𝙂𝙞𝙮𝙪𝙪 𝙭 𝙎𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙤𝙗𝙪 𝙊𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙩 (𝙂𝙞𝙮𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙤)

𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔

Narrator:

Giyuu walked through the fields of the butterfly mansion, his thoughts distant and his face impassive. The usual calm he carried was there but something felt different today. Perhaps it was the long, grueling battle with demons or the never ending pressure of his role. He could feel the weight in his chest, a tightness he couldn't shake off.

He was alone..his usual preference. The quiet suited him. But of course, it wasn't long before the sound of light footsteps reached his ears.

"Tomioka-san!" Shinobu’s voice called out cheerfully, followed by the soft rustle of her kimono. He didn’t turn around, his pace unhurried as if he had anticipated her approach.

"Kochou?" he murmured, his tone neutral.

She appeared at his side with a grin plastered on her face, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "What’s the matter? You seem a little distant today. Too much thinking, huh?" Her voice carried the familiar teasing tone he’d come to expect.

"Nothing." he replied shortly. He wasn’t in the mood for games today. Not after the battle. Not after everything that had happened. But Shinobu, always curious, wasn’t going to let it go so easily.

"Oh, come on! You’re so serious all the time. I’m just trying to lighten up your day" she said, her voice playful as she nudged him with her elbow.

Giyuu sighed softly, his gaze ahead but he didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. He knew she wouldn’t stop until she got what she wanted until she saw some reaction from him. She had always been like this. Playful, teasing, trying to get under his skin.

Shinobu, sensing his resistance, raised her voice, her teasing becoming more pronounced. "Are you upset, Tomioka-san? Did I make you angry?" She pressed closer, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "You’re not mad at me, are you?"

Giyuu’s expression hardened slightly but his voice remained calm. "No, I’m not angry. Just tired." His gaze flickered to the ground for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "Please stop."

But Shinobu being Shinobu, didn’t take the hint. "Oh? So now I’m annoying you, huh?" She smirked, her teasing turning into something a little more mischievous. "I’ve been working so hard to cheer you up and you just brush me off like that?"

Giyuu’s jaw tightened and he tried to walk away from her, but Shinobu wasn’t finished. She grabbed his arm, pulling him back toward her. "Tomioka-san! Don’t be so cold, I’m just joking. You need to smile more or else you’ll get wrinkles when you’re older!"

Her grip on his arm was tight but Giyuu felt a wave of irritation rise in his chest. His patience, usually infinite, was fraying. "I’m not in the mood, Kochou." he said, his voice low and colder than usual.

Shinobu blinked, taken aback by the sharpness in his voice. She’d always known Giyuu to be quiet and calm but he had never spoken to her in such a way. It made her heart skip a beat. She looked up at him, eyes searching his face for any sign of the usual Giyuu she was used to.

For the first time, she noticed the faintest hint of hurt behind his eyes.

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked softly, suddenly realizing that her teasing might have crossed a line.

Giyuu didn’t answer right away. Instead, he pulled his arm from her grip and stepped back, his cold exterior taking over. "I told you, I’m tired." He turned away, walking briskly, not looking back.

Shinobu stood frozen for a moment, a sinking feeling in her chest. Had she gone too far? She watched him leave, the distance between them growing with each step he took.

The next day, Shinobu couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. She tried to focus on her duties but her mind kept drifting back to Giyuu. The way he had looked at her, the way his voice had hardened. She had never seen him like that before. It was as if the wall he had built around himself had grown taller and stronger, leaving her on the outside.

She found herself standing at the entrance to the butterfly mansion, staring out into the distance, waiting for him to return. When she finally spotted him walking towards the compound, her heart skipped a beat.

"Tomioka-san..." she called out softly, walking toward him.

He didn’t answer right away but his gaze met hers, colder than it had ever been.

"What?.." he said quietly but his tone was distant, as if the warmth she was used to had been drained from him. "What do you want?"

Shinobu winced, the sharpness in his voice cutting deeper than she expected. She swallowed, taking a step closer, her usual teasing smile replaced by an apology that she could hardly bring herself to speak.

"I didn’t mean to upset you" she said quietly, her voice soft. "I was just trying to make you smile. I didn’t realize I was making it worse."

Giyuu looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "You didn’t" he said stiffly. "But sometimes, your jokes... they don’t feel like jokes. They just... annoy me."

Shinobu flinched, feeling a knot tighten in her stomach. "I never meant to annoy you.." she whispered. "I just thought… I thought if I teased you enough, you’d smile. That you’d open up."

Giyuu turned away, his eyes closed for a moment as if collecting his thoughts. "It’s not your fault. I just... I’m not someone who enjoys being around people. Especially when I don’t have the energy for it."

Shinobu stepped forward again, her voice earnest. "I didn’t realize. I’m sorry, Tomioka-san.. I truly am. I never meant to push you so much." Her heart was pounding now, guilt and regret flooding her chest. "I just wanted to be close to you."

He didn’t respond immediately and for a long moment, there was only silence between them. But then, Giyuu slowly turned back around, meeting her gaze. His eyes softened but the tension between them still lingered.

Shinobu’s lips trembled slightly as she looked at him, her smile now gone. "I messed up, didn’t I?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly.

For a moment, Giyuu said nothing. And then, as if he had made a decision, he stepped toward her, surprising her completely. Without saying a word, he gently cupped her face with his hands, the warmth of his touch causing her breath to catch in her throat.

And then, slowly, he leaned down, pressing his lips against hers in a gentle, lingering kiss.

Shinobu’s eyes fluttered closed, her heart racing in her chest. She hadn’t expected this, not in the slightest. Her fingers grazed his arms, feeling the intensity of the moment.

When he pulled away, his expression was softer, though there was still a hint of sadness in his eyes. "You didn’t mess up" he murmured quietly. "But you need to know… I don’t like being teased. Not like that."

Shinobu nodded, her heart swelling with both relief and regret. "I understand." she whispered, tears threatening to fall. "I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."

He gave her a small, almost imperceptible nod. "I know." He stepped back, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer. "I also want to apologies to you.. that I make you worry.."

Shinobu smiled softly through her tears, relieved to see him opening up again. "It's okay.. and.. I'll try to fix my action.."

"...Thank you, Kochou."

And for the first time in a long while, the distance between them felt a little smaller..