To The Stars | Tokito Muichiro x OC

46 • Bargains and Negotiations

Inori rubbed her eyes, chugging the scalding black coffee down her throat and letting the disgusting bitter taste wake her up. The waitress looked at her in concern, but Inori brushed her off with a smile. It must've been concerning to see a teenager with purple bruises under her eyes drowning coffee as if her life depended on it.

I even went as far as wearing a normal kimono so they wouldn't get suspicious of me if they ever see me asking for them, but Tamayo really has a knack for hiding. Inori felt like she had visited the entirety of Japan in the span of three months just to find one demon (she hasn't). And fighting demons in a kimono is hard. I can't kick or run as easily as I used to. It makes me wonder how Mitsuri-san can fight with a skirt so easily. Maybe the skirt makes it easier since her movements are so wide and flexible.

"Caw! No Tamayo here! No Tamayo here! To a Wisteria House! You need to sleep! Sleep!" Inori groaned, banging her head onto the table, only for Kanamaru to peck her head. She packed her belongings and paid for her food, leaving the diner.

"Skip the Wisteria House." Inori opened her list of towns, crossing yet another name on the long list. "We're heading to the next town. I'll find an inn and sleep during the day. You should rest too, Kanamaru. I've been asking you to fly around towns for nearly three months, you must be tired."

Kanamaru landed on her head, nestling against her hair as he cawed softly. Inori let him sleep on her head, speedwalking as softly as she could to not jostle the sleeping crow. Is this position even comfortable, Kanamaru? Or do you just think of my head as a nest that much?

The first thing she did when she reached the next town was book an inn and tuck a sleeping Kanamaru in with her haori. As soon as her head hit the pillow, Inori was out like light, the piled fatigue and sleep deprivation finally taking its toll on her.

"I should be the Sleep Pillar instead of the Star Pillar," Inori grumbled upon waking up, staggering towards the bathroom. "First Form: Insomnia, or something. Don't you think so, Kanamaru?" She checked the water before dipping in.

"Caw! Sounds stupid." Kanamaru bristled at the mere thought of his master being called the Sleep Pillar, causing Inori to laugh. "The sun is still up. There's still time before sunset."

"I know, I know." Inori took off Kanamaru's ornaments, letting him soak in the water with her. The crow cawed softly, practically sinking into the warm water until Inori held him up. "I hope this time I'll get something. This mission has been dragging on for far too long."

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☆.｡.☆.｡.:*☆ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

Muichiro, I'm still on my mission, and I don't know how long it will take for me to finish it. Fluffy clouds are usually cumulus clouds, and thin foggy clouds are called stratus clouds. I've been sleeping, so don't worry about it. I'll try to return before the next Pillar Meeting, but no guarantee, so just stay safe and play with the koi in my garden as usual. Hoshizora Inori.

"Oi, Tokito, what's wrong with you?" Tengen waved his hand in front of Muichiro's face, snapping the younger pillar back to reality. "You've been spacing out more often these days. What? Do you miss the kid so much that your soul left your body to find her?"

Muichiro cocked his head to the side, staring at Tengen with his usual hazy eyes as he pocketed the letter Ginko had just delivered. "Who are you again?"

Tengen placed his hand on his chest, deeply offended at Muichiro's lack of knowledge and familiarity with him. "Is the kid the only one whose name you remember? I'm Uzui Tengen. The flamboyant Sound Pillar and god of festivities, Uzui Tengen."

"Oh, the one who often gets kicked by Inori." Tengen gaped, his jaw practically dropping to the floor. "Don't worry, Inori never used her full strength when she kicked you, she told me, or I think she did. Though there were times when she considered using her fourth form on you."