𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑

八十五

𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑

「 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑬𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻𝒀 𝑭𝑰𝑽𝑬 」
𝐄 𝐗 𝐓 𝐄 𝐍 𝐃

꧁꧂

    "Hello, (L/N)," Obanai hummed in greeting, his heterochromatic eyes of green and yellow zeroing in on her as he came to a halt in front of her. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again, yet here you are. What's more... you're still a demon, are you not?"

    (Y/N) side-eyed him.

    There's something strange about him...

    He seems to hate me.

    But I can sense that it isn't entirely the case, especially if he was able to touch me like he did not even a few seconds ago.

    What she was referring to was how she had been walking down the gravel road away from the Butterfly Mansion and toward the town that held the Flame Mansion considering she wanted to bud a last goodbye to Kyojuro as his former Tsuguko. She was ready to leave again, but this time for good. She thought about sailing to another country, but then, she realized she needed to do something more final—she would have to kill herself. That was, until someone's hand grasped her shoulder. When she turned, she was surprised to find that it was Obanai, having already picked up that he had an aversion to women.

    Besides Mitsuri, of course.

    And now it seemed, her, as well.

"Everyone seems to be quite glad that you're back... remembering everything great about you..." Obanai said as he circled her form, his snake coiled upward as if ready to strike. "Yet what I find strange is how they don't seem to remember your parting words. What did you say to me again? That's right... I am, as you said, 'so fucking judgmental.' Do tell me what you mean by that, (L/N)."

    She stared at him long and hard, scrutinizing him, it seemed, for reasons he did not know.

    Finally, she said, "You're a damn great Hashira, you know that? What you suck at? Trusting people. Helping people. Healing people. Your words are brash and crude. Your manner is harsh and unforgiving. And what's more? I find that you and I are so very similar, and I don't like that. I alone fuck up more than I should, so you should take that as a hint to stop."

    "What?" His eyes narrowed.

    "As to why I said your judgmental..." she hummed, not seeming to notice his ever shifting emotions. "...the only person whom you don't judge is pinky."

    He froze.

    "Yeah... she's the only one whom you look at softly, the only one whom you never berate, the only one whom you allow yourself to get close to," she continued with an exhale of breath as she placed her hands on her hips and looked skyward. "I understand why you love her. She's bright, earnest, forgiving, caring, loving—everything that you want. Everything that you aren't. And... everything that I am not, either." Her gaze then lowered to the ground, her expression turning spiteful before she murmured, "It's ironic how she's the total opposite of me, but maybe that's why you despise me, huh?"