Ryu sat alone near the old dojo, her gaze lost in the serene view of the countryside stretching far beyond her. The rhythmic chirping of cicadas filled the warm afternoon air, a reminder of the familiar summer melodies she had grown up with.

The faint scent of pine and earth grounded her as she sat cross-legged on the smooth, wooden porch. She rested her hands in her lap, her fingers gently tracing circles over her palms as if to soothe the restless energy simmering beneath her skin.

It had been weeks since her return to the Sohma estate. Though reluctant at first, she had accepted Kazuma's offer to stay and train with him, the master's calm patience wearing down her initial protests. To her surprise, her body had responded well, gaining strength she hadn't realized she was missing. Every stretch, every controlled breath brought her closer to a sense of balance she hadn't felt in years.

Even so, a part of her resisted acknowledging the change. She was stubborn, after all — too familiar with the burden of pride that had often kept her isolated. Denying progress would have been easier than admitting that Kazuma had been right all along. Denial never worked with him, she thought, her lips quirking in a wry smile.

The warmth of the day seeped into her bones, a contrast to the cold weight that had long settled in her chest. For the first time in seven years, that heaviness felt... lighter. A burden she hadn't known how to let go of had finally begun to lift. But even with this newfound weightlessness, a small ember of loneliness flickered stubbornly inside her — a familiar, aching spark she refused to fully confront.

She closed her eyes, exhaling slowly as memories brushed against her like ghostly whispers. The sting of abandonment, the crushing realization of being unwanted — they lingered, etched into her heart like scars. Even after Kazuma had taken her in, offering the shelter of his home and the kindness of his care, she had struggled to feel truly accepted. He had never insisted on changing her name. She remained Ryu Shimizu, a name tied to the past she did not want to escape.

Kazuma's quiet inquiries into her origins had always lingered in the background, unspoken questions about her connection to the Sohma curse. But the puzzle never quite fit. All twelve spirits of the zodiac had been accounted for, and yet, she existed — a living mystery. Her very presence defied the rules of the curse, a fact that had haunted her for as long as she could remember.

Her thoughts spiralled deeper, chasing shadows that refused to stay hidden when a sharp voice pulled her abruptly into the present.

"Mama, are you even listening?"

Ryu blinked and turned her head to see her daughter standing a few feet away, arms crossed, a frown of mock sternness creasing her small face. Himawari's dark eyes — so full of life, curiosity, and determination — mirrored her own in a way that sometimes startled her.

"I've been talking to you for ages," Himawari declared with exasperation. "You've been super quiet since we got here. Are you okay?"

For a moment, Ryu simply stared at her, caught between amusement and guilt. She gestured for Himawari to sit beside her. The girl sighed dramatically but plopped down without hesitation, crossing her legs and leaning forward with an eager expression.

"I'm fine," Ryu answered after a moment. "Better than fine, actually. Better than I ever thought I'd feel again."

Himawari's eyes narrowed as if weighing her mother's words for truth. "Really? Because you usually like to say that even when you're not, Mama."

Ryu chuckled, her heart warming at her daughter's intuition. "Really," she affirmed.

Himawari gave a small, satisfied nod but didn't let her guard down entirely. "Well, good," she said firmly. "Because you can't keep hiding stuff from me and Kazuma. We worry, you know."

Ryu sighed, ruffling Himawari's hair affectionately. "You two have been plotting, haven't you? Ganging up on me behind my back?"

Before the girl could respond, another voice spoke from behind them, smooth and calm. "We wouldn't need to plot if you didn't make it so easy."

Ryu turned slowly, raising an eyebrow as she met Kazuma's serene gaze. His expression held a faint trace of amusement. Behind her, she heard the unmistakable sound of Himawari giggling as she and Kazuma exchanged a victorious high-five.

"Traitors," Ryu muttered with a dramatic sigh of defeat, her lips twitching into a reluctant grin.

The sun dipped lower in the sky as the three of them sat together, the peaceful moment settling into Ryu's soul like a balm. Yet even as warmth filled her heart, a familiar tension tugged at the edges of her mind. Akito knew she had returned. The silence from the family head was deliberate, calculated — a game of waiting designed to tighten her nerves with each passing day.

Ryu had spent too long hiding within the safety of these walls, letting time slip by while avoiding the confrontation she knew was inevitable. She had always told herself it was for Himawari's safety, but she couldn't deny the truth any longer: she had been running.

She felt the folded piece of paper in her pocket, Kazuma's hand-drawn map leading to a place she had once called a second home. It was time to face the past she had left behind. Time to see the boy she had abandoned without explanation — the boy who had once looked up to her as a sister.

Would Kyo forgive her?

"Do you think..." she began hesitantly, her voice quieter than before, "...that confronting the past can ever really set things right?"

Kazuma's hand came to rest gently atop her head, his touch filled with the quiet wisdom of years.

"The answer isn't in the confrontation itself," he said softly. "It's in the choice to move forward after. Regrets are pebbles in the road, Ryu. Small and sharp, but they don't stop you from walking — unless you let them."

Ryu closed her eyes, his words sinking into her heart. She felt the weight of them pressing against her fears.

With renewed resolve, she opened her eyes, nodded, and stood. The path was waiting. And she was ready to take her first step.

an: honestly Kazuma is life. I love him sm —