𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 | 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐨𝐤𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐲𝐮𝐮 ‌

❄️ 43

F/N swallowed her food slowly with her eyelids narrowing while staring at the food she's eating, alarmed at the person she's eating with.

Obanai, on the other hand, is watching her every movements while eating his food. Kaburamaru is sleeping somewhere only he knows. "Who asked?"

The girl perked up immediately and glanced at her cousin with a reluctant smile on her face. "Who...asked what?"

"The festival."

"M-Me..."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"Why did you ask him?"

F/N sighed, dropping her smile and continued her eating. "Because no one wants to come with me." She lifted her chopsticks with vegetables and placed it inside her mouth.

Obanai was taken aback at her answer, slightly blaming himself that he rejected her invite at first.

Not that he regrets it after hearing about Mitsuri's response.

"You could've ask Shinazugawa," he said.

F/N shook her head. "To be honest, I don't think that I'll have fun going with him. Not with his short temperament," she said. "And what's wrong about Giyuu?" Once she finished her meal, she drank the water from the cup while waiting for the boy's reply.

"There's nothing wrong, I'm just surprised," he said.

"Then what's wrong about me?"

Obanai frowned at her question. "What do you mean?"

"You refused when I invited you," she said, her eyes is still on the empty plate. "Then when it's Mitsuri-chan you didn't even hesitate...I just said it last time, if you two hung out, am I going to be replaced? Seems like the answer is yes."

His eyes widened. "No, F/N. That will never happen—"

"And also...Not because you and Sanemi hates him because of his attitude means I hate him too," she spoke. "Giyuu's nice if you just try and befriend him." She stood up and turned to the door. "I can do whatever I want with Giyuu."

"It's not what I meant," Obanai hissed.

F/N gulped and pursed her lips before talking without facing him. "I'm actually offended at how you pointed the knife at my eyes while asking about Giyuu. Fixed that attitude of yours, Iguro," she said. "Giyuu's attitude isn't the same when he's with me as he was outside with the others."

Obanai watched her leave his place with wide eyes and mouth open. He felt a slight pain in his chest when he heard her calls him by his last name. She really is mad. It's the first time she sees her like this.

Before, she's just joking but now, he can really sense that she's mad. And how will he apologize? He haven't even thanked her for asking Mitsuri about the festival and yet he pissed her.

About the other half, F/N was walking back at the Butterfly Mansion with no expression at all and some demon slayer who she passed by was not oblivious of her mood. They couldn't even greet her out of fear.

F/N was actually thinking of her actions back at her cousin's house, wondering what really made her mad and snap at Obanai like that. She understands why Sanemi and Obanai hates the way Giyuu acts in front of them. But F/N understands Giyuu even better. And she felt bad that the two couldn't even understand his situation.

Despite never really opening up about his past, F/N can grasp a glimpse of it, the reason why he keeps himself away from the other pillars. He felt like he didn't belong.

And that's the reason why F/N stays with him, so he won't feel lonely. She knows that Giyuu feels like he doesn't deserve the position but had no choice. At some point, they were almost the same when it comes to the promotion of being a hashira.

She can still remember her test to the ranks that didn't feel like succeeding because the Lower Moon Demon begged her to kill him. And she's really expecting a big fight like what she saw in Kyojuro's fight for the pillar position.

It's not that she wants to be badly injured, it's just that she wants a fair fight. Even though her opponent is a demon, at least give her a fair square game. Not like what happened where one just begged and conceded defeat.

And before she gained the strength of the marks, some demons she fought keeps telling her that she doesn't look like a hashira. It's somehow...decreasing her confidence. Does she deserve to be one at all?

Then now she became a demon who everyone hates, and Giyuu's the only one who knew. If she can't control it, then she'll lose his trust too.

"This is frustrating," she whispered.

An hour has passed and her walking finally came to a stop in front of the gate of the Butterfly Mansion. As usual, it's open because of the incoming patients so she entered and sat on a bench near the door instead of heading inside.

She placed her hands on both arms where the sleeves of her haori are, feeling the warmth of the fabric as if it was embracing her.

She didn't know what really happened to make her lose her mood just like that. Is she really pissed at her cousin's actions? Or she's just done with whatever?

Whatever it is, she have to apologize. She even called him by his last name, that might hurt him and it did.

She's sure that his cousin didn't meant what he did either.

"I was expecting to see you smiling because of the excitement for the festival tomorrow."

She looked up unbelievably at the familiar voice and finally, her long and straight face was replaced with a warm expression as her lips curved into a soft smile and whispered.

"Giyuu..."

to be continued.