Ever since her father died, she had wanted to become something big.
Chiruchi was never a very active child, but preferred to stay in her garden along with her father, enjoying lying in the grass.
It would become one of her fond memories as she grew older, to feel the rays of the sun slowly caress her skin while hearing her mom whistling in the background, working around the house, occasionally joining them in the garden to care for the flowers in the front.
Being only four years old and daughter of the son of the leader of her clan, her moments not spent in the yard were wasted on her father or her older brother trying to teach her some tedious words relating to clan business.
Chiruchi absolutely loathed studying with all her little heart.
"Chiru-chan, are you listening?"
"Yeeeesssss…." She moaned while rolling her eyes. It was so hot, and here she was, sitting by the kitchen table when the wonders of her garden were simply a few meters away, hidden behind a transparent window.
Her brother, Matsui, frowned and put down the teaching book.
"Look at me."
She stubbornly did so, pouting.
"I am trying to teach you and you're being a brat."
"I am not!" She gasped, affronted.
"Yes, you are. Now, write down the words for each picture." He said sternly.
"But it's hard…" She whined.
"No, it's not, I could already do this and more when I was your age."
Here he goes again… She thought, as she placed her hand under her chin and gave him her best 'I'm-bored-and-not-listening' look.
"Chiruchi, this is important! You might become clan-head someday and if you want to have any chance learning the secrets of our Clan-"
"But I don't want to become Clan-Head! You should be the one to do it, you're older after all."
Matsui stiffened and Chiruchi immediately knew that she had crossed the line. Matsui grabbed the book and shut it, stood up from the table with not as much as a sound and left.
Chiruchi felt overtaken by anger and the bitter feeling of an unwanted career being forced down her throat and seethed in her seat.
As her anger began to fade away, she began to slightly regret her choice of words. Matsui had only wanted to help her after all, to prevent that she would have to experience the same thing as he had.
She knew that by now he was probably sulking in his room and she'd had to make it up to him.
The problem was, Matsui had wanted to become Clan Leader.
Thirty minutes later, Matsui was still in his room, sitting on his bed while angrily glaring out the window. Eight years of bitterness were clouding his mind like dark clouds, floating above him.
He was disturbed by his dark musings as he saw a paper slither through the crack under the door.
Curious, he stood up and made his way to it.
A small smirk came over his face as he saw the completed quizzes he had given Chiruchi earlier that day.
On the other side of the door, a persistent four year old was too proud to say sorry but could still see the error of her ways.
He ventured to his desk and pulled up a pen.
Meanwhile, it would be an understatement to say Chiruchi was surprised to see the paper returning from the bottom of the door.
She hesitantly picked up the paper.
A '95 %' mark prided the paper, along with a small 'Good job.'
She wanted to smile and frown at the same time. Smile, because she knew that Matsui, though angry at her would calm down and forgive her, and frown, because she was so sure she had gotten everything right this time.
She looked at her only wrong answer and was angry to see a misplaced 'Q' in one of the words.
Maybe next time. She thought somewhat dejectedly. And days like that were what the next two years or so consisted of for Chiruchi.
She had occasional fights with her parents or brother, revolving around the Clan Head title but mostly just because she was still a child wand wanted to enjoy her few years of childhood.
Now, a six years old Chiruchi was staring into the distance, an old flower field that still bloomed.
Her orange shirt and short green pants were quite the distraction from the dull violet color of the flowers.
"Honey, are you out there?"
Chiruchi looked up as she saw her mother approach her.
"Hey, mom." She said with a small smile on her face.
Masuyo looked down at her child as she sat beside her.
"Are you worried, Chiru-chan?"
Chiruchi looked up at her mother with her big dark brown eyes. Even though Chiruchi had been informed of various political events in her Clan, facts and influences she could not help but worry, she felt like something big was being kept secret from her.
"Tomorrow, mom, I'll have to undergo the mirror ritual, I'm not sure what to expect."
Her mother's gaze softened, she placed a hand on Chiruchi's shoulder.
"Don't stress it, little bird, I'm sure you'll do great, you've already passed the written tests, now, all that's left is-"
"The last one-" Chiruchi interrupted with a pathetic sounding tone, " I know, I know, but it's exactly that. Matsui failed when he- "
All seemed to stay still as the sound of skin meeting skin echoed and Chiruchi's head was whipped to the side, eyes wide open, not expecting the slap.
She looked up to her mother, hand still poised in the air threateningly, her eyes seemed to blaze with an unknown emotion.
"Don't you dare mention that in my presence ever again, am I clear?"
Chiruchi nodded once, silent.
"Good, make sure you're awake by sunrise tomorrow, save your mental strength."
As Masuyo started to walk back home Chiruchi could have sworn she heard her add 'Kami knows you'll need it. '
It wasn't until Chiruchi was sure her mother was out of hearing/and seeing distance did she let a small tear escape from her eyes.
Her mother had never hit her before but she knew that she had hit Matsui a couple of times, it was usually connected to Matsui's failure regarding the Clan Head title.
She touched her cheek tenderly and her eyes narrowed in determination.
Her mother hitting her obviously showed just how upset and worried for her she was, Chiruchi would have to give it her all tomorrow and become the Clan Head to not fail her mother and father, even if the job didn't sound exciting.
With that new resolve in mind, the six year old stood up and trotted back home in self-assured strides.
As she fell asleep she didn't think for a second that tomorrow would bring upon her one of the worst days in her life.
Sorry for the short chapter, but I thought it would be best if I cut it off there.