I also want to thank Yoizumi~
Thank me?
Yoizumi tilted his head, his eyes showing obvious confusion.
Shinobu looked at those jewel-like eyes, clear, bright, and dazzling. How could a demon have such special eyes?
Or rather, even among humans, they were very rare.
Unconsciously, she wanted to lose herself in them, wanting those eyes to always gaze at her, reflecting only her image.
"You made me realize that there are demons in this world who match my sister's ideal. I originally thought I might never be able to get along well with demons."
"You and Nezuko are both special."
"If my sister were still here, she would definitely be very happy."
Shinobu said slowly, her voice very soft, but Yoizumi heard it clearly.
"I also want to thank you."
Yoizumi reached out, catching a beautiful purple butterfly with his knuckles under the moonlight, his calm gaze seemingly fluctuating.
"If I hadn't met you, I might never have left that wooden house."
"I also wouldn't have had the chance to see and experience this world, much less reunite with Tanjirou and Nezuko."
He moved the purple butterfly in his hand in front of Shinobu.
"Thank you, Shinobu."
"Are we… friends?" Yoizumi asked.
"...Hmm, friends." She had thought he would say something astonishing, and Shinobu wasn't even prepared. But then again, if this clueless little cat in front of her could say such a thing, it would be truly unbelievable.
"Then I still have to work hard." Yoizumi suddenly said this.
This made Shinobu look at him in confusion.
Work hard?
Yoizumi's face suddenly drew close, one hand pressing on the eaves at her waist, his right index finger approaching Shinobu's lips, tracing an arc in the air.
His usually indifferent face softened, like melting ice and snow, the corners of his lips slightly curving, his eyes seriously looking at her.
"I'll work hard to make you genuinely smile one day."
"Isn't that what friends are for?"
Thump
Thump
Thump
The whole world seemed to only hear her own violent heartbeat. Staring blankly at Yoizumi like this, her rapidly rising body temperature, the heat rising on her cheeks, made Shinobu's vision blur.
How strange.
What's happening?
The palpitations wouldn't stop.
Her palm pressed against her heaving chest, her fingertips turning pink.
Her face must be very red right now.
Embarrassed, she turned her face away, not daring to look at the person beside her again.
How could he use such a face to make such an expression!
It's just... cheating... "?"
What's wrong?
Did he do something wrong again?
He returned to his original position, looking at Shinobu, who had turned her head away, his gaze falling on her crimson earlobe.
She seemed to have, just now, had a sudden rise in body temperature.
Is there something wrong with her body?
"Are you alright?"
Yoizumi's worried voice sounded.
Taking a deep breath, she patted her cheeks with cool fingertips, returning to her usual self.
"I'm perfectly fine~"
Her ears were so red. Yoizumi thought for a moment; his intuition told him it was better not to say anything.
"Do you do this to other people too?" Shinobu asked, seemingly nonchalantly, but in fact, her fingertips hanging at her side were tightly clutching the rainbow-colored haori.
"Only to you." Yoizumi answered honestly.
"Is that so..." The grip on the haori didn't loosen, but tightened even more.
"Hmm, I won't lie to you." She had just said that demons always lie, so he definitely couldn't be like that.
Her breath trembled, she released the haori and slowly leaned closer to Yoizumi, gently resting her head on his arm, closing her eyes.
"Let me lean on you for a bit, just a bit..."
Feeling the added weight beside him, the warm, soft body pressing against his arm, Yoizumi's body stiffened for a moment. At a time like this, what should he do?
Yoizumi remained motionless, like a wooden sculpture.
A long time passed, and Shinobu's breathing became long and steady. Yoizumi lowered his head to look and found that she had fallen asleep.
Sleeping here, she would get sick.
He looked at her sleeping face, her slightly trembling eyelashes, and the faint dark circles hidden under her eyes.
Yoizumi withdrew his hand that was about to wake her, carefully picked her up by the waist, and looked down. Good, he hadn't woken her.
So light.
He landed steadily from the eaves to the ground and slowly walked towards Shinobu's room.
He gently placed her on the bed and covered her with the quilt.
Standing at the head of the bed, the not-quite-closed window allowed a few wisps of wind to blow the sheer curtains.
"Good night."
His voice seemed to be scattered by the wind, falling somewhere.
"Click."
In the darkness, the person on the bed with tightly closed eyes opened her beautiful purple eyes and buried her face deep into the soft quilt.
She let out a soft groan.
How could she possibly sleep!
...The next day
Lady Shinobu hasn't woken up yet.
Kanzaki Aoi was used to it; Lady Shinobu always took longer to wake up. It was rare for the weather to be so good today, and she had wanted to air out the futons.
Oh, right!
Kiyo said that Yoizumi had woken up. So today, when making the herbal medicine, she would also make some milk pudding. Yoizumi used to really like it when he was at Butterfly Mansion.
Humming a cheerful tune, Kanzaki Aoi went to attend to other matters.
"Yoizumi, come play with us." x3
Yoizumi, who had reverted to his child form, was looked at by the three little girls with expectant eyes. Yoizumi nodded.
"Let's play cat's cradle." Little Saho took out a red string, looped it around her small hands, forming a complex pattern.
After each of the children took a turn, it was Yoizumi's turn. Sumi's cat's cradle was very difficult; Yoizumi looked at it for a long time and still didn't know where to start.
He tried to hook one of the strings with his finger, and as expected, Yoizumi lost.
"Yay! We won~"
The three clapped hands with each other, celebrating happily.
"Then Yoizumi must accept his punishment~" Kiyo, Sumi, and Xiao Saho stood together in front of Yoizumi, bowing their heads slightly.
"Please pat our heads."
Is this considered a punishment?
Yoizumi obediently complied, gently stroking their fluffy heads, which made them exchange smiles.
"What are you playing that's so fun?" Shinobu, after waking up and washing, passed by and heard the little ones' laughter. She hadn't expected to meet Yoizumi here.
Recalling everything that happened last night, it felt as vivid as if it were happening now.
She tried to calm her restless heart. It's okay, he's just a little Yoizumi now. Shinobu walked casually towards the four of them.
"Lady Shinobu! We're playing cat's cradle with Yoizumi. Would Lady Shinobu like to join us?"
"Sure~"
It was nice to relax occasionally, and Yoizumi was just a tiny little one, so he wouldn't make her feel shy at all.
She was pulled to sit opposite Yoizumi, facing him.
"Good morning." Sitting upright on the cushion, his small hands hooking the red string, his innocent little face was just like that of an ordinary child.
"Your turn or mine?" Yoizumi asked.
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