Sukoshi Chō (Little Butterfly) Yomo x reader x Uta *postponed*

Chapter Five: Old Blood

Iba stretched in her bed, it was so warm and inviting as compared to the cold wooden floor of the apartment. She sighed as she thought about how disappointed people would be if she didn't show up to her shop for the holiday rush. Christmas in Harajuku, Japan; so many girls and their boyfriends were rushing about looking for the right thing to wear to company parties, family gatherings and for gifts that they could give to those that mattered most. Although the rest of Harajuku had strung up lights and put Christmas trees in their windows a month ago, Iba had decided to take a more varied approach and put up multiple religious symbols, however, the 9-branch menorah would be the centerpiece as she was now a woman of Judaism. It may not have been a high holy day, but it was still a good idea to practice.

Iba rose from her bed and jumped around on tiptoes as she adjusted to the frozen floor. When she went to the window she saw a familiar figure standing in the fresh snow, waiting for her. When she gestured for him to come up the stairs she realized that she was hardly an attractive site.

The woman slipped into her daytime clothes and went the door, the man knocked three times and she opened the door just enough for him to enter but not for the cold winter's wind to blow in any of the chill.

"I'm sorry I wasn't prepared, I just woke up."

"It's alright, I didn't expect you to be up that quickly, you do have that store keeping you up late after all." The man was of average height, had brown hair and wore a deep black trench coat. His head was adorned with a yamaka as he smiled at Iba. It may have seemed odd to have a rabbi call on you early in the morning, but the kind-hearted ghoul funded Iba's entire life. Her apartment was rented for the next 6 months; her store was bought and the items all ordered with his personal money.

"Let me put on the coffee." She went to the counter and pressed the on switch on the coffee pot. "Thanks again for all of the things you've been doing, you really didn't need to."

"It was my pleasure." The rabbi sat down at the small circular table in the middle of the kitchen. "Have you been catching up with your old contacts?"

"Yes, they seem to be... how should I put it, in a bit of distress. Two of them were a bit confused that I came back alive. My other friend, she... well, she's just weird."

"I believe that's the way you described them to begin with."

Iba opened the cupboard and grabbed down two mugs, filling them with black coffee. As she set one in front of the rabbi she sat down across from him with her own mug. "I came back for Ren, but I can't help feeling that I was lying to myself. A week ago my old interest, the reason I left Tokyo, walked me home. When I got to my door, he tried to kiss me. It was so... difficult to say no. I don't know if I should continue to seek out a relationship with Ren, or move on with my life."

"Well, I'm afraid I'm not a love councilor. I'm just here to help you get on your feet again. However, if you do choose one, you cannot choose the other, so you must be completely sure on your decision." The man took a large gulp from the coffee and stood. "I have to leave now. Have a wonderful day, I hope that you can figure out your dilemma sometime soon."

"Me too." Iba put the mugs in the sink and moved on with the rest of her day as the rabbi left, she went to work and sold over $2,000 USD worth of items in the process of the day, when she came home she sat down to a glass of blood wine and online dramas. The whole time she imagined herself as the heroin and Ren as the intended love interest, but with Uta as the third point in their intriguing love triangle.

Soon after Iba realized she was drunk, she closed her laptop and flopped on her couch, falling asleep as soon as possible.

In dream

The group was sitting in a plush living room, discussing their future, love interests and what they wanted from life. Itori was going on about how Iba should get back with Ren because they would have cute babies.

The room changes slowly and moves into an alter, Iba is walking up the aisle towards a male figure, she can't tell who it is or if she even knows them. All she knows is that the person is someone she is supposed to marry.

The rabbi stands at attention in front of the man and waits for Iba to reach the alter, when she does she turns to her left and looks at the man. He has no face, no eyes, no lips, nose or any defining features. It scares her into submission when the rabbi asks them to say I do.

"I do," the voice is familiar, but she can't place it.

Itori tells Iba to toss the bouquet into a crowd of more faceless and undefined people. She tosses it and the man she is now married to grabs her hand. They walk down the aisle and out of the synagogue into the sun; Iba puts up her arm reflexively, but realizes that her eyes aren't stinging from the light. When she puts her hand on her face, she feels nothing, just skin, flat and smooth. She looks around her at the people noticing that she knows none of them.

End Dream

Iba wakes up with a start and puts her hands on her face, feeling to make sure she is the same ghoul as she always has been. She stares looks around the room and gets up, going to the bedroom to sleep in a better place, more comfortable and less scary. The thought still goes through her mind.

Who were they?