Tengen

The evening sun cast a warm glow across the Uzui estate. In the courtyard, sixteen-year-old, you, slammed your practice sword against a training post.

"That's the ninth post this month," Hinatsuru noted.

"I didn't break it," you muttered.

"Yet," Makio replied.

Tengen watched them for a moment. "Something's bothering you."

you sigh and sit on the steps.

"Someone in town kept arguing with me. They insisted I had to be a man or a woman, no matter how many times I said I'm neither."

Suma immediately frowned. "That's rude."

"It's just exhausting," you admit. "I know who I am. I just get tired of explaining it."

Hinatsuru sat beside you. "That's understandable."

Tengen walked over and crouched in front of you.

"You know what's flashy?"

you raise an eyebrow. "What?"

"Being yourself despite what other people expect."

A small smile appeared on your face.

Tengen rested a hand on your shoulder.

"There will always be people who think they know you better than you know yourself. They're wrong. You don't need their permission to be who you are."

"Exactly," Makio said. "Anyone trying to tell an Uzui who they are is wasting their time."

you laugh.

The frustration you'd carried home felt a little lighter.

Surrounded by Tengen, Hinatsuru, Makio and Suma, you never had to explain yourself.