Just one week left before the final selection. The ravenette boy was internally panicking despite looking so serene on the inside, and that was mainly due to how cute his tsuguko was, and the fact that Mitsuri had spent two hours explaining to him how love works and why he felt that way.

He sat on the engawa, staying still like a statue, while you finished training the last form of the breath of mist, that which your master had created himself. You wanted to perfect everything, in order to nail the selection. You needed to make him proud, no matter the cost.

"Breath of mist, seventh form: Obscuring Clouds"

You kept repeating the form over and over again, feeling your muscles contract, watching the slightest moves your body made to go with the flow of the attack. You needed to feel it as an extension of your own body. It had to become as easy as breathing or walking; it needed to be natural.

Tired, you began panting. "To... Tokito-sama... any... advice?"

Muichiro raised his head, his expression looked completely dead. It sent chills down your spine, forcing you to turn around and keep trying.

Letting out a sigh, he walked up to you. He attempted to take the sword out of your hands, but his hand grazed yours in the process and sent electricity through his whole body. You felt it too, staring at him with wide eyes and cheeks bright red.

Following the shock, was the hollow sound of the sword hitting the ground.

His heart was lost in the sensation of his skin touching yours, on the warmth and the softness, an unforgettable feeling. For both you and him, it was as if with a single touch, your souls connected.

Blinking, Muichiro kept his calm as you stood there, wide-eyed, in shock. When you finally reacted, you reached for the sword and held it close to you.

"You're a disaster. I taught you to not make those unnecessary moves, to be fully conscious of your muscles and every single fiber of your body. Feel even your blood cells, or you'll end up dead during the selection."

You quickly nodded, listening attentively while he pointed out all your flaws. But, deep inside, you were a little bit disappointed that he didn't even react to the sensation from earlier, so did he not feel anything at all? It was odd, because that had never happened before, you were puzzled.

Ah... my heart hurts now.

"Practice a thousand reps more. If by the end of the day you haven't improved, there won't be dinner for you tonight. Got it?"

"Yes, master!" you exclaimed, immediately rolling on your feet's heels to practice the form again.

Muichiro stared at your back for a couple of seconds before going back inside.

『 °*• ❈ •*°』

The stars were twinkling brightly that night. Muichiro sat on his engawa with a lukewarm cup of tea between his hands, he hadn't taken a sip of it, he just wished to feel its warmth to forget about how stupid he acted earlier. For once, logic didn't seem to solve the problem.

Inside his head, he could hear a tiny Mitsuri yell at him: "Love makes you do stupid stuff!"

«Shut up up, Kanroji. I'm trying to think.»

With the sound of footsteps, his heart jolted. Nonetheless, he didn't move an inch.

You sat next to him, yawning. Your pajamas were badly buttoned and your hair was a mess, and yet his face felt hot and his eyes locked in the sight before him, because even then, he saw a masterpiece.

"It's late" he commented expressionless, taking a sip of his drink for the first time.

Yawning again, you looked up at the stars.

"I know, I couldn't sleep."

"Did you have a nightmare?"

You shook your head slowly, "No, I was thinking about you"

Even nature seemed to freeze at your words. Your mouth had moved faster than your brain, you quickly tried to correct it before your heart attempted to fly out of your chest.

"I-I mean, in the seventh form that you created"

He hummed affirmatively.

You two were looking at the same starry sky, so close, so far away.

You took the teacup from his hands, and thankfully this time the electricity came in the form of tickles, so you could successfully take it into yours and take a long sip. His head slowly turned to see you casually drinking it. He had done the same with you a hundred times, so it was odd that you stole his tea this time around.

"The selection is a week away" you spoke, feeling the weight of your heart multiply.

He nodded.

"I'm worried. I know that I'm strong enough to take those demons down but... spending seven days out there is scary" you admitted, placing the cup aside as your eyes reflected your sadness.

"Because you'll be surrounded by strangers too?" he asked.

"I guess, but, I don't like spending so long without you" you answered, to which he had to take a couple seconds to analyze your words before even daring to speak again.

"You have been without me these past months while the others trained you, what's the problem?"

You paused, eyes lost in the constellations that you didn't know the name of and the crescent moon lighting up the sky.

"I have, but it was inside this house, which has your scent all over."

Again, nature froze, just as you did, completely red. Muichiro observed your panicked self, his bored eyes shined for a second before going back to normal. His hands took your shoulders and made you face him completely, and thus he began buttoning your pajama better; it would've been so much easier if you had wore your yukata instead.

"You'll be fine"

And without any other word, being done with what he was doing, he stood up and left the engawa. You held your overheating self, falling to the side to rest your head on the wood, pulling your knees closer to you.

What's gonna kill me first, Tokito-sama or the final selection's anxiety attack?