44 Greetings

Kenichi was heading to Ryōzanpaku, today was not a school day, so he woke up early, ready for more tort- training, yes training.

Quickly entering the dojo's premises Kenichi went straight to the main dwelling, since most of his masters spent time in there, quickly opening the door Kenichi was dumfounded, Shigure, the serious expressionless Shigure was on top of someone's lap, acting more like a spoiled cat than the deadly weapons mistress she knew.

Quickly rubbing his eyes, and looking the other way, maybe that way the illusion would dissipate, however, the next scene dumbfounded him even more, there was Miu, her head on top of an unknown woman's lap, having her hair caressed.

Not knowing where to look Kenichi returned to look at Shigure, who now had an embarrassed look, seeing him look at her behaving that way, Shigure tried to hide her face on the man's chest. Man, who only patted her head with a -There, there- look, smiling lovingly at the hiding girl.

The unknown man, glanced at Kenichi, at that moment Kenichi felt that a primordial beast was eyeing him, the pure unadulterated terror he felt was leagues above what he felt when his masters gave him a threatening look, and the man only glanced his way, no actual look on his face.

Regretfully for Kenichi, once he turned glances to Miu's direction, the woman was also looking at him, this time Kenichi felt a demon was eyeing its prey, ready to devour him and make his life hell. In his thoughts, Kenichi failed to notice the woman was smiling at him, a soft smile on her face and investigative look on her eyes.

Before Kenichi could pass out Sakaki entered, loudly, as usual, exclaiming, "Ah Kenichi I see you've met Azuma and the dem- I mean Shizuha."

Noticing Sakaki's slip Shizuha sent the burly man a glare, making him avoid direct eye contact and start lightly shivering.

"Ahhh, Shigure's boyfriend? and was she the demon you spoke of Sakaki-sensei?" Kenichi innocently asked his master, not realizing this would be the reason his training with Sakaki would quintuple in dangerousness and intensity.

After Kenichi finished talking Sakaki was no longer just slightly shivering, the man looked like he just entered the coldest place in the universe, sensing Shizuha's intensifying glare.

"Ahh, what great way for Sakaki to introduce myself, 'Shigure's boyfriend' yes, quite proud of that one if I say so myself." Azuma started the conversation with the newest arrival.

"Where are my manners, Azuma Fūrinji, at your service, are you perhaps the boy that made my cute girlfriend here sad."

Kenichi chose to ignore the last part of his introduction, When did he ever make Shigure sad, if something the woman almost killed him, with her shuriken, on multiple occasions. "Wait Fūrinji…. Like Miu! Are you her father?"

Hearing this everyone stopped talking, with incredulous looks on their faces….. they started laughing uncontrollably, the loudest being Miu, who had already gotten up from her mother's lap.

With tears of laughter in her eyes Miu addressed Kenichi, "No dummy, he is Uncle Azuma, the best uncle in the world and one of my bestest of friends. Right uncle?" Miu sent Azuma a thousand dollars smile.

Azuma jumped from his seat, rushing to Miu, rubbing his cheek against hers, "Yessss my cute little Miu."

"Azumaaaa, shtoooop." Miu was turning red from embarrassment.

Kenichi noticed he has never seen Miu like this, so, so, happy, cheerful. The girl he liked always had a smile, but this was pure happiness, he just smiled happily for Miu.

"You spoil her too much Azuma, be thankful Miu is still such a well-behaving girl, it's a miracle she didn't become a spoiled princess due to you," Shizuha commented on the uncle and niece antics.

"Buuuut sis…. Look at her!"

"Buuuuut mom….. I love when uncle spoils me!"

The comedy duo argued to Shizuha.

Kenichi was dumbfounded once again….. wait sis? Mom? What is happening, didn't Miu said she hasn't seen her parents for some time. "Mom? Miu didn't you said you haven't seen your parents for some time? How come your mother is here?"

Kenichi confused asked Miu, who sticks her tongue out at Kenichi answered, "Well yes I hadn't seen them for some time, mom went out to see dad at some secret place weeks ago, uncle accompanied her to protect her, and I haven't seen dad in…. two months… I think, duh."

But, but, but the look on your face when you said it, the sadness that irradiated from you when you said it….. it felt like you haven't seen them in years, not weeks, was all Kenichi thought.

Quickly out of his surprise, Kenichi rapidly walked to Shizuha, bowing in greeting, "A pleasure to meet you miss, please take care of me."

"My god, does the boy have his priorities straight," Azuma said besides them, already seated again, with Shigure returning to his lap.

Sakaki rubbed the back of his head, with an embarrassed smile on his face, Shizuha was only softly smiling, her hand covering her mouth, and Miu didn't know what was happening. Pretty much everyone at Ryōzanpaku, including the two recent arrivals, instantly noticed Kenichi had a crush on Miu, with the girl none the wiser.

"Ara-ara, Kenichi was it?" Shizuha asked, Kenichi only nodding his head, "No need for the formalities."

The moment the first two words left Shizuha's mouth, Sakaki and Azuma, here present, while Akisame and Kensei on another part of the dojo, shivered, sweat on their backs, fear overwhelming them. Shigure only looked confused at her boyfriend, not understanding, not that she'll ever will, the horrors they've experienced, the trauma will forever stick on their minds.

._._._._._.

One day Azuma asked Shizuha about the things she was teaching Shigure.... His screams were heard for kilometers, then, throughout Ryōzanpaku, Shizuha's yelling was heard,

"I am a proper lady, am I not?" Shizuha screamed.

"Yes ma'am, the most proper of ladies." Came Azuma's terrifyfied response.

"Then it wouldn't be possible, for me, a proper lady, to teach little Shigure dose things, am I right!"

"Yes ma'am, impossible."

And so, the screams continued.

Each of the masters receiving a scolding for different reasons, Kensei will forever remember the day he tried to peep on Shizuha, Sakaki the day he became really drunk, and Akisame when he entered his 'Eh, I don't want to.' mode.

._._._._._.

Shizuha, still with the same kind smile on her face introduced herself, "Shizuha Fūrinji, glad to meet you Kenichi-kun."

Kenichi out of the bow, took a seat between cat Shigure on top of Azuma and Shizuha, with Miu back on her lap. "Are you Azuma-san's sister, miss Shizuha?"

Shizuha only shook her head, before she could answer Azuma intervened, "Nah, Kenichi-kun, I'm Miu's father half-brother, Shizuha is my sis-in-law."

"So, you must be the Elder's son, right," Kenichi said enthusiastically.

Now everyone was only looking at Kenichi like he was dumb, disregarding the looks Azuma continued, "That's right Kenichi, I'm Hayato's son."

Everyone stayed there for a couple more hours, Kenichi left, needing to train, Miu leaving with him, she was mostly Kenichi's fighting partner, so Miu had to tag along. Shigure, Azuma, and Shizuha kept talking, by nighttime Azuma and Shigure left, Shigure stayed in Ryōzanpaku this time since she didn't want to be alone in their house, but now that Azuma returned, she'll stay there with him.

Reaching home, with both already in bed, Azuma complained, "I am so bored!"