It was high noon when you'd finally made it back to the Guren.
After your little encounter with the flamboyantly eccentric Tengen Uzui, you've been in a mildly cheerful mood as of late.
You didn't quite understand as to why you were suddenly feeling this way? It was as if you had spring fever and was on cloud nine as you walked (rather skipped) down the corridors with a spring in your step.
"Hey parasite!" Came Sayomei's angry voice as you stopped and turned towards her.
"What took you so long? Where's my melonpan?" She asks glaring at you.
You smiled─not at all fazed for some reason, before reaching into your obi and pulling out the still fresh and perfectly wrapped melonpan, and handed it her.
"Here you go, Sayomei." You say, your voice not at all shy like it was since morning. Instead, you sounded way too happy.
Sayomei arched a brow at your sudden change of attitude, before taking the melonpan from you. She gave you a despiteful look─just why the hell were you in such a good mood all of a sudden?
"What's gotten into you? You seem to be in good spirits then you were this morning." She grimaced.
You'd blinked before shrugging your shoulders nonchalantly─not really having an answer for her as you then turned and continued on your way towards Lady Yamamoto's office.
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You really couldn't describe your attitude today. You really couldn't understand why were you in such a good mood?
However, what you did understand was that your mind kept returning back to your full encounter with Tengen. Indeed, his personality had been so vibrantly confident, but straightforward when it came to you, despite having him flirt with you and groping your butt.
The mental image of him flexing and smiling made your heart dance as your cheeks grew hot. You really couldn't think straight at all around him. He just carried so much confidence and seemed to enjoy teasing you specifically for who knows what reason, and of course who were you to stop him.
"Well, you seem to have developed an interest in me. Or should I say, an attraction, just as I have towards you. So I figured we could go on a date?" You'd remembered him telling you.
A date? He did just seriously ask you out, right?
"Let's see how this works out and I'll know if you really are a woman worthy of being my fourth. I like those equally as much as women with nice asses."
His bizarre words made the butterflies in your stomach flutter. Although, many may consider it rude, but you could tell there was definitely playfulness and mirth within his statement.
And what exactly did he mean by worthy of being his fourth? The fourth to what, exactly?
You didn't know, considering you had just met the guy. But somehow he already (if not miraculously) managed the to amuse you with his compelling charisma by being downright gorgeous, whilst purposely trying to woo you.
His dazzling disposition and erratic behaviour heavily contrasted your own shy and solemn nature.
When he introduced himself, his eyes betrayed that spark. Those piercing deep beautiful pools of fuscia orbs seemed to study you from head to toe a thousand times over.
It was the first time in years that someone looked at you with such fervor. Your face warmed in response and you could feel yourself melt under his gaze.
You sigh softly, remembering the smell of potpourri and pinewood emanating from his skin when you had hugged him in favor of returning your mother's comb to you.
'What is this feeling,' you thought? Your heart seemed to beat like a taiko drum and your palms were slick with sweat. You felt feverish even after just thinking about him.
Perhaps, you were coming down something like a cold, though you prayed you weren't.
"Lady Yamamoto, I have returned with the champagne you'd asked me to get!" You say.
"Enter!" Came her toad-like voice as you slid the shoji open and entered.
Face caked heavily in white makeup with deep red lipstick and brown eyes shrouded with violent eyeliner slowly glanced up at you.
"Well now, I'm impressed you made it back without a hitch. No drunken men trying to harass you, today?" The large woman muses.
"No ma'am." You say, placing the bottle onto the table.
Lady Yamamoto's eyes examined you closely─noticing you didn't have your hair covering your face and the brightness in your (e/c) eyes and smile. How giddy you seemed?
"Why so happy, child?" She asks, arching a questionable brow.
Her eyes then flick towards the champagne bottle and then, back to you. Your smile still evidential.
"You plotting to kill me or something? Have you brought me poison instead of champagne?" She questions.
"No ma'am." You say.
Just why were you so happy? You didn't even know, but it felt good.
"Hmm, well get back to finishing your chores and be sure to finish mending Sayomei's kimono, no excuses!" Lady Yamamoto says and you are dismissed.
You nod and bowed, before turning to leave.
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Entering your room, you closed the shoji and leaned against the wall─breathing a sigh of relief.
Home sweet home.
Sort of.
But your bedroom was the only place you considered a sanctuary within this hell hole. A place were you could unwind and have a moment to yourself to luxuriate.
After awhile, you dragged yourself across your room, but stopped and kneel down to pet your cat, Mashumaru (meaning marshmallow).
"Hey there lazy cat, did you miss me?" You say as Mashumaru only purred happily, indicating that she's indeed happy to see her "mama".
She's a Japanese Bobtail and you'd named her marshmallow because of her white fur and the fact that she was soft and fluffy like a marshmallow.
You raised her ever since she was a stray kitten and what a strange cat she was considering she preferred to eat fish over mice, which is why Lady Yamamoto initially wanted you to get rid of her since she wasn't a rodent killer.
Making your way over towards your bed, you flopped down onto the plushness of your mattress─with your mind still thinking of Tengen as you romanticize of what could've been a normal encounter.
That strange, hunk of a man. So arrogant...so bombastic...and so beautiful.
On such a day, you encounter him under the under the cherry blossom tree in the ruins. You smile softly remembering his wild comments and flirtatious gestures towards you, and how he had your heart fluttering, thundering as he smiled affectionately at you.
Now you finally understood the reason behind your sudden upbeat mood.
Once upon a time, you wanted to be someone to pay attention and love you unreservedly. A childish dream to be free and to love fiercely. And it would've seems your dream is slowly coming true.
Tengen was like a free spirit, who unlike you─a trapped bird; he sores through the skies and undoubtedly makes life his own.
His hearty laugh and vibrant eyes gently reminding you of what it's like to have hope beyond the Guren and Yoshiwara; a life of consuming love.
"ɴʏᴀᴀ," You heard Mashumaru meow softly, whilst feeling weight on your mattress, meaning she had climbed onto the bed to join you.
You hummed feeling Mashumaru nuzzled her forehead against your hair as she purred, making you briefly recalled how Tengen caressed his fingers through your hair and massaged your scalp.
The feeling of his strong, muscular body pressed against yours and his wandering hand groping your rear; it all made your body feel weird sensations you never felt before.
Your face heated up the more you thought about him. Thick toned muscles barely hidden by his tank top; silver locks; jewelry shining with the light that occasionally hit him; fuscia eyes that gaze at you so intensely; and a bombastic attitude. The man was indeed an astonishing sight to behold.
Thus, his signal had been clear as glass and what's even more so...
"Mashumaru.." You started, slowly turning your head to glance at her.
"I think I'm in love."