To The Stars | Tokito Muichiro x OC

09 • Shared Happiness

Inori groaned as she stretched her body. Being in a coma for six months made her body stiffer than a board. Kagaya had given her free access to his library, allowing her to study any breathing style she wanted to polish and master. Inori had read them all in three days, ultimately deciding to just master whatever she could and make her own breathing style. Thus, she had been busy trying to regain her former physical state.

She planned on making her own breathing style before practicing all the other breathing styles that she had learned. At the very least, she already had the basics, so she had a huge headstart. Inori recalled how she somewhat managed to successfully do a breathing form even though it was her first time holding a real sword. She has no doubt she would be able to master more than one breathing style if she polished what she had learned.

Her current training schedule was compressed compared to what she had to do as the Crimson Dancer. But for her still recovering body, it was hell. She could barely run a dozen laps around the estate, she couldn't do backflips as easily as she used to, she couldn't scale trees as fast as she used to, and it irritated her to no end.

She needed to be ready by the time the Final Selection was held, which Kagaya informed her was in less than two months from now. She had a lot of things to do and getting her body back in shape took priority.

"Ara, ara, Inori-chan, I thought I told you not to force yourself." Inori stiffened at the familiar voice. "You are still recovering, and it will be a pain for both of us if your condition worsens." Shinobu greeted her with her usual venomous smile, pausing Inori from her training.

Speaking of Shinobu, Inori liked to think she had already gotten used to the pillar. Also, it embarrassingly took her a few visits from Shinobu, who smiled and told her that she wanted to check on someone else, to realize she wasn't the only guest of the Ubuyashiki Estate.

Kagaya called the unconscious boy Tokito Muichiro, and Inori was surprised to hear that he was the descendant of the Sun Breathing user. Yoriichi once told her that his wife and child were killed by demons, so the boy must've been his brother's descendant. She honestly didn't know whether she should feel sorry that his 'great' ancestor became a demon, or happy because Yoriichi still has a living human family, no matter how distantly related they were.

"Good morning, Shinobu-san," Inori greeted back, bowing slightly. "And I'm not forcing myself, but thank you for your concern." She was drenched in sweat and her body was aching, but she felt dissatisfied. She used to be able to do more without breaking a sweat, so the regression really irked her off.

Shinobu sighed in exasperation, beckoning her to come inside so she could begin the checkup. "Is your body feeling better? It's been two months since you started the recovery training, right?"

Inori clenched and unclenched her fists, looking at her thin arms with a frown. "I still can't move as easily as I used to, but I'm getting there. It's probably going to take another month or so. My stamina is getting better, and I can do flips easily now."

Shinobu hummed in approval. "You know you can always visit the Butterfly Estate, right? Did someone make you feel uncomfortable there?"

In hindsight, hastily excusing herself and rushing out of the estate wasn't the best thing to do, but Inori just felt so suffocated. It wasn't that Inori hated the estate. It was actually quite a delight being there. But the atmosphere and bond between the girls reminded her too much of her brothers and grandmother, and she found it hard to breathe. Hence, she chose to train alone in the Ubuyashiki Estate.

"No. The Butterfly Estate is a wonderful place and I really love it there. It's just—" Inori bit her lips, not wanting to be rude by telling Shinobu the truth. The girls there were Shinobu's little sisters, and she didn't want to accidentally insult their bond with her words.