The rustling leaves filled the awkward silence as Yasushi and Sachiko traded peeks.

  Curious, Yasushi's eyes shifted to Koba's. "…ummm, what happened to your other twin?"

  "He was weak and didn't deserve the title of First Born," Koba causally voiced, scratching his cheeks. "So… he was thrown off a cliff. My parents didn't even bother to name him."

  "It's common practice for members of the Takeshimego clan to eliminate the offspring who are deemed weak," Taichi added, encouraging the discomfort.

  "It's cruel!” Yasushi snapped back. “Killing innocent children! That's no way for a clan to treat its people!”

  Koba's eyes flashed, stepping towards him. "Cruel? Don't be so high and mighty! The Chika clan has no room to talk! Weak leaders will always lead their people into suffrage. We destroy them to preserve our bloodline!"

  Friction sparked between the boys, challenging the garden’s curated serenity. Sachiko patted Koba on the back, gauchely squeezing himself between them. "Uhhh... Okay... this conversation is too serious for my liking. It's kinda cramping my style. Why don't we leave the palace grounds and see what kinda festivities are going on near the northern villages?"

  He turned toward Yasushi grinning, his eyes mischiefly lowered. "Hehe... I'm sure there's aaaa lllooooottttt of lonely ladies in need of some Sachiko tonight."

  "PERVERT!"

  The word simultaneously erupted from all four throats. Megumi's face twisted in disgust. Koba laughed, shaking his head. Yasushi recoiled backward on the garden bench flustered.

  "Isn't the girl your parents arranged for you to marry here? Taichi snarked, rolling his eyes.” It's in bad taste to go parading around with other girls in front of her like that."

  Sachiko blushed, sliding closer to Taichi until their knees nearly touched.

  "Taichi... I'm 12. It'd be selfish to not share myself with all the lovely ladies of this realm.”

  He leaned in as Taich leaned outward, keeping his face within inches of Taichi's. “I'm too young to commit, let alone settle down. They say practice makes perfect at reass-"

  Koba sighed, firmly jerking Sachiko by his robe and held him into the air. "Arranged marriages are necessary to ensure the strongest bloodline. Stop taking it so lightly!"

  “Dummy.” Taichi mumbled, looking away from him. “That's the mindset that got our realm into this incest problem in the first place..."

  Flinging Sachiko to the side, Koba pointed at Taichi, the tip of his finger spurting a small flame. "Shut it, Fatty! There’s no shame in families trying to strengthen bloodlines!"

  Taichi, still avoiding eye contact, pressed on. "Then why did your parents give those treasured sibling abominations to the Nami clan?"

  The garden's tranquility ruptured as Koba lunged forward, his fists grabbing Taichi's shirt collar.

  Cracking against Koba's knuckles, Taichi's palm broke the grip. Within heartbeats, grunts and angry shouts replaced the distant festival melodies. Both boys crashed into the ornamental flower beds, rolling between scattered petals and upturned soil.

  Unbothered by the commotion beside him, Sachiko stood up, flicking the leaves out of his hair. "What about you, Yasushi?” He asked, ignoring Taichi's strained pleas for backup. “You're almost 12, right? Your parents should've arranged your wife by now."

  "Of course they have!" Megumi proclaimed, standing with both hands on her hip, her chest puffed out with pride. "I’m the future wife to Yasushi and queen to the Chika clan. My mommy says I'm the only one in the Living realm with a noryoku worthy of royalty!"

  Yasushi's finger moved to his chin. His gaze circled the koi pond, dismissing Megumi's remarks. "Uhhhh, I've already accepted my engagement. My fiancé lives with me, but I'm not allowed to talk about her."

  The wrestling match between Taichi and Koba instantly froze, their limbs tangled whipping their heads toward Yasushi. Koba shoved Taichi's startled face away, scrambling to his feet. "Hold up… What did you just say?"

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  "S'cuse me!?!" Taichi yelled from the trampled flower bed, dirt clinging to his viridian suit.

  Megumi's eyes bulged, her mouth fell open with words deserting her.

  Yasushi blinked, reddening at their reactions. "Uhmm.. yeah. We’ve been together since she was young. We do everything together. We train together, eat together, bathe together, and sleep in the same bedroom. I even help her get dressed on days she's too sore from training. We're very close."

  Megumi's face drained of all color, mouth gaping like a fish for water. Her eyes rolled backward as her knees buckled beneath her. She toppled sideways and crashed into the nearby chrysanthemum bushes, the impact snapping stems and discharging a loud crunching of leaves. Her legs stuck straight up from the flowerbed, faintly twitching.

  Sachiko stood dumbfounded, eyes sparkling.

  "I'm surrounded by perverts," Kobi exhaled, cupping his face into his hands.

  "OH LIKE YOU'RE ONE TO TALK!!!" Yasushi shouted, trying to conceal his embarrassment.

  Taichi walked next to Koba, arms crossed and curiosity piqued. "We've been friends since we were in diapers, Yasushi. Your place is pretty much my second home, but I've never seen her here or at any gatherings. Where is she? Is she here now?"

  Yasushi's shoulders stiffened, his posture becoming rigid in discomfort.

  "What clan is she from?" Koba pressed, stepping closer.

  Sachiko bounced on his toes, his white toga praetexta swirling with vitality. "What does she look like? Is she pretty?"

  Regaining consciousness, Megumi's ears perked up from the bushes.

  Yasushi surrendered to their curiosity, unable to resist bragging. He looked side to side, bringing the boys closer towards him and lowered his voice.

  "You see, she's here, but she isn't allowed to leave the palace. I don't know where she's from, but she's definitely not from our realm."

  His voice brightened, reminiscing Kaname's beauty. "She's the cutest! She has the smoothest skin. Beautiful silver hair that shines like the night's stars. Her eyes are the color of a storming sea, and when she was younger, she smelt really good! She doesn't have that scent anymore though. My mom said she grew out of it."

  Taichi's eyebrows shot upward. Storming eyes?

  Koba scratched his head. Silver hair?

  Sachiko tilted his head, making eye contact with Taichi and Koba. Smelt… really… good?

  Megumi sat up, her black puffy dress whishing as she leaned forward, processing Yasushi's words.

  The boys exchanged rapid glances, their expressions cycling through thoughts befitting of solving the Collatz Conjecture.

  After the inept silence, they burst into hardy laughter.

  Sachiko shrieked, doubling over with his arms across his stomach. "Yasushi! HAHAHAH! Your wife is an old hag! Shouldn't you be planning her funeral?!"

  Megumi fainted at the mental image of Yasushi's marriage to an elderly woman.

  Taichi wiped the tears streaming down his cheeks. "Nothing with those features exists in any realm I've heard of!"

  "I think you might be hallucinating or having vision problems!" Koba howled, slapping his knee. "Don't worry! I got you! My father knows a guy! HAHAHA!"

  Frustrated, Yasushi's face blazed crimson. "MY EYES ARE FINE, AND SHE'S NOT OLD!"

  "When's her birthday then?" Sachiko giggled, wiping his nose.

  Taking a step back, Yasushi hesitated. "I… I don't know. We've never celebrated her birthdays."

  Taichi dried his eyes and patted Koba's shoulder. "Just admit you're making her up. You don't have to lie to avoid accepting Megumi as your arranged wife."

  Sachiko perused over his shoulder towards the chrysanthemum bushes sprouting two legs at odd angles from its colorful blooms. He nudged Koba with his elbow, strolling toward the floral disaster. "Is she gonna be alright?"

  Koba followed, crouching beside the upturned earth and scattered petals. "Must be low blood pressure," he whispered, studying Megumi's limp form.

  Yasushi's voice howled through the garden like a siren, startling sparrows from the maple branches overhead, their wings beating wildly making their escape.

  "I'M NOT LYING!! KANAME IS REAL!"

  Taichi's eyes narrowed watching his composure loosen. "So her name is Kaname, huh? What's her last name then? If she really exists and you two are as close as you say, then you should at least know that."

  He clapped his hands together and smiled, spreading his stance. "Or has she already been given the Chika name?"

  Heat flooded Yasushi's cheeks as his confidence faltered. "Err... Ummm... Ugh... She... Umm... I dunno. Since I've known her, we've only called her Kaname. She doesn't have a last name."

  Irritated, Koba straightened, turning his attention back on Yasushi. "You're so annoying! Stop with this pathetic fantasy already! Why even lie about something like this?!"

  Yasushi lunged forward, forcefully gripping Koba's arm.

  "I'M NOT LYING!"

  Koba stood unmoved as steam began to rise from his body, his mouth warping into a cruel sneer. "Then prove it! Show us this silver-haired Kaname."

  Among the scattered chrysanthemum petals, Megumi's eyelids fluttered open. She hastily pushed herself upright, baffled at the scene in front of her.

  Hm...? Whadda miss?