sᴀʏ ʏᴇs ᴛᴏ ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴ || ᴛᴏᴋɪᴛᴏ ᴍᴜɪᴄʜɪʀᴏ ||

007 - swinging swords

THE RAGDOLL BREED kitten purred as it rubbed itself onto Kaori's cheeks – the white-haired girl opened her eyes slowly, yawning as she petted the kitten who meowed softly at her. 

Kaori checked the time and it was half five in the morning. The kitten once again meowed, nudging its head to Kaori's arm as the girl stared at the kitten with a surprised look. 

"I haven't decided a name for you and yet you're already so attached to me, little kitty..."

She smiled, petting the kitten's head as it leaned forward to her touch. "You're a male, hmm?" She smiled as the kitten replied with a soft meow.

"Hmm... what should I name you then..." Kaori's eyes sparked up when she found a suitable name for the little kitten, "What about Sho??"

The male kitten now known as Sho seemed to like the name as it meowed happily, his tail swinging from side to side as Kaori stood up. "Maybe having a pet isn't as bad as I thought it would be... I better get ready..."

Kaori wore a loose white shirt with a pair of black hakama pants. She tied her hair into a high ponytail while her front bangs were let loose.

Kaori got crouched down and poured some wet cat foot on Sho's empty bowl as the small kitten rushed to eat his early breakfast.

Kaori pets the small cat who ate in a rush, "Eat slowly, Sho. You might end up choking..." She smiled as the kitten seemed to understand her statement – pausing for a while before chewing.

"I'm going to now Sho, behave alright?"

Since the cat was still a baby, she didn't want it to wander around the large house and end up lost somewhere – she wasn't sure if she would find the small cat. Kaori closed the door behind her, keeping the small cat inside her room as she went out.

Kaori went to the house's backyard, spotting Giyuu wearing a dark blue loose shirt and black hakama pants.

He looked like he had been awake before her, he noticed her and opened his mouth slightly, "Ah, you're awake? You're early..."

"Hmm," Kaori nods, "The earlier I wake up, the more time I can spend to train."

Giyuu walked towards Kaori, handing her a wooden sword. "Amane-sama told me that you have some techniques with swords before, you've trained previously." Kaori tilts her head confusingly, "Amane-sama?"

"Ah right, Amane-sama is Oyakata-sama's wife," Giyuu explained, "Now, show me your horses."

Kaori took a small step so that her left leg was a little bit more forward while her right one was farther back, she gripped the wooden katana and swung it forward – bending her knees. 

Giyuu examined her stance and nodded, "Hmm... your stance is already great." 

"Ah well, I've trained my stamina, strength, and everything about swordsmanship..." Kaori smiled, "Though I'm kind of worried if it won't match the slayer's fighting style..."

"Why so?"

"Ah well..." Kaori stood up nervously, scratching her nape, "I was trained by Kokushibo- ah, you might know him as Uppermoon One..."

Giyuu tensed up as he watched the girl lower her head, looking away as if avoiding eye contact with the hashira who stared at her with wide eyes.

'Uppermoon One? Is she his former disciple or something... is that why he cares so much about her??' Giyuu assumed as the girl looked at his sapphire blue eyes.

"It's not like that though. He told me he's going to teach me so I can defend myself against demons." Kaori reassured.

"Ah, I understand..." Giyuu clenched his wooden sword, "I assume the uppermoon trained you well? You already know the basics of swords."