29

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I hum softly to myself as I prepare breakfast in the kitchen alone. I made sure to get up early enough to prepare enough food for Haganezuka to have for breakfast and enough food to pack him for his journey back to the village today.

Yes even though we shared a strange moment last night, there is no way I have feelings for him! That is just ridiculous that I even considered it, Haganezuka is just my best friend that I care deeply for, that's all!

Just as I'm finishing up the cooking, Miko stumbles into the kitchen yawning and rubbing her eyes. I just offer her a smile, assembling the last few parts of the dishes together as she looks over my shoulder with tired eyes, before abruptly straightening up which startles me a little.

"Is this for-"

"Shhh!" I cover her mouth with a worried look, checking that we're still alone in the kitchen before letting her go. "No one knows he's here yet! I'm still figuring out how to sneak him out but in the mean time I just-"

I'm cut off by a shrill scream coming from... his room. Miko and I look at each other as our faces drop and we both instantly take off through the halls. We slide around the corner, seeing the situation making me panic.

One of the resident maids is standing there, laundry dropped all over the floor, as Haganezuka stands directly in front of her, both of them frozen in place. We both hurry over and I stand in front of Haganezuka as Miko and I laugh awkwardly to the terrified maid.

"W-w-w-what is a ss-swordsmith doing here!?" She says and Miko and I look at each other worried. "Why isn't anyone saying anything!?" She yells and we both quickly shush her.

"Look we can explain just please don't-"

"What's happening!" We hear a distant voice yell and Miko shakes me while panicking.

"Hanako what do we do?!" She whisper yells and I look around worried. I then spot a tiny utility closet next to us and I do the first thing that comes to mind.

"Please cover for us Miko!" I say holding her hands and she looks at me shocked but before she can protest, I open the closet and turn to Haganezuka. He doesn't have time to react as I push him into the closet, following close behind before sliding the door shut.

The closet is cramped and small but I'm too focused on peering out the small gap and watching the commotion unfold just outside the closet we're hidden in. Haganezuka however, isn't doing as well as ignoring how close the situation has put us in.

He pushes himself as far away from me as he can, looking to the side with his chest rising up and down as his heart beats rapidly in his chest. He holds his breath, too afraid to move in case it puts him any closer to the girl basically pushed flush against his chest. He has no idea how he ended up in this situation, he was just trying to find his way out of the residence when he ran into that woman and she screamed dropping everything she was carrying. Then the two others ran over and next thing he knew, he's shoved into a closet with the girl he's been struggling to get out of his mind for the past few months.

I listen intently as some of the Kakushi run over, including another one of the demon slayers staying here.

"What happened we heard screaming?!" They say and I pray Miko is able to defuse the situation. She laughs awkwardly, flinging her arm around the still pale looking maid while waving her hands in dismissal.

"Oh nothing serious! We just uh... ran into... a ... a gigantic spider! Yeah yeah it was massive, as big as my face practically!" She says and I shake my head, hopefully it's enough to convince everyone.

"A spider? What are you talking about it-" Miko quickly cuts off the maid.

"Well we're not even entirely sure if it was a spider! It could've been anything, a new species of bug perhaps! But don't worry, she saved us by throwing the laundry basket at it and it got scared and jumped out the window! Thanks for saving us sis!" She says ruffling the maids hair as she grimaces and glares at her in return. The others just exchange confused glances before sighing and shaking their heads.

"Whatever... make sure this laundry is washed again..." the demon slayer says before they all leave and Miko lets out a sigh of relief as the maid shrugs her arm off her angrily.

I also sigh relieved, placing my hand over my heart as I take a step back slightly, freezing once I bump into something.

Oh... I forgot...

I slowly turn my head, being met with Haganezuka with his head to the side and his fists balled up by his sides as he refuses to look down at me. I notice he's holding his breath and my eyes widen as my cheeks instantly go red.

"O-Oh I'm so sorry-"

"Hanako!" Miko slides open the closet, making us both turn to her with red faces and flushed expressions, his luckily being hidden by the mask but I'm not so lucky. She eyes us up and down, raising an eyebrow as I clear my throat, pushing her to the side as I stumble out, Haganezuka following behind with shame filling him.

He has got to stop coming here.

Miko and I explain the entire situation to the poor traumatized maid, and after much begging she agreed to keep the secret, on the condition that we do her laundry duties for her for at least two weeks. Miko then said that the stress of this morning has left her tense and decided to head to the onsen, giving me a chance to properly apologize to Haganezuka for everything.

We sneak out of the residence without being seen by anyone, and we both walk slowly along the path outside. I told him I'd walk with him until the end of the forest and he agreed silently, and the air is tense as I try and find my words.

Eventually we make it to where I'm stopping, and he turns to face me as I stare at the ground.

"Then I will see you-"

"Mr Haganzeuka I'm very sorry!" I say bowing. "I feel as though every time you go out of your way to visit me, I make things incredibly bothersome for you! I just wanted to spend some time with you without having something go wrong, but of course everything was ruined!" I say and he tilts his head as I sigh. "Thank you for always putting up with me, I really do appreciate it... and I'm sorry about... the uh... closet..."

"Yeah we don't need to discuss that," he abruptly says as we both stand there awkwardly. The birds chirp around us... and for a moment that's all that can be heard... until I swear I can hear soft chuckling coming from him. I look up shocked, seeing him looking to the side as his shoulders rise as he struggles to contain his laughter.

"M-Mr Haganezuka?" I say, slightly scared as he so rarely laughs. "Are you... alright?" I say and this seems to set him off. I flinch slightly as he clutches his stomach laughing and I watch in utter shock.

"I'm sorry it's just... I don't think I've ever done anything like this before I met you... it's honestly a little bit fun, sneaking around like that," he says and I blink in shock, before also giggling a little. We stand there, each others laughter being contagious until we're both struggling to contain our laughter and I look at him with a smile.

As our laughter dies down, I look at him with practically stars in my eyes. My heart feels full with all sorts of emotions, my hands shaking slightly as they hold the neatly packed bentos in them.

Haganezuka looks down at her, slightly taken aback as their eyes lock. He can't help but lose his breath as she looks up at him with those shining eyes of hers, her head tilted slightly as her face is still flushed from laughing previously. He can hardly take a proper breath, being overwhelmed with a sense of...

Adoration.

"U-Um... here..." I hold the bentos being held together with a cloth to him and he takes it silently. I clutch my hands together, looking down at the ground. "I made them this morning while you were sleeping, to say thank you and I'm sorry..." He doesn't say anything, just stares at the bentos in his hands with a malfunctioning heart. "You know... you have yet to tell me your favourite food so I can make it for you!" I say giggling and he scoffs a little, nodding his head.

"Yeah right, I don't have a favourite food," he grumbles and I laugh, nodding my head.

"Well I hope to be able to cook many more meals for you in the future!" I say grinning and he nods slowly. "I won't keep you here any longer, I'm sure you're very busy... I'll see you next time, be safe on your journey back!" I say waving before turning with my hands behind my back.

Haganezuka watches her walk away, begging himself to say something to her, anything so that she knows he's thankful for everything she's done for him.

"M-Mitarashi dango!" He blurts out, and I turn to look at him confused.

"What?"

"Um... my favourite food... it's mitarashi dango," he says with a gruff voice and I make a confused expression.

"Really?" He nods and I giggle, clapping my hands together. "That's one of my favourites as well! I'll be sure to make plenty of mitarashi dango for us to eat together next time we meet!" I say with an excited expression and Haganezuka feels himself relax.

"I look forward to it, see you then," he gives a subtle wave before turning and hurrying off. I giggle, turning and leaving myself with a permanent smile across my face.

That explains why he always smells slightly sweet... I'm glad that mystery has been solved it's been bugging me this entire time!

"Squawk! Miss Hanako!" I look up to see Piiko flying towards me and I extend my arm for him to land.

"Piiko, what's wrong?" I say and he pants, waving his feathers frantically.

"There's an urgent mission that requires your presence immediately!" I listen intently. "The abandoned castle Yatoro has had countless deaths be discovered there and every lower rank demon slayer sent has lost contact with us. A hashira is being sent in a few days but the mission needs urgent assistance and you have been assigned as a higher ranking slayer!" I nod frowning.

"I understand, I'll leave as soon as my things are ready, please lead me there Piiko!" I say running into the residence as Piiko flies after me crowing.

-

Haganezuka settles down half way through his journey back for a food break, and he eagerly opens one of the bentos she handed to him, but he pauses as a note falls out of the cloth. A subconscious smile itches onto his face as he picks it up, reading it over.

Mr Haganezuka!

Is it strange to read a note not delivered by Piiko? I think he's warming up to you, he doesn't insult you as much as he used to! Thank you so much for coming to visit me and going to the festival with me, I really did have so much fun with you! Thank you as well for the beautiful necklace, I love it and I really will treasure it for as long as I live! I know this may not mean that much, but I just wanted to tell you how happy I am that Mr Takahashi assigned you as my new swordsmith! I've had some of my happiest moments with you, and as annoying I may be I hope we continue to share many more happy memories Mr Haganezuka!

Nakahara Hanako! I hope you enjoy the food!

He looks at the neatly packed food made into silly shapes and pictures, and he has never felt happier.

He loves her, and he knows that he does, but he also knows he could never tell her. She deserves someone perfect, and he is far from that... but that doesn't mean he won't do everything in his power to protect her and keep her happy.

He can at least do that for her.