A small grain of snow gently falls onto the window pane. There you lay, bored at the view that was now covered in a coat of white frost, winter had greeted Yoshiwara and its citizens, forcing them to cover from the cold.

However, you still laid there, window wide open, gazing as more snow gently swayed, some even landing on your light green kimono sleeve, melting as each droplet hit the silk fabric.

- N/A please close the shoji you are going to catch a cold.

Your father quickly pleas as he readies the house for its up coming guests, right almost forgot, his new wife was going to come with her family. You sigh as you sluggishly close the shoji door, the cold leaving the room almost immediately due to the amount of maids rushing in preparing for the fancy affair.

- Father please, anymore of these nerves and your illness might come back.

- Don't you worry! Your father is feeling much chipper and now that Mei is joining our family and her sons, you won't have to be worried of your old man.

How can you not be? Your father ever since your mothers passing has been ill, there would be months where he could barely walk, let alone eat by himself. But you were always there, through thick and thin you stood by your fathers side, always ready with a smile of reassurance and a soft hand on his, reminding him that you were there for him. You gave him a gentle smile, as you dust off his own yukata, the dark blue fabric reminding you of your mothers favourite colour. Yep he still loved her as much.

Your father gave a small chuckle whilst petting your head.

- What's so funny father?

- Hah...in case your forgot my little fawn, what season are we in again?

You look at your father as if he now had two heads, he must be joking right?

- Father, you do realize it's winter, right?

- Hmmmm, and what colour kimono are you wearing again?

-...Green...

-...

- OH DEAR IM WEARING GREEN! HANAKO DID YOU SEE MY RED KIMONO?!

Your dad lets his chuckle flow into a full blown laugh, you were now pacing frantically after Hanako and he couldn't help himself at the scene. Your (e/c) were wide as you explained to the maid your mistake, your hands were moving with as much speed as your painted lips. You looked like your mother, from the tip of your hair right down to the curve of your finger tips, everything was Suzume. The colour of your eyes however were your fathers, much to your mothers joy as she had kept longing to have a child with his eyes. He however, wanted them to have Suzume's smile and indeed you were granted such, alongside her worried doe eye expressions and pouty frustrated looks.

Gently, your fathers laugh turned into a melancholic smile, as he hugged himself looking at the photo of his late wife's shrine.

-Suzume you would have been so proud of our (n/a).

-Master Masayoshi, Mei-sama and her sons will be arriving shortly.

- OH DEAR! HANAKO HELP!

Hanako - long sigh

An elegant carriage arrives and inside an even more beautiful woman comes out, her black kimono contrasts greatly against the white background, gold and red details adorn the fabric, but they are no match for her hazel eyes. Mei had come from a long line of foreign merchants that came and found residence in Japan. As she slowly makes her way to the mansion, two boys can be spotted behind the woman and they seemed to be fed up?

(Y/N) squints at the three figures coming closer to them, she must be imagining things, father had told her a few days ago that the boys were extremely sweet and polite. Her thought process is interrupted by the sound of the woman's geta clacking at a full stop right in front of her.

- Hello, you must be (n/a)-chan, my...you really are a beauty!

You bow respectfully at your future mother figure, but it feel's almost wrong.

Mei gives a cat like grin and laughs.

- So well mannered as well, my...how lucky I am to get such a polite daughter.

You stiffen, her voice seems to make you uncomfortable, it's as if her words were laced with insincerity, still you push the negative thoughts aside and look back at her with a gentle smile.

- Welcome Mei-sama.

- Hahaha no need for such formalities, I am your mother now, so please, don't be so nervous.

Your gaze slowly shifts to the two boys beside her, they were twins, both shared their mother's cat like smile and sharp hazel eyes.

- Welcome Mei, Kei and Wei please do come inside, away from the cold.

Your father gently places his hand behind Mei's bac, as he leads everyone inside into the common room where an assortment of dishes were spread out for them. You made a mental note to give a treat to Hanako as a thank you for the hassle.

As everyone sat down and talked, your body was still persistent in feeling uncomfortable with the presence of the three new household members that would now live with you, you didn't comprehend how the feeling of unease would not leave your body. First you thought it was due to nerves of meeting your new family members, but more and more, you started to feel it could be something else. Yet you kept shaking the feeling and continued to smile, playing your part for your father.

- Ahh the children should go to town tonight, (n/a) can show Kei and Wei around so they get to know Yoshiwara!

Your father grimaced and worriedly looked back at you

- I don't know if that would be a good idea...

- My! Is it because of the supposed demon attacks that have been happening?

(N/A) stiffens, unfortunately there have been more and more cases of demon attacks happening around at night and she shared her father's concerns. Kei sighed, feigning his own sadness.

- That's unfortunate, I was so looking forward to get to see the town at night...

(N/A) nervously looks back her father who now seemed strained with the awkward situation, so with a forced smile, she agreed on taking the twins for a tour, albeit short.

Later on in the evening, (n/a) alongside Kei and Wei were walking through the busy street, she would explain what each store was and what each merchant sold, but amidst of her guidance, she didn't notice that the twins had ventured away from her.

-Kei? Wei?...Dear God...

Lightly putting it he was annoyed, no...he was pissed. Yet again, he had to sit and go through one of Daki's long rants about food and who he hunted. Gyutaro couldn't care less what he ate, he grew up in the streets for gods sake, but after turning into a demon, Daki had now acquired a certain taste when it came to what she feasted on. He kissed his teeth as he walked through the crowd, frustrated that he couldn't choose just any meal. He had to be picky, just for her sake.

He kicks a pebble, ignoring peoples gasps and disgusted expressions, he knew he was ugly, he didn't need to keep giving them the attention. But he was far from being the pushover he once was, he was a demon and part of the notorious Upper Moon, he had no time to pay attention to pitiful weaklings. Tonight he had decided to disguise himself as a human, but no matter how he disguised him, he would always be received in the same manner, but that was the least of his concerns. Right now, he was just focused in looking for a good meal.

He decides to stop in front of a Oiran house, staring at the entertainers playing the shamisens. He listens to the melody and for a brief moment he forgets the crowd. Closing his eyes, he is guided by the strings being plucked by mastered fingers, that were weaving melodies into the cold air. The snow was still falling but the cold didn't bother him, he was long dead, he found it amusing however, how they still played with much vigor despite the cold stinging their human fingers. That is until one of the girls shrieked.

- Get away you horrid freak! We don't want any business with you!

Gyutaro clenches his teeth and for a split second, he was ready to rip her head from her body, but quickly reminded himself that he was out in the open, so he shoves back into the crowd once again, pacing at a fast speed. He just wanted to get this hunt over already.

You looked frantically everywhere, but there were no twins in sight, oh you were going to have a earful from your father and now future mother. You started biting your nail. What if they got lost? Kidnapped? Or worse...eaten by a demon? Your nerves got the better of you and you had completely forgot that you were in a crowded place, so you naturally bumped against none other than an already angry Gyutaro.

-Ow...

You slowly look up in a nervous daze and your eyes lock, the man looked beyond pissed off, you quickly got up on your feet dusting off your kimono.

-Oi oi... you think you can bump into people because your'e-

You had already bowed before Gyutaro could finish his sentence, he was taken back. Was she really apologising to him instead of running off or scolding him?

- I am so sorry sir, I wasn't paying attention, my apologies!

Gyutaro's brows slightly rise in surprise, sir? Who? Him? You had to be taking the piss. Why would a noble lady bow to him and even call him sir whilst apologising? Na, she definitely must be mistaking him for someone else. But the moment you lift your face to him, his breath gets caught in his throat. You were...beautiful. From the waves of your hair, to the wings of your full long lashes. Alluring like a warm candle in the midst of cold air.

But it wasn't your beauty that made him a lost for words, it was the fact that you were smiling at him. Gyutaro's stunned eyes fixed on your painted lips, it was genuine, he had lived long enough to recognise a forced smile, but this...it was sincere. Gyutaro kept staring at you with a dumbfounded expression that he was only able to catch the last thing you said.

-...my brothers.

Brothers?

- You lost your brothers...?

-Yes! I have been trying to find them but they seem to have really slipped away! I hope I can find them...Oh dear, we were supposed to be heading back home by now.

Ah, here was a familiar scenario Gyutaro had faced so many times. This is where he would lead you to an empty alleyway, far away from everyone and reveal himself as a demon. Then to just eat you up as you screamed in horror, but this time it didn't feel right. For some odd reason, far from Gyutaro's common knowledge, he didn't want to hurt you, at least yet. Your worried expression as you looked side by side for your brother's somewhat resonated with him.

-...I can help you find them.

Her eyes lit up momentarily and she gently grasps Gyutaro's hand. She was touching him! Gyutaro begins to sweat from nerves, why was she touching someone like him and why were her hands so soft and so...small?

-Oh thank you kind sir! That would mean so much!

Gyutaro kisses his teeth and quickly retracts his hand from you.

-J-just tell me where you last saw them!

The two walked and walked trying to find the twins, now and then, you both would share small exchanges, each one always met with a kind smile and genuine interest from you. Gyutaro was even more perplexed when you didn't pay mind to the crowds exclaims and gossip. Just who were you and where did you come from? You were definitely from the upper class considering what you were wearing, but your attitude and mannerisms were far from being snobbish. Heck, you even laughed at some of his remarks. Just who was this woman?

-What's your name?

Huh? Gyutaro's thoughts paused when you ask his name. Should he be honest or should he just make it up? He still didn't know who the hell you were, yet his tongue would betray him and his name slides off his tongue with no fuss.

-Gyutaro.

-Gyutaro...Gyutaro...

Your voice saying his name seemed so wrong but sickly right, the tips of Gyutaro's ears were becoming crimson, but why? She just said his name, but the fact that her beautiful lips exclaimed a name of someone as ugly as him with no ill intent made him feel strangely safe. A foreign feeling that he only felt with Daki.

-AH! Kei! Wei!

Gyutaro shifts his gaze to the twins that were finally found, the two of them were nonchalantly walking as if (n/a) was never with them and for some reason they're annoyed expressions pissed off Gyutaro. The poor girl was so worried and all she gets is that!?

-Ahh sister, your'e still here?

What do they mean still here!? I'm definitely going to gauge your eyeball-

- Ewwwww, who the hell is this filth!?

Gyutaro blinks, the twins were holding their noses and pointing at the demon. Ah, there it was. The familiar snobbish and disgusted remarks. Ahhh ...how he wanted to really kill them now.

-Hey! How dare you say that to Gyutaro! He was helping me trying to find you two. So please show some respect!

This girl...how the...

-Respect? HA! We are nobles and if anything, you should be ashamed of walking next to street rats like him unless, you consider yourself that low..

SMACK

Kei's cheek was now red, (N/A) had slapped him. Gyutaro slowly begins to smirk, he was now physically holding his belly and laughing hard. Ah shit! This girl was definitely a blast.

The twins scowl at (n/a), leaving the scene in a hurry, probably back to their home. (N/a) sighs and looks back at Gyutaro, there was sadness in her eyes. Gyutaro freezes again.

- I am so sorry Gyutaro, after all your help. I cannot believe they treated you like this...

Sorry...why...sorry? And why were you sad for him? You kept talking but Gyutaro's mind was spacing out, his chest was tight and his stomach felt warm, why did he feel...happy?

You gently touch his shoulder and give him one of your many sweet smiles.

Please, don't look at me like that...please...why..why do I feel like crying?

-Tsk...never mind me! I'm used to that shit and you better head home too...there demons lurkin ya know!

(N/A) laughs and gently agrees walking towards the direction of her home. That's it, this will be the last time he gets to ever see her. Why does this feel wrong? As Gyutaro turns the opposite direction, he hears your sweet voice calling out to him.

-Thank you Gyutaro...I...I hope we can see each other again soon.

-...Yea

(N/A) smiles and waves goodbye. Her frame looks even smaller as she walks off, but she seemed still approachable within his grasp. Gyutaro turns around and continues his forgotten hunt, but this time, with a small smile on his face.