Chapter 23

To Hold (シナギアウ, Shinagiau) is the 23rd chapter of the Yozakura Quartet manga.

Summary
Touka walks along the street going to visit Akina at Juli’s clinic, contemplating that she will finally get to be alone with him. Upon arriving, she finds Hime and Juli are with Akina as well. Juli finishes giving Hime a check up and tells her to learn how to use her powers more. Hime challenges Juli to armwrestling and Touka joins in, in an attempt to outshine Hime. Juli accepts their challenge and defeats them both simultaneously. Juli explains the method she used in order to exert more strength despite being human, and tells Hime and Touka to be more diligent. Juli then begins Akina’s check up and ask if he had been using tuning as of late. Akina hesitates to answer and Juli begins to twist his arm. Juli and Akina hold hands as and Akina begins to glow. Juli releases her hand and states they are finished. Hime and Touka begin to applaud Juri for abilities. Juli explains that any living being from their world is capable of counteracting Akina's sliding between dimensions. Hime suggest if she a yōkai would be able to do the same, but Juli states it would not work.

At Hime’s residence, Touka enters Hime’s room and ask to sleep in her room for the night. As they rest, Touka ask Hime about the the earlier conversation concerning fixing Akina’s sliding between worlds. Hime simply states there is nothing they can do about it being youkai. Touka then ask if a youkai and human were to fall in love, would they be able to find happiness, which Hime states she does not know. Touka than states she simply wants to hold Akina’s hand and fixing the sliding is just an excuse. Hime begins to make sleeping sounds and Touka believes she has fallen asleep and follows suit, though Hime is actually still awake.

In the past when Touka and Kyousuke were invited to live at Hime’s residence with her and her grandmother, Akina came to greet them goes to shake hands with Touka. Upon seeing this Hime grabbed Akina's hand as well.

Hime and Touka rush to school believing they are late. The two crash into Akina while running, who tells them that it is a national holiday. They sit down at a bench and Akina feeds some pigeons. Hime stares at Akina’s hand contemplating that they had not held hands since they were children. Touka and Hime then stare at each other and realize they both have the same of trying to hold Akina’s hand. The two of the grab and fight over Akina’s hand while coming up with various excuses, before Akina pushes them both off of himself.

Akina chastises the two and Touka mentions their conversation with Juli from the day before. Akina reiterates that it would never were since they are youkai but mention Juli also told them to learn to use their own powers. Akina tells Touka and Hime that if they learned to help using their powers more it could reduce the amount of tuning he would have to use. Touka and Hime agree but state they want to hold hands. Akina misinterprets this and puts Hime and Touka’s hands together. Hime and Touka leave to return home, leaving Akina confused.

Characters in order of appearance

 * Touka Kishi
 * Hime Yarizakura
 * V Juli F
 * Akina Hiizumi
 * Kyosuke Kishi (Flashback)