2 HOURS EARLIER

The red-light district is as busy as ever.

At night, people search for its unique charm to pleasure the tired faces and guide the lost souls in. But its reputation is not limited to being the city of pleasures. Now, when the sun glorifies the district with its ever-shining rays, people stride around, peacefully seeking calmness contrary to what the night offers to its customers. To the harmony and equality of people inside the area, this stirs the passion inside Tsukuyo more, urging her to walk a little bit farther to maintain the district's newfound reputation.

Home to all ladies with the power to please, the words which would be known to refer to Yoshiwara.

"Should the Courtesan of Death show a creepy smile this early in the morning? Just go and screw over some geezer, Tsukki."

Tsukuyo's path is blocked by a certain ninja, landing gracefully with the subtle aura of danger. Just like the smoke Tsukuyo puffed out, the lavender scarf flowed, dancing by the will of the wind.

"O-oi, Sarutobi. What's the matter? Did you finally accept you have always been rejected?" The leader of Hyakka immediately understood that she's treading on a danger zone, struggling to make something out of Sarutobi Ayame's new haircut.

The former Oniwabanshu member flexed her gloved hands, the audible cracks seemingly threatening. Tsukuyo doesn't know if seeing just Sarutobi's back is better or not.

And when there's tremble in her voice as she finally spoke, Tsukuyo knew it was far from fear nor worry.

"Oh don't worry about this. It's a simple act of my unconditional love for Gin-san." The ninja brushed her medium-length hair slowly turning around to face her. "You see, Gin-san is actually bal- has hair problems so I decided to make a wig out of my hair. Then, Gin-san and I will have the same color, the same hair with straightness he so longed before. Wouldn't it be nice?"

"Oh, t-then, why do you l-look like you want to kill someone?"

A man with a satisfied look on his face has emerged from the building beside them. While caressing his bottom, he muttered, "Aah, my ass never felt this good." A second later, he was seen on a post with clothes pinned by a kunai. Ayame shot another one to his butt without looking.

Tsukuyo inconspicuously signaled the few members of Hyakka present in the area to help the man.

"Tsukki." At her sudden call, the blonde shot upright. "Yes?!"

"Do you know a fellow ninja of mine who has this butt you kind of want to smash with some sharp object?"

"T-that's very vague." At the same time, not.

"He happens to like ladies he calls 'fuglies'."

At this, a bulb turned on. "Oh, the man with a light blue scarf? He helped saved the Yoshiwara from flames. Hattori Zenzou, was it?"

In a matter of milliseconds, another kunai is seen on the pole beside Tsukuyo.

"Yes, that one. He's an idiot, see. He mistook my masterpiece as some kind of tissue to wipe his dirty ass with. What a joke. His butt won't take the amazing masterpiece I created. What an idiot. His butt is done for anyway. Now, where do you keep your fuglies here?"

"Why are you searching when you have one here? Just look for a mirror and you'll immediately see one, Sarutobi-san."

Walking towards them were Shimura Otae and Yagyuu Kyubei, each holding a container of some sort.

"Good morning Tsukuyo-dono, Sarutobi-dono. What's that look?"

"Sarutobi is searching for a man named Hattori Zenzou. Do you know him?"

"Well, we did not see anyone worth mentioning on our way here."

"Now, now, let's eat first. Have you eaten breakfast yet? We brought food."

"I have to go and kill someone. See y- GWAH!" Before Ayame could turn from them, Otae has her locked in her arms. Kyubei cheered her on while Tsukuyo's face tinged with worry.

"What are you doing, bitch?!"

"What incredible strength, Tae-chan!"

"Uh, is that black matte- cooking of yours, Otae?"

"My, can't we celebrate your haircut first, Sarutobi-san? And I didn't have time to cook. It's a shame, really."

Tsukuyo led them to a familiar house where she lives with Hinowa and Seita. They made themselves comfortable before opening the containers.

"Sarutobi-san, the bags under your eyes will not disappear if you don't eat."

"Go away, gorilla. I won't eat any of your black matter today."

"We bought it just now, fugly. Don't be choosy and eat."

"Maybe you poisoned it. Maybe your gorilla man did."

The container had an eccentric yet elaborate design covered in gold and pinkish hues. Kyuubei gave it an appreciative hum before shaking her head as it should be too... feminine for her. Before she can lift up the cover, she heard a laugh.

"Kyuubei, you don't have to force yourself to like something, or to not like something."

At this, Kyuubei's cheek gave a tint similar to the container's hue.

"It's just... it seemed a tiny bit... cute... and beautiful."

"Yes, and there's nothing wrong in appreciating that."

Both girls genuinely smiled, in contrast to the other two in front who were still bickering and insulting each other. "It's a good thing we bought these at such a small price. People in Yoshiwara are really doing their best, right, Tsukuyo-dono?"

"We should, if we want to maintain this home of ours." Although she said it with a smile, Tsukuyo cannot help but wonder over the container. There's a familiar scent she can faintly smell but she can't put a finger on it. "Kyuubei, where did you buy that?"

Kyuubei pointed straight from where they had come from. "There, near the entrance of the district. There was a boy selling so many of these." As the guardian of Yoshiwara, one should know what is happening in every part and know who resides within. As Tsukuyo's brows furrowed, Kyuubei became more alert. "Were you not informed, Tsukuyo-dono?"

That was the last place she's supposed to check. The place she was headed to go.

Before either of them continue, two screeching voices got louder and cut them off.

"Why are you bringing Gin-san into this? No one said a word about that lazy ass!"

"Fugly or not, Gin-san will enjoy being an S with me!"

"Why don't you bring that Zenzou with you instead?! If you accept being fugly, accept being rejected!"

"What are you saying?! You don't make any sense, you butt hair woman!"

"I don't have butt hair! Kondou-san has that!"

"Then your glasses brother! He already has chest hair, go check his butt hair!"

"You two that's enough. Sarutobi, put that whip away, you're attracting some M."

"Tae-chan, please lower your fist and sit down. You may attract the other gorilla."

As the two were calmed down, the people started to go away from the scene and dispersed. The girls took note of Otae's sudden silence. Her fists were lowered, but they were shaking just as her lips quivered. It was certainly not from the cold and most certainly not from any electric-related thing as Kyuubei checked.

"Shin-chan..."

Sarutobi Ayame is not a woman of virtue, that she admits. But even she knows where to stand when she makes a genuine mistake. She gently puts Tsukuyo's hands down from her arms and walked towards Kyuubei and Otae. With courage she musters and any dignity left inside her twisted fantasies and darkened heart, she says, "I'm sorry."

Tsukuyo looked at the cabinet where a purple umbrella is hidden and sighed.

Kyuubei looked at the other container that's supposed to be at a certain younger brother's hands.

Kagura and Shinpachi...

Inside the container were cookies in different shapes with their half covered in chocolate drizzle while the other half in pink syrup. Kyuubei got an eyepatch-shaped cookie, Ayame picked the cuffs, Tsukuyo randomly selected a pipe and Otae blindly pulled a banana. These specific shapes to their cookies do not concern them, however insulting or interesting they may be, because when they looked at each other, they only thought of one thing.

They lightly bumped their cookies before eating them.

To the Odd Jobs.

All hoped for their return.