"Ah, Little Black, you're here?

Do you want to have some tea with me? "

"Ah!

Brother!

You're here!

Come, come, come, I just got some snacks from the Candlestick Cutting Hall. Do you want to try it? "

"Oh, it's Little Black. Do you want to go on an expedition with your father?"

"Help — — — — — —!"

Since he woke up in the morning, Little Black had encountered the three leaders of the Genji Clan and the Taira Clan by chance. He tried his best to get rid of Göche and the others and went into Shanmaqie Horikawa's room. He 'asked' for help from Shanmaqie, who had built a deep friendship with him because they were both imitations.

"What, what's wrong?"

Startled by the sudden appearance of Little Black, Shanmaqie clutched his sheets tightly. He blinked and looked at his new friend Little Black in confusion.

"I know I'm not liked by Göche and the others, but they don't have to do this …" Recalling what happened in the morning and his experience in the Genji Clan and the Taira Clan, Little Black took a deep breath sadly. "If you hate me, just say so. Do they have to appear in front of me again and again to remind me …"

"That … maybe it's not as bad as you think?

Maybe they don't mean it that way? "

Looking at the tearful Little Black, Shanmaqie hesitantly reached out his hand and patted Little Black's shoulder to comfort him. He didn't understand why Little Black was so sure that Göche and the others didn't like him and even hated him. It was obvious that Göche and the others liked him very much. However, he thought about it again and again. Perhaps he was confused by Göche and the others. In fact, they really didn't like Little Black. After all, according to other people, Göche once cut off the tip of Little Black's sword because Little Black's body was two centimeters longer than his. It made sense for Little Black to be so afraid of them.

"Little Black, you don't know … Anyway, they just don't like me … Thank you, Little Black. Little Black, you're really a good sword!"

In response to Shanmaqie's persuasion, Little Black shook his head and didn't say anything. He just hugged Shanmaqie like a little puppy asking for comfort. He buried his face in Shanmaqie's shoulder and subconsciously rubbed his head against Shanmaqie's cheek with his hair.

"Little, Little Black … You, you, you …"

Being hugged by Little Shadow all of a sudden, Mountain Elder Qie felt her entire saber stiffen. Her face also flushed red from shyness. She muttered 'you you you you' for a long time, but couldn't say a complete sentence.

"Little Black!"

Releasing Shanmaqie's hand, Little Black stared closely at Shanmaqie's beautiful green pupils. "Can I live with you for the next few days?"

"What, what?

Live with me?

Why? "

Because of Little Black's sudden bold words, Shanmaqie was so shocked that he almost bit his tongue. He stared blankly at Little Black who had a serious expression and didn't seem to be joking. He didn't understand why he would suddenly have such an idea.

"Although I feel very embarrassed, I really feel safe when I'm with you!

Not to mention anything else, at least when I'm with you, I don't have to worry about Sir Göche and the others suddenly appearing and frightening me.

That's why … I'm begging you!

Help me! "

"This … If the brothers agree … then you can live here …"

There was really no way to say no to Little Black's beautiful face and pitiful golden eyes. Shanmaqie hesitated for a moment and finally nodded.

Fortunately, Little Black spoke quickly and Shanmaqie agreed quickly. Because not long after the two reached an agreement, Genmaru, who was very clear about Little Black's habit of running to Shanmaqie's room when he was unhappy, was delivering tea to Anicca. When he saw him and Sanri Yue drinking tea and chatting harmoniously, he immediately turned around and ran to find his younger brother, Little Black, who he thought needed his care a lot, to agree to move to the Genji Clan's house.

But as Genmaru expected, his cute younger brother, Little Black, once again rejected him.

"Why is that, Little Black?

Why would you rather live with Shanmaqie, His Highness Horikawa, who is an external blade, than with your brothers? "

Genmaru looked at Little Black, who had an aggrieved expression but was wrapped up in a ball with Shanmaqie and had a very firm attitude. His younger brother, his beautiful and cute younger brother, actually hated him so much that he was unwilling to say more than a few words to him. He perfectly ignored the fact that Little Black and Shanmaqie shared a very common language and got along very well. He looked at Little Black with tears in his eyes, trying to use his sincere heart to move him and make him change his mind.

However, instead of being moved by Genmaru, Little Black was even more resistant to them. Because of the inexplicable complex feelings of anger and fear in his heart, as well as the slightly impulsive personality of Masayuki Minamoto, he spoke without thinking about what to say. With Little Black's reserved and somewhat timid personality, he would not have said it out loud.

"That's why I'm not your younger brother!

You keep saying that we're brothers and that you're going to take care of me, but we're not made from the same batch of materials, nor are we made by the same swordsmiths. We've only stayed in the Genji Clan before, and we're both called treasures of the Genji Clan. How are we brothers?!

I … I don't need the brother who cut off my blade to pretend to care for me!

While smiling and saying that we're brothers, you mercilessly cut off the tip of my blade. I don't want brothers who are two-faced and annoying!

So, Genmaru Hall, please stay away from me! "

"Little Black …"

Seeing Little Black hiding behind Shanmaqie's blanket and trembling non-stop as if he was crying, Genmaru felt as if his heart had been pierced by needles. Genmaru never knew that Little Black, who had always been so obedient and quiet behind him and Anicca, was actually angry at him and Anicca. He thought that he was good to him and called Little Black his brother, so Little Black must have been very unhappy …

"I'm sorry, Little Black … I-I never knew that you thought that way … I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. The things that I thought I was good to do must have made you very unhappy, right?

I'm sorry … I'll try not to cause you any more trouble in the future. I've disturbed you for so long … Goodbye … "

"Ge … Genmaru Hall …"

Hearing Genmaru's choked voice, Little Black poked his head out from behind Shanmaqie and looked at Genmaru's lonely back as he left. He wanted to say something, but when the words reached his mouth, he couldn't say anything. He could only stare blankly as Genmaru left his sight.

Because he felt that the words he had just blurted out seemed to have dealt a huge blow to Genmaru, Little Black pursed his lips, hugged his knees, and silently curled himself into a ball.

"No, Genmaru Hall … Actually, I don't hate you … To be able to be treated as a brother by Genmaru Hall … I'm really … really happy …"

"Since you like him and don't hate him, why … why did you say that just now?

Genmaru, he … When he heard what you said, he seemed to be very sad … "

Hearing Omaru Maru's muttering and feeling his inner self-blame and regret, Shanmaqie, who originally didn't want to get involved in other Blades' emotional problems, hesitated for a moment before speaking his mind.

"I …"

Little Black bit his lips and hesitated, not knowing whether to say it or not. But when he looked at Shanmaqie, he gently spoke his mind.

"It's because I'm afraid of being with Göche -sama. Every time I stand next to Göche -sama, I remember the pain of having my sword cut off by Göche -sama. But Genmaru Hall … Genmaru Hall is Göche -sama's younger brother. He likes Göche -sama so much … I …"

"Little Black …"

"You also think it's strange, right?

Back then, I wanted to replace Genmaru Hall to protect Göche -sama. But compared to Göche, I like Genmaru Hall more … Maybe it's because I'm such a narrow-minded Blade … I just can't forget the pain of having my sword cut off … I'm really afraid of seeing Göche -sama … but … but Göche -sama is Genmaru Hall's older brother. He's the Blade I should protect … I shouldn't … shouldn't think like that … I … I said so many bad things about Göche -sama. Genmaru Hall must hate me now … "

"No … Genmaru Hall won't hate you. Because … because I can feel that Genmaru Hall really treats you as his younger brother … If you're his brother … no matter how sad Genmaru Hall is, he won't really hate you. And … and you're not wrong. This matter … this matter is Göche Hall's fault. If he didn't cut off your sword for some strange reason, you wouldn't be angry enough to say those things.

So … so I think that as long as you explain it to Genmaru Hall properly, he won't really blame you! "

Looking at Little Black who was about to cry, Shanmaqie hesitated for a moment. Then, he plucked up his courage and gently hugged Little Black. He tried his best to ignore the drumming of his heart and tried to comfort Little Black who was full of self-blame.

"Is … is what you said … true?"

"Of … of course it's true!

After all, our Kunihiro Swordsmanship Sect has quite a number of swords. Just like Genmaru Hall, I also have brothers. My relationship with my brothers is like this. Sometimes, we'll get angry because of some problems, and we don't even want to talk to each other. But … but because we're brothers, no matter what, our anger will dissipate and we'll reconcile!

So … Genmaru Hall … Genmaru Hall must think the same way! "

Looking at Little Black's golden eyes that were still hazy with tears, Shanmaqie's face flushed red. He tried his best to use his poor words to comfort Little Black so that he wouldn't blame himself for what happened just now.

But as he spoke, facing Little Black's focused gaze, Shanmaqie only felt extremely embarrassed. He wanted to find a place to hide.

"Thank you for … You're so nice!"

'Boom — —'

Just as Shanmaqie's face was flushed red due to shyness, Little Black, who felt a lot more relaxed after hearing Shanmaqie's words, blinked and reached out to give Shanmaqie a big hug.

However, what Little Black didn't expect was that the hug that he wanted to express his gratitude actually caused Shanmaqie, who was already extremely shy, to completely crash.