Sanzo immediately turned around following the familiar, feminine voice from his back. His face showed colors of suprise as a woman entered his eyesight. It had been more than ten years since Sanzo last saw her... and while indeed she looked much older and maturer, Sanzo could still see her defining features: she still looked very beautiful.
He couldn't help but to let his legs lead him towards her.
"-sama...?"
Sanzo let her name escape his lips, and in that instant, he remembered his Master, the Koumyou Sanzo... and the time his Master first introduced her to him.
Perhaps it was fate that Sanzo met her once again.
"It really is you, Kouryuu!" She beamed, "You've grown up..."
She looked at Sanzo from head to toe, and honestly, Sanzo felt comfortable under her gaze. She was still kind, and she'd never lost her light - the light that made Sanzo feel very warm, both in the past and now.
"That kyoumon..." whispered - and even with such a small voice, it didn't escape Sanzo's ears.
...That's right, couldn't have known that Koumyou had...
Sanzo could feel his body stiffening. It was all his fault, all his fault, all his fault that his Master ended up---
He was brought out of his reverie when he felt someone embracing him, "It's alright, Kouryuu," he could hear 's voice and feel her warmth, "I'm glad you've become a full-fledged Sanzo."
...But the tinge of melancholy in her voice was hard to let go unnoticed.
Light
"Uhh, could you explain the current situation, Hakkai-sensei?"
Gojyo's voice split through the long silence between Hakkai, Goku and himself, who were left by their 'leader', Genjou Sanzo. All of them could only watch, from a few meters away, Sanzo gets embraced by quite an old, though beautiful nonetheless, woman. One look could tell that she aged well.
"Even I am not quite sure of the situation myself, Gojyo," Hakkai replied, his expression full of surprise, "But I think I heard her calling Sanzo 'Kouryuu'... wasn't that Sanzo's old name?"
"Then she knew Sanzo from the past?" Goku chimed in.
"That's for sure," Gojyo huffed, "There's no way an ordinary woman, much less one who'd only known him a few minutes ago, would hug a walking blasphemy like him."
Hakkai could only let out a dry laugh.
"...Sanzo looked so comfortable though," Goku pointed out, "She must've been a very close person to him."
As Goku spoke, the three of them could see both Sanzo and the mysterious woman approaching them.
"Ah, they're coming," Hakkai uttered.
The woman was the first one to speak when Sanzo and her finally reached them.
"All of you must be tired," she spoke, "I live alone, so there's still a room available. It's not a very fancy place, but please do stay."
"Ah, thank you very much," Hakkai immediately replied with a smile, but stumbled on her name, "Umm...?"
The woman smiled in return, "I'm ."
After they reached 's home, she immediately guided them towards an open room on the edge of the hallway. Indeed, the place was simple and cozy, yet it somehow felt lonely... perhaps it's because for years, was the only person living in it.
The place gave off a very comfortable yet melancholic atmosphere.
The room itself wasn't too big - it only has a twin bed and two chairs and a table - but was thoughtful enough to put some futon in the room, since she knew that one bed wouldn't be enough for four grown up men.
"That sake cup..." Sanzo whispered, when his gaze stopped on a pair of beautiful, moon-ornamented sake cups sitting inside the highest compartment of a glass shelf inside the room, "Is it..."
...Master's?
Sanzo wanted to ask, but he knew that at this point, such a question will only hurt .
"It was Houmei's," nonetheless affirmed, calling Koumyou with his old name before he became a Sanzo, "He only comes here more or less once a month, but he insisted on getting his cup, so I thought, why not get a matching one?"
Sanzo turned around towards the woman, quietly gazing at her expression.
let out a small laugh, "Though of course, cups don't matter when you're drunk,"
Wordlessly, Sanzo turned his head again, this time towards his comrades (although he would not admit to it), who were already sitting around inside the room, looking all comfortable, resting. Indeed, the journey before they reached this town was long and tiresome, and it had been three, four days since they last slept under a roof. Even Goku, the person with the most energy, was beginning to feel exhaustion. Really, was akin to a savior.
"Ah, I talked about the past too much, didn't I?" covered her mouth with her right hand, "The effects of being old, I tell you."
After looking out the window and realising it's getting late, she added, "I'll go and prepare dinner. All of you must be very hungry!"
Hearing the word 'dinner', Goku sprang up, eyes glittering: "Dinner! Dinner!" he cheered.
Of course, immediately he was shut up by Gojyo, who hit his head and yelled: "Shut up! You're embarrassing us all!"
Goku looked at Gojyo in discontent, "Isn't it normal to feel hungry!?" he yelled back, "Even you were asking about dinner earlier, Gojyo!"
"I didn't!"
"You did!"
"Shut up, idiot monkey!"
"What was that, ero-gappa!?"
Hakkai, who had noticed Sanzo's expression gradually worsening, immediately said, "Goku, Gojyo, I think it's---"
However he was too late - Goku and Gojyo got hit by Sanzo's harisen before either of them could react.
""OWW!""
"All of you are too noisy!" Sanzo shouted angrily.
couldn't help but to laugh looking at the three's antics, "What a cheerful group," she said between giggles, "All of you are such great friends."
Her words were met with denials from Sanzo, Goku and Gojyo, though, as the three of them said in unison: """We're not friends!!"""
"We're sorry for being so noisy, -san," Hakkai stepped in, "It's always like this."
replied with a warm smile, "I don't mind at all... Hakkai, is it?" she said, and after Hakkai nodded in confirmation, she added: "After all, this place looks brighter with all of you around."
After saying that, excused herself and left the room to prepare dinner.
The room turned silent after she left. The members of Sanzo-ikkou all sat down on their respective places in the room: Gojyo and Goku sat down on the floor, whilst Sanzo and Hakkai took the chairs. Gojyo, Goku and Hakkai was itching to ask the same thing, and it was apparent that Sanzo noticed.
"Sanzo?"
Hakkai was the first one to break the silence.
Wordlessly, Sanzo turned only his gaze towards Hakkai.
"Who is -san, actually?" Hakkai inquired, "I could piece up a few things from your earlier conversations with her, but..."
Moments passed quietly before Sanzo decided to answer, "She was my Master's... Koumyou Sanzo Houshi's most important person."
Hearing Sanzo's words, everyone couldn't hide their surprise, "You mean like, she was your Master's lover?" Gojyo asked, and Sanzo nodded slowly in affirmation, "Whoa... that's one huge coincidence."
After another moment of silence, Goku chimed in: "Then it should've been years since she last saw him...?"
Hakkai and Gojyo snapped their heads towards Goku, their expression filled with discontent due to his insensitivity. However, Goku, being Goku, was of course oblivious to such looks.
"Of course," Sanzo said, "It's been years since Master died, after all."
Everyone could feel the heavy atmosphere in the room. Goku, unable to withstand the situation, stood up and left the room, saying: "I'll be helping prepare dinner!"
...which surprised the others, since up until now, Goku only knew how to eat and eat and eat. However, they let him go anyway.
"...She must've really loved him," Hakkai noted. Listening to Sanzo's story made him feel some kind of sympathy towards the woman: she must be hurting for so long. To not be able to see the love of her life for years, to wait for him ever so loyally, only to be made known that he's already gone from this world...
If it were Hakkai, would he be able to keep such a cheerful face?
"...No," Sanzo whispered, in a voice so low that even the wind could easily erase it, "Master and -sama... they really love each other."
Gojyo looked out the window, "Even now, huh?"
Only silence greeted his words as both Sanzo and Hakkai fell deep into their own thoughts.
"!" Goku greeted cheerfully when she saw the figure of a woman in the kitchen. However, when he was met with 's tearful expression, Goku couldn't hide his surprise as he approached her quickly, "? Are you okay!?"
"Goku...!" immediately wiped the tears off her cheeks and eyes with her hand, "I'm fine, I'm fine,"
"Are you really okay...?" Goku asked again.
"I'm really fine," smiled, "Thank you."
"I... I'll help preparing dinner," Goku said, "What can I do for you?"
looked at Goku in surprise, but then she smiled softly, "Could you help me slice up the meat, then?"
Goku smiled widely in reply, "Of course!"
The two of them were comfortably doing their own tasks when suddenly called, "Goku?"
"Yeah?"
"Would you mind listening to an old woman's boring monologue?" asked, as she continued peeling some potatoes.
"...I don't mind," Goku replied softly, "I'll listen."
Smiling, whispered a 'thank you'.
could still vividly remember the day Houmei visited her, bringing a very beautiful, very young boy along with him. It had been a while since Houmei's last visit, and for him to suddenly turn up with a child piqued 's interest... as well as mischievous side.
"...Houmei, I can't believe this," began, "In the time you didn't see me, you've..."
", this is a misunderstanding...!" Houmei looked at 's clearly fake unbelieving expression, and with a clearly fake exasperated expression of his own, he replied: "There's no way I'd cheat on you!"
"But, Houmei," replied, this time with a louder voice, "If so then who is that child!?"
"I can explain...!" Houmei exclaimed.
The two of them looked at each other... and in a moment, both erupted into a laugh.
After a while, smiled brightly and said, "Welcome back," as her eyes glazed with tears of joy, "I've missed you."
Houmei looked at lovingly, as he said, "I'm back," and kissed her softly.
After preparing three cups of hot tea for all of them, sat down on the seat across Houmei and the beautiful young boy on the dining table. The young boy looked very attached to Houmei, even though he's maintained an expressionless face since he got in the house.
looked at the boy in curiosity.
"I've named him Kouryuu," Houmei started, after sipping his tea, "He's four this year."
From the length of them being together, could understand Houmei's puzzling words quite easily. This little boy, Kouryuu must have been taken in by Houmei.
However, one thing was bugging , "Why didn't you ever talk about him in your letters?"
Indeed, during the times they cannot meet each other, Houmei and always sent each other letters, but not in any one of the letters have Houmei touched up on the subject of Kouryuu at all.
"I thought you'd understand why?" Houmei said, an innocent expression on his face.
looked at Houmei, and after a while she finally understood what he meant. Eyes wide full of surprise, she yelled: "I can't believe you kept Kouryuu a secret for years, only so that we could have that soap opera interaction earlier!"
Houmei sipped his tea, seemingly satisfied: "It was worth it."
couldn't help but to shout 'Ah!' exasperatedly.
But then, after a moment, she inquired mischievously: "What would you do if I actually thought you've cheated and thrown you out?"
Houmei merely smiled, "I know you'd believe me."
Hearing Houmei's confident tone, heaved a sigh: "What makes you so sure?"
"We've been together for over ten years now, I would know," Houmei replied lightly.
"I hate how you always have that confident look on your face, Houmei," said, "It makes me feel like I don't have any advantage in this relationship."
Houmei chuckled, "I love you, too."
It took a while for Kouryuu to finally open up to . Before, when they first met, Kouryuu would just look at for a while, and then run back towards Houmei, never leaving his side. But now, Kouryuu's already older - he's twelve - and he doesn't seem to bear any more jealousy at for 'hogging' Houmei's affection.
"He's so cute!" would squeal each time Kouryuu does pretty much anything - and Houmei would, in return, look at Kouryuu with mixed feelings.
"I'm kind of regretting my decision of letting him meet you now," Houmei would say sometimes out of jealousy, when he saw how always gives a lot of her attention to Kouryuu.
"You're not being mature," would always laugh when he said that, and give him a kiss on the lips.
Now, Kouryuu had perfectly fit in and became something akin to 's son - later, told Kouryuu that he might as well be her real son, since she couldn't conceive children anyway due to some genetic defects passed on in her family. But anyway.
It was during Houmei and Kouryuu's other rare visit when suddenly embraced them both tightly.
It was night time already, and it had become normal for the three of them to sleep together, with Kouryuu in the middle. Of course, at first Kouryuu objected a lot, saying that he's 'not worthy' and such, but due to 's incessant begging, Kouryuu finally relented.
"I'm so happy to have both of you by my side," whispered, tightening her embrace on both Kouryuu and Houmei.
Houmei immediately raised his arm to embrace both and Kouryuu. Kouryuu, stuck in the middle of them, held and Houmei's arms with both of his hands.
That night, the three of them slept very soundly, peacefully.
"Come to think of it, that was the last time I got to see Houmei and Kouryuu," said, as she put all of the chopped vegetables into the pot. Since her hand never stopped working while telling her story, almost everything's cooked.
"Oh..." Goku moved all the cooked harumaki into a plate, and he moved his gaze to yet again. His expression was sorrowful, very much so to the point you'd think he's the one experiencing 's pain.
In a way, it might be that he's sympathising with : he was locked up high in the mountains for five hundred years... he would understand 's loneliness. But perhaps he's got it better - at least, he hadn't known about another person's warmth during his solitude. must've never thought that that night was her last with the love or her life - and she was left alone in uncertainty for years.
"Are you sad, Goku?" asked, as she put a big bowl of soup on the dining table. The dinner preparation finally ended.
"I..." Goku didn't know what to say.
"You don't have to be," said, "I've lived over half of my life with Houmei, after all. Both he and I... we have no regrets - I know he's not the man to die uselessly, after all."
's eyes softened, "...And Kouryuu's the proof of that."
"..."
"Ah, Goku, could you call everyone else for dinner? I'll finish up in a bit," suddenly said, a cheerful smile on her face, "Tell them it's extra delicious!"
"O-okay!" Goku replied loudly, a bright smile on his face.
The next day, rain poured really hard since morning came. Sanzo was already in a bad mood since he woke up. It was always like this: whenever it rains, along with it Sanzo's worst memories also poured into his mind, as if shackles, refusing to let him go.
Hakkai, Goku and Gojyo had left the room long ago: they knew Sanzo wouldn't want their company during times like these. All of them took refugee in the living room.
Suddenly, Sanzo could hear soft knocks. It couldn't be Goku, Hakkai, or Gojyo - they knew they shouldn't get close to Sanzo on rainy days, plus they don't ever knock... at least, Goku and Gojyo never do. Which means... it must be .
"Kouryuu, I'm coming in," said, without waiting for Sanzo's answer. How typical of her.
As she walked in to the dark room, she was greeted by Sanzo's form, sitting on the chair near the window.
"What's wrong?" She asked softly, as she moved the other chair close to Sanzo, and sit on it.
Moments of silence passed before Sanzo finally answered, in a low voice, "It was on a rainy day like this," he said, "That Master..."
He wasn't able to continue his own words.
Suddenly, Sanzo felt warmth on his hand. When he turned to look, had apparently put her hands on top of Sanzo's hand, engulfing his cold hand with her warm, small hands.
"...Kouryuu," said, slowly, "Thank you."
Hearing 's voice, Sanzo immediately snapped his head to look at her in surprise.
Thank you?
Why?
Why would she thank him, the one who couldn't even protect a single person, who let his own Master die?
Everything, everything, everything was his fault!
And yet there she is, thanking him...
Even though perhaps, Koumyou wouldn't have died if he wasn't there...
Sanzo was about to open his mouth, but before he did, continued: "Thank you for living. I know it must've been hard," she said, "You must've been so lost after Houmei left..."
She stood up, and embraced Sanzo warmly, "I'm sorry I wasn't there," she whispered right on Sanzo's ears, "But thank you for living. Seeing you all grown up makes me feel so happy. It's hard to explain, but,"
paused, let go, and looked at Sanzo's face, "Seeing you again, Kouryuu, erases all of my uncertainties, all of my regrets."
"..."
Wordlessly, Sanzo squeezed 's hands.
The sun shone brightly the next day, as if the rain yesterday was a lie. The Sanzo-ikkou decided to leave the town and continue their journey to the West today - after all, they don't have all the time in the world to leisurely rest. Of course, had joined Hakkai on his food restocking shopping spree, so they're all set to go - she also made them delicious lunches to eat on the way.
"Thank you very much for everything, -san," Hakkai said, as he bowed low, "We really appreciate everything you've given us."
"Now, now, raise your head," replied, "I'll always be happy to welcome all of you here. Also, you're doing a good job on becoming these children's caretaker, Hakkai."
Hakkai and shared a meaningful laugh.
Suddenly, "Thanks," Gojyo chimed in, "The meal was really delicious."
turned to look up at Gojyo - who's got to be more than thirty centimeters taller than her - and gave him a kind smile, "You're welcome," she said, "Always live with your head held high, Gojyo,"
Gojyo looked at in surprise, but then smiled back at her brightly.
After that, was about to call for Goku, but then she felt someone hugging her from behind.
"Goku?"
"I'll come here again one day, okay, ?" Goku said, "So don't forget to prepare more tasty food! I love your harumaki."
laughed, "Of course, Goku."
After turned around and hugged Goku back, the two separated, and finally was face to face with Sanzo.
"...Keep going, Kouryuu," she said.
"...-sama..."
"I'll always be here praying for you - after all, that's the only thing an old woman like me could do," chuckled, "Now to the West you go!"
The four of them climbed into Jeep, and waved at .
"Good bye!!"
They yelled their last good-byes, and stayed until they couldn't be seen anymore. After they disappear into the distance, took something out of her shirt pocket - it was a letter.
"They really came, Houmei," she said, as she read back, for the hundredth time, the last words in Houmei's last letter to her.
When that time comes, please give him your encouragement.
I know, for a fact, that your words have magic in them, .
I've been saved by your words a lot of times, after all.
Don't forget that I'll always, always, always love you even when death do us part.
Even after death do us part.
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