KNY Fanfic: Priceless Smile

Chapter 56: Apology Of An Old Friend

The Pillars are now ready to get back at their own estate. Last night is such a mess for them and it streseed them out a lot. They were all speechless as they just bid farewell to the families before going on their way.

"Aren't we going to wait for Kazumi?" Giyu asked still with his expressionless face.

"Why should we? She already betrayed us by killing Mayonaka-san! What more do you want?!" Sanemi replied angrily.

The rest stayed silent as Giyu just agreed with them. He himself also can't believe what he just heard.

'Yes. Yes it's true. I'm the one who killed Aiko-san.'

Her answer just kept on repeating in their mind. They couldn't even forget it. Mitsuri soon broke down into tears as Shinobu comforted her.

"All this time.... I can't even believe this." Tengen muttered staring blankly in front of him.

As they all take their leave from the village, Take flew back to the mountain. He soon landed inside after reaching a certain house.

"You're back. Stay here for a while to rest, I'm sure you're exhausted from your previous errand." Kazumi said.

"I will Master, don't worry." Take simply replied before sitting on a warm blanket and soon falling asleep.

Kazumi watch him do so as she went out and fetch a bucket of water to be used for cleaning. As she walk to a certain part of the mountain, she soon arrived at a river. Despite the coldness of this mountain, this river's water is surprisingly warm, perfect for an onsen. She dipped the bucket down and went back to her home.
Before beginning, she placed Take inside a clean room she cleaned first before cleaning the whole house.

She swept the floors and dusted the doors and windows. She fixed some broken furnitures of the house like the cabinets with broken hinges and the doors with holes. She also wiped out all the cob webs in every corner before finally mopping the floor. She soon went inside the room where Take is and took some old clothes out and some threads and a needle. She sewed the clothes outside, the skies being her only source of light.

"There, finished." She said to herself looking at the last kimono she finished sewing.

She headed back inside and took the bucket again putting the clothes in it. She went back to the river to wash them before taking a bath herself.

"Aren't you going back Master?" Taro asked landing on her head.

"Not yet. Let's give them some time for a while. Besides, what's important is none of the people at my estate got hurt." Kazumi replied calmly still with her smile.

"How about the Pillars? Will Oyakata-sama find out about this?"

"Of course he will, he's the Master after all. I'm sure their crows would report what just happened." Kazumi soon placed a hand on Taro's head.
"How about you Taro? It's alright if you wanna leave too. I won't stop you."

Taro fell speechless for a while after hearing those words. He soon flew away from her. Kazumi's expression didn't change, she just sighed closing her eyes and relaxing in the water. As she soon got out of the water after several minutes, a navy-blue kimono soon fell on top of her covering her body.

"Taro..." Kazumi said looking at the crow who just landed in front of her.

"You forgot your kimono back there so I went back to get it for you. Of course I won't leave my master. I might be a kasugaigarasu of the headquarters but, I obey you more than them. I had several slayers to serve before you but they always request for a change merely because they say that I'm clingy and loud. But you.... you didn't. That's why you're the most wonderful of them all!!!" Taro replied sitting on her lap tears flowing down his eyes.