After that, Mukuro, Shido, and Yutsuki spent three days together in this remote countryside village.
To avoid arousing suspicion, the organization arranged for the three to sleep at the Awashima family's house. When morning ca, Mukuro would eagerly get up and, accompanied by Yutsuki and Shido, go to the Tsukikawa house to visit.
Sotis, Mukuro would accompany Hikari to play and explore the various corners of the village; other tis, she would play shogi and chat with her father and Yutsuki; sotis, she would go to the kitchen to learn cooking from her mother and Shido; or she would accompany her sister, taking care of the baby, Mio, together.
She was very happy! And very blessed! It was as if ti had returned to the past, as if her sister and parents had never forgotten her, and she had never left this ho. The peaceful life continued as a matter of course.
"Wow, although I vaguely noticed it when I first saw you, it's really amazing when I actually touch it. Akihoshi-chan, your hair is really beautiful."
Standing in front of the vanity mirror, Asahi combed Mukuro's long blonde hair and couldn't help but praise her.
"Thank you for the complint. Asahi onee-chan's hair is also very beautiful."
A sweet smile appeared on her lips, and Mukuro giggled.
Asahi smiled bitterly and shook her head.
"No need to be so humble, an auntie like can't compare to you at all. To grow your hair this long and maintain it so well, you must have put a lot of effort into it."
"Mhm, because this is my most precious treasure."
Mukuro said affirmatively.
"I see."
Hearing Mukuro's words, Asahi smiled.
"It's incredible. When I'm with Akihoshi-chan, I always inexplicably feel a sense of closeness. It's almost as if we're family."
"Is that so..."
"Mhm. If possible, I really wish I could brush Akihoshi-chan's hair properly every day."
Holding the comb and carefully brushing Mukuro's long hair, Asahi sighed affectionately.
"..."
Mukuro lowered her head silently, her hands involuntarily tightening, wrinkling her dress.
(If possible, Muku also wishes Onee-chan could brush Muku's hair every day.)
However, she couldn't pour out her inner thoughts to her sister. She knew she had lost the right to do so a long ti ago.
"And finally this—done!"
Deftly tying Mukuro's long hair into twin buns, Asahi looked at her masterpiece and nodded in satisfaction.
"Are you going back to Tengu City today?"
"Yes."
Mukuro nodded.
"I see. Rember to co visit when you have free ti. Our Tsukikawa family welcos you anyti."
"I understand, thank you, Asahi onee-chan."
Answering Asahi solemnly, Mukuro stood up from the vanity table, walked to the cradle, and looked at the sleeping Mio. She couldn't help but smile and said softly.
"Bye-bye, Mio."
——————————
"Ah, total defeat. I didn't expect to lose so badly after two days of playing. Harutsuki-chan, you really are amazing."
Asahi's father said, completely convinced of his loss.
"Not at all, Uncle, you are much stronger than . I just noticed so small habits you have when playing, and then formulated so counterasures against your playstyle."
Yutsuki replied modestly.
"Haha! I see! The new generation surpasses the old! Young people nowadays are really extraordinary!"
Hearing Yutsuki's answer, Asahi's father couldn't help but laugh heartily.
"Here, Natsuki. I made so rice crackers. Consider it a thank-you gift for your help. Please take them back with you if you don't mind."
"Mhm, thank you, Auntie."
Taking the snacks from Asahi's mother, Shido thanked her.
"Are you going back to the city today? The sun is almost setting. Do you want to stay one more night before leaving?"
"Thank you for your kindness, but we must go back. Otherwise, our family there will worry."
Yutsuki shook her head and refused. Then, she saw Mukuro and Asahi coming out of the house.
"Are you ready? We have to go."
Yutsuki asked.
"...Mhm."
Mukuro nodded slowly.
"Onee-chan and Onii-chan. Are you going back to the big city?"
Hikari walked up to Yutsuki, tugged at her pants, and asked reluctantly.
"Mhm.Onee-chan and the others have to go back."
Yutsuki crouched down, patted Hikari's small head, and said gently.
"Then will you co again?"
"Mhm, we will."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Can we make a promise?"
"Sure."
Looking at Hikari holding out her pinky finger, Yutsuki smiled knowingly, reached out her hand, and hooked her pinky with Hikari's to respond.
Seeing Yutsuki's action, Hikari's face regained its energy.
"Bye-bye! Rember to co visit!"
"Mhm, bye-bye!"
After waving goodbye to Asahi family, Yutsuki and the other two turned and left.
"We will not co again."
Walking on the small country road, after getting so distance from the Tsukikawa house, Yutsuki suddenly spoke.
"Eh?"
Hearing Yutsuki's words, Mukuro showed a surprised expression.
"What do you an? Yutsuki onee-chan."
"Exactly what it ans. We will never co to this village again, nor will we co to see Tsukikawa Asahi and her parents again. If you secretly co to see them behind our backs, then you shouldn't co back either."
"But... Yutsuki onee-chan... Didn't you just make a promise with Hikari?"
"That was just a casual answer to coax a child. A kid her age will completely forget a promise made with a stranger like , who only stayed for a few days, after a few years."
Speaking such cold words without caring, Yutsuki at this mont was like a completely different person from her usual self. Her coldness made Mukuro feel a bit unfamiliar.
Seeing Mukuro's frightened look, Shido couldn't help but speak up against the injustice.
"Yutsuki, isn't this a bit too..."
"Sorry, Shido. This is the only point I must make clear to Mukuro." Yutsuki said seriously. "Indeed, I suggested Mukuro et her family from the past. But my goal wasn't to make her feel attached to the past, but to let her put an end to it. Furthermore, if we frequently contact them, it will only cause harm to their lives. What should we do if DEM discovers their relationship with Mukuro and uses them as hostages to blackmail us?"
Shido was speechless for a mont.
Just as Yutsuki said, facing the threat of DEM now, their situation was very passive. If it were in Tengu City, they might have ways to protect Asahi's family. But if Westcott launched an attack on a remote countryside, it would be very difficult for them to react in ti.
"But still, you should pay attention to how you say it!"
"It is fine, Nushi-sama."
Mukuro grabbed the hem of Shido's shirt and shook her head silently.
"Mukuro... are you really okay with this?"
"Just as Yutsuki onee-chan said... To them, Muku is already an outsider. Too much interaction will only bring them trouble..."
Taking a long, deep breath, Mukuro's expression gradually returned to calm.
"Muku is no longer a child. I can understand this logic. Thank you, Yutsuki onee-chan, for giving Muku the chance to et onee-chan and my parents again. And thank you, Nushi-sama, for worrying about Muku."
Seeing Mukuro calmly accept this reality, Yutsuki and Shido couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
(Sorry, Yutsuki, making you play the bad guy.)
(Well, with your personality, you definitely couldn't say such harsh words anyway. Just adapting to the situation.)
To Shido's apologetic look, Yutsuki shrugged to show it didn't matter.
Using a Spirit's power to seal her family's mories, abandoning her family, and drifting alone in space. Evaluating the cause and effect of this incident from a third party's perspective, one couldn't shift all the bla to Hoshimiya Mukuro. Strictly speaking, she was just an innocent victim dragged down by soone else.
But even so, in order not to repeat the sa mistakes, she had to realize what irreversible consequences her actions had caused.
(I really have terrible taste.)
Yutsuki couldn't help but think with a self-deprecating smile.
Night fell.
If they were to take the bus and train back to Tengu City like when they ca, it would be late at night by the ti Yutsuki and the others got ho. So this ti, the three chose to detour into an uninhabited forest and let Kotori use Fraxinus to retrieve them.
"Mukuro. We can go."
"..."
"Mukuro?"
Looking at Mukuro who stopped in her tracks, Yutsuki asked in confusion.
"...Sorry. Could you wait for Muku for a mont?"
Mukuro pleaded softly.
"Let's wait a bit, Yutsuki. We are not in a hurry anyway."
"...Well, just a while shouldn't be a problem."
Yutsuki glanced at Shido, sighed, and nodded in agreent.
"Much obliged."
After replying, Mukuro turned around and looked in the direction of the village.
Compared to the bustling Tengu City, the countryside at night was so cold and quiet. Looking from afar, the scattered lights looked like a group of fireflies lost in the dark night.
But precisely because of this, the stars in the night sky twinkled like diamonds.
"The night sky... is so beautiful."
Looking up at the sky, Mukuro involuntarily sighed.
——It's very cold in winter, Mukuro! But the starry sky is the most beautiful at this ti. That's the Ursa Major constellation, and over there are the Ursa Minor and Cassiopeia constellations. Those three stars in a line and the four stars around them are the Orion constellation
—Eh? What's the difference between Ursa Major and Ursa Minor?
——Mukuro, look! Those are Alpha Pegasi, Beta Pegasi, Gamma Pegasi, and Alpha Androdae. They are known as the Great Square of Autumn.
——It's so hot, Mukuro, but onee-chan really loves sumr. Look at that, that super bright star is Vega, a white magnitude star, and it's also part of the Lyra constellation.
——Mukuro, that star is the North Star. I heard that in the past, when people got lost, they would look at that star to find their way ho.
——Hm? A star that looks like ? Thank you!.
——Welco ho, Mukuro.
——From today onwards, you are our family.
Drip.
At so point, a line of clear tears flowed down Mukuro's cheek.
"Eh? Strange... Why... Muku..."
Mukuro hurriedly tried to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. However, no matter how hard she tried to wipe them, the tears couldn't be suppressed and kept flowing.
"I'm sorry... Muku clearly decided to say goodbye to the past... thinking she could act like an adult... clearly decided to change..."
"There is no need to apologize, Mukuro."
Gently pulling Mukuro into his arms, Shido comforted her softly.
"The reason you're crying just proves how important your family is to you."
"Nushi-sama..."
"Shido is right. It doesn't matter if you're an adult or a child. If you can accept parting calmly, it doesn't an you're mature, it just ans you've beco numb. Therefore—"
Looking up at the beautiful starry sky, Yutsuki said.
"You don't need to hold it in, Mukuro."
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—"
The mont she heard those words, Mukuro's tears burst forth like a collapsed dam, pouring out accompanied by her wailing.
It hurt so much. It was as if she alone was abandoned by ti, everyone else secretly growing up without her. By the ti she realized it, she no longer had a place to belong, becoming all alone.
She regretted it so much. Regretted her stupidity, regretted her naivety. She was clearly so happy in the past, but she lost everything because of her own foolishness.
She was so frustrated. Everything was irreversible, everything was unchangeable. It was all her own doing. Her only choice was to swallow the bitter fruit and warn herself not to repeat the sa mistakes.
As if wanting to make a final farewell, Mukuro shouted loudly toward the distance while crying.
——Sorry, Onee-chan, Muku didn't listen to your advice!
——Sorry, Dad, Mom. Muku cannot stay by your side and fulfill her filial duties!
——Thank you, Muku's most beloved family!
——Thank you for loving Mukuro!
Then she smiled, a most genuine, beautiful smile filled with both relief and happiness.
Original author's PS: There is actually a serious logical bug here, which is Westcott's Beelzebub. As long as that thing is there, Mukuro going to see her family would definitely be exposed. Logically, Yutsuki wouldn't have proposed for Mukuro to go see her family. But I think only by making a break with the past can the Mukuro arc be truly considered over. So I still wrote it. Let's just assu Nia's Rasiel censored Beelzebub, and Westcott didn't notice.Or Westcott just got lazy and didn't search for it.
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