Chapter 67: "Tatsu, look, does it look good?"
Night.
The air was filled with the rich, charred aroma of takoyaki, the sweet, sticky scent of grilled dango sauce, and the faint, delicate fragrance of unknown wildflowers drifting on the breeze.
On this street, brimming with the vibrant atmosphere of human life, Tatsu walked side by side with Kanae Kocho.
Tatsu did not walk fast; in fact, one could say he deliberately slowed his pace just to maintain the most comfortable distance while walking beside the young girl.
"Tatsu, look over there, it seems very lively."
Kanae tilted her head slightly, her smiling purple eyes looking toward Tatsu.
Tatsu looked in the direction Kanae pointed; it was a stall selling various exquisite traditional handicrafts and small accessories, crowded with young girls walking in groups.
Watching the curiosity sparkling in Kanae's eyes, a clear goal immediately emerged in his mind: he would buy the most beautiful item from the stall to give to her, and he wanted to see her smile even more brilliantly because of his gift.
This was an instinctive desire from the depths of his heart; he wanted to please her, to do everything in his power to make her happy.
Tatsu took a step forward without hesitation, leading Kanae toward the stall.
The stall was filled with a dazzling array of goods: exquisitely carved wooden combs, colorful glass wind chimes, and hairpins wrapped with fine silk threads.
Kanae's gaze fell upon a butterfly hairpin inlaid with a pale purple glass bead, her eyes revealing a hint of undisguised affection.
Under the light of the lanterns, the glass bead refracted a warm, gentle luster that was a perfect match for her purple eyes.
"Kanae, do you like this?"
Tatsu asked softly, his tone laced with a hint of doting.
He wanted to buy it; he had to buy it.
"Mm, it's very beautiful. The color of the glass is just like the morning dew hanging on the wisteria."
Kanae nodded with a smile, not hiding her admiration, but she did not reach out to take it, simply admiring it quietly.
Tatsu took a deep breath and reached into his pocket, preparing to pull out money.
However, just as his fingers touched the fabric at the bottom of his pocket, his body suddenly froze.
It was empty.
Not a single coin.
A cruel and cold reality washed over him like a basin of cold water, instantly extinguishing the flames of enthusiasm that had just ignited in Tatsu's heart.
He was a demon.
Demons did not need to work, did not need a salary, and did not need human currency to survive.
Only at this moment, the moment he wanted to buy a hairpin for the girl he loved, did he realize his predicament so vividly and painfully.
He, Tatsu, a demon possessing strength beyond that of humans, was currently penniless and unable to even buy a hairpin worth a few hundred mon for Kanae.
Tatsu's hand remained stiff in his pocket; pulling it out felt wrong, and leaving it there felt just as awkward.
A rare flush of embarrassment and shame appeared on his originally pale, handsome face.
His gaze began to wander, not daring to look directly into Kanae's clear eyes.
He felt a deep sense of powerlessness and inferiority; he felt unworthy of standing by her side, unable to provide even the material surprises that an ordinary human boy could offer.
What an intelligent and sharp woman Kanae was.
She noticed Tatsu's sudden stiff movements, noticed his shifty eyes, and immediately guessed the predicament he was facing.
"Ara,"
Kanae suddenly gave a soft exclamation. She naturally reached out and gently pulled Tatsu's arm, which was still stiffly resting at the edge of his pocket.
"Tatsu, looking closely, the craftsmanship of this hairpin is actually a bit rough. The joint of the glass is a bit sharp; if worn in the hair, it might break your hair."
As she spoke, she smiled and pulled Tatsu away from the stall, her movements fluid and natural, without the slightest hint of pretense.
Tatsu was pulled along, stunned; he knew Kanae was smoothing things over for him.
That hairpin was clearly exquisitely crafted; the problems she mentioned didn't exist at all.
The reason she did this was because she desperately wanted to protect his self-esteem; she didn't want him to feel embarrassed because he had no money.
"Besides,"
Kanae tilted her head slightly, looking at Tatsu, a playful yet gentle light flickering in her purple eyes.
"Compared to those inanimate objects, I prefer walking on this street with Tatsu and looking at the scenery around us. As long as we can take a walk like this, I am already very happy."
Looking at Kanae's clear, cloudless smile, the sense of inferiority in his heart was slowly melted and dispelled by her gentleness.
Not only did she not despise him for being penniless, but instead, she used her own way to give him the most sincere comfort and response.
Although Kanae had defused the crisis, the goal in Tatsu's heart—to make Kanae happy—not only did not weaken but became even stronger.
Since he couldn't buy a gift with money, he would use his own way to create a unique surprise for her.
They continued walking forward; ahead of the street was a wooden arched bridge spanning a small river.
Under the bridge, the river flowed with a gentle murmur, reflecting the bright moon in the sky and the lights on the shore.
The willow trees by the bridge swayed gently in the night breeze, and a few slender willow leaves drifted down with the wind.
Tatsu's gaze keenly caught a perfect willow leaf drifting in mid-air.
He stopped and made a "please wait a moment" gesture to Kanae.
Kanae stopped and looked at him curiously.
Tatsu took a deep breath, his eyes instantly becoming focused.
He reached out abruptly, precisely pinching the falling willow leaf between two fingers.
Immediately after, Tatsu turned his back and his hands moved rapidly.
Using his meticulous control over his strength, he treated the willow leaf as origami paper.
In less than ten seconds, Tatsu turned back around.
He slowly opened his palm and held it out in front of Kanae.
In the center of Tatsu's pale palm lay a butterfly folded and carved from a verdant willow leaf.
This butterfly was lifelike; even the textures on the wings had been finely traced by Tatsu with his fingernails.
"Kanae, this... is for you."
Tatsu's voice carried a hint of nervousness.
He didn't have money to buy the glass hairpin; he could only give her a butterfly folded from a leaf.
He didn't know if this cheap, perhaps even childish, gift could win a smile from this well-traveled Flower Hashira.
Kanae looked at the willow-leaf butterfly in Tatsu's palm, her eyes widening slightly.
She not only saw the exquisiteness of this butterfly but also the focus and dedication Tatsu had poured into folding it.
This gift was more precious than any jewelry bought with money.
"Ara, what a beautiful butterfly."
A flash of genuine amazement crossed Kanae's eyes, and the smile on her face bloomed instantly, like an Epiphyllum blooming in the dark night.
She carefully picked up the willow-leaf butterfly from Tatsu's hand.
She didn't hold it casually in her hand, but lowered her head slightly and gently tucked the verdant willow-leaf butterfly into her hair near her ear, complementing her original butterfly hair accessory.
"Tatsu, look, does it look good?"
Kanae raised her head, tilting it slightly under the soft light of the lanterns, showing it to Tatsu.
The emerald green leaf looked exceptionally fresh against her black hair, setting off her gentle features and making her look breathtakingly beautiful.
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