22. Kisano

Chapter 22

Kisano

I t came as a surprise when Vanra and Kitaro returned to his library later that afternoon. Kisano led them to take a seat at a nearby table. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I took your advice about writing a letter to my brother," Vanra said, bubbling with excitement. "Fate's Gate accepted it, so he'll finally know I'm safe."

It was a story so unbelievable that it sounded like something out of one of the fantasy books Kisano loved to read. But even with his weak sense of smell, he could scent that Vanra was telling the truth. Somehow, he had successfully sent a letter through Fate's Gate to the future. "That is incredible! I am so happy it worked. I am sure it will give him great peace of mind."

"Thank you for giving me the idea."

Kisano blushed at the gratitude. "I am relieved it worked. I would have felt awful if I wasted your time with such a ridiculous plan."

"It was not ridiculous when it worked," Kitaro reminded his older brother. "Feeling the ancient magic activate was an extraordinary sensation."

"I doubt I would have been able to sense it." Unlike his other siblings, Kisano had no magical abilities. "But it amazes me such ancient magic still works in our world."

"Now that I've experienced it twice, I feel like an even bigger fool for assuming it was a rumor that going through the gate could rewrite your fate." Vanra sighed as he rested his chin on his palm. "But I never imagined it would send me back in time. It sounds like something unbelievable out of a fantasy novel."

"I have read quite a few of those types of stories. But the good news is they always end with the time traveler going back home to their original time." Kisano hesitantly added, "There is still a chance for you to have your happy ending by returning to your time."

"Now that my brother knows I'm safe, I'm not as stressed-out about the urgency of returning." His expression turned pensive. "Sending the letter also helped me get some closure on some issues that make being here a lot less stressful now."

"How so?" Kitaro asked.

"I gave my brother instructions on what to tell the two people in my time who matter to me." Vanra shyly glanced up at Kitaro through lowered lashes. "I instructed my brother to inform my companion that things were over between us. He is free to move on to his ex that he always strayed to be with when we were together."

The dark storm that rippled through his younger brother at the mention of the disloyalty of Vanra's companion fascinated Kisano. He had never known Kitaro to be possessive. "I am glad you have finally freed yourself from him."

"May I ask who the other person is?" It wasn't Kisano's place to question, but he was curious all the same.

Vanra hesitated. "That answer is more complicated. He's not really a friend, but I still care about him. It always angered my companion when I showed this shifter kindness."

"Why?"

"Because he is a terrible person," Kitaro answered. His harsh tone startled Kisano. He had only heard his younger brother use that disapproving voice for Mitsuki.

Vanra smiled wanly. "You're not wrong about that. That's why I asked my brother to let him know things are over between us. They have been for a long time, if I'm being honest with myself. As for the other shifter, I think he cares about me as much as he knows how. But he'll hopefully be pleased I'm done with my companion. He always urged me to leave the shambles of my relationship. I wish I could tell him I regret not listening to him sooner."

"Why did you not?" Kisano asked before covering his mouth with his hand. "Sorry, that was so rude."

"No, it's okay." Vanra waved away his concerns. "I didn't listen because I stubbornly refused to admit that things were over between me and my companion for a long time. He was never loyal to me. But I let it go on because I thought being with him sometimes was better than being alone all the time. Now that I've had some space to think about it, I realize how stupid I was for thinking that."

"No, he is the foolish one for not loving you with all his heart the way you deserve," Kitaro told Vanra. He reached out to caress Vanra's cheek, earning him an arched eyebrow from Kisano at the overly familiar gesture. "Do not blame yourself for his failures."

"It's funny. That's the same thing the other shifter would have told me." Vanra's smile was sorrowful.

"Why does that make you sad?" Kisano asked, unable to stop himself.

"Because breaking up with my companion means I will probably never see the other shifter again. We only interacted because of his relationship with my companion." Vanra looked down at the table. "It's weird. I'm not supposed to care about him, but I do, even though he doesn't want me to. He's someone who has lived through a lot of pain, and I just want to make it better for him. But I always seem to make it worse somehow."

"I hope one day he sees how fortunate he is that you care for him," Kitaro said.

"The best I can hope for is that by breaking up with my companion, maybe I can become this shifter's friend now. He doesn't seem like he has many, so I'd like to change that."

"You seem good at friending the friendless." Kisano felt lucky that Vanra had offered him friendship.

Vanra smiled at Kisano. "Everyone should have a friend, even those who don't think they deserve them."

"We should celebrate your newly found freedom with dinner and dessert," Kitaro suggested. He turned his attention to his older brother. "Would you object to having the servants bring our meal here so we can share it with you?"

Kisano's heart filled with love for his younger brother, who was always so considerate of his feelings. "I would like that very much."

"Great! It'll give me the chance to get to know you better," Vanra said, his happiness returning. "I have so many questions!"

The human's genuine enthusiasm for befriending him baffled Kisano, but he was grateful all the same. He was glad Kitaro had brought such an unusual person into their lives. It was an honor to call Vanra his new friend.