Within A Grey Twilight 5 Chapter Four: Keep your eyes on your coins

After a day of Yuki mostly buying anything that she laid her eyes on and were different from what she has. A much poorer Kazuho had gone onto find a house.

Even if her eating spree didn't make him much poorer, but it certainly put quite a dent. But still enough to afford a decent house. And her choice was to pick the most expensive of them all.

Well, a good way to blow away money. And get a good revenge. Maybe next time he should simply look at Masami when they were discussing them.

They looked at the house in front of them. In which Yuki entered inside, to look at the house. If anything, that taught him to let her judge first. All else could be later. That was the truth.

If she didn't close the door, that meant that she liked it. They followed in. The house was like most houses here, with tatami floors.

The garden was simple by all means, and will do. Besides, this was large. And the owner showing them around the house, looked at Yuki who came in first. "You must be her brother?"

"No." Although they were rather close. And her behaviour and his tolerance of it did give them a lot of idea. A sister, yes, but in reality no.

"You don't share many similarities with her." That was certain. And when he looked at Masami, it was even more evident.

"If I did, I will have red hair. Maybe mine will be curling." As Yuki's hair was wavy. Masami looked at her brother, deadpanning.

"But anyway, this will do. I do hope to be able to grow some plants." She brought in the one and only plant in the world which are insects. As useful as that was. Even though it was really not threatening. He doubted anyone will be stupid enough to put a body part in it.

Though he wondered whether it could eat snacks that Yuki bought. Although she bought most of it last night, but she might want some more. And blowing money off a carnivorous plant was way better than spending it on her.

"If you manage to convince her to use it to buy insects."

"Or I could feed her favourite grasshopper to it." But back to the house, he has went inside further. If anything, it was easy to furnish. And he was interested in not having to buy huge amounts of furniture.

Thankfully, this country rarely needed much when it came to the home. Since many slept in futons on the ground, and they sat on the ground. Which made it easy for his pocket which has taken many holes lately.

After a tour of the small house, which Yuki already decided on which room she took. And even how she was going to decorate it. Although he was tempted to say that this wasn't what he was looking for.

"Here is the price." Which looked upon closely made a lot more sense to just accept it, the location was good and the price reasonable. Even if he wanted to get back at Yuki, he preferred to choose another method.

"I'll take it." The man looked at it in surprise. And of course he wanted the payment now. Bringing out a large set of paper notes, which were still changeable into coins. If he tried to bring the amount through coins, it was certain that someone will rob him on the way here.

If he doesn't, well he wonders whether they were deaf. And that he was going to hate the sound of coins for quite a while.

So, for the sake for his own sanity he decided to just avoid that. When this will suffice. Just as he was about to pay him, someone took it from his hands.

Kazuho turned to chase him, for he could not ignore this. If he did, it will be even more of a loss of money. And one which was far worse as compared to spending it on Yuki.

Chasing him through the streets was by far the only choice. And moments later, Masami followed. "So, that's what you were doing?"

"I'm not sure which is worse. Having been robbed in front of my eyes, or being robbed because there isn't enough space." And that it was way too easy. And well, Masami didn't say anything. Since holding onto it better was not a good choice. Neither was carrying coins. Both of them still had glaring flaws.

He went further deeper into the streets itself. Not certain whether Yuki followed him, but knowing that now they were on uncharted territory. It will be good if he was wise. Okiban despite being one of the most modern cities in the world, and like many of them the underworld was there.

Thieves, con artists, assassins could all be hired from here. These dealings happened in the same city, as plots were hatched and put in place. Beneath the beauty of the city was this.

That was the same for almost all capital cities in the world. He chased the thief into a dark alleyway, with Masami joining him. She jumped down from the top of the roof to join him.

Running in there for the time being was foolish. He wasn't surrounded, hence was more than able to take his time. Besides, this alley was all. Masami will have caught him if he escaped. Which was doubtful. Given the height and the location.

"Just give it back, I have no intentions of telling anyone." Besides, he wanted to keep his location as hidden as possible. Not announce it to the whole world. But convincing him will be harder.

The boy took a step out. Dressed in a ragged kimono, holding that paper note. "Do you have any problems?" He asked quietly. If he did, then it will make sense. He could spare some charity, and he didn't wish to do anything.

Not drawing attention was what he intended to do, not forget it in face of a small child who stole. Kazuho was far from being that petty.

"I need it. My mother is ill."

"How about this, I get you some medicine while you give that back to me." The boy did it, knowing full well what to do. Find a way to help him.

Getting out of the alleyway, with him on his side. And giving the rest back to Masami, who took it back to pay the merchant. As much as he was curious where Yuki was.

"Kaoru, what are you doing out here?" A young woman said. She was dressed in a plain light blue kimono, her long hair tied into a low ponytail below.

"Did he steal again?" She looked into his eyes.

"He did. But I won't report him to the bakufu." He was after all, someone who was familiar how harsh it was. And he didn't wish to draw any attention to himself.

"Then, have a midday meal from me. Consider it a treat."

"I'll take on that." He followed the woman. An inn, so she was an innkeeper as well. Now that he has already found his house, there wasn't any need for him to stay at one. He wished that he found this inn earlier on.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Kazuho."

"Call me Junri." She doesn't smile in the least. And moved forward, before stopping. A huge sign on the top, which advertised itself as an inn.

Entering inside, where there was plenty of people around. And led them to a small table. Since it was just the two of them. "Hajime?" She called. There was no answer. She shook her head. "I almost forgot that he went out to buy supplies."

But she sat them down first, with Kiyoru by the side. Kiyoru lightened up a lot more here, knowing that Kazuho truly had no intentions to do so. If he did, he will not have followed that woman.

At least in the way that was treating this incident as merely a slight. Masami had headed back to pay that man for the house.

"Thank you for letting this go."

"Don't take it that I'm kind, I just don't want to draw attention to myself." He went in.

"I can see that, there were many chances which you could have done so. But you did not." The woman turned to see Kiyoru. "You were lucky too, and don't try to steal again."

"Does the city really have that many in poverty?"

"Very much. There isn't anything done about them." Although he remembered Okiban years back to still be a better city. Many had the ability to at least feed themselves.

Within a couple of years, this all had changed. "We seen a lot of disasters in recent years. From that war to the recent flood in the north, it has been a rough year."

And Kazuya could guess that it also went to her. She was young, perhaps just around his age. Yet, she still ran this inn on her own.

He ate it, slowly. It was nice, that was certain. But he could not bring himself to quickly finish it. He looked back at the owner. Noticing that she took out a small object, a kiseru.

He returned back to it. Finishing most of it was satisfying, as much as he knew that he didn't have to pay a single cent was anything to go by. And this wasn't just some tasteless food, it was savoury and delectable.

"Aneue, I'm back from the market." He turned around to see, a boy with his long black hair in a ponytail. Bringing someone that he was all too familiar with. Yuki.

"Eh, what are you doing here?" She looked at Kazuho. Although he felt like asking her the same question, except realising something.

"Did you just follow a complete stranger into the alleyway?" Kazuho asked. He knew Yuki was a bit odd, but this was borderline stupidity. No, it was stupidity.

"He did promise that the inn had good food and snacks." He looked to Junri, fished out a couple of coins. This was still her after all. "Besides, I could easily handle him if he turned out to be taking advantage of me."

It was more surprising that he didn't. Or was he hoping to turn her into a servant to pay off the amount she ate. It was either this boy was kind, or he was a cruel bastard. Or realised what sort of terror Yuki was when she was hungry.

"Consider it payment for her meal." And a hint that she should cook this much for Yuki. Who could be a voracious eater. And that if he doesn't try to limit, the meal will make an even larger hole on his pocket.

"This is quite a lot." Junri counted the coins, mentioning something about it being able to feed two people who had to be large eaters.

"Trust me, if I don't she will bleed me dry. Again." She simply took it and left. While suppressing a small chuckle.

"Not that it will adversely affect your lifestyle." Although he was not a beggar, but neither did he have infinite amounts of money.

"Actually, I was hoping that you didn't pay. It will be more interesting to see what happens when I show her the bill." The boy leaned in.

He was right on the second guess. Hajime was a cruel bastard.

Chapter end