The Flower and the Butterfly

Please Accept Me!

I get up from my futon on another day, kneeling and grabbing my butterfly tiara next. Even in my room, I could almost perfectly hear the sounds of someone training in the distance. One of the boys is already up and excited, I reflect. Looking around, I see that Mitsuri isn't here. I remember that, to avoid suspicion, we slept in separate rooms this time and will continue until there are no more patients. I sigh and stand up completely, changing my clothes, washing in the bathroom, and leaving the room.

I pass by Mitsuri's door and take a small peek. She is still napping, sleeping in a messy and sprawled-out way, pouting for some reason, which is quite different from when she's with me. I let out a smile, leave, and head outside. I remember Rengoku wanted to talk to me after the meeting, but since there wasn't time yesterday, he told me to meet him today... I guess I can go now. What does he want to talk about? I leave the Butterfly Mansion and hurry to the Hashira meeting place. There wasn't anything else to do anyway. Mitsuri was sleeping, and Aoi was taking care of the boys' rehabilitation, so this was more urgent on my task list.

I arrive at the same place as yesterday and see Rengoku sitting on the porch where Kagaya was, waiting for me. Would he stay like that until I arrived? I think with a faint smile prepared. I approach him, raising my hand in a distant greeting.

-"Good morning, Kyojuro-san."

-"Good morning, Kocho-san." He stands up, meeting my height... well, just standing.

-"Kocho-san, I want to talk to you about something serious. But first, I'd like to thank you."

-"Thank me?"

-"Yes! You've been taking care of Kanroji-san all these years so she doesn't get hurt. I really appreciate that." I feel a slight embarrassment at hearing such words; he didn't know about our relationship, so he probably saw it as an act of friendship. Thinking this, I made an effort to hide my embarrassment on my face, which wasn't difficult.

-"It's not my choice. Her house isn't ready yet, so since she's living with me, I don't want my guest to feel bad." Rengoku bursts out laughing at these words, leaving me with an obvious look of someone who didn't understand anything.

-"Kocho-san, I'm going on a mission now, so I won't dwell on this, but I want you to know that this excuse from Oyakata-sama doesn't hold water." My previously stated idea seems to be falling apart little by little, a slight nervousness, which was very well disguised by an empty smile, slowly rises through my body.

-"What do you mean?"

-"I've been a bit distant, but when I saw you and Kanroji-san at the meeting, it was obvious to me. Maybe because I know both of you very well." Rengoku approaches me with his arms crossed, bending slightly to look me in the eyes.

-"... I want you to know that if Kanroji-san is happy, I'm happy. You have my blessing as her mentor... but you know there will be hunters who won't accept this, and especially Kanroji-san's family." Well, nervousness ends up speaking louder than the smile, which breaks with a sigh and a lowering of my eyes. The Flame Pillar says nothing, while my only response was to question instead of feeling joy, or whatever.

-"Her family... why?"

-"They are very traditional and don't like Kanroji-san much. They always try to put her down for something that happened in the past. If you were someone with a lot of money, they might accept it."

-"What do you want me to do? Leave her? Look, Kyojuro-san, honestly, if her family says something against us, I won't hold back like I do." I've already given up hiding the relationship; my sentence only makes it more obvious, but if he already knows, then who ca--.