yokai | t. giyu, douma & k. muzan

; - prologue

'It's too hot! I want to take my clothes off!' Inosuke grumbles to himself, hands gripping on the black and red tray filled with food and tea that he was meant to be given to Makio. Or more likely to place outside of her sliding door.

'I feel like I'm losing all of my senses while wearing this stuff!' He grumbles to himself once more before turning to walk on the right side.

"Oh my. Yae. Do you have a moment?" He heard one courtesan say, heading straight to where he's walking to. "Is Makio okay?" Makio. Finally a name that rang in his ears. Walking fast yet carefully, he hid in the corner, trying to hear anything that he could get information on.

"She has locked herself in her room and won't come out." The courtesan wearing purple kimono says. "She won't even come out of her room to get herself checked into the clinic. At this rate, okaasan* will have to kick her out."

"That's really terrible." The other courtesan said, her back facing Inosuke. "Oh, have you heard what the operators in the yukaku* have been saying earlier today?"

"Do enlighten me!" The courtesan gushes, a hand covering her wide smile while the other motions up and down.

"You know how Sakura was in the yukaku last night with her regular, right?"

"Regular? You mean-"

"Yeah! The man with slight curly hair, suit and hat?"

"Yes! Him alright! She's really so lucky for snagging a guy like him!"

"Apparently, the operators in the yukaku said they've been going at it all night like rabbits!"

Inosuke felt like ripping his ears out as he heard those words, wincing in disgust and grimacing as he imagines two people in one room. All he wanted was to hear any information he could get on Makio, and he certainly did not want to hear some oiran's service.

"Oh my, Inoko! Don't run inside. You'll slip." He heard one of the girls say. Slowly yet slightly turning, he bowed to them before going on his way.

While grumbling and cursing at how hot and sweaty he's feeling inside the kimono he's wearing, he had failed to notice a raven haired woman with pale skin, causing him to bump into her with the tray - the tea cups wriggling and falling off the tray. But before Inosuke could react and catch the falling tea cups, the woman before him effortlessly caught them in one hand.

"Please be careful. I wouldn't want okaasan scolding your ear off while I sleep." She smiled at him, placing the ceramic cups back onto the tray. As her pink beige eye color met Inosuke's green eyes, her eyes immediately brightens.

"You must be the new girl! Okaasan was really so happy about catching a girl for a cheap price!" The woman spoke with a soft voice. And he certainly did not feel his right hand in hers. Whatever it may be, this woman has fast reflexes.

"Don't let the other girls, especially okaasan see you eating this." She smiles, placing a little white bag filled with assorted flavored candies. Taking a peak at it, they were colorful and various fruity scents wafted in Inosuke's nostrils.

The woman yawned, stretching her arms up above her head. "Time for me to get some sleep. I've been working for more than fifteen hours." She smiles to herself before walking away.

All the while Inosuke was talking to this woman, he felt a strange sensation creeping into him. It was oddly...relaxing. There was something about this woman that made him freeze, not being able to open his mouth and speak to her. And as he was about to walk into his supposed destination, he heard the ladies behind him before erupt a few squeals.

"Sakura san! You finally came home!"

"Tell us what happened between you and your regular last night!"

Inosuke winced again, feeling the hairs in his body raise. So the woman he was talking to earlier...was the one who was kept up all night with her customer.

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okaasan - mother of the house; one who trains and nurtures the girls

yukaku - red light districts