ACT 9
"Well Iguro-san, how's your life? We rarely see each other" Kyojuro took a seat on a cushion around the terrace in his place. There's nothing better than sitting under the shade of a tree in the evening, calm and rustling of leaves with the dancing shade of tree leaves.
"I'm doing fine" Obanai answered Kyojuro, sitting beside him with a mug of tea. On a good note, he knew this man's life was great so he rendered to the people around him instead "What's about your father and brother?" he also hardly met them nowadays after getting the position in the demon slayer corps. The image of head of Rengoku and little Rengoku appearing in his mind.
Kyojuro cleared his throat after eating Tokayaki "They're in good shape! Senjuro tried to swing a sword everyday now! I appreciate his doing! Little by little could make it perfect" the answer was unexpected about his little brother and Obanai could catch a glimpse of smiling from the bottom of heart coming on his face. It showed how much he cared about his family and his deep down hope to raise his brother as the next generation of Flame breathing.
"Good one. I bet he would get it through and able to use Flame breathing eventually"
"Yosh! actually I want him to live his own life and chose the path when he grows up but I also want to make him stronger than mine, want him to protect himself, family and person who he loves and! Oh so he has to start eating more and more to build up his energy like mine, don't you think so?" Obanai thought about two Rengoku eating at the same time, that restaurant could be bankrupt or closed in another day, or the kitchen could be empty within an hour.
"Let him choose..I think he's grown enough to choose what he wanna do" answered in neutral Obanai even though he wanted to say 'let him be!'
In that particular moment, Kyojuro saw a familiar figure at the corner of his eyes "Oh that Kanroji-kun!" Kyojuro waved "My student over here!, Kanroji-kun" Obanai flicked to her automatically "Kanroji" was all he let out of his lip. He never thought he would have found her today, at this particular time, no planned or appointment either.
Then they both were greeted by her sudden smile and warm aura as she waved to them eagerly and widely as if showing them how her love them "Hello everyone! what a coincidence here!" and jogged toward them cheerfully and her long braided hair also dancing and twirling around her adronlingly. She's the drop of life showering the land to be fruitful with the spring of flower and plant. And it happened into his vision as well.
"Rengoku-senpai! Iguro-san!" Obanai watched her movement and felt please without knowing it.
"Don't be hurry, you will tip on small rock" Obanai warned softly and watched her being careful as he said and absorbed her being with his heart full of her appearance and shined persona that lit up the entire daytime even more through his eyes.
"Come over here, Kanroji-kun you look healthy and passionate as always!" Kyojuro uttered and crossed his chest
"I'm really fine so what're you two doing here" Mitsuri stopped her pace in front of them and shot the curious glance over them.
"We're talking lots of things..um let's see what we have talked so far Oh it's about you as well!" At the end of his sentence, it painted a soft and bright vividly pinkish blush over her face. Flustered, Mitsuri pretended to be occupied to check on her braids and her outfit. Obanai observed her gesture with a ting of doubt clicking on his head.
"What're you talking about me?" She raised her eyes to him in an unusual way that tickled Obanai to wonder what's on her mind and what's the meaning behind her more womanly attitude like that, she blinked at Kyojuro slowly and gracefully twice.
"I said you look more like an adult woman since the first time we met" Pong her face suddenly flustered red and hid her face from him. She also grabbed his sleeve with a tip of her fingers while letting Kyojuro laugh out loud after getting to her reaction.
"You mean I look more like a grown lady now?" She asked in a constrained voice to confirm again with her tint of shyness. He hummed in answer and thought she's glad to hear it; however, it's another different perspective on a girl who heard it from a man. "I-I don't know what to say but um.." Obanai surely noticed her changing stance and watched with wide eyes and wondered about her shifted posture. It questioned into his mind what happened to affect her. The cause must be in his previous statement.
"You said everyone look more mature including Kanroji" Obanai said and walked in between them. He felt obliged as he sensed he didn't feel good to see them being closed like this and with that obscured message to stirr her up, he could tell by watching her sole action and it read as she might think of something else. It followed with Kyojuro's laughter and Mitsuri's giggle.
"It's true, time passed too fast to notice the change until I had time to consider it by myself in a free time like this" Kyojuro explained and stepped out as Obanai stood between them with a slight wonder in his eyes but complied.
"I see, I see ha-ha I just have an idea you mean something..else" again, she's blushful a second time, more than the first, Obanai knew by his male instinct that she did think what Kyojuro meant differently. As it appeared in this era, supposedly, an older man said and recognized a girl that she's a grown woman, it could be read that she's grown enough to let him take her hand for marriage. Marriage at that time also allowed a young girl around 14-15 years old to marry a man. She must have thought that way.
"Kanroji, the thing is...mnn.." He tried to get her out of her fantasy.
Problem was that man tended to not know what she really meant! Obanai knew about the intention behind Kyojuro's but Mitsuri might interpret into a different version that's why her face painted blushfully with making famine gaze to her mentor. He couldn't stand it. No patient but still needed to gather himself. Obanai stepped in "What he meant is you look more mature in terms of being a demon slayer under his care, Kanroji" it appeared she nodded and understood his message and withdrew all her shyness to her life goal box and it made him relieved. "This man think only sword and flame breathing, nothing else matter much to him oh and eating as well" Obanai added.
"Haha yes! I really meant it. Look Kanroji's height is a bit higher than before" Kyojuro extended his hand to her head, trying to measure her height but Obanai snapped at him so smooth that Mitsuri could not notice his movement "We know it. Since you said she grew up" Obanai felt like he had to step in between them as this closeness made him unsettled as well as Kyojuro backed down a bit but a harsh action of Obanai.
Mitsuri let out an usual grin "so wonderful to meet both of you today, I nearly forgot how it felt to spend time with you so I've missed you all" Mitsuri bounced and hugged both of them so dearly. Her hand stretched widely as her love stretched out for them. "We rarely spend time together. I miss the good old days and today my dream comes true!" She rubbed her face in between their faces, wearing the most delightful expression.
"Kanroji!" without preparation for her attack, Obanai gasped with a stuttering voice as he didn't prepare for her immediate attack on them like this. With a slight difference of their hight, His face almost touched her bosom, unable to restrain from her powerful embrace that dictated him and Kyojuro to her hug. This irresistible and unavoidable hold of her stirred his heart to dance in a beating tango rhyme and also painted his face red like a burning. He can't say stop it but the feeling being embraced by her sent a good adrenaline to his vein.
"Kanroji-kun! You seemed firing again today!" Kyojuro only laughed and seemed to have no bother at all by her doing, reacted normally and received her frank and open-armed amicable. He wondered why this man could resist her? He admitted when she did this it almost gave him a half heart attack, not the symptom but a heart reacting to her in a certain way that he never claimed to be overcomed.
"I totally am! Both of you are dear people in my life and you both lit my heart burning in passion" Kyojuro reacted with the overstatement of complimenting her stance while Obanai still lost in his zone by her touch, cute pinky-blushed face rubbing him and her faminine body.
Mitsuri released them and said "I'm so happy we can see each other today" Mitsuri announced next and left Obanai in sweet confusion, lingering his eyes on her. "What should we do today? "
"What do you want to do?" Obanai asked her back "Ummmm I don't have anything specific so what's about you, Iguro-san? Maybe it's time for you to demand using free time together" Obanai scratched back of his head when the nervous rubbed till it turned slightly hot. He didn't have a specific either but felt glad when she asked him.
"I don't have either" He tried to search and browse it but he really had none.
"Awww you always spoiled me Iguro-san, you have to choose this time" Obanai made a hesitant noise as he's unsure what to present to her and might draw her attention on. Mostly, he would let her choose what she wanted to do. When she's waiting for his answer this time, he felt anxious about making a choice.
His delay causes him another problem, stemming from his unsureness.
Kyojuro gasped, look like he had something clicked on his head "I think I have a good idea about what should we do together in noon" Their eyes moved and followed the gesture of Kyojuro, in particular of Mitsuri who absorbed in his persuasion, clapped her hand in glee."I think it's gonna be best opportunity for me if you both join" Obanai sighed and knew what place they would be. It seemed all settled down with Kyojuro's invitation because Mitsuri followed him easily and fastly like a kid was deceived by the sweets of the stranger. Slowly, he didn't have a good chance to retort because her hand locked on his waist and pulled him to start walking.
"Get going together, Iguro-san or you will not catch us up!" She dragged him away. Obanai's feet strode following her eventually. He stared at her hand around his wrist and felt awkward slightly and felt mirth at the same time. He felt like due to her that took him out of the dimly ordinary world to the light.
"Hmm yeah" It all happened in this way several times as she was the one who would reach her hand to him first. Lost in his zone, Obanai wished to have a product called courage drug, he would buy a ton and take it every day till he could finally possess the encouragement and dare up to take her hand or at least had the courage to say something in front of her face like Kyokuro did.
So it held him back and he had to witness a scene when she was running to Flame Pillar and saying something, then they laughed together. Obanai felt something pang in his mind and wanted to step in between them again, which was not called for. Even he knew, they both were not into something romantic but it's better to watch out, right?
Kyouro's pace stopped at one compound outside the marketplace, gesturing his hand "Sumo's fighting!" Obanai craned his neck because he knew it should end in this way "nothing's worth and no better than watching Sumo's fighting here! It's a fight of strength and power! Two contestants would go against each other with their own strength!" He attempted to catch her reaction, unexpectedly, looked like she also gave in. "Let's go inside! I heard the scream and it thrills me! Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" Obanai just realised her hand slipping and grabbing over his hand and was pulled by her inside the Sumo's compound, while another side was Kyojuro who still laughed at her passion. If not her, he prefered toddling around and back to his place.
Kyojuro was able to find empty spots for them, not a good one due to their lateness and the beginning of the match, they got the back roll. Mitsuri looked around in amaze because she never had a chance to be in the compound. Women in that time were rarely assimilated in non-domestic activity. So her presence drew lots of eyes, not friendly to her.
The match went very exciting, both Flame Pillar and Love Pillar were into it so much. They decided to stand to cheer their favorite fighter with their sound and threw a punch in the air like sending their power to Sumo athletes. Obanai sat and watched them from the side as he's the one who seemed not into it like them.
"Go go Tazuki!" Mitsuri shouted and rotated her arm in a circle before throwing to the one she cheered for and Kyojuro also mixed in with her. Obanai simply sat in peace and watched her with a content expression. He watched her unrealized how long it has been, she had fun and her expression was naturally beautiful. It could made him have a patient long enough till the match came to an end.
Later on, the match ended but the day was not easy. Kyojuro led them outside "You wanna still hang out with us? Kanroji-kun? Seems you have lots of fun today!" Mitusuri nodded to agree on his statement and explained how content she was to him and it's down to that she wanted to follow them again. Obanai glanced at her as well to wait for her answer.
"Absolutely yes, I still want to hang out with you. I won't miss this chance spending time with you" She's too eager to show her interest in front of her men.
"Maybe you can choose because he already chose it" Obanai meant Kyojuro and this time should be her to pick as he imaginarily alloted today time into three part for three of them equally. This is the kind of man he was.
"If you're asking me, umm let's see what do I want to do" he poured his interest on her waiting for her answer.
"Alright! Next we have to go back to Demon Slayer Corps because our new competition is held there and today! You will be VIP audience without a crowd like this" Kyojuro's voice cut all attempts at both him and her. It drew their attention to him , especially working on her.
"Really wow!I can't wait to see it, please let's go back together" They both threw a punch in the air together with Yosh! in the sky. Obanai felt an deep down urge to walk between them again but she turned to him "Iguro-san let's go together!" said in a hurried voice.
"You wanna go? you know what he's up to?" Obanai asked because he also knew what Kyojuro was talking about. "Do you happen to know what he's going to?" There's a flash of reluctant on his face appearing a second before it's gone when she turned to face him with her doubtful eyes.
Blinking, Mitsuri said "I actually don't know but I believe in my mentor! Of course, I think it's gonna be fun! I wanna spend lots of time with you guys as well" Obanai scratched his head in the worry of how to reply to her because he also lost on his words. "Don't you think it's good to spend time together like this?" Obanai cannot refuse, scrunched words to reply to her but too slow to say it because Kyojuro began.
"I should drop a hint for you," Kyojuro said and she nodded for him to continue. "We're going to attend the match to measure the strength! Iguro-san, you still never tell her, right?" He's making sure and Obanai shook his head, rolled his eyes a bit to signify his disagreement but it never powered them to change the destination.
Mitsuri stared at him, waiting for an answer. "You should not have high hopes for it, Kanroji. It's just a normal play of them in their free time" Obanai answered with a shrug. But her face was enough to tell him whatever it is, she's excited now.
What he's able to do was let out a heavy sigh. His preference was not this type of activity. He prefered sitting under a tree and had a tea with her, rather than spending time to watch people using bruth strength.
They were back to the certain training ground, where there was a gathering of Hashira in a corner. There's a square old wooden table, supported with strong legs, its surface was smooth by the work of a carpenter, no spike of wood. It's versatile, mainly objective today was different. The atmosphere was silent for a while as two contestants walked and stopped at the opposite site from each other.
Two Flame and Wind Hashira folded their sleeves upward, checking it again before darting to each other. While Tengen tabbed his chin with a slight smirk on his face to show how amused and interested he was. They're ready to start a first match of arm-wrestling.
"Ready.. set and begin!"after his command as a referee. Both Flame and Wind Pillar leveraged their force to withstand and attempted to push another down. Their forces were calm but inside it's waiting to erupt like a sleeping volcano, table's shaking and vibrating by their energy.
"Rengoku-san fighting! Don't lose to Shinizugawa-san" Among the training grounds for Hashira, Mitsuri cheered her mentor with a hope he could win a match openly, clapping her hand and threw a punch in the air as if transferring her power to him.
"Kanroji, you don't have to step so close to them" Obanai in turn participated as audiences, standing on a sideline with her and the others, trying to keep her from walking toward them as a girl looked more energetic and active in today 's activity.
"Woah I'm so exciting Iguro-san! I'm rooting for Rengoku-senpai! Kyaaaa fighto senpai!" He confirmed she's so into it again today. She may have a competitive spirit on her, he supposed.
"I can tell you like watching the sport and competition"
"I really am, I never had much chance to see it before I became a demon slayer, Oh no Rengoku-senpai, don't lose! Hang in there and flip him over" He's glad because at very least he could learn a new site from her - she's rarely exposed to a world of sport and competition so it motivated herself to fire up everytime she watched. Then it followed by the unsatisfied curse from Sanemi to let her shut her mouth. Obanai sent a warning glare to Wind Pillar while Mitsuri lowered her voice.
"wow..they are so strong" Mitsuri squeaked by herself, laced her fingers all together. But there's a sweet drop in her voice that Obanai sensed. Her voice and posture shifted to more like a girl in her dream than an energetic one. Obanai observed it with a pain in his heart, he wished she would not be interested in a man using a brute force like this. He also had another concern that her dream about having a family-she would not be interested in any of them because it would be his total hellish nightmare.
"Shinazugawa-san, it's really great to have a match with you!" declared Kyojuro.
"You can't beat me, Rengoku, it's a fluke the first time after you got a place here!"
With final swing, Sanemi gathered his will of striving for victory and pushed Kyojuro's hand down, following a loud sound on the table, looking able to be trampled by their match anytime.
"It's Shinazugawa" Tengen announced with a squeak from Mitsuri as she's so into the match, even if it's not her mentor's victory.
Kyojuro let out a laugh after he's defeated "How's that Rengoku!" Samemi flexed his arm and rotated it as it's like his warm-up. As a man training his body, Sanemi felt please as the first win was his and it's a evident statement of his strength.
"I admitted my loss! Shinazugawa-san it's a blast to have a match with you and you seem to be stronger but next time I swear I'm gonna take back my place!" Both exchanged words while Sanemi still held a rough attitude as the same.
From the audience, Taller man spotted a girl who looked so hyped from the competition "Yo Kanroji, fancy to join?" Tengen asked, rubbing his chin with a playful expression, checking on her reaction.
"Can I?" This answer was unexpected for Tengen. Every eye was on her in curiosity, even thought it made her nervous to the max as many men looked at her like this, she can't help feel a Ba Dum Ba Dum again. However, she thought about what was wrong with her statement because she wanted to try and no one ever asked her to join in physically. Today she saw it as a new chance to try on.
"Of course you can! It's getting funnier to have a lot of matches" declared Tengen loudly as showing his unexpectedness with a weak smirk to the rest of Pillar. He sure cannot refuse her now. Obanai shook his head behind the taller man.
"Uzui it's a hard core sport. I think she might have hurted" his sound reached Wind Pillar and urged him to an amusing afternoon to beat Snake out of crap.
"Iguro! Your damn turn is next! Show me your lost!" Sanemi announced a war over Obanai instead as he fail to read that man's thought. Obanai's not in the mood to be provoked easily as before, his head finding a solution to lure her out. He's usually not interested at all because he's not that sporty guy and buffed with that muscles so bruth strength was not his scope. And there's no way he would fall on the trap and let him beat and lose his face in the competition.
"I never say I will join a match" said Obanai with a stern face and monotonous voice.
"Jeez You just chicken, confess it man" Sanemi retorted.
"Tch.. shut your mouth. I don't find any amusing here. I decline" smoothly answered Obanai and waved away.
"what's the fuck now? Aren't you afraid to lose again? Mr. Strike loser!" Sanemi retorted swiftly. The air between them was intense and heavy suddenly as it could accelerate into a conflict.
Mitsuri felt the bad energy so decided to step in "B-but I heard Iguro-san said he's not willing to join" Her voice shattered a suffocating and intensed silence among them, as if it could accelerate to the brawl in any minutes "Then I will join instead of him! I'll try to win for you Iguro-san. Are you both okay for this?" No answer from Wind and Snake Pillar, sending a murderous glare to intimidate each other.
"Can you change it? I think we're not getting anything from it" Obanai tried to voice and got her out. Tengen made a long noise of agreement "You got a good point" He clasped his hand together and it's loud enough to bring every eye to him.
"Then I pick up for you, Kanroji come on! Your first time competing with you Iguro-san" Obanai gasped in daze why it was down on him, even though in first place he declared to not participate in. "Because you have to win the lower rank first before challenging to another rank and it appeared it's our Iguro-san who had the lowest" the rest of man tried to stifle their laugh as it sounded not informative but sarcasm. And it made his vein on forehead throbbing in anger becausr it's uncalled for to mention his failed glory in the sense of strength.
"Alright then, Iguro-san let's have a match together and do your best" Mitsuri said and walked toward the table and propped herself in a position. While Obanai still hesitated what to do because he's not supposed to be in this arm-wrestling. During his unfinished decision, Tengen pushed him and whispered a message to his ear very low but accurated 'there you go, you can have a reason to hold her hand' in secret and fast enough to not look suspicious in front of her eyes.
"Oh yeah" simply replied Obanai after, not wanting to admit but he had to buy Ninja's idea. He still felt a bloom within his chest when he stared at her hand, up to her cute round face framed with her spectacularly beautiful hard and decorated with natural freckles. His head only formulated the words cute and adorable by looking at her face and orb eyes.
"Well well both contestants all set" Tengen called them and it woke Obanai from his anxiety to face a girl whom he had unexplainably felt attached to her on many levels across him. There her hand and her gesture welcoming him to take her hand. It would be more pleasant in a different situation, not this one.
"I'm so excited!" Mitsuri exclaimed in glee and it gave a man a hard time to will himself calmer and grabbed her hand. He tried to weigh in order to nor grip her hard. Her hand was smooth and soft, no hard pad on her palm, checked not to squeeze her hand too much.
"D-Do your best" he wished her and made a mental note that he could lose to her eventually but at least, that Ninja manipulated the situation for him and paid off, the feeling of him being the one snatched and grabbed her hand differed from the moment he let her hold his hand.
"Begin!" Tengen announced the match. The cheering sound went over from the audience and the referee, it's rarely to have a woman participating with them. But the loud sound didn't reach Obanai at all as he's in bliss and no guard.
"Alright I'm gonna give my best to you!" exclaimed Mitsuri. Without his preparation and conscious, She forced her hand to place him down however, it went larger than she first imagined because she accidentally leveraged much and threw his whole body flicking across the table and down on the ground like a broken doll. Mitsuri sent him flying across the table with one swing. And it followed with her scream, not from the damaged one on the ground.
"G-god! Iguro-san!" She wailed and crouched down to him "he's not conscious! Rengoku-senpai! What should I do! It's my bad! I should not play"
The scene in front of them was more hilarious than an astonishing statement of strength from her. Theyall tried to stifle the laughter as much as they could as they saw Snake Pillar flying across the table like a dried and crispy old stick.
"Way to go! Kanroji you did the best! Oi Iguro, wake up. Don't you know what time it is? Somebody wake him up! Ha-ha" Sanemi made fun of him and laughed very loudly.
"Please you guys stop it, he's not awake yet! Iguro-san are you okay?" Mitsuri braced his body near her, calling to make him awake. "What should I do? What should I do if he's not awake?" Tengen told her he's still breathing and don't worry about it because he would wake up in a few minutes.
Obanai's not unconscious like she thought, he realized she held his upper body and his face ended up pressing her cleave when she cried and tried to wake him up, rocking him slightly like a baby in their mother's hold. It's the reason why he dare not move or jerk his body up because he would be explosive from the embarrassment.
—