"He's leaving again..." Himejima muttered whilst crying without even looking at the retreating figure of the Water Pillar. "Nothing new. He's that full of himself." Obanai said from the top of the tree.
The Pillar meeting has once again ended, and Giyuu was, as always, the first person to haul his ass away.
"Tomioka-san, leaving so soon?" Shinobu chirped as she stood in his way. Giyuu simply nodded before trying to walk past her, but she once again, blocked him.
"It won't hurt to stay for alittle, the Master's servants are brewing tea. Would you like some?" The Insect Pillar asked, tilting her head with that smile ever present on her face.
"No. I'm sorry, but I have errands to run." Giyuu said as he resumed walking. Shinobu frowned.
. . .
The next pillar meeting came and ended once more, but this time, Shinobu didn't bother asking Giyuu to stay.
As the idiot left, Mitsuri called the attention of the others "Guuuuuuys! Over here!"
The remaining pillars approached her with curiosity as she motioned them to come closer, except Muichiro, who was staring on a cloud "That cloud looks like a penis..." he whispered to himself.
"Where?! Oh! HAHAHAHA!" Sanemi laughed haughtily as he saw what the Mist Pillar was staring at.
"So! What do you guys think Tomioka-san is up to? He is so aloof all the time, there has to be a reason." The Love Pillar asked. "Eh, I don't think I care, no offense." Obanai gently replied. "I can sense loneliness in him." Himejima wept, but they ignored him.
"Well! I've read somewhere that some people are like that because they are hiding another personality!" Rengoku enthusiastically stated.
"Really?!" Mitsuri asked.
"Yes! I know someone from our village that was quiet and brooding in the morning, but is a party animal at night! They call him, the sake slayer." The Flame Pillar said.
It caught Shinobu's attention.
"Ho? Interesting. Who knows, maybe Tomioka-san is hiding some secret fabulousness within him." Uzui folded his arms with interest, fabulously.
"Kch. Why should we give a shit about that lame fuck anyways? He is just arrogant, he thinks he is better than us." Sanemi huffed. "What do you think he is up to in his spare time?" Rengoku asked.
"A painter. I bet he uses his brush like a sword and so." Uzui grinned at his dumb answer. "Probably a manwhore." Sanemi answered half heartedly.
"He meditates alot." Himejima answered. "Eh. He doesn't have a life, so I bet all he does is train moderately and then feel good about himself." Obanai said.
"You're making it sound like he is a narcissist." Rengoku protested.
"Well, because he is!" The Snake Pillar rebutts.
"What about you, Shinobu-chan? You're close to him, right?" Mitsuri asked. Shinobu thought about it, they trust eachother as comrades, but he barely speak to her unless asked a sensible question or he wants to her to know his plan.
He is a very talented swordsman for sure, but for some reason, his silence never striked her as him being full of himself. His blue eyes reminds her of her own, it shows that he experienced incredible pain and loss.
"No... He never talks about himself. Whenever we were in joint missions, it feels like I am talking to a plant." She smiled, much to Mitsuri's disappointment.
"See? What an absolute fucker." Obanai muttered.
"But I think we should just leave him alone and let him be." Shinobu sighed "If he really thinks the way you say he does, then let him. As long as he is doing his duties as a pillar." The Insect Pillar said.
And, surprisingly, they agreed.
"Atleast he wasn't a boastful shithead." Sanemi told himself. He would lose it if Giyuu was a snob one who kept boasting how good he is.
Ironically however, Shinobu is the one who won't leave him alone.
. . .
She tried to stalk him on different occassions, but failed all the time due to his enchanced senses. She always chalk it up as coincidence as her excuse, hoping that Giyuu is stupid enough to fall for it all the time.
He is not, but he didn't bother either since he doesn't find it harmful.
3 weeks has passed, she hit the jackpot.
Shinobu found out where Giyuu lived, it was in a small shack near the woods. She learned from her previous mistakes so she took her distance.
"ACK! A DEMON! A DEMON APPEARED ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN! ACK!" A crow squaked outside his house.She waited behind a tree, she knew he would answer that call without hesitating and true to her guess, he dashed out of the house and sprinted towards town.
Inside was a bit plain, fitting for Giyuu's personality she thinks, but everything was oddly in order. It was cozy inside, a dining table, a fireplace, a small bathroom, and a small bedroom with a makeshift futon.
There are other swords with varying size but she never saw him use them so she figured they weren't Nichirin blades.
The house, overall, is kind of nice, every essentials needed is in place. But it was a far cry from her Butterfly Manor.
Her conscience popped up and told her it would be rude to invade his privacy, but she tried to justify it.
'Well, its rude to leave someone hanging in a conversation and he did it to me countless of times so...'
With a smile, she carefully intrude his belongings. She found a couple of books.
'Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi... Oooh, The Art of War? Does Tomioka-san know some Chinese?' She thought with amusement, maybe Rengoku's statement made more sense than she thought.
Shinobu is a doctor, but human anatomy, physiology and different types of toxin and poison was her field, not psychology. Because she thought it won't be much help when she finally confronts the fucker that killed her si-
She saw a nameless book. It was a little larger than the Art of War booklet but smaller than the Five Rings. It almost like its...
Shinobu tilted her head as she saw a page about salmon daikon recipe.
"Radish... Cut to- this is a cookbook!" She pouts before laughing to herself.
She thought she found something juicy. Shinobu knows the man enjoys salmon very much, oh well, she won't lose anything if she tries to find out what other foods he likes.
But what she found was something else...
"I honestly don't know what to write. But Tanjiro told me this is therapeutic or something, and it would be rude to throw this away, considering the kid put some effort to give me a gift. I guess I can write my thoughts here for the day, so I can have something to read when I have the time to reflect on myself."
It was his journal.
Shinobu puts a hand to her mouth, she just discovered a goldmine.
The next page.
"I really love salmon daikon. I just love the way it tastes. It makes me smile even after a bad day. For some reason, the flavor reminds me of the times when I didn't have to worry about demons, about problems. I can endure a day of Kochou's constant barrage of teasing if it means I can have a bowl of this delicacy."
She actually laughed out loud from that. Shinobu grinned as she puts the booklet to her haori's pocket and fled.
. . .
Later that day.
"Higashikata-chan has been discharged, her left thigh is fully healed, Shinobu-sama."
"Thank you, Aoi."
The young woman bowed before leaving her office. After checking out the said patient from her records, she pondered if she should show the other pillars about Giyuu's journal.
She thought it might be crossing the line, but so far, there hasn't been anything too personal so far (she only read 2 entries and it was about him begrudginly writing an entry and salmon daikon respectively)
Her conscience started to grow stronger, but Shinobu was a stubborn woman. She decided to make up her mind and explore the man's thoughts along with the others.
Tomorrow is the next pillar meeting. Its the perfect chance.
. . .
The next day.
After Ubuyashiki briefed them about the demons were heavily focused on emerging from the north, she can't help but steal glances from Giyuu, who was incredibly tense and panicked.
A rather foreign expression.
"T-Tomioka-san, are you okay?" Mitsuri asked with concern. "I'm fine." Giyuu replied but he was sweating.
"You look like you're fucking constipated." Sanemi mocks. "Poor soul, such poor soul..." Himejima prayed.
Giyuu excused himself and left.
"That's right. Get out before you shit yourself here." Obanai jeered.
"What's wrong with him? That wasn't very stylish." Uzui comments. "I don't know! But its probably bowel problems! I know his pain, I've been a victim on rare occassions!" Rengoku replied."Why didn't he ask Kochou-san for medicine, she is a doctor, right?" Muichiro said, looking stoned out of his wits. "The guy's an idiot, Tokito. There's your answer." Sanemi answered.
"People." Shinobu called their attention before raising the booklet on to the air with her signature cheeky smile.
Silence...
"What the hell is that supposed to be?" Sanemi broke the ice.
"Tomioka-san's journal." She said so nonchalantly.
"EH?!" They all asked in surprise, even the ones who claim they don't give a shit about the guy. Except Muichiro, who was busy staring at clouds. "What happened to leaving him alone?" Obanai asked but he was ignored.
Uzui reached for it with a grin but Shinobu withdrew it from him.
"No! I brought it here so we can all read it together." The Insect Pillar said.
"Now we'll see if what I said is true!" Rengoku raised his fist. "Come on, Kochou! Open the goddamn book!" Sanemi groans.
"So interesting! We'll see if he likes someone!" Mitsuri squeals. "If its you I swear..." Obanai grumbled.
"So he is not constipated, he was nervous because he noticed that the book is missing..." Himejima said, turning to Shinobu.
"Oh come on! I know you're atleast curious on what goes on in his mind." She grinned.
"Lets get this over with, I want to see if he is a manwhore." Obanai said. "I bet he is!" Sanemi grinned.
They read the first few entries.
"Tempura is nice too. I prefer that dish if salmon daikon is unavailable. But I am capable of eating anything really."
"AHAHA! What the fuck?! These are his thoughts?!" The Wind Pillar snickered. "These are... Kind of plain, keep turning the pages, Shinobu-chan!" Mitsuri said.
It was mostly what happens in his day. Chores, training, him inventing a new form...
They found an interesting entry.
"The more I attend the Pillar meetings, the more I realize I don't deserve to stand with them."
It raised a few eyebrows. 'What's he talking about?' Shinobu thought.
"What's he talking about?" Rengoku asked. "Probably because he thinks he deserves to stand ABOVE us. Arrogant dick." Sanemi comments. "Narcissist." Obanai adds. "You got to hand it to him though, his handwriting is pretty." Uzui adds.
"He is insecure, I see..." Himejima said without even joining them.
The next entry was another juicy one.
"I know I received this book months after the Mt. Nagatumo incident, but it keeps bugging me. Those statements, it kept replaying for some reason.
"This is why no one likes you, Tomioka-san."
Did Kochou say that to distract me so she can kill Nezuko? I know the woman has always been a thorn in my existence whenever we have joint missions, but somehow, I feel like there is some truth in her words."
"I can say I don't like him. So you are right." Obanai said glancing at Shinobu. "Count me in." Sanemi supports him. "Guys, I don't think Tomioka-san is that bad..." Mitsuri adds. "His mismatched haori was an eyesore but other than that I don't have problems with him." Uzui comments. "He seems too quiet but I don't hate him!" Rengoku said. "Huh, what's the name of that cloud again?" Muichiro ponders. "I pray for him." Himejima said.
Shinobu just shrugged, she never thought it bothered him that much. But she won't apologize since he never gave her context and she thought she was trying to save him from Nezuko because the Water Pillar had the tendency to space out just like the Mist Pillar. 'How would I know he didn't space out during that moment? I didn't know better.'
The following pages were the juiciest ones so far.
The Pillars:
The Stone Pillar: A person who drops more tears of pity than anyone else.
Himejima Gyomei
His strength is unrivaled. But despite his power, I admire his gentleness far more. His kindness, his compassion. I wish I know more about him. He makes me want to be a better person.
"Holy fuck, I think he has a crush on you..." Sanemi turned to face Himejima, but the large man just wept even more, touched by his description of him. Shinobu smiled at that rather sweet entry.
"He has a crush on all of us!" Obanai exclaimed with shock as he saw a description of the Flame Pillar.
The Flame Pillar: A person with an inflamed mind and prouder than everyone else.
Rengoku Kyojuro
His passion for slaying demons inspires me. This man is very energetic and I'd be lying if I'm not insired by his enthusiasm. An optimist at heart, he gives hope to the people he saves.
"OH! I like that!" Rengoku's eyes sparkled, he was flattered by the description. "Is this how he sees us?! I am so excited to read what he thinks of me!" Mitsuri giggled. Shinobu didn't say a word but she was excited to see her entry too.
The Mist Pillar: A person who is in control of his actions more than anyone else.
Tokito Muichiro
He is very calm, and collected. A prodigy, he is able to stand among the strongest at such a tender age. His skills are exceptional, and his potential is almost limitless in my opinion. He lets his actions speak for himself, in some ways, we are very much alike in that aspect.
They all said nothing and just nodded.
"Wait, is he talking about me?" Muichiro asked.
The Sound Pillar: A person who goes in to the battlefield more than anyone else.
Uzui Tengen
"Hoho! I approved!"
A very formidable fighter, he is very sly and cunning. He is very vain and puts alot of attention in to being fabulous. And it really shows in his demeanor and posture. This man is indeed fabulous.
The Sound Pillar clapped. "This is getting grosser by the minute! I don't think I wanna hear what he'll say about me!" The Wind Pillar grumbled. "Too late, here's your entry." Shinobu replied in a sing song voice as Obanai chuckled.
The Wind Pillar: A person who trains to destroy demons more than anyone else
Shinazugawa Sanemi
He is brash and ruthless against demons, and at some point, to others.
"This fucker!" Sanemi growled. "I thought you don't want to listen?" Uzui cackled. "Shut up!"
However, I see it as an advantage. The demons have been striking fear to the hearts of the innocent, and his demeanor terrifies the demons in return. But something tells me he is far gentler than he wants to appear.
"You're red." Obanai comments. "I-I'm not!" Sanemi snarled. "Ahh! Tomioka-san is such a sweetheart!" Mitsuri squeals as she saw her entry, Obanai's eyes widened.
The Love Pillar: A person who makes hearts beat more than anyone.
Kanroji Mitsuri
She is strong, she is resilient and a powerful pillar. But her greatest strength was her heart. She puts others at ease and her presence is very reassuring. A cheerful soul that can lighten up a rather dark day.
The Love Pillar squealed as a vein in Obanai's head appeared, he kept mumbling "I can do better..!" Over and over under his breath.
"Come on, where's my entry?" Shinobu asked in disappointment as Obanai was next.
The Snake Pillar: A person who has a light in his eyes more intense than anyone that he uses against demons.
Obanai Iguro
I noticed that he was a bit malnourished.
Uzui bursted out laughing as Obanai hissed "That's it, I'm going to kill him!"
"See? I'm telling you, he is a judgemental shit!" Sanemi adds. Shinobu rolled her eyes as Rengoku told them to finish the description.
He endured a tough life, and it made him resilient and fit for battling demons. He is ferocious as he is skillful.
"That still doesn't change the fact that I'm gonna punch him in the neck the next time he shows up..!" Obanai mutters. "Eeeeee! Tomioka-san is so kind! These are his thoughts, you can't tell me that he thinks he is better than us!" Mitsuri told Sanemi. "I agree! He seems to respect us quite alot!" Rengoku beamed.
"Who knew he has such a way with words?" Himejima said.
"Wait, why is everyone acting like it's all over? He saved the best for the last." Shinobu giggled, or so she thought. She was very giddy and excited to know what the Water Pillar really thinks of her, for some reason. Maybe because she is just curious to what he is like under that cold exterior. Her excitement grew because she was the last pillar to be mentioned.
"Flip the page!" Uzui said.
The Insect Pillar: A person who dances gracefully and subject demons to an excuriating demise through poison.
"Mmm, I like that." Shinobu smiled proudly to herself. And now for the description to stroke her ego...
"Pfft- HAHAHAHA!" Sanemi cackled, soon followed by Uzui, Rengoku, and Mitsuri.
Kochou Shinobu
She has a large forehead.Shinobu blinked once, twice and thrice. She didn't even hear her colleagues' laughter. She turned the page only to find a different entry "... Is that it?" She asked.
"Poor soul, such poor soul." Himejima patted her shoulder in pity.
Obanai just snickered while Muichiro looked at his fellow pillars in confusion.
A vein popped in her temple, she tried to mask her anger with a smile but her blood was boiling. 'That has to be the- the dumbest..! Ughh! Why did I expect too much?!'
As she let her guard down, Uzui snatched the journal from her hands.
"Now I wanna see more of what goes on!" He said. "More! More! More!" Rengoku chanted. "That was funny..! Pfft- ffft!" Mitsuri tries to stiffle her laugh as the sight made Obanai smile. "Fuck it, lemme see!" Sanemi joined them as they try to invade Giyuu's privacy even more.
Shinobu stared blankly at nothing. 'How dare him... How dare him! That was rude! After all the effort I put in trying to get him to open up..!'
She touched her forehead before fuming even more 'Really?! My forehead?!'
Shinobu failed to hear what was written next.
"I've heard somewhere that large foreheads are a sign of incredible intelligence. With small ones being the opposite of intelligent. Mine was medium sized." Uzui reads out loud before pondering "Huh, mine is abit vast without my headband..."
"Awesome!" Rengoku touched his forehead, Mitsuri did too "Hey! Mine was pretty large! Sweet!"
"Mine's normal." Sanemi said. Obanai touched his own forehead briefly, before growling "Goddamn him! That can't be true!"
Uzui laughed at him.
The next entry was short.
"I saw a stray dog today near the shop where I buy udon. I tried to pet it. It bit me."
The four pillars laughed even more, Himejima even walked towards them to see if he heard them right.
"Oh, this one is..." Uzui drifted off at the next page.
"Today is the XXth death anniversary of my sister. I paid respects to her and prayed. It's been years, but I'm still the weakling I am. I am so sorry, Tsutako."
It snapped Shinobu out of her thoughts and turned to them.
"That was a bit dark." Rengoku commented. "... Oh boo hoo, we all lost somebody! Nothing new." Sanemi jeers. "That is the point, why act insensitive about it, Shinazugawa-kun?" Mitsuri asked, frowning.
The next entry was another sad one.
"The Final Selection, once again, I had a nightmare about it. I saw them, I saw him, die.
Why is fate so cruel? I am never enough. I'm always needed to be saved. To be rescued."
"He must have someone die on him." Rengoku muttered. "I think his sister died protecting him too... That's sad!" Mitsuri exclaims.
"Next thing I knew, I became the Water Pillar. How can I be a pillar if I'm so pathetic? How can I stand next to them if I'm so weak? I don't deserve this title. That is why I'm doing my best to train Kamado Tanjiro, so he can replace me as soon as he can. Speaking of which, it was my fault that him and Nezuko are orphans, if only I arrived sooner, I could have saved them. I don't want to be a pillar anymore. I don't deserve to be one in the first place.""Shit..." Sanemi muttered. "Wait, so he's not... Arrogant?" Obanai asked. Shinobu's anger swiftly disappeared, is that how Giyuu view himself all this time?
"That turned sad on a whim..." Uzui mumbled.
"Such angst..!" Rengoku said.
"Maybe Kochou was right. People do dislike me. They don't trust me. They know I'm weak."
"Your fault on why he is a brooding dick." Sanemi offhandedly commented, pointing at Shinobu. She just glared at him.
"That's not true..! He won't be a pillar for too long if he is as low as he describes himself..!" Mitsuri whined.
"He blames himself rather than blaming others for his burdens... Fabulous!" Uzui compliments. "He is a bit overboard! I don't believe he is that pathetic! I've seen him fight, he is quite formidable!" Rengoku adds. "Had no idea he is so depressed. But he called me malnourished so I don't feel too bad..." Obanai huffed and crossed his arms.
"I never saw him as a man full of himself. All I see is a lonely man." Himejima wept.
"He's nice." Muichiro comments.
Shinobu went silent, angrily snatching the journal away from Uzui.
"Hey!" He protested.
She flipped the next page.
"I am starting to like this book, it gives me an outlet. I can express my thoughts without having to speak, as I have no one to listen to me."
'He has Kamado-kun...' Shinobu thoughts.
"That was a bit of a buzz kill." Obanai comments. "Yeah, way to go and bring the mood down, Tomioka. You're not here yet you're still a pain in the ass." Sanemi jeered, but Shinobu can sense the sympathy in his voice.
Muichiro blinked as he thought about the Wind Pillar's sentence "... Ew, are you ga-"
"No!" Sanemi snarls.
They refuse to read anymore entry. Uzui called Shinobu evil for stealing Giyuu's journal, to which she replied "You read it too, didn't you?"
"I suggest you return it to him." Himejima said, causing the Insect Pillar to sigh "I will."
. . .
"Hey!"
She heard the gruff voice of Inosuke outside her office.
"What?" Follows Aoi's annoyed voice.
"Did you know you were close to perfect?" The young man asked, Shinobu can see Aoi's silhouette tense up as she gasped.
"Because you're standing next to me!" Inosuke laughed.
"Y-You idiot! Get back to your bed!"
"Make me, pigtails!"
Shinobu chuckled at the sight, before gazing at the book.
Teasing him is very enjoyable, but she figured she will tone it down atleast.
The temptation to read another entry was once again strong.
A smirk entered her face.
Flipping the page at random, she finally landed on the entry she had been waiting for.
Kochou Shinobu.
Her eyes, they remind me of my own.
The Insect Pillar blinked before reading further.
I know she lost someone dear to her. I am aware of what happened to the Flower Pillar and her relationship with her.
Shinobu's hands trembled.
But as much as I find her annoying, she is the one I admire the most out of all of them.
The emotions building up inside her died down and was replaced with something pleasant.
She told everyone how physically weak she was for being unable to decapitate demons, but to me, she is incredibly strong. In a totally different way. Her ability to hide her anger and grief behind that beautiful smile constantly is nothing short of amazing.Now she's flusterred, she can feel her cheeks burning 'My... What am I getting riled up for?'
In some way, I envy her ability to put up a facade that tells everyone that she is happy. I wish I can do it too, and maybe people will like me.
That was heartwarming, the smile on her face wasn't forced anymore. She closed her eyes 'I didn't know that that's the way you see me, Tomioka-san.'
Her lips turned to a grin as she continued to read more and more of his thoughts.
"Why are swear words invented? What's the point of inventing a new word, just to then say you can't say them. Isn't that what you're supposed to do with words? You say them."
Shinobu lets out a hearty laugh as she moved on to the next entry.
"I've been paired with Insect Pillar Kochou Shinobu once again. I wonder why the Master pairs us up so often. It's a bit bizarre."
The woman thought so too, but she was smiling. She never thought Giyuu would be this talktative, granted, it was a book. The man would rather write than speak.
"And as always, she teases me to no end, that sometimes it was hard to remain stoic. She's like a fly that will buzz on your ear when you're trying to sleep. Then suddenly, her being the Insect Pillar started to make alot of sense."
She giggled at that 'I'm glad I got on your nerves too, Tomioka-saaan.'
"She also has no sense of personal space. She tends to stand so close, so near. I try my best not to brush my skin to her but she is making it very difficult. Thankfully, I haven't."
Shinobu smiled, it was her way of asserting dominance, by showing that she doesn't care about your personal space.
"Her scent, its intoxicating. The smell of Wisteria. Its a pleasant smell."
Then suddenly, she found herself concious and making a mental note to let him smell more of her Wisteria perfume.
"And the way she fights is graceful. She dances and floats like a butterfly, yet she stings like a wasp or a bee. Her Insect Breathing was derived from Flower Breathing, which is derived from Water Breathing. Maybe that is why we are so compatible in battle. Maybe its why we work so well as a team. Our Styles of Breathing are made for eachother."
The last statement made her blush but she shook her head and try not to think of anything about it.
"I do wonder what its like to see one of her genuine smiles."
Suddenly, she founds herself liking him more and more.
. . .
Giyuu's organized belongings were now unorganized as he rummaged through his own house trying to find the journal.
At first he wanted to write something about successfully being able to pet a dog without getting bitten but now he can't see it.
Its been hours but he kept searching his small house over and over again.
But to no avail.
Removing his haori and having half a mind to yank the ponytail off his head, he tried to think.
'If I were a journal, where would I be? No... Journals aren't sentient. They aren't alive to decide where they'll go.'
He tried retracing his steps outside 'No, I couldn't have left it outside, I never take it with me.'
It was evening. He gave up and started to prepare some Miso soup.
The night passed and he was almost restless.
The next day came, he miserable started to clean his house until a crow flew ahead and screamed.
"AAACK! AAACK! TOMIOKA GIYUU REPORT!"
He stared at the crow for awhile before sighing, and prepared to go to the Master's mansion once more.
After reaching the palace.
He could feel the eyes of the everyone on him. He was starting to feel uneasy. The Insect Pillar hasn't arrived yet. It's not like her to be late."Tomioka-saaaan!" Mitsuri greeted "Hi!"
"H-Hello." He awkwardly greeted back.
Himejima suddenly appeared behind him and patted his back "Namu Amida Butsu."
Giyuu slowly turned to face him.
"We should talk sometimes." The Stone Pillar said.
"W-What..?"
Uzui approached him with a grin "Tomioka-san! You're fabulous, don't you forget that."
Giyuu awkwardly nodded and gulped 'What is going on..?'
"I am proud to fight by your side, fellow pillar!" Rengoku's voice beamed next to his ear, causing him to flinch.
He backed away, thinking this is some sort of nightmare, looking at them as if they were possessed. "Huh? What's wrong?" The Sound Pillar asked.
He bumped to Muichiro.
Giyuu apologized quickly but the Mist Pillar just blinked "You're a nice guy."
The Water Pillar didn't know what to make of that.
"What's wrong, Tomioka-san?" Mitsuri asked in concern.
"Oi."
He faced Sanemi.
"Have some faith in yourself." The Wind Pillar said before turning away.
"You don't give yourself the credit you deserve, stupid." Obanai butts in, still sitting on a tree. "And for the record, I am not malnourished."
Giyuu gasped dramatically. 'No... It can't be!'
"The Stone Pillar: A person who drops more tears of pity than anyone else." Himejima said, causing Giyuu's eyes to widen.
"The Flame Pillar: A person with an inflamed mind and prouder than everyone else. I gotta say, you hit the nail on that one!" Rengoku gave him a thumbs up.
'This isn't happening..!'
"The Mist Pillar: A person who is in control of his actions more than... Anyone else? It's my turn right? Did I get it wrong?" Muichiro asked, not even looking at them.
"The Sound Pillar: A person who goes in to the battlefield more than anyone else." Uzui grinned.
"The Wind Pillar: A person who trains to destroy demons more than anyone else... Wait why are we doing this bullshit again?" Sanemi asked.
'My journal! How did they..?'
"The Love Pillar-"
"Like why are we quoting-"
"A person who makes heart beat more than anyone!" Mitsuri interrups Sanemi before smiling at Giyuu.
"Whatever... The Snake Pillar: A person who has a light in his eyes more intense than anyone that he uses against demons." Obanai just went along with it due to Mitsuri's pleading eyes.
"H-How much did you read..?" Giyuu asked in terror.
"All of it! HAHA- OOFH, Hey!" Uzui grunted as Rengoku elbowed him. "Not that much. Why? Haven't Kochou returned it to you yet?" The Flame Pillar asked innocently.
Giyuu's head fell as anger build up within him 'Kochou..!'
"I'm guessing not. I told her to return it to you when she can. Such a mischevious girl." Himejima said.
"The Insect Pillar: A person who dances gracefully and subject demons to an excuriating demise through poison." He heard a soft voice directly behind him.
Giyuu turned around at the shorter girl and glared at him.
"Really? Is my forehead really that huge?!" She asked with a pout.
"We need to talk." Giyuu said with venom in his voice. As much as he is so angry right now, he is too socially awkward to lash out on her in front of everyone. Shinobu blinked, she never saw him that pissed before and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't scared. Still, she gave him a smile.
"You are more than what you think you are, Tomioka Giyuu." Ubuyashiki's voice called their attention. To which they all bowed.
"I am sorry, but I've been eavesdropping yesterday." He admitted. "But know this, Water Pillar. The people you lost gave away their life to make sure you live yours at it's best. Make them proud. Bear your title with pride and keep doing an outstanding job." The man smiled.
Giyuu's face was wet, he untied his ponytail to hide his weeping face.
Sanemi glanced at the man and gave him a pat on his back whilst they are all still bowing. Rengoku gave him a pat as well.
"You are the pillars, the responsibility each and everyone of you bear is great. It takes someone special to be able to bear that title, never forget that. Specially you, Tomioka."
"Yes." They all said in unison.
The meeting was soon over and Tomioka tried to escape, but his haori sleeve was grabbed by Uzui "Just a minute!"
"We just started to understand your sorry ass and now you're gonna flee? What are you, a fucking child?" Sanemi asked. "We should all eat together!" Mitsuri suggests.
"Maybe some other time. I swear." Giyuu stuttered. "I have some business to attend to." He said as he glared at Shinobu.
The woman innocently smiled and pointed at herself as if to ask "Me?"
. . .
The two of them are walking together on their way home.
But it was silent."I thought you wanted to speak to me, Tomioka-san?" She chirped, she was in a delightful mood after reading his journal.
"What you did was unforgivable." He muttered but he kept walking.
"Did I cross the line?" She asked teasingly. He halted and turned to face her.
"Is it this fun to torment me? You've gone too far!" Giyuu lashed out as he walked towards her.
Towering over her petite figure, she was unfazed. Amused even.
"People don't dislike you anymore, Tomioka-san. Consider it a... Blessing in diisguise!" She grinned.
Giyuu said nothing as his hands remained clenched beside him.
But as he opened his lips to speak, she kissed him, causing his eyes to widen.
Her lips were soft and comforting, he felt her hands grasping his haori for support, he also saw that she was on her tippy toes because she is too short.
She slowly broke the kiss and looked at him tenderly "I'm sorry. But teasing you... Well, you in general, is one of the only things that make me genuinely smile."
"I-I..." Giyuu stuttered but he was speechless.
"I-I-I, shut up. You don't have to say anything. Come here." She mocked before pulling him close to a hug.
"I'm glad you understand me, I thought you were just an airhead off in his own little world." She said as she listened to his heartbeat, which was getting faster.
"I... Still want my book back. Please return it to me..." Giyuu lets out a shaky breath as he rested his chin on her head. The scent of Wisteria once again present. His arms wrapped around her.
"I will." Shinobu replied.
"After I finish it."
"Kochou..!"
"Fine, we'll read it together!"
"No!"
"Your handwriting is nice."