Shinya Asukai - Funerals Suck

     I wasn't sure what to feel that day. Being an Asukai, it was kind of complicated.
It was sad to lose a leader, or rather, frightening; It would have a huge effect on the village.
But it was hard for me to feel compassion for someone I didn't know, well, for anyone really,
but especially for someone I'd spoken to give or take once or twice... It's not that i didn't care,
I just didn't really know what to say about it - If I had a right to say anything about it.

     First, they sealed his chakra into his monument, then they buried him - Like all the Akarikage before.
It was a special burial fit for a warrior - To ensure he would never truly fade away from the village,
but also a means to prevent shinobi from other villages obtaining his body and stealing his power.
It was the safest method of burial, especially considering how incredibly powerful Tarou Kitsune was,
but it was also the slowest - Making the ceremony last close to a few hours in length.

     At the ceremonies end, I got up and walked slowly through the graveyard - Looking back a last time,
I saw the Kitsune Clan were all huddled up right next to Tarou's Statue, openly expressing their grief.
who could blame them - they lost not only a leader, but a father, a family member - Even I could understand that.

     "Shinya-dono." I whipped my gaze back in front of me to find I had almost walked into Hisako,
     "Oh, hello." I swallowed awkwardly, "Is something the matter? .. I mean, you know... Other than..."
     "Do you mind if I... come over today?" She interjected, "Just to take off the edge I guess..." 
I couldn't blame her, today was gonna be a strange day - Particularly for us Asukai, who got two separate stories.
Some members of the Clan would be upset, but I'm sure others could care less about the death of a Kitsune.

     Personally, the way I saw Clan matters was the way my mother saw - I didn't. A person was a person, no matter what.
That being said, I found other ways to not get along with people. Returning my thoughts to the matter at hand, i answered,
     "Sure, my dad won't be home until later today - He's on a case." Not that it would've mattered if he did, he liked Hisako.
She took that news with a smile and promptly began towards the Asukai compound.

Art by Jinxaroni ♥

     Normally we'd have to take back roads walking home to avoid being seen together, but with all this rain - well,
you could barely see who was across the street - nonetheless two figures dressed in black walking side by side.
     "So what do you wanna do today?" She looked over eagerly at me, suddenly much cheerier than before.
     "What we do every time you come over." I grinned, "Probably play a drinking game, or have a smoke..." 
     "Please don't smoke." she made a sound of utter disgust, caught between gagging and choking. I responded,
     "Why not?" I laughed a bit, she didn't usually mind - But she did complain on occasion about the scent of certain tobaccos.
     "Because your hair smells nicer when you don't. The tobacco is so strong, I don't like it much - But you smell nice."
I was dumbfounded. I'm not sure what it was but something about being complimented felt really unsettling and embarrassing.
I smell nice? What does that mean? When does she smell me? Why do I feel happy that she thinks I smell nice?
Numerous questions bombarded my head, eliminating any trace of coherency in my speech. Without thinking, I uttered,

     "...I can work on that."