𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 | 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐨𝐤𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐲𝐮𝐮

❄️ 81

"Why did no one wake me up?" Shinobu scolded. Kanao, who stood behind her is sweating cold and remained silent. Shinobu crouched down to F/N's level and checked her temperature. "You're having a high fever. We should get you back to bed."

F/N winked at Kanao, remembering their conversation before the sun rises. "Shinobu will probably get mad if she knew, just pretend you never saw me."

Shinobu left for a short time to call for the Kakushi's assistance in carrying her inside her room. "Why would you force yourself to leave your bed like that?" She snapped after returning with a Kakushi.

"I'm hungry," F/N answered.

"I could've cooked for you if you just woke me up!" Aoi yelled.

"At least call someone to aid your hunger and not go by yourself as if you didn't just wake up from a month of coma," she continued and watched the Kakushi carried her very carefully in bringing her back to her room.

"In my room, please," she whispered to the Kakushi before turning back to talk to Shinobu. "There's nothing coming out of my mouth...at least not loud enough to call for anyone," she said in defense.

Wait...

"Hold up," she spoke after being laid to her bed. "Did you say 'a month'?"

Shinobu sighed. "Yes. A month. You were out for a month and showed no hints of recovery. We're afraid you won't even wake up anymore."

F/N looked away in shame. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize about that," Shinobu said. "Will you tell me what exactly happened that night?" She turned her gaze to the Kakushi who bowed down before leaving the room. Shinobu only nodded at her.

She pouted, recalling the exact events. "I only planned to walk outside... Just feeling the silence and the night," she recounted. "Then there's this eyeball-thingy lurking on the ground. I got heated thinking that a demon's spying on the mansion. I stomped on it, but it doesn't silenced my thoughts so I wandered around and sensed a trail of demons around. And I did, so I killed them both."

"Using Yoru?"

F/N nodded. "I didn't have my sword so I had no choice since I need to kill them."

"I knew it," she mumbled. "I felt the traces of the demons in your location."

The Ice Hashira looked at her. "What about... the others?"

She sighed. "Right. They drop by every day, so I'm guessing they'll be here later."

Soon enough, Aoi entered the room with a tray on her hands. "I prepared a plain ramen and a banana to help with your nausea," Aoi said. "The ramen's a little bland in taste; I did that on purpose to avoid stomachache."

"I bet you forced yourself to eat the bread," Shinobu mumbled.

"I was too hungry and I thought it could replenish my energy," she shrugged. Aoi sat down beside her and helped her eat her food. "It does taste bland."

"Bare with it."

"Kocho."

All eyes widened at the voice from the door. It sounded so firm and serious, Aoi almost spilled the spoonful of soup on F/N's face. They all turned to the incomer who indeed looked serious, but immediately softened upon looking at the girl in bed.