The following morning, the village was covered in a thick blanket of snow, the crisp air carrying the scent of burning wood and fresh bread. Life moved at a slow, peaceful pace in the village—something Kaizen was still getting used to. He had spent most of his life wandering, fighting, and surviving, but here, there was a strange stillness that he found almost unsettling.
And yet, every time he saw Sakura's bright, eager face, he felt something shift inside him.
"Kaizen!" Sakura's excited voice broke through his thoughts. He turned to see her running toward him, bundled up in a thick coat of furs. "Come on, come on! I want to show you something!"
Kaizen arched an eyebrow but followed without question. She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the village outskirts, where the snow-covered forest met a small, partially frozen river.
"I found something cool!" Sakura said, her breath visible in the frigid air. She pointed at the river, where the ice was thinner near the center. "Look! The fish are still swimming under there!"
Kaizen knelt beside the river, studying the icy water. Despite the cold, life still thrived beneath the surface. He could see the faint glimmer of fish darting through the currents, undisturbed by the harshness of winter.
"You see?" Sakura beamed. "Even when everything looks frozen and still... things are still alive underneath."
Kaizen gave a small nod, his gaze distant. "That's true," he said, his voice quieter than usual.
Sakura plopped down beside him, kicking her legs in the snow. "You always look like you're thinking about something," she observed. "Is it about the bad things?"
Kaizen exhaled slowly, looking at her. "Sometimes."
Sakura rested her chin on her knees. "Mom says that when you have too many bad things in your head, you should talk about them. It makes them less heavy."
Kaizen hesitated. He wasn't used to talking about his thoughts, especially not to a child. But there was something about Sakura's innocence that made it easier.
"I've done many things in my life, Sakura," Kaizen finally said. "Some of them I regret. Some of them I don't. But all of them have shaped who I am now."
Sakura hummed in thought. "I think... if you're still here, then that means you're meant to be."
Kaizen turned to her, surprised by her words. "What do you mean?"
Sakura poked at the snow with a stick. "Well... if you were really as bad as you think, then maybe you wouldn't have made it this far. But you did. And you're here now. Maybe that means you're supposed to be something more."
Kaizen let her words settle in his mind. A simple yet profound perspective—from the mouth of a child.
Sakura suddenly stood up, brushing snow off her clothes. "Alright! Since you're my student in meditation, I have a challenge for you!"
Kaizen smirked. "A challenge?"
She nodded. "Yup! We're gonna have a snowball fight! But you can only dodge—no using your super-speed monk reflexes to cheat!"
Kaizen chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Alright. I accept your challenge."
Sakura grinned mischievously and quickly scooped up a handful of snow, packing it tightly. "Get ready!" she shouted before launching the snowball straight at him.
Kaizen sidestepped effortlessly, the snowball barely grazing his shoulder. Sakura gasped dramatically. "Hey! You're too good at dodging!"
"That's the point, isn't it?" Kaizen teased.
She pouted, quickly making another snowball. "Okay, fine! But I won't give up that easily!"
The next few minutes were filled with laughter as Sakura continued her relentless assault, while Kaizen skillfully avoided every single snowball. The normally reserved warrior found himself chuckling under his breath, something he hadn't done in what felt like years.
Eventually, Sakura flopped onto the ground, out of breath. "Okay, okay, you win," she huffed, smiling up at the sky.
Kaizen sat beside her, the cold air filling his lungs. For the first time in a long time, he felt... at peace.
Sakura turned her head toward him. "Kaizen?"
"Hm?"
"Will you stay here forever?"
Kaizen's expression softened, but he didn't answer immediately. He had spent his life running—from his past, from his demons, from his pain. Staying in one place had never been an option. And yet, here in this village, with this child who saw him as more than just a wandering warrior, the thought didn't seem so impossible anymore.
"I don't know," Kaizen admitted. "But for now... I'll stay as long as I can."
Sakura smiled, satisfied with his answer. "Good. Because you're part of my family now, Kaizen."
Kaizen felt something tighten in his chest. Family. The word felt foreign to him, and yet, hearing it from Sakura made it feel real.
He reached over and ruffled her hair gently. "Thank you, Sakura."
For the first time in a long time, Kaizen didn't feel like a lost soul drifting through the world. He had a reason to stay. Even if just for a little while.