You woke up before sunrise, the faint chill of dawn brushing against your skin. For a brief moment, you forgot the heaviness that had settled in your chest the night before.
Then you noticed it — something small, something out of place.
A single blue wisteria flower rested on the windowsill.
It was fresh. Dew still clung to its petals, and it hadn't been there when you went to bed.
Your breath hitched.
Someone had been inside again.
You crossed the room in silence, sword in hand, every sense alert. The door was still locked from the inside, and nothing else seemed disturbed — not your uniform, not your blade, not the small wooden box where you kept your letters. Only the flower.
It was beautiful, yes... but it made your stomach twist.
You picked it up carefully, turning it in your fingers.
Wisteria — a symbol of protection against demons. Whoever left it knew what it meant.
"...Giyu," you whispered, the name escaping before you could stop it.
Because somehow, you knew.
The morning air was cool as you made your way to the training grounds. The quiet hum of nature felt fragile, like one wrong step could shatter it. You were supposed to meet another Slayer for joint drills, but your thoughts were too scattered.
Every sound made you flinch. Every passing shadow made your heart race.
"(Y/N)."
You jumped slightly at the sound of your name.
Giyu Tomioka stood at the edge of the field, his usual calm expression masking something unreadable. You hadn't expected to see him again so soon — especially not this early.
"Giyu? What are you doing here?"
He tilted his head slightly. "You shouldn't train alone."
"I wasn't planning to," you said quickly. "I'm waiting for—"
"They won't come," he interrupted quietly. "They were sent to another district."
Your brows furrowed. "How do you know that?"
"Ubuyashiki told me." He looked away. "He asked me to check on you."
You hesitated. "...Again?"
"Yes."
You wanted to believe him. You really did. But his eyes — those deep, still waters — held something you couldn't quite name. Devotion? Guilt? Or something darker?
He stepped closer, his haori brushing lightly against your sleeve. "You look tired."
"I didn't sleep well."
"Because of last night?"
You froze. "...You knew?"
His gaze didn't waver. "I told you. I've been watching."
The way he said it was simple, unashamed — like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Giyu," you said softly, trying to keep your tone steady. "You can't keep doing that. Watching me. Coming to my house. It's—"
"Dangerous," he finished for you. "You're being watched by demons. I can't leave you alone."
You took a small step back. "There are no demons near my home. I checked. You checked."
For a brief moment, his expression cracked. His jaw tightened, eyes darkening. "You don't know that."
"Then why haven't you found one?" you asked quietly.
The silence that followed was heavy — almost suffocating.
He didn't answer. Instead, his gaze softened again, almost painfully so.
"I'll keep watch," he murmured. "Even if you don't want me to."
You opened your mouth to argue, but the words died on your tongue when he looked at you — really looked at you — as if the world itself disappeared around you. His voice dropped to a whisper.
"You don't understand, (Y/N). You're not safe without me."
You took a slow step back, heart pounding. "I am safe."
He blinked, the faintest tremor in his voice. "You think you are."
Then, just as suddenly as he appeared, he turned away.
"Go home before sunset," he said quietly, his tone returning to its usual calm. "Please."
Before you could say another word, he was gone — vanishing into the mist like he'd never been there at all.
That night, you tried to sleep.
You left your lantern burning, sword by your side. The silence pressed down around you, and for a while, you thought maybe you'd been overreacting.
But then you woke up to the sound of your door sliding open.
You sat up instantly, eyes darting to the entryway — but it was empty. The door hung open, swaying slightly in the night breeze.
You rose to your feet, every nerve alight. "...Who's there?"
No answer. Only the soft hum of crickets outside.
You stepped forward carefully, checking the threshold. No footprints, no shadow... nothing.
Except for one thing — resting where the wisteria had been that morning.
A small piece of folded paper.
You unfolded it slowly. The handwriting was clean and careful, written in ink that had bled faintly into the paper:
You're not alone.
You never were.
The air left your lungs.
Your fingers trembled as you turned toward the open door. The moonlight spilled across the ground, casting a long shadow by the trees — one that didn't move with the wind.
You swallowed hard.
"...Giyu?" you whispered.
The shadow vanished.
•*¨*•.¸¸☆*•*¨*•.¸¸☆*⋆｡𖦹°‧★
End of Chapter 2
