"Mr. Yoizumi, Happy New Year!" x3
As soon as Yoizumi stepped out of his room, he encountered three little girls waiting at the door. They were wearing cute new clothes, their small faces flushed red with joy.
"Happy New Year." After patting each of their small heads, Yoizumi took out the Red Envelopes Shinobu had reminded him to bring. From a thick stack, he selected three and handed them to the girls.
"Wow!"
"Thank you, Mr. Yoizumi!" x3
The little girls' beady eyes sparkled as they huddled together to discuss who to find next. Seeing this, Yoizumi smiled, then tightened the red scarf around his neck and gently exhaled a puff of white mist.
It's New Year again... The Butterfly Mansion was already completely covered in white snow. A thick layer of vast white snow weighed down large patches of plants, and in the courtyard, the children had already built snowmen.
"It's cold outside, don't stay out too long."
"Yes!" x3
After speaking, Yoizumi headed toward the workshop where Shinobu was. At a corner, he encountered Kanao quietly admiring the snowy scenery; she clearly noticed Yoizumi as well.
Kanao turned around and nodded slightly, a gentle smile appearing on her tranquil face.
"Brother-in-law."
"Kanao, Happy New Year," Yoizumi said as he once again took out a Red Envelope and placed it in Kanao's hand.
Shinobu had said he could give them to people he knew.
So, Yoizumi decided on a goal.
That was to give out all the envelopes in his hand today.
"Tanjirou and Nezuko might arrive in a while. Nezuko mentioned in her letter that she really wanted to see Kanao."
"Okay, I haven't seen Nezuko and the others in a long time either." Kanao's calm tone carried a hint of subtle excitement.
She was happy to see her friends.
Yoizumi arrived at the workshop. He thought he would see Shinobu as soon as he pushed open the door, but he didn't see even a shadow of her.
She's actually not here... Yoizumi walked to the desk where Shinobu worked, looking down at a notebook where the ink had clearly been dry for a long time. What did Shinobu go to do?
Just as he was about to leave, he heard those familiar light footsteps steadily approaching from a distance.
"Yoizumi, you're already here." Dressed in a light purple kimono with a snow-white fluffy shawl on her shoulders, Shinobu looked mature and composed.
While approaching Yoizumi, she scooped up a spoonful of steaming Red Bean Mochi Soup, blew on it at her lips, and guided the spoon to Yoizumi's mouth with her slender fingers.
"Come, say 'ah'~"
Dazed, he ate the sweet red bean soup. The density of the red beans and the soft chewiness of the mochi filled his mouth. Hearing Shinobu ask if it was delicious, Yoizumi nodded without any hesitation.
"It's delicious."
"Then it was worth the long time I spent simmering it." She took a small bite of the red bean soup. After spending so much time with Yoizumi, she had slowly come to like sweets again.
"Suddenly, I feel like eating some Mitarashi Dango..." With a soft sigh, she scooped another spoonful into Yoizumi's mouth. As Yoizumi chewed, a look of understanding flashed in his sapphire eyes.
Mitarashi Dango.
"We'll be going to the Master's estate to eat together later."
"Everyone will be there."
Seeing the bowl eaten clean by Yoizumi, Shinobu spoke with a light laugh.
"Kagaya will be happy."
Swallowing the last bite of mochi, his body temperature, which had dropped due to the cold winter, now felt warm. It had been a long time since everyone had gathered together.
Each had their own future to pursue.
Yoizumi lowered his head and kissed Shinobu's hair.
"The red bean soup was very delicious, I liked it a lot. Thank you, Shinobu."
Smiling, she raised her hand to adjust the scarf around Yoizumi's neck. As if by magic, Shinobu took out a thick Red Envelope, her beautiful purple compound eyes shimmering with a gentle light.
"Yoizumi, Happy New Year."
"Is there one for me too?" Yoizumi asked, holding the Red Envelope which clearly contained a lot of money.
"Why shouldn't Yoizumi have one?"
Shinobu pursed her lips slightly, the corners of her mouth curving into a beautiful arc.
This was the first Red Envelope Yoizumi had received besides the ones given by Mother Kie.
"Yoizumi-nii!"
From afar, Tanjirou's voice could be heard. Hearing this cheerful and recognizable tone, Shinobu reached out and poked Yoizumi's dazed cheek.
"Alright, Tanjirou and the others are here, let's go out."
"Happy New Year! Yoizumi-nii! Hello, Sister-in-law!"
Tanjirou, who hadn't seen his brother in a long time, had sparkling red eyes. He ran to Yoizumi's side and greeted him with a big smile.
He patted his younger brother's head; Tanjirou had grown taller since their last meeting.
"Yoizumi-nii, Sister-in-law Shinobu," Nezuko called out sweetly.
"Hmph! Yang Jie, hand over the protection money quickly!" In the cold weather, Inosuke was rarely wearing thick clothes, but Nezuko surely had a hand in that.
Inosuke had heard that today was a day when one was supposed to collect Red Envelopes. Although he didn't understand it, he could get a lot of money!
"It's wonderful to see everyone so energetic," Shinobu said with a gentle smile.
"Where's Zenitsu? Why don't I see him?"
Yoizumi found it strange not to hear Zenitsu's noisy voice.
"Zenitsu went to his grandfather's place a few days ago. He'll go directly to the Master's estate later."
Tanjirou explained while patting the heads of the three little girls who had gathered around.
I see.
As was his custom, Yoizumi took out three Red Envelopes and handed them to his younger brother, sister, and Inosuke.
"Wow! Thank you, Yoizumi-nii!"
"Thank you, Brother."
Seeing the smiles of his younger brother and sister, Yoizumi couldn't help but smile as well.
"Protection money received! As the boss, I'll protect you, Yang Jie!" Inosuke held the Red Envelope high, laughing triumphantly.
The next second, another Red Envelope was handed to him. Inosuke looked at the person offering it; it was Kanzaki Aoi.
"Here, Happy New Year."
For some reason, Inosuke suddenly became well-behaved and took it slowly.
"Kanao~ long time no see." Nezuko took Kanao's arm. Two girls of similar age always had interesting things to talk about.
Tanjirou appeared beside the two of them, tilting his head slightly with a bright smile.
"Happy New Year, Kanao!"
Kanao turned her head away uncomfortably and responded in a low voice.
"Happy New Year."
"The Butterfly Mansion has become lively again," Shinobu sighed softly.
"Yeah." Holding Shinobu's hand with their fingers interlaced, Yoizumi nodded... "Everyone! Long time no see!"
As the group arrived at the Ubuyashiki estate, they heard that hearty and loud voice, instantly knowing it was Kyoujurou.
The ever-conspicuous Owl was very active today as well.
"Yoizumi-nii, Happy New Year." Muichiro, who had grown quite a bit taller than before, smiled gently.
"Yeah, Muichiro too." Saying that, Yoizumi stuffed a Red Envelope into the hand of the youngest brother in the Demon Slayer Corps.
With so many people here, Yoizumi thought he could definitely finish giving them all out.
"Uzui, why didn't you bring your wives along?" Kyoujurou asked, seeing that he was alone.
"I let them go back to accompany their families." Uzui Tengen sighed; that home of his wasn't worth returning to anyway.
"Is that so! Umu! Then Uzui's meaning is that we are also your family!" Kyoujurou said with his arms crossed, speaking with great gravity.
Hearing this, Uzui Tengen was stunned for a moment, then threw his head back and laughed loudly.
"Yes, yes... you are all family to me, the God of Flashiness."
"So, how could a younger brother give a Red Envelope to his older brother?" Uzui Tengen said, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the Red Envelope Yoizumi was offering.
"?" Yoizumi, who was the youngest among the Hashira except for Tokito, had sapphire eyes full of confusion.
In the end, Yoizumi's Red Envelopes... only increased.
But that is a story for later.
"I am very happy that everyone could come." Kagaya Ubuyashiki appeared with his wife and children.
His gentle light purple eyes swept across the faces of his children one by one, finally turning into a warm smile.
"Children, Happy New Year."
"I wish that from now on, you all live in happiness."
[New Year Special]
[End]
---- Mini-Theater ----
On the second day of the New Year, Shinobu woke up to find that Yoizumi had already disappeared.
Just as she finished washing up and was about to look for him, a gentle call came from behind.
His beautiful blonde hair was dusted with snow, and his face was pale from the cold. Yoizumi took a paper bag out from his coat.
"Shinobu, Mitarashi Dango."
Yoizumi's hands were freezing, but the dango was still warm.
Shinobu didn't know whether to laugh or cry; a casual remark she made yesterday had been kept in his heart.
"Silly." Shinobu pressed her hand against Yoizumi's cold cheek, while at her lips was a dango covered in sweet and savory sauce.
She helplessly opened her mouth and took a bite. The sweet dango still tasted the same as before. Shinobu brushed the fallen snow from the top of Yoizumi's head and laughed softly.
"It's so sweet..."
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