A Long Forgotten Heart <kny oc>

CHAPTER 23: Thoughts

Word count: 813

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Kirumi was walking towards the hot springs that were supposed to be very helpful for... Well, anything

She didn't plan on going there, but there was nothing else to do

She couldn't exactly train because she only got an "emergency" sword, just in case she got an important mission while her sword was getting forged

Also, there was no one to spar with in this place

~

Kirumi was sitting on a rock, her feet were already swinging through the warm water, but she didn't really want to take a bath right now, so she just stayed like that

Her mind drifted to different thoughts. Some important, some completely unimportant and useless

It had been almost a year ever since she became the Light Hashira...

She had turned 15 years old more than half a year ago

A few months more and she would be 16 already

Time had really gone by terribly fast...

Kirumi sighed as she looked through the place, it wasn't because she was sleepy, she had slept like ten hours, so, she couldn't be sleepy

She was just... tired

Well, she felt tired, so many things had passed throughout this time

She had gone to three major fights... She had met so many new people...

And that was a lot for the type of life she got used to living

It was going to be almost a year ever since this change happened, but... she never really got completely used to it

Her emotions had just... gone all over the place... Fear now played a big part in her life

Though, it wasn't shown much, each time she went on a mission, she would just... panic

It wasn't something she wanted to admit... To anybody... Not even herself

~

Kirumi left the hot springs not long after. For the first time in years, she had the neccessity to find something to do

Usually, she could just stare at trees or anything at all

But now, she didn't like the thoughts that were invading her mind... She didn't like that thoughts were invading her mind

She could visit her swordsmith, but she didn't want to deal with his constant hugging and... love

She wanted to spend a peaceful, calm day

Which meant not having any thoughts, not seeing any people, just... Living, drinking water and, maybe... Eating

But, of course, she had thoughts... And that already ruined the peaceful day she planned to have

~

"So, your sword will be ready by tonight, you can go to take it or I could go to where you're staying and give it you"

Kirumi nodded to herself before looking up at her swordsmith "I'll go tomorrow morning"

Kirumi had already made her plans, she would get her sword tomorrow, and leave this village as soon as she got it

Now, she needed to go to her room and take a nap

Why? She just wanted to take one, after all, she had nothing to-

"Then, let's go have dinner tomorrow! I invite" Her swordsmith offered with excitement

"Huh, Hiroshi-san, It's okay, I-" Kirumi got interrupted before she could finish her sentence

"Good! Let's go to that udon restaurant, ok? Ok! I'll see you tomorrow night" He took a step closer to her while he said that

"Take care and don't forget to drink water" He said while patting her head, before he started walking away

Kirumi stood still as she felt the light pats on her head

She blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of what just happened

Well, to make sense of what she felt at that moment...

"I'm Kirumi" The little girl offered her hand to the older man, while she held a "serious" expression on her face, as to seem "professional"

The man laughed a little before taking her hand and bowing down a little, as to follow her little act "I'm Hiroshi, your swordsmith"

Kirumi nodded before taking her hand back and, curiously, look at the long wooden-box that her swordsmith was holding

"This is your new sword, would you like to try it?" He said while placing the box on the floor and starting to open it

~

The young Kirumi was on the estate's backyard, using her brand-new sword to cut a training dummy

Though, after doing it for ten minutes, she got bored and walked towards her swordsmith, who was sitting on the grass, some meters away from her

"Hiroshi-san, can we play?" Kirumi asked as she placed the sword on the entrance of the minka

"Sure, what would you like to play?" He asked while a warm smile was on his face

"Hide and seek!" Kirumi said before running away to hide, not even waiting a second

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taisho era secret

▪︎ Kirumi used to send letters to her swordsmith for him to visit her to play together, behind her mentor's back.