《• ʀ ᴇ ʙ ɪ ʀ ᴛ ʜ •》[ ᴍᴜᴢᴀɴ x ᴏᴄ ]

C23- ☆Bud☆

Heian Period, in the late 700's

"Otou-sama, why?" Mimi cried out, her eyes full of questions.

"Why would you let me marry someone that easily? I don't want to leave you alone."

Her father's eyes hardened. "Child, you are no longer a girl. You are a woman and you need to settle down. Forget about me. Be happy, have your own family and rear children. It would be better that way."

"But I'm not happy at all!" Mimi said, unconsciously raising her voice.

Her father frowned and his eyes looked away from her. She went to embrace him as she cried on his shoulders.

"Please.. Let me stay with you some more. Then I promise I'll get married, Otou-sama. I'll marry, Muzan-sama. Create a family with him and have children just like what you wanted so please... Otou-sama.. before all of that. Let me take care of you. You're the only family I have left."

"Will this make you happy?" He asked her. Mimi frantically nodded.

"I see. "She heard him whisper yet deep inside, she knows that it was his own way of saying he was also happy.

"You really are like Yori. "

Mimi just held on his father and for a few days, she stayed with him.

That was until she received a letter of summon from Muzan.

"Muzan-sama wants you to stay with him in his household. We have discussed this before. This is so the two of you can get to know each other before he decides to marry you. He has already chosen you, child."

Mimi pursed her lips. "Otou-sama, I will go... but I will ask Muzan-sama to let me visit you. "

"Mimi--"

She cut him off. "Otou-sama, please.." She outright begged him as she held his hands.

"Please.."

Her father kept quiet for a long time before he nodded. His child's devotion to him was boundless and he regretted ever being a burden to her.

"Otou-sama, I'll be back. I promise you. So please don't forget to take your medicine. Eat your meals properly and sanitize your hands. If something happens, I will immediately head over so please don't forget to write a letter. "Those were her last words to her father before she was escorted back to the Kibutsuji household by Muzan's servants.

Muzan's household was ever the luxurious one. His paintings and decorations were no doubt expensive and as a daughter of a merchant, Mimi knows when something is worth as heavy as gold or as heavy as air.

She bit her lip as she stared at all the expensive stuff. She was escorted to her room while the servants carefully dolled her up before meeting their master.

"Kimiko-sama, Lord Muzan has requested that you join him for dinner. "Mimi could only nod before sighing.

The servants once again guided her to Muzan. She bowed her head before entering the room.

"Greetings, Muzan-sama. I am here as requested. "

Muzan's placid voice spoke and even the simple tone of his voice was enough to make her feel uncomfortable.