───
"LADY HIMARI, PLEASE COME BACK!! I STILL need to brush your hair!!", a maid yelled, to which the red-haired woman had turned her head around meanwhile skipping down the halls.
"BITCH, YOU BE STRAIGHT UP PULLING MY HAIR! I AIN'T GOING BACK!!", himari huffed, promptly bumping into someone.
"holy shit!! watch where you're—eh? suguru?"
the dark-haired male slightly chuckled, extending both his hands out, as himari accepted his help.
"you're not hurt are you?"
"nahhhh!! life's knocked me down so many times, this is just a small scratch", himari replied, causing getō to just smile.
"running away from your maid?"
"she was just brushing my hair too hard. my head's tender...at least in this body", himari answered, mumbling the last part.
getō stifled a chuckle.
"am I allowed to help with your hairdo then?"
himari raised a brow.
"sir, you've cut my bangs like six times...OF COURSE!! LET'S GO!!", himari exclaimed, dragging the man towards her room, as she had dismissed all the maids.
meanwhile himari kneeled before her makeup desk, getō had grabbed the comb on the table and started gently combing through the woman's smooth locks.
"man, you do it so much better than my maids, no offense though. they really be trying to pull my entire skull off", himari exaggerated, causing the man to softly laugh.
"if you want, I can do this for you every morning...and night", getō responded, to which the man had momentarily paused, as he processed his own words.
"hm? really?? wouldn't that be a hassle though?", himari asked, clearly not catching onto what getō was saying.
the dark-haired male then cleared his throat a bit, as himari glanced up at her mirror, witnessing the rouge tint across getō's face.
"nothing's too troublesome if it's for you", getō quietly muttered, to which himari had swiftly snapped her head around, displaying a grin.
"suguru, I never took you as the simp type", the woman teased, pinching the man's cheeks, as getō just diverted his gaze.
"is that...is that bad?"
"nahhh~ I quite enjoy it. it's sweet of you, really".
the woman then turned back around as she tied up all her hair into a ponytail, leaving only her bangs and some small strands to frame her face.
on instinct, the dark-haired male had leaned in, placing a soft kiss against the nape of the woman's neck, causing himari to flinch, as she could feel getō's lips form into a smile.
"I meant it when I said that I wouldn't mind by the way...and I'm sure that the others wouldn't either. anyways, I'll leave you to get ready now", getō whispered, standing up, as he just casually left.
himari's jaw nearly dropped down to the floor, as her pointer and middle finger traced from her neck down to her collarbone.
"I—who allowed this man to be so smooth?!"
the group — including all the students, with the exception of miwa and muta — had promptly arrived at the palace, with many other daimyos and elites present as well.
"happy birthday, lady himari", some greeted, to which the auburn-haired woman had only casted a small smile with bunny sukuna in her arms.
"himari, since it's your birthday, why're you covering yourself up with a cloak? did you not like the new jūnihitoe I bought for you?", hotaru asked.
"that's not it, father. I just...made a special fit for this occasion", himari grinned.
"special...fit??"
"you'll see~", the woman sang, skipping to the front of the seats, where the shogunate was sitting with his official wife and a few concubines.
"greetings, lord yoshiaki"; everyone bowed in sync.
"you may all rise", ashikaga stated, as his forehead was bandaged — apparently it was a wound from a recent hunt.
"thank you, my lord".
"if I remember correctly, today's lady himari's birthday isn't it?"
"my lord indeed has good memory", himari complimented, causing a nearly unnoticeable scoff to be heard.
"and I also heard that lady himari's found two out of the three stones, is that correct?"
"yes, my lord".
"I'm impressed. hopefully lady himari finds the last one soon, as your time is about to be up", the shogunate reminded.
"I am well aware. thank you for your concern, lord yoshiaki", himari smiled, to which the shogunate had then gestured to the seats near him.
himari, hotaru, and gojō took a seat, meanwhile the others stood behind them, as they weren't daimyos nor considered upper royalty.
as the feast began, himari had set the pink furred bunny on her lap, feeding the demon pieces of chicken and pork, as he was not a fanatic for vegetables.
"lady himari, will you be performing for us today as well?", the head of the kamo clan nicely questioned.
"of course!! I'm so glad you asked, as I'm sure you're all bored with the same old dances", the woman grinned, hastily standing up, as sukuna plopped to his side, glaring at the careless woman.
himari then shedded off her dark cloak, revealing a bluish-teal cropped top with a pair of loose pants that matched the fabric that was attached to the woman's armbands.
pieces of golden jewelry — like her bangles — had accented the woman's brilliant green eyes, along with the single aquamarine dangling right above her forehead.
"h-himari, you're practically nude!", rumi harshly whispered.
"huh? no I'm not. and be thankful that I'm not doing the renegade", himari muttered, putting on a fake smile, as she made her way to the center of the room.
the woman then snapped her fingers, to which the musicians had started playing a slightly odd tune — but not terrible — according to the others.
himari then broadened her smile, as she started embodying the word: elegant.
every arm movement, leg crossing, arching of the back, was the definition of perfection. not only did the woman shift from an arabesque to a bridge, and up into the normal standing position, himari also spun on the sole of her foot multiple times.
the fabric tied around her armbands acted like wings, twirling around with her, as the woman leaped in front of the shogunate.
with the music coming to an end, himari had landed in her middle splits, with her arms lifted like the neck of a sophisticated swan.
breathless whispers were heard, as claps started rippling once gojō had started it first.
"despite the outlandish outfit and music, I must say, you never fail to surprise, lady himari".
the woman then bowed, as she could only accept the compliment.
"why I'm glad that I have met your expectations, lord yoshiaki".
"hurry! bring lady himari her birthday present. after all, her ladyship has given us such a splendid performance".
two eunuchs had then swiftly left, hastily returning with a golden cage — thin bars — containing an ever so rare albino peacock.
everyone gasped at the sight, as himari's smile had soon fallen.
"fancy your present, lady himari?"