𝙼𝚢 𝙲𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚘𝚖 || 𝚃𝚊𝚗𝚓𝚒𝚛𝚘 𝚡 𝙵𝚎𝚖!𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚒𝚡𝚝𝚢 𝙴𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝

It was a beautiful afternoon. With the cherry blossoms at full bloom with chickadees that chirped everywhere they flew on past the calm mountains.

Among that mountainside, along the green and lush forest, a small yet cozy house sat in the grass with a man sitting outside on the engawa that led into the sturdy house.

The gentle clattering of a large, wooden tray with a kettle, along with two, freshly-made onigiri with a two cups upon the tray.

The one carrying the wooden tray with fresh delectables sat himself down next to the old man who was cradling his beloved child. A woman rested inside on a simply crafted futon, laying fast asleep with the recent events.

"I've made some tea." Said the man who carried the tray out onto the engawa.

"Thank you."

The man looked over at his daughter in the man's arms. "Wow, fast asleep."

"I'm so sorry my wife also fell asleep. You're a visitor, but I made you look after my kid."

The man holding the child responded in a auditable mumble. "Don't worry about it. Birthing a child and raising one is hard work, she must be tired."

The father took his little bundle of joy from the man's arms carefully after he finished the sentence. The strange man with the long ponytail reached over to grab a cup with some tea already poured inside.

"After I finish this I'll be on my way. I can't be getting free meals like this."

"Oh no! I owe you my life. Me, my wife, and my child wouldn't have been here without you."

The man took a small sip of his tea, feeling the breeze along his skin as it rolled by.

"At least tell me your story. For the future generations to come."

The man next to him sighed. "No need."

The father with his child looked at him in shock. "But... it'd be hard since you have no successor." He held his head down slightly. "It may be impossible since I'm a humble coal miner. But one day, someone will..."

"No need." The one with the long ponytail turned his head over, the same facial expression from before. "Sumiyoshi, masters of the craft will always find their way to the same place. Even if the times have changed, even if they've taken different paths, they will always lead to the same place. You seem to look up to me as some special being. It's not true."

He stood upward, gripping his sword at the hilt. "I couldn't protect a single thing that was important to me. I couldn't achieve what I was supposed to in life. I am a man of no worth."

Just don't.

Don't speak like that.

Please. I beg you, don't think of yourself like that.