Disclaimer:

I do not own nor claim all the rights to 鬼滅の刃 | Kimetsu no Yaiba | Demon Slayer; all rights are reserved to its respective creator, Koyoharu Gotōge. This is purely a work of fiction; names, characters, businesses, events, localities, and occurrences are all extrapolated from the author's writings and imagination or utilized in a fictitious manner. As such, any direct or indirect references to actual entities, dead or alive, or events do not, in any shape or form, resemble the opinions of the author.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"..." = Dialogue

'...' = Internal monologues

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just a reminder that this chapter isn't as long or detailed as the other ones.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The panoramic view of one of Japan's biggest and fastest-growing cities could enamor even the most intransigent traditionalist whose own purview of societal progress is confined to the backcountry to which they so revere and embellish to be humanity's only abode. The once starlit skies of the arable farms were now completely engrossed by the luminous streetlights and industrial, black fumes exuded by the factories and the congested streets of this new city in this new era.

However, despite this flamboyant projection of the industrializing metropolis that seems to be embedded within the consciousness of anyone who postulates the nature of this city, the fringes of this urban center were less frantic, more attenuated to the archaic lifestyle that the elderly laud as being more 'straightforward' or lucid in the sense that the tribulations and misgivings of the modern world that blue-collar workers seem to harbor bears no ground in the simplicity and stagnation that comprised life in the agrarian nation—rather than the soon-to-be industrial one. So, even as the city's reaches stretched into the countryside, there were pockets of antediluvian subsections that adamantly refused to accommodate for the modernizing facets of contemporary society that are perceived to be encroaching upon the traditional dispositions of these localities.

Characteristics of the pre-Taisho or even pre-Meiji period can be ascertained as the presence of traditional structures coupled with the anachronistic architecture along with the multitude of natural, contiguous vicinities—parks, you could call them—that assuages the coal-ridden, dirty, and steel-like atmosphere in conjunction with the heat of the factory miasma and the rotten smell of smelted iron that primarily defines the idiosyncrasies of the urban center.

Within the purlieu of such an alluring and environed setting, the enthralling and scintillating luster of the moonlight that engulfed the entirety of the proximity to its illuminating glare was shining morbidly upon the Hashiras and the respected (well, multiplied by half, due to the unfortunate presence of drunk man 1.0) elders for whom were discussing the details of a negotiated exchange of goods and services—lodging and hostels.

However, there was a distinct caveat with regard to the undertaken bargain that caught both of the Hashiras completely off guard.

".............. Eh?" Shinobu, unable to comprehend what she had just heard, said.

"Oh? I guess I might've surprised you there. I think I meant to say that I was FORMERLY the landlord around here; my services and duties have all but retired since five years ago. Now, I only serve as a local tax collector, administrative representative, and maybe some lodging for guests if needed," Fumiko Arata, the elder lady, clarifies.

"W-Wait, you're telling me that you only have ONE room because all the other ones are not in good condition?" Shinobu asks as this sudden revelation disconcerts her.

"More like I've sold off all the other ones, hehe," Fumiko chuckles.

"And how can this be seen as funny? From the looks of it, I'm gonna have to spend the night with this good-for-nothing buffoon who thinks having a conversation is the equivalent of holding the holy grail," Shinobu replies, her face still smothered with that obligatory smile.

"Wait a minu—" Giyuu raised a voice of dissent towards what had just been uttered.

"So do you really have only ONE available?" Shinobu interrupts.

"I indeed do," Fumiko answers with a hint of glee.

Shinobu sighs, "Well, I guess we're going to have to deal with it, right Tomioka-san?"

"Considering how there's no alternative, I agree," Giyuu replies.

"And what if there is? Better not regret this later on," Shinobu smiles.

"I shall not harbor such cowardice opinions, even if a more expedient solution existed," Giyuu counters

"Ara-ara, are you getting worked up Tomioka-san? That you'll be asleep in the same room as a woman?" Shinobu teases.

"..... Huh?" he spoke as if such a concept was a notion beyond his understanding and comprehension.

'My God, he's an idiot," Shinobu internally groans.

"Oh dear, are you implying that you've never had such thoughts, Tomioka-san? And here I thought boys at your age would do anything to get a partner, much less sleep with them," Shinobu pokes a few more jabs.

"I don't have time for such folly, as I have duties to take care of first," he says back with indignation.

"Oh my, such chivalry and an impeccable sense of duty. I wonder how long it will last," Shinobu mocks.

"It will last for as long as I live," he curtly replies.

"Ooh, wow, so brave, I'm in awe," Shinobu says with the utmost level of sarcasm that she can muster.

"... How much for one night?" Giyuu turns to Fumiko, completely ignoring Shinobu.

"Oh, about 600 Yen," Fumiko replies.

"You sure have the audacity to ignore me, Tomioka-san," Shinobu said smiling, but with a subtle hint of irritation behind it.

"And you sure have the audacity to forget what we're here for," Giyuu counters.

"And what makes you say that, hm?" Shinobu pressed.

"Are you sure you two aren't lovers? Because you act like some old married couple," Fumiko giggled.

'Wha— an old married couple!?' Shinobu internally shouted, unable to discern her stance on that notion.

"I assure you, we are nothing of the sort," Shinobu said calmly, though she was still agitated by what was perceived to be a highly erroneous and provoking statement.

"Hehe, you sure?" Fumiko cajoled.

"I am most definitely sure," Shinobu promptly replies.

Shinobu, who was perturbed, then anxiously turns her line of view to oversee whatever Giyuu's reaction to this whole debacle is; such an embarrassing topic is bound to induce one to review their social standing amongst their peers—in this case, Shinobu is worried that Giyuu might be appalled, disgusted, or whatever means of atrociousness that could be expounded.

However, as she was yet again reminded, Giyuu isn't exactly a normal human being.

'What the heck is going on...' Giyuu lamented, as his clueless nature obfuscated any attempt at understanding the ambiance and point of contention that surrounded the conversation. His lack of understanding was in congruence with his facial expression—which was less ostentatious and more plain-looking.

'Nevermind... Forgot he's an airhead,' Shinobu relieved herself from the stress.

"Oh well, it was worth the try," said Fumiko.

"I do not take kindly to such insinuations, so thank you," Shinobu commented, with a hint of ill feelings.

Giyuu, seeing that Shinobu did not seem comfortable at the moment, decided to shift the conversation over to another main topic at hand, "So 600 yen for one night?"

"For the rooms alone, food and other accommodations will require separate payments though," she answered, "speaking about food, however, I still haven't made dinner for tonight. So, if you're willing to pay, I could make a great meal for all of us!"

The two Hashiras—for whom haven't eaten a single grain of rice since breakfast—were coveting a great deal of food to consume in order to satisfy their ravenous appetite that is eating their stomach and energy away with each passing minute. Of course, they've confronted more tenuous conditions in which the execution of their duties was procured without having to refer to a nutritious meal to rejuvenate their supply of energy. Such are the boons and discrete benefits of mastering Total Concentration Breathing at a degree the Hashiras do. Albeit, neither of them is willing to undertake the insurmountable stress and yearning for food that commensurates with the aforementioned malnourishment that they undergo in those negligible circumstances.

"Hai, we will gladly take you up on that offer," Shinobu respectively says.

"Well then, we should probably start cooking!" Fumiko exclaims.

"Thank you very much," Shinobu bows slightly, and Giyuu follows to replicate the gesture.

"Happy to help... And looks like I'm going to have to make some for the drunk geezer over there," Fumiko turns her head to Hayashi—the old man—whose imbibe had conduced him into a state of ecstasy and repetitive musing with no end.

"Befieonfoenf I love you Akari-chan, marryyry meee!!!" the man drunkenly says.

"Does he live here?" Shinobu queries.

"I guess you could put it that way; I've been sort of his caretaker with regards to food and housing. Even if he's sober, he's never in a good state of mind. Hence, why I am compelled to feed my hard-earned meals to this old pervert," Fumiko explains.

"Ah, I see," Shinobu replied, though she didn't pay too much mind to the senile man; better to ignore the intoxicated monkey in the room than to point it out.

"How much for dinner?" Giyuu asks.

"Hmm... Maybe I'll give you folks a discount cause why not, so 200 yen?" Fumiko answers.

"We can make arrangements for that," Giyuu agrees.

"Perfect! Now, both of you, follow me!" Fumiko exclaims.

Shinobu and Giyuu obliged and followed their now-hotel manager until they came to a sudden halt as a result of Fumiko's lack of movement on her part.

"Hayashi, get over here!" Fumiko calls out.

"Feeckkk youuu!!!"

"Perfect, he'll be in within 15 minutes," Fumiko said with delight.

Both Shinobu and Giyuu looked at each other with a face that said, 'What the heck was that,' but they carried on nonetheless.

Upon approaching Fumiko's abode, the Hashiras noted the old-fashioned composition of the structure; it had an obsolescent look and feel to it with the various configurations that defined the building dating back to the Meiji period. As a result of the building's supposed aberrant layout, it conveyed the impression that it was in a state of abeyance due to the decaying paint, wood, and other materials that comprised the contemporary setup. And it wasn't the only residence to harbor such dubious arrangements, as most of the buildings in the surrounding neighborhood were old, tattered due to decades of exposure to the elements, and without electricity since the local infrastructure wasn't accommodating of such extraordinary retrofitting to its current, outdated shape. Such were the aspects of the old, suburban neighborhood within the fringes of an explosive, changing city that was just mere miles away.

Despite that, Giyuu and Shinobu didn't seem to mind; as they've dealt with old, defunct buildings before in the plethora of missions within the countryside they've been assigned to—where the vestiges of a bygone era paled in comparison to the exorbitant and astonishing growth in both population, innovation, and economic activity that had encompassed cities since the start of industrialization under Emperor Meiji.

Still, though, the Hashiras had assumed that would be more luxuries to be at their disposal when considering the fact that it's a city they've been assigned to. The memories of nomadic-like circumstances they've been hitherto subjected to in previous missions further amplified this sense of optimism regarding the situation within the environs of cities.

Soon enough, the three individuals arrived at the Genkan section of the household—where they were impelled to remove their shoes and sandals as a prerequisite for entrance into the building.

"The kitchen is this way," Fumiko guided them.

As the slayers made their way out of the Genkan and into the hallway, they traversed through the corridors and corners to reach the specified room. To their surprise, as they walked past the shoji screen door to enter the kitchen, they saw a completely different room than the one that was theorized to transpire: instead of what they conjectured to be an outdated structure with decaying materials to complement it, they instead witnessed something else entirely; a wide array of satiny, polished dishes that were present on the dinner table for this particular night; the workplace in the kitchen itself is a sight to behold, with modern consumer products such as an electrically-lit stove along with other things were present—indicating that this building was integrated with the fledgling and recently-established electrical grid. All of these observations essentially made their hypothesis null, for the presence of modern appliances and the extravagant display of knives, forks, plates, and many more, certified this one building as being up-to-date. Moreover, these also alluded to implications regarding Fumiko's knowledge of, and aptitude in, the kitchen as a cook.

Within the kitchen, a great number of household appliances were present to assist the cook in the deliberations that would occur as a result of the cooking process. Due to this large attendance of utensils, one can only expect pandemonium and a hectic atmosphere to draw itself upon the moderately-sized kitchen should the initiation of preparations for the fabrication of delicious cuisines be underway.

"I was definitely not expecting any of this," Shinobu said with awe.

"I can attest to that," Giyuu adds.

"Fancy, right? I'm not some old AND poor hag; I invested my money wisely and used the profits to purchase this handy stuff! I also managed to connect most of my neighbors with the electrical grid!" Fumiko said proudly with a smug look on her face.

"How'd you manage to do that?" Shinobu asks.

"Well, since I'm a local tax collector, I do have some political clout needed for the proceeding of such developments," she elucidates.

"That's quite smart of you," Giyuu comments.

"Thank you, now, what do you youngins want to eat tonight?" Fumiko inquires.

Both slayers take their respective seats—with Giyuu positioned to the left of Shinobu—in front of the counter; which acted as a dividing line between the kitchen and the rest of the room.

"Oh, here's some green tea," Fumiko hands them two cups of tea that were surprisingly still warm.

"Thank you," Shinobu said as she picked up a cup from Fumiko's left hand, while Giyuu concurrently picked up the one in her right hand.

"What ingredients are available at the moment?" Shinobu asks.

"Well, we've got rice (obviously), some vegetables, salmo—"

"Salmon daikon would do," Giyuu interrupts.

Shinobu immediately raises her left hand, and swiftly proceeds to slap Giyuu on the back of his head, all the while maintaining eye contact with Fumiko—who was standing behind the kitchen counter, which was situated in front of the two slayers—and a plastered smile on her face, "I apologize for my partner's indiscretions."

"Kocho-san, why'd you do tha—" Giyuu was about to say until Shinobu slapped him once again on the same spot.

"Again, I apologize," she says.

"Haha! You guys are quite the duo!" Fumiko laughs

Shinobu felt her chest tighten by a little at the advent of such remarks, 'I swear to god, why does this keep happening to me?!'

"But, it's fine, I can indeed make salmon daikon," Fumiko adds.

"I thank you for accepting Tomioka-san's faults," said Shinobu.

"And what exactly does that mean," Giyuu counters.

"Oh, I don't know, having no other preferences when it comes to food except this dish," Shinobu retorts.

"That is purely subjective to one's preferences."

"Yes, but—at best—you're like a dog who's always on the lookout for his bone to crunch on no matter what situation might otherwise call for," Shinobu ripostes.

"You're making up a fallible argument as you go on," Giyuu replies.

"As long as it proves that interrupting Arata-dono here—or anyone for that matter—is not exactly a respectful thing to do, I say it would suffice."

"Did I do something wrong...?" Giyuu asks.

"I—" Shinobu could only slap her face in disappointment, "this is why nobody likes you, Tomioka-san."

"Nobody? You?" Giyuu catechized.

"Huh?" Shinobu says, due to a need for clarification.

"You don't like me Kocho-san?" Giyuu asks.

"..." Shinobu was suddenly taciturn, her face—in the sudden and abrupt absence of her typical smile—bore no emotion, it was as if she was processing and reprocessing the words that have just been enunciated to her.

In reality, though, her thoughts and feelings had fractured into a state of utter and unrelenting turmoil that enveloped her cerebral functions. These conditions only brought it to effectuate the cognitive mechanisms into redundancy as she could no longer effectively process any strings of information with a logical framework in the same level of adroitness as hitherto the statement.

Simultaneously, the circulation of blood responded to this sudden deviation in the neurological prerogatives by apportioning more quantities to the cephalic—head—region of her human physique. These formulated conditions for a 'flushed' face and a reddening of the areas around the cheeks along with small, less conspicuous pigments of red or pink shading that engrossed the rest of her facial regions up to the temples.

"I-I-" Shinobu struggled to articulate her words.

"Kocho-san...?" Giyuu said with concern.

"I hate you!" Shinobu, with a blushing and red face, said almost... childishly as she threw her cup of tea at Giyuu's face.

Giyuu, completely caught off guard by this sudden outburst by Shinobu, immediately falls over his seat and with his body supine onto the wooden floor.

..

..

..

"You two certainly have chemistry," Fumiko said smiling as she was cooking the salmon.

Meanwhile, Giyuu had a disgruntled look of annoyance and pain on his face, as the hot liquid that was confined within the teacup had obtrusively splashed all over his face and neck—factors that are conducive to immeasurable pain and discomfort.

Shinobu, still numb from the recent developments, replied, "I-I wouldn't say it in a good light..."

Despite the tense atmosphere that was contrived, there were still redeeming factors about the immediate situation; namely, Fumiko's cooking.

Nearly all of the five rudimentary senses available to a human being could effortlessly discern the obtrusive, chaotic environment within the many sections of the large household: the sound of pans clashing, water boiling, vegetables, and other foodstuffs being chopped into pieces, and the sizzling situated within the pans presented itself in light of the application of olive oil and other oleaginous substances were all facets of the kitchen's innumerable activities that all could be identified by the ear; the fragrance of the plethora of delectable food is easily recognizable by the nose; the sight of the hard manual labor required for the deliverance of the many meals is clear to the eyes; and the hot, oppressively muggy conditions within this space can confound the skin by a large degree.

"Does this often happen?" Fumiko asks as she begins cutting the daikon.

"W-well... Today was a special case..." Shinobu hesitantly said. Her smile had returned to engulf her face, but the foundations thereof seemed more rigid than ever—almost as if she was trying to accentuate her smile as a means of maintaining her sangfroid.

"Is that so, haha," Fumiko chuckles.

Shinobu sighs, "I'm sorry you had to see our excessive banter."

"Quite the contrary, I quite enjoyed it," said Fumiko.

"You did?"

"Yeah, it reminded me of my youthful days, funny isn't it?"

"No... I sometimes reminisce myself..."

"Is that so? Even when you're still at the focal point of your youth?"

'My youthful days had already passed a long time ago,' Shinobu internally spoke to herself, but she chose to give a more mild response to the exchange.

"Yeah, pretty weird isn't it?" Shinobu says back.

Giyuu watched as Shinobu stealthily avoided answering the question directly; he watched and perceived that as both a reminder and a warning from himself, to himself.

Giyuu then spoke, "Arata-dono, do you mind if we ask a few questions?"

'I guess he's gonna talk about that now...' Shinobu notes.

"Sure," Fumiko begins stirring the pot.

"There have been numerous reports of missing and deceased persons around these parts, are you aware of any information relating to that?" Giyuu asks.

Fumiko suddenly stops stirring and stands still—her facial expressions unknown as the Hashiras could only look at her back.

"Arata-dono...?" Shinobu presses.

"So... you know about that..." Fumiko said, with a substantial shift in her phonetic pattern and evocation that demonstrated vacillation and uncertainty. 

"Indeed, there's been a spike of such anomalies in the past month," Giyuu informs.

"There indeed has been," Fumiko acknowledges, and she begins stirring again.

"So do you have any information relating to that?" Shinobu asks.

"... All I know... is that the bodies of the missing individuals were all found on the banks of the Sagami River..." Fumiko said with a clear sense of dither that was burdening her and her voice.

"Could you elaborate?" Giyuu urged.

"I'm sorry, I don't know much about it; I won't be able to provide you with the correct information. Again, I'm very sorry," Fumiko dismisses the question and the premise entirely.

"Ah... ok," Giyuu acquiesced.

But both the Water and Insect Hashiras took careful mental notes on the subject...

..

..

..

As soon as they had finished tending to their meals as a means of gratifying their voracious appetite, it was determined that sleep was to be the next order of business for everyone.

For the Hashiras, though, there was just one problem: they had to share a room with each other; people of the opposite gender—such established axioms did have undercurrents that were indicative of profane and insinuating notions.

"Well, here it is!" Fumiko exclaimed as she opened the door into the designated room.

The room wasn't too small, nor was it too large; it was a moderately-sized space that was about 10 feet in length and 10 feet in width. However, with the presence of two cabinets—mostly for the storage of futons—situated on opposite sides of the room, the available space was yet again reduced to an even more constricted expanse. The entirety of the room was in a dark brown complexion thanks to the extensive use of lumber in the construction of these houses.

There was indeed more than enough space to fit two people, but is accumulated space satisfactory for these two particular individuals to become acclimatized to? Well, for the likes of Shinobu, it most definitely is not.

"This looks..." Giyuu said.

"Small," Shinobu finished.

"Well, it shouldn't be too small..." said Fumiko.

"Yeah, if he were a family member. But no, he's someone else entirely. How could I possibly remain safe in this room with the likes of him!" Shinobu exclaims.

"Was that an attack against me?" Giyuu questions.

"Yes, it is an attack against you, Tomioka-san," Shinobu groans.

"Well I get that you two might have concerns—" said Fumiko.

"Actually, I don't harbor any. Only she does," Giyuu interrupts.

"OH? Is that so? Well, why don't we find out then?" Shinobu said as a visible vein protruded from her temples on the upper right corner of her forehead.

"Alright, you two, that's enough banter for one day. The bottom line is that the two of you are going to have to share this room whether you like it or not, so deal with it," Fumiko sets the stipulations straight.

Giyuu sighs, "I can accept the terms and conditions of this temporary lodging of your property, Arata-san. Therefore, I think you should also comply, Kocho-san."

"I can agree. However, if you dare even try to scoot closer to my end of the room, do expect a few missing fingers and a court case to deal with," Shinobu replies while still managing to retain her obligatory smile.

"Right..." said Giyuu.

"Well then, I'll leave you two to your business. The washrooms are down the hall and to the right, so that should be worthwhile. Gooodnight!" Fumiko takes her leave as she walks away and around a corner.

"Goodnight," Shinobu replied.

Now, it was just the two of them, and one room that stands between them.

"The futons are in the cupboards," said Giyuu.

"Yes, I know that," Shinobu answered.

"So... how should we divide up the room?" Giyuu queries.

"How about I take the half that has the window, while you sleep on the other half," Shinobu suggests.

"That... sure," Giyuu accepts, "and what about washing and a change of clothes?"

"I'm pretty sure there are extra sets of yukatas for us to wear tonight... As for the washroom, do you want to go first?" Shinobu asks.

"I can if you wa—" said Giyuu.

"Actually nevermind, I'll go first," Shinobu interrupts.

"Uh... Alright then."

"... Don't you dare peek," she adds.

"Don't even assume that I'm going to in the first place..."

..

..

..

Later that night

After getting over the logistics and the actual application of their plan, Giyuu and Shinobu had successfully managed to ready themselves for a well-rested sleep that they've craved for since the evening.

Of course, seeing each other in informal clothing was certainly a surprise and did cause a few minor arguments about how Shinobu accused Giyuu of trying to look at the 'vulnerable' parts of a womanly body, while Giyuu had to incessantly defend himself as if he were overseeing a court case. Nonetheless, the two managed to set aside their personal qualms with the current arrangements and aim for more equanimity when it comes to the ambiance of the room and harmony for the procurement of a goodnight's rest.

Finally, it was time to rest. A marvelous time for self-rejuvenation.

"Tomioka-san? Are you still awake?"

Okay, maybe not yet.

"What do you want," Giyuu asks with a conspicuous tone of annoyance.

"Nothing, I just wanted to annoy you before going to bed," Shinobu answers.

"Just go to sleep," said Giyuu.

"What do you think about what Arata-dono said regarding the missing bodies?" she suddenly asks.

Giyuu shifts his body around the futon, "That they were all found at the banks of the river?"

"Yeah, which means that the demon is probably hiding somewhere along the river," she propounds.

"Maybe... We'll investigate tomorrow," he replies.

"Agreed."

..

..

..

Giyuu suddenly shot upwards from his futon, breathing heavily and sweating profusely. He then lifts his right hand to grab on his forehead, as excruciating pain was lashing out against his head as if it were nothing.

"Not this again..." Giyuu said quietly, immediately recognizing what he was undergoing; another nightmare.

'Maybe fresh air will help,' he gets up and excuses himself in a concealed manner in an effort to not wake Shinobu up.

Unfortunately for him, though, Shinobu had been awake for quite a while now.

'So he gets nightmares too...'

..

..

..

Giyuu was outside, sitting on the precipice of the household's veranda—otherwise known as an Engawa—contemplating an array of different subjects.

"Ara-ara, you're up, Tomioka-san?" Shinobu suddenly calls out.

Giyuu jerks his head towards the source of her voice, "Kocho-san... Why are you here, I thought you were fast asleep...?"

"I just couldn't sleep well tonight, that's all," Shinobu replies as she sits next to Giyuu on the Engawa platform.

"Is that so..." said Giyuu.

"You know Tomioka-san, I'm surprised that you haven't made any moves against me throughout the duration of the nighttime," Shinobu comments, clearly to tease Giyuu.

"Why would you suspect me of something like that in the first place..."

"Because, no matter if you're Tomioka-san, you're still a male who has never had a relationship with any girls nor any opportunities to do so," Shinobu said smugly.

"Kocho-san... about what you said back there..." Giyuu started.

"Hm? Back there?"

"At the kitchen counter... do you really hate me?"

Shinobu's heart skipped a beat.

"Tomioka-san..." her smile gradually dissipated, "no, Tomioka-san, I don't hate you nor have I ever hated you."

"Really?"

"Yes... I... apologize for my actions, it was all uncalled for," she said solemnly.

"I see... I'm glad," Giyuu comments.

"You're glad...?" Shinobu inquires.

"You're special to me, Kocho-san... Probably the only one who has ever conversed with me this much. It would've been disheartening to know that I was only derided for having such conversations; because, even if I do get annoyed by some of them, I do enjoy them," Giyuu said as he looked upon the stars.

Shinobu couldn't help but madly blush at the utterance of those declarations.

"I-I... Thank you Tomioka-san, I too enjoy talking with you," Shinobu replies.

Seldom did moments like these occur; with Shinobu acknowledging her missteps and Giyuu being more open to both her and himself. Such was the enchanting spell of being under the bright, full moon.

Shinobu looked up at the stars and the beautiful glare of the moon upon them, she couldn't help appreciate the current situation.

"Kocho-san, you aren't smiling," Giyuu said.

"O-oh, sorry about tha—" Shinobu replied.

"Don't be, you look just as beautiful without it," Giyuu said back.

"Beautiful..." Shinobu's heart was racing with no end in sight.

"..."

"Ne, Tomioka-san."

"Hm?"

"Say it again."

"Say what again?"

"About my smile, say it again."

"... That you look beautiful without it?"

"... Thank you, Tomioka-san," Shinobu smiled, but it was one done out of whim; not out of a sense of duty.

More often than not, is Shinobu convinced that her smile must be the only factor in her outward appearance and nothing else. For, the only way of commemorating her late sister—who too almost always had a smile on her face—and to contain the anger and hatred within her is through the use of such a mask. As a result, maintaining that smile had always been like a burden to her; something that she does out of a sense of obligation rather than something done naturally.

However, Giyuu—unlike everyone else—could accept the Shinobu behind that mask...

Within the purlieu of such an alluring and environed setting, the enthralling and scintillating luster of the moonlight that engulfed the entirety of the proximity to its illuminating glare was shining brilliantly upon the Hashiras.

Upon spectating the moon, Shinobu—still mired in an odd state of both embarrassment and happiness—couldn't help but say something.

"Isn't the moon lovely tonight, Tomioka-san?"

"....... Hasn't it always been?"