Gifts and roses..-*

Chapter 2- Mystery..?

The subtle sound of windchimes awoke Sanemi a few days later. His muscles ached from his previous battle. It had taken him days on end to wipe out the whole group of demons- pesky rats kept escaping him each morning so he'd have to wait the whole damn day for them to show their faces again. A few new wounds littered his body, which would no doubt turn into more scars when healed. He stood up, replacing his bandages before getting dressed into his uniform.

He groaned, it dawning on him that he had to attend yet another Hashira meeting today. The tedious meetings had become more and more frequent, with all the activity from the upper ranks as of late. They were hard enough to sit through when they were once every few months- let alone every couple weeks.

Sanemi found the majority of his fellow Hashira a pain. They were always lecturing him about cooling his temper, acting like he was some kind of loose cannon that needed constant supervision. Their condescending advice grated on his nerves. Kochou's patronizing smile, Iguro's overly critical comments, and Himejima's unsolicited advice- all of it irked him to no end.

But none of them annoyed him quite as much as Tomioka. The Water Hashira's perpetual stoic expression and aloof attitude made Sanemi's blood boil. Giyuu always had that look on his face, as if he thought he was better than the rest of them, too dignified to engage in their petty squabbles or share in their conversations. It was infuriating.

'Who does he think he is?' Sanemi thought, his fists clenching involuntarily at the memory of Giyuu's impassive gaze. 'He acts like he's above it all, like none of this affects him. As if he's some kind of untouchable warrior.'

The disdain in Giyuu's eyes whenever he glanced Sanemi's way was enough to make his skin crawl. It was as if Giyuu was silently judging him, finding him lacking without ever saying a word. That silent arrogance was far worse than any lecture from the others.

Sanemi shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts as he prepared for yet another round of what he knew would be an exercise in patience. He had to get through this meeting without snapping, without giving them more ammunition to use against him. But with Giyuu sitting across from him, looking down his nose at him, it was going to be a challenge.

As he opened his door, his eyes inadvertently caught a glimpse of something at the bottom of his field of vision. Something red.

He looked down slowly, his eyes narrowing as they landed on a dark red cloth, deliberately placed in his path. A growl of frustration escaped his lips. "Again!?" he bellowed, his voice echoing with exasperation. He had assumed after he had stormed into the Kakushi estate the deliveries were over with, especially when there was nothing on his door after his long absence.

The sight of the persistent bundle only fuelled his irritation, making it clear that his patience was wearing thin "Whoever's doing this needs to cut it out." he muttered, as he picked it up, unravelling it.

This time, there was a piece of neatly folded paper, along with a small pouch of tea leaves- and the usual wildflowers of course. He unfolded it, coming face to face with a handwritten note, he read the words with a scowl on his face.

"Shinazugawa,

I hope you find this and the other items useful. Your well-being is just as important as the battles you fight, so be sure to use them.

Stay safe and take care of yourself."

Sanemi's jaw tightened as he finished reading. The note's polite tone and vague handwriting did little to soothe his irritation. The repeated mystery of the gifts and the impersonal message only served to heighten his vexation.

He unwrapped the cloth around the bundle of tea leaves, the aroma immediately hitting him in the face. He could instantly tell that the leaves were of exceptional quality, their rich scent filling the air with a soothing, earthy fragrance. It was clear this wasn't just any old tea; it undoubtedly had caused the mysterious person a lot of trouble to get. He poked at the leaves gently, admiring the vibrant green colour and the delicate texture, appreciating the care that had gone into cultivating and preserving them.