影と風 | Kage to Kaze | Shinazugawa Sanemi

15 - Uniform

"Yes," I said, unusually quiet. I wasn't about to lie to myself—I was a little nervous. Not terrified, but certainly on edge. Facing a Lower Moon wasn't exactly your everyday mission. Sanemi picked up on my wavering tone immediately.

"You scared?" he asked, clearly amused.

"Of course not. I'm just not used to being away from my sisters for so long." I told a half-truth. His eyes softened, just for a moment, before he returned to his usual rough demeanor.

"Well, you gotta get over it. We're Demon Slayers," he grunted, striding ahead, not wasting any more time. I followed him, and soon enough we caught a ride with an elderly couple on their way home by horse and carriage. As the night gave way to dawn and the sun began to rise, we reached the nearest inn discreetly marked with the Wisteria symbol, where we'd be resting.

"Welcome, we've been expecting you," the clerk said with a kind smile, gesturing toward our rooms. She offered to clean our uniforms, and I gratefully accepted. Changing into the provided yukata, I handed her my uniform, though I kept my haori since it was still clean. I slipped into the private onsen outside my room, separated from Sanemi's by only a thin wall. Humming softly to myself, I watched the sun rise, the warmth easing my nerves. But soon, fatigue set in, and I retired to bed, unaware of the chaos waiting for us the next day.

~*~

The next morning, I woke to the sound of yelling and cursing. Quietly, I crept toward the commotion and found Sanemi in a fury, glaring at a young man bowing repeatedly in apology.

"What's going on?" I asked, walking over to the Wind Hashira.

"The fucker ruined our uniforms," Sanemi snapped, gesturing to the black substance that coated our clothes. The young man responsible was practically in tears, despite being around our age.

"Sir, we can provide new uniforms," another clerk appeared, holding up an identical replacement.

Sanemi grabbed the offered uniform but remained livid. "I don't care about the new uniforms. How did this even happen?"

"A stray cat knocked over the ink we use for dyeing fabric. We deeply apologize," explained the same elderly clerk from yesterday, her demeanor as calm as still water. Her steady confidence seemed to take Sanemi by surprise, and he gradually cooled down under her composed presence.

"I'm truly sorry, dear," she addressed me, bowing slightly. "Unfortunately, we don't have any male uniforms in your size at the moment, so we must provide you with the standard female uniform."

I had been quietly observing the situation, and finally found my voice. "It's alright. I'll get a new one when we're back. Thank you," I said with a polite bow, accepting the uniform with a skirt. Internally, I was mildly annoyed, but I understood accidents happened. It wasn't their fault. From the corner of my eye, I saw Sanemi glaring at the female slayer uniform, rightfully so. 

After changing into the uniform, I glanced at myself in the mirror. The skirt barely reached mid-thigh, much shorter than I was used to. Thankfully, I found some black shorts to wear underneath. With my haori draped over, I sighed at the sight. It was a cute outfit, sure, but not ideal for fighting.

I left the room and immediately ran into Sanemi, the new uniform he wore was identical to his usual attire. He glanced me up and down, clearly not used to seeing me in a skirt, before turning back to the elderly clerk with a curt bow. 

"Have a beautiful day," I said, smiling at her as I followed suit, bowing respectfully before we left.

~*~