Suddenly, Giyu's voice drifted from behind her. "Do you like Shinazugawa?"
Aoi Kazama's laughter froze on her face. She turned to find Giyu Tomioka standing in the shadows of the porch, the darkness making his expressionless face seem even more cold and distant.
She blinked, then waved her hands in a dismissive, half-exasperated gesture. "Of course not! I was just teasing him."
Giyu didn't say a word. He simply stared at her, those eyes that usually looked like they were veiled in thin ice now seeming as though they could peer straight into her soul.
Feeling a bit self-conscious under his intense gaze, Aoi reached up to scratch her cheek. "Why the sudden question, Tomioka-san?"
"Actually, I can do it."
"You... you can do what?" she asked instinctively.
Giyu took a step forward, emerging from the shadows of the eaves. Sunlight spilled across his pale face, reflecting the faint, unreadable emotions in his eyes.
Apparently feeling his previous statement hadn't been clear enough, he added another sentence. His voice was lower now, yet carried a subtle, unmistakable hint of earnestness. "You can kiss me."
Aoi was utterly floored. Her jaw dropped, but not a single word came out for a long moment.
She never would have imagined that Giyu Tomioka—the man who was always silent, stoic, and aloof with everyone—would ever say something like that.
She instinctively took half a step back, her gaze darting away in a panic, unable to meet his eyes. "To-Tomioka-san... what on earth are you talking about?"
Giyu took another step forward, instantly closing the distance between them.
The faint scent of soap mixed with the crisp aroma of sunlight enveloped her. He looked down at her reddening ears, his voice still flat but dropping to a deeper register. "I'm saying you don't need to tease Shinazugawa."
He paused for a heartbeat before adding, "If you want to kiss someone, you can just kiss me."
[Ding! Daily Mission Triggered: Collect kisses from nine different people.]
[Reward: One Vessel Doll (Can be used to house a soul), 5,000 System Points.]
[Penalty for Failure: Stamina will be reduced to zero.]
Aoi was speechless. The System's ability to seize every awkward opportunity was truly unparalleled.
"If I kiss you, do I have to take responsibility?" The question slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it.
Aoi immediately wanted to slap herself. What kind of question was that?!
Giyu clearly hadn't expected that response either. A flash of genuine shock flickered through his deep blue eyes.
He fell silent for a few seconds, then pressed his lips together. "Yes."
"I—I didn't mean it like that!" Aoi waved her hands frantically, her cheeks burning like fire. Her eyes darted everywhere but at him. "I was just asking! Don't take it seriously, Tomioka-san!"
Just then, Tanjiro's voice rang out from behind them. "Aoi! Tomioka-san!"
"Tanjiro!" Aoi reacted as if she'd seen a savior, grabbing his hand and bolting.
As she ran, she waved back at Giyu over her shoulder. "Tomioka-san, I have something I need to discuss with Tanjiro! I have to go!"
Giyu stood rooted to the spot, watching her drag Tanjiro away. A faint, almost imperceptible trace of loneliness flickered in his eyes.
On the other side of the estate, Tanjiro stumbled a few steps as he was pulled along, but he didn't pull away. He only asked gently, "Aoi, why are you running so fast? Did Tomioka-san say something to you?"
Aoi looked up at his face, full of genuine concern. Then, she remembered the System's latest notification: [Tanjiro Kamado has been added to the list of 'Kissable Targets.']
She felt like she wanted to cry, but no tears came. She could only shake her head like a rattle. "Nothing! It's just... a small misunderstanding! Don't ask, please don't ask!"
Tanjiro looked at her bright red face and her sheer embarrassment—she looked like she wanted to bury herself in the dirt. Instead of fading, his confusion only deepened.
However, he didn't push her. He shifted the subject instead. "By the way, Aoi, you're the one who saved us that day! You were so amazing and brave. Just... please don't put yourself in such a dangerous position next time."
Tanjiro's tone was heavy with sincere worry. His brow furrowed slightly as he recalled how Aoi had stood alone against the Upper Moon to protect them. The image of her lying there, barely clinging to life, was still seared into his memory.
Hearing this, Aoi felt a wave of warmth wash through her. She raised an eyebrow, feigning a relaxed air. "Don't worry, I'm not that fragile. Besides, isn't protecting your comrades just the natural thing to do?"
Tanjiro replied seriously, "But I don't want to see you get hurt. You are very important to me—just like Nezuko."
Aoi was genuinely touched, her nose stinging slightly. The heart that had been tossed into a chaotic mess by Giyu's words was suddenly soothed by Tanjiro's sincerity.
She turned her head away, stealthily wiping the corner of her eye before turning back with her usual expression. "I get it, I get it. I'll be careful next time. But Tanjiro, you shouldn't only think about protecting others; you have to look out for yourself, too."
Tanjiro saw her reddened eyes and smiled softly. He nodded. "Yeah. We both have to stay safe."
"Then, pinky swear!" Aoi held out her little finger toward him.
Tanjiro blinked, then his lips curved into a smile as he obediently hooked his finger with hers.
The warmth of his skin felt grounding and steady.
After they hooked fingers, Aoi gave their hands a playful, vigorous shake before letting go. "Let's go! I haven't seen Nezuko in ages, I really miss her."
Late That Night
Aoi leaned against the window frame, hugging her Six-Eyed Doll. Outside, the moonlight draped over her like a thin veil of gauze, staining her hair silver.
Thinking about the unfinished System mission gave her a massive headache. She irritably squeezed the doll's face; the soft fabric bunched up under her fingers before slowly springing back into shape.
At that exact moment...
Inside the Infinity Castle, Kokushibo was in the middle of training when he suddenly felt a strange itch on his cheek. It felt as though someone was lightly brushing against his skin through an invisible barrier.
It was happening again. That sensation of being controlled. Even as Upper Moon One, with power second only to Muzan, he was being haunted by this gossamer-light presence.
Kokushibo raised a hand, his fingertips tracing his own cheek where the phantom sensation lingered.
His lips curled into a cold, sharp arc, tinged with a dash of cruel anticipation.
Good.
The more mysterious this was, the more interesting it became.
When he finally found the source, he would ensure the owner of that presence was ground to dust.
Outside Aoi's window, a tree branch suddenly swayed, as if disturbed by an invisible force.
Aoi snapped her head up, her eyes scanning the empty courtyard. There was nothing but the shadows of trees dancing in the wind.
And yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that a cold, piercing gaze was locked onto her from a great distance. It was a stare filled with bone-chilling frost and a hint of something indefinable... covetousness?
Aoi shivered, instinctively clutching the doll tighter and huddling her shoulders.
She blinked hard. When she looked out the window again, the hair-raising sensation had vanished as if it had been a mere hallucination.
"I must be exhausted lately," she muttered, patting her cheeks to drive away the unease.
She failed to notice that, under the pale moonlight, the six eyes of the doll in her arms blinked once, very slowly.