刀剣乱舞 - 自堕落

A Question of Future and Fate

"Hello, Nushi-sama. I heard we are having a singing competition. Will you be performing?"

Stopped in the hall to the sound of a familiar voice, you turned in time to spy two Sanjou Tachi peering at you through a doorway.

News seems to travel quickly enough. Perhaps because those two always lounged about on the veranda? "Hahaha. Kasen asked more or less the same thing... I might think about it." Reluctantly.

Very reluctantly.

There was nothing more horrifying than the idea of having so many eyes on you...even if it was people you saw every day.

"Ha ha ha...if you need an idea, perhaps performing Kogitsunemaru's song with us?" Mikazuki tilted his head to the side, smiling. Those soft blue locks brushed against his porcelain skin, warm eyes sparkling like a moonlit night sky. Ugh, he was always so pretty...

"Oh, me? That sounds wonderful..." But if you said yes to this, the would be no backing out later. Was it okay...? "Although I'm worried I wouldn't do a very good job." Well, but...if you were going to sing with one of the Touken Danshi, shouldn't it have been...

You cut off the thought, sending the mental visage of those beautiful ruby-toned irises out of your mind.

Kogitsunemaru, misreading your hesitance, tilted his head. "I'm sure you will be fine. Hmm?" His gaze strayed past you, and you turned in time to see a boy.

Sharp crimson eyes, auburn hair, pale skin reflecting the light so brilliantly...he looked ethereal as he stood there, gazing at you.

Just the Toudan you wanted to see. Smiling, you turned and stepped toward him. "Oh, Kashuu--" Something like dark clouds crossed his visage, and he faltered backwards. Although he still shone in the afternoon light, it was somehow not as bright before as he averted his gaze with a grimace and darted off. "...huh?" Taken aback, you paused.

A feathery touch landed on your shoulder, and when you turned your head, you met the gaze of Mikazuki, who was closer than usual as he bent down to your height. "Have you seen him since your fall?"

"W-well..." In dreams. Early in the morning as he fled the room, and late in the twilight when you were too groggy and drained to know for sure if the presence beside you was really there or not. This wasn't really appropriate to say, but claiming a flat no woulf be a lie. "Uhm... We haven't spoken."

His eyes were somehow amused as he straightened, and you wondered if he saw through that response. He always looked like a man who knew too much. "Oh? You should."

Tell me something I don't know. Trying not to grimace, you nodded carefully and turned your head away from the Sanjous' prying eyes.

You had no idea what your face must have looked like right then.

Kiyomitsu's retreating figure...the image was burned into your mind somehow - maybe because you had expected him to run towards you, if anything.

You had been together since day one, after all. "Yeah, I know. After what you said earlier though, I thought it might be best for me to visit with the other swords first." You considered your bond with Kiyomitsu... More or less unbreakable.

It was hard to split off from him once you two were together. Mikazuki ought to have recognized that, but... "Oh?" Perhaps he was feigning ignorance, you didn't know.

You wouldn't look at him.

Instead, you looked out across the Citadel's lawn. It was...er...very interesting, today. "Yes. Well, once I'm around Kiyomitsu, I tend to lose track of time, so I want to make sure I'm not neglecting anyone..." Might as well be honest about it.