The New Winds

Kaidan walked to the Hidari wondering what pretty things he might find. The young Bayushi found himself wandering in the district looking for nice paper for origami. So hearing that there is an origami store but got lost on his way. He found himself near the lantern shop.

It was a mesmerizing sight as the beautiful lanterns glistened in the day light. The hues of gold, green, blues and yellow, made them quite unique as well. Kaidan smiled happily. "Beautiful, just beautiful."

Paper, paper, paper.

Kai ruminated on the word while they looked over the paper on offer at the stalls. An earlier admonishment from a different adult had reminded them to keep their hands off the merchandise, so to speak, and so Kai busied their hands by tugging absentmindedly on their lengthening hair, gathered as it was in a long tail.

The edges of Kai's lips twitched down into a frown at the sheets on offer. Kai continued on, finding themselves at the lantern shop. Lanterns weren't exactly on the shopping list but a distraction from the fruitless search was welcome.

"What's beautiful?" Kai asked rather bluntly, still tugging absentmindedly at their hair.

Kaidan looked at who asked the question and got a bit serious. "The lanterns, sama" But you are also.He motioned to the lanterns and then to her. "And hello..." Giving the girl a proper greeting bow.

Kai inclined their head, looking at the lanterns. Maybe...maybe? Their gaze became momentarily unfocused, their hold on their hair slackening, before coming back.

"These are just lanterns, though." Kai observed. Courtesy finally caught up and Kai returned the bow, brushing back errant hair upon straightening with a thoughtlessness that appeared to just be just another part of bowing for them.

"Hello. I am Isawa Kai. Of the Kaito family." The introduction was somewhat halting, unpracticed as it was for Kai to have to introduce themselves that way. "What brings you to these lanterns?"

Kaidan was a bit more graceful, even a bit practiced. "An honor to meet you, Bayushi Kaidan." He looked at the lanterns then to the Isawa. He pointed at one with a scene of a fishing boat on the sun set. The wooden dowels were painted in golden paint to reflect the candle light.

"It takes a very skill artist to know how the light will shine. A better craft's man to keep the panels sturdy. Lamps shouldn't be just lamps. The bring light in the dark nights. Like a little piece of Amaterasu... that warms our hearts."

"To warm the heart." Kai repeated thoughtfully, canting their head in another direction to see how the light came through the colored paper in another way.

A splotch of sunset red and orange light played across Kai's face, the image reflected in the Kaito's large eyes, unblinking as they took in the image.

"You are here for a heartwarming lantern?" Kai was curious. Their question was one of honest clarification. Kai released the hair in their hands, suddenly aware they were playing with it maybe too much. "My sensei, the one back in my family's lands, bid me continue practicing my brushwork. I was here to see about paper. Does your school have you all keep such lanterns?"

Clearly that would be the only reason someone would want a decorative lantern, right?

Kaidan shook his head. "No, I got distracted. I was looking for the origami store. I am in search for some paper." He gave it a thought. "As I looked at the lanterns, I thought about giving something special to my family." He again shook his head. "But then again... I shouldn't bring such expensive gift home."

Kai's eyes widened, as if they remembered something.

"Ah, I knew I had forgotten...oh well..." They murmured something to themselves, then looked back to Kaidan.

"Why not? Will it not warm the hearts of your family?" They didn't bring up the whole issue of expense, though whether out of polite ignorance or not was not readily clear. "Or will origami suffice?"

"I think the origami will suffice. Maybe I can find a sensei that could teach me how to make an origami lantern sort of shape." He smiled. "Wouldn't that be really nice?"

Kai thought about the question posed to them for a long moment before responding.

"Yes. Yes, I think it would be nice to find an origami sensei who could teach you to make a lantern."

Kai smiled in a shy, awkward way in return. They might have misread Kaidan's intent just a little.

"That would be a good present: to return to your family able to make origami lanterns. My sensei back in the lands of my family would commend such a gesture, I am sure."

Kaidan chuckled at the awkward smile. "Would you like one? I mean an origami lantern made by this one?" He gave the girl a side nod.

"Want one?" Kai asked, haltingly. "I, well-"

Kai suddenly found the tops of their sandals to be interesting viewing.

"It would not be proper, I think."

It wasn't a yes but neither was it a no.

Kaidan nodded slightly. "It could be a token of a new friendship. What do you think? Are you going to be my new friend Kai of the Kaito of the Isawa?" He gave the girl a sad kitten look.

"We have only just met. Of all the people you meet today, why be friends with me?" Kai asked, ever curious and open.

Perhaps unconsciously, perhaps not, it did dawn on Kai that once the word "gift" was mentioned, basic lessons on the etiquette of giving and receiving gifts kicked in: the polite, circuitous game of refusals.

Kaidan smiled. "You have graced me with conversation. But if you don't want to be my friend then a known person you shall be." He looked at Kaito. "That doesn't sound right."

"No, I suppose it would not be right."

Kai tapped their chin thoughtfully.

"Very well. To commemorate our friendship, I accept a lantern." Kai seemed quite satisfied to say this, before giving a faint smile and adding. "It would seem my sensei was right; speaking to others is not unlike speaking to spirits, after all."

"Shouldn't we find the paper first?" Kaidan chuckled. "Come let's find the origami store. They might have the paper you are looking for."

"Maybe." Kai replied, conceding the point. They had never heard of an origami paper shop having ofuda paper, but one never knew one's own luck.

Kai gave one last look at the lanterns before stepping away to follow Kaidan. "Lanterns and papers are not the only reason Bayushi-san has come to Otosan Uchi, is it?" They queried rather bluntly.

"Besides visiting the sites?" He examined the girl from head to toe. As he wondered if set Miko in training could be trusted. "I am on my way to meet some people here before heading to Hirosaka."

"Ah, that's fortuitous, then. I'm supposed to go there too." Kai shared, with none of the reticence or concern about trustworthiness. "My family was asked to send students for an assessment by the imperial authorities - they chose me."

"Is it the same for you?"