Archive of Our Own

The hot summer sun beat down on Mitsuri’s skin. A cool ocean breeze wisped by and soothed the scorching heat, bringing the faint scent of salt with it. The wet sand leaked into the crooks and crevices of her toes as she stood on the beach.

It was summer break. Mitsuri had decided to stay in the beach town near her university for a change of pace, since all she usually did during break was go back home with her parents and siblings. For once, she wanted to do something different, to shake things up, to have her own adventure.

It seemed like it was off to a good start so far. The beach was absolutely breathtaking, and the weather was perfect for some ocean swimming.

Mitsuri trudged through the sand and towards the water. The waves began to lap at her ankles. She walked further and further, until the water reached her shins, her knees, her hips, and then finally became deep enough for her to swim.

The water was refreshing. It was the perfect temperature, not so warm as to be unbearable in the summer heat, but not so cold it turned her into an icicle. The waves gently undulated, bobbing her up and down but not overwhelming her.

Mitsuri looked down at the ocean floor as she swam out farther and farther. Outcroppings of coral and rock began to appear, and soon after she spotted anemones and fish weaving through the colorful maze of formations.

It was so pretty. Mitsuri could admire the ocean life for hours if she wanted to. She felt herself growing calmer, and more relaxed, until—

Mitsuri was suddenly sent whirling through the water. She was pulled under and then sent spinning, knocking the breath out of her. She couldn’t tell which way was up or down.

Panic set in. She flailed her limbs as she struggled to get herself upright and above water again. Her lungs began to cry out for air. Her body grew weaker and weaker. Her vision grew dark.

Was this the end?

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her above water.

“That was one strong rogue wave! Are you okay, miss?” a voice boomed.

Mitsuri gasped for breath. She was about to answer when she caught sight of her savior’s face.

He was handsome. He had hair and eyes like flames, yellow and red and as bright as the sun. His hair fell down past his shoulders and framed his kind, friendly face. A strong, brilliant smile pulled at his lips as he looked down at Mitsuri.

“Y-yes! I’m okay! Thank you for saving me,” Mitsuri stuttered, struggling again to breathe.

“It’s my duty as a lifeguard to save everyone who’s in trouble! I won’t let anyone here drown!”

The man began to swim towards the beach, Mitsuri still in his arms. She blushed.

“I-I, um, you don’t have to carry me if you don’t want to. I think I’m okay to swim back…” Mitsuri said.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that! Nearly drowning may have drained more energy than you realize, and I can’t have you potentially drowning again! We’re almost to the shore!”

“A-ah, thank you for being so concerned.”

The man was a powerful swimmer, and before long they were close to the shore. Mitsuri felt her legs touch down onto the ground, and she let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you again for saving me.”

The man let go of her and crossed his arms. “It’s nothing! Just be more careful in the future!”

Mitsuri nodded. “I will! Um…”

The man looked at her questioningly. Mitsuri blushed and looked down at the ground.

“Um, what’s your name?”

The man smiled. “Kyojuro Rengoku! But just Kyojuro is fine!”

Mitsuri smiled. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Mitsuri Kanroji, but you can just call me Mitsuri.”

“Mitsuri! It’s a pleasure!”

“Um, Kyojuro, by any chance are you going to be here tomorrow?”

“Yes! I’m here every day of the week!”

Mitsuri beamed. “Great! I’ll be seeing a lot of you then! I’m looking forward to it.”

Kyojuro nodded. “Me too!” With that, he walked back to his lifeguard tower.

Mitsuri did a small fist pump. She got his name, and she knew she would be able to see him again! Maybe he would end up being the man of her dreams. She would have to get to know him better and eventually muster up the courage to ask him on a date.

---------

Excitement and nervousness roiled in the pit of Mitsuri’s stomach as she walked towards the beach. She couldn’t wait to see Kyojuro again after yesterday. She already wanted to ask him on a date, but she knew she had to build up to that and get to know him first. She might come on a bit strong otherwise.

Mitsuri caught sight of Kyojuro’s hair gleaming in the sun at the top of his lifeguard tower. She waved up at him. “Kyojuro! How are you doing?”

Kyojuro looked down. “Ah! Mitsuri! It’s great to see you again! I’m doing well, how about you?”

“I’m good! Do you mind if I stay here and talk with you for a bit?”

“Better yet, you can come up here and sit with me! It’ll make things easier for both of us!”

Mitsuri blushed. He was okay with her sitting next to him? She might faint!

“Sounds great!” she managed to get out. She climbed up the ladder and sat next to him, keeping about a foot between them. She hadn’t felt so stiff in her life.

“What did you want to talk about?” Kyojuro asked.

Mitsuri paled. Now that she was actually next to him, her mind was completely blank. “Um… just about… stuff… haha… um… what’s your favorite food?” she squeaked.

“A good question! I love sweet potatoes! They’re tasty!” he proclaimed.

Mitsuri perked up. “I love sweet potatoes too! Well, I love almost all food, but sweet potatoes are great! What do you like them with?”

“Salt grilled bream! It’s my favorite side dish!”

“That sounds good! My favorite food is sakura mochi.”

“A fitting food! It matches your hair!”

“You don’t think it’s odd?”

Kyojuro shook his head. “My hair is a unique color as well! It’s no matter!”

Mitsuri smiled. She looked up at Kyojuro’s flame-like hair. “I think it suits you! Is there anything you do to take care of it? It’s not easy to keep long colored hair healthy.”

“Well, a lot of it is the shampoo and conditioner…”

Mitsuri and Kyojuro went on like this for a few hours, until Kyojuro’s shift was over.

“I must go, but I hope to see you tomorrow, Mitsuri!”

Mitsuri waved. “Yeah! See you tomorrow!” As soon as Kyojuro’s back faded away into the distance, Mitsuri let out a squeal.

“Uwah! He’s so nice and fun and enthusiastic! And we have so much in common.” Mitsuri grinned. “I’m sure if I keep this up I can get him to date me!”

----------

For the next week, Mitsuri continued to spend time with Kyojuro at the beach. They talked about any little thing Mitsuri could think of, from food to dancing to weightlifting to swimming. She really felt like they were beginning to click.

Today, after saying hello to Kyojuro and chatting for a bit, she decided to try to take a swim in the ocean. She felt brave enough to try it again, and she felt comfortable knowing that Kyojuro was watching her and could rescue her at any time.

Mitsuri approached the water tentatively. She took small, careful steps, her feet sinking into the wet sand pleasantly. Mitsuri paid careful attention to the flow of the waves as she waded deeper and deeper into the ocean. She didn’t want to get caught off guard by a rogue wave again.

Once she was able to fully swim, her nerves slowly melted away. It felt freeing to glide through the water as easily as an arrow slicing through the air. Mitsuri got lost in the feeling. She swam for what could have been five minutes or five hours.

As Mitsuri popped up for air, she suddenly felt eyes on her. She looked around. There was a woman in the distance who seemed to be looking her way. Mitsuri couldn’t make out much except for dark hair and a purple bikini. It was a little odd, but the woman wasn’t really doing anything, so Mitsuri continued to swim.

However, the woman’s gaze didn’t drop. Mitsuri could still feel her eyes looking her way every once in a while as she continued to swim. She began to feel a bit embarrassed, and eventually decided to make her way back to Kyojuro.

Mitsuri swam back to the shore and walked towards the lifeguard tower. She waved once Kyojuro got into sight.

“Mitsuri! How was your swim?” Kyojuro bellowed.

“It was amazing! Although, near the end, there was…”

“Good afternoon!”

Mitsuri jumped up at the sudden intrusion. She turned around to see a woman about her age. She had sleek, jet black hair tied back with a large butterfly pin, save for two locks of hair that fell down her face and faded to a deep purple at the ends. Her eyes were a gradient of every shade of purple imaginable and drew you in with their subtle deepness. Her hair and eyes sharply contrasted her pale, milky skin, which somehow seemed untouched by the harsh light of the sun. Her lips were drawn up into a sweet, polite smile.

“Sorry to startle you. I was just wondering if you happened to go to Kimetsu University. I feel like I’ve seen you around there before.”

The woman’s words didn’t register at first as Mitsuri continued to take in her appearance. After a second, her brain caught up with the moment, and she spoke.

“A-ah, yes I do!”

“I thought so! I’m Shinobu Kochou. I’m a chemistry major.”

“Nice to meet you! I’m Mitsuri Kanroji, a dance major.” She looked over at Kyojuro. “And this is Kyojuro Rengoku!”

Shinobu sent a small wave towards Kyojuro and looked back at Mitsuri. “It’s nice to meet you both. I hope this isn’t too forward of me, but what are your plans for the rest of the day?”

“Kyojuro and I were just going to chat for a bit.” Mitsuri looked over at Kyojuro and smiled.

“Ah, I see. Well, I suppose I won’t bother you then. Would you ever want to do something together on another day? I’m going to be staying here for a while, and I would love to hang out with yo—with other students staying here.”

“I wouldn’t mind that.”

“The more the merrier!” Kyojuro exclaimed.

Shinobu smiled. “Why don’t we exchange contact information then? That would make coordination easier.” Shinobu pulled out a phone from seemingly nowhere. “What’s your number? And Kyojuro’s, as well.”

The three quickly exchanged numbers. Shinobu went her separate way soon after, leaving Mitsuri and Kyojuro alone.

“She seems nice! We should definitely spend time together!” Kyojuro said.

Mitsuri felt a twinge of jealousy in her chest but ignored it. Shinobu was nice. She probably wasn’t a threat.

“She does. We should arrange something sometime. But for now, let me tell you about my swim!”

-----------

After a bit of back and forth, Mitsuri, Kyojuro, and Shinobu managed to figure out a time to explore the boardwalk together. Even though Shinobu was going to be there, Mitsuri still decided to wear one of her cute floral dresses for the occasion. She had to impress Kyojuro.

The afternoon sun sat high in the sky. Although the boardwalk wasn’t right on the beach, its familiar saltiness still tinged the air. The crowds grew thicker as Mitsuri drew closer to their meeting place.

Soon, she caught a glimpse of familiar purple-black hair. She waved at Shinobu as soon as she was within her line of sight.

“Hey Shinobu! Is Kyojuro here yet?”

Shinobu smiled. “Hello! No, not yet.” Her eyes traveled along Mitsuri’s body. “Your outfit is pretty.”

“Thank you! I like yours as well.”

Shinobu was wearing a simple outfit of jean shorts that went down to her upper thighs and a white tank top that showcased her collarbones.

“Thank you. So, how have you been doing? What have you been up to this summer so far?” Shinobu asked.

“I’ve mostly been going to the beach and talking to Kyojuro. He’s so fun to hang out with!”

“I see. That makes sense. He definitely seems like pleasant company. I—”

Suddenly, Mitsuri saw Kyojuro’s flaming locks in the distance. “Ah, Kyojuro!” She ran towards him, leaving Shinobu hanging midsentence.

“Mitsuri! Were you waiting long?” Kyojuro boomed.

Mitsuri smiled. “No, not at all.”

Shinobu appeared behind Mitsuri a few moments later. “Nice to see you, Rengoku.”

“Kochou! Nice to see you too!”

Mitsuri jumped up and down. “Now that we’re all here, let’s go check out the food stalls! There’s so much I want to try!”

The three of them weaved through the crowds. Mitsuri stayed close to Kyojuro, leaving Shinobu to trail behind the two of them. Soon, they made their way to a stand selling soft serve ice cream.

“Ah! Let’s get something here!” Mitsuri said. She ordered a mix of chocolate and vanilla ice cream for herself. As soon as it was finished, she dug into it. It was rich and creamy and very sugary, but not in an unpleasant way. Kyojuro and Shinobu each licked at their own ice cream cones.

Mitsuri’s meal was soon interrupted. “Ah, Mitsuri, I think you have something on your face,” Shinobu commented.

Mitsuri blushed. “Ah, oh no! Where is it?”

“I can wipe it away, if you want.”

“No, that’s okay, I can get it myself if you hand me a napkin.”

Shinobu’s eyes grew cloudy and unreadable for a moment. She silently handed Mitsuri a napkin.

“Thank you!” Mitsuri dabbed at her face until she felt the spot of soft serve. That was embarrassing. She hoped Kyojuro didn’t think she was messy and gross.

After a few more minutes, they each finished their respective ice cream cones. Kyojuro sighed.

“That was quite tasty! Shall we get moving?”

“Yeah! There’s so much more I wanna try!”

Mitsuri skipped along through the crowds, hovering close to Kyojuro. This time, rather than trailing behind Mitsuri and Kyojuro, Shinobu walked alongside Mitsuri, forcing the crowds to part for the three of them. After a few minutes of walking, they happened upon another food stall.

“Sweet potatoes! How tasty! We must check this out!” Kyojuro said.

They each ordered a cup of candied sweet potatoes and sat down on a bench. The sugary exterior of the sweet potato cubes gleamed under the sunlight. Mitsuri took a bite of one. The outside was sweet and the tiniest bit crunchy due to the hardened sugar, but the inside was soft and perfectly cooked. It was—

“Tasty!” Kyojuro yelled. He continued to eat the sweet potatoes with a passion.

“They’re really good, aren’t they?” Mitsuri agreed. “I can see why you lo—ah, you have a piece stuck to your cheek. I’ll get it for you!”

Mitsuri picked up a napkin. She gently plucked the piece of sweet potato off of Kyojuro’s cheek and wiped the excess bits of sugar still stuck to it.

“There! All good!”

Kyojuro smiled. “Thank you!”

“We should probably get moving now, right? There are lots of other activities we have yet to get to. I would love to ride the roller coasters,” Shinobu said. Her lips pursed ever so slightly but returned to their usual smile after a moment.

Mitsuri startled. She looked over at Shinobu. “A-ah, yes, you’re right. Let’s get moving!”

After throwing away their cups, the three headed towards a large, winding wooden roller coaster that looked like it had been built decades ago.

“Why don’t we go on this one? It looks fun,” Shinobu said.

Mitsuri paled. “I-I don’t know, it looks a bit scary…”

Shinobu smiled. “Well, when you’re with the right company, roller coasters aren’t so bad. You’ll be just fine.”

Mitsuri looked at Kyojuro. “In that case… if I can sit next to Kyojuro, it might be okay…” Mitsuri rubbed her arm bashfully.

“If that will help, then feel free to sit next to me!” Kyojuro said.

“Yay! Then let’s go!” Mitsuri said.

“Ah, well, whatever gets you to go on the ride…” Shinobu muttered.

The three of them managed to breeze right through the line and get on the ride. It was only two to a row, which meant that Kyojuro and Mitsuri rode together while Shinobu sat behind them.

Mitsuri was nervous. Kyojuro seemed completely unfazed; he kept smiling brightly as the safety bar and belts were placed over them.

Once they were strapped in, the cars began to move. The coaster slowly chugged upwards inch by inch, the wheels clacking harshly on the rails. Mitsuri looked down. The ground got smaller and smaller and smaller. She snapped her head back up and took a deep breath. She could do this. As long as she didn’t look down, she could—

“Waaaaaaaa!”

The roller coaster suddenly sped downwards, whipping Mitsuri’s hair back and setting her stomach afloat. A screech slipped out before she could control herself, and she instinctively latched onto Kyojuro’s arm.

The coaster twisted and turned and flipped upside down, smacking Mitsuri left and right and abusing her stomach even more. She gripped Kyojuro’s arm even tighter, until the roller coaster finally reached the end and she felt like she could breathe again.

Mitsuri let out a sigh. “Wow, that was intense! What did you think, Kyo—” Mitsuri stopped as she realized she was holding onto his arm. She quickly released her grip and brought her hands to her lap. She hid her blushing face under her bangs.

“That was quite invigorating!” Kyojuro said.

“It was definitely enjoyable,” Shinobu agreed. “It looked like you were holding onto Rengoku quite tightly, Mitsuri. I wish I could have seen your expression.”

“A-ah, well, you probably wouldn’t have been too interested in what I looked like. Anyways, why don’t we move onto some games now!” Mitsuri said.

“Sounds good to me!” Kyojuro said.

“I suppose so,” Shinobu acquiesced.

The three made their way to the games area. There was a wide variety to choose from: milk bottles, balloon bust, break-a-plate, bushel baskets, jungle climb, long shot basketball, and ring toss, among many others.

Kyojuro piped up. “I’m going to try long shot basketball!”

“I’ll come too!” said Mitsuri.

Shinobu scanned the games for a moment. “I’m going to split off for a minute. There’s another game I’d like to try.”

“Okay! Meet us back at long shot basketball!” Kyojuro said.

Shinobu faded into the crowd. Kyojuro walked up to the basketball booth with Mitsuri and forked over some money for a few basketballs.

“You’ve got this, Kyojuro!” Mitsuri cheered.

Kyojuro smiled. He picked up one of the balls and crouched down slightly. His eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes zeroed in on the basket. He stayed still for a moment, and then—

Whoosh! The ball soared through the air and went through the hoop with a satisfying swish. Kyojuro took out the next ball and did the same thing again, and again, and again, until he had run out of balls.

“Wow! That was amazing! I had no idea you were so good at basketball!” Mitsuri exclaimed.

“I played it back in high school, and I still play with my little brother occasionally!”

“That’s so sweet!”

The employee gestured to the various prizes on display. Kyojuro’s eyebrows furrowed in concentration once more, until he finally settled on a prize.

He picked up a medium sized, green stuffed bear with a heart on its stomach. He handed it to Mitsuri.

“Here! Why don’t you take this!”

Mitsuri blushed. “This is f-for me? Are you sure?”

Kyojuro nodded. Mitsuri took the bear in her arms and hugged it. Its fur was comfortable and soft, and it was the perfect size and squishiness for hugging.

“Thank you so much!”

“It’s nothing! Now we just have to wait for—ah, Kochou!”

Shinobu’s head bobbed through the crowd until she finally appeared in front of Kyojuro and Mitsuri. She had her arms crossed over what looked like a plushie.

“I see you’re done already,” Shinobu said.

“Yes! I won this teddy bear and gave it to Mitsuri!” Kyojuro gestured towards the bear in Mitsuri’s arms. “What did you get?”

Shinobu uncrossed her arms and held up the plushie. It was a teddy bear similar to the one Kyojuro had won, except it was pink rather than green. “I won this bear. I was planning on giving it to Mitsuri because it matched her hair, but since she already has one…” Shinobu smiled awkwardly.

“I guess I can take it, although I’m not sure I’ll have room in my stuffed animal collection to keep it…” Mitsuri said.

“In that case, I’ll take it! I’m sure my brother would appreciate it! He likes pink!” Kyojuro said.

“Thank you, Rengoku. I’d love to give it to him.” Shinobu’s awkward smile turned warm as she handed the teddy bear to Kyojuro. He gave a dazzling smile back.

Mitsuri watched the interaction unfold. She loved how kind and sweet Kyojuro was, but a small part of her hurt to see him smile so brilliantly at Shinobu. Maybe Mitsuri wasn’t special to him.

Shinobu caught Mitsuri’s gaze. Mitsuri looked away, embarrassed that Shinobu had caught her staring at them. Something mischievous flashed in Shinobu’s eyes, a spark of an emotion as quick as lightning.

The three of them went to play a few more games together until the sun began to take its leave. They decided to part ways for the day.

“This was quite fun, Kyojuro! We should do this again,” Mitsuri said.

“Absolutely!” Kyojuro said.

“We should definitely find another time to do this,” Shinobu agreed.

The three waved and went their separate ways. Mitsuri clutched her teddy bear. Maybe she wasn’t special to Kyojuro yet, but she was on her way! They had a great time today. She was sure he would feel something special for her sometime soon.

---------

Mitsuri hummed as she walked towards the beach. She felt lighter than air, and she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. She was still in high spirits after the hangout yesterday, and she couldn’t wait to see Kyojuro again.

Mitsuri caught sight of the lifeguard tower. She opened her mouth to yell a greeting at Kyojuro when she realized that there were not one, but two figures sitting at the top of the tower. As she drew closer, she saw Shinobu’s signature butterfly pin and purple tipped hair.

What was she doing there with Kyojuro? Mitsuri heard laughter drift down from the top. And what were they up to? Mitsuri continued to walk until she could get a better look at what was going on.

Shinobu and Kyojuro were sitting next to each other, their shoulders almost touching. They both had wide smiles on their faces, and they were laughing without a care in the world. Kyojuro said something, causing them both to burst into more laughter. Shinobu casually touched Kyojuro’s knee as she laughed.

Jealousy clawed at Mitsuri. Why did Shinobu think she could come out of nowhere with her gorgeous body and alluring smile and suddenly start hanging out with Kyojuro alone?

No, she had to calm down. Maybe it wasn’t what she thought it was. Shinobu seemed like a nice person.

Kyojuro suddenly stopped talking and looked down at the ground. “Ah, Mitsuri! Join us!”

Shinobu turned around and smiled. “Yes, please join us.”

Mitsuri forced a smile onto her face. “I’d love to.” She climbed up the tower. “I didn’t expect to see you two hanging out together.”

“Ah, well, I realized after our hangout yesterday that I wanted to get to know him a bit more, so I decided to talk to him.”

“It’s been quite pleasant! Kochou makes great company!”

Mitsuri’s muscles tensed. “A-ah, I see. That—that makes sense. Well, I’d like to talk to Kyojuro a bit before swimming, and it’s a bit hard to fit the three of us, so…”

Shinobu smiled. “No worries, I was just about to head down to the beach anyways.” She stood up and brushed past Mitsuri. “I hope you and Kyojuro have a good time, Mitsuri.”

Kyojuro? When did she start calling him by his first name?

As Shinobu brushed by, Mitsuri could’ve sworn she saw Shinobu glance over at her for a moment, her eyes cloudy with pain.

But as Mitsuri took a second look, Shinobu was already looking away. “I’ll see you later, Kyojuro!” And with that, Shinobu left.

Whew. Crisis averted. Shinobu may have beaten her to talking to Kyojuro, but Mitsuri could still get close to him. She would not give up so easily. Mitsuri sat down next to Kyojuro and smiled.

“How are you doing today?”

---------

The rest of the day had passed the same as usual. Soon enough, the bitter feelings that had been festering in Mitsuri’s chest had faded, and she was back to a chipper mood the next day.

She had decided to wake up a bit earlier in order to beat Shinobu to the punch and talk to Kyojuro first. The woman may have gotten the upper hand for now, but that wouldn’t last long.

The air was a bit cooler than usual. It soothed Mitsuri’s skin like a balm as she made her way towards the lifeguard stand.

Suddenly, she saw something that made her burn right through the chill morning air. Kyojuro and Shinobu were walking to the lifeguard stand together. They were standing much too close for Mitsuri’s comfort while smiling and laughing away just like the previous day.

Jealousy shot through Mitsuri’s chest. She walked towards them as nonchalantly as she could (as if she hadn’t spent the last minute glaring at them).

“Oh! I didn’t expect to see you two together this early,” Mitsuri said. She sent a look towards Shinobu, who simply smiled in response.

“We were out late last night, so we figured it would be a good idea to get some coffee to wake ourselves up this morning,” Shinobu explained, staring straight at Mitsuri.

“A good idea indeed! I feel quite refreshed!” Kyojuro said.

They not only spent part of the morning together, they hung out last night without her? This was getting ridiculous. How did this woman just keep on winning?

Mitsuri bravely put on a cheery front. “That sounds like fun! I’d love to go with you sometime, if you don’t mind. I need to find some good coffee spots!”

“Of course, Kyojuro and I would love that!” Shinobu said.

Kyojuro and I? “Great!” Mitsuri chirped.

Shinobu wrapped her hand around Kyojuro’s elbow. “Let’s all go up to the tower together. I’m sure if we squeeze together, we can all fit fairly well!”

“Let’s try it!”

The three of them climbed up the tower and sat side by side, only millimeters apart. Shinobu sat between Mitsuri and Kyojuro, effectively blocking Mitsuri from getting close to him. As they talked, Shinobu casually touched Kyojuro in various places and laughed at all of his jokes and made frequent eye contact, practically ignoring Mitsuri.

Mitsuri seethed. She couldn’t take this. She wasn’t getting anywhere in this conversation. She stood up.

“I think I’m gonna go for a swim now.”

“Ah, have fun!” Shinobu said.

“Be safe!” Kyojuro added on.

Mitsuri flashed a quick smile and quickly clambered down the tower. Once she was out of sight, her lips twisted in frustration, and she clenched her fist.

This wasn’t over yet. She would get the upper hand eventually.

---------

The upper hand proved to be elusive. Every day passed exactly the same. Shinobu would always find some way to spend extra time with Kyojuro no matter what Mitsuri tried. She could swear that Shinobu was rubbing it in her face on purpose. Mitsuri would get some time in here and there, but it didn’t compare. Shinobu and Kyojuro just got closer and touchier, much to Mitsuri’s dismay.

Finally, Mitsuri hit her limit. At this rate, Shinobu was going to steal Kyojuro away from her. She had to make her move now, or she would never be able to.

She had to confess.

Mitsuri walked to the lifeguard tower for what felt like the thousandth time. Shinobu and Kyojuro were sitting up there together, as usual. Mitsuri called up to them.

“Hey! How are you doing?”

They both looked over. “Great!” Kyojuro exclaimed.

“Quite well,” Shinobu agreed.

Mitsuri put on her most apologetic smile. “I hate to ask this, but could I talk to Kyojuro alone for a second? I have something fairly serious I want to talk to him about.”

“Of course. I’ll just go down to the beach. I’ll see you later, Kyo.” Shinobu leaned over and pecked Kyojuro on the lips.

“See you soon, Shinobu!”

Mitsuri’s legs nearly gave out under her. Her stomach bubbled over with sickening jealousy.

“A-are you two, um, d-d-dating?” she asked, voice quiet as the whispers of the ocean waves.

Shinobu turned towards her. She smiled and brought her hands together. “Yes! I had wanted to for a while, and I finally confessed to him just the other day. We couldn’t be happier!”

Shinobu’s smile was sweet as sugar, but her eyes told a whole other story. They burned like a challenge. Her smile was really a knife that sliced straight through Mitsuri.

She was so smug. It made Mitsuri’s blood boil.

She had underestimated just who she was dealing with. Shinobu came along, got him alone, and took him faster than you could say sabotage.

She knew exactly what she was doing. She knew the pain was beating on Mitsuri like a drum.

“I-I see! That’s great! You two look so good together! I, um… I just realized I need to be… somewhere. Somewhere… not here. Uh, yeah. See you later!”

Mitsuri practically jumped off the tower. Shinobu’s smug eyes were burned into her mind.

She may have underestimated Shinobu, but Shinobu underestimated just who she was stealing from. Mitsuri was going to win Kyojuro back.

There was nothing she did better than revenge.

----------

The next day, Mitsuri marched to the beach, head held high, fists clenched, and feet light. She was determined to win over Kyojuro, and she was not going to give up so easily.

She would have her revenge, come hell or high water.

As Mitsuri approached the lifeguard tower, she realized that Kyojuro was sitting alone. She looked around. Shinobu didn’t seem to be anywhere in sight. This was her chance!

“Hey, Kyojuro!”

Kyojuro perked up and looked down. “Ah, Mitsuri! Good to see you! Are you okay? You left so quickly yesterday!”

Mitsuri laughed awkwardly. “Y-yeah! Everything’s totally fine!” Mitsuri began to climb up the tower. “I actually have something I want to ask you, though.”

“Of course! What is it?”

Mitsuri sat next to Kyojuro. She brought up her legs and wrapped her arms around them to hide her shaking hands. “W-would you, um, wanna go to a café downtown? With me? There’s a place that’s supposed to have sweet potato flavored coffee, and I thought you might like it!”

“Wow, that sounds amazing,” Shinobu’s smooth, saccharine voice cut in. Mitsuri whipped her head around. Shinobu was near the top of the ladder, one hand on a step and another carrying a tray with two drinks on it.

Damn! Shinobu somehow always managed to ruin Mitsuri’s plans.

“Ah, Shinobu! Thank you for bringing the drinks!” Kyojuro said. He reached out as Shinobu took a drink from the tray and handed it to him. “I would love to go to that café, Mitsuri! Would you mind if Shinobu came along as well? We all had such a great time together the other day!”

Mitsuri smiled shakily. She really didn’t want Shinobu tagging along, but she didn’t want to look rude in front of Kyojuro either. “Sure! Sounds like a plan! And maybe we can stroll around the other shops a bit too.”

Shinobu walked over and sat down between Kyojuro’s open legs. She smiled at Mitsuri. Mitsuri bristled.

“That sounds like fun,” Shinobu said. “How about we go tomorrow?”

“Works for me!” Kyojuro said.

“Tomorrow it is then,” Mitsuri agreed.

She may not have gotten the plans she wanted, but it was better than nothing. She still had a chance to win over the man of her dreams.

-----------

The air was thick with heat and excitement as Mitsuri walked through the bustling downtown area. Dozens of people strolled through the area and meandered into the shops lining the sidewalks. The sound of lively banter and sandals clacking on concrete and utensils clanging from the kitchens of open restaurants created a pleasant polyphony of noise.

Since there was no cool ocean breeze to soften the stifling heat, Mitsuri had opted to wear a light, airy pink dress held up by straps that exposed her chest and shoulders, as well as a wide brimmed straw hat to protect her from the sun. It was a comfortable but appealing outfit that was sure to draw Kyojuro’s attention.

“Mitsuri!”

Mitsuri looked up. Shinobu was waving at her from the front of the café. She was wearing a dress as well, only hers was purple and strapless with an M slit. Mitsuri had seen Shinobu in a revealing bikini before, but for some reason the dress accentuated her neck and collarbones and perfectly sculpted legs even more. It looked good, and it made Mitsuri’s chest burn with… something.

She waved at Shinobu. Well, she might look good, but she knew who Shinobu really was. No amount of pretty dresses would give her dignity.

“How are you doing, Mitsuri?” Shinobu asked, giving her signature cheery smile. Mitsuri noticed that Shinobu was wearing a bit of makeup. She found her eyes drawn to Shinobu’s painted lips.

“Good! How about you?”

“I’m fine as well. I love your outfit, by the way. These straps are cute,” Shinobu said as she wrapped a finger under Mitsuri’s left dress strap.

Mitsuri blushed as she felt Shinobu’s finger brush against her skin. “T-thanks!”

“I—ah, Kyo!” Shinobu quickly retracted her finger and looked behind Mitsuri. She brushed past her and gave Kyojuro a quick peck on the cheek.

“I hope I didn’t make you wait too long!”

“Not at all,” Shinobu said. “Let’s go in, shall we?” She laced her fingers with Kyojuro’s and glanced back at Mitsuri.

Annoyance squeezed Mitsuri’s chest, but she pushed it down and put on a smile. “Yes, let’s!”

The three of them ordered drinks and some pastries and found an empty table to sit at. After a couple of minutes of small talk, their orders were ready.

Kyojuro sipped at his coffee. “Mmm, you were right, Mitsuri! This has a strong sweet potato taste! It’s tasty!”

Mitsuri smiled. “I’m so glad you like it! I thought you would appreciate the sweet potato flavor.”

He liked it! One point for Mitsuri.

“Now I’m curious about how it tastes. May I have a sip, Kyo?” Shinobu asked.

“Of course!”

Shinobu took Kyojuro’s cup, her fingers brushing across his. She took a sip.

“Ah, it’s quite good!” Shinobu set the cup down. For a split second, her gaze fell on Mitsuri, and her eyes flashed like a threat.

But before Mitsuri could even blink, Shinobu’s gaze was back on Kyojuro. Mitsuri pursed her lips. Shinobu was trying to one up her, huh? Then she’d have to up her game.

“Say, Kyojuro, would you like to try a taste of the sweet potato pie I got? I think you might like it,” Mitsuri said.

Kyojuro perked up. “I would love to!”

Mitsuri took her fork and cut out a bite of the pie. She stabbed it and brought it towards Kyojuro’s mouth.

“Here! Take a bite!” she said innocently.

Kyojuro closed his mouth around the fork and took the pie into his mouth. He chewed for a moment, and his eyes lit up.

“Tasty! It’s sweet but not too much so! The natural flavor comes through!”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Mitsuri glanced towards Shinobu. Let’s see if she could top that!

“I’d love to see how it tastes, too,” Shinobu said.

“I don’t mind giving you a bite too, Shino—” Mitsuri’s mouth fell open as Shinobu leaned over and kissed Kyojuro. Kyojuro closed his eyes and leaned into the kiss. Shinobu opened one eye and stared straight at Mitsuri.

Anger flared through Mitsuri’s body. Shinobu was hurting her and she knew it.

After a moment, Shinobu broke the kiss. Kyojuro opened his eyes. He seemed a bit dazed, but there was a glint of happiness in his eyes that shot an arrow through Mitsuri’s heart.

Don’t fall for it. She’s not a saint. She’s not what you think. She’s an actress! Why couldn’t Kyojuro see that?

Mitsuri sipped at her drink to hide her expression and take a moment to compose herself. Shinobu may have won this round, but the day wasn’t over yet.

Once they had finished their food, the three headed out of the café and perused the other shops lining the downtown area. As they passed by a swim shop, Shinobu perked up.

“Ah, we should look in this store! I’ve been wanting a new swimsuit. Don’t you need a new one too, Kyo?”

“I do! We should take a look!”

“I’ll help pick out some for you to try on.”

“I’ll help too! I’m good at picking out swimsuits!” Mitsuri matched their enthusiasm. She wouldn’t let Shinobu have the pleasure of picking out everything for Kyojuro.

The three of them entered the store. Mitsuri immediately headed towards the men’s bathing suits. She was going to be the one to find the best swimsuits for Kyojuro!

Mitsuri rifled through the swim trunks. Her fingers flew across the pairs as she shuffled through them. She reached the end of the row.

“None of these are good. Let’s try the other side,” Mitsuri muttered.

She walked around to the other side of the rack and began to search again. She talked to herself as she assessed them.

“No, no, no, no, perfect!” Mitsuri’s eyes zeroed in on a pair of bright red swim trunks. As she reached out to grab them, another hand tried to grab the other side. Mitsuri froze.

“Ah, looks like we want the same pair.”

Mitsuri fumed. Shinobu. Of course she wanted the same pair.

“Well, I reached out first, so I think I should get it,” Mitsuri said.

Shinobu smiled. “I believe we grabbed them at the same time.”

“That’s not true, I’m positive I was first.”

“Then we’ll just have to agree to disagree.”

They stood in silence, their arms frozen in midair.

Mitsuri glared at Shinobu. She stared back.

Mitsuri swallowed.

Then, the two of them simultaneously lunged for the swim trunks. Mitsuri felt her fingers wrap around fabric.

Yes! She had them!

But before she could get a firm grip, she felt something brush against her hand. Shinobu’s face appeared right next to hers.

“Your hands are quite soft.”

Mitsuri blushed. Her breath caught in her throat.

What?

She blinked. The swim trunks were gone. She looked up and saw Shinobu holding them up, a small smirk on her face. Her eyes gleamed with victory.

“Looks like I won.”

Mitsuri clenched her fist. Shoot. She got distracted. Well, there were other swim trunks in the store. She was sure she’d be able to find something good elsewhere.

Mitsuri walked away. She searched the store until she found another section with swim trunks. She rifled through them quickly just like before. She had to be fast so she could get to the trunks before Shinobu.

Mitsuri shuffled through each pair, the hangers squeaking unpleasantly as she pushed them to the side.

“No, no, no, well… no, no, no, yes!”

This time, Mitsuri found a pair of swim trunks with small black and white patterning on it. It would work well with Kyojuro’s bright, vibrant hair.

Mitsuri grabbed the hanger without hesitation. She wasn’t gonna let this go!

But as she pulled it towards herself, she felt a force stopping her. She turned.

“Looks like we’re in the same spot as before.”

That calm, smooth voice made her blood boil. “You got the last one, Shinobu. I think I should be allowed to take this one.”

Mitsuri looked into Shinobu’s eyes. They were lit with amusement, yet still strong and unyielding.

“There are still lots of other pairs out there. Many that you probably haven’t even taken a proper look at.”

Mitsuri’s brows furrowed. “That’s not true! You just don’t want me to have this one.”

“Well, if you disagree, then do something about it.” A challenge burned beneath her gentle voice.

She would regret that. “Okay then. I’m not letting go.”

Mitsuri pulled on the hanger. Shinobu pulled back. Mitsuri pulled back even harder. Shinobu put another hand on the hanger and leaned back.

“Give up!” Mitsuri exclaimed.

“I will when you do.”

Mitsuri put another hand on the hanger and yanked. Right as Mitsuri pulled back, Shinobu stopped pulling, causing her to tumble straight into Mitsuri’s chest. The hanger clattered to the ground.

“Ow! Wh—” Mitsuri stopped. Her face grew hot. Shinobu’s face was suddenly much too close to hers. She could see the depths of her deep violet eyes, and her long, pretty eyelashes, and the strands of her soft looking hair, and—

“Hm? What happened to you wanting the swim trunks?”

Mitsuri snapped out of her thoughts. Shinobu was smiling up at her. Mitsuri blushed even more.

Oh… she had dropped the swim trunks, hadn’t she?

“Here. I didn’t want these anyway.” Shinobu picked up the swim trunks from the ground and handed them to Mitsuri.

“W-what? Why?”

Shinobu’s eyes flashed mischievously. She brought her face near Mitsuri’s and placed the hanger in Mitsuri’s hand.

“I want something better.” Her fingers brushed against Mitsuri’s as she brought her hand down and began to walk away.

Mitsuri scowled. That didn’t feel like a victory at all. Even when Mitsuri got what she wanted, Shinobu still somehow managed to win.

Shinobu called to Kyojuro. “Kyo! We found some swimwear for you!”

He looked up from the rack he was looking at. “Great! I’ll try it on!”

Shinobu gave Kyojuro the swim trunks she had picked out. Mitsuri jogged up to him and gave him her pair as well.

“I’ll be back in a moment!” Kyojuro disappeared into the changing rooms.

Shinobu and Mitsuri stood together in silence as they waited.

Mitsuri stared straight forward. She could feel Shinobu standing next to her. It was almost unbearable. Mitsuri tried not to look at her, but her eyes were drawn towards her anyways.

As Mitsuri took a peek at Shinobu, she realized that Shinobu was already looking at her. Shinobu’s smile tipped up into a smirk. Her eyes lingered on Mitsuri for a moment before looking elsewhere.

Ugh. She was so haughty.

Finally, Kyojuro emerged from the changing room. He was wearing the red swim trunks that Shinobu had picked (stolen), and… his shirt was off.

“What do you think?” he asked.

Mitsuri’s cheeks grew pink. While she blushed and stammered at Kyojuro’s exposed body, Shinobu swept in. “Well, Kyo,” Shinobu said, “I think it looks quite good on you. It complements your hair.” She placed her hand on Kyojuro’s bicep and glanced towards Mitsuri.

Mitsuri fumed.

“You think so? I might have to buy it! I should try on the other pairs first though!” Kyojuro said.

“I don’t think there’s a need for that. These trunks that I picked out for you are perfect,” Shinobu said.

That she picked out?! What the—

“You picked well! Maybe I’ll just buy them! We need to make sure you have enough time to try on swimsuits too!”

Shinobu smiled. “How thoughtful of you. I’ll start looking at swimsuits while you’re changing.”

Shinobu dropped her hand from Kyojuro’s bicep and left. Kyojuro walked back into the changing rooms.

So… Kyojuro wasn’t even going to try on the swimsuit she picked out? What was the point of fighting Shinobu for it in the first place?

Well, it didn’t matter. Shinobu had split off from him. That meant Mitsuri could take the chance to talk to Kyojuro alone once he was done changing.

Mitsuri pretended to look through the swimwear. Once Kyojuro emerged from the changing rooms, Mitsuri sidled up next to him and tried to spark a conversation.

“So… did you enjoy going to that café, Kyojuro?”

Kyojuro’s eyes sparkled. “Yes! I will definitely have to go there again!”

Mitsuri smiled. “I’m so glad you liked it!” She wrung her hands together and looked down at the ground. “Um, so I was wondering, would you maybe be willing to—”

“Sorry to interrupt, but I’m going to be trying these on. I’d love to get your opinions.” Shinobu appeared next to them and held up a couple of swimsuits.

“Of course!” Kyojuro said.

Shinobu disappeared into one of the changing rooms. Mitsuri pursed her lips. Hopefully she would be gone for long enough this time. She just couldn’t stop interrupting things.

“A-anyway, Kyojuro, about what I was saying…”

Kyojuro looked back at her and smiled encouragingly. Mitsuri blushed.

“So, you liked the café, right? I was wondering if you would, um, maybe like to go there again sometime? Just the two of us? Since, um… we both like sweet potato so much…” Well, she could’ve thought of a better excuse to get the two of them alone, but it was better than nothing. Hopefully it would work.

Kyojuro stayed silent for a moment. Mitsuri bit her lip. Please say yes, please say yes, please—

“I’m done changing! What do you think?”

Again! Shinobu came and interrupted again! Mitsuri looked up at Shinobu. This woman just wouldn’t stop—

Mitsuri’s eyes widened. Shinobu was wearing a beach skirt coupled with a bikini top that was tied together in the middle. It was a purple gradient that perfectly matched her eyes and hair and accentuated her expanse of pale skin. Mitsuri’s eyes couldn’t stop trailing along Shinobu’s body.

Mitsuri came to her senses as she remembered that Shinobu had asked a question. She looked up and saw an amused smile on Shinobu’s face.

“So, what do you think?” The words dripped off of Shinobu’s lips like honey.

Mitsuri felt something flare up in her chest. “It’s good! It looks… very good. What do you think, Kyoju—”

Kyojuro had been silent the entire time. He looked like he was in shock. His eyes were glued to Shinobu.

“Kyojuro…?”

Kyojuro blinked. “Sorry! Yes, it looks very good! I think you should get it!”

Damn Shinobu and her pretty face and perfect body. She had Kyojuro completely hypnotized. Mitsuri grit her teeth.

“Well, since this swimsuit has unanimous approval, I think I’m going to buy it. I’ll be back in a moment,” Shinobu said. She disappeared once more.

Once she was gone, Mitsuri took her chance. “Hey, Kyojuro?”

Kyojuro looked over at her. Mitsuri’s face heated up. “About, my question, earlier…”

“Ah! I had nearly forgotten! I would love to go to the café with you again!” he said.

Mitsuri’s face lit up, and she nearly jumped in excitement. “You would?!”

Kyojuro nodded and made a noise of affirmation.

“Yay! We can text and figure out the details later!”

“Sounds like a plan!”

Shinobu returned back to where they were standing. “Alright, I’m ready. Thank you for waiting.”

“No problem!” Mitsuri said. No problem, indeed. This had proven to be the perfect chance for her to make a move. There was no way Shinobu could one up this. She underestimated just who she was stealing from.

Or so she thought.

----------

Mitsuri walked up to the door of Kyojuro’s apartment. Her stomach burned with anxiety. She shook her arms and legs and took a deep breath to relax herself.

They had decided to meet at Kyojuro’s house before going to the café so that they could travel there together. Mitsuri was so nervous about it that she had ended up arriving at Kyojuro’s house 15 minutes early. She didn’t want to wait while her nerves ate her alive, so she decided to knock on the door anyway.

After a moment, the door opened. Kyojuro’s face poked out.

“Mitsuri! Come on in!”

“T-thank you! I’m sorry I’m here so early.”

Kyojuro smiled. “No need to apologize! It’s good to be punctual! Just give me a moment to get ready! Feel free to sit while you’re waiting!”

Kyojuro disappeared down a hallway. Mitsuri tiptoed over to the nearby couch and sat down on the edge.

Kyojuro’s place was clean but just as vibrant and full of personality as he was. There were lots of yellow and red accents throughout the room, from the pillows to the artwork on the walls to the rugs. There were some decorations that screamed Kyojuro, including a rack of home weights by the wall near the TV and an elegant katana hanging on another wall.

As Mitsuri surveyed the apartment, a familiar voice called to her.

“Ah, Mitsuri! I didn’t expect to see you here.”

No. No way.

Mitsuri looked towards the source of the voice, and her heart stopped.

Shinobu stood by the couch, smiling like usual. Her hair was down for once, allowing it to cascade down to her shoulders. It was messy from a night of sleep yet somehow perfectly framed her face. She was wearing pajama bottoms and a loose-fitting tank top that was falling down one shoulder, exposing… a lot of her chest.

A soup of emotions bubbled in Mitsuri’s stomach. Why was Shinobu here? Did she stay the night? How did she look so good when she clearly only just woke up?

“H-hi, Shinobu. I wasn’t expecting to see you here, either….”

“Well, I spent the day with Kyojuro yesterday and happened to spend the night too. Things just happen like that sometimes, you know?”

Maybe she was going crazy, but Mitsuri had a feeling that this did not, in fact, just “happen,” but was planned by Shinobu because she knew Mitsuri would be there.

“I see.”

How did Shinobu manage to outsmart her yet again? Why couldn’t she ever win against this woman? Why—

Mitsuri stiffened as she felt her hair being ruffled. Shinobu was standing before her, her chest right in Mitsuri’s face and her arm outstretched.

“Wh—”

As quickly as Shinobu was in Mitsuri’s personal space, she stepped out of it. “Sorry, there was just a little leaf in your hair.” Shinobu held up the leaf in her hand. “It must have fallen on you when you were walking here.”

Mitsuri patted her head. “O-oh… thank you…” Her heart was beating wildly. What—

“Mitsuri! I’m ready now! I hope I didn’t keep you waiting for too long!” Kyojuro suddenly boomed.

Mitsuri yelped and nearly fell off the couch. Shinobu giggled.

“You nearly scared her to death, Kyo,” Shinobu said.

“Ah, sorry about that!”

Mitsuri waved her hands. “It’s totally okay! And you didn’t have me waiting for too long. I’m ready to go now that you are.”

“Good! Then let’s go!”

Shinobu smiled. “Have fun.” She went up on her tiptoes to give Kyojuro a kiss. She looked at Mitsuri out of the corner of her eye.

Mitsuri clenched her fist. She was still an actress.

Shinobu lowered herself back to the ground. Kyojuro smiled at her and then walked to the door.

“Let’s go!”

-----------

Mitsuri and Kyojuro walked side by side as they headed to the café. Their shoes tapped softly on sidewalk. The leaves of the nearby trees sang as the wind passed through them, and a few got dislodged and floated through the air.

Mitsuri watched as they fluttered down to the ground. “So that’s how it got in my hair…” she murmured.

“What was that, Mitsuri?”

“A-ah, nothing important! I just had a leaf in my hair earlier, and Shinobu took it out for me. It was a bit…” Mitsuri thought about how close Shinobu got, how she could feel her gentle touch on her scalp and the warmth radiating from her body—

“Are you okay Mitsuri?”

Kyojuro’s voice brought her back to reality. “Y-yeah, I’m totally fine! Just zoned out for a second.” Focus, Kanroji! Don’t let Shinobu distract you! “Anyways, how are you doing today?”

The two of them fell into comfortable small talk as they walked to the café. Once they arrived, Kyojuro ordered the sweet potato latte once again, while Mitsuri opted to try the ube latte and an ube custard tart. They found an empty table and took their drinks over once they were ready.

Mitsuri took a sip of her latte. It was sweet and milky but had a more nuanced flavor than a usual latte.

“This is really interesting and really good!” she exclaimed.

“I see! May I try I bit?” Kyojuro asked.

Mitsuri’s cheeks turned pink. “S-sure.” She slid the drink over to Kyojuro. He took a sip from her straw.

An indirect kiss!

“Tasty! It’s similar to sweet potato!”

Kyojuro slid the drink back over. The sunlight from the window next to them shined on it, illuminating the vibrant purple coloring from the ube extract.

Shinobu’s purple tipped hair and sparkling amethyst eyes flashed in her head. They were a very similar shade to the ube, and as much as Mitsuri hated to admit it, they were quite pretty.

Wait, wh—

“Are you okay, Mitsuri?”

Mitsuri’s eyes zoned back in on the drink. She smiled and laughed awkwardly as she grabbed the drink.

“Yes, just… thinking about how pretty this drink looks.”

Even when she wasn’t there, Shinobu was managing to undermine Mitsuri’s plans. She had to focus. She was here for Kyojuro, and Kyojuro only.

“Do you want to try some of my ube tart, since you liked the drink?”

“Sure!”

Mitsuri took a piece of the tart with the fork and offered it to Kyojuro. As he chewed, the image of Shinobu kissing Kyojuro and taunting Mitsuri with her eyes flashed through her mind. She shook her head.

“Very tasty!” Kyojuro said.

Mitsuri smiled weakly. “I-I’m glad you think so!” Maybe once they left the café, Mitsuri could get Shinobu out of her mind.

After finishing their food, Mitsuri and Kyojuro strolled along the streets and looked through the shops. Kyojuro stopped in at a surf shop to look at surfboards, while Mitsuri dropped into a bakery and bought herself a chocolate chip cookie. She munched on it as they walked and talked.

“How is your cookie, Mitsuri?”

“It’s perfect! It’s soft and chewy and has the perfect amount of chocolate chips.”

Kyojuro nodded. “Good! The food around here is excellent! If there’s anything else you would like to get, let me know!”

Mitsuri took another bite of her cookie and surveyed the nearby shops. Was there anything else here she wanted? There was another bakery, an ice cream store, a sandwich shop, a—

Mitsuri coughed violently as her cookie nearly went down the wrong pipe. They were right by the swim shop that they went to last time. Where she and Shinobu fought over the swimsuits, and Mitsuri felt the soft skin of Shinobu’s hands and saw the smallest details of her gorgeous face, and Shinobu taunted Mitsuri with that sinful swimsuit of hers…

“Are you okay?” Kyojuro asked.

Mitsuri coughed again. “Y-yeah, just didn’t swallow quite right,” she croaked. She really couldn’t get Shinobu out of her brain, could she? In that case, perhaps she would take this opportunity to gather some intel on Shinobu and Kyojuro and see if she could find a way to finally beat Shinobu.

Mitsuri cleared her throat. “Anyways, um… how are you and Shinobu doing? You know, um… as a couple.”

“Very good!” Kyojuro said. “I enjoy our time together!”

“I see… What is it about her that you like?”

Kyojuro brought his hand to his chin. “Hmm. I like that she is very smart and kind, and great at making conversation! She is also very driven, and I respect that about her!”

“Yes, she’s definitely driven…” That was an understatement. The woman seemed to be making it her life’s mission to get in Mitsuri’s way. “What first drew you to her?”

“How pretty and friendly she is!”

“Ah, pretty…” Mitsuri blushed. She couldn’t deny that. Shinobu was pretty and she knew it. Mitsuri didn’t think she could never compete with her looks.

“Wouldn’t you agree? You two seem like good friends!”

Mitsuri’s face twisted, but she hid it by taking another bite of her cookie. “Good friends? What makes you say that?”

“You mention her a lot! You light up whenever we talk about her!”

Mitsuri’s eyes widened. She coughed as she choked on her cookie again. Was she really talking about her that much? Was she that focused on her? It was true Shinobu was on her mind the entire day, but it was just because she was annoyed by her! Shinobu was butting into Mitsuri’s mind herself!

“Haha… I guess so…”

Mitsuri’s mind was a mess for the rest of the day. It felt like her brain had exploded, flinging her thoughts in every direction and making them impossible to organize. She could barely focus on the rest of the date. As she and Kyojuro parted ways at the end of the day, Mitsuri sighed in defeat.

Shinobu had won yet again.

-----------

A few days after Mitsuri’s date with Kyojuro, an invitation to a party was given to a number of Kimetsu University students. It was being hosted by Tengen Uzui, a party animal whose parties were known for being huge and wild.

Normally, Mitsuri wasn’t into parties that crazy, but she wanted to switch things up. After her disastrous hangout with Kyojuro, she wanted to do something that would get her mind off her constant failures (and Shinobu, although she wouldn’t admit that).

Mitsuri threw on one of her best outfits—a brownish red shirt with a v-neck going all the way down to her stomach, tucked into a short black skirt that hugged her hips in all the right places and put her legs on display. After putting on some lipstick and a bit of eyeliner, she felt ready to hit the scene.

Mitsuri could hear the bass thumping from outside as she walked up to Uzui’s house. Multicolored lights glowed through the windows, and there were a number of cars pulled up to the house and along the street. It looked like the party was already rolling.

As she entered the house, she was blasted by the music being played. There were tables set up with plates of food and cups of beer and various bowls of mixed drinks. Some people were dancing to the music, while others were simply grouping off and chatting with each other.

Mitsuri immediately headed towards the food. She served herself some nachos and some pizza rolls before shuffling off to a corner.

Mitsuri crunched on the nachos for a moment and looked around. There wasn’t anyone she recognized. She loved to talk to people, but she always felt a bit self-conscious being around so many people she didn’t know. She continued to nibble on her nachos to appear less awkward.

Finally, after a few minutes, all of her food was gone. No more staving off the awkwardness. It looked like it was time for her to go meet some new people and strike up a conversation.

Just as Mitsuri was about to leave her corner, she caught sight of yellow and red hair.

Kyojuro! Mitsuri wasn’t expecting to see him here. But as her face was about to light up, she caught sight of purple and black next to him.

Ah… Shinobu was here too. Of course.

Shinobu was clinging onto Kyojuro’s arm and smiling up at him. As they began to walk towards the tables of food and drinks, Shinobu’s gaze moved and she made eye contact with Mitsuri. Mitsuri whipped her eyes away.

Ah! Shinobu saw her. Just act natural and ignore them. She was here for a good time and a good time only.

But Mitsuri found her eyes being drawn back towards Kyojuro and Shinobu anyways. They were standing by the tables now. Kyojuro had his arm slung around Shinobu’s shoulder as he said something to her. She laughed, and her smile seemed to light up the space.

They looked like a picture perfect couple.

Mitsuri gripped her plate. She didn’t need to see this. She was tired of Shinobu constantly ruining her plans. She needed to get away.

Mitsuri put her plate down on one of the couches and set off down a hallway. She didn’t know where she was going. She just needed to be somewhere private.

The music began to fade as she went down the hallway. She got to the room at the end and shut the door.

The music was now a dull throb. There were jackets and a few purses stacked up on a bed at the center of the room. This must be where everyone was leaving their stuff.

Mitsuri sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed. Of course Shinobu was here. That was what she did. She always managed to nudge her way into Mitsuri’s plans somehow. What was even the point of coming here? She should’ve known it would end up like this.

Mitsuri sat in the room in silence. She tuned into the dull sound of the music for a moment.

Well, there wasn’t much point in her staying here. Perhaps it was time for her to—

The door suddenly opened. Mitsuri straightened up.

“Is this—ah, Mitsuri? What are you doing in here?”

Mitsuri gripped the bedsheets. Great, the last person she wanted to see just had to come in here.

“Shinobu. I could ask you the same… thing…” Mitsuri trailed off as she took in Shinobu’s appearance. She was wearing a top that was practically a bra, save for a thin piece of fabric that wrapped around her midsection a couple of times and was tied together at the front. She was also wearing a choker, dark purple lipstick that matched her hair, and tight black pants.

Mitsuri’s mouth grew dry.

“I was just hoping to put my jacket away somewhere.” She held up a jacket in her arms.

“I see. Well, the pile of jackets is right there,” Mitsuri said.

Shinobu smiled and walked over to the bed. Mitsuri stayed quiet as she brushed past her.

Shinobu shuffled through the piles. After a minute, Mitsuri grew impatient. What was taking her so long?

Shinobu continued to shuffle through the piles. The silence weighed heavily on Mitsuri, so thick it demanded to be broken. Finally, she snapped.

“Listen, I know what you’re doing.”

The shuffling stopped. “What are you talking about?”

Mitsuri pursed her lips. “I think you know. I know you stole Kyojuro from me on purpose. I know you’ve been flaunting it in my face while acting nice and sweet in front of him. You’re trying to hurt me, aren’t you?”

Suddenly, Shinobu was right in front of Mitsuri. She leaned down, her face inches from Mitsuri’s. “Is that what you think I’m doing?”

Mitsuri felt herself getting more annoyed. She stood up. “I think it’s pretty obvious by now. I wanted to think otherwise, but the way you’re so affectionate with Kyojuro when I’m there, the way you’ve been dressing, the way you look at me, everything—I know that’s what you’re doing! I have eyes!”

Shinobu smirked. “Well, you weren’t using them quite hard enough.”

Shinobu grabbed the back of Mitsuri’s head. She leaned up and crashed her lips into Mitsuri’s.

Mitsuri’s eyes widened. After a second, Shinobu broke away.

Mitsuri’s heart pounded even more intensely than the bass from the party music. Her face grew hot as she stared absentmindedly at Shinobu’s lips.

“Wh-wh-wh—”

Shinobu gently grabbed Mitsuri’s chin and looked into her eyes. “I finally got you to pay attention to me.”

“Huh?”

Shinobu huffed out a laugh. “I never really had feelings for Kyojuro. In fact, I don’t even really like men at all. I just wanted you, but you only had eyes for him no matter what I did, so I figured that the only way I could get you to look at me was to steal him from you. It looks like it worked.”

What. WHAT. This whole time, Shinobu didn’t even care about Kyojuro? She spent all that time trying to piss Mitsuri off just because she wanted her?

Shinobu continued to talk, but Mitsuri didn’t register any of it. She felt a storm of emotions building up in her—anger, confusion, lust, want—until she couldn’t take it anymore.

Mitsuri grabbed Shinobu’s cheeks and kissed her. Shinobu stiffened but relaxed into the kiss after a moment. They broke apart for a second, but the emotions in Mitsuri’s gut took over and she captured Shinobu’s lips once more. Their kiss grew heavy and heated. Mitsuri couldn’t get enough of Shinobu, but eventually she broke away to catch her breath.

“You really think you can just kiss me out of nowhere like that,” Mitsuri panted, “after everything you did to hurt me?”

“Mitsuri…”

“You’ve had your way this entire time. I’m not gonna let it stay that way anymore.”

Mitsuri walked over to the door and locked it. She turned around and picked up Shinobu. Shinobu yelped.

“Mitsuri?”

“You should keep in mind—”

Mitsuri set Shinobu on the bed and straddled her.

“There is nothing I do better than revenge.”