I

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Arc I Chapter 2

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Asami stared into a mirror. It was a well-crafted mirror. A golden frame carried the glass.

Her appearance was that of an adorable little girl. She was sweet, cute, cuddly like a doll.

The girl looked right back at her, imitating all of her movements.

Asami raised her hand. The girl raised her arm. Asami tilted her head. The girl tilted her head. Asami furrowed her eyebrow. The girl furrowed her eyeborw. Asami smiled. The girl smiled. She was her.

No matter how she looked, in her heart, she was still the same. Nothing had changed, she was Asami and Asami was her.

Asami extended her arm and touched the cold glass. Both of their hands connected as Asami lost herself in her beautiful black eyes. A smirk crossed her face. Her eyes were ... wonderful.

"I am Asami ... I am Asami ... I am Asami …", her delicate lips whispered, repeating her name with a growing sense of satisfaction.

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Enjoying a feeling of vainglorious vanity, Asami marvelled at her image and her beauty. She was .... beautiful, nothing short of stunning.

She had inherited so much from okaa-san. She had inherited her pale complexion, her prominent cheekbones, her black silken hair, her wonderful lips. She was perfection. Asami was perfection.

She had inherited everything she could desire. Everything except for her black eyes. Two gems of abyss-like darkness that gazed into your very soul. She cherished them with all her heart.

Asami loved her black eyes, and she wouldn't change them for anything. The eyes were hers, and hers alone.

Asami smiled as she caressed her wonderfully soft skin. No wrinkle, no mole, no blemishes. Her appearance was impeccable. From time to time, she thought she resembled a doll, which was rather disturbing. But of course, she wasn't. She wasn't a doll. She was just true perfection.

Even okaa-san thought so, saying that she was adorable. The most adorable girl in Konoha. She could only agree.

Asami smirked at her mirror. "I really am a cute and adorable child ..."

"Asami-chan, what are you doing there?"

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Okaa-san admonished her, "Asami-chan, that's the tenth time I have caught you here with the mirror. Be careful that you don't starve to death one day. I don't want that to happen to my cute little treasure."

Okaa-san pinched Asami's fluffy cheeks. Asami pouted, protesting. She didn't like being pinched and her okaa-san knew it. Nevertheless, okaa-san wouldn’t stop tormenting her by squeezing her to death with love.

Okaa-san threatened her with a smile. "Otherwise, I might have to take your beloved mirror away, Asami-chan. And you don't want that, right?"

Asami paled. No, her mirror was in danger! She needed to act! She needed to save her mirror!

Asami lowered her head in guilt, looking heart-broken, saddened. "But ... But I was only curious if I will ever be as beautiful as okaa-san." Her eyes became dewy, and she was about to cry.

Okaa-san's face lit up with happiness. Okaa-san hugged her with much love. "How sweet. Asami-chan. I am sure you will break the hearts of many men in the future."

Asami smiled. Her plan succeeded.

"Okaa-san, why are you here?" Asami tilted her head. She was curious.

"We’re expecting a visit today, Asami-chan. You have to be presentable."

“Presentable?“ Asami shivered. She knew what that meant.

“Yes, presentable.“

Asami frowned. No, no, no, no, no, she would certainly not be dressed up like a doll again. She was a human being. Once was enough for the rest of her life.

Asami opted for a tactical retreat. Very, very, very, very slowly, she mowed toward the open door in the hope she could escape.

"Where do you think you are going, Asami-chan?" Okaa-san grabbed Asami by her collar, preventing her feeble attempt to escape. Okaa-san grinned with a glint of evil glee in her eyes. Escape was impossible. Resistance futile.

"Hmm, eh, ..." Asami stuttered.

Okaa-san started her work, an activity okaa-san enjoyed as usual. Asami was her cute little treasure and doting as okaa-san was, she loved dressing her.

Asami wore a small kimono, specifically tailored for her. It wasn't her only kimono. In fact, she owned many of them. Maybe too many.

By now, she had kimono for every occasion, for every season, for every week of the year, to the point that her wardrobe was full of them. And their number kept only growing.

It was no secret that okaa-san had a little foible for kimono, and that her infatuation might have influenced her choice of clothes just a bit. Not that Asami protested. Quite the contrary.

She cherished the delicate touch of silk and being clad in soft fabrics. Deep down in her childish heart, Asami enjoyed being treated like a little princess. For okaa-san, she was always the one and only Asami-hime.

Okaa-san tightened the belt and adjusted the cute ribbon on her head. “And finished!“

Okaa-san clasped her hands, beaming. She was proud of her work. “What do you think, Asami-chan? You look marvellous, don't you?“

Asami looked at herself in the mirror. She looked absolutely ... adorable. Cuddly, huggly and sugar-sweet. As usual, okaa-san had dollified her to perfection.

Asami merely nodded and smiled.

"Okaa-san, okaa-san, okaa-san!“ Asami tugged on her mother's skirt. “Okaa-san, who is visiting us today? I am curious."

“Just an old childhood friend, Asami-chan. I will chat with Hama about old times, nothing more.”

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