Chapter 41

You can tell Kanao is on her last nerve when she exits the store and shoulders past you without bothering to glance in your direction. Not wanting to lose her, you quickly turn to follow after her. After visiting the last few stores, Kanao's small form has become increasingly bogged down by her purchases, in no small part due to her denying any offer of help you've extended.

Having paced yourself to walk behind Kanao, you immediately take note of her strange and uneven gait due to the weight of newly acquired baggage. The fabric carrier strapped across her chest has long been stuffed full, but Kanao's newest purchase would not have fit. She clutches the cloth strap of a scrappy bundle, and though her grip is tight, each pump of her legs sends it swaying violently from side to side.

From the contours of the cloth, you easily discern its contents to be bottles of some kind. Knowing Shinobu and her experiments, you suspect them to be chemicals or perhaps just basic supplies of disinfecting alcohol. Either way, they look heavy. You make up your mind to put your foot down this time. Kanao would be badly hurt if she fell and broke those bottles.

"Kanao-san." You call out as you try to overtake the girl with large, urgent strides. She ignores you, continuing her charge towards yet another unknown destination on her seemingly exhaustive list. You try again, this time in a firmer voice. "Kanao-san, I can help with that."

"No need," Kanao shoots down, continuing forward without giving you so much as a glance. "Like I have said before, Kuroshio-san, I will ask if I require your help."

You watch as she's forced to stop to adjust the cloth strap sliding off her shoulder. "I ask not to make light of you, but because you look like you need it," you say, finally relieved at the chance to counter her reasoning. In response, Kanao grunts and she repeatedly tries to shove the strap back up her shoulder. Instead of obeying her, it slides back down once more, perching precariously on the edge of her shoulder.

"Kanao-san," you say in a coaxing tone, "Those bottles are at risk of–" Kanao nimbly dodges an incoming pedestrian who's too preoccupied with downing his drink to watch anything in front of him.

The strap dislodges from her shoulder. In a testament to her surprising reflexes, her hand whips out to catch the bottles before they land on the bumpy, half-paved roads. The violent clink of glass draws wide eyed look from several passerbys, one of them shooting you a dirty look. Trying not to feel too aggrieved – it's not your fault it looks like you're bullying her! – you plant one hand on your hip and shoot her a stern look.

Only to feel terrible when you see Kanao looking wide-eyed and shaken. That had been a close call. From the way she's biting her lips, it's clear that she's now seriously reconsidering your offer to help. You make a helpless gesture with your hands and tell her, gently, "Kanao-san, I have yet to be of any actual assistance. Leave this matter to me so we can proceed to next stop on your list."

Trying to lighten her mood, you add, "And don't worry, I will put off all my personal dealings until you've safely purchased everything you need."

Standing in the middle of the road, hemmed in by pedestrians and shops on both sides, Kanao eyes her arm, which continues to tremble from the strain of keeping the bottles above the ground. Her pinched eyebrows tell of her extreme reluctance to part with them, as well as the effort she's expending to keep her grip from slipping.

Finally, Kanao's face smoothens out. An indiscernable emotion flashes across her eyes too quick for you to catch, but that isn't important, because finally, Kanao wordlessly extends her shaky hand in your direction.

You beam at her. As the cloth bundle changes hands, you send a thankful nod in her direction. Kanao is unlikely to appreciate any fawning words you'd give, even if you mean them. The important thing is that she is finally let you help. That Kanao was browbeat into it by circumstance is not disheartening, because at this point, you've learned to expect utmost resistance from her.

You heft the cloth strap onto your shoulder and adjust to the sudden weight on one side. In a considering move, you tug at the strap to lengthen it, leaving enough slack for it to be slung across your back. Satisifed that you aren't being bogged down, you turn to ask Kanao if there's anything else you can help with.

You don't get a reply. Your eyes immediately track her figure up in front, where she's walking briskly to her next destination. She hasn't gone far enough to disappear completely, but she's put a decent amount of distance between you both. Your excitement at finally being trusted with a task, small though it was, makes it hard to care that Kanao tried to ditch you again.

You thread through the crowd, easily catching up despite her head start. It is to be expected, given that your legs are far longer than her short, growing ones.

By the time both of you arrive at the doorstep of what you presume to be Kanao's fifth stopover of the day, Kanao is lightly panting, pulling long, gasping breaths. You let her gather herself, and in the meanwhile, observe your newest stop.

The shophouse is weathered. Its exterior doesn't look like much, walls walls covered in dark moldy patches and deep grooves at random intervals, as if someone had tried to beat it down with a rake or plow. Ordinary people might scoff or turn their nose up at such an establishment, but your experience lends you a better discerning eye.

The most obvious hint of the shop's good business is hidden in plain sight– the signboard. Where the rest of building looks downtrodden and weathered by the elements, the wooden carved signboard looks luxurious in comparison. Not a single chipped edge or accidental scrape is visible, its four rounded corners sanded down to a beautiful curve. The etching of the shop's name is covered with a thin layer of police, so painstakingly applied that it has an eye-catching sheen even under the shade.

You silently look around and commit your current location to memory. You'll be back to inspect their goods once this trip is over.

Kanao clears her throat. You look at her to ascertain that she's back to her regular self and receive a glare for your troubles. With a soft chuckle, you tell her, "I still remember your instructions. I'll wait here. You go on ahead." You gesture toward the shop. "And please, Kanao-san, do call me if you need help carrying your purchases."

You watch her stride through the open doorway. Once she's safely inside, you slowly make your way forward, taking shelter under the building's beat up awning. You make yourself comfortable and lift your gaze to inspect the sky. The sun is partially hidden, the darkening of clouds and faint drop in temperature heralding the oncoming evening. It's clear you've spent the entire afternoon shopping with Kanao.

You won't consider it the most pleasant of afternoons, though it's definitely the longest you spent in her company. Calling this outing a success might be a stretch, but you are content with the way things turned out. This is the angle you should have aimed for from the start– the advancement of a common goal that was to ensure Shinobu's needs are met.

Your lips curve up at the thought of telling Shinobu about today's trip. She'll probably tease you for volunteering yourself for the position of a pack mule, but you hope this will show her the depth of your commitment to improving relations with Kanao. It's not your place to judge Shinobu's desire for acknowledgment from her younger sister. It's more than likely that you'd be trapped in the same dilemma if your family had disapproved of Shinobu, too.

You stifle a laugh at the absurd thoughts. Your mother, the pickest about ettiquete and manners in your family, disproving of Shinobu? And your little sister, the kindest and friendliest child you ever knew, not getting along with Shinobu, when she treated Kanao, Aoi and the three girls like her own? If your family were still alive, you would wager everything you owned that the sky would turn pink before they found Shinobu lacking.

Time passes quickly when you're occupied by your pointless and silly thoughts. You didn't realize how long Kanao has been in the store until you notice a handful of peddlars on the street packing up their roadside carts. Feeling something amiss, you set aside your daydreams and quickly heads towards the shop's entrance to check on Kanao… only to see her stroll out mere seconds later.

"What did you hear?" Kanao gives you an odd look.

"What do you mean? I was just about to check on you. You took longer than I expected," you reply honestly. You cast a look over her head and into the shop, where you can see two men behind the counter. One of them sports a patchy white beard and his narrowed-eyed stare is disturbingly intense, glaring either at you or Kanao. "Did you encounter any problems?"

"No," comes Kanao's immediate reply. "The shop had trouble understanding what Shinobu-nee-san wanted. That's all." Sensing the stubbornness in Kanao's voice, you reluctantly back down. If she didn't call for your help earlier, she likely wouldn't tell you even if you tried to broach the subject. You'll just have to check with Shinobu later if Kanao was telling the truth.

"Since everything's fine, let's move on to the next store on your list. How many are there left? It'll be dark soon and I'd prefer if we finished up our trip before it gets late." You're not worried about getting lost on the way back to the mansion, but rather, that the pair of you might attract unwanted attention. Although Kanao wasn't overt with her shopping spree, it would be safer if you left while the unscrupulous underbelly of the town had yet to emerge. Even the weakest of dogs could overpower a wolf if they banded together.

"One more left," Kanao says, softly. "It's at the other end of the district." She points in the opposite direction where both of you had come from. You look up to check the sun's position in the sky, only to be treated by the sight of a dark blanket of grey with nary a light source in sight.

You nod at her. "Let's hurry then."

The pair of you walk down the street, with Kanao's pace considerably slower than before. With a quick glance to check on her, you realize why she's struggling to keep up. You hadn't realized noticed earlier but she'd left the previous store carrying yet another batch of purchases. Though the medium sized fabric sack she holds isn't large enough to pose an obstacle, you can tell that adding it to the accumulated weight of everything else she's purchased, and insisted to carry, has pushed her too far.

"Kanao-san," you say, motioning at her to stop. To your amazement, she listens, slowing to a halt without additional comments or passive aggressive fanfare. "How much longer do we have to walk until we find the shop you're looking for?"

Kanao checks the surroundings and the corners of her mouth stretch into an abrupt smile. You are rendered speechless by the way her expression gentles, almost identical to how Shinobu's does. It is your first time seeing her look her age, her smile as sweet and innocent as the likes of Kiyo, Sumi and Naho.

"We're here. You can help me hold these." Kanao begins transferring everything from her arms to yours. Confused, but happy that she's finally letting you help, you gladly take the packages and hold them whichever way you can, stuffing them in the nooks of your arms and even into your hidden haori pockets. "Do not drop them. They are important to Shinobu-nee-san," Kanao warns. She finishes offloading the items, left with only the newest haversack slung across her back.

"I'm happy to help. Rest assured, I will look after them to the best of my ability." You look down at your fully occupied hands and arms. Due to the sudden tension throughout your body, the bottles you'd insisted taking from Kanao at the start has started to dig painfully into your lower back. Ignoring the fact that if someone wanted, they could walk right up to you in this instant and punch you without retaliation, you look at Kanao again. "And, ah, I appreciate your trust, and I hope you won't take this as a complaint of any sort, but… it would be best if you take several of these items back before we began journeying back to the mansion. It would otherwise be diffcult for me to defend you if we run afoul of someone nefarious."

"That will not be a problem," Kanao says. "I am quicker than you think."

"Being fleet of foot is commendable," you say. "But there's no guarantee your enemies wouldn't be able to catch up." You crane your neck to check the surroundings with some difficulty. The streets are lined with buildings on either side, but the lack of décor and signboards have them resembling residential houses more than they do actual shops. Was Kanao's directions mistaken? "By the way, which of these shops will you be visiting? I'll wait nearby to make it easier for you to find me should there be anything that requires my assistance."

Instead of answering your question, Kanao slowly raises her hand. It begins to move back and forth, in the manner of someone calling for attention. Given that you're standing right in front of her, the gesture is obviously meant for someone else. Due to your over-encumbered figure, you merely succeed at examining the foremost area around you. Whoever Kanao has acknowledged must be somewhere behind you.

Kanao continues to wave. Though the action is innocent, you can't help but find the sudden situation excessively strange. Even if she recognized someone from the mansion, it was out of character for her to acknowledge their presence in such an extroverted fashion.

Cautiously, you shift your feet to pivot your body in an eighty-degree turn, feeling much like a waddling mother duck with offspring riding on her back. You are keenly aware that any excessuve movements might cause the objects in your arms to slip out, and minimize as much jittering as possible. Breaking any of the items you were entrusted with is bound to make you look incompetent and you'd be damned if you ruined all the progress you've made with Kanao so far.

Finally facing in the same direction as Kanao, you ready a greeting on your lips. Whoever they are, you've long memorized the faces of every mansion staff. Dropping a hearty greeting along with a name is the most valuable and efficient way to bring up a person's spirits.

Two stern-faced men dressed in dark blue kimonos loom threateningly into your personal space. Your good mood finds itself extinguished like a moth that's drawn too close to flames. Had you been colour-blind and therefore missed the obvious indicator of their blue-coded attire, their forehead protectors and gauntlets would still have left no room for misunderstanding.

You immediately conjure a confident smile, acknowledging the town's policemen with an easy nod. "Good afternoon."

The one on the left peers over your shoulder, his stare studious blank. His eyes dart to the side before he turns to exchange a look with his partner. Addressing you in a calm tone of voice, he says, "It has come to our attention that a known shopkeeper lodged a report of unsavoury criminal behaviour occuring in this district. He claims that a well-dressed individual, the descriptions of which match yours, is in the midst of stalking and harassing a young girl."

"That sounds terrible. This might sound forward, but I will firmly attest that this individual you're describing is not myself, and could not be me to begin with." You drop your gaze to the sheer amount of goods occupying your arms, then lift it back up again, meeting the even looks of the policemen with your own. You continue speaking, unable to supress your skeptical tone, "Yes, I am accompanying a girl, but I am her acting guardian on this trip. I understand how the shopkeeper could've come to his dreadful conclusion, but I do not accept it."

You recall the bearded shopkeeper from earlier. His vindictive stare makes sense now that you have insight into his illogical assumptions. "Kanao-san," you look over your shoulder. "Could you step forward and put the doubts of these men to rest?"

"The man who lodged the report did so at the request of his customer, the girl herself," the same policeman replies in a stern, no nonsense manner. "Don't bother putting on such a feeble act. We've already obtained similar accounts of harrassment observed by several other shops she has visited today."

"What?" You feel your head beginning to throb. "That cannot be–"

"And as for the girl… Kanao-san, you said her name was?" The man jabs his thumb behind him. "Her action speaks for itself." You immediately look to where he's pointing. You recoil in shock at the sight of Kanao's familiar back disappearing rapidly into the distance, haversack swaying wildly as she races down the street. "Now, why would the girl you claim to be a guardian of flee your presence with such haste?"

"Cease your lies," the man's partner interjects with a heavy scowl. "Clearly, you aim to confuse us with false pretenses. Unless you are able to offer a reasonable explanation for the situation, which is highly doubtful in the light of the overwhelming circumstantial evidence, you will not under any circumstance, leave this town as freely as you entered it."

The policemen continue to speak, but their words taper off in gradually rising buzz that leaves your ears ringing.

Kanao planned this. She actually went as far as to frame you for a crime you'd rather die than be accused of committing. The realization sinks deeply in your mind, burrowing into the marrow of your bone. You recall Kanao's earlier smile, the lies she spouted in her attempt to convince you of her change of heart.

How could she do this?How could she be so willing, so desperate as to drag your name through the mud?

You've shown her nothing but kindess. Patience. You admitted your mistakes even at the cost of your pride and diginity.

You continue to stare in the direction that Kanao had fled, your head an antechamber of half-garbled words and curses. The deep, fitful breaths you take do not do much to suppress the fury that rises from the pit of your stomach, broiling and churning with hateful promise.

"Pardon my earlier bluff, officers." You turn your strained smile unto the men, who have yet to let up on their disparagement of your heinous actions. Your veiled politeness must catch them off guard, for they quiet down and regard you with wary eyes. "Both of you seem like reasonable men. Since I have your undivided attention, I would be delighted to offer an explanation, a truthful one which I am confident will clear my sullied name."

Drawn in by your calm demeanour, one man makes a careless gesture at you to continue.

You offer them the sharp-toothed smile of a merchant at the cusp of bankrupting a swindler that has lost himself in arrogance. "Firstly, allow me to introduce myself…"