Mitsuri left hours before you woke up from your nap on the living room's floor. She left you a note saying how happy she was of meeting you and that she would love to have a tea party with you soon. Sparkles shined around you, knowing that it was an opportunity to get close to a person as beautiful and talented as her.

Careful to fix your hair and yukata, you stood up and went to look for your master, easily finding him inside the kitchen. The sun hadn't set yet, so he likely wasn't cooking dinner. It was odd, he stared at a blank point on the wall, and everything was perfectly clean and in order, so the big question of why he was there settled on your mind.

"Tokito-sama, Kanroji-san left" you stated, he didn't say anything at all, didn't flinch or paid you mind.

Your fingers intertwined, a mix of nervousness and embarrassment dawned on your face, lips pressed together into a hard line, body twitching.

"...Is she a pillar too? I thought she was a bear so I tried to hit her with my sword, but she caught it midway"

Muichiro finally reacted, propped his chin on his hand in subtle intrigue by your comment.

"Why didn't you ask who was behind the door instead of opening it first?"

It's the logic monster again. Stop making me look more stupid than I already am, master.

Your face paled, eyes made into dots.

"I...I-I didn't think about t-that"

Muichiro's lips formed a small side smile, eyes peering at you cautiously, like a cat to a tiny mouse. You had to keep your soul from leaving your body after the heart attack that action alone gave you. He exhaled warm air, seeing you struggle by yourself so much.

"You could've done the same with the bear as well, you know? Only idiots do stuff like that"

You puffed your cheeks, crossing your arms to try to make a defensive state despite your crumbling castle of '[Y/N] logic'.

"Hey, we don't talk about the bear thing here!" you uttered, brows furrowed "And in my defense, I wasn't expecting a bear to actually know how to knock on doors"

Muichiro changed back to his usual dead stare. "You're my tsuguko. Don't be such a pathetic coward and kill the bear next time it dares to knock"

Due to his sudden change, the air around you turned heavy and difficult to breathe. The deadly aura that surrounded the pillar was eight times greater than your small self. His cold eyes sent chills through your spine. He was that way the first two months, but lately he had been so peaceful and oddly nice to you that you had forgotten the emptiness that clouded his beautiful sapphire orbs.

"O-okay..."

Muichiro sighed, lips curved down. He was normal once again, but you were shying away in your protective turtle shell as if he could scold you again any second.

"Get tougher, that's all I ask. You live in a brutal, unforgiving world, you can't be so fragile all the time"

"Sorry"

A painfully long minute in which you he observed you slowly coming out of your invisible shell and struggling to make eye contact, passed.

"Close your eyes" he ordered, to which you quickly obliged with cheeks bright red.

Your mind was entering a red alert panic, just with the idea of having your eyes closed in front of him. Although you were well aware that he wasn't going to kiss you, because he had no interest on you (props for finally understanding that), it still made you nervous.

You heard the sound of a plate settling on the kitchen table.

"You can open them now"

A sweet pink dessert wrapped on a leaf came to your view. Your face lit up immediately.

"S-sakura mochi!" you exclaimed, contempt filling you completely. You exchanged a look between the pastry and your master "Tokito-sama!!"

I'm sorry, Shinobu-san, but Tokito-sama is too much to think as a friend. He's literally too much for my poor heart to bare.

I might not have a chance with him, but a person can dream, right?

...

Honestly...

Although I've never had one,

Tokito-sama feels like family.

You were about to cry out of pure happiness, your eyes were watery and your cheeks turned pink. He was about to glare at you for acting in such a way just after he had told you to toughen up, but your beaming happiness convinced him otherwise.

He closed his eyes and leaned on his palm before speaking.

"Congratulations on being a good tsuguko, [Y/N]. You've worked hard."

You nodded energetically, smiling wide. "Thank you so much, master!"