ACT 12

"Kanroji, I think it's not a good idea" with a tinge of unsureness in his voice, looking at the reflection.

"Why? Let me handle it pleaseeeeee, let me do it one more time. I think it's not that hard" her plea forced a man to reluctantly nod to allow her.

"We don't have to do it, do we?" He asked twice.

"But it's a special occasion, right? So give it a try. Who knows, you're gonna like it afterword" Mitsuri giggled at her own doing and sure can tell she's happy at her own doing. Obanai's unsure whether to let her do it or not but braced himself up from a seat to her level one more time because the first attempt of her failed.

Obanai fidgeted when her hand started pulling his hair, twisting and making it into a bundle.

First time to let someone gloom him. He breathed in and out to lower his intensity while she hummed in a cheerful tone. Her hands combed every strand of his hair over and over to not let a slight strand left. Obanai never thought he would, once in a lifetime, be in this state. How did he look like now?

"Alright, it's done. How do you feel about it" Obanai slowly raised his eyes upward to see a reflection.

Mitsuri also looked into a mirror in front of her. It reflected the image of Obanai shuddering because he's trying to calm himself down from pulling out the rubber band out of his hair. She worked on his hair into a half top knot. It sure made a magic on Snake Pillar, seemingly he's a new person, looking fresh and young, shedding a armor of persistence and seriousness.

Mitsuri was screaming shyly.

"It...it really good on you! You look very good kyaaaaaaa" Mitsuri closed her face, waggle shyly beside him. He didn't know she tried to woo him in order to let him have confidence or she really meant it but his over-thinking right now disappeared without a reason. His stance changed when facing her.

"Enough, Kanroji. I see no change here" He was just flattered by her, intent to avoid her eyes.

"Awww but you look handsome with this hair. So cool to see your whole face like this and You look like a bachelor. Rarely see you in casual cloth as well. I think every girl's gonna be attracted by your charm" Mitsuri said in a teasing tone, elbowing him a little while they're walking out of her estate. Obanai made a rumbling noise to, likely, disagree on her. He just wanted her to stop teasing.

"Cut it out, you're picking me again this time" One thing he wanted to do was trying to get her out of the compound before some Pillar spotted him. Because he hated the fact that they would criticize his new look for real, just thinking could make his eyes roll in annoyance. But beside him, was a splendidly beautiful woman so he felt overwhelmed and powered to walk side by side with her.

"You are making me like a mean one, ha-ha I really meant it" left checked. Right checked. Obanai tried to sneak a glance every corner in the compound in order to lead a way without being noticed.

"You're not but it's my first time to have a hairdo so I feel awkward" He never forgot to answer her even looking around, and looking at Kaburamaru which under his scarf, to navigate a right way out here. He held his hand up, signaled her to stop.

Then a few slayers walked past that particular corner. Obanai poked out, checked again before gesturing her to follow him again. His left hand also grabbed her right hand automatically as a sense of carefulness and protectiveness governed his thought.

He stopped and hitched when a few slayers met them. They looked a couple of pillar from head to toe, meeting a cheerful face and waving hand from Love Pillar and also a warning sign from Snake Pillar to shut their mouth, he didn't want anybody to pry on his private life or what's he gonna do with her today or why on earth he dressed in Yukata. Not so long they could get out of the Demon Slayer Corps without a buzz.

Obanai felt relieved when finding they were out of the compound and let her hand free. A bit of hesitation over his face, he's not sure he had to apologize to her or not for touching her hand leisurely like this.

"Here we go, um..out of Demon Slayer Corps and no fuss about us being out" he pretended to complain. His intention was to start a conversation with her.

"Cool! And..Our trip today, we will go to the temple at Fukata town and get a blessing. Are you getting along with the idea of horoscope and fortune? I've heard people will get a blessing before New Year and After New Year" asked Mitsuri while walking beside him.

"I am not but I don't oppose either. So it sounds like you believe in it" replied Obanai

"I really am, I am pretty sure it's part of our life so I wanna get a blessing before New Year. Then you wanna do something else today? I bother you to tag me along to temple so it should be your turn as well"

"Don't have a specific now, but if I have, I'll let you know"

"However, if you're not free, I will have to be definitely alone to walk there by myself" He sensed it's her showing thank you to him.

"Hn"

Today Mitsuri asked him to go out to temple with her in a traditional festival at the temple before winter. People would dress in a full kimono and yukata and walk to pray at the temple to restore their wish before it's coming true after winter. She dressed in a full floral pattern kimono as he said it looked really good on her but actually he secretly wooed and praised her a hundred times. The problem that made him uneasy was she also prepared a normal plain black yukata for him to wear, it's not his peripheral duty to dress like a civilian.

Obanai refused, in a gentle way not hrash like other slayers, but Mitsuri forced him and finally he gave in every damn time when she said please with her dole eyes. He sighed heavily when he took a Yukata and changed in the toilet at her estate. He got it through in a few minutes but imagining going out with her dressing in Kimono and Yukata having his face heating over. It sure looked like a couple. He's blashful at his own though. He's taken back in reality when he heard her calling his name, asking whether it fitted him or not.

She also added a half-knot to his hair. This style demonstrated his upper face even more, which normally hidden under his uneven short raven hair. He saw none of the change and felt edgy at it because he didn't like the idea to let someone groom him but he put up with it because it was what she did for him.

He sat outside her room after she groomed his hair, playing with Kaburamaru and oh he realised he forgot the plain grey scarf inside the room. She allowed him to enter a room and he swore he stared at the goddess.

Actually he wanted to say 'you're beautiful in kimono' since he first laid eyes on her today when he entered her room and saw her tying her hair together into a bun and sided it gracefully, he remembered standing still a few seconds before realizing she's calling him fifth time. She's damn beautiful in a full kimono like this. Her smile even more sweetened her feature and looked delicious than honey till he wanted to try some.

"Have you ever gone to a traditional festival like this?" asked Mitsuri.

"Occasionally if I have free time and comes across it" and I never came with Yukata and uptied my hair like this, he whispered to himself.

A couple walked into a nearby town and the weather greeted them with a warm sunlight and chilly breeze. At the town, there was a festive vibe going around and the celebratory demonstration building up around, which Mitsuri seemed excited before they entered the gate, Obanai chuckled and found it amusing to see her reaction, she always wore a big expression like a kid and ran around with a enthusiastical energy.

Both Townspeople and tourists wore traditional clothing, places were decorated in an old Japanese style, it all gave a feeling but a warm and traquit sensation because the noticeable spot of this town was a temple on the hill, which enhanced into a full dedicated touch of conservative and stood out distinctively from a large pine. The ringing from the bell echoed gently and invited all people gathering in the temple. The smell of grass on the hill touched every sense of smell added with a scent of incense. Which all made the entire town more divine and surreal.

"It's wonderful, isn't it? Iguro-san"

"It is. It's my first time here" Obanai looked around the place. He spotted the liveliness abundantly but the one that gave him a life was a girl beside him.

"Take a look here" sometimes, she would grab his hand and drag him along with her.

Up on the hill, they decided to visit the temple first. Mitsuri rang the bell, praying as Obanai did beside her. They moved to a hanger stack beside the temple. It's for putting a wooden plate, which people would write down the wish and prayed for local god to notice their plate and grant them a wish.

"Are you done?" Mitsuri asked Obanai, who seemed frustrated writing down. He nodded and hurried to finish it with a few strokes to draw a tentative Kanji character.

"I'm writing I can eat the delicious food every day" She told him with a sheepish smile and it's not unexpected to him. "So what did you write?" She bent to see his while he attempted to hide from her.

He answered hesitantly "I wrote about living a peaceful and happy life.. " He finally flipped the plate and showed it to her with a shy demeanor by averting his eyes to other ways with a brush of pink on his cheek. Without knowing being flushed, Mitsuri giggled and told him. "You know, you're so cute when you made your face like that, Iguro-san"

His breath hitch why she coughed him this time, later realizing he could not hide his face over his hair anymore from the new hairdo. He closed his face intently as if to scrub it out from his face. "Alright, let's go over there and hang it together," Mitsuri said.

"Your turn, Iguro-san" he followed her next with "Hnn"

"Then don't forget to chant and pray to make your wish come true" Mitsuri tried to instruct him.

He sighed and prayed like everyone. But his heavy exhale was not from the crowd but it's from the hidden need of him to jot down her name on his plate. Obanai knew he secretly wanted to write her name down in order to complete his desire as 'To live a peaceful life with Kanroji'. Now he added her name inside his head.

Looking at her plate, he narrowed his eyes in disbelief because he saw his name on her plate below a sentence. It read 'I wish me and Iguro-san have good health and protection from god' he didn't miss it.

"Kanroji, you did write my name?" asked Obanai in order to confirm what he saw. Mitsuri jerked slightly as she forgot to hide the message from his sight, being caught red handed then she covered it up with chuckling.

"Eh… you finally saw it" Obanai turned to her, waiting for an answer "I wrote it for you because I knew your birthday was in September..so I think it would be great to get you to temple to have a blessing at least it's late from your birthday. Isn't it good? I wish the best for you"

Obanai's speechless for a second "You don't have to do it, by the way thanks". She followed "cool! So where are we going next" He forgot about his birthday at all. Obanai never considered much about his birthday but she took him to the temple to get a blessing that was new for him.

"Kanroji, what's about your birthday?" Obanai's not an expressive type of man. To show his emotion and intention from his heart were a hard one. So he's unsure how to express it to her.

Mitsuri's lip drew a smile "It's past several months now, however, at least I could do something for your birthday because I was out on a mission as well so I knew afterward. I want to have a special occasion with everyone as much as I can because" Mitsuri paused and zoned out a second "I don't know we will have this such time again or not so I try to spend every minute to the best"

"So..should I write your name and wish for your luck on a new plate?"Obanai asked innocently.

Mitsuri heard it and it made her bliss. because it's the closest thing that he's gotten for showing a slight intimacy. The mental and symbolic touch from his offer made her tingle. She felt warm and glad at the same time until she didn't know how long she smile while he's still waiting for an answer.

"Nooo you don't have to do it but well I'm waiting for next year! Please note that my birthday is the first of June" Mitsuri said "however, it has already passed. We will celebrate together next year instead" Obanai 's listening to her, considering her idea as usual. He never took a look at this slight thing in life but knowing her, he started to realize how it's important to look at.

"Are you sure you don't want me to do it?" Obanai questioned once. Now he began to draw an imaginary scene in his head, what would she look like when she's on birthday next year. He would absolutely buy her something, and she would scream in delight and hug him for sure.

"Umm I think keeping it to my birthday would sound awesome," Mitsuri answered. Living in his head, Obanai felt a blush coming across his face from thinking of her reaction, slightly vigorous and robust to impress her on her birthday. Her next birthday would make her 20 years old so she would become an adult..

"Iguro-san, you look thinking about something. What's you thinking?"

"Hm?"

"Come on, you seem out of zone. What're you thinking?" She asked one more time while his head still wrapped around his idea of her being a real adult. What would it look like? Yes she would be more mature and beautiful. Nonetheless, perhaps would she ever think about marriage? Because at this age, a woman should marry off a man or else she would grow older and find someone to take care of her.

He's thinking about a moment when she dresses in a beautiful kimono like today, standing near Kyojuro, giggled under the curtain of sunlight illuminating her pretty face and charming features. She sure is beautiful as always. He could have been looking at her all day long. There she turns to him, gives him a wave and smiles while gesturing to him to get over to her.

Obanai sighed and stood up. His feet, covered in white sock, touch a texture of tatami with a rustle of sound under his feet where he walks to. He's in an official haori for a ceremony and his hair combing nicely in order to look present and give respect to the host of this special occasion. He checks his cloth again before reaching her, making it fit and proper in this such particular event where all hashira gathering, sitting at own place and a small tray of appetizer in front of them.

He wants to walk to her but his feet demanded him to stay and absorb her presence one more time. Obanai shook his head to feel ridiculous at his own dump reaction toward her.

She's graceful and affectionate in her own way.

Look like Kyojuro gestured him again, as if to warn he should be here soon.

Obanai complied and walked upon Frame Pillar who also was in the same yukata like him.

"You should be a best man" Kyojuro says.

"What? Why me?"

"Isn't it obvious? You two have grown familiar very well. If it's not you, so who would it be? And Kanroji-kun also feel you could do a great one"

Obanai doesn't understand the cultural practice in this wedding. What's the best man he referred to. Why the place decorated with mana color, set with proper meal on the tray and this cloth.

"I don't know it"

"You mean how to act as the best man?"

"Mn.." Too shy to accept but he has a feeling like this one might relate to Mitsuri who stood a bit arm-length distance from him. She looked into his eyes with a sparkle of fun and joy, a slight expectant something from him. Maybe she managed to persuade Kyojuro to ask him directly. Once he would accept to act with the flow. If it's not about her, he would surely refuse.

"You just help the groom. It's only us so we should help him too and of course, Kachou will accompany our Kanroji-kun as best woman. You and Kachou could help each other. And me will run all the ceremony with my brother. Kyojuro said in a direct tone and it uplifted him very much.

But

There's a faintly slight pinch in his mind, telling him what's about to do with the groom.

"Hey Iguro-san, why a long face? You should not do this, it's her day, isn't it and we suppose to be glade and be celebrative with her as her seemingly brother right?" Kyojuro nudged him with a right fist slightly to cheer him "And you should go and say something with her" he elbowed him again. Iguro wheezed like a angry baby.

"You mean Kanroji?" Still didn't catch the train.

"Oh god what's your joke today? Iguro-san you seemed lost! Be active and burning to your heart like a roaring flame! Why a slump face! She's going to marry off soon" his heart skipped a second beat. Iguro looked at her, yes she's in the traditionally and gracefully kimono, but she's going to marry?

"M-marry who?"

"You don't remember? You proved him by yourself a long time ago oh..there she is, act normal!" Kyojuro said in a hush tone but it's still too loud and his brain functioned wrongly like a defective circuit with a word Marry

"Heyaa Kanroji-kun! I bet you don't have time to talk with Iguro-san so talk something"

"Iguro-san" Obanai breathed in but the air cooled his lungs and burned him alive. His eyes fixed on her in disbelief. Then there's a man walking and standing beside her. By no means he's in a ceremonial conservative yukata and he looked special like there's something pointing that today's his day.

"Thank you for everything. You did lots of things for me and I appreciated every time I spent with you. You sure are like a big brother to me! I'm so glad you decided to be at my wedding day, I'm afraid you was not because I knew you don't like a kind of social gathering. By the way, I think I'm talking too much today" then she laughed to cover her speech. "And thank you for your approval of him. I'm so relieved you gave him permission and finally phew! I can be the happiest groom of today" the ecstasy radiated over her. Then the man walked beside her and placed his left hand on her right shoulder and pulled her slightly to lead her to meet a new guest.

No it should not end up like this

No

Where's the light and hope in my life, he thought in pain but in the flash, he opened his eyes and saw the vertical version of the world. It's very strange why he's in this position. What's happening?

The breeze blew the smell of grass into his nose. It's so refreshing, Obanai thought and observed the details around him. He's somewhere in the garden. A dream? Yes, that's his dream. Obanai then realised he's dreaming and what's about the ticklish sensation on his head

"Kaburamaru-kun" That's Kanroji for sure, he thought, she called his companion as it sticked its head out of his scarf, which was brought to hide Kaburamaru outside. "Come over here" She said and it moved to her shoulder and a girl showed no fear toward the white snake.

"Iguro-san needs a good sleep so you stay here with me, okay" it rested on her shoulder obediently.

"He might work up all night and sleep late, right?" Said Mitsuri to Kaburamaru. Oh yeah, Obanai'e eyes nearly popped out because he realized he fell asleep after taking her to one of the tea shop, which provided a tranquil scenery to their customers. She chose a good spot, the outdoor wooden-bamboo table set. He recollected the memory at its best but now, he's resting on her lap.

If she could hear something, it might be a stumbling and grinding sound of his teeth as his body was so tense to be unable to move properly as well as the horse-galloping sound of his heart beat.

"He looks really cute from this angle right? Kaburamaru-kun" Mitsuri said and smiled to Kaburamaru, used her fingers to comb and stroke his hair, and hummed a note naturally.

She was wondering what it would look like if he woke up. Just thinking gave a tickle feeling in her mind. But she never knew Obanai didn't sleep at all. He simply closed his eyes, seemingly blinded by the nearness and unexpected contact from her. Obanai daren't to open his eyes nor move, just breath in and out in a terrible confusion and his head was spun in a chaos.