"We're home!" Akira announced to her family as she and Kenta threw their bags to the couch, gaining a screeching meow from Miyuki, who was curled up next to Chiharu and Lee.

"Sorry, Miyuki. I didn't see you there." Akira picked the cat up and gave her a quick ear scratch. Miyuki purred and meowed for more ear scratches, but the girl put the cat down and ran to her room to change out of her uniform. The cat pawed Kenta before rolling over, exposing her soft tummy. Kenta laughed and gave her tummy a quick rub while Miyuki playfully nibbled on his fingers. Satisfied with all the extra attention she garnered, Miyuki jumped back to her owner.

"Tell me about your excursion!" Chiharu said to Kenta. "It must have been so fun, being outdoors. I'm kind of jealous. Your old auntie here hasn't been out of the house much."

"You're not that old, auntie." Kenta smiled. "And I did have fun, at least until the train ride back to the city. Something embarrassing happened. I'm still embarrassed thinking about it."

"It can't be that bad." Lee chimed in. "Did you accidentally bump onto another passenger?"

"Worse. I fell asleep on someone—gosh, I hope I didn't snore or drool on him—and then Aiden took an unflattering picture of that, which I only found out because when I woke up I found him glaring at Akira for smashing his camera."

"Well, good on Akira for getting that punk's camera smashed!" Chiharu clapped her hands. "I hope that's enough to destroy whatever pictures are stored in the memory chip."

"I don't think she did enough damage." Kenta shook his head sadly. "She only managed to crack the lens. I fear that Aiden can still easily retrieve the pictures if his camera is repaired."

"What Aiden did is clearly a violation of your privacy." Lee remarked and gave Kenta a hard, long stare. "Want me to speak to him myself? That boy was out of line and need to be berated."

"N-no, you'll only exacerbate the situation!" Kenta waved his hands in panic. "Unless he takes his threat of spreading the pictures to whole another level by actually acting on it, I'm going to let it slide. If I show that I'm not afraid of him, maybe eventually Aiden will back off."

"If you are sure." Lee sighed. "I'm worried that things will escalate if we do nothing, though."

"I believe Aiden is hiding something, uncle. Maybe he only bullies Akira and me because he's unhappy with himself. I noticed him not participating in exploring Flaming Sand. When I confronted him, he said he did it because he wanted to see someone. What if Aiden comes from a broken home or something equally scarring? Perhaps Akira and I could find out more."

"I can sympathize with him if that's truly what's been going on with him, but it still isn't a justification for mistreating his classmates!" Chiharu's hand curled into a fist. "Bullying should never be justified or tolerated, Kenta-kun. You're so sweet for wanting to offer help but it's not your responsibility to fix a bully. There are matters that are simply too out of hand for you."

"I get what you're saying, auntie, but I've been thinking if I'm nice to him maybe one day he'd feel bad about what he's doing and start acting nicer." Kenta replied with a big smile. "By the way, are Oka-san and Otou-san still busy at the flower shop? They certainly work hard."

"Aikawa-san is out doing errands, I think your mom sent him to buy more organic insect repellents and some potting medium. Shiori-san should be in her greenhouse, though." Chiharu replied. "By the way, Kenta, I'd like your opinion on an unrelated topic. Your cousin's birthday is coming up, do you think we should throw her a surprise?"

"Your auntie and I are thinking of letting you bake a cake for her." Lee added to what his wife said. "Are you confident enough in your baking skills? Also, Akira has been telling me a lot about that boy who saved you from Aiden at the playground. What's his name again?"

"Johan." Kenta said with a hint of yearning in his voice. "He's probably the first boy around my age who doesn't react badly to learning that I'm deaf. Oh, and Auntie Chiharu, I don't know about baking a whole cake but I can make muffins. I think Oka-san mentioned she has been growing vanilla beans in the greenhouse. Do you think everyone would like vanilla muffins?"

"Your uncle and I believe it would be good to pay Johan's kindness by giving him an invitation to Akira's birthday party." Chiharu said with a gleam in her eyes. "His siblings can tag along too, of course. As for your idea about vanilla muffins, I think vanilla by itself might be a bit too plain. Lee, any idea of what to add to the muffin to bring up the flavor a notch?"

"Hmm. What about honey?" Lee suggested. "There's a farmer's market not too far from here, right? I can take you there, Kenta, after your karate practice with Aikawa. How does that sound? You can ask the beekeepers about all the flowers the bees use to make fresh honey."

"You know me so well!" Kenta chuckled. "Deal. I'll add honey to my muffins."

---

The next morning, the Kinoya cousins were up early and headed to the gymnastic room, located in the furthest corner of the dojo. The entrance was slightly hidden behind the branches of silver pines and some ferns grew on the door itself, but once inside anyone could see that the room was well-maintained. The hardwood floor was polished and the punching bags didn't look worn at all, possibly because Aikawa always replaced old bags with new ones before they could show signs of wear and tear. There were also some yoga mats, a big yoga ball for stretching, and a small water fountain from which the cousins and their coach can replenish their water bottles.

"Ready for your first lesson?" Aikawa greeted his son and niece with a warm smile. "We should do some warm-up first so that we won't get cramps in the middle of doing exercises."

"Okay, sensei." Akira gave him a huge grin. "Come on Kenta, let's do some push-ups and sit-ups. Then we can do squats and jumping jacks. Hmm, anything else, Uncle Aikawa?"

"That should be enough warm-up." The man nodded as he did a series of one-handed push-up. Kenta watched in awe as his father effortlessly powered through the warm-up ritual. The boy could hardly do a proper push-up with two hands on the floor and here the dad did it with one hand on his back. Akira, however, kept encouraging Kenta to work on his balance issue.

"Thank you for trying, son." Aikawa said as Kenta huffed after he finished warming up. "Trying is the first step to greatness. All the masters were once beginners, so don't worry about your form for now, it can be learned and you'll improve. Next, I'll teach you and Akira to do a fighting stance. This pose is not too hard, it's all about having a good posture."

"This is called the easel position." Aikawa continued as he demonstrated how to spread their legs. "Stretch your legs wide, but not too wide. Your legs should be bendable. Got it?"

"What do I do with my hands?" Kenta asked sheepishly. "This is so awkward."

"Just let them relax beside your waist." Aikawa showed him how. "Move your left foot a bit to the right. Good. Next, we're moving on to the strategies for the first two basic punches. When you throw a punch, you need to think about where you want to hit your target and be intentional about it. Focus your energy on landing a great hit."

"Where are the deadliest spots I can punch someone?" Akira asked excitedly. "Adam's apple?"

"That would definitely hurt if you land a hard blow." Aikawa nodded. "Kids, I need you to promise me one thing. Karate isn't about revenge. It's about being able to protect yourselves against opponents. I want you to have self-restraint. Don't attack anyone unless you're attacked first. Stay humble. Many great fighters have fallen victims to hubris. Don't be like them."

"We promise." Kenta and Akira said in unison. "We will only use karate to defend ourselves."

"That's what I want to hear." Aikawa gave them a thumbs up. "For your first lesson, I want you to imagine yourself punching an opponent's stomach. Use enough force to knock them off balance. The goal is to find an opening to disarm them and preventing them from launching more attacks." He lowered the punching bag and adjusted it to where an average teen's stomach would be. "Here, Kenta. You can go first. Show me what you've got."

"Hyah!" Kenta yelled as he hit the punching bag with his bare knuckles. The bag barely moved.

"Hm. Hit harder, Kenta. Don't hold back. Try to make the bag sway." Aikawa said.

Kenta closed his eyes and a frown appeared on his face. This went unnoticed by Akira, who suppressed a laughter as Kenta's expression changed into a determined one. The boy punched the bag as hard as he could and this time the bag rocked back and forth like a dead weight.

"That's about the hardest I could punch." Kenta said while panting. "How was it?"

"Not bad. It needs more power but that'll come with more training." Aikawa praised his son. "It might help your punch become more powerful if you slightly bend your knees and rotate your hip, but seriously, you're not bad for a first timer. You wanna try again? This time, lift your right heel but try to make your foot stay flat. That would add force to your punch."

Kenta punched the bag again with all his might and then winced as the inertia did its thing and the bag once again swayed. Akira clapped her hands and happily grinned at her cousin.

"Your turn, girl." Aikawa nodded toward her. "Give it your best shot."

"Take this!" Akira shouted as she got ready to land her strike. "And this too!" she shouted louder. The bag swung wildly and Kenta's eyes grew wider with equal parts astonishment and terror at her sheer passion. They high-fived and Aikawa beamed with pride.

"Very good, but if I might give you some advice?" Aikawa approached the punching bag and did a punch himself to demonstrate the improvement Akira could make. "When you punch, extend your arm a little more and lift your shoulder. Keep your elbow low and your chin tucked. Also, don't pull your fist back right before a punch. An experienced fighter would be able to see the punch coming and that would greatly reduce your punch's effectiveness and the shock value."

"That's true." Akira agreed. "I suppose it's an old habit of mind that needs to be broken."

"Old habits die hard but you can do this!" Aikawa smiled even brighter. "Akira, you've got a good aim when you punch. I want you to help Kenta as you two keep on improving."

"Leave it to me!" Akira promised. "I believe he has potential if he practices daily."

---

After taking a shower and resting for a bit, Kenta and Akira found Lee in his reading room, flipping pages of a book called The Wonders of Golden Valley's Winged Elephants: How the Gaburs Increased Tourism for Red Sycamore's Remotest Region. He was so engrossed in the book that Kenta had to tap his shoulder twice before he recognized the cousins' presence.

"Hi uncle, are we still on for our trip to the farmer's market?" Kenta asked. "If you'd rather finish your reading, that's fine too, I can just go with Akira and leave you to your business."

"Oh, no, I'm not in a hurry to finish the book!" Lee shook his head vehemently. "I was just looking for more information about the hometown of one of my colleagues. She is a woman in her late twenties but she's so knowledgeable about animal anatomy and was, like me, a trained veterinarian before we switched gears to xenobiology. She has been wanting me to visit the valley she grew up in but I've been delaying responding because, you know, Chiharu needs me."

"You're a loving husband, uncle, but you're allowed to spend time with your colleagues too, you know?" Kenta gave Lee a gentle hug. "Auntie Chiharu also has my parents looking after her. I don't think she would mind if you go on an extended trip. You deserve to get back to work."

"I second what Kenta said." Akira chimed in. "Oka-san's condition does require her to have someone by her side 24/7 but that doesn't mean you should sacrifice your career. You've always been at your happiest when you work alongside animals and I want you to stay happy."

"Hmm. If you say so. I just don't want Chiharu to feel like I don't love her anymore. She's been nothing but brave and yet I know that sometimes she's afraid I'll leave her for a healthier young woman." Lee took a deep breath. "I want to assuage her fear and give her plenty of reassurance."

"I'll talk to her about how her fear is unfounded. There's no way you're giving your heart to another woman!" Akira vowed solemnly. "You're the most loyal man I've known, Otou-san."

"And you're the sweetest daughter." Lee pulled Akira into an embrace. "Okay, I'll get my coat and then we'll drive to the farmer's market. Wait for me in the driveway, I won't be long."

---

The farmer's market was a series of stalls situated on a huge parking lot behind an auto shop. About a dozen or so vendors have set up their tents, from which the smell of freshly baked pastries, fruit jams, an assortment of cheeses, and fried bacon emanated. The honey vendor had a tent decorated with pictures of honeycombs against the backdrop of buckwheat and sourwood.

"Good morning!" Kenta greeted her cheerfully. "Do you have any recommendations on what type of honey goes well with vanilla muffins? And could you tell me about the bees' diet?"

"I'm so glad you asked!" the vendor, who was a plump fifty-something black woman with hair tied up into a high ponytail with a blue ribbon, chuckled lightheartedly. "Usually, my customers aren't interested in the art of beekeeping and are just here to get their products and leave."

"Well, I believe the taste of honey is influenced by the nectars from which it is made by the bees, right?" Kenta speculated. "Doesn't clover honey, for example, have a different flavor profile compared to acacia honey, orange blossom honey, or Manuka honey?"

"What a bright young man you are!" the woman's face lit up with excitement. "That's correct. The types of honey you can purchase from the finest farmer's markets are virtually endless. Here at Gabriella's Honey, however, we take pride in our buckwheat honey. Our honey is raw and unfiltered, which means you can still taste the bee pollens in their purest form. We don't add artificial flavoring like high fructose corn syrup because we want the honey's natural flavor to shine. So, you're saying you'll use my honey in your muffins?"

"Yep. It's not my first time baking muffins but it's my first time adding honey to an existing recipe." Kenta explained. "I'm looking for something that pairs nicely with vanilla rather than overpowering it or masking its subtle sweetness altogether. What should I get?"

"Hmm. You might want to get unifloral or varietal honey, as in honey that is produced only from one type of flower, as opposed to multifloral honey. Why? Because when the honey comes from one source only, we know what flavor to expect. Multifloral honey is awesome but might be too rich to be used in muffins if your end goal is to complement rather than mask the vanilla."

"Got it. So, will buckwheat honey be a good choice or do you have something else in mind? I know buckwheat honey is what you specialize in, but I'm open to any type of honey."

"Look at you, putting your passion for botany into a good use by also learning about the intricacies behind the ingredients for muffins!" Akira nudged Kenta. "You're so nerdy but that's why I love having you as my cousin. I'm always learning new things from you."

"I can tell your cousin is serious about what he loves," the honey vendor commented. "I suggest you get tupelo honey, young man. It is the most expensive honey we have, but it'd be worth every penny. For starters, it's just so pretty, doesn't it?" she held a jar closer to Kenta's face. The honey inside had a hue of amber with a hint of green undertones. "This would give your muffins an attractive color. As for the taste, tupelo honey is one of the mildest types of honey ever and it's delicious over ice cream. If it's good for ice cream, it'd be good for baking too, especially if your muffins contain milk or other fatty dairy products."

"Ooh, that sounds perfect!" Kenta squealed. "Hmm, but it doesn't seem I have enough money on me. What about that jar over there?" he pointed at a jar labelled sourwood honey.

"That would be a great alternative!" the honey vendor nodded approvingly. "Sourwood honey has a buttery and caramel-y taste. It's usually spread over toasted bread, so I believe it would be great being paired with your vanilla muffins. It's also a good choice if your parties have food allergies since sourwood has anti-allergenic properties."

"Thanks, I'll buy that." Kenta's smile turned even warmer. "Speaking of health properties of honey, my aunt is very sick with thalassemia. It's a more profound anemia. Her body struggles to make enough hemoglobin, which means there is not enough oxygen-carrying protein for her and she often complains of being fatigued. Is there any type of honey that can boost immune system and maybe have higher antibacterial property compared to other types?"

"You can try giving her avocado honey, it's good for people with iron deficiency anemia. It is also high in phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. "

"I'll pay for that, Kenta, you already paid for yours." Lee handed the woman his credit cards before his nephew could protest. "Give me four of the biggest jars, please. I'd like to have a steady supply for my wife. Four jars should last us for a whole year."

"Sure thing, sir. I hope the honey helps the lady feel better. I know it won't magically cure thalassemia but it might help her body get the nutrients she might be lacking."

"Thank you so much for your help!" Akira bowed in gratitude. "If you don't mind sharing, ma'am, what's your social media handle? Do you use Easy Album? I want to promote your shop to my followers. I don't have many, but they do care a lot about health and medicinal plants."

"Easy Album is such a fun platform. I can get sucked into seeing my friends' updates for hours!" the vendor let out a giggle. "My personal handle is Gabriella_the_belle but the shop has its own account too, no_phoney_honeybunny. The account is set public so you'll be accepted automatically. I'll follow you back, of course."

"Certainly." Akira nodded politely. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Ms. Gabriella."

"This is exciting!" Gabriella said giddily. "Thank you for your patronage. Come again!"