Disclaimer: All credit goes to Nanami Shingo and フクロウ. I seriously hope those who read this fanfic enjoy フクロウ's stories despite my horrible translation... Well then, we are up to the last oneshot! After this, there will be longer stories... So I guess it's time to rejoice to that? Well then, without further ado, let's begin.

芽生えたもの

The Thing That Sprouted

Inuchiyo x Kasane

"U~n, I c-can't reach…"

Kasane desperately stretched up to her tiptoes to reach up to clean the shelves. As she thought, if she doesn't have something like a stool it'll be impossible to clean these tall places.

"Tono-sama is going to get angry…"

Troubled, she furrowed her brow.

If she went to find a stool now, she'll lose precious time. Plus she has other jobs to finish, she needed to hurry up or else.

As thoughts swam through her mind, she felt a presence coming from behind.

"Inuchiyo-san?"

"Hm?"

His large body overshadowed her form as he glanced down at her.

"Katane, what's wrong?"

"Ah, yes. I was cleaning this, but I can't reach…"

She sheepishly laughed. It was hard to just say that's she's too short to reach the shelves.

"Indeed, Katane is small~"

"Geez! Please stop laughing."

Amused at the situation, he laughed while she puffed out her cheeks.

"Then I'll help you clean!"

"Eh?…Kyaaa!?"

Before she could comprehend his words, Kasane felt her body become light. Feeling her body pulled up high, she soon found herself looking down at the shelf.

"I—inuchiyo-san!"

Turning red, Kasane called his name because she was now seated upon his shoulder.

"See, now you can reach, right?"

With an unconcerned smile directed at her, she deeply sighed, dumbfounded. When she saw Inuchiyo's smile, all complaint and anger disappeared.

Such an astonishing person.

"…Thank you very much, Inuchiyo-san."

"I'm happy that I was of use to Katane!"

At his bright, beaming smile, she unconsciously also felt a grin form across her face. And so, with Inuchiyo's help, Kasane was able to clean the areas she wasn't able to reach before.

"Thank you so much, Inuchiyo-san! You saved me!"

"Hm, it's fine, it's fine~"

Bobbing his head, Inuchiyo lowered his head. He sent her a smile and shyly scratched his head.

"Well I got to do other stuff so, I best be going…"

She told him as she left the place. He watched her slim back retreat from the area.

(Katane's body… was really soft, huh…)

When he was holding her up and that sweet scent.

It was nothing he ever felt before.

No matter who much time passed, the sensation of her skin and her scent occupied his heart.

"Hm…? What's this…?"

Inuchiyo noticed a heating sensation filling his body.

Even though he hasn't exercised, his heart was beating faster and faster.

"…?"

He tilted his head in confusion at this odd predicament.

Could this be a fever? Inuchiyo pondered as he started to walk.

(…If it's a fever, then maybe Katane could take care of me…)

Inuchiyo thought in a trance.

He imagined Katane staying by his side and gently pat his head and taking good care of him.

(…That seems nice.)

Inuchiyo secretly thought.

If that happened, he'd be super happy.

In the world that was developing in his mind, he saw himself monopolizing Katane all to himself.

With those thoughts running through his mind, Inuchiyo could no longer control his feelings.

"Oh? What is it, Inuchiyo. Why're smiling to yourself, it's creepy."

Kuranosuke who happened to pass by at the same time, looked at Inuchiyo with a scrunched brow. Well this would be the normal response if one was to catch him grinning all by himself.

"Kura! I caught a cold!"

"Haa?"

Kuranosuke's frown deepened at his companion's absurd declaration.

"You're an idiot if you're saying that so energetically."

"Eh? I don't look sick?"

"I only see an idiot."

"Then I better get even more sick!"

Inuchiyo exclaimed as he turned his head to looking for a way to achieve his goal.

Catching the sight of a small pond in the middle of the garden, his face brightened.

"…!?"

Without having the time to stop him, Kuranosuke was unable to do anything when Inuchiyo abruptly flew into the pond.

In comparison to Kuranosuke's shock reaction, Inuchiyo gleefully grinned and laughed.

Then, Nobunaga, who just happened to pass by at the same time, glared and angrily shook his fist at Inuchiyo for jumping and damaging the pond and disturbing his precious fish.

"Geez, Inuchiyo-san. You shouldn't run about like that."

"…Hehehe…"

Just after being severely lectured by Nobunaga, fortunately or not, he felt a high fever break out and is now resting in bed.

And just as his imagination played out, Kasane came to take care of him. He cheerfully smiled at his current circumstances.

"Katane, you're going to be at my side all day?"

"Of course. Tono-sama told me to take care of you after I finished all of my chores, so I'm fine."

"You're really not going to go anywhere?"

"I'm not. Inuchiyo-san is like a child."

She softly chuckled at Inuchiyo's childish question.

At her cute smile, he felt his fever rise once more and sensed his heart pound like crazy.

Though he made Tono angry, he was happy that he could be all alone with Katane.

"Katane."

"Yes?"

"…It's nothing."

"…You're so weird today Inuchiyo-san."

Seeing her smile, Inuchiyo also forced a grin as he realized that something was strange about him now.

The bud that sprouted was still very young and innocent.

Well, I hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend. I shall try to upload another chapter on the weekends.