"Maybe I can explain, it's just... Hiss!"
The words were cut short as a sharp, stinging pain shot through his jaw.
Perhaps speaking too quickly had pulled at the fresh wound at the corner of his mouth.
Shinichi sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth, his hand instinctively reaching up to hover over the tender skin.
He winced, realizing the implications of the pain.
This was the undeniable downside of returning to a normal human body.
If he were still in his previous state, a minor bruise like this would have knit itself back together in the blink of an eye, leaving not even a phantom ache behind.
But now, the throbbing pain was a grounded, albeit sharp, reminder of his mortality.
Shinobu, sitting beside Shinichi with her knees pulled neatly to her chest like a well-behaved child, flinched slightly.
A flush of embarrassment colored her pale cheeks when she saw his reaction.
She lowered her head, her fingers fidgeting with the fabric of her hakama.
"I... I'm so sorry," she said in a voice much smaller than her usual confident tone. "In my haste, and perhaps my relief, I completely forgot that you had turned back into a human, Shinichi. I was a bit too rough with you..."
'Just a bit too rough?' Shinichi thought with a wry internal smile.
Since Shinobu said it was just "a bit," then a bit it was.
Thinking of this, Shinichi couldn't help but look at Shinobu.
Her rosy complexion, her moist, violet eyes, and that gentle voice—it was obvious that Shinobu had also turned back into a human.
It was easy to understand, really.
If one could return to being a normal human, who would want to remain a demon?
In the simple corridor, there were only Shinichi and Shinobu.
It was as if everyone in the Demon Slayer Corps had a tacit understanding and had deliberately created this private space for them.
It was quiet all around, with only the occasional sound of the gentle breeze rustling the grass and the crisp chirping of a few insects.
Shinichi and Shinobu sat there quietly together on the steps.
If one were to ignore the few bruises on Shinichi's face, the scene would have been absolutely beautiful.
After a moment of silence, it was Shinobu who spoke first.
She looked at Shinichi, his figure the only one reflected in her eyes.
"Shinichi, what was on your mind before you woke up? Because... while you were unconscious, I heard you say a few things."
"Oh? Did I?" Shinichi asked back, a little surprised.
When he was unconscious, he felt like he had one foot in the underworld.
To think he still had the energy to talk in his sleep? That was just like him.
With this in mind, Shinichi's dark eyes darted around.
Then, cupping his chin with one hand, he said, "Well, I did see some imaginary scenes."
"What kind of scenes?" Shinobu cupped her chin with both hands her expression was full of curiosity.
Shinichi smiled and said vividly, "I saw what the Demon Slayer Corps would be like without me."
"The Demon Slayer Corps without you? That sounds rather dramatic. What was it like? What was everyone like? And what was I like?"
Shinichi cupped his chin, pretending to think seriously for a moment before saying.
"It wasn't too specific. I just saw you, Shinobu, saying 'Moshi moshi' in a particularly gentle voice while cleanly lopping off the heads of many demons with your Nichirin Sword. And you especially liked to stuff yourself with wisteria poison in your spare time, so much so that even your hair turned purple."
"And everyone else, like Himejima-san, I think I saw him say that when he first joined the Demon Slayer Corps, he didn't actually know Stone Breathing; he was just incredibly strong. And Tengen, the reason he's so loud and flamboyant is that he was a ninja before and had no one to talk to, so it was all pent up."
"Sanemi looks so violent, but he's actually a doting older brother who cares deeply for his younger sibling. Giyu is hard to get along with because he has social anxiety. Oh, and Sabito, he actually loves to scare people. As for Muichiro, he really admires his older brother. Oh, and Mitsuri and Obanai, they..."
Once he started talking, Shinichi suddenly became very long-winded, rambling on and on.
But Shinobu, beside him, listened very attentively, her expression turning adorable as she followed his story, bursting into laughter from time to time at his words.
"Haha, is that so? I always said Shinazugawa is actually quite gentle... Huh? Obanai has low self-esteem? I think he's amazing... Eating wisteria poison every day? I never thought that's how you see me, Shinichi. Hmph~"
After chatting for an unknown amount of time, Shinobu, still cupping her chin, said as if in reflection.
"Although it's interesting, it feels like what you're saying is pretty similar to how everyone is now. So how can you say it's a Demon Slayer Corps without you? Are you feeling insecure, Shinichi? Please don't think that way. Everyone is very... fond of you."
Shinichi chuckled and gently turned his head, dodging the hand Shinobu had extended to pat his head in comfort.
"I was just saying."
In truth, Shinichi hadn't told her everything.
After a moment of silence, other things surfaced in his mind.
As his consciousness had stepped into the underworld, he had also seen many tragic and heroic scenes... Himejima collapsing on a shattered street as dawn broke, Tengen losing an arm and an eye, Sanemi weeping over the mangled remains of his younger brother, a Demon Slayer Corps without a Wave Hashira or a Maple Hashira, two young children falling, one on Mount Fujikasane and the other in a nameless mountain hollow, Obanai finally confessing his feelings, but his and Mitsuri's promise could only be fulfilled in the next life.
There were many, many other scenes.
Though they were blurry, Shinichi seemed to know that they were a record or a prophecy of this world from another world.
The scene that had shaken Shinichi the most was in a bizarre room in the Infinity Castle, where the Upper Rank demon Doma opened his arms and crushed that purple figure, devouring her into his body... But none of that would ever happen again.
Shinichi would absolutely, positively not allow it to happen.
During Shinichi's silence, Shinobu watched him.
Seeing that he wasn't speaking, a faint hint of disappointment appeared in her violet eyes.
A moment later, as if psyching herself up, Shinobu took the initiative to prompt him.
"Is that all? Why don't you think a little more, Shinichi? For example, is there anything you want to say to someone in particular? Like, like, like... those kinds of... very intimate words between two people..."
The blatant hint was something even a fool could understand, but Shinichi just stared blankly at Shinobu.
"Words between two people? I don't think so. Are you talking about the Master's plan? I truly admire the Master, and I respect his choice. Huh? Shinobu, why is your face so red? Is it hot?"
Shinobu couldn't tell if she was angry or embarrassed, but in any case, she whipped her head away viciously, leaving Shinichi with the back of her furious head.
Sure enough, Shinichi Moriki lived up to his name, which contained the character for "wood."
She really should have left a few more bruises on his face.
Seeing this, Shinichi felt helpless.
In truth, he had long understood what Shinobu meant.
He also knew that this was her confession to him now that he was human again, and that she hoped he would confess in return.
If it were the old him, Shinichi would have shouted his feelings without hesitation, but now...
Shinobu seemed genuinely angry.
She kept her head turned and didn't speak to Shinichi for a long time. Watching her back, Shinichi felt a great sense of reluctance.
Several times, he almost couldn't stop himself from saying something.
After a moment of silence, as if he had made a decision, Shinichi reached out his hand.
"Shinobu, actually I..."
As if she sensed something, Shinobu remained motionless, waiting for Shinichi's words.
"I..."
Suddenly, the dawn broke.
The gentle light of the rising sun illuminated the night, as well as Shinichi's and Shinobu's faces.
For a moment, Shinichi froze.
Then, trying his best not to look at the disappointment in Shinobu's eyes, Shinichi's hand, which had been reaching for her waist, landed on her shoulder.
"We will be victorious..."
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