Two days later, Shisui was able to walk the palace grounds again—albeit slowly. His shoulder was still tender, but Kurou allowed him light movement for recovery.
As he stepped through the koi bridge toward the Jade Lantern Grove, he found Naoko waiting beneath a sakura tree, weaving threads of glowing spirit silk into a small banner.
"What's that?" he asked.
"A Thread Blessing," she replied. "Something from my homeland. It's a symbol of mutual protection between two people."
Naoko offered him one end of the shimmering ribbon. "Would you like to tie it?"
Shisui hesitated, then smiled and nodded. Together, they tied the thread around a low-hanging branch.
> The glow pulsed gently between their fingertips—his Iron Pulse and her Spirit Weaving resonating in harmony.
"That thread links us now," she said. "A promise: that no matter what happens, we'll watch each other's backs."
Shisui looked at her, truly seeing her now—not just as a fiancée, but as a friend. Someone who understood both duty and heartache.
> "Naoko," he said softly. "I don't know what the future holds between us. But I'm... glad you're here."
She smiled gently. "And I'm glad you survived. The world needs someone like you."
The sakura petals fell around them as the thread shimmered—a bond quietly formed beneath the canopy of blooming fate.