Love was never something that Shinobu had thought about or something that she thought she needed. She needs her parents, her sister, her body, mind, and soul, but does she need romantic love? She hasn't gotten a clue.
The talk of 'love' was something that a lot of girls in the village fussed about. Spending hours each week discussing with each other on the types of men they would want to marry.
Some prefer strong men who could lift them up with one arm, some prefer men who have enough money to feed the whole country with loads left by the time they finish, and some just want a man who is kind and lovable, but if anyone asked Shinobu about her type, what could she say?
Would she make something up?
Could she say that she's not interested?
Could she give out a random excuse to leave the uncomfortable conversation?
To a lot of the elders, love wasn't important to marriages as long as you bore them grandchildren, and love... led to their sons turning against them if they ever laid a hand on their lover's precious body.
With thin walls, Shinobu had heard screams and cries from women who get beaten up by their in-laws just because they breathe. Shudders sent down her spines as she imagined herself in their place.
Their husband did nothing to help them and just simply watched the blood trailing down their wife's body with emptiness in their eyes. Sickening.
That alone is enough for her to go against marriage completely, but society doesn't like it when women refuse to get married and have children to continue their husband's bloodline. If anyone dares to go against it, then other people who follow those rules will quickly turn against you.
'It's hard to live as a woman.'
Surely, other women will agree with Shinobu on that statement.
Everyone is always against you; even if you did nothing but simply breathe, that is enough to make a lot of men dislike you. Even your own husband.
Not every man is like that, of course. Shinobu finally realised that as she stared at her new husband with a shock on her face. Her lips parted as she held her breath. Her eyes felt as if they were going to fall out of her eye sockets.
Shinobu found that her husband is not like the men she saw beating up their wives, or the men who watched as someone else beat up their wives for them, or even the men who gave their wives the look of disgust simply because she is so truly beautiful that other men kept glancing at her.
Her instinct told her that she could trust Giyu Tomioka; her instinct told her that he is...
A complete airhead.
'You are a silly man, Giyu, a very silly man.' She wanted to say.
Giyu said nothing else as he placed the bowls back into their designated cupboard while Shinobu stood still, her face getting warmer by the second. Eventually she snapped out, and her look of confusion turned into a mischievous look. Smirk plastered on her lips.
"Falling in love with me already? That's really quick; we only just met yesterday. I didn't know that you're one of those people who believes in love at first sight." Shinobu placed her hand under her chin, her head tilted to the side. Her eyes turned innocent while she pouted. A look that her cousins once taught her.
This had to be some sort of mistake, is what Shinobu had thought. Perhaps Giyu doesn't realise what he actually said. That is what she would like to think.
She witnessed Giyu's face changing to a different colour, much to her delight. She silently thanked her cousins.
"I didn't mean it like that." Giyu cupped his cheek with his hand. He was trying to hide his face from her.
"Hmm." She hummed, standing closer to him. "Are you sure, Mister Tomioka? It's okay; you can say it. Other people always say that I'm beautiful; perhaps my beauty has won you over~"
"I didn't mean it like that. What I meant to say was- I just-"
"Go on." She inched even closer to him. She gently placed her hand on his arm, slowly trailing down. Shinobu silently gagged with her actions.
"I... just didn't want to waste the elders time." He said, facing away from her.
She felt disappointed. 'Is that it?' She wanted to ask. She glared at him, trying to pressure him to reveal the truth. She could see Giyu's ears turning redder by the second.
"No need to be embarrassed~" She teased "You can say it. I have won you over."
"It's not like that." He pulled his arm away from her touch.
'Was my teasing too much?' She pondered, and suddenly she felt bad for teasing her husband too much. As she was about to apologise, the sounds of flapping wings caught their attention.
They looked out the window to see a crow flying straight towards them. The crow croaked as it landed on the kitchen's windowsill.
"A crow?" Shinobu asked out loud.
"It's Sanemi's crow." Said Giyu.
"Who's that?" Suddenly, the crow spoke.
"MESSAGE!" Shinobu jumped out of her skin, startled by the talking crow.
"It can talk?!" She cried out in surprise, shuffling closer to Giyu, who hummed in response. "I didn't know that crows are one of the birds that can replicate humans's voices."
"Read the damn message!" The crow yelled out in irritation. Shinobu yelled for it to be quiet while Giyu watched in amusement.
"Shut up before I turn you into dinner!"
"You shut up and read the damn message!" Giyu reached out and grabbed the piece of paper that was tied to the crow's leg.
"My apologies, Sorai." Sorai huffed. If crows could even do that, Shinobu watched the interaction, still in disbelief.
"Are you hungry?" Giyu asked the crow. "We have salmon left." The crow squawked in excitement. Taking that reaction as a yes, Giyu went to get the salmon for him. Behind Giyu's back, Shinobu and Sorai had a little staring contest of their own. Sorai let out somewhat of a laugh as Shinobu accidentally blinked.
The crow left as soon as it was fed. Giyu held out the note again and unfolded it. Shinobu peaked up beside him, trying her best to read its contents.
"Who's Sanemi?" She asked, remembering the name Giyu mentioned before.
"Your sister's husband." He simply said, Shinobu's eyes went as wide as one could open. "My sister's husband? What does he want?"
"Your sister is coming here to see you." He said, Shinobu suddenly jumped up in excitement.
"Really?" She cried out, and Giyu watched her with a hint of a smile on his lips. "I get to see my sister again!" She then gasped.
"I have to get ready!" She quickly hugged him and ran out of the kitchen in a hurry while Giyu tried his best to hold in his laughter.
"I haven't felt this way since... forever." His smile suddenly dropped, remembering his past.
"I wonder if Sabito is free this week."
Back in their bedroom, Shinobu's face turned completely red as she finally realised what she had done.
"Oh dear."
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Tengu's bride | First Draft
Romance[Only a draft] Alt title: I became a Tengu's wife To stop the yokai from terrorising their village, every three years a girl was chosen as a sacrifice to a yokai by the villagers. Unfortunately, Shinobu was the chosen one this year. Follow her as sh...
