The two walked back down in the city. Halfway home, dusk permeated the streets, so lamposts illuminated.

Along the way, something bothered Haruto since yesterday. “What do you mean by ‘centillionth’ of your power?” he turned to Hokori, “That’s one with three hundred zeros.”

He hummed at his question. “That’d be hard to explain, boy… All I can say is that I once made my own Kili calculator. It turns out I exert thirty to forty normally, and eighty if I ‘go all out,’ as they say. It’s more like I’m using the bare minimum before the whole planet could explode….” he shrugged.

Haruto’s eyes squinted, “Kili? Are you saying—”

“Yes, das right, boy. My existence is an anomaly in this world’s power scaling. Even weirder is that I can only get stronger when I have true intent to be so. It’s like punching someone in film acting versus doing it out of genuine anger.” He demonstrated further by flicking a pebble onto a stop sign; it never dented. He flicked another one high up in the sky, managing to kill two murder condors at once.

While citizens were terrified that two giant birds fell on the street, Hokori laughed at it all. Haruto’s eyes and mouth drooped down. “Was all that even necessary…?”

Now back home, it was already nighttime. Dinner was ready three hours ago. What the two did not expect—was their meal turning sour. Even by the door, they heard infernal shouting.

Kakunō banged at the table. “Are you listening to yourself?! What should Hokori do? Tell you his whole past? Why are you still treating him like a plague?!”

Tokino’s eyes narrowed. “Well, I’m sorry if you view it that way! I don’t see any good impressions as of now. I already told him, haven’t I? I’m always open to making amends. Just give me time….”

He reared his head closer. “Give you time? We sat through your boyfriend’s sob story just days ago! Do you see me belittling him?! All you ever did was push Hokori away, so you know what? I don’t accept you—and I don’t like you. Screw you and your annoying temper!!” he pointed with a butter knife.

Within half a second, Kakunō fell to the floor alongside his chair. Kneeling, a panting Tokino grabbed him by the neck. Yukino called out for her mother, telling her to stop. Kenkō called out for Kakunō, telling him to apologize.

“Take it back… Take it all back. I don’t know what I’ll do if you don’t….” Tokino’s eyes lit up.

She only managed to annoy Kakunō even further. He swiped her arm. “Get off me, you stupid prick.” He stood back up, pointing at her again. “For the record… none of your bullshit is intimidating.” Kakunō walked out of the dinner table and into his room; Yukino tried to talk him out of it.

Tokino’s teeth clenched and vented her anger on Kakunō’s chair; she cared not for the splinters, and Yukino backed away sweating bullets. After panting for a minute, Tokino realized that the two were back. Her heart sank way past the bottom.

Hokori stood dumbfounded. “Damn… never knew people out there hated mahogany this much….” He walked closer. “Kid, are ya alright? It looks like ya need some Citalac. Calm the nerves down and whatnot.”

Upon standing up and noticing his face, Tokino immediately went to her room, not looking at her husband even once.

Hokori asked Yukino what was going on. It only made her tear up. Not one to tolerate sadness, he kneeled and patted her head. “C’mon now, kiddo. Crying every day ain’t healthy.”

Drying her eyes out, Yukino found the courage to tell him everything. Haruto stood surprised that Hokori empathized with Tokino. On the other hand, Yukino admitted that she did not side with her mother when lashing out at her big brother.

Yukino ran to Kakunō’s room. She saw Kenkō comforting him. To cheer him up, she pulled out her two Automodachi. They acted like kabuki performers in front of him. Even though Kakunō did not understand their made-up language, he cracked a smile. He hugged his little sister. “I’m sorry if I scared you, Yuki. I really am….”

In their share bedroom, Haruto witnessed Tokino in a familiar position: staring blankly at the ceiling. Sleeping beside her, he held her cheek, which only made her turn away on her side. He moved behind his wife and stroked her hair. “‘Please tell me what’s wrong. I can’t help you if you won’t.’ That’s what you told me long ago, right?” he smiled with his eyes relaxed.

Tokino sniffled. “I didn’t mean to, you know… I never wanted to paint Hokori in a bad light. But I don’t know why I keep doing it anyway…” her tears welled up.

Haruto sighed. “Well, he doesn’t seem to care much about that. In fact, he understands how you feel. If it’s no skin off his nose, why should you feel like it is?”

“Because Kakunō doesn’t feel the same way. He deeply respects him, and I hate it when people think I’m being petty.” She turned around on her other side to look at her husband. “Tell me, honey… Is it so wrong not liking him for now? Am I a monster for disavowing him?” her eyes frowned.

Haruto smiled with his eyes closed. “That’s for you to decide. I feel like I have no business on that matter, but remember your promise to Yukino? You can do better. We all can.” He held her cheek again, “Come here… I know what you need right now….” Their heads neared each other, and they closed their eyes throughout the session.

“Ah… Ahh… Ahhh…!”

Unfortunately, at the climax, the worst interruption possible occurred. “Hey boy, ya had your swords lying around the living room! I’m here to give ‘em back to— Oh….”

They all stood in complete shock—not a word uttered between them. Hokori slowly closed the door. Haruto looked back at his wife. “Let’s try again….” Tokino nodded and kissed him with her eyes closed.

Suddenly, another interruption occurred by the door. “Decent missionary play ya got goin’ there, boy. Ain’t bad at all. And I would say ya got a nice perky ass, but ya ain’t my type. Hahahahahaha!” Hokori placed the swords and leather strap beside a wall.

The next day was finally the Celestial Solstice. The family prepared to go out to the city to buy clothes for a ballroom party held at Harald’s home. For over a million years, this custom never changed. Strangely, Hokori was nowhere in the house. Kakunō explained that he went to the Fly Away Now club. He wanted to invite the people he regularly slept with.

The family took the public airship. Yukino noticed another corporate building teleporting to a different location by the window. Kenkō spoke regret of the occurrence, as it turned out that it belonged to one of her favorite clothing designers.

At the Merchant’s Paradise mall, Kenkō suggested everyone follow her to a favored department store. She picked a purple ball gown with a hydrangea flower scheme for Yukino.

She fastened her dress. “The right clothes can always bring out the real you, Yukichi. And with this—I see your spirit glowing brighter. Or do you want to choose yourself?”

“No, Big Sis. It’s perfect!” Yukino twirled around. “Anything is perfect when you love it. So I love it, too!” she raised her arms high.

Kenkō hugged her tightly in pure joy. “Oh, Yukichi! Every day I’m with you, you become sweeter than honey. Yukichi. Yukichi. Yukichi. Yukichi.” She repeated it seven more times.

In another section, Haruto tried to pick a white gown for Tokino, but she felt that it was too drab. After skimming through other areas for a while, she finally found what she wanted. It was an elaborate blue ball gown with a Japanese camellia scheme. She picked a red blazer and pants with plum blossom branches for her husband; she found his choice of a black tux even more boring.

Kenkō picked the tuxedo for herself, while Kakunō’s choice was completely different. It was a kimono set that matched the design of what he wore like a cape, this time showing silver oak leaves and branches instead of gold ones.

After leaving the department store, Yukino insisted that they should kill time by watching a movie. The whole family agreed.

They watched a children’s movie titled: “Lost Boy.” It started with the titular orphaned main character being normal for his age until realizing he had telekinetic superpowers. Half at the end was unexpected for a movie of its target audience: ten years and up. It revealed that the boy was granted power by the villain, who only did so to control his mind. The said villain nearly killed the recurring characters—until the boy broke free of his influence at the last moment. He grabbed the villain tightly and sacrificed himself in a massive explosion, killing them.

Yukino cried buckets throughout the ending, and even Haruto shed some tears. Leaving the cinema, Kakunō told the couple that they should check on Hokori and asked Kenkō to stay with Yukino.

Taking public transport, the three arrived at the brothel club. Fly Away Now was not some run-down back alley crapshoot found on the outskirts. It was the largest establishment of its kind in all of Coelestis. Despite being a minor, they allowed Kakunō in due to affiliations. He walked the couple to one of the larger VIP rooms. The brothel operated more like a five-star hotel. Knocking by the door, he realized it was open.

What they saw inside was the epitome of lust. Twenty naked women slept soundly on five beds placed on the sides and corners of the room. However, this was what Haruto thought. Kakunō revealed to the couple that a quarter of them were androgynous men that looked very young.

At first, Tokino complained about the sticky, salty smell wafting around the room. Then, it dawned on her what it was; the most daring experiment she ever did with her husband involved moving her head down.

At the front end of the room was a large bed on top of some stairs. A glass wall was installed in that area, showing a wide view of the city. In the bed, someone stood valiantly with arms crossed.

The Peerless Champion himself, wearing no clothes whatsoever. “Hahahaha…! Once again, my friends! The brave maidens here have failed to tame the dreaded Jörmungandr! However, I shall give praise for their dangerous blows against the beast! No mere mortal would have lived to tell the tale….”

Kakunō walked closer. “So, um… you got something to wear later on?”

Hokori came down from the bed. “I sure have. Already bought these yesterday!” He covered himself in blood runes, turning him clothed.

His attire was very outlandish. A black loose sleeve shirt with two bikini-clad girls doing a provocative pose side to side. The design was akin to anime, even down to their peace signs. “S/HE GETS THE D” in bold white letters at the shirt’s center made Tokino wince in utter disgust. Hokori told them that the “girl” shown at the opposite end of the shirt had a bulge in the crotch.

Hokori made sure he rested his case on his tastes, so he wore gray cargo shorts showing graffiti-like letters on the sides. “CUTE HOLES” for the left and “KEEP ‘EM COMIN’!” for the right.

He walked around the room, clapping his hands. “Aight, girls, time to get up now! Be ready for tonight!”

They ran outside immediately, utterly embarrassed that other people saw them. However, just by the door, one of them was told by Hokori to stop.

He patted his shoulder. “Here ya go, kid. Send my regards to your grandma….” He handed him a bottle of unbranded pills, patented by Kenkō.

Tears flowed out of his eyes as he read the description. “Thank you! Thank you so much!” he hugged him and ran outside.

Hokori looked toward his comrades. “Depressing shit, ain’t it? Even in this world, we can never cure cancer. But at least we can let them live twenty more years.” At that moment, the Minagawa couple stood in shock.

Hokori insisted they should not feel sorry at all. He reassured them that the boy was genuinely happy where he was now. He even revealed that most of his partners used to be undesirables and downtrodden; one even got trafficked seven times.

Just as when the room turned somber for the couple, Hokori clasped his hands. “Sorry guys, but that’s all the sob stories I can tell ya, now.” He walked past them with a wide smile.

His family followed, utterly confused by his demeanor.