The sun was almost down. Lost in his thoughts, Kai was walking in the marketplace.
"Kai, dear, can you help me carry these bags?" Asked an old woman standing outside a shop.
Kai snapped back to reality. He took the heavy bags kept near the woman and carried them to his house. The sun was already down, and the full moon could be seen in the night sky, shining and surrounded by stars.
"Thanks, dear." Said the woman with a smile. "Here, take this." She gave a packet of candies to Kai with gratitude. Although Kai was seventeen years old now, who will say no to a packet of candies?
Now chewing on the candies and again lost in the thoughts, Kai walked home.
"Mom, I'm back." Kai opened his shoes and entered the kitchen.
"Kai! Where have you been the whole day?" Kai's mother asked in a sweet tone despite her intent to scold.
She was a calm and cheerful lady of thirty-five years. Her long raven-black hair reached her waist.
She was humming while placing the plates on the dining table.
"Sweet Emiko, Kai is a young boy with an adventurous heart. Let him have fun." Said Kai's dad. He had a hard face, but he was too cheerful, like his wife, and was very polite and kind; he was thirty-nine.
His brownish-red hair was tied behind his head.
"Ken, don't spoil him."
Ken scratched his cheek. "Oh Kai! What's in your hand?" He tried to change the subject.
Kai showed the red card to them.
"You got this, and you didn't think it was important to show this to your parents before!" Yelled the always sweet Emiko. She pulled one ear of Kai.
"Err..." Kai was at a loss for words.
"Now dear, why don't we celebrate it?" Ken softly put his hand on Emiko's shoulder. He smiled and winked at Kai.
'Thanks, Dad, you're the best.' Said Kai in his own mind. It took some time, but Emiko cooked a whole new set of mouthwatering dishes. Kai had already stuffed his face with food; of course, he hadn't eaten anything but a toast and apple the whole day.
"But Kai, where were you this whole day?" Asked Ken who was eating his steak.
"I wech cho Kagutuchi's house." Said Kai, food stuffed in his mouth.
Emiko and Ken froze for a second, and the fork fell from Ken's hand.
"I wanted to know more about the letter." Said she, after finally swallowing his food.
Ken took a deep breath. "Well, son...what did Kagutsuchi-sama say to you?" He was looking a little tense, but he maintained a smile.
Kai, while eating non-stop, told them everything. After dinner, Emiko took the plates and cleaned the table. Kai was thinking, 'Why didn't they ask anything regarding those strange letters in the card? Do they, perhaps, know something?'
"Hey Dad, I wanted to ask if—"
"Kai, Emiko and I have something to give you." Ken interrupted and ignored whatever Kai was going to say.
Emiko brought one small rectangular wooden box and kept it on the table, in front of Kai. She then placed her hands gently on Ken's shoulders. Their expression...Kai wasn't able to understand. Was it worry? Affection? Stern?... Kai silently opened the box. A pen was inside, a button pen, and it looked like it was made of gold.
"Kai, dear, think of it as a gift for being qualified for Tenshikai." Said Emiko affectionately.
Kai clicked the pen and tried to write something on a white paper. The ink, it was different. The ink was red, very deep and concentrated, almost like blood. I clicked the pen again and slid it in my pocket.
"Thanks, Mum and Dad." His voice had a hint of affection and gratitude in it.
Kai then looked at his palm; he felt a sting while using the pen, like...like...a negativity.
"Oh dear, look at the time. It's midnight." Said Emiko in a motherly tone, "Kai, go to bed."
Now with a new thought, 'What was that negative sting?', he climbed the stairs to his room. He changed into pyjamas and lay on the bed. Looking at the full moon through the window, he falls asleep.