"Nezuko…" Tanjirou was equally distressed watching his sister's sorrowful expression, yet he couldn't utter a single word of comfort.
"So noisy!" The room door opened, and Yushiro's irritated voice rang out. He looked at Nezuko, who was crying, and frowned as if in disgust.
"She was quite a beauty, but she looks even uglier when she cries."
"She might as well be an ugly woman."
"?!" Zenitsu, who was standing nearby, couldn't pretend he hadn't heard that. Zenitsu lunged in front of Yushiro, grabbed his collar, poked his finger at Yushiro's forehead, his eyes almost spitting fire.
"Hey! You bastard, if there's something wrong with your eyes, go dig them out!"
"How could Nezuko-chan be an ugly woman!"
"She's the cutest girl in the world!"
"Apologize to Nezuko-chan!"
Yushiro gritted his teeth; this brat's spit was all over his face. He raised his hand, pressed it against the person's face, and pushed him away forcefully. Yushiro lowered his voice.
"Get out of my sight!"
Faced with this sudden scene, even Tanjirou and Nezuko, no matter how upset they were, could only step forward to pull the two apart.
"Mr. Yushiro, Zenitsu, don't fight."
"Also… Nezuko is not an ugly woman!"
After Tanjirou pulled Yushiro away, he immediately said with a serious expression.
"Mr. Zenitsu, I didn't feel offended by Mr. Yushiro."
"No need to be angry."
Nezuko held Zenitsu's arm, her pink eyes, still glistening from crying, appeared to Zenitsu as the epitome of suppressed emotion.
Instantly, veins bulged on Zenitsu's face, and he bit his lower lip in anger.
Nezuko-chan is already so sad!
Yet she's still thinking of you!
Bastard!
I won't forgive you!
On the other side, Shinobu had no mind to care about the others. She hurried to the open door, looked at Tamayo who had come out, her voice trembling clearly.
"Yoizumi… how is he?" The fear in her purple eyes was so obvious. Tamayo was accustomed to seeing this 18-year-old girl's composed and mature demeanor; such an appearance, she was truly unaccustomed to it… Tamayo sighed softly, a look of unbearable sorrow appearing on her usually gentle face.
"The dissipation caused by Muzan has stabilized."
"Now, we just need to wait."
"Wait for Mr. Yoizumi to wake up."
"But please, Miss Kochou, prepare yourself…" Tamayo paused here, and her next words made everyone's breath catch.
"This might be for a lifetime…"
"…"
Shinobu's tightly pressed lips moved. A tear, fanned by the flutter of her eyelashes, dropped to the ground, a splash of water blooming on the wooden floor.
Clenching her hands tightly, pressing them against her chest, Shinobu bent slightly, her slender shoulders shaking, her body curled into a ball, making her look even more petite.
Letting the tears stream from her eyes, her vision blurred. Shinobu couldn't see anything now; her heart held only relief… relief that the only branch she could lean on still existed… it's good that he's still here… it's good that he's still here… as long as you're still by my side… she can wait… her only fear was not even having the chance to wait… just a lifetime… she had already planned to entrust her entire life to Yoizumi… hadn't she?
It's all the same… it's all the same… Shinobu could only comfort herself this way.
Otherwise, she wouldn't know what to do… "Yoizumi-nii…" Tanjirou murmured his brother's name in a daze, his crimson eyes trembling, filled with both relief and sadness.
His brother was still here.
But… Tanjirou shook his head, it's good as long as his brother is here… "Brother…" Tanjirou felt his hand being held. Nezuko walked to his side, tightly gripping his hand, an anxious aura enveloping Nezuko.
With red-rimmed eyes, Tanjirou touched Nezuko's head, forcing a bitter smile.
"That's good… Nezuko."
"Our brother is still alive."
"That's good… that's good…"
Towards the end of his words, Tanjirou's voice became increasingly choked, sobbing as he spoke.
Kagaya's grip on his wife Amane's hand imperceptibly loosened slightly, a hint of relief appearing on his scar-covered face.
Amane clearly noticed her husband relaxing considerably. She remained silent, only tightening her grip on his arm to support him.
"Can I go in and see him?" Shinobu asked hoarsely.
"You can." Tamayo stepped aside and said softly.
Each step felt as if she were treading on cotton, without any real sensation. Shinobu even doubted if she would fall to the ground before seeing Yoizumi.
She leaned on the wall, inching her way to the person lying on the bed with tightly closed eyes.
The dense, stinging pain in her chest grew more intense. Her legs went soft, and Shinobu fell onto Yoizumi, but she didn't get up. Instead, she buried herself closer, and even closer… her face pressed against Yoizumi's chest, feeling the faint heartbeat within. Shinobu pulled at the corners of her lips, letting out a soft hum. Her left hand tightly gripped Yoizumi's clothes, and she tilted her head to kiss her lover's cool lips.
Forehead against forehead, Shinobu looked at Yoizumi at such close range, as if in the next second, Yoizumi's beautiful sapphire eyes would open, reflecting her own eyes and then revealing a bright smile.
Tears fell again, one tear sliding down Yoizumi's eye, leaving a tear track. Shinobu wiped away the tear with her thumb.
Just like before… Yoizumi… I'll wait for you to wake up… But… don't make me wait too long, okay?
Ignoring the wound on her right hand, Shinobu tremblingly raised her pinky finger and hooked it around Yoizumi's pinky.
We pinky promise.
Tanjirou and Nezuko also walked in. They went to the other side and both held Yoizumi's hand.
"Yoizumi-nii… please come back soon."
"Big Brother Yoizumi, you haven't given me the konpeito yet."
"You can't go back on your word."
The three of them looked at the motionless Yoizumi, but he couldn't even move an eyelash.
The next second… a gentle glow appeared in everyone's eyes. Shinobu felt the warmth radiating from her right hand and the pinky finger slowly tightening.
Her purple eyes gleamed in the light, and a smile appeared on her face.
Then… we've made a promise… liars are puppies.
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