The next day, with the Butterfly Family and Makomo seeing them off, Kanzaki Kumo set out with Kanae.
Since neither of them was weak anymore, they decided to run there, treating it as physical training.
By the time they reached Kanzaki Keizan's grave, the sky had just darkened.
Kanzaki Kumo and Kanae held hands, each carrying offerings in their free hand, as they walked up to the small mound.
Together, they cleared away some of the weeds on the grave and offered incense and bows. Only then did Kanzaki Kumo take Kanae by the hand and sit down beside the headstone with her.
He gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she gently rested her head on his shoulder.
Kanzaki Kumo, who had always sat directly on the ground, spread a piece of cloth beneath himself this time.
Partly, it was because Kanae was sitting beside him, leaning against him, and partly because he was reluctant to dirty the clothes he was wearing.
It was a haori Kanae had found time to sew for him by hand over the past while. It had taken nearly two months, and she had only finished it last night after rushing to get it done.
This was the birthday present Kanae had prepared for Kanzaki Kumo.
Its overall design closely resembled Kanae's and Shinobu Kocho's haori, with slight adjustments to fit Kanzaki Kumo's build.
Black silk thread formed a pattern of butterfly wing scales on the white fabric, while the edges were shaded with ice-blue dye, preserving the simple style Kanzaki Kumo liked without making the haori look too plain.
Today's chat between grandfather and grandson was put off for the moment. Leaning against the headstone with an arm around Kanae, Kanzaki Kumo softly began recounting his past.
It was a past he