Road to Hashira

-02-

"Yo, good morning, Shinobu-chan~!" Kumeno, as gleeful as ever, waves a greeting at Shinobu who had just been done swiping away the fallen leaves off the mansion foreyard.

She responds with a slight nod. "Good morning, Kumeno-san. Out for a mission today?"

"Ah, not really, but hey, you should definitely drop the formalities, Shinobu-chan, you can call me Masachika after all~!" He grins earnestly.

Shinobu fakes laughter, "Ehehe, is that so? Then, where are you off to today, Masachika-san?"

Masachika pops his eyes as clear as the morning sun. "Oh, I just thought I'd come by to greet you a happy morning! Have you seen Sanemi? Hasn't he come back to check on his injuries here today?"

"Oh, I'm afraid I haven't seen Shinazugawa-san lately."

"Is that so, nevermind then, I'm sure I'll find him right away. It's my natural talent to find that guy right on time." He flashes another cheeky grin.

Shinobu nods once again. "I see, then if you would excuse me, Masachika-san, I still have a few errands to do." She soon turns her back from him, not willing to be rude but she really still had a lot to do.

"No worries, do your best!" With that, Kumeno also went his way.

Inside the mansion, Tomioka felt strong enough to go for a new mission, and so he decided to finally leave the abode of the Butterfly Mansion. "Thank you for your care." He simply said that with a never-changing gaze and walked his path.

"Was that it? Geez, the man is truly hopeless! I bet people don't like him very much, which is why nobody ever visits him. Whereas even someone like Shinazugawa has a Kumeno." Shinobu crosses her arms and puffs out a sigh in dismay.

Kanae tilts her head at her also pretty hopeless sister. "Were you expecting that much, Shinobu? Shinazugawa-san may have a Kumeno-san, but Tomioka-san has a Shinobu-chan, isn't that well with Tomioka-san?"

"W-what?! I've no idea what you're talking about, Nee-san!" Shinobu immediately turns red. Whether it's anger or embarrassment, I surely cannot tell.

"Ara ara, don't worry Shinobu. Once you fall in love with a man, your heart will definitely change~!" Kanae smiles softly while clasping her hands together.

"I-I'm going back to work..." Surely, an argument pertaining to such things cannot be won against someone like Kanae.

*A few days later*

On her normal days, Kochou Shinobu would usually be very earnest with her work as a demon slayer and an assistant to her older sister in the treatment of the wounded. She is barely ever seen not doing anything as she marches around the mansion tending to her duties with utmost meticulosity. When she has time, she hones her swordsmanship and develops new chemicals to be used as either medicine for humans or poison for demons.

The only time she is ever seen dawdling is when she is very frustrated about something, during which her naturally furrowed brows seem to slant down even more. And somehow, this may be one of those days.

Shinobu couldn't help but totter up and down the mansion in a flustered frustration, "Think! Think! Think! What is wrong with me, why can't I just make up my mind?" She plops down on a pillow seat facing the mansion's butterfly yard. Then, she takes a deep breath and gurgles an exhale.

"Oh my, what's gotten you so flustered, Shinobu~?" Her sister also takes a seat beside her and gently fixes Shinobu's fringes dangling near her ears.

Shinobu, too shy and embarrassed to admit it, mumbles in an inaudible tone, "O-out..." Kanae tilts her head in question. Shinobu shuts her eyes and says it one go, "That cheeky Masachika asked me to go out with him to a spring festival!" Kanae was surprised with Shinobu's outburst but also felt like laughing inside.

"And?"

"A-and... Well, I still can't decide..." Shinobu shrugs and hangs her head down.

Kanae pats her head softly and speaks sweetly, "Well, what does your heart tell you?"

"I don't know! I believe I'm too busy to be enjoying myself with another person in such glamorous celebrations!"

"I also believe that you're just being too busy to relax and enjoy yourself."

Shinobu looks up at Kanae's ever so beautiful smile and gentle charisma that resembles a loving and careful mother. Then she pouts down once again before finally suggesting, "Then, help me choose something nice to wear?" Kanae's eyes immediately dazzled in a sure response.

*Later that night*

Masachika was patiently waiting under a well-lit boutique for Shinobu who had finally agreed to his invitation a couple of hours prior.

"I hope I didn't take much time." Very soon, Shinobu has finally come down as well.

"Ah, Shinobu you-..." Masachika stopped dead of words right after peeking at Shinobu who appears with a beautiful purple kimono with butterfly patterns and her ponytail tied into a plaited bun, fully complemented by her butterfly hair ornament. Masachika could only gape his mouth in awe.

Shinobu raised an eyebrow. "Masachika-san, you better close your mouth already before an insect comes through." She spits a short chuckle.

"A-ah, right! I'm glad you came, Shinobu-chan! You're even more graceful tonight than you usually are." Masachika smiles softly as he offers his arm towards Shinobu, who politely grabs on and allows him to lead the way.

As they went through the lovely boutiques and stalls full of sweets, Shinobu had never really known that being in such a flamboyant place would be so fun. She always thought she wouldn't have liked the company of people enjoying themselves too much in dainty treats and lavish products, whilst she has been more concerned of slaying demons, cleaning a mansion, and taking care of the sick and wounded.

She thought to herself that breaks like these may not be so bad after all. So she decided to enjoy herself and use Masachika's kindness to her full benefit; asking him to buy her this and that, of which she truly did appreciate. However, only one particularly odd object seemed to catch her full and curious attention amidst the noisy crowd and glittering objects of glaze and gloss.

"Tomioka-san?" She whispers to herself as Masachika was behind her, buying some ohagi. This response was initiated when Shinobu thought she caught a glance of a plain red hoari shared in half by a geometric pattern of green and yellow crossing behind the street.

(What could he be doing here? Is he also with someone else? I never took Tomioka for someone who liked being around people, especially at a festival.) This curiosity pushed her forth to keep eyeing where this mismatched haori was aiming for, until Masachika interrupted her.

"Shi-no-bu-chaan~! Are you alright?" He grabs her shoulder carefully, offering her a platter of fresh ohagi.

Shinobu smiles at him but subtly drifts her arm off his hand and thanks him for the offer. She decided to just ignore what she saw, but instinctively, she took one more glance at the direction it disappeared.