ACT 8
"Kachou-san has a guest today? I had heard their laughter to outside"
"Of course they seem to be having a good time. Rarely to see Hashira relaxed like this"
Upon the serene Butterfly estate where there was a hub operation of medicine and health treatment for demon slayers, there's no patience today in the caretaking room or body exercise room. It's a good sign for Insect Pillar because she could finally have free-time to relax from her hard work.
After putting an amount of time doing treatment, medicine operation and research on wisteria flowers, today she could invest her free time in another matter she barely took a look at. That's why her working room and laboratory were a mess and the kitchen was so clean as she never walked inside - she's bad at doing chores. Today was different, when she's looking around, it all cleaned up and tidied neatly. She could smell the scent of freshness in the air, there's no dusk covering on the furniture as it all was done and led by Love Pillar when she visited her in the morning and offered her help to tidy her mansion up and also gave her a tip as well.
Apart from that, getting into the kitchen, Insect Pillar furrowed in a confusion "Is it gonna work? I mean I never see such a method" Shinobu asked.
"Come on Shinobu-chan, believe me it's gonna work," said Mitsuri and looked at the bowl of mixture. Now they were at the kitchen, Shinobu could hear the whiskering sound from Mitsuri and her head only thought of the chemical reaction upon her doing.
"Shinobu-chan, look at the mixture here, after you add flour, sugar, salt, melted butter and milk together. You have to blend it slowly but surely to leave no bubbles on our mixture, see" Mitsuri chose to do cooking after she finished teaching how to do a basic chore. Shinobu followed her telling and wondered what it would look like when it's done.
"While you're waiting, you can turn on the stove and use the lowest heat" Shinobu listened and hummed in a resposend, looking at the ingredients for making something called Pancake, one of Western desserts but she thought it looked a lot like Okonomiyaki. But she kept her mouth shut and didn't want to bother her friend.
"Then you just pour it down on the pan, wait around 3-4 minutes and use spatula to flip it and wait around 1-2 minute" followed by the sizzling sound, Mitsuri was near the stove so she could smell the aroma from butter. "And you just left it settle around 5 minute before you start doing it, see, it's easy huh Shinobu-chan"
"Yeah, Kanroji-san. I see you're doing fine but if I do it, I would probably burn it to ashes" she spoke and pointedly looked at the pink haired girl who cooked with her full attention.
"Come on, Shinobu-chan, It's hard at first sight but if you try a few times. It'll work so fine! I believe you could do it. You can make it when you want to have something sweet and delicious to lift yourself up!" Mitsuri put down a bowl and cut a piece of butter and added it into a pan in a professional way and hummed a rhyme. It smelled good and looked delicious till Shinobu wanted to know how it felt when she took a bite because it looked fluffy and soft unlike the dessert she came across.
"Today is really fun, Kanroji-san I have to say. So long to have someone chit chatting with me like you and I'm glad that you teach and share me some tips on cooking and doing chores. I'm so desperate doing it" She used this chance to show her gratitude while Mitsuri giggled and waved it away as it's just a tiny issue for her.
"Awwww, Shinobu-chan not a big deal! We're friends ha-ha you can ask me anytime and anywhere about this. I can help you and I think next time we'll cook the most delicious food together" Mitsuri said in a happy tone. Shinobu admitted she opened to her a lot when comparing to other Pillars because as women Pillar and Mitsuri could blend in with her easily and became close to each other very fast.
After her doing, the fluffy Pancakes were on the ceramic plate. Mitsuri showed a bottle of honey she had brought with her and added on Pancake, adding strawberry and pear as a side dish and decorated from their own imagination. They looked marvelous at their doing and chuckled together.
While they were eating and talking with their general things, Shinobu started "Ano, Kanroji-san, pardon my curiosity but I want to know why you decided to join Demon Slayer Corps" with her doubt, her Hashira friend looked rather a domestic woman than her so what's the reason on earth she want to join in this group.
"Oh" Mitsuri looked stutter all of sudden with an oh sound. She never thought of someone asking her this straightly.
"Because I heard you love cooking and eating, right? So I don't see a connection why you end up being a demon slayer" confessed Shinobu with a slight frown.
She scratched her head "mnnnnn how can I start ha-ha I don't mean I don't want to let you know but it started when I first met Rengoku-san and I feel like I can be useful and do a greater good with my strength"
"Is that all?" Shinobu asked after she ate a small portion of pear.
"Yes! Of course! This's my main reason! Ha-ha" Shinobu sure can tell she's acting so strange. And it seemed like Mitsuri could know by herself that she acted so weird and looked very suspicious.
"I think there's more hah? Kanroji-san"
"..ha-ha it's kind of embarrassing actually" Her face suddenly flushed in shyness and gave her a sheepish smile while fiddling her fingers together. Shinobu craned her neck and elbowed her with a sly smile "Tell me now, Kanroji-san. We should not have secrets with each other right?" This girl is like an opened book.
"I don't know if I should say or not but...another one of mine is rather weak and pointless to all of you, I presume" She laughed dryly. Shinobu shook her head and patted her shoulder.
"Whatever it is, I'm ready to hear yours, Kanroji-san" she cleared her throat and began "you knew mine. When I was a kid, I floated around and followed every step of my sister and it afterward paid off.. who'll know, I can help many people from demons and a new one is I set my mind to avenge for my sister and it earns me a goal in life to help people with my effort" Her expression had a slight drop when talking about her big sister but suddenly smiled.
"But you do it very well, Shinobu-chan everyone needs your help here and you are one of the important slayers here, I respect you so much for your ability and capacity" Mitsuri also showed her inner admiration toward Insect Pillar.
"It's my duty, Kanroji-san It's hard for me in the first stage as well but later on, I can find my meaning of life in it.." she paused and flicked her eyes toward a pink haired girl and beckoned it's her turn to speak up.
"I think it's my turn…" Mitsuri said with a weak smile "thing I try to say is after I became a demon slayer...I have a feeling like…" she gave a big pause.
"Like what?" Shinobu insisted and watched her friend's reaction with a slight wonder what it would be.
"I want to find the most suitable husband who is stronger than me and can protect me" the room plunged into silence. Mitsuri gulped and knew because her hatch told her so.
Mitsuri fidgetly explained "Thing is I want to have a perfect family. I have a dream to live happily with my husband and have children together, grow old together, travel together, hold hands every time and do lots of things..together as a family" Mitsuri forced to have casual laugh to not let the situation get more dried.
"It's very beautiful, you don't have to feel discourage and I think you have your right to have a dream like that" Mitsuri's astonished by her reaction. Shinobu also patted her shoulder in an act of encourage.
"You don't think it sounded so plain? to have such dreams in the Demon Slayer Corp. I felt like my dream is to tiny when looking to the others till sometimes I have a worried feeling to be here"
"Hah? Why are you thinking like that Kanroji-san. I don't want you to feel let down. Our goal could be different, I learnt it from Himejima-san when I first joined here. He told me that at some points, we will look into our lift and want to decorate our world in a personal way. It's not wrong at all because lift is how you live in the way you want and I believe other Hashira will not look down on your dream and I bet your mentor will understand what you're dreaming for. He's not a kind of guy like that" she paused to inspect Love Pillar and felt like she talked too much today.
Mitsuri blinked, with an overflowing feeling. "Th-thanks, Shinobu-chan for understanding me. I'm afraid telling someone about this" At least the feeling having someone to trust and to express your dream made her warm.
"No need to thank me. I have a feeling like I used to be in your position in the past so helping you overcome it also earns me favor to the next question" Insect Pillar makes a long pause. "Speaking of your dream husband, whom do you have an eye on now? Is he one of the demon slayers?"
Mitsuri makes a startle voice, waving her hair in the air in shyness. "Woahh, I- I actually have no idea"
"Mhmm I think you still look suspicious. You are afraid to confess right? You told me you want to marry off with a strongest husband so we can't find a strongest on except from a group of male hashira " She scratched her chin with her finger, and propped her hand on table "It's time for interrogation, I presume" Shinobu felt amused to tease her friend. The picture of her trying to wave her hand in refusal with red cheek was evident to show it's true.
Mitsuri forced herself to have a weak smile "I still have no idea,Shinobu-chan..Yes I mean I wanna have a strongest husband but I don't think I can find him easily..I have a feeling like all of men Hashira are really strong" Shonibu clicked her tongue because what she guested was right.
"Indeed"
"Please don't tell anybody..I think Himejima-san is the strongest! but he doesn't have an interest in romantic relationship" Shinobu cocked her brows in surprise
"Whao wait girl.., how do you know? I mean, you asked him straight-forward?" Shinobu almost laughed but caught her mouth in a right time. She can't help to think of a picture of young girl asking big guy about married perspective.
"Yeah but no not that straightforward. I learned it when I asked about his life goal and how he view being a couple and in family…So I think it from his answers so I conclude he might not be interested in a kind of romantic relation"
"And what's next? I mean the other candidates"
" Uzui-san is really a fine man, cheerful and so cool but he has three wives!" She showed her 3 fingers and scratched her cheek with dry laugh "So I think he has enough romantic life with his wives" they both giggled together.
"You're right, I think having three wives was enough for his life now"
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Mitsuri dropped her spoon on the dish and shouted, not that loud. Shinobu craned her neck to let her say "before I forgot again you have scar remover cream? Shinobu-chan. I want to borrow from you since I wore this skirt plus training my leg got lot of black and bruise" Mitsuri pleaded because even if she wore socks but she still had several scars underneath it..
"I have but I'm not sure where I keep it.. mnn last time I think I put it in the recovery room" Shinobu rubbed her chin in though.
"Then I will go and take a look"
"Okay I will find around my work room as well" Shinobu shifted her focus to her legs "I don't think you have to use it because you have those socks now..I remembered you said Iguro-san bought for you right?" teased Shinobu and earned a gasp from Mitsuri.
"Hai hai hai! he bought it but you know I still want no permanent scar over my legs!" she whined and grabbed a rim of her skirt. Shinobu wanted to knock her one time because she should have burned this troublesome uniform and wore the ordinary one like her.
"I guess Iguro-san doesn't mind it at all, you don't have to worry" Shinobu dropped a bomb before turning to look for scar removal cream.
"Noooo it's not about what he thought about me but kyaaaaaa! Shinobu-chan don't tease me like that!"
"Alright alright, I just made a guess" Mitsuri breathed out before she walked out to the Recovery room.
Later on while Shinibu scrunched around to find an item for her friend, "whoa.. Iguro-san! Good morning" Speaking of the devil, Shinobu flicked her eyes up from the scientific instrument box in surprise from hearing this name, tiling her head doubtfully why he's here. She grumbled what a coincidence for him to be here.
"Hi Kachou, I heard you have a company ..." Obanai walked and stopped at the door frame, unexpressive toward her, looking around the room.
"Ah, Iguro-san hello, I have but I still have time sooooo" Shinobu greeted, looking up to him, "What brought you here today? I have to admit I'm a bit surprised to hear your name here. If you want a treatment, you can go to the check-up room" She propped herself up.
"I'm here to ask Kanroji here, isn't she?" His voice was lowered instantly as if trying to not let people around them hear it. Shinobu furrowed her brows upward.
"Yeah she is and why are you searching for her?" asked Shinobu with suspicious eyes while Obanai tried to look around to find a pink stature.
"Rengoku-san has tried to find her so I think I saw her coming here this morning" answered Obanai.
"She just walked off to the Recovery room a second ago. She's looking for a scar removal cream. You know what she said she wants to cure scars on her leg so...do you think she's in love with someone? because she tries to look nice in front of him"
Obanai answered "How can I know..why don't you ask her" he shrugged off to not get along with her mind game. He noted it's her routine to give care and pay attention to her appearance as a girl so it's not strange for Mitsuri to do it.
"I asked..I did ask her," Shinobu said with her lower hush voice to make it more secret and it earned him want to know what's it. Shinobu continued "But one thing she doesn't answer me you know what it is? She doesn't tell me about her dream of being a demon slayer. So I think you may ask her. I think it would get her to get closer to her even more" Obanai wanted to decline her recommendation because he didn't know her real intention and Insect Pillar always pulled a trick. However, he never knew as well why she ended up being demon slayer. Looking around, Obanai spotted a dish, he assumed it's a sweet dish, it mush from Mitsuri's doing as well as he found the mansion of Shinobu look rather clean more than it used to be. Would it be possible that it's also Mitsuri's? he asked himself.
"Okay I will ask her so if you excuse me" He used to say to himself at first that she looked different but he also never learnt about her goal.
Not a slight change, a scream went loud, rather a shocked squeaking cry, it was the sound of her and he's so sure about it. They looked at each other with a signal that something was happening here and the sound was Mitsuri for sure.
"It's Kanroji, it's from the Recovery room. You go straight and turn.." she stopped suddenly as Snake Pillar lunged out so fast before she could tell anything. He acted so fast and without thinking or planning anything till Shinobu wondered why he so hurried, sighed with the unpredictable action of Snake Pillar.
"Kanroji!" Obanai called her in haste, running and turning in several directions to reach her in a fast step, hand gripping on the hilt of his sword and ready to lunge the attack if something happened to her. He turned around and faced Mitsuri's back and the opposite from her was Mist Pillar, shirtless.
Obanai halted in a sudden "What the hell?"
He saw Muichiro standing with an expressionless face to him and shifted back to her. In his hand, he held his shirt and bandage, trying to extend out to Mitsuri who closed her face in bashfulness and squeaking.
"I-Iguro-san!" Mitsuri managed to call him back with her shy and broken voice.
"..why are you so noisy..I said ..change my bandage...can you keep your voice down." The boy spoke and looked at Mitsuri with a slight expression of annoyance.
"But I can't..I-I never do it to any men..I-I have to keep an eyes from you" Mitsuri said and hid her face over her palm, slightly moved her fingers out to get a glimpse of a boy in front of her "and you look rather ripped than I thought and..and I can't! my face is too hot! oh god!"
"Tokito..." Muichiro turned and met the snake glare of Obanai. He grabbed his shoulder so tight "I will get you changed and next time..do it by yourself..understand?" While the sound of Mitsuri's shy scream was in the background, Muichiro felt a bit uneasy around Snake Pillar today. He gulped and nodded with stiffness.
Meanwhile, Shinobu giggled from behind "Oh my.. I think something bad happened..Muichiro-kun, next time you should ask me okay? look, you make Iguro-san angry" Shinobu walked in and jittered suddenly with a humming laugh in her throat. Obanai snapped "Stop it, Kachou" His face twisted into the agitation.
Mitsuri declared "Oh! Iguro-san, I'm ready for dessert, I mean a second round because I just had Pancake with Shinobu-chan but as you know, I really love Dango!" while Shinobu furrowed.
"Kanroji-san, I just knew from Iguro-san that Rengoku-san asked about you. You better hurry back to see your mentor" said Kachou.
"Hah? Eh? What do you mean, Shinobu-chan. Rengoku-san was out on his mission and he would visit his family afterward. And he still didn't come back yet! He said he would go around 4-5 days"
"Oh..well well..Iguro-san" on her face had a invisible craving message 'what the fuck is it? Are you fooling me?'
"A-ham..er Kanroji, I think we're done here so let's go. Goodbye both of you" Obanai walked off first "Iguro-san, shall you answer me? Are you trying to make a joke?" Shinobu asked again with her hand clenching.
After everything set down, a couple managed to get out of Butterfly estate, Mitsuri said "I don't know you come over and find me, Iguro-san, sorry and sorry again for my scream ha-ha I'm shocked and shy so my head cannot process anything when I..er.. I am in this kind of situation" she let out an awkward laugh. It turned out that Obanai tied bandaged around Mist Pillar too tight till suffocating him so Shinobu took care of it afterward and allowed both of them to have time.
"It's really fun today, Iguro-san. Me and Shinobu-chan cooked together! You could join us next time" said Mitsuri.
"Got it and I don't know much about cooking," Obanai gulped the gladness of what she offered down to his heart. It's like a daily dose of him to feel this warmth from her when they had free time.
"I don't believe you, Iguro-san" Mitsuri said with a knowing smile like she withheld some secrets.
"Why?"
"You always do cooking, I know it"
"I'm not"
"I know it, last time when I visited you, I went to use the toilet and got a glimpse of your kitchen. every ingredient, cooking equipment and tool are well-organized" Mitsuri said, and poked his arm to force him to admit it. Obanai stuttered uneasy.
"I do it occasionally alone, plus, I don't know many ingredients because I always cooked the same" Obanai explained and wanted to understand because she seemed up to something again.
"See! I knew it! I want you to judge on my sweet, Iguro-san and if you're fine with me, I want to try your food as well. Shall we exchange our food together, next time? I think it will be fun"
"you can, Kanroji but I don't know if it is good or not, b-but! what're you doing" His voice was broken by the startle when he found she laced her fingers into his right hand, held it in gentle style, experienced his hand with her innocent smile "see these are tender hands I believe!, your hands are not very soft and hard so that mean you are a great cook, Iguro-san, have you ever heard it?" Obanai would not give a care what tender hands she meant but this was his first time to have a girl hold his hand.
Obanai thought it's still not a right time to ask her about her life goal because she laced her hand within his hand so tight and walked hand by hand together. But next time, he would ask her with more confidence.