Higashikuze Akiho's very existence was thought to be taboo among demons and humans alike: she was a half-demon, the first of her kind. But being taken in and rasied by a former pillar with a strong sense of justice and a hatred for Kibutsuji Muzan...
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第三十二话
Tomioka Giyuu was hard to talk to.
Actually, to say "hard" was an understatement. He was impossible to talk to.
The only interaction Akiho had with the Water Pillar before this was when he came to take her from her rampage state with Mitsuri and Inosuke. He yelled at her for being a fool and trying make Kyoujurou's death be in vain, and that snapped some sense back into her. She never got to thank the man for it, so she thought coming with Tanjirou to talk to him would be a good idea... But apparently not.
She was glad that at least Tanjirou never ran out of things to talk about to fill in the silence that came from Giyuu. They have been coming to visit the pillar for three days now as a favor from a worried Kagaya, but each day he would just ignore them as Tanjirou talked on and on, hoping that something he says will finally get a response.
Akiho got fed up and finally said something on the fourth day. She was suppose to start her training, yet she didn't want Tanjirou do this on his own since he was on crutches. "Isn't it a bit rude to have an injured person work so hard to keep up with you because you keep ignoring him?" she asked loudly. Everyone stopped their footsteps and Tanjirou blinked.
"Oh, my injuries don't hurt any—"
"I never asked Tanjirou or you to come talk to me," Giyuu responded coolly, his back still to them. "Whatever you want to say, I still won't be joining the pillar training because it doesn't involve me."
"You're just sulking for some reason," Akiho frowned. "What happened to that man who shouted at me for being an idiot because I wouldn't except help from others? Are you the idiot now?"
I-Idiot? Akiho-san, I think you just insulted Giyuu-san! He might sulk more now! Tanjirou had his mouth agape and worried. But Giyuu actually turned around and looked at them for the first time.
"If I give you a reason, will you two leave me alone?"
Both of them couldn't promise something like that so they only listened patiently as the pillar explained why he wasn't worth their time nor Kagaya's concern. He was convinced that he isn't the Water Pillar because the person who actually deserved that title died protecting him at the Final Selection Exam. That's why he felt that training would be pointless for him and if he was to go into battle, death would be a good thing.
Tanjirou might be more understanding because he stayed quiet to think about how there wasn't a good way to word things to make Giyuu feel better about himself. It wasn't his place to say anything when he actually barely knew the man, and he couldn't blame him for it. But that was completely irrational to Akiho.
