Chapter 27

"I should have worn it if I'd known this was going to happen…"

You feel Shinobu shifting to glance up at you. Her arm is wrapped securely around yours, and she pulsates with a heat you probably match. If her presence weren't so keen, you would bodily chase the countless vultures lingering in your surroundings instead of spearing them with glares.

The timid ones scatter. Those who remain simply don't take notice of you, too enraptured by the woman by your side. It is small mercy the village streets aren't packed to the level, as say, Fukiya, but it's a useless comfort when half the population seems to have poured out of their homes to stare at her with rapt attention.

You heave a tiny grunt. You're still disgruntled that you had to abandon the sweet handholding with Shinobu once you arrived. With her tucked into your side, Shinobu can at least enjoy a measure of comfort from the intense staring. She's not completely hidden, but it is better than contending with audacious men slobbering after her from all sides.

Several farmers with pails of water hoisted on their shoulder grind to a halt when they pass Shinobu. Their faces go slack with admiration, and you feel their keen eyes drilling into her even as she leads you away. Really… if you had worn your hat, you would have something to throw.

"Did you say something, Ryuu?" Shinobu asks.

"No, don't mind me, I was just thinking aloud." You throw a warning glare filled with enmity over your shoulder. It jolts the men back to reality and sends them scampering, water sloshing in the heavy, wooden buckets. "Shinobu, do you always attract this level of attention when you come here? It seems difficult to do anything under such… rabid attention."

Shinobu's expression is wry as she says, "I haven't personally visited this village for a long time. They might be acting this way due to a vague recognition of this haori, but, I can't be sure."

"I've fielded unwanted attention before, but this is truly on another level." You would have no issue with their shocked gazes if you were alone, but everyone seems to be utterly enraptured by Shinobu's ravishing appearance to the point where courtesies have been tossed aside like garbage. You should have told her to take you straight to the eating house you'd booked instead of touring the village.

"Indeed. I shouldn't have chose to wear this, though I thought it would attract less attention."

You immediately straighten. "Rubbish. You don't have to blame yourself for their severe lack of control over their impulses." You loathe to imagine that Shinobu would have endured this in the previous times she came alone. "I feel like I'm partially to blame, being the one who invited you out."

"What you said applies to yourself as well. Neither of us could have expected this." Shinobu's voice softens when you pass a group of children. One muddy faced girl is pointing at her, mouthing a phrase like 'so beautiful' to the rest of equally mesmerized group. "However, I wouldn't judge the villagers too harshly. They've probably mistaken us for nobles or visiting dignitaries. We certainly look the part, with how well we're dressed."

"Me, a noble? I doubt it. You, on the other hand, absolutely look the part of a daughter of a powerful family."

You offer a grateful smile to the girl who complimented Shinobu. There is a marked difference in the attention from children compared to the rest of the villagers. No concealed motives in their gazes, only pure, unadulterated admiration. For some reason, the same girl breaks out in a furious blush, and the group of children erupt into frenzied whispers and giggles before running off.

Maybe you should stop glaring… it probably makes you look pretty scary.

You turn to regard Shinobu and find her giggling. "My date is either genuinely unaware or fishing for compliments. Which are you, Ryuu?"

You've no idea what she's talking about but play along anyway. "If it's compliments I seek, I'm only interested if they come from you." When Shinobu blinks, her lashes flutter like a butterfly's wing. She sighs, lightly squeezing her arm that is curled in yours. "So, how much more of this village have I yet to see? We've visited the marketplace, the apothecary and the housing area."

The quick once over of the marketplace didn't turn up any tailor shops. Then again, you were busy fielding the hungry stares directed at Shinobu, so it wouldn't be odd if you overlooked them. You'd have to ask one of the people you've exchanged letters with, later.

"Oh, and isn't there a brewery here? I learned about it from one of your mansion's kakushi," you explain when Shinobu looks at you with some surprise.

"There is one," she affirms. "They used to be situated near the market before I became a pillar. But they eventually expanded and eventually shifted a little distance outside of the village. They now supply alcohol to plenty of other villages and towns in this prefecture, if memory serves me correctly."

Shinobu pulls you to a stop when a street of rundown houses come into sight. It seems you have crossed some kind of invisible threshold, one that cleanly bisects the regular part of the village from its slum.

You spot a couple of urchins and wide eyed folks peeking out from ramshackle shelters, but they avert their eyes when you sweep your gaze over them. A tension in your chest unclenches. They aren't staring at Shinobu with burning gazes and badly hidden appetites.

The people here actually seem more decent than the bunch of obscene gawpers you'd left behind. The mood clinging to this place isn't as depressing as the other towns you've been to, and though this is what passes for slum in the village, the lack of reek in the air and relatively passable state of houses here tells of a low level of crime. That this village being close to Headquarters, and the fact that it's in walking distance of a Pillar's home, might have something to do with it.

"We can visit the brewery later, if you wish. For now, that's it for the tour." Shinobu smiles up at you. "Where shall we head next, Ryuu?"

"Let's return to the market. There is a place we passed that I heard served really good food." Your mouth hooks up in a faint grin. "And I happen to have made a reservation for two." Shinobu's exaggerated eyeroll stokes your good humour, and you give her arm a tug. "Well, my lady. What say you?"

"If it pleases the handsome man in my arms," she teases, "Let's not waste any more time and go forth."

---

Your foresight in reserving a small, but private space at this eating house is currently repaying you in spades. It turns out that the owner, a middle aged madam who you paid a downpayment for the reservation, had in all her wisdom separated the area you booked from the rest of the customers with a carved wooden divider. You hadn't arranged for anything like this, but you had told her the reason for going to lengths to book a portion of the eating house a week before.

As the skinny, fox faced owner seats you and Shinobu at the meticulously decorated table, you catch her eye and bow your head, pouring every bit of gratefulness into the action. She winks in acknowledgement, and the knowing smirk that comes after sends a thrill of fear up your spine. More than foresight, a woman's sixth sense is frightening in its effectiveness.

The bustle and excitement of the eating house isn't at all dampened by the divider, but the privacy it affords from the prying gazes of the other customers proves its worth in spades.

You pick up your steaming cup of tea, filled by the owner herself, taking small sips as you drink in your surroundings. You requested the area you booked be decorated a little nicer, something you also offered to pay for. From everything you can see, it seems your request has been wonderfully executed.

The table, that would doubtless be a square cut of plain, boring wood, is lent a touch of sophistication by the sprightly green bamboo mat thrown over it.

And the utensils, normally cheap and flimsy and mass produced for establishments like this, have been replaced with delicate looking ones covered with a fine coat of lacquer. The owner had mentioned making use of her personal collection of high grade dining wares. It seems she spoke the truth.

You drain half the tea and place the cup back down, satisfied. That fox faced woman definitely deserves a large tip in addition to the rest of the payment you promised. Going out on a limb for you might have been her plan to earn more profit all along, but it is an attitude you can respect. And she's outdone herself. If you ignore the presence of the afternoon crowd on the other side of the divider, this setup might have had you convinced you were dining in an expensive ryokan.

"I had assumed we would share a meal at a place similar to what we visited in Onsen Town. I didn't expect you had planned ahead this far." Shinobu brings her tea cup to her mouth for a sip. Her eyes widen, their corners creasing as her sip lengthens into a mouthful. You decide to ask for the name of the tea, later. Shinobu seems to like it a fair bit. "I am surprised."

You don't know what to make of that. You'd actually considered booking the entire eating house before eventually deciding it was overkill for a first date. Perhaps this, dialled down as it is, was still too flashy for Shinobu's tastes.

"I was– ah, excited. I hope you don't think I've gone overboard."

"No, I think this is wonderful." Shinobu's eyes sparkle with appreciation. "Considering you were confined to the mansion, I can't imagine how much effort you had to put in to prepare something like this and ahead of time. Thank you, Ryuu."

A minute of silence passes, her thoughtful gaze still fixed on you. You clear your throat, partly to restart conversation, and partly to rein in the fiery heat in your cheeks. "Have you found something in the menu you like? I can call for someone to place our orders."

"I haven't. There's quite a selection here," Shinobu says as she runs her finger down the specially constructed paper menu. Now this idea, you provided. It wasn't just to add a dash of fanciness to the atmosphere. You deemed it a necessity after the owner revealed that the planked wall menu hung on the opposite end of the eating house, and with the divider blocking it completely from sight, your decision turned out to be the right one.

Shinobu lays the menu flat on the table and taps on a sentence completely written in kanji, a dish with a name even you have trouble understanding. "I don't remember this place serving food like this. But then, I haven't visited since…" She shakes her head, a faint laugh escaping her. "I am tempted to leave the decision to you."

"We could order a small portion of everything," you suggest. "And you're not mistaken. Several of the dishes written here aren't being sold yet. The owner suggested we try them, and I didn't see a reason to turn her down."

"Oh my, aren't you worried about how they might taste?" Shinobu leans close, her upper body pressing against the table's ledge. "I will be quite upset if they turn out terrible, you know."

"Aside from coming down with food poisoning, I doubt there's much to fear. We can stick with their normal dishes, if you'd like." You grin at her, raising an eyebrow. "But do you?" You shrug carelessly. "If a person isn't willing to take small risks, I feel their life would be rather boring."

You don't believe for a second Shinobu would be too worried about something meagre as bad tasting food. Your assumptions are answered when Shinobu smirks in acceptance of your challenge. "I have conquered worse," she says. "We can place an order for a little bit of everything, then."

You nod, laughing a little. Is this friendly competition, or a sort of aggressive flirting on both of your parts? Though, you couldn't have foreseen this reaction no matter how much you'd planned.

You clear you throat a little louder, content to see a waitress' head pop in. You beckon her over giving Shinobu a jaunty grin. "I hope you'd still have space for dessert. They serve azuki here."

After placing the orders, Shinobu's smirk looks to have grown wider. "Since there aren't any of my ardent admirers around," she says in a innocently deceptive tone, "Will I be allowed to feed you this time?"

You blink in surprise. Instantly, you're taken back to the scene at Onsen Town where Shinobu teased you by holding up a spoonful of steaming azuki dessert at your mouth. You fended it off back then, but now…

"If you'd like." You lean in to match her, the slant of your body almost conspiratorial. "But even if there were, I would happily accept your affections this time."

Shinobu's ringing laughter is clear as a summer sky, buoyed with all manner of delightful feelings that sends warmth rushing through you. The lines of her face are open, relaxed, bursting with an easy and playful humour you've only seen in rare snatches at the mansion.

You swallow, feeling it more the shock of your discover to this side of her than the reflex of your body. Had you been a lesser being, you would dedicate your life to worshipping this woman. That you're equals here, Shinobu's glowing face hinting at her enjoyment of your company, makes you inexorably thankful that you are human. Even more unbelievable is that your moment of weakness in the infirmary has transformed your life into a dreamlike vision you wouldn't have dared to imagine even if you had nine lives.

"Why are you laughing?" You give Shinobu's hand on the table a playful tap. "I demand you stop immediately."

"You act as though you have something to ransom," Shinobu says.

"I do." Your faux confidence falters under her questioning stare. "Alright, I don't. But you stopped, did you not?"

Shinobu shrugs, though her smile remains. "Certainly, but do not get too comfortable. I won't always do as you say." Her smile takes on a, dare you say, an evil glint, before fading into practiced amicability.

You nod solemnly. "Ah. I'll have to bribe you, then."

"You can try. I warn you, I'm quite hard to please."

"Well, I'll start with letting you feed me to your heart's content. How does that sound?"

Shinobu lets out a huff tinged with equal parts fondness and exasperation. "For now, I believe that will do."