sweet but a psycho

chapter 7: memory

"SHINOBU-SAN!!! TOMIOKA-SAN!!!" Tsuta yelled as soon as she saw them. Shinobu stiffened when she heard the voice. The only human she has ever directed her hatred to is running towards them. She's shaking slightly from the anger.

'Must act civil shinobu, act civil.' The thought repeating over and over like a mantra in her head. She forced a smile onto her face as she turned around, not bothering to hide the surprise and digust in her voice when she started talking.

"Tsuta-san?" She blinked. It seemed she has changed her kimono, its way more festive than her normal outfit. The girl came to a stop in front of them, panting from the exertion.

"Omg i never thought i'll run into you two like this! Amazing coincidence!!" She laughed. The insect pillar didn't react to her at all, lest she says or does something she'll regret, though she has no regret to anything she can't stand.

"....its good to see you tsuta-san." Giyu greeted quietly, shinobu almost choked on air. Tsuta laughed and blushed.

"Aww thanks tomioka-san! Hey, my date option is still available! Want to go out-" before she could finish, shinobu slapped her hand over tsuta's mouth.

"I believe that we should stick together... i don't want tomioka-san to get lost, he has a terrible sense of direction." Shinobu lied smoothly. Giyu raised an eyebrow and was about to refute that claim before shinobu stomped on his foot. He hissed in pain but she ignored that.

She removed her hand from tsuta's mouth, the latter looked sympathetic. "Oh you can't get around, sorry tomioka-san!!" Giyu still looked confused, shinobu smiled.

"Yes yes, though, why are you here tsuta-san?" She asked. Tsuta perked up at the question.

"Oh! I came to the sakura festival! Its tradition of mine to come every year!! Grandmother couldn't come this year, so i'm making sure to celebrate for the both of us!!"

"I see." Shinobu said impassivly, not feeling anything for tsuta or her words. She felt bad for old lady misato though. Tsuta pushed passed them, eyes lighting up in excitement and delight.

"Oh wow everything looks amazing!! The festival is very beautiful, all the stalls, the food, everything! I love coming every year." She giggled. Shinobu, in morbid curiosity at tsuta's comments, stared in the direction of where the festival is held. The lights and music painting a beautiful sight and the insect pillar felt herself reminiscing about happier times.

"You see this shinobu, this butterfly mask matches your eyes~" kanae giggled.

"Nee-san, i'm not wearing that, it doesn't match me at all. You on the other hand can." Shinobu pushed the mask back into her sister's arms as the latter still tried to convince her.

"Oh c'om, you can try and wear it, you'll never know, you might like it." Shinobu impassivly looked at her blood relative before sighing, taking the mask and placing it neatly on her hair.

"There we go~ you look beautiful shinobu~" the younger kocho huffed and walked ahead of kanae. "Didn't you comment you wanted to visit all the stalls before the festival ends nee-san? Why are you standing there like a tanuki statue?"

Kanae blushed at the description shinobu chose. "Of all the things you could have..." she trailed off in indignation. Shinobu laughed at her sister's speechlessness.

"I certainly don't stand like a tanuki statue shinobu!"

"They represent good fortune nee-san, don't you want to be known as good luck?" She retorted.

"I know that! Its just.... why are they always depicted with, erm.... big, male requirements!" Kanae reasoned. "So its embarrassing to compared as that."

"Really? Wow i didn't know..." shinobu said in mock suprise. Kanae almost wanted to hit her sister. "Lets just continue on with the festival nee-san." Kanae sighed in defeat and continued on with the festive night.

That was the last time she and kanae ever went on a festival, just before they became demon slayers. A single tear fell at the resurfaced memory before shinobu brushed it away quickly. She cannot seem weak in front of anyone, lest of all him. The dull ache in her chest whenever she thought about her sister came back with a vengeance. It serves as a reminder that kanae was a kind and gentle soul, that had her life cruelly taken away.

All because of demons. Her anger and hatred towards them is also ignited futher. 'Demons... disgusting, repulsive creatures. Slaves to their instincts, kill without discrimination. The only fate that awaits them is death.' She thought with a cruel smile across her face. Thinking of the many times she has plunged her poison soaked sword into the bodies of countless demons, the pleasure she felt as she watched them die in excruciating agony, it calmed her down somehow.

She was taken out of her thoughts by the gentle shaking of her shoulder. She turned to look at the person when she came face to face with very blue eyes. "Kocho..." giyu started, seemingly concerned of her wellbeing. "Are you okay, you seem a little out of it." Her heartbeat sped up in delight at his question, the ache in her chest turned from anger to endearment. Huh, its almost like the feeling she gets from thinking about kanae.... strange indeed.

"Huh...oh, i was just thinking about something." She gave him a practiced smile. Giyu seemed satisfied by the answer as he turned back to look at tsuta, who had wandered off to buy things, namely a mask and 2 portions of food.

"Aha..." the rambunctious girl came back to the 2 demon slayers, balancing the food in her arms. "There we go..." she giggled. "I just thought you both were hungry so i got you this!" Tsuta shoved the food in front of their faces, it was some sushi with onigiri.

"I have no idea what you both would like so i made the choice for you! Hopefully i didn't pick a bad flavour and you spit it out in disgust!" She giggled though that would be quite embarrassing. Shinobu is still smiling, however she's annoyed, she didn't even want to touch anything tsuta has, even if the food looks good.

Giyu was the one to act, taking both out of the girls hands. He then wordlessly passed one to shinobu. The short woman looked at it for a few seconds before, very reluctantly, taking it.

Giyu took a bite of the sushi, chewing it before speaking. "Its nice..." he said without a spec of emotion. Tsuta's eye lit up with comment.

"Really? Yay!! I'm glad you liked it tomioka-san!!" Shinobu resisted the urge to slam the dish into her face. She coughed delicately, garnering the attention of both.

"Tsuta-san, why didn't you buy food for yourself hm?~" shinobu asked.

"Oh that! Well, i wasn't hungry so i just got you some!" She answered.

Shinobu stared suspiciously but didn't question futher. She almost cracked when tsuta grabbed giyu's arm, he flinched. "Lets get into the festival already!!" She dragged him with her.

"Yes lets go..." shinobu mumbled under her breath as she followed behind them.

A/n: wow first chapter of the new year and its slighly shorter than the others 💀😂
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