☆•Yashimi POV•☆

The sun's light seeps through the trees as the sky lightens up with clouds appearing on the blue-colored hue.

It's been around 3 weeks now, and I have finished my rehabilitation, and now I'm slowly training with Tomioka-sama, and he's so gentle with me as we train.

I think he's only going soft on me because it's only been a few days since I've been let out of the rehabilitation training.

-----

I let air circulate through my lungs as I grip on my black handle, sweat rolling down, and drips on the ground.

"Okay. Now, do the fourth form again, but make your movement flow. Like when a crystal falls and its sharp edge points in its direction." Tomioka-sama instructs as I walk away from the wooden mannequin, steady my form stance.

"Ha'i." I nod at his command, turning around to face the mannequin and lifting my wooden sword, preparing my strike as the sun reflects on my sweat.

I calmly and swiftly inhale and exhale, digging my foot behind me deeper into the dirt ground, lowering myself.

"Crystalized Breaths. Fourth icy form: Elucidating Zigzag Ice."

I fastly leap in zigzag patterns, getting closer to the unmoving mannequin. I grip tightly on my handle, letting out a cold breath between my teeth.

As the mannequin gets closer, I swing my crystal-covered sword in a quick zigzag line, scratching my sword against its hard skin as I land far from it.

"Not bad, Fujimura." I feel Tomioka-sama's obsessive stare eyeing me up and down as I straighten myself.

"Now, do the sixth form. Like always," I straighten myself, "do it swiftly and always be alerted." He commands with a strict tone."

"H-ha'i, Tomioka-sama!" I look at the mannequin and swing my wooden sword over my shoulder with two hands around it.

The sixth form can decrease my breathing, but if I keep my air flowing and do permanent breathing, I might have more air.

I let air circulate calmly and thoroughly in my lungs as I lunged my body to the mannequin.

"Crystalized Breaths. Sixth icy form: Clear Blue Shreds, Thin Slice."

I keep my feet light on the ground as I swiftly sprint to the mannequin, slicing at every part of their body as I pass them in a crystal-like pose. Elegant, shiny, and sharp.

The sound of wood clashing against wood disappears as I kneel down far from the now-very-scratched mannequin. I stand up and hear a thud.

I turn my head and see that the mannequin has fallen. "Good job, Fujimura." Tomioka-sama comments. I struggle to breathe but keep it hidden, calmly letting my shoulder motion up and down.

"Tomioka-sama, arigatō." I shyly say, feeling pink tints of blush across my cheeks. He grabs his sword over and sets the mannequin aside.

Curiosity washed over me as I observed his actions. "Now," he says, "take me down." His deep eyes pierce through me, and his words seem like they were asking for a death sentence.

"W-what?! What if I hurt you?" Worry replaces curiosity quickly, and I add, "not that i think I can hurt you.."

"It doesn't matter if you can or can't hurt me. Just try to take me down with your style." He instructs, and I nod and huff out, feeling the air circulating in my body.

"Crystalized Breaths. Fourth icy form: Elucidating Zigzag Ice."

I do my movements as instructed. Sharp and strong, just like real crystals. I swing my sword in a zigzag pattern, yet Tomioka-sama dodges it with a swing of his sword, sending me flying on the ground.

"Ah.. n-nice one, Tomioka-sama!" I cough underneath my mask, sitting up from laying down on the ground.

"Are you okay?" I hear his footsteps walking over, "no, yeah! I'm fine, just," I cough again, "I'm fine." I stand up, dusting off the dirt on my dark crystal-blue uniform.

"I'll try again. I-I'll do better..!" I say, exhaling. "Can you still move?" Tomioka-sama asks, slightly lowering his wooden sword as the sun continues to glare at us.

"...y-yeah," I huff out. I can feel my hands trembling, but I refuse to let it show, "Just.. just give me a minute.." I steady my stance.

It's almost time to eat lunchtime, and my body is already slightly begging for food. "Why do I get hungry so easily??" I mentally cry inside my mask.

I let out another sharp breath. When the thud of an object interrupts my moment of calming down. I look up, seeing Tomioka-sama walking over to me, leaving his wooden sword on the ground.

I readied myself for his coming blows. "You don't have to lie, Fujimura." He says calmly, now towering over me, giving little to no distance between us.

"What do you–"

A firm hand carries me up. One wrap around my back and another underneath my knees. "Wha- Tomioka-sama..?!" His unexpected action surprise me.

"You don't have to lie just because I'm your opponent. If you need to rest, tell me." He says, walking straight to his estate while effortlessly carrying me.

"But, I am fine! I just needed to catch my breath." I didn't know what else to say but that. "Sure, whatever makes you fulfilled." He says nonchalantly, ignoring my protests.

Deep tints of pink spread across my cheeks and possibly around my face as we, no, Tomioka-sama continue to walk inside his house.

He slides open the shoji (door), walks in, and puts me down on the zaisu (low seat) in the dining room. "Ehm.. Tomioka-sama, where are you going?" I asked when I noticed that he was about to go out to the kitchen.

"I'm going to make us.." he hesitates, "sudon noodles and boiled eggs." He turns around and walks out.

"Did.. did Tomioka-sama remember my favorite?" I think in my head. "No, that mustn't be it. Maybe it's a coincidence..?" My eyes widen slightly as I notice my lip were naturally curling up, and I hadn't noticed until just now.

•

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☆•Giyuu POV•☆

"Sudon noodles with boiled eggs." I say, walking out. That isn't what we were having. What the hell? Is my body controlling me instead of me controlling it?

"Aren't those her favorite?" My inner voice questions as I stir the noodles in the boiling hot and now-flavored water with chopsticks. "Yeah.. I guess so.." I hum, a tone of approval coming out from my throat.

Am I happy that I remembered her favorite meal? Yes. I guess I am.

---

"Uwaa~" I swear I see sparkles in her eyes as her voice and body movements lit up after I place the food and sit down, opposite her.

"Tomioka-sama! You didn't have to, you know." She clasps her hands together on her chest. She lowers her head deep. "Tomioka-sama, arigatō!"

"You don't have to be dramatic about it, Fujimura." I wave her excitement off. "It's just a meal. Now eat to fill yourself up."

We both clasp our hands together, saying, "itadakimasu." In unison.

The sound of chopsticks stirring around bowls full of noodles, and the gratitude of slurring continues as we eat in happy peace.

After eating, we relax ourselves before continuing to train. We sit outside on my estate's engawa (porch) as the sun glares, yet the roof protects us from its heating rays shooting down.

Fujimura sits next to me, giving us a small distance. My feet dangle on the side, but it reaches the hard ground, and my hands rest gently on my lap as Tsukori and Kanzaburo fly above the estate's front yard.

"Tomioka-sama..?" Fujimura turns to me, sitting on the edge and letting her feet dangle on the side. "Do you want to walk around? I would.. like to see the surroundings with my master."

She turns away, resting her hands tightly on her lap. I can feel her embarrassment just by observing her current movements.

"You want to go around and see what's out?" I tilt my head to her. She wants to go out? With me? No, dumbass. She wants to explore around. Ah, right..

"Oh, uh.. sure." I blurt out. Unexpected yet confident.

"Ah!" She snaps her head to me with a beaming shine. "Really?!" She squeals and starts jumping around. "Don't move so much!" I harshly order her, and she immediately stops and regains her calm composure.

"Right.. hehehe.." I lowers her head as I stand up and adjust my sword on my waist. "Let's go."

"Ha'i!" I hear her footsteps trailing behind me as we walk out with the sun nicely smiling on us thus time instead of glaring like an enemy.

~~•~~

The sun smiles down at us as we walk. The air calmly sways with our hair, making it wave and puff up. Especially Fujimura's.

I don't know if it's just me, but I can feel the tension awkwardly circling around us as we continue walking. I plan to go anywhere, honestly.

We see a village and Fujimura's aura lit up seeing the decorative designs hanging from lantern to lantern. It looks like a festival is nearing.

"Ohhhh!!" Fujimura's feet start jumping. "Can we go in, Tomioka-sama??" She excitedly asks, tugging at the red side of my haori.

"No, we are focusing on relaxing and organizing our minds before continuing our training." I strictly say. It's as if she's a child, and I'm the father. Teaching his daughter the sense of self-control.

"B-but.." She turns her head to the open of the village. Seeing the somewhat flashy dangling unlit light, the in-preparation stalls, and fun games, Fujimura sighs sadly.

Something deep in my stomach twists as if it's a real gut punishing me for saying no. But how can I say yes? We are only walking around, and then we will go back to my estate.

She looks away and continues moving forward and back to the estate's path. We weren't that far from my estate, and we can go back and continue training.

But that same feeling, like.. I don't know how to describe it, but it's telling me to say otherwise and against my will.

•

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☆•Yashimi POV•☆

I start walking towards the direction of Tomioka-sama's estate when suddenly a strong grips around my wrist and pulls me back.

I expected to see the ground to rush up as I hit a hard wall, but as I looked up, I met with deep sapphires that pierce through me.

"Let's go in." He says as I pull myself away, awkwardly unwrapping my free hand around his waist. "E-ehm.." Hesitation bubbles on my words.

"Don't you wanna go in or not? Pick now." He says sternly, pulling me to him again by the wrist, with no intention of letting me go.

"Ah! Right, I.. I wanna go in with my master." I hang my head low, biting the insides of my cheeks, before confessing my plan,

"And maybe.. cancel today's training to have fun with him..?" I grip tightly on the hem of my crystal-blue haori.

I know that he will say no, but it's worth a shot. If he says no, then I'll ready myself. If he refuses, I'll—

"Fine, but just this once, and you can't say anything to anyone about this." He says, very low and dark, then pulls me next to him as we walk  inside the village.

"YES!!" I happily celebrate in my head as Tomioka-sama and I naturally interwine our fingers as we look around the in-preparation designs of the village.

---

"Uwaaa~" I speed walk over to a now-finished stall and look over the products that are being displayed.

"Ohayō!" A female voice says and comes out from the back. I stand from my bending position and away from the stall.

She's a short lady, wearing a bright yellow with star designs and a white haori. Her hair is tightly tied to a bun on the side as her face looks like she's around her 30s, perhaps.

"O-oh! Sorry! I didn't mean to disturb you!" I quickly and deeply bow as deep red spreads across my cheeks.

"Oh, no! Please, do have a look if you'd like." She says, a sweet tone lacing with her voice as she goes behind the counter.

A kind of sweaty sensation sticks between my hands and Tomioka-sama. As I look at the colorful and decorated bracelets, I start to notice and feel Tomioka-sama interwining fingers around mine.

"A-ah, I'm sorry, Tomioka-sama. I must've made you feel uncomfortable." I unwrap my fingers around his and wipe it with my haori, looking at it nervously.

"..."

Silence follows after us as we take our leave before we can go away even further. The young lady yells over to me, calling out, "Miss! Please wait!" She grabs my wrist softly.

"I saw those two matching bracelets you were looking at. I'll save it for when you come back. If you do." She whispers and sends herself off, waving goodbye.

I can sense her aura hopeful, but not for the money but for me to come back. And my mind debated if it should or not.

"What'd she say?" I feel Tomioka-sama's presence towering over me, cooling my head from the setting sun.

We've been here for more than two hours, and the sun is already setting. He puts his hand on my head as we turn around to go out. "Nothing much just.. about what we are.."

I hate fucking liars and here I am lying to someone I care about.

"What'd you say?" He asks, keeping his strict eyes straight.

"What else would I say?" I turn to him as we continue walking, his hand falling to his side.

"Don't give me that playful attitude, Fujimura." His expression tightens a little, and I turn my face to our direction.

"Just that we are hanging out and stuff." I say in a mutter, lowering it more as I near the end of my sentence.

"..."

Some colorful stall catches my eyes, and the familiar scent of dango swirls around my nose holes.

"Tomioka-sama!" I turn my heel to him as he stops in his tracks. "Can we please, please!!" I clasp my hands together and hang my head, feeling hopeful that he'd say yes for the last time.

Dango is one of my favorite food stalls, and I'd been dying to eat more of it, but I just don't seem to have more time as I'd be stuck inside the Water Mansion.

"Fine.. let's go." I look up to see him already walking towards the stall. I skip my way to him, feeling very successful at convincing him and a big, wide smile behind my emotionless mask.

•

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☆•Giyuu POV•☆

I don't know if it's possible, but when I look behind me, her mask lights up as she skips her way to my side. I can feel her presence being bright as the sun, I could possibly be blind if I keep staring at her.

We reach our way, and she says to the guy behind the stall, "Two dango, please!" She impatiently yet happily curl her fingers into shaky, happy fists up to her chest height.

"Coming up, young miss!" He says and prepares two freshly-made dango. He hands it out, and Fujimura bows in gratitude, thanking the owner as we walk away.

I paid for it, and as usual, Fujimura felt embarrassed that someone like me paid it for her for something so cheap.

"Tomioka-sama.!" She pushes a hot and spicy dango to me. "Why are you giving it to me?" My face remains unexpressive as an eyebrow raises.

"Because you paid for it! And it's the least I can do.." She says, perhaps feeling.. nervous.?

I stare at the hot dango and wrap my fingers around it, blurring a reluctant and heavy , "Fine."

She lifts her mask and starts eating as we continue our way of walking. Suddenly, a loud voice comes out from behind us, making us quite startled.

"Tomioka-san! Tomioka-san!" A cheerful, childish and bright voice calls out. Fujimura and I turn our heads and are met with bright pink and green braids, tall figure of a woman, skirt shaking from the happy run of Kanrouji Mitsuri.

"Tomioka-san!" She opens her eyes, and they are as childish and strong as ever. "Kanrouji? What are you doing here?" I ask, taking one bite of the three pieces of dango.

"Oh, nothing~ I was just walking around, you know, and when I went to a dango stall, they told me they saw two people who wore a similar uniform as me!" She excitedly says, as if meeting us weren't something she'd see.

•

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☆•Mitsuri POV•☆

My voice is loud and cheerful as ever, I hope they appreciate it!

"It's the first time I've seen you here, Tomioka-san!" I tilt my head in confusion. "Were you walking with someone? Fresh air, maybe?" My beaming smile and clasp hands intertining with each other made me feel happier.

But you know what made me even happy? When I turn my head to Tomioka-san's back, a short woman with a kitsune mask hides herself from Tomioka-san.

"Oh! Is she your tsuguko?" I quickly turn my head to the woman. "Hi there! I'm Kanrouji Mitsuri, the love Hashira. Nice to meet you!" I hold out my hand, motioning her to shake it.

My close-eyed and big smile must've been friendly because when I opened my eyes, she grabbed my hand and shook it in return.

"Pardon my rudeness, sweet cotton candy. I'm Fujimura Yashimi!!" She happily says, letting go of my hand.

"EEEEKK!! I'm so happy to have met you two here!" I interwine my hands on my chest height, feeling fulfilled by her kind gesture and by the cotton candy nickname.

"Us too, Kanrouji-san!" She bows, and that makes me shy. "No need to bow, Fujimura-San!" I say as wave my hands off.

"It's still respect! And you are in far superior status than I am." She says in a happy tone. I'm so happy to have met someone as cheery as me.

"Say, Fujimura-san," I lift an index finger, "what are you two doing here? I never see Tomioka-san going to places like these." I say, eyeing Tomioka-san who just stares at Fujimura-san.

"Oh! Well, I wanted some dango because I've been craving it. And because it's my favorite." Her body movements seem happy and bright, and her mask says love.

"Ohh! Did you guys check out the other stores?! I heard that there are fun games!"

"Actually, we checked a few! And it looks fun, but we didn't play any. It looked like they were still getting ready."

We continued talking, and I found out that they didn't know about the upcoming festival, so I told them, saying that, "Gion Matsuri is the upcoming festival! That's why they're all preparing. It's one of the bestest festivals here."

I invited them, but Tomioka-san refused, saying that they were training every day, and I didn't push. I'm glad to see them hanging out, even if it's just today.

"Oh, well, I'd have to go now! See you guys later, stay safeeeeee!" I run back, waving bye-bye to them.

•

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☆•Yashimi POV•☆

Kanrouji-san runs back, waving goodbye to us as I do the same, smiling behind my mask.

"Let's get going." Tomioka-sama says strictly, and we start walking back in utter silence of the air and my mouth babblering about nonsense.

"I wanna sleep in your estate, Tomioka-sama. Kochou-san's Butterfly Mansion is too gar and I'm already so, so tired!!" I complain as my back slouch with aching pain in my knees.

"That's your fault. But fine. I will sent Kanzaburo a letter to Kochou, informing her." He says and I beam with excitement.

~~•~~

I finished changing into my white clothes to get ready to sleep.

As I pass Tomioka-sama's room to say good night, he opens the shoji, his eyes slightly surprise to see me standing so near.

"Fujimura? Came to say your daily good night for me?" He asks, a little playful attitude in his tone. "Actually, yes!" I beam at him.

"No, and well, that you're here. Goodnight, Tomioka-sama." I deeply bow and then straighten myself.

As I turn and walk away, he suddenly pushes me into his body, almost colliding with his.

"Tomio-"

He grabs my mask a little bit down, puts his hand behind my head, and grazes his lips to my forehead.

"Wha..?"

"Goodnight to you too. Fujimura."