~𝘓𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳~ // 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘻𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘸𝘢 𝘹 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

- 𝕍𝕀𝕀: Date? -

You were taking off your bandages for the last time. They came off and you took a deep breath, thankful that the itchiness was finally gone. You scratched your bare sides eagerly and sighed. You glanced at your back in the mirror.

A brand new, pink scar ran down the length of your back. You smiled at it. Even though you had been hurt, it was hard to deny; that was one badass scar. Quickly, you slipped on a shirt and met Mitsuri outside.

You were swinging your sword a couple of times, just to get back into the flow before Shinazugawa showed up. Mitsuri led your arms for you, helping you get the feel for it back. "One! And two! And-"

"GAW! GAW! THE WIND PILLAR, SANEMI SHINAZUGAWA, APPROACHES YOUR DOOR!" Mitsuri's crow glided over your heads, circling you like a vulture does a dead animal.

Mitsuri turned to face you, smiling wide. "Ready? I know I am!" She skipped away to the front door. You heard Shinazugawa's sharp voice scold her for taking too long to answer the door.

Mitsuri led him outside and and showed him where you were practicing. "Here we are! Try not to kill her, please? She's still healing a tiny bit, and her body's out of shape-" Shinazugawa drew his sword, and you had a feeling he was going to ignore everything Mitsuri had said.

"Oh- all right! Start!" Mitsuri cheered, backing up to sit down on a bench and watch.

Almost instantaneously, Shinazugawa shot towards you. You fell to the ground with with a grunt. Above you, Shinazugawa towered, casting his afternoon shadow onto you. You struggled to get back up, and he scoffed. "That's it? You didn't even try to move! Again!"

You drew your blade this time, getting in your fighting stance, and took a deep breath.

So he caught you off guard that time? No big deal! I can just dodge his first attack and-

You felt his body ram into yours, and you flew back, landing on your feet and kicking up dust behind your skid. He stood still, expecting you to have fallen, but he was wrong. "Love Breathing, First Form: Shivers of First Love!" You sprang at him and he looked mildly annoyed.

"Wind Breathing, Third Form: Clean Storm Wind Tree." He deflected your attacks with ease. "Wind Breathing, Seventh Form: Gale, Sudden Gusts." You hastily moved out of the way, and watched as the plant behind you was shredded.

He's like Kocho-! But worse!

"Rah! Rah! You can do it!" Mitsuri cheered for you on the sidelines.

"Love Breathing, Fifth Form: Swaying Love, Wildclaw." Shinazugawa dashed out of the way, and as soon as he was safe from your attack, he was behind you. He picked you up by the back of your uniform and frowned. "That's it? Again!"

This cycle repeated, over, and over, and over again. You were running out of energy, quickly, but by the looks of it, he was, too.

By now, the sun has set hours ago; the moon was almost at it's highest, now. "Love... Breathing..." You panted, blade loosely gripped in your hand. Shinazugawa's sides heaved, and sweat fell freely from his face and body, yet he looked even more determined to beat you than ever before. "Third Form: Catlove... Shower...!"

You tried to lift your sword, but it was simply too heavy. You fell to the ground, exhausted.

"You're... pathetic. You never even landed a hit on me. Not... not once." Shinazugawa rasped. "Tomorrow, you'll do... better. Understand...?"

You buried your face in the dirt and nodded. "Get up." He picked you up by the shoulders and placed you on your feet. Your knees buckled, but you regained your footing and trudged inside. Mitsuri looked up from her meal and smiled.