𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 | | 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐚 𝐱 𝐊𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐡𝐚 | | 𝐊𝐍𝐘

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐: 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞

Douma carried Kotoha from the woods to his room and laid her down on his bean bag chair.  He grabbed a floral blanket from a cover board and placed it above her body, while Inosuke was right in her arms.  He was about to lay down with her until he heard a few knocks on the door.

"Ms. Kotoha, happy early birthday!", a female voice said.  Douma stood up and walked towards the door, sliding them open and saw Chiasa, Akako, and Emiyo.  With Akako holding a vase decorated with pink petals and an arrangement of purple and blue flowers with a small red ribbon around the neck.  

"Good afternoon, Chiasa, Akako, Emiyo", greeted Douma.

"Oh, Douma-sama? Where is Ms. Kotoha?", asked Emiyo.  

"She was found past out in the forest by a few of my servants, so I carried her back here", Douma explained.

"Oh my goodness! Is she alright?", exclaimed Chiasa with a worryful face.

"Yes, she is quite alright, though, she's seems to be asleep right now", Douma said as he turned his body sideways so the girls could see Kotoha laying in his chair.

"That's quite a relief", replied Akako.

"It is.  Akako, if you don't mind me asking, why are you holding that vase tied in a red ribbon?", asked Douma.

"Well, Ms. Kotoha's birthday is in a few days, we three won't be here on her birthday so we decided to give her an early gift", Akako responded.  

"It's her birthday?", questioned Douma. 

"Yes, on April 17th!", answered Emiyo.  

"I see...", 'Today's the 15th of April, so there's only 2 days more until her birthday, such short time', Douma wondered.

"Kotoha-san was actually going to inform you of her birthday today, when she made you her rice balls but I see she's not feeling well", informed Chiasa.   'So that's why she made a lot of them for me', Douma thought.

"Thank you informing me, Akako, Emiyo and Chiasa", replied Douma.

"You're welcome, my lord, please give this to Ms. Kotoha as her present", Akako said as she handed Douma the vase.  

"I will and will you at least be here on her birthday night? I don't want her to only spend her precious day with me, she should have her friends there too", smiled Douma.

"You've been getting softer, Douma-sama!", giggled Emiyo.  

"Hm? Really?", wondered Douma.

"Yes, when Kotoha-san arrived", commented Chiasa.  

"Hahaha, I haven't noticed", chuckled Douma.

"I guess it true", stated Akako.

"What is true?", asked Douma.

"Being with someone, can make people softer", responded Akako with a smile.  They all bowed their head to Douma and walked away.  'Have I gotten softer?', Douma wondered as he closed the sliding doors and placed the vase near the porch.  He sat down on the porch near the vase, in the shade, and thought to himself, about what Akako had said.  'I'm not sure if I've gotten softer, but those three surely have, for a couple of demons they sure have gotten attached to Kotoha', Douma thought then looked back at Kotoha sleeping, 'Just like I have'. 

Douma stood up from the porch and kneeled down next to Kotoha and put a hair strand behind her ear.  'She sure is a beauty', Douma smiled, 'So what can I get her for her birthday? Something that'll compliment her charms, maybe a hairpin?....No, that wouldn't stand out, a necklace? That's a bit too simple...maybe something red.  Oh! A decorated red kimono would look great on Kotoha.  I'll get her a red kimono for her birthday.  I'll go to the red district right now then', Douma thought.