Kumihimo

**Kumihimo** (組み紐, *Kumihimo*?, lit. "Gathered threads"), is a braided cord made using traditional Japanese artform.

## Description

The braided cord is composed of colorful threads. It is an affordable handiwork and would make a practical gift. The cord can be used as an accessory, for example as a hair tie, the perfect gift for someone with long hair.

## Plot

Ever since the day Kiyoka Kudou has given Miyo Saimori an expensive comb, she wants to reciprocate with a gift of her own but doesn't know what would be appropriate and is also extremely limited in what she could get him. When seeking Yurie's advice, the latter gives her a craft project book with instructions for producing various everyday items. Turning through the pages, the Kumihimo project catches Miyo's attention and she decides to create one for Kiyoka. Yurie praises her choice.

Shortly after, she goes to a craft supplies store in the city with Yurie to buy the necessary supplies. At first, Miyo is not sure what colors would look good on Kiyoka. She believes that a brighter, more vividly colored cord would stand out more against his fair hair, but anything overly flashy like strong yellows or reds was best avoided. By contrast, indigo blue would almost match him too well and leave a bland, underwhelming impression. Plus, it was too similar to the black cord he normally used for his hair. In the end, she picked some strings of choice and paid for the threads.

After returning from the city, Miyo stays holed up in her room for a week, feeling devastated after encountering her abusive half-sister Kaya Saimori in the city. During her hole up, she finishes the hair tie for Kiyoka. It is a gorgeous cord with stunning braiding, an excellent work for an amateur. Then she uses leftover threads to construct another braided cord using a different pattern, an excuse to stay holed up in her room.

After her former servant Hana arrives to boost her confidence, she rushes to Kiyoka and clutching the hair tie in her hand, she explains her situation. She places the hair tie on the floor in front of him and expresses that she made it as a token of my gratitude and as an apology, adding that if he has no need for it, he could feel free to throw it away or burn it. After accepting her gift, Kiyoka asks her to tie his hair for him, which Miyo is happy to. She loosely ties his hair in the back and brings it forward over his shoulder so that he could see the braided cord. It looks even better on his light tresses than she’d imagined. The color she’d chosen was purple, which is elegant but subdued.

As Miyo use the power of the Dream-Sight to regain Kiyoka's unconsciousness from his coma, the Emperor uses his power to get rid of these two, first said, "Be gone now! This is my will!" as to summon hordes of Grotesqueries, but they have been protected by a barrier. Finally, he used the Grotesquerie form of the Emperor as the Emperor said in the demonic voice, "Upon my rule, you both must die!" But Miyo use the power with Kumihimo to defeat the Emperor and his servants and the Grotesqueries "Be gone!" The Grotesquerie form of the Emperor have been destroyed, as the flame killed the Emperor and his servants by Miyo.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4  Novel, Volume 1 Chapter 3
2. ↑  Anime, Episode 12