☆.｡.:* "...And then, when I woke up..." Arata recounted her journey after she left the Butterfly Mansion, to Mitsuri, "I stole some bread, came here, and saw you, Mitsi!"
"Waaahhhh!" Mitsuri exclaimed, in terror and excitement, "I can't believe you heard the news about Rengoku! I can't imagine how you felt... well, at least you're safe and back, now! I'm amazed you met Himejima, Shinazugawa, and Tokito... Promise me you'll never run away again! You can't imagine how worried you made us!"
Clutching, intertwining their hands while they spoke, Mitsuri and Arata delved into conversation after conversation. Mitsuri's food, along with Obanai, lay beside them, entirely forgotten.
"...And after we searched there, we went to this other restaurant..." Mitsuri told Arata, rocking back and forth, shaking Arata with her, "But we still couldn't find you! We were so, so worried!"
"It's fine, don't worry!" Mitsuri replied, patting Arata's head softly, "The others will be so glad when they see that you've returned! You've made such a big impact on the Demon Slayer Corps!"
Arata perked up, "Is that a good thing? Can I have some bread?"
"Ahem..."
Quietly, but not inaudibly, Obanai cleared his throat to remind the two of his presence. Mitsuri and Arata immediately ceased their conversation and looked in Obanai's direction. Mitsuri flushed, apologizing to Obanai, while Arata stared, blankly, at Obanai. She opened her mouth to speak.
"Who are you again?"
"Excuse me?" Obanai coughed, immense displeasure washing over him as he stared at Arata.
"Oh! Snake man!" Arata cupped her round cheeks in her palms, "I forgot about you!"
"Excus-?" Obanai repeated but was cut off by Arata, who had turned her attention back to Mitsuri.
"Anyways! Mitsi! Let's go see Butterfly Lady, Gi-Gi, and everyone else!" Arata clapped her hands together, her eyes glittering with excitement.
"Alright! Of course! They'll be so thrilled to see you again!" Mitsuri nodded, just as enthusiastically, back, "Oh! But let me finish my meal first, it would be a shame to waste this... and..."
Her bright smile faded slightly into an awkward one as she turned her head slightly to look at Obanai, "I promised to spend the day with Obanai..."
There was a short silence in the air until Arata spoke up.
"Oh! A date?"
There was a sudden, loud jumble of noises: Mitsuri blushed crimson and shrieked, 'EHHHHHHH? WHAAAAAAAAA? NO, OF COURSE NOT...!' Obanai, who had just, unfortunately, taken a sip of his drink, coughed and spluttered at Arata's words, liquid trailing down his chin, as he continued to hack and wheeze.
