๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐จ ๐จ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ฉ, ๐ฎ๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐จ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐จ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ.
Ravihiro staggered through the dense fog, his body covered in bruises and dried blood. His limbs ached from the battle with Kirishima, but his mind was elsewhere.
"๐๐ค๐ข๐โฆ" he muttered.
๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ฉ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐๐ข.
After everythingโฆ did he even belong there anymore?
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐ผ๐ช๐ง๐๐จ
The grand mansion stood tall against the moonlit sky.
Inside, a storm of emotions brewed.
Kalki sat near the window, meditating, his presence calm yet watchful.
Haruno paced back and forth, biting her lip in frustration.
Tang and Huo were bickering about something pointless.
Ravihiro's parents sat still, their expressions unreadable.
They were all waiting.
Waiting for him.
Thenโ
The door creaked open.
Ravihiro stepped inside.
His robes were torn, his sword strapped across his back, his eyes sharp yet exhausted.
For a brief moment, no one moved.
Thenโ
"๐๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐!!!"
Before Ravihiro could react, Haruno launched herself at him, hugging him tightly.
"๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐ง๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช?! ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ก๐ค๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐?! ๐'๐ข ๐๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช, ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช, ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ!"**
Her voice cracked as she clung to him.
But Ravihiro didn't return the hug.
He simply stood there.
"โฆI'm back." His voice was calm, but his eyes held something deep, something broken.
Kalki opened his eyes, observing Ravihiro carefully.
"๐๐ค๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐ง๐ค๐ฃ๐," Kalki muttered.
Huo raised an eyebrow. "๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ค ๐จ๐๐๐ฉ. ๐๐ ๐ก๐ค๐ค๐ ๐จ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก ๐ค๐๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃโฆ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ฎ ๐ ๐๐๐ง."
Tang sighed dramatically. "๐ผ๐ฉ ๐ก๐๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐ก๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐ข ๐จ๐๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ฌ๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฆ๐ช๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐๐ข."
But Ravihiro didn't sit. He walked past them all.
His parents watched silently.
"๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐ค๐๐ฃ๐?" Haruno asked.
"๐๐ค ๐ง๐๐จ๐ฉ."
"๐๐๐๐ฉ'๐จ ๐๐ฉ? ๐๐ค ๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ?" Kalki's voice was sharp.
"๐๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฉ."
For the first time in his life, Ravihiro felt tired.
Not just physically.
๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ.
๐๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ.
๐ผ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ซ๐ ๐๐ก๐กโ
๐ฟ๐๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐.
๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ค๐ฌ๐จ
As Ravihiro disappeared into his room, his father finally spoke.
"๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฃ'๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ข๐."
His mother's fingers curled into fists. "๐๐ค, ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฃ'๐ฉ."
Silence hung heavy in the air.
Thenโ
A low whisper echoed.
A voice only Ravihiro could hear.
"๐'๐ข ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐๐ง๐, ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฌ."
๐๐๐จ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐จ๐ข๐๐ง๐ ๐๐.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ
Morning sunlight streamed through the windows. A cool breeze rustled the curtains as the mansion slowly came to life.
Ravihiro sat at the dining table, sipping tea. His expression was neutral, calmโas if nothing had happened.
Across from him, his parents sat in silence, their eyes studying him carefully.
Finally, his father cleared his throat.
"Where have you been all these years, Ravihiro?"
Ravihiro didn't even blink. He set his teacup down and spoke in a casual toneโ
"Studying."
His mother raised an eyebrow. "Studying? You disappeared after that lightning strike and returned five years later looking like a warrior from some ancient legend."
Ravihiro shrugged. "It was a veryโฆ immersive study program."
His parents exchanged a glance.
His father leaned forward. "And who are these people with you?"
"Just some travelers I met."
"And that girl, Rumina?"
Before Ravihiro could answer, a soft yet confident voice came from behind him.
"His wife."
Ravihiro almost choked on his tea.
His parents froze.
Turning around, they saw Rumina standing in the doorway, arms crossed, smirking.