𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 | | 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐚 𝐱 𝐊𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐡𝐚 | | 𝐊𝐍𝐘

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟗: 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭

Douma's birthday is finally today as the sun brightly shined outside high in the blue sky.  Kotoha was already up preparing everything for the big day ever since the sun had risen.  The kitchen was nicely clean; all the tables and chairs were sparkling with the chairs neatly arranged in each table, the floor was swept clean of any dust, the counter's were wet and ready to be dried as Kotoha took a towel and brushed it against the counter tops.  She had collected vases and arranged beautiful flowers in each vase, enough for each table.  She leaned her back against the counter as she looked around the clean kitchen dazzling against the light.  She escaped a sign as she swept her arm against her forehead.

"Oh", she heard someone call out and found Chiasa by the door way peeking her head out, "This looks wonderful, Kotoha!"

"Really?  Thank you, I tried my hardest", Kotoha smiled with her cheeks slightly tinted red.

"I can tell", Chiasa smiled back as she put her hand on Kotoha's shoulder, "What about the presents?"

"Oh!  I almost forgot about the presents", Kotoha awkwardly giggled.

"Chiasa softly giggled as well and settled her expression with a smile -- "Why don't you and Inosuke buy them?"

"Of course!  But I still need to bake the cake, decorate it and-"

"Kotoha, I think you're overthinking too much", Chiasa said as she held Kotoha's hands together and gave her a worried expression.

"I'm fine, Chi.  I just want everything to be lovely when it times, it is his first time celebrating it"

"Yes, it is, but it's also only 8 am.  Remember that the celebration is at 7 pm?"

"...I guess you're right, sorry"

"There's no reason to apologize, Kotoha", Chiasa brushed her thumb against Kotoha's hand and thought of an idea, "Why don't you and Inosuke just go on a calm walk towards the town?  It'll help you relax"

"What?  But I can't do that, there's still things I need to do-"

"Kotoha, I'm not sure the kitchen can be any more clean than it is now", Chiasa said, but she noticed Kotoha sadden at this - probably worried that there's still things to do until another idea came to mind, "Also, I haven't seen lord Douma anywhere.  Perhaps he hadn't gotten his kiss for the morning yet?"

"Wa-Wait , how do you know about t-that?!", Kotoha blushed at Chiasa's words.

"Kotoha, lord Douma walks around the halls in the morning wearing a big smile and looks awfully cheerful than he ever was before you came, so it's not really hard to guess what caused it", Chiasa smiled.

"D-Does everyone at the cult knows...?"

"I don't think they've noticed the difference yet, but me and girls certainly have.  Now, go to lord Douma before he walks around looking gloomy", Chiasa gently shoved Kotoha out of the kitchen and closed the door, leaving Kotoha awkwardly standing in the hallway with a flushed face.

'I guess I'll go greet Douma then...', and with that, she began to walk towards his chambers.  She looked bashfully at the floor - not daring to keep her head up so people could see her tomato-like face, until she bumped into someone and felt familiar hands hold her shoulders.  When she looked up, it was Douma.

"Douma"

"Kotoha", they both called out.

"I'm sorry, Douma, I was actually making my way to you"

"I see, but where have you been?", his face had a soft, gentle expression with a curving smile, but Kotoha could tell he seemed a bit unhappy.

"I was in the kitchen-"