36 - rumour of death
"There. Finished."
The Blossom Pillar gracefully put on her last touch to the boy's face, content with her art. Her smile full of pride while her eyes glowing as she puts away the brush with the colored make-up on its tip aside.
Inching closer, the glow on her eyes never cease to disappear, her smooth, medium-sized hands cupped the boy's face softly. As if holding to a precious treasure. "Ara~ You're as beautiful as your sister, aren't you? Hmm... Interesting..."
Still holding onto the confused boy, the pillar turned around, admiring all her works together. "My... I can't believe my talent. Maybe I should stop to be a demon slayer and become a make-up artist on town... Just kidding."
Because as a slayer, currently I can't even do anything because of this stupid curse. That's right... Why did I agree to come with Uzui-san again? I will just be a burden anyway... She smiled bitterly inside.
"I'm finished, Uzui-san! Oh, do you want me to do your 'make-up'?" Chihiro called over her companion outside the room as she giggled, letting the boys to talk among themselves as she start to do her own make-up.
"O- Oh my God! Tanjirō, you're gorgeous! Not as beautiful as Nezuko-chan but still, you're really her brother, huh!" Zenitsu squealed like a girl, surprised with his friend's transformation.
"Haha, you look good yourself. Chihiro-san is really good at this, right?"
"But still- I can never get over about..." the blonde squinted his eyes, irritation appeared on his face. "... How pretty he is."
Squinting his eyes along, the boar boy stared daggers at his yellow friend, while never stopping to stuff his mouth with the snacks prepared by the Wisteria House.
"Now, now, you two..." Tanjirō sweatdropped at them.
Suddenly, the door leading outside opened, revealing a huge man with an irritated look. "What is with all this noise? And Sakurajima, that joke isn't flamboyany at all."
As he turned to look at the three idiots-he called them-, his eyes widened, while the boys stared at him with their jaw dropped.
"Wh-"
"WHO ARE YOU!?"
"WAIT, YOU'RE NOT THAT FREAK RIGHT!? NO WAY!" Zenitsu screamed dramatically.
The man standing tall in front of them, stood there with his 'flamboyant' face, no longer wearing his Demon Slaying uniform, instead clad in a yukata, his hair is down. If good looks can kill, maybe together with Inosuke, they can kill everyone.
Ignoring the screams of Zenitsu, the Sound Pillar was filled with his own thoughts.
Damn... I forgot Sakurajima can actually do make-ups... He looked over at his fellow pillar, earning a weird look from her.
If they 'look' good like this, it will make some ruckus along the houses... And that may make the demons notice something... I don't have a choice.
"Oi, you three! Come here! And yellow ball, shut up!"
Ignoring them, Chihiro focused on herself, realizing that it must be one of Uzui's antics.
Unbeknownst to her, the male pillar pick up the brush she used earlier, ready to make his own piece of art.
"Wh- What happened here!?"
Chihiro's jaw dropped upong seeing the view in front of her as she gasped loudly, completely terrified. "Uzui-san! What did you do to my art!?"
The once beautifully did make-up is no longer seen, replaced with another piece of 'art'.
Uzui, escaping Chihiro's death glare, looked to the side, cold sweats forming on his skin. "W- Well, we don't want to make unwanted attention towards us... So-"
Sighing, she put her hands on her hips. She has done changing to a yukata as well, all ready to storm to the red light district.
"Well, whatever. Let's go everyone, it's time to head out."
The Yoshiwara Red Light District.
The night district where lust, dreams and charms of both men and women intertwined in a whirlpool of love, hate and pleasure. Its other name is the Flower District, and as its name implies, this district is shaped like a flower. Or maybe because the flowers of life, beautiful and charming women can be found here.
But this district is not all lights and dreams.
The well-off prostitutes lived on fames and cash, drown in presents by their customers. While some are living in poverty, covered in debts. Both types bear a different kind of hardships.
The name red light district truly befits this place. Which is built on people's crimson blood, sweat, and tears.
This is no place for children... Chihiro's face evident of concern as she looked over to the three younger slayers.
"Oh my... These are some ugly girls..."
Figures... The female pillar sweatdropped, feeling sorry for them.
Both the house-keepers of Tokitou house examined the 'girls' -Zenko, Sumiko and Inoko- in front of them, looking at them from head-to-toe with piercing eyes. The 'girls' just stared at them innocently, all with undescribed and hidden feelings.
"Not at our place... We just bought a new girl a few days ago... I'm sorry." The man said apologetically, somehow feeling bad for rejecting these... 'girls'.
"... Well, one should be okay." The woman, flushed a little red, stated after awhile, surprising the other house-keeper.
"Then I will entrust one to you. Sorry, ma'am." The disguised Sound Pillar smiled at her. Oh, of course. Ladies are weak to him. Well, how can you not, this pillar isn't only strong, but good-looking as well.
Still flustered, the woman hold one of her hand up, hiding her face a little with her long sleeve. "Then, we will take the one in the middle. She seems so honest." The other house-keeper -it seems like he is her husband- stared at his wife with unbelief and bewilderment.
And just like that, Sumiko was hired.
"I'll work as hard as I can!"
Her husband sighed, before his eyes landed on someone. His eyes sparkled suddenly as he called his wife.
"Hey, man, can we buy her too?" He pointed to the woman beside the muscular man. This time, his wife gave him the eye. The Blossom Pillar felt surprised, proceeding to answering him. "Ah, I'm s-"
Wait.
In the worst case scenario where one of the boys don't get sold, we can sell him 'together' with Sakurajima, as I believe she will get quite a price and buyers too.
"Oh, I will decline it. I would rather she doesn't work in the same place as her sister." Uzui gave him another of his polite smile.
Both the pillars looked at each other. Seems like they have the same thought.
"Tch, you guys are so useless. I can only sell you for cheap." Uzui spat, annoyed. Inoko just looked at him weirdly.
"I'm not going to talk to you..." Zenko, clearly despising the idea, is fuming with annoyance.
"What? You mad because I made you dress like a girl? You're the one who said you will listen to whatever I said." His annoyance growing, veins appeared on his temples.
"Now, now- Ow-!"
As Chihiro tried to calm her companions down, someone bumped into her side.
It would be normal to bump into others in this crowded streets. But, the blossom pillar felt something in that exact moment.
Dread, death, terror. But the most apparent of it all... was familiarity.
The place they bumped have a sense of tingling, electric-like feel.
As she looked behind, to see the one who bumped into her, it was as if time was moving slower. Whispers from the crowd could be heard loudly.
"Hey, hey. Do you know? Under the cherry-blossom trees on the center of the district, there are corpses buried in it."
"Really? Are they the corpses of the girls missing lately?"
"Who knows? But be careful. If you get near the cherry-blossom tree at night..."
You will be covered in scarlet under the red-light of the district.
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