38

By the time the too-long meeting finally comes to a close, it's already well past midnight. The nighttime air is cold upon Shiki's face, and it helps her to become a little more alert, even though part of her feels just about ready to fall asleep standing on her feet like this.

Shiki takes a single step forward, and pauses.

"Something wrong?" Satoru-niichan looks back over his shoulder towards her.

"… Not really." It's not something wrong, just… it's been a really, really long day. Shiki wants to collapse onto her futon and worry about all the problems she'll have to deal with tomorrow, but…

But it occurs to her that she doesn't want to return to Kiyohira-sensei's home, not when Kiyohira-sensei isn't even there anymore.

"C'mon, then," Satoru-niichan turns around and continues walking forward, leaving Shiki to briskly jog a few steps in order to catch up to him. "I don't know about you, but I feel like I could sleep for a week. These kinds of meetings are always a headache and a half to deal with."

His complaints are cheerful, lighthearted. One of the nearby Gojo clansmen looks at him with a deadpan expression, twitching, before proceeding to look away and ignore his clan head entirely.

"Does this happen often?" Shiki tilts her head, genuinely curious. "… Well-established clans being dismantled like this, I mean."

The Gojo clansman stumbles sharply and disappears from view with a startled yelp. Did he trip over thin air just now? That was… unexpectedly clumsy…

"Oh no, nothing of the sort," Satoru-niichan laughs. "But all the little power plays, the knives tucked behind every other sentence and what not is rather typical to see. It's all such a bore, really."

On that, the two of them are in agreement. All the posturing and verbal sparring, the snares in the words that are spoken…

Politics, ugh.

"Wait, where are you going?"

Shiki pauses. "… Back to Kiyohira-sensei's house?"

"Yeah, no," her cousin's hand lands down on her shoulder. His Limitless is deactivated in this moment, and Shiki can feel the warmth and weight of Satoru-niichan's hand. "I'm not going to be leaving you alone here."

Alone. Kiyohira-sensei won't be there; Shoko-san is watching over him. The Fushiguro siblings–

The Fushiguro siblings!

Shiki startles slightly as the thought occurs to her, "Tsumiki-san and Megumi-san, are they–?"

"They're fine. The Kamos didn't try to target them at all, so the two of them were safe. They're having a sleepover with Yuzuki right now," Satoru-niichan pats her on the head. "You can see them in the morning."

That was good. It was good that Satoru-niichan had already made proper arrangements for the Fushiguros, given that Kiyohira-sensei was… currently indisposed.

"… Do they know what happened?"

Satoru-niichan hums. "Well, I didn't exactly have time to explain much to them earlier in the day. But since they're with Yuzuki, he'll probably have filled them in on the general situation."

Part of Shiki relaxes, knowing that she won't have to explain everything going on with the Kamo Clan to the two of them. But there's another part of her that feels a little… uneasy. No, that's not the right word. Worried? … Something like that sounds more accurate.

Tsumiki-san is always so concerned whenever Shiki and Megumi-san do anything involving curses, because of the inherent dangers involved. She imagines that the younger girl may very well have worked herself into an anxious wreck after hearing that Shiki had been kidnapped. Megumi-san wasn't quite as expressive or emotional as his sister, but knowing him, he would probably have been similarly concerned once he'd heard the news.

Shiki doesn't want to worry anyone like this.

Long, slender fingers suddenly poke into her cheeks, squishing her face. Shiki automatically bats away at her cousin's hands, inwardly sighing at his antics.

"None of that, now," he says. Had there been something strange in her expression that he'd perceptively picked up on? "So, since it's a bit late for you to be joining your friends –want to have a sleepover with your favorite cousin instead?"

… Even though Shiki is twelve years old now, sometimes she gets the impression that Satoru-niichan still treats her like a six year old.

Well, no, that's a bit of an exaggeration. His words are more teasing than anything else, and it's not as if he's being patronizing, or anything. It's quite obvious that he's just trying to distract her and cheer her up.

Shiki can appreciate that.

"'Sleepover?'" she parrots her cousin, putting a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "I don't think I've ever had a sleepover before."

"You haven't–? … Of course you haven't." Satoru-niichan shakes his head, then claps his hands together decisively. "Alright, then! Usually you'd have things like games and snacks and maybe a movie or two when it comes to sleepovers, but since it's already past one o'clock in the morning right now, we can save that for a later date."

Almost as if directly on cue to prove him right about the late hour, Shiki finds herself trying and failing to stifle a quiet yawn.

Her cousin laughs, "Feeling sleepy?"

"… Yes." It's been a long, long day. The white-haired girl blinks a few times, rubbing at her eyes. Sleepovers… "Have you had sleepovers before, Satoru-niichan?"

He seemed to be familiar with what they involved, at the very least. But considering the staunchly traditional, uptight culture that the Gojo Clan held as its standard, Shiki couldn't really imagine them approving of sleepovers between children the same way temari games were allowed in the gardens. When would Satoru-niichan have managed to convince them to–?

"I have, yes. Back during my days as a student in the Tokyo school," her cousin responds lightly. There's a distinct note of fondness in his voice as he reminisces, "Yaga-sensei used to get so upset at us whenever we had an all-night movie marathon during the weekdays. Shoko didn't always manage to make it; the student dorms are separated by gender so it was harder for her to sneak over without getting caught."

Geto Suguru, Shiki realizes. Satoru-niichan is recalling sleepovers that he had with Geto Suguru… his best friend, even now. His best friend who'd chosen to walk the path of a curse user, for reasons that Shiki still had trouble understanding.

But despite everything, Satoru-niichan still considers Geto Suguru to be someone important to him.

"Do you miss him?" she finds herself asking.

… There's no need for Shiki to clarify who 'him' refers to. Her cousin chuckles, and Shiki receives another head pat.

"Do you really need to ask me that?"

Evidently not. Satoru-niichan's response is wry and good-humored and… just a touch resigned, almost. It's a little difficult for Shiki to put her finger on it.

"… I actually had a brief run-in with Suguru, earlier in the day," her cousin tells her. "He showed up at the temple where I was looking for Kansuke."

"He was there?" Shiki blinks in surprise. Geto Suguru was involved in the Kamo Clan's plots? That was… unexpected. Although, considering how he'd also shown up in the mountains that time when Shiki had a run-in with a Special Grade cursed spirit…

"Mhm," Satoru-niichan nods. "Kansuke dead, Suguru making an appearance… it wasn't hard to figure out that there was something off from there."

…

These past years, Satoru-niichan had always been searching for Geto Suguru. Shiki knows that. But Geto-san was good at covering his tracks, and even headed overseas at some point. There was only so much that Satoru-niichan could do in his search, between his numerous responsibilities as the head of the Gojo Clan and the endless missions of a Special Grade sorcerer. The only Special Grade sorcerer actively taking assignments, given that Geto Suguru had gone rogue and Tsukumo Yuki was affiliated with the current administration only in the loosest sense of the word. Which didn't exactly help her cousin's workload any.

If Geto-san had shown up at the temple right as Satoru-niichan was there, it was highly unlikely that it had been due to sheer coincidence. Not when Shiki knew that Geto-san was also making an effort to actively avoid Satoru-niichan. Considering the interest that Geto-san had shown in Araya, though… if Geto-san had decided to reach out to Araya regardless of Shiki informing him that the man was responsible for Jihei-san's death, then she wouldn't be surprised if Araya was the one who'd arranged for Geto-san to cross paths with Satoru-niichan with such impeccable timing.

While it wasn't quite public knowledge, it wasn't exactly a secret that Satoru-niichan was looking for Geto Suguru. Encountering Geto-san definitely would've waylaid Satoru-niichan–

If Gojo Kansuke hadn't been found dead, how much longer would it have taken for Satoru-niichan to catch onto the fact that there was something amiss about the situation?

And… it's not just that. Shiki is belatedly realizing that Satoru-niichan arriving to rescue her in the Kamo clan compound meant that he'd chosen not to pursue Geto-san. His best friend, whom he'd been searching for all this time, right in front of his eyes –and he'd chosen to let him go. Because of Shiki. Because Satoru-niichan had decided that it was more important to check up on Shiki, instead of sorting out whatever it was that he dearly needed to with Geto Suguru.

After this close brush, Shiki had no doubt that Geto-san would take even greater care in hiding himself from Satoru-niichan. There's no way that Satoru-niichan wouldn't know this. How long would it take for him to see the other man face to face again?

Shiki doesn't know.

… She doesn't know what to make of this realization, that Satoru-niichan had prioritized her over his best friend. There's gratitude, certainly. Gratitude mixed with guilt, along with a hopeless sense of–

"I'll find him again, eventually. He can't hide from me forever," Satoru-niichan says confidently. Her cousin isn't looking in her direction at this moment, but Shiki doesn't doubt that her cousin had somehow managed to pick up on her thoughts all the same.

I don't blame you for anything. The unspoken message comes across loud and clear.

"If he tries to run away again next time, then maybe you should try breaking his legs," Shiki suggests, attempting to be helpful.

"… Okay, hopefully things won't come to that."

.

.

Satoru-niichan's personal dwellings in the Gojo Clan are large, easily twice the size of Kiyohira-sensei's house. It's a little strange to think about, but Shiki actually hasn't visited her cousin's home before –usually it's always Satoru-niichan dropping in on her out of nowhere and hustling her off to various places, whether it be other areas inside the clan compound or to the Tokyo school.

Shiki had already been half asleep when her cousin ushered her in through the doorway, so the sheer size and spaciousness of her cousin's home hadn't registered to her as anything more than an idle footnote at the time. But now that the sunlight is spilling brightly through the windows in daytime, the size and space of everything is much more obvious.

As is the emptiness echoing throughout the decorated rooms and polished halls.

… There's no Kiyohira-sensei seated by the table. No Tsumiki-san lingering in the kitchen, or Megumi-san getting bowled over by his enthusiastic Divine Dogs yet again. There's no Mi-chan shedding loose cat hairs everywhere over the floorboards.

It's empty.

It's empty, in a way that's entirely different from the emptiness that Shiki carries within herself. She doesn't like it.

There are rich furnishings and artful flower arrangements and decorative hanging scrolls, but none of it changes the fact that the entire house is still so empty in a way she can't quite put into words, maddeningly enough. For all that Satoru-niichan lives here, it doesn't feel like a space that's very well-lived in at all.

"Gooood morning!" The sing-song drawl of a familiar promptly snaps Shiki out of her thoughts. It's all the warning that the girl gets, before she is promptly swept off of her feet and swung around wildly a few times in wide, dizzying circles.

Shiki nearly makes a grab for a non-existent knife before her mind catches up with her: It's just Satoru-niichan manhandling her again right now, as he usually does. Also, Shiki isn't carrying anything that can be remotely construed as a weapon on herself right now, not even a hairpin. She'd only just rolled out of the guest futon in a yukata.

Maybe she should look into sleeping with a knife under pillow in the future or something? Not to stab Satoru-niichan, or anything –Shiki rather doubts that she can cut through her cousin's Infinity in the first place– but the startling sensation of reaching for a weapon, only to realize that she has nothing, is a rather unpleasant one.

… Or maybe that's just her paranoia talking here, in the aftermath of the scare with the Kamo Clan.

"Good morning, Satoru-niichan," Shiki returns the greeting, although her words come out slightly muffled due to her cousin squishing her cheeks at the exact moment when she speaks. She gives him a look, but Satoru-niichan only grins back brightly in response, utterly unrepentant.

He pulls her along, chattering cheerfully. And what else can Shiki do, but follow? Her cousin seems to be in a good mood, and the observation makes Shiki perk up a bit as well.

And then Shiki is hit by a cannonball the moment they step outdoors. Or at least, what feels like a cannonball, the force of which is enough to send her stumbling backwards a few steps.

"Shiki!"

Oh! The girl smiles upon seeing her friend. "Hello, Tsumiki-san."

Her expression falters slightly when Fushiguro Tsumiki makes a faintly distressed sound in response, not moving a single inch from where she'd just tackled her in a hug. Shiki pats the other girl on the back a few times in what she hopes is a reassuring manner… although it doesn't seem to do anything aside from causing Tsumiki-san to tighten her grip on her. Okay, then.

Twin barks sound out from the side, catching her attention, and Shiki lifts her gaze. Is that–?

"Someone's here early!" Satoru-niichan says teasingly, and promptly ruffles Megumi-san's hair so that it becomes a complete mess. The boy scowls, and his Divine Dogs snap at Satoru-niichan's heels ineffectually. "Aren't the two of you just precious."

Shiki shifts and moves to greet Megumi-san, but is distracted by Tsumiki-san finally pulling back from her hug with watery eyes.

"We heard what happened yesterday," the dark-haired girl mumbles softly in a hushed, choked-sounding voice. There are even tears welling up in her eyes, causing Shiki to panic slightly. Why is Tsumiki-san crying?

"Please don't cry," the words slip out from her mouth before she can even think to stop it. Her hands hover in the air awkwardly –should she try patting Tsumiki-san on the back again? No, that didn't seem to be effective at all when she'd tried it just now. Should she return the earlier hug? Or would that cause Tsumiki-san to start crying in earnest?

Shiki attempts to reason with the younger girl. "There's nothing to be sad about. Look, I'm fine, aren't I?"

(Shiki is fine. But Kiyohira-sensei–)

"I'm not sad!" It's not often that Fushiguro Tsumiki raises her voice sharply, so seeing her do so like this instantly makes Shiki feel –not scared, but it's… something that's not entirely dissimilar…? "I'm… I'm…!"

While Shiki is attempting to parse through her feelings and mounting confusion, Tsumiki-san roughly wipes at her eyes with the back of her hand, sucking in a deep, shuddering breath.

Is she angry? She's never seen Tsumiki-san truly angry before, and Shiki abruptly realizes in this moment that she really, really doesn't want to see her gentle-natured friend upset like that. Especially not towards her. Shiki doesn't even know what she did wrong!

Off to the side, Satoru-niichan is gesturing frantically at her, repeatedly making a slashing motion across his neck with his hand while also vigorously shaking his head. Which is not helping, thank you very much! … Wait. Is he trying to tell her that she shouldn't try to brush things off as 'nothing wrong,' or something along those lines? That she shouldn't dismiss her friend's concerns?

Shiki decides to trust her cousin. "I apologize for worrying you, Tsumiki-san–"

"Tsumiki."

The suddenness catches her off-guard; Shiki blinks, tilting her head in confusion.

Despite Tsumiki-san's watery eyes, there's something fierce and determined in the girl's gaze. "It's 'Tsumiki.' Just 'Tsumiki.' We're… we're friends, aren't we?"

Shiki opens her mouth, and closes it mutely. She's not really following the line of the other girl's thoughts right now. Is this what she was upset about? What did that have to do with the Kamo Clan incident? It doesn't make sense. Tsumiki-san –Tsumiki– is upset, in a way that even Ken-jichan hadn't been.

Why?

Unbidden, quiet words rise to the forefront of her mind. We're friends, aren't we?

"… We are," Shiki affirms, unsure of what to make of it. She's unsure of what to do in this moment, for fear of worsening Tsumiki's tears, but she has to do something.

Shiki likes Fushiguro Tsumiki. Fushiguro Megumi, too, despite how standoffish and sullen the boy can be at times –it's not as if Shiki has any room to speak in that area, given her similar lack of social skills. But Tsumiki, Tsumiki is like neither of them in this respect. Tsumiki always smiles and laughs so easily, so freely, and she's… sweet and gentle in a way that's rare in a place like the Gojo Clan. The girl had been a little nervous and apprehensive towards Shiki in the beginning, but even then, she'd never given up on her. Her nervousness hadn't stopped Tsumiki from smiling at Shiki or talking to her. It hadn't stopped Tsumiki from teaching her how to make mochi out of the rice flour that Kiyohira-sensei never used, or organizing a flower viewing picnic, or putting together surprise birthday parties for her.

Satoru-niichan had asked Shiki to keep an eye out for the Fushiguro siblings, back when he'd first brought them to the Gojo clan compound with him. Shiki had agreed easily enough to her cousin's request. But it hadn't taken long before obligation turned into something that Shiki would willingly do of her own volition. There's not exactly a single moment or turning point that Shiki can identify as to when this change had occurred, but…

Tsumiki has a good heart. Her brother, too.

It's really not much more complicated than that.

"I'm glad you're here," Tsumiki says through a teary smile, unknowingly echoing Shiki's own thoughts for a split second in this moment. Her words are soft, but heartfelt and genuine.

… How badly had she been scared for Shiki? Had Yuzuki-san overshared information regarding the Kamo Clan with the Fushiguro siblings, such as the penchant for human experimentation? Was that the reason for this?

If only Shiki were stronger, then she wouldn't constantly be worrying the people around her.

It's not just Ken-jichan who worries about me.

A soft whine breaks into her thoughts. Something fluffy bumps insistently along her hand, and Shiki looks down to see a black-furred dog pushing its head into her palm, tail wagging wildly as its motions are copied by its white twin on her other side. A quick glance towards Fushiguro Megumi shows the boy to be stubbornly turned away in the opposite direction while he continues roughhousing with Satoru-niichan. However, the behavior of his shikigami is quite telling of his current feelings.

Just like Tsumiki, he's worried about her, too.

"I'm sorry," Shiki finds herself saying, even doesn't even know what she's apologizing for. For causing everyone to worry? For not being able to prevent her own kidnapping? All she knows is that her friends are upset, and for that she needs to–

"Stop apologizing!" Tsumiki puts her hands on her hips fiercely. But her angry countenance crumbles swiftly, and her next words are soft, tremulous, "I just… we were really worried about you."

Yes, Shiki has abundantly realized that by now.

"… I can't promise that I won't worry anyone again," she says, because that's the unfortunate truth. Shiki is a sorcerer, whose purpose is to exorcise curses and run headfirst into danger, even aside from all the cloak-and-dagger going on with the sorcery clans. "But I'll definitely work hard to become stronger. So that even if people still worry, they'll at least have confidence that I will be able to take care of myself. Like Satoru-niichan."

Declaring Satoru-niichan as her goal aloud like this… it's always been something that she'd had in her mind, but somehow saying the words into the noontime air like this makes it more real. Tangible, instead of abstract, if that makes any sense.

Shiki hesitates, then awkwardly reaches out to take Tsumiki's hands in her own. She distantly recalls the way that Tsumiki had grasped her own hands so long ago, back when the girl had been trying to convince Shiki to attend the Obon festivities with her and her brother that first year. Unlike Tsumiki, Shiki is not able to make her motions appear so unthinkingly natural, which might have something to do with how she's more used to avoiding contact than initiating it due to her abilities–

But she hopes that she is able to convey some measure of that same earnestness that she'd felt from Tsumiki at the time, because this is something that Shiki really doesn't know how to verbalize in words.

Tsumiki's expression crumples slightly, causing something in Shiki's stomach to plummet accordingly in response. Did she do something wrong again? But she didn't even–

The other girl reaches forward and hugs her again. Without any trace of hesitation, Tsumiki leans forward and hugs her.

"I wish you wouldn't need to be strong," she whispers softly.

Shiki finds herself frozen for a moment, mildly confused.

… What does that mean? Why would Tsumiki say that? No one has ever expressed something like this to her before. Because it's a pointless sentiment. The very fact that Shiki's cursed eyes exist means that she has potential, and she's learned through the years since waking up from her coma that she would either be powerful or be dead. There's no middle ground between the two options. Shiki's potential as a sorcerer has been compared to Satoru-niichan's on multiple instances, and while Shiki currently remains far, far from reaching her cousin's level of strength, and there's no guarantee that she'll ever be able to reach his heights one day… the expectation is there.

I wish you wouldn't need to be strong.

Ken-jichan had told Shiki that he wished for her to be safe and protected. But even he had never said that he wished that Shiki just… didn't need this accursed strength at all.

It's silly.

It's silly, to the point where it's almost laughable. Because in this world where curses exist and are born endlessly from the cesspit of fear and hatred and all of humanity's negative emotions, strength is a necessity. It doesn't matter if one wishes for it or not.

Shiki needs to become strong enough to protect herself. To protect others around her. She needs strength so that she won't be a burden to her loved ones.

… That's all.

The very idea of just not needing to be strong in the first place is a novelty. Utterly impossible and quite unfathomable, especially for Shiki and her circumstances, but… she understands that it's Tsumiki's way of expressing concern for her, like Ken-jichan when Shiki had first started going on missions to exorcise cursed spirits.

She opens her mouth and–

"Ah. Am I interrupting something here?"

Tsumiki startles hard, and promptly draws away from Shiki. On her part, Shiki simply blinks unimpressed eyes at the new arrival approaching them at the doorway.

"Yo, Daisaku," Satoru-niichan greets the elder with a lazy two-fingered salute. From his other hand, Megumi-san is currently dangling upside-down by his ankle in his grip, while his Divine Dogs paw ferociously against Satoru-niichan's Limitless barrier. "I thought I wouldn't be seeing you again until sometime this evening. Aren't you responsible for taking care of your plans and everything with the Kamo Clan right now?"

The Gojo elder frowns at his clan head's breezy tone, before proceeding to give him a pointed look. "For cleaning up your mess for you, you mean?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Satoru-niichan denies blithely, smiling.

In contrast, Daisaku-sama looks like he just barely manages to refrain from rolling his eyes hard. Either that, or repress the urge to reach out and grab Satoru-niichan by the collar to shake him –not that he would actually be able to. From the resigned light in the elder's eyes, he's also very clearly aware of this fact himself.

For someone who's usually always composed and a staunch traditionalist who cares deeply for decorum, it probably says a lot about how Gojo Daisaku is currently feeling.

Shiki doesn't envy the elder at all. With everything that had gone down at the meeting between the Gojo and Kamo clans last night, and with how Daisaku-sama had ended up taking charge of smoothing things over, there is a lot that he has on his plate. Considering the dark circles underlining his eyes, it's also very possible that he hadn't even managed to catch a single wink of sleep.

How unfortunate.

"You set this up," Daisaku-sama's voice is just one note shy of something outright accusing as he stares Satoru-niichan down directly. "This entire situation with the Kamo Clan. I stepped straight into your plans, didn't I?"

Satoru-niichan shrugs. "I don't have the time or the patience to wrangle the Kamo Clan myself."

The elder chokes a little bit at the indirect admission, wheezing slightly. Both of the Fushiguro siblings appear to be a little confused by the conversation. News of what had occurred at last night's meeting probably hadn't spread throughout the clan yet, then. Or perhaps they hadn't taken the time to get caught up on the news this morning, instead deciding that it was more important to find Shiki first.

"If you've got something to say, just spit it out," Satoru-niichan rolls his eyes.

"… Very well," Daisaku-sama finally says. "I will do my best to keep this short, as there are numerous other responsibilities that require my attention at this time. But first –Kamo Teruichi and Kamo Matsuhime will be returned to the Kamo Clan for the sake of the Kamo Clan's reputation. Kamo Teruichi will be given the option of choosing between ritual suicide or execution. Kamo Matsuhime will be given poisoned wine and accompany him. These agreements have been forged into binding vows. We can expect to see the Kamos select their new clan head by the end of the month."

"As expected," Satoru-niichan nods. "A little less than two weeks… Plenty of time for the infighting to escalate!"

Daisaku-sama twitches. Then, continuing stiffly, "The details regarding the Kamo Clan's research and the arrangements regarding the concessions that have been settled on will be compiled and sent to you in a proper report."

Ah. Going by the vagueness of his words, the elder probably didn't want to say too much in front of the Fushiguro siblings.

Satoru-niichan hums. "And?"

"… And aside from the ongoing situation with the Kamo Clan, there is one last matter that I'm here for." The elder does not look particularly pleased by how easily Satoru-niichan is reading him. Daisaku-sama sighs, and–

–turns towards Shiki?

"Here," he reaches into his sleeve and procures a small wooden token, passing it to Shiki. It looks faintly ornamental, this decorative piece of lacquered wood that gleams beneath the sun, engraved with a flower right in the center.

The girl accepts it on autopilot, "What is this?"

"The symbol of the Tobiume family head."

Shiki fumbles and nearly drops the entire thing.

The what?!

Satoru-niichan laughs, but swiftly disguises it as a cough when Shiki spins on him accusingly. There's nothing funny about this! Why is she being handed something that should belong to the head of the Tobiume branch family?

Her cousin clears his throat when Shiki continues staring at him. "Are you sure this is the best time for it, Daisaku?"

"With everyone's attention on the Kamo Clan right now, there won't be very many who would think to speak out against the blessed child assuming her role and responsibilities as the head of her family," the elder waves his hand. "Otherwise, I would expect more opposition on account of her age, or out of fear for her influence…"

Influence? What influence? Her? Aside from the few people around her, Shiki hardly interacts with the rest of the Gojo Clan at all!

"Right, and I'm sure this has nothing to do with the sudden increase in responsibilities on your end that might make it difficult for you to split your attention to watch over the Tobiume in the meantime?" Satoru-niichan grins knowingly.

"If you're going to ruin one of the Three Great Families and increase my workload without warning like this," Daisaku-sama responds dryly, "You can at least take care of the loose bits and ends yourselves."

"Wait a minute," Shiki interjects, holding up the flower seal in her hand. The piece of wood that's the symbol of a Gojo family head, apparently. "This should go to whoever you're appointing as the next Tobiume head. Why are you giving it to me?"

Daisaku-sama looks at her for a long moment, as if he can't understand what she's saying. "… Because you are the one who's next in line for the position. Traditionally, family heads are chosen with consideration to their bloodline and their strength. You are both Gojo Ima's niece, and the Tobiume family's only sorcerer."

Shiki is also twelve years old and a child! The sheer incredulity that she's currently feeling in this moment must come across very strongly in her expression, because the elder huffs amusedly.

"Besides," Daisaku-sama's tone suddenly lightens for a moment, "Weren't you the one who suggested that the current Tobiume head be replaced with a more suitable candidate? Congratulations on your new appointment, Gojo Shiki."

… She had suggested a replacement for Gojo Ima, but not herself. Shiki might have the makings of a good sorcerer, but that doesn't mean that she'd be a good branch head for the Tobiume branch family. And she hates politics!

The girl deftly holds the wooden token back out to her clan elder.

"No thank you," she says politely.

Daisaku-sama does not take the small piece of wood from her. He looks at the token, looks towards Shiki, and then smiles.

"Don't worry," he tells her, "I have confidence that you'll do well. If you have any questions regarding your new responsibilities, you may approach me for assistance if you wish, although I suspect that our honored clan head would also be more than happy to provide you with advice."

Is he telling her that this isn't something she can refuse? Shiki immediately casts about for something that will make the elder realize that she isn't a suitable candidate for this at all–

Oh!

"I'll be moving out from the clan compound soon." Satoru-niichan had promised her that, and Shiki trusts her cousin.

Unexpectedly, however…

"Hm. Ordinarily, that would be a concern, but with how few in number the Tobiume are, there should be no issues even if you are not directly accessible to them in the clan compound," Daisaku-sama responds, distinctly amused, which. What?

Moreover, his complete lack of surprise to this–

Shiki whirls on her cousin, "You already told him about this?"

"Daisaku is helping with the arrangements," Satoru-niichan laughs. Shiki pouts. That meant Satoru-niichan was in on this, too! "Aww, don't look at me like that. You've got me to help you!"

"I don't want to be a branch head!"

"How about clan heir instead, then?"

Shiki narrows her eyes at her cousin, causing him to promptly raise both hands in surrender. Unceremoniously dropping the boy in his hands as he does so, although the Divine Dogs are quick to catch their newly-freed master.

"I won't force you into anything, but I really do think that this will be good for you," Satoru-niichan tells her. "It would also help to discourage similar incidents like this with the Kamo Clan in the future."

Shiki gets the feeling that there's probably more to what her cousin is saying, even though he's being honest with his words.

"… This is a bad idea," she informs him. She doesn't know how to be a branch family head!

Satoru-niichan pats her on the head, "You'll never know unless you try."

.

.

…

.