AS KANNA'S HEALTH RETURNED, in the meantime, so did rui. the young demon adored being by kanna's side during the daytime.

whether she was embroidering for hours on end, or reading, he'd simply sit near her, either doing the same or watching her.

often times, rui liked detangling the threads and laying them in ab organized manner just how kanna prefers it. his eyes would dart towards kanna once he was finished separating all the strings, almost vying for her to praise him and to pat his head.

     "thank you, rui. you're always so helpful", kanna smiled, patting the young demon's head as she cupped his face in an endearing way.

rui leaned into kanna's palm, his eyes holding nothing but hope to see kanna healthy for good.

     "miss kanna, when you no longer have to suffer, let's go watch the fireworks again", rui suggested.

     "I can still watch the fireworks with you anytime, rui".

     though the young demon wanted to rebuttal with something, he decided against it, for he dared not to spoil kanna's mood.

     "don't frown now, rui", kanna laughed, gently pinching rui's cheek before returning back to her project.

"miss kanna, no matter what, I'll try my best to find you the blue spider lily. it's a promise", rui sternly stated.

     kanna's gaze fell upon her sweet rui once more, simply gifting him a pure smile.

"I'd much rather you live and enjoy your life, rui. I've been alive for too long. I've seen everything and learned nearly everything. you're still young. don't tie yourself down to me".

though rui nodded, internally, he still disagreed with kanna's words.

if kanna were to perish, then he would too, for no one else has been more like a family to him than kanna herself.

"be a good boy and heed to my warnings, rui. don't waste your youth on me, or else you'll find yourself entangled and obsessed".

perhaps she was hinting at muzan's infatuation when she had said that. although the two were turned due to similar origins, she didn't wish for rui to adopt muzan's ideals.

"I understand, miss kanna".

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     "where are you going, miss kanna?", rui questioned.

kokushibo stared at the only lower moon one, as ubume had recently passed after fighting against two kinoe-ranked slayers.

     rui was always stuck beside kanna's side, his arms wrapped around the demoness's waist.

     kokushibo's eyes bore into rui's skull, who didn't seem to mind the least. in fact, his grip tightened, as he nuzzled his face against kanna's side while glancing back at the upper moon.

     "just somewhere to clear my mind", kanna smiled, gently combing through rui's pure-white hair.

     "should I accompany you?", rui asked, tilting his head upwards in hopes that the woman would agree.

     kanna gently shook her head.

     "perhaps next time".

     rui immediately understood and didn't dare overstep his boundaries. as he watched kanna accept kokushibo's hand and disappear with a strum of nakime's biwa. part of him wondered where exactly she was heading.

     after all, upper moon one carried a sheathed instrument, to which rui could conclude that it must've been the koto or a variation of it.

     regardless, the lower moon could only patiently await for kanna's return, as her and upper moon one were headed towards a more secluded forest.

     as soon as kanna and kokushibo arrived at the entrance of said forest, the two had begun their journey through the intimidating trees and darkness that loomed above them.

     with it being mid-autumn once more, the leaves had fallen to their demise. it allowed the moon to shine through the scraggly branches, illuminating the two demons' path to a gazebo that seemed to be built for the sole purpose of their arrival.

     as kokushibo assisted the woman towards the gazebo, he placed the sheathed koto carefully onto the stone table.

     "I'll be nearby", kokushibo stated, before blending himself into the quiet woods.

     kanna flashed the upper moon a haste smile before unsheathing the thirteen-stringed instrument.

     sighing, kanna had graced her hands across the strings before stepping towards the outer edge of the gazebo and falling onto her knees.

the demoness clasped her hands together, as she closed her eyes and prayed.

how ridiculous, one might've thought.

     even muzan found the woman's antics almost humorous, for he did not believe in gods or other worldly spirits. his philosophy was that if they did exist, they must love him greatly, as he's never been punished for a single evil deed he's done.

while kanna was never extremely religious as a human nor demon, every couple of centuries, she would pay her respects to her father, whom she believed had ascended to heaven for his gracious acts of sacrifice.

kanna didn't start this ritual until after her bond was severed with muzan, for the demoness didn't wish for the demon king to hear her prayers regarding her deceased father.

"may you allow me to serenade you once again with this song, father, as I've failed to become a filial daughter", kanna whispered.

there was no grave, and not a single item in memory of the man. yet, he did have a demon daughter that would remember him at heart, despite not fully recalling his facial features.

     as kanna had finished her prayers, she had sat on the stone stool and begun her piece.

     though the demoness didn't play often, her fingers didn't dare forget the notes to this very piece. it was the one song she had learned, specifically to play for her father, and her father only.

     kokushibo didn't stray far, actually, the upper moon wasn't far at all.

     he leaned against the tree trunk with his sheathed katana resting across his body while his six eyes shifted from view to view every so often.

     however, he found his favorite view to be the dark-haired woman, who's sorrows were evident from the way she strummed the strings.

     such a mournful expression that wilted kokushibo's mood — it was almost bothersome how a slight furrowing of her brows had caused him to tense unintentionally.

     there was only a couple other times kokushibo accompanied the demoness to visit her father, and every time, it ended with him consoling the woman.

     every time kanna ended her playing, after playing to her heart's content, she would cover the koto once more and search for the reappearance of the upper moon.

     "I've finished, koku. apologies for making you wait so long", she'd say without a doubt.

"it's fine", kokushibo would answer.

his hand would raise, not to hit the woman, but to rather caress her cheek in hopes of wiping away the aching pain.

kanna would then lean into kokushibo's palm, allowing herself to indulge in his attention since she still can't let go of her loss.

and kokushibo would bring the woman into the warmth of his arms, pressing his hand against the back of kanna's head.

kanna's tears wouldn't gush out like a waterfall. they were elegant and poised, trickling down one by one and staining kokushibo's nagagi kimono.

he wouldn't mind. he'd simply pat kanna's head with much gentleness. he didn't need to say anything, because he knew even words couldn't heal the woman's hurt.

"koku", kanna suddenly spoke, deriding from the usual script.

     "yes...lady kanna?"

     "if I am to die one day, I'd hope to be buried here. can you promise me to oversee that?"

     kokushibo's silence thickened the tension between the two, as his right hand pressed deeper against the arch of the demoness's back.

     "death..doesn't suit you".

     the upper moon used his free thumb to brush across kanna's lower lids, smearing away the tears that also didn't belong on her rouged face.

     "it's been centuries, kokushibo. I'm starting to doubt whether the blue spider lily even exists anymore".

     "I'll search harder, my lady".

     kanna shook her head.

     "you've all been trying really hard, that I know. however, my time is nearing. it is time to give up on me".

kokushibo didn't want to. he didn't want to give up on kanna. after all, who will rival him in a game of go if not kanna?

     who will watch him spar in all four seasons even if it's pouring or snowing?

     who will be by his side and make his heart yearn for more even after centuries?

     there had to be something else he could do for the woman. if he could not find the blue spider lily for her, there must be something else that'd be able to prolong her life.

     "what...can I do for you?"

     other than muzan, kanna was perhaps the only other person that kokushibo would offer his assistance to.

     kanna's eyes seemed to light up at that question, almost as if she's waited centuries just to hear that come from kokushibo.

     "you mean it?", kanna asked, her face filled with hope.

     kokushibo nodded.

     "if it's for you...lady kanna...I'd be willing to do most everything".

     kanna awed at the upper moon's sincerity, causing even more tears to flow out of her silvery-blue eyes.

     kokushibo didn't understand why the demoness was still crying, almost concerned that she had lost it.

     "you're so sweet, kokushibo. so...reliable", kanna whispered, looking up at the upper moon with an endearing expression.

     kokushibo noticed himself holding his breath, as he worried that he'd break the woman if he tightened his grip around her waist any more. he couldn't take his six eyes away from the demoness, who's pouted lips were pink like a sakura mochi, ready to be devoured.

     the way her hands clenched onto the fabric of his kimono, against his firm chest, made him ponder whether it was the right time to lean in once more.

and when kanna's eyelids had drooped halfway, kokushibo couldn't resist the woman's sultry look any longer.

hunching downwards, kokushibo's lips neared the woman's. their lips were merely centimeters apart. he could feel the conjoining of their breaths. he was so eager, so desperate to finally taste the lips of the woman he's been pining after for centuries, it almost hurt.

yet, just as he was about to get a taste of her sweetness, he was pushed away.

kanna shook her head, her hand pressed against her chest as if she were attempting to contain her quick-beating heart.

"we mustn't...", she gasped, as if she too were in pain from not being able to melt into kokushibo's kiss.

"why", the upper moon asked, his arms dropping to his side as disappointment has resurfaced once more.

every time he was on the verge of giving himself to the woman before him, it seemed like there was something in his way.

"because of him", the demoness reminded.

right, kokushibo nearly forgot. he was so enthralled in the moment, he had forgotten who kanna truly belonged to. although muzan never openly announced his ownership of kanna, every demon knew deep down, that kanna was muzan's.

the upper moon thickly swallowed, that same irritating feeling bubbling in the pit of his stomach again. it had been so long that he hasn't felt that since the death of his brother.

what was it again? oh right — jealousy.

what a vexatious feeling it was. however, it served as a great reminder to kokushibo, that even as a demon, he was not the strongest of them all.

"I understand...", upper moon one stated, dipping his head in shame, as kanna tilted her head to the side in confusion.

the upper moon closed their distance once more, as he loosely draped a section of kanna's hair over his palm.

no more words were exchanged, for the upper moon feared muzan might see through his greed and end him.

hence, the six-eyed demon could only kiss the woman's hair, as if telling her an unspoken promise.

"we should head back, my lady. the night won't stay forever young".

     "thank you again, koku", kanna smiled, a defeated sigh escaping her lips again.

     "perhaps next time, we won't have to depart because of the sun".

     kokushibo slung the koto's straps across his body, as he stuck his forearm out for kanna to lean on.

     as the two demons distanced from the gazebo, the woman's words stuck to the upper moon.

     it was clear what she had meant, and kokushibo looked forward to the day that they won't have to live beneath someone anymore — a day where he can indulge himself in the sweetness of kanna. 

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: hi my loves!! hope i'm not making kokushibo too ooc 😟

honestly trying to make him stay in character w/ the whole "i have an inferiority complex" thing 🧎 so hopefully it all makes sense !!

p.s. someone hot is making a comeback next chapter 😮‍💨