"Hmph hmph~ I'm first!" Inosuke, who had been on a mission for many days, finally returned to the Butterfly Mansion. He didn't use the front door or the side door, instead directly scaling the fence and jumping into the mansion.
This startled Kanzaki Aoi, who was clearing snow in the courtyard, causing her to drop her broom.
Kanzaki Aoi clutched her chest, let out a long breath, and looked helplessly at Inosuke, who was striking a landing pose with his hands raised high.
"Don't just climb over the fence, use the door, got it!"
"Exactly! Exactly!" Agatsuma Zenitsu walked over and agreed. The two had met on their way back to the Butterfly Mansion, and Inosuke had insisted on racing him to see who could get there first, not even giving Zenitsu a chance to refuse, and just started running on his own.
Agatsuma Zenitsu was exhausted and didn't want to bother. After such a long journey, he was already worn out. He bent over, looking weak, "Miss Aoi, is there anything to eat? I'm so hungry~"
"Mr. Zenitsu, please rest first, I'll go prepare it." Picking up the broom from the ground, Kanzaki Aoi walked towards the kitchen.
"I want to eat too!" Inosuke shouted loudly.
"Yes, yes~ Go wash your hands first, they're all dirty."
Inosuke glanced at his palms, casually wiped them on his pants, and declared them clean!
Zenitsu recoiled from him in disgust, unable to bear the sight, and said to him speechlessly, "You're disgusting!"
On the other side, Kanzaki Aoi seemed unfazed by this, her expression unchanged, "The first one to finish washing up will get two extra meat buns as a reward..."
"Whoosh!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a gust of wind ruffled her hair, and Inosuke immediately dashed out, shouting as he ran.
"I'm first!"
"Miss Aoi is really amazing," Zenitsu thought, realizing she had completely figured out Inosuke's personality. He also went to wash his hands, preparing to eat.
"I want more!" He was devouring the food in his hands like a whirlwind, speaking before he had even swallowed, and food scraps flew onto Agatsuma Zenitsu's plate, causing him to immediately scoot his butt away in disgust.
"Don't talk with food in your mouth, you idiot!"
Not only did Inosuke ignore him, but he also bit into a meat bun with a smug look, provocatively staring at Zenitsu, his eyes clearly saying:
I'm first!
Zenitsu was so annoyed he felt full!
Zenitsu scooted his butt away again, distancing himself from the obnoxious guy, and continued eating. He suddenly realized someone was missing, then looked at Kanzaki Aoi beside him.
"Miss Aoi, where are Tanjirou and the others? I haven't seen them?"
Kanzaki Aoi, who was refilling Inosuke's plate, explained without stopping her actions, "Tanjirou accompanied Yoizumi to the Swordsmith Village. They should be back in the next couple of days."
"Eh~"
That means it would still be a long time before he could see Nezuko-chan.
He slumped onto the table, the delicious food having lost its appeal.
He hadn't seen the adorable Nezuko-chan in so long... No wonder the entire Butterfly Mansion felt so quiet, with so many fewer sounds.
"Is Miss Shinobu here then? I hurt my hand on a mission and wanted her to take a look." Zenitsu raised his left hand, his wrist wrapped in a bandage.
"Lady Shinobu has an urgent mission and recently went to headquarters. She won't be back for a while. If it's not serious, I can help treat it."
"Then I'll trouble Miss Aoi."
"Hmm... that voice... it's Tanjirou!" Hearing the familiar voice from afar, Zenitsu suddenly stood up. He had just mentioned him, and he was already back. They really were telepathic.
Nezuko-chan! I'm coming~
Running to the door, he saw Tanjirou thanking a Kakushi Members.
"Thank you, you worked hard!" Tanjirou, who had bowed slightly to the Kakushi Members and turned around, saw Zenitsu, and his face lit up with surprise.
"Zenitsu! You're back!"
"Yeah, just got back today."
He eagerly took the wooden box from Tanjirou's back, lifted it, and ran inside the house.
Considering that Brother Yoizumi was still inside, Zenitsu politely knocked on the wooden box door.
"Brother Yoizumi, Nezuko-chan, it's me, I'm Zenitsu~" As the wooden box door opened, facing Zenitsu's smiling face up close, Yoizumi raised his hand and pushed him away by covering his face.
When he lost his memory, Yoizumi didn't let Zenitsu get close to Nezuko, and now that his memory was restored, it was even less likely.
Although Zenitsu was quite reliable when asleep, normal Zenitsu was prone to corrupting his sister.
Nezuko's adorable appearance as she crawled out of the wooden box successfully elicited a shriek from Zenitsu. She raised her beady eyes in confusion to look at Zenitsu, making a "Mmm?" sound from her bamboo muzzle.
"Nezuko-chan is so cute!" Zenitsu seemed to have been struck, clutching his chest and kneeling on the ground. It had been so long, and Nezuko-chan had become even cuter~
Nezuko ignored the strange Zenitsu and her short legs went "pat-pat-pat" across the wooden floor. She was very happy to be back at the Butterfly Mansion.
Watching Nezuko run off, Zenitsu tried to chase after her, but Yoizumi grabbed him by the collar of his uniform, leaving his legs dangling as he ran.
"Mr. Yoizumi, Tanjirou, you're back," Kanzaki Aoi greeted them happily.
"Long time no see, Miss Aoi!"
Tanjirou's voice was full of cheer.
"So slow! Gonpachiro, Yosuke! I was the first one back!" Inosuke said, his mouth full of a meat bun, his words muffled.
"Wow~ Inosuke is amazing~" Tanjirou clapped his hands, looking genuinely happy for him. Inosuke put his hands on his hips and tilted his head up as if it were only natural.
"Where's Shinobu?" Yoizumi asked Kanzaki Aoi, still holding Zenitsu's collar.
"Lady Shinobu went to headquarters yesterday. She probably won't be back at the Butterfly Mansion for a while."
"I see..." Yoizumi thought, a little disappointed, that he had hoped to see her upon his return.
"It was a long journey. Mr. Yoizumi and Tanjirou, please go rest," Kanzaki Aoi suggested.
Zenitsu's fate-bound collar was finally released. He clutched his neck, looking tearfully at Yoizumi.
"That's so mean, Brother Yoizumi~"
Ignoring Zenitsu's complaints, Yoizumi told Tanjirou something and then intended to return to his room.
Passing Shinobu's room first, even though he knew Shinobu wasn't inside, Yoizumi still pushed the door open.
It was exactly the same as when he left... He walked over to a glass fish tank containing two goldfish, Shinobu's pets.
He gently tapped the glass with his finger on the goldfish. Instead of being afraid, the goldfish swam closer affectionately, blowing bubbles.
Yoizumi smiled. Shinobu had taken very good care of the goldfish; they were plump.
He picked up the fish food nearby, pinched some with his fingers, and dropped it into the water. The goldfish ate happily.
He wondered... what Shinobu was doing now... Was she resting and eating well?
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