He nodded a few times to show he was following, but then something caught him. He quickly popped back into his human form, appearing in a sitting position. "Wait, you have a brother?" He asked, rather surprised. "What happens with him? Will he have a kitsune daughter? Does he..." He hesitated. "Does he... Remember you? Or..."
"No, he doesn't know he had a twin sister. He might remember it vaguely, just like me, that there was a girl he used to play with at the shrine... But that's all. Only my father knows all the particulars...
And as I said, once a girl is born - the family is free. The chain of passing down the kitsune gene was broken so my brother couldn't inherit it. He will be able to have more than only one child and no matter the gender they'll all be normal."
She sighed and put the scroll on the coffee table.
"It's really sad, you know, the story of a human family involved with kitsune. I believe it's some kind of a curse. They are prohibited from living together even when it's about love, so if they go against the law, there's a price to pay.
Our current Okami was just like me, she was born under the same circumstances only in Tachibana family. She knew how it felt to be separated from them, yet she couldn't help making the same mistake the previous Inari has made. Her husband Ueda Wataru was aware of the situation too, and he agreed with all the conditions of their marriage only to be able to spend some time with her."
She smiled lightly. "Well I guess we can't judge that - love surely makes people do strange things, right?"
And as I said, once a girl is born - the family is free. The chain of passing down the kitsune gene was broken so my brother couldn't inherit it. He will be able to have more than only one child and no matter the gender they'll all be normal."
She sighed and put the scroll on the coffee table.
"It's really sad, you know, the story of a human family involved with kitsune. I believe it's some kind of a curse. They are prohibited from living together even when it's about love, so if they go against the law, there's a price to pay.
Our current Okami was just like me, she was born under the same circumstances only in Tachibana family. She knew how it felt to be separated from them, yet she couldn't help making the same mistake the previous Inari has made. Her husband Ueda Wataru was aware of the situation too, and he agreed with all the conditions of their marriage only to be able to spend some time with her."
She smiled lightly. "Well I guess we can't judge that - love surely makes people do strange things, right?"
Kenta looked at her with sad eyes, and soon looked down to avoid eye contact. "Why... If she knows how painful... How horrible that rule is... Why does she still... If the Okami is a god, why does she let something like this keep happening? I mean... Couldn't they let your family..."
Akane felt bad for making Kenta worried about her.
"They couldn't stay, it's not something Okami herself decided... My mother wouldn't remember me even if she stayed, because that's what happens when a woman gives to birth to kami of kitsune - her memory of it fades away. It happens naturally, no one can control it." She said petting him softly.
"Let me explain it this way. Maybe I look like a human now, but my human body is just a shell. Its only purpose is delivering a new Okami spirit to the world and when that happens it'll disappear. So even if they are my parents I'm not really their child, I'm a child of kitsune and I belong with them...
Please, don't worry about me. I miss them but I'm glad they can live normal lives. Only my father knows what he has lost, but he was ready for that from the moment he heard the story of his origin from his father. He knows I'm destined for something big, and he can only be proud of me."
"They couldn't stay, it's not something Okami herself decided... My mother wouldn't remember me even if she stayed, because that's what happens when a woman gives to birth to kami of kitsune - her memory of it fades away. It happens naturally, no one can control it." She said petting him softly.
"Let me explain it this way. Maybe I look like a human now, but my human body is just a shell. Its only purpose is delivering a new Okami spirit to the world and when that happens it'll disappear. So even if they are my parents I'm not really their child, I'm a child of kitsune and I belong with them...
Please, don't worry about me. I miss them but I'm glad they can live normal lives. Only my father knows what he has lost, but he was ready for that from the moment he heard the story of his origin from his father. He knows I'm destined for something big, and he can only be proud of me."
"But maybe they..." He stopped and shook his head. "You're... so calm about all of this... How can you be so ok with things like this?"
"I'm fine because I'm not alone... I do have a family back at home, Okami is a substitute for my mother and all of the kitsune are like brothers and sisters to me, so I don't lack love. Also, I know that my parents and my brother live a good life now, so although I miss them, I can be at peace."
She pinched his cheek to cheer him up.
"Anyways, there is no time to think about past I need to focus on my future. I'm the next Okami, protector of all kitsune and I must prove I'm worthy of that name! You probably can't even imagine someone looking as weak as me could be the next kami." She winked to Kenta and giggled.
She pinched his cheek to cheer him up.
"Anyways, there is no time to think about past I need to focus on my future. I'm the next Okami, protector of all kitsune and I must prove I'm worthy of that name! You probably can't even imagine someone looking as weak as me could be the next kami." She winked to Kenta and giggled.
Kenta smiled at her. "You... You're stronger than you give yourself credit for." He told her. "Focusing on the future... Letting go... Nee-chan, All I ever worry about is my past these days. How do you..."
"Our stories are different... My past doesn't affect me anymore, while your past is unknown to you and it still affects your present and your future, that's why it's natural you worry about it. But that will change once you learn about it." Akane moved closer to Kenta and hugged him. "You'll be able to move on too..."
"..." Kenta let out a sigh as he eased up, and smiled, putting his arms around her. He really did feel better after talking to her. "Thank you, Nee-chan."