A/n: I made this chapter to explain the "confession" because I found that the "confrontation" part is difficult to understand. I am sorry about that.
I also currently rewritten some part in this book, so yeah, this chapter followed the previous timeline.
The chapter with '｡' means I already change some parts or I rewrite it.
Enjoy~
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Third Person's POV.
"Caw! The east mountain! Head to the east mountain! There sighted Lower Moons! Hurry! Hurry!"
Giyuu and Hanabi look at each other immediately and nodded. They rushed to the east mountain by foot.
Hanabi look up at the moon above her while running beside Giyuu. 'The night is still young.'
The moonlight shine so brightly tonight and the chirping of the cricket is filling the quiet forest along with two of the demon hunters footsteps.
When they nearly arrived at the mountain, she can hear a distant screaming. She glance at Giyuu and notice that he too hear the scream.
'Looks like there is already another demon hunters here,' she thought.
They get deeper to the mountain. They both stopped when they feel the silent around them is getting odd. Both of them take their stances and stand with their back facing each other.
"Saisho wa guu!" They are startled because of a voice coming from above. They tilted their head upwards and found a demon falling with his big fist aimed at them. Both of the hunters dodged the attack to a different side before the fist collide with the ground, making a thick layer of dust.
"Janken pon!"
Suddenly, slashes of bloods coming towards them, cutting the layer of dust in the air. Hanabi pulled out her sword.
Nature Breath: Third Form; Swirling Wind.
Hanabi turned his body around to create a shield from the wind around her. She deflect the attacks and strike back with slashes of wind.
Giyuu also pulled out his sword deflect the enemy's attacks.
The situation calmed down. The thick layer of dust slowly getting thinner by time, revealing the demon black haired demon girl with short flower patterned kimono. Her eyes carved with 'Lower Two' letters.
"Hiyahahahahaha! You guys are strong! Finally good toys to play with!!" The demon said, cackling like crazy. She lifted her hand. "Saisho wa guu..." she make a fist with her right hand, "Janken pon!" Both of her hand turned into a sickle. "Choki! (Scissors)"
The demon lauch herself at Hanabi.
"Hanabi!" Giyuu shouted.
Hanabi saw the attack coming and already prepared her stances.
Nature Breath: Fourth Form; Rivers.
She strike ahead, trying to stop the demon's movement by slicing her. But the demon dodged her attack, and attacked Hanabi with her sickles hand. Hanabi trying to dodge quickly, but her right arm got graze.
"Hanabi!" Giyuu shouted as he run towards her.
"Where are you going?"
Suddenly, a male demon appeared in front of him and punched him causing Giyuu to forcedly pushed back.
'I didn't feel his presence, is he...,' he look up at the demon's eyes, there carved letters that defined who he is, "Lower Moon Three..." he mumbled.
"Looks like another demon hunter showed up. Oi, Karaki! I will take this one, alright?" He shouted at the demon girl behind him.
"Fine! But don't take the girl tho, she is mine!" The demon girl called Karaki shouted back.
"Bahaha! Alright! Let me play with you before I eat you!" The male demon said to Giyuu, which he didn't replied and keep his deadpanned expression on his face.
Hanabi inspect the demon girl in front of her. 'She shouted a rock-paper-scissor last time. Is it her blood demon technique?' She clenched her sword with both of her hand.
"Thankfully, I am not yours, and this night will be the end of you two," Hanabi smirked at the demon.
"Oho~ you got the nerve to talk to me, huh? Ah~ but that's the interesting part! I can't wait to tasted you!" She squealed.
"Heh, you wish!" Hanabi launched herself at the demon.
Nature Breath: Second Form; Roots of Soil.
She leaped above the demon and stabbed the demon beneath her with a fast speed. She saw the demon smirked before she can land a hit. When she finished her attack, she landed safely on the ground.
"Nice try," the demon said behind her, caught her off the guard. "But my rank is not for a show," she said behind the shield around her that created with her blood.
Hanabi glance at the demon. "I noticed as much," she turned her body to face the demon while swinging her sword and taking her stance again. "Well, I just came up with a new technique that I created myself anyway, so you will have the honor to tasted it first," she smirked menacingfully.
"That..." The demon also take her stances and she leaped towards Hanabi, "IS SO EXCITING!" She smiled widely while launching her attack. She fisted up her hand. "SAISHO WA GUU!"
Her fist getting bigger and she punched Hanabi hard. Hanabi hold the punch with her hilt but the power is so strong, she get pushed away, using her feet as a break to stop herself from the movement.
"JANKENPON!" The demon shouted loudly before launching herself at Hanabi. "GUU (Rock)!" Her fist is still big, but now, her fist is covered by bloody red color and the veins can be seen through the skin.
Hanabi inhale quickly and preparing for the worst. She came up with the best defense technique that she has.
Nature Breath: Third Form; Swirling Wind.
She created a shield of wind around her to protect her, but the demon punched her shield and break it, causing her to have to take the impact. She is send back and hit the tree branch. She fell to the ground and coughing blood.
The demon approach her with a wide smile. Hee fist already back to normal.
"AHAHAHA! Where's your new technique huh? What I saw is only your boring technique that you used before," she came to her front and hold up her chin.
"Ah~ you are a really nice toy, I feel a bit sad that I have to eat you now," she smirked wickedly. The demon graze her cheek with her nails and tasted Hanabi's blood.
"Mm~ you have a nice blood there! Are you a Marechi? But you don't smell like marechi, your blood didn't even have any fragrance," the demon tilted her head in confusion. "Well, I don't care. It is such a shame that I have to eat you now. You are a really good toy!"
Hanabi smirked at the demon's statement. "Me? I am no toy, bitch." She let out her bloodlust flowing out. The demon in front of her suddenly halted her movement.
'What...what is this? Why suddenly her aura feels different?' she look at Hanabi with shock. 'Eh? Why I can't move? No, my legs feel weak, my body is shaking! Why!? Is it because of this girl?'
Hanabi smirked and suddenly stabbed the demon's neck and beheaded her. "Fool," she scoffed.
'What? Why does my vision turning upside down? Is it my head? I got beheaded? No..no! This can not be! There's no way I get beheaded with this human girl!'
"You can end my life right there, but you just keep ranting as if you already win. This is why demons are a foolish creature," she stare down at the demon's head that is starting to withering away. "I intended to use my new technique to you, but seems like I don't need to," she put back her sword in the sheath. "You are not worth it."
"You!" The demon screamed at her. "That pink eyes! That breathing technique! You are a Shirokawa! AHAHAHA! You will get killed! They will hunt you down! They will! Ku-" she disappeared before she can finished her sentence.
Hanabi frowned when the demon said her last name. 'How come this demon knew my name?' she thought. 'She said I will be hunted, but with whom? Demons? Am I not already? Because I am a demon hunter?' the thoughts filling up her head. Worry, curious, anxious, confusion is what she feels right now.
She snapped out of her thoughts when she realized something. 'How's Giyuu right now!? I need to help him!' she turned her away and run towards Giyuu's previous location.
❃❃❃
"Nice to meet you, my name is Hantō," the demon greeted him. "I think you should at least know my name since I will have to kill you."
Giyuu stay silent, not bothering what the demon said before.
"Hey? Hello? Are you deaf? When someone said something, you should at least replied," the demon said to him.
Giyuu keep his deadpanned expression intact, causing the demon to get annoyed with him.
"Oi! I am being polite here!" Demon yelled but Giyuu shrugged it off and launched himself towards the demon.
Water Breath: First Form; Water Surface Slice.
He strike right towards the demon, but the demon stayed on his place, unwavered. When his sword meet the demon's skin, it slide through it like cutting thin air. Knowing there's something wrong, Giyuu quickly turned his back to look at the demon.
He widened his eyes with shock. The demon is still in one piece, no injuries at all. Instinctively, Giyuu step backwards from the demon. The demon cackles and glance at him.
"That's a good move right there," he smirked, "but there's no point if you can't landed a hit on me, right? Fufu~"
'His body...it is as if there's no physical body there,' he thought.
"Pretty good right? Can you guessed my blood demon technique?" He smirked.
Giyuu keep silent while staring at the demon.
"Oh? Giving up already? AHAHAHA! Well I will tell you since you are going to die anyway," he said, smirking wickedly at him. He rushed towards Giyuu and striking his hand towards Giyuu's solar plexus.
Giyuu saw this and quickly dodged away. The demon followed his movement and strike him again. Giyuu moved to the side so the demon's hand won't be aimed to any of his body parts. He then aimed her sword at the demon's neck. It slipped through it. The demon change his position and immediately kicked Giyuu's head, he quickly blocked it with his hilt, but the power still manage to send him a few meters away from his previous position.
"Hoo? Your reflexes are pretty good~" the demon complimented him. "You are pretty good huh? You are fun to play with, I wonder if that girl from before also a good toy as you. Ahh~ I wanted to play with her too~"
"Shut up," Giyuu said, sending the demon death glares. "She is not a toy, nor am I."
"Ohh~? You finally talk! I thought you were a mute, y'know? Seems like you care about that girl huh?"
Giyuu keep silent whilst glaring at the demon. 'I have to finished him quickly. I hope she is alright.'
"Oh, have I told you about my blood demon technique yet? Hmm, playing with you was so exciting that i forgot to tell you," he smiled while holding his chin.
"I don't need you to tell me what it is," Giyuu finally spoke to him, "it is so simple."
The Demon get irked by his statement. "Ho~? You sure are annoying. I should finished you quickly."
Giyuu didn't replied and still with his blank expression which irked the demon more. "Tch, I will end you quickly!" The demon launched himself towards Giyuu.
Giyuu dodged the demon attacks. It is a close range combat and he can say that he is pretty good at it. He dodged away, getting out of the demon's attack range whenever the demon aimed his nails at the ravenette.
"UNTIL WHEN WILL YOU DODGED ME!?" The demon yelled at the stoic man, but Giyuu keep quiet.
When Giyuu can finally read the demon's attack pattern, he dodged the demon's attack and face his back. He slashed the demon's neck quickly, but it slipped through. He widened his eyes in shock, knowing fully well that he messed up.
The demon smirked and kicked Giyuu backwards. Not stopping there, the demon rushed to Giyuu and aimef his nails at his face.
Giyuu out of instinct, quickly cut the demon's hands. The hand got chopped off from its place. The demon is shocked and stunned by the fact that he got cutted.
'I predicted right. He must solidify himself if he wanted to land a hit on me.'
Giyuu quickly swing his sword to the demon's neck, but it slipped through, again. Right after Giyuu's sword leave his intangible body, he solidify himself and grazed the ravenette arm. Giyuu immediately step backwards.
Not allowing his opponent to get away, the demon followed the ravenette's movement.
'I can't swing my sword or he will get an opening to strike at me.'
He can't land a hit on the demon and can only dodged the demon's attack and wait for the right moment.
Lightning Breath: First Form; Thunderclaps and Flash.
Hanabi came to the scene and quickly cutted the demon's hands but failed to beheaded him.
"Giyuu!"
Giyuu take the cue and quickly beheaded the demon's head. He succeeded.
Hanabi is on the ground. Her legs are weak because of the Lightning Breathing Technique earlier. She tried to stand up, but her legs got wobbly and she failed.
Giyuu put his sword in the sheath and approached her. He bend himself down and facing his back towards her.
"Hop on."
"Eh? I am alright, I just need to rest for a minute. Besides, you are also injured," she shake her head, rejecting his offer.
"Don't making up excuses and hop on. I will be alright, it's just a scratch."
She hesitated, but seeing Giyuu is unmoving from his position, she give up and wrapped her arms around his neck, careful to not touch his injuries.
He hold both of her legs and stand up, carrying her in piggy ride style.
"Are you sure you okay?" She asked in concern.
"It's alright. This way is faster than waiting for you to recover anyway."
She hug him tighter. "Alright then." She rest her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Giyuu."
❃❃❃
"The demon hunters, Tomioka Giyuu and Shirokawa Hanabi killed the Lower Moon Two and Lower Moon Three!" The Kasugaigarasu said to Oyakata-sama, the head of the Demon Slaying Corps.
"I see," he said while stroking the crows feather. "Seems like the number of the Pillar has increased," he smiled under the moonlight.
❃❃❃
Giyuu and Hanabi arrived at the Wisteria Family house that take care of the passing demon hunter that finished their mission for free.
They get a doctor to tend to their wounds and have a dinner there. After a silent dinner, they both said good night to each other and heading to their own rooms that is provided by the house.
Hanabi set up her futon and engulfing her body with the warm blanket. The blanket smells fresh and the sheet feels so soft. But somehow, she can't get herself to sleep. She change her sleep position several times but no luck. She gave up and decided to go to the rooftop to get some air.
Giyuu in the other hand can not sleep either. When he heard a footsteps from outside the door, he get curious and peek at the source. He found out that it is Hanabi and decided to follow her.
Hanabi arrived at the garden and she muster up her strength to her leg and jumped to the rooftop. She landed safely and she sit there, enjoying the night sky that has a full moon that is shining so beautifully.
"Can I join you?"
She is startled when she heard the voice but immediately calm down when she found out that it was Giyuu. She nodded at his request.
"You scared me."
"Sorry." He sit beside her. "Can't fall asleep?"
"Yeah, you too?" He nodded. She chuckled and leaning her head to his shoulder. "We killed two of the Twelve Demon Moons."
He stare at her. "Yeah."
"I expected that we will be a Pillar tomorrow."
Giyuu stare at the moon above them whilst keep silent, letting her to continue.
"So today is our last night being a Kinoe," she said while staring at the moon. A comfortable silent enveloping them. The night wind swayed her black hair. She hold her hair, preventing it to fluttered uncontrollably.
He stare at her features that is enhanced by the moonlight. 'Beautiful,' he thought.
She muster up her courage and stare at the moon above them. She laid herself on the roof, looking straight at the moon. "The moon is beautiful isn't it?"
"Yeah."
She glance at Giyuu and her cheek get reddened when he is staring at her rather than the moon itself.
He drew closer to her, placing his hand beside her head, causing him to blocking the moonlight from her. He wanted to have her to him alone and only him.
Her heart beat is getting faster and her cheeks are tinted pink. She is shocked when Giyuu is hovering her around and she is now trying her best to calm her poor heart.
He drew closer to her until their lips met with each other's. 'Soft' is the only thing he thought when he kissed her.
They break the kiss briefly after a moment. She can't hide her flustered face right now. Her face and ears are all red. She covered her face in attempt to hide it, but Giyuu take her hand and kissed it.
"I love you too."
He kissed her again.
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A/n: Japanese novelist Natsume Soseki (1868–1912) of the Meiji period produced the phrase “the moon is beautiful” to express the Japanese equivalent of “I love you.” (source: tospeakjustice.wordpress.com)