Ryosuke dreamed of a tree.
The sun was warm on his skin, and his hands were whole again. His legs felt steady. The gray in his hair was gone, his stubble clean-shaven, and his eyes were bright, lighter than he remembered. He sat at the base of a cherry blossom tree, watching the petals drift through the air. Below the hill, Hiroki Village rested quietly, just as it used to.
He remembered sitting there for what felt like hours, breathing the mountain air, thinking back to his days of training with his master, Michio—before the betrayal, before Kael revealed his true name and nature, before everything he loved was taken from him. The sound of birds filled the air until it was broken by laughter. A woman's voice, a child's voice. He opened his eyes. His wife and daughter were running up the hill toward him. A smile crept onto his face before he could stop it. "Kaori? It's early. What are you two doing up already?"
The little girl jumped into his lap, legs crossed over his, her laughter light. "Mommy said I could see the cherry blossoms today!"
He looked up at his wife, Sakura. Her kind eyes met his, soft and full of warmth. "Is that true, my love?"
Sakura smiled, her cheeks dimpling. "She earned it. Sensei Homura said she did exceptional in art class."
Ryosuke turned to his daughter. "Did you now?"
Kaori grinned wide. "Uh huh. And I made something for you, Daddy." She held up a yellow bead bracelet, small and uneven but made with care. Ryosuke took it gently, turning it over in his fingers before sliding it onto his wrist. It was loose and slipped down to his forearm. The two parents laughed. Sakura smiled and knelt down. "It's a little big, baby girl."
Kaori's smile faded as she turned to her father. "I'm sorry. I thought you'd want a new one. The one Uncle Michio made for you broke."
Ryosuke leaned in and kissed her cheek. "You know what I've never had?"
She blinked. "What?"
He stretched his leg out and bent his knee, looping the bracelet around his ankle. It fit snugly.
"An anklet."
Kaori's grin returned, and Sakura's quiet laughter joined hers. For a moment, everything was still. Ryosuke laughed and looked at his daughter. "Want to hear a secret?" Kaori's eyes lit up as she nodded quickly, her pigtails bouncing, the small sleeves of her kimono swaying with each movement. Ryosuke glanced down at the yellow anklet around his ankle.
"Michio's bracelet was important to me," he said quietly, "but I love yours even more. Because it's yours. It might not be perfect, but you made it for me—and that makes it special." He lifted her up and covered her face with kisses until she squealed and laughed, kicking her feet in delight. Sakura stood a few steps away, smiling as she watched them.
"Daddy?" Kaori said between giggles. "When will I get to meet Uncle Michio? You talk about him all the time."
Ryosuke smiled. "Eventually. He's away right now, but he'll come back one day. And when he does, he'll love you the same way he loved me." Kaori nodded, satisfied, then tugged at his sleeve. "Can you tell me another story? One about you and Uncle Michio, like before." Sakura raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she leaned against the tree. "Oh? You've been telling her stories?"
Ryosuke straightened a bit. "What? No, she must've dreamed that—"
Kaori jumped in before he could finish. "You told me about how you fought those bandits and slayed them all!" She swung her arm like a sword. Ryosuke quickly cupped her mouth. "Not in front of your mother, you little tattletale. That was our little secret."
Kaori giggled as he whispered for her to go play. She ran off down the hill. Sakura's eyes narrowed as she looked back at him. "You told her about your missions?"
Ryosuke sighed. "No… well, yes. I did. I'm sorry."
She smacked him lightly on the head. "Ow! Alright, alright!" He rubbed the spot, grinning. "Good morning to you too, my love."
"You're ridiculous," she said, laughing despite herself.
He stepped closer, slipping his arms around her. She hit his arm again but didn't pull away. "And yet, you still love me," he teased.
Sakura smiled and kissed him. Together they turned to watch the sunrise spill over the mountains. The cherry blossoms drifted down around them, soft and quiet.
"Do you miss him?" she asked gently. "Michio?"
Ryosuke nodded. "Yeah. He said he had important work, but it's been years. I worry about him."
She leaned back against him. "He's strong. If anyone can take care of himself, it's Michio. People still worship him at the shrines. some still refer to him as the Nekogami (Cat God)."
Ryosuke chuckled. "He always hated that and especially that title. I miss him. My sensei. My father."
Sakura rested her hands on his arms. "He'll return. When he does, we'll throw a festival. He'll love Kaori—and maybe, if you're lucky, he'll even like you a little more."
Ryosuke looked down at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Being a father changed you," she said with a quiet laugh. "You used to be so serious, so stubborn. You never gave up on anything—including me. I remember how you begged me everyday for years to be your woman."
He smiled, a faint blush on his face. "It worked did it not?" They both laugh. "I love you, Mrs. Sakura Saito."
"I love you too, Mr. Ryosuke Saito. Let's live a happy life."
The wind settled, and the petals stopped falling. For a brief moment, everything was still—peaceful, as if the world itself paused to listen. It was the kind of moment that never lasted. The world knew that last sentence would prove to be untrue.