hand toward the mountain of boxes. "Just a few small gifts for our first meeting. Nothing much. They're all things from our own businesses, nothing valuable. I hope you'll accept them."

Shoko's father looked at those "nothing valuable" boxes-brocade, lacquerware, exquisite carvings-then at the convoy still being unloaded. His mouth opened and closed, then closed and opened again.

"Um... you're Zhiyan's father, right?"

"Just call me Naobito!" Naobito Zenin laughed warmly. "We'll be family from now on. No need to be so formal!"

Family?

What family?

Shoko's father thought something might have gone wrong with his brain.

He looked at his daughter. Shoko stood beside Zhiyan, watching everything quietly. Her expression barely changed; she looked as calm as ever.

"Shoko," he said, his voice sounding a little unsteady, "what... what's going on?"

Shoko looked at him, then at her mother, before gently slipping her hand free of Zhiyan's and walking over to her parents.

"Mom, Dad," she said in her usual even tone, "there's something I want to tell you."

Her mother crouched down and took her hands.

"What is it?"

Shoko thought for a moment, as though choosing her words.

"Well..." She paused. "I might be getting engaged."

Shoko's mother: "???"

Shoko's father: "!!!"

"What?!"

Their voices rang out together, so shocked they nearly blew the roof off.

Shoko looked at them, her eyes curving slightly.

"Engaged. To Zhiyan."

As she spoke, she pointed at the boy behind her.

Zhiyan stepped forward and bowed deeply to Shoko's parents.

"Sir, ma'am, please forgive us for arriving unannounced."

His manners were impeccable and his attitude sincere, but Shoko's parents had no attention to spare for any of that.

"W-wait, wait, wait-" Her father raised a hand to interrupt him and looked at his daughter. "Shoko, weren't you just visiting a friend for a few days? How... how did a visit turn into an engagement?"

"We were just spending time together, and..." Shoko thought for a moment. "Then it was decided."

"You were just spending time together, and it was decided?!"

Shoko's father thought he must be dreaming.

He looked at the convoy outside, still unloading gifts, then at the mountain of gift boxes, then at the middle-aged couple beaming at him, and finally at his daughter, whose expression seemed to say, "Lovely weather today."

"What on earth is going on?"

Naobito Zenin laughed, walked over, and patted his shoulder.

"My future in-law, don't get worked up. Come, come, let's go inside and talk it through."

As he spoke, he headed into the house as though he belonged there.

Shoko's father wanted to stop him, but wasn't sure whether he should.

Zhiyan's mother-Shizue Zenin-also gently took Shoko's mother's hand.

"Let's talk inside. It's chilly out here. We shouldn't leave the children standing around."

Led by the hand, Shoko's mother found herself walking inside before she could help it.

Shoko's father looked at his daughter. Her eyes curved slightly at him, as if to say, "It's all right."

He took a deep breath and followed them inside.

The living room, usually spacious, suddenly felt crowded.

Naobito Zenin settled expansively into the seat of honor-the place where Shoko's father usually sat-and patted the seat beside him.

"Come, come, my future in-law. Sit here."

Shoko's father opened his mouth, wanting to say, "That's my seat." But faced with the man's utterly matter-of-fact manner, he ultimately sat down opposite him in silence.

Mrs. Zenin drew Shoko's mother down beside her on the other side, her posture elegant and her smile gracious.

Zhiyan remained standing off to the side.

Shoko walked over and lightly tugged his sleeve.

"You sit down too."

Zhiyan glanced at her, then at his parents, and finally sat beside Shoko.

At the sight, Naobito Zenin's smile widened a little more.

"Ahem." He cleared his throat and looked at Shoko's parents. "My future in-laws, we've come today mainly to discuss the two children."

Shoko's father took a deep breath.

"Um, Mr. Nao... Naobito, was it?"

"Just call me Naobito!"

"Mr. Naobito," Shoko's father said, trying hard to keep his voice normal, "you keep calling us your 'future in-laws,' and there are all these... these gifts, and Shoko mentioned an 'engagement'... What exactly is going on? We only let our daughter visit a friend for a few days. How did it suddenly..."

As he spoke, he looked at his daughter.

Shoko sat quietly beside Zhiyan, holding a cup of tea and sipping it as though none of this had anything to do with her.

Naobito Zenin laughed.

"Don't worry, my future in-law. Let me explain."

He paused to gather his words.

"Here's what happened. The children get along remarkably well. That girl Wana-my daughter-has such fun with Shoko that she's been clamoring every day for her to stay with us forever. And Zhiyan..."

He glanced at his son with a meaningful smile.

"Zhiyan has been taking the utmost care of Shoko too. As their parents, we've seen it all, and we thought, since the two children are so close, why not... arrange an engagement?"

Shoko's father froze.

Arrange an engagement?

Just because the two children were "close"?

"Um..." He struggled to speak. "Mr. Naobito, aren't the children only nine?"

"What's wrong with nine?" Naobito Zenin said as though it were obvious. "Nine is a perfect age to get engaged. Settle it now, then have them marry when they're grown. Isn't that wonderful?"

Shoko's father opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.

He looked at his wife, who appeared just as lost.

"But..." Shoko's mother finally spoke, her voice hesitant. "We're just an ordinary family, and Shoko is just an ordinary child... Your family seems... so..."

She didn't know how to finish.

Naobito Zenin understood, however.

He waved a hand.

"My future in-law, what are you saying? Ordinary or otherwise, what does it matter? The children getting along is more important than anything. Our family doesn't concern itself with differences in social standing."

As he spoke, he looked back at Shoko's father.

"Besides, we genuinely like Shoko. She's sensible, well-behaved, and polite. Wana clings to her every day, and Zhiyan..."

He paused and glanced at his son again.

"Zhiyan cares a great deal about her too."

Shoko's father followed his gaze.

Zhiyan sat beside Shoko, listening quietly. His posture was composed, his expression unreadable. But on closer inspection, the tips of his ears seemed slightly red.

Shoko's father was silent for several seconds.

"Mr. Naobito," he said, "may I ask you for an honest answer?"

"Of course, of course. Please, go ahead."

"What actually happened?" He looked straight into Naobito Zenin's eyes. "Shoko went away for a few days, and now she's coming home to get engaged. Something must have happened that we don't know about."

Naobito Zenin looked at him, his smile fading a little.

"You're perceptive indeed," he said, his tone more serious than before. "Yes, there are some things we need to explain to you."

He paused, apparently considering how to put it.

"Shoko..." He glanced at her. "Isn't an ordinary child."

Both of Shoko's parents froze.

"What do you mean?"

Rather than answer directly, Naobito Zenin looked at Zhiyan.

Zhiyan rose, walked over to Shoko's parents, and bowed deeply once more.

"Sir, ma'am, what I'm about to say may be difficult to understand. But I promise every word is true."

Shoko's father looked at him and nodded.

"Go ahead."

Zhiyan straightened, his gaze steady.

"Shoko possesses a very special ability. Ordinary people don't have this ability, nor can they see it. It can heal wounds and save lives. It's so rare that you might not find even one person with it among tens of millions."

He paused.

"This ability is called a Cursed Technique."

Shoko's parents stared in bewilderment.

Healing?

A Cursed Technique?

They looked at their daughter. Shoko sat quietly where she was, met their eyes, and gave a small nod.

"Mom, Dad," she said, "it's true. I can heal injured little animals. That sparrow last time-you both thought it got better on its own, but it was actually because I touched it."

Shoko's mother's eyes went wide.

"That sparrow..."

"Yes."

Shoko's father fell silent.

He remembered his daughter often saying she had "seen strange things" these past few days, the little bugs she had drawn, and the confusion in her eyes when she asked, "Why can't you see them?"

So there was nothing wrong with her eyes.

There really were things there.

"But..." he began with difficulty, "what does this ability have to do with an engagement?"

Zhiyan looked at him, his tone earnest.

"Because this ability is so rare. There are many people in Jujutsu Society who would want to get their hands on someone with an ability like hers. They'll use all sorts of methods to turn her into their tool."

Shoko's father's heart sank.

"You mean..."

"Shoko is already being targeted," Zhiyan said. "Just yesterday, someone came here demanding we hand her over. They said they wanted to take her away for a 'visit' and an 'exchange.'"

His tone was calm, but Shoko's father heard the chill beneath that calm.

"You..." He looked at Naobito Zenin. "You refused?"

"Of course we refused," Naobito Zenin said. "That girl is our guest. What right does anyone else have to take her away?"

Shoko's father was silent for a few seconds.

"But the engagement? What does that have to do with this?"

Zhiyan looked at him and spoke slowly and clearly.

"Because only by becoming part of the Zenin Clan can she come under our protection without anyone questioning our right to protect her."

He paused.

"A hired sorcerer can be dismissed. A guest under someone's patronage can change patrons. Only true family leaves those people with nothing to say."

Shoko's father froze.

He looked at the boy before him, at those steady eyes, and suddenly understood something.

"So... you proposed the engagement to protect Shoko?"

Zhiyan nodded.

"Yes."

Shoko's father fell silent.

He looked at his daughter.

Shoko was watching him, her gaze clear and calm.

"Shoko," he asked softly, "you knew all this?"

"I did."

"Then... are you willing?"

Shoko thought for a moment, then nodded.

"I am."

Shoko's father looked at her, a sudden rush of conflicting emotions welling up inside him.

His daughter was only nine, yet she already had to face things he knew nothing about. Those people, those powerful groups, those unseen dangers...

"But," he said, his voice a little hoarse, "you're only nine. An engagement..."

"Sir," Zhiyan interrupted, his tone earnest, "the engagement is only a temporary measure. It's meant to keep Shoko safe over the next few years. Once she's grown up and can protect herself, if she wants to break off the engagement, I won't object."

He paused and looked at Shoko.

"When that time comes, she can go wherever she wants and marry whoever she wants. I promise."

Shoko's father froze.

He looked into the boy's eyes. There was no pretense there, no empty reassurance, only sincerity and earnestness.

He looked at his daughter again.

Shoko was watching Zhiyan, her eyes slightly curved and a faint smile on her lips.

Even as her father, he had rarely seen her smile like that.

"Shoko," he asked softly, "what do you think?"

Shoko turned to look at him.

"Dad," she said, her voice as quiet and matter-of-fact as ever, "Zhiyan is a good person. Wana is too. Their family treats me very well."

She paused.

"And if we get engaged, I can stay with them all the time."

Shoko's father looked at her, suddenly at a loss for words.

Then Naobito Zenin spoke.

"My fellow in-law," he said with rare seriousness, "I know this has come out of nowhere, and it's hard for you to accept right away. But please believe us. We truly want to protect this child."

He paused and glanced at Zhiyan.

"And this boy..." He chuckled. "This boy really cares about her. I've raised him for nine years, and I've never seen him care this much about anyone."

Zhiyan's ears reddened again.

But he did not deny it.

Watching this, Shoko's father suddenly found it a little funny.

He looked at his wife.

Shoko's mother was gazing at Shoko, her eyes slightly red.

"Shoko," she asked softly, "have you really thought this through?"

Shoko nodded.

"I have."

Shoko's mother looked at her in silence for a few seconds, then reached out and pulled her into her arms.

"That's good," she said, her voice catching a little. "That's good."

Shoko's father watched them, took a deep breath, then turned to Naobito Zenin.

"Mr. Naobito Zenin," he said, "may I ask one last question?"

"Please, go ahead."

"Those people who wanted to take Shoko away... will they really let this go?"

Naobito Zenin looked at him and smiled.

There was confidence in that smile, and a measure of pride.

"Rest assured," he said. "If anyone dares lay a hand on the Zenin Clan's future daughter-in-law, they'll be making an enemy of the entire Zenin Clan."

He paused, his tone calm but certain.

"They wouldn't dare."

Shoko's father looked at him in silence for a few seconds, then nodded.

"I understand."

He stood and walked over to Zhiyan.

Zhiyan stood as well and looked at him.

Shoko's father reached out and patted his shoulder.

"Boy," he said, "treat her well."

Zhiyan looked at him and nodded solemnly.

"I will."

Shoko's father looked at him, then suddenly smiled.

"All right," he said. "Then it's settled."

Naobito Zenin immediately stood up, laughing heartily.

"Wonderful! You're a decisive man! Come, let's discuss when to hold a little ceremony-"

"Wait, wait," Shoko's father said, hurriedly waving his hands. "It's still too early. The children are only nine. There's no need to rush-"

"Not too early at all. Let's make it official first-"

The two fathers began discussing it back and forth.

Shoko's mother held Mrs. Zenin's hand and spoke to her quietly. Her eyes were still red, but there was now a smile on her face.

Wana appeared at some point and threw her arms around Shoko.

"Shoko! This is wonderful! Now you're really going to be my sister-in-law!"

Held in her embrace, Shoko gently patted her back.

"Yes."

"Are you happy?"

Shoko thought for a moment, then looked at Zhiyan.

Zhiyan was standing nearby. When his eyes met hers, his ears reddened again.

Her eyes curved in a smile.

"I am."

Outside the window, the sunlight was just right.

In the little courtyard piled high with gift boxes, the calico cat basked lazily in the sun, occasionally meowing as though saying, "Congratulations."