Chapter 2: The Growth

The next morning, before the sun rose, Hanari rolled out of the futon holding the covers to her chest. She blinked as she felt very sweaty and sticky. She looked around herself to try and remember where she was, but eventually she remembered everything that happened the night before. She blushed severely as she recalled she was married and had her first time with the mist hashira, Muichiro. She was his wife now. She had to make sure she lived to his standards. The way she was raised had to be put in action. Standing and walking over to grab her old kimono, she got dressed for the day and then walked out of the room. She wandered around the mansion, till she landed in the kitchen. She roamed around there seeing what she could through together for breakfast. Yet she didn't know what his favorite meals were. She was stumped. Till a Kakushi had walked in, surprised to see Hanari. "Oh, Mrs. Tokito!" he exclaimed while walking up to her. "I apologize, I didn't know you were awake. I shall get breakfast going immediately." he said, but she didn't know he was talking. She blinked and then turned away, thinking he wasn't speaking to her due to his mask over his lower face.

Hanari then just decided to grab a few ingredients and throw something together. The Kakushi gasped, "Mrs. Tokito! I will cook! You can go rest!" he exclaimed, yet she didn't stop. He ran up to her while holding her hand concerned. She turned her head to him, tilting her head confused on why he stopped her. "I will cook, Mrs. Tokito." he tried to say, but she pointed to her hear trying to say she couldn't hear him. He rose a brow, but then remembered what his crow exclaimed. He carefully removed his mask and bowed to apologize. He then stood back up straight. "I apologize for not having my mask removed Mrs! I completely forgot you aren't able to hear me. I was trying to speak to you, but had my mouth covered. I wanted to tell you that I am in charge of the Tokito kitchen. I make his meals when he is home." She blinked before smiling and then clapped her hands together. He would be able to help her make breakfast! He would know what Muuichiro likes to eat for his favorite foods. She then gasped and slowly spoke, "Can you help me make breakfast for Muichiro? I want to cook for him, but I don't know what he likes to eat." she said to make him be confused. 

"You want to make food for Mr. Tokito? Are you sure? You don't have to cook or do anything exactly Mrs. Tokito. Us, kakushi, usually take care of his home while he is out on missions or here training." he said while going to set his mask in his pocket and then walk over to the ice cabinet pulling out a few eggs and chicken. Hanari was confused. Wasn't a wife supposed to cook and clean for their husband and family? Was it different here? She frowned a little feeling useless, if that was the case. The kakushi turned to her before seeing her sadness. He gasped realizing that she really wanted to help him and cook for Muichiro. He then sighed as he placed the items on the counter and turned to her, waving to get her attention and tell her, "Mrs. Tokito, I am making Mr. Tokito egg fried rice this morning. He is currently training outside, so we have time to make breakfast. He usually out there for a good while after I'm finished cooking." She nodded happily while walking up to him, "I can cook it if you want to grab the rice?" he nodded while running to cool jar of prepped leftover rice that he cooked last night for this morning. 

Just as they finished, they had the items still on the fire, so they stay warm. The kakushi then smiled as he walked up to Hanari. "Now we just have to go get Mr. Tokito from the training room. Even if we tell him breakfast is ready, it will take him a good ten to fifty minutes to arrive here. So I shall go tell him for you Mrs. Tokito." he spoke as he walked off outside to speak with Muichiro. Hanari sighed nervously as she stood by the kitchen door, waiting for her husband to enter so she could welcome him back and give him his breakfast. She twiddled her thumbs together as she faintly blushed at remembering last night. It only kept on replaying in her head as she stood there. Her husband had made love to her, so they were fully married. It just made her whole body nervous and shy from the thought. Soon after the Kakushi returned and smiled to her, "Mrs. Tokito, Mr. Tokito is still training, but he shall be here soon. I have to leave for now to continue other tasks, yet I will return for lunch and dinner. Please have a good day." he spoke as he placed his mask back on and then ran out the door with a crow following after him. She could only smile and watch him leave. 

It felt like hours, but soon after Muichiro had entered the dining room and saw Hanari standing there quietly. He blinked confused as she bowed to him, welcoming him back for breakfast. He only remained quiet and turned to the small table, as Hanari was grabbing his meal for him. She placed the plate before him as he sat on the floor, watching her. She then stepped back and sat a few feet away from him on the floor as well. She waited patiently for him to eat and tell her how well it was. Yet a part of her wondered if it even tasted good for him. She watched as he picked up his plate and slowly ate it. It was silent. No reaction from him at all. He wasn't even looking at her anymore or speaking to her. Like her presence didn't matter to him. She was getting more nervous as he finished, placing his food down and then taking his cup of tea. He drank it slowly, as he then heard his crow fly in. It surprised Hanari at how the bird flew up and landed on his lap. It made him smile lightly, as he put his cup down and pet the bird on his lap. She watched the bird speaking to Muichiro about something, yet she couldn't understand the bird. It was true the bird wasn't wearing a mask, but she couldn't read their lips, or beak, as it was a bird. She only saw the bird speak and Muichiro nodded a few times, with a gentle smile. 

After a few minutes, the bird then pointed to Hanari, which made Muichiro finally look over to her for a moment and then look back down. There were no words from him about her. It was like she didn't matter to him at all, and it hurt her. She waited for him to speak, yet the words that came from him made her confused. "Um, excuse me.." he said as she sat straight and looked at him, nodding. "Who are you? You seem familiar, but I can't place it.. Have we met? Also, may I ask why you are in my home?" he asked with a tilt of the head. She was then super confused. Did he not recognize her?  Seriously? They had made love last night and were also married! How could he not recognize her? She didn't even realize that her eyes started to tear up and she was frowning. She opened her mouth to speak, yet the bird started speaking before her. She didn't know what, but it drew away the questions Muichiro asked earlier, with a new one. "Can you leave? I have job matters to speak with my crow." Hanari only gasped and then nodded, she slowly stood before to the door, bowing and closing the door. Hanari then started to let the tears fall as she walked down the hall to the kitchen and putting the extras away. She didn't realize that the man she married didn't care about her or even tried to remember her. It hurt her so much. Was this for the rest of her life? If it was... She would have rather been killed by the demon that night with her father.

A while later, standing in the hall, cleaning the few pots and tables, she heard Muichiro start to leave the home with a sword. It was mid-afternoon and she was curious on where he was going. She watched him go to the front door, slipping on his sandals and the crow following after him, landing on the table in front of her. She smiled to the bird, yet the crow only scoffed and turned its head away. She frowned a little from that yet jumped as she felt a tap on her shoulder. It made her squeak a little and turn around frightened. Yet it was only Muichiro, she exhaled as she saw him frowning a little. "Please respond to me. I was calling you." he said, yet she blinked and bowed a few times. She shook her head and pointed to her ears, trying to tell him she couldn't hear. It took a moment till he understood what she meant, but he then looked down to the floor thinking. It was a couple seconds of silence, yet he then apologized for the way he spoke. "I have to go to a Hashira meeting this afternoon. So, if you are still here, could you tell the Kakushi that I do not need lunch or dinner. I have a mission as well tonight, so I will be back in two days." he said before turning around and walking out the door without another word with the crow in tow.

She was silent, blinking confused. A mission? What mission? And his uniform he wore all the time, is it like the military? She then gasped while clapping her hands together. It made sense that he was in the military. He was always sitting so straight and only took orders. That is why he didn't care about the marriage, because he was ordered to do so. Oh, how silly she was to think that he agreed to marry because he wanted to. It made so much more sense on his actions this morning. She only then giggled to herself a little, as she continued to clean the entire house before the Kakushi had arrived back later that hour. He was amazed at her cleaning skills, as he was then told that he didn't have to cook for the next few days. He nodded in response, but then spoke up to her that he still had to cook since she lived there as his wife. Hanari only shook her head, telling him that she can cook for herself and that she doesn't eat all three meals a day. That only made him upset at hearing her health conditions and habits. Yet she told him not to cook, as it was an order. He could only nod and then leave for the day. Leaving Hanari to care for the house and herself.

Muichiro stared up at the clouds as he watched them go by. This meeting was a total bore today. Finding out a boy was running around with a demon and protecting it. Let alone Tomioka was also stopping Shinobu from killing that demon, which violated the corps' rules. He sighed as the meeting was over and he had to leave to slay a few demons a few towns over. He had that mission with Rengoku today, since there has been so many casualties. He stood as the flame hashira was speaking with Shinobu. "Rengoku, we have to go now." he said calmly, as the man flamboyantly returned his attention, "Of course, young Tokito. I will be there quickly. I must get some information from Shinobu first." Muichiro only nodded while watching the kakushi that cooks for him show up suddenly. He didn't pay much attention on it, as he then turned around and started to walk away to where his mission was. The kakushi started to speak with Shinobu about Hanari. Explaining on how she hasn't eaten yet and a few other things. It made Shinobu blink surprised, before telling the young boy that she will take care of her. Then turning to Rengoku, "Could you speak with Muichiro, please? I will speak with Hanari, myself." the flame hashira nodded and followed after the mist hashira that had walked away.