"Don't call me brother-in-law!" Tanjiro said, enunciating every word.
"I haven't reached the point of exhaustion where I need you to carry my sister for me."
"You shouldn't put it that way," Shirakawa's smile remained unchanged, perhaps even brightening a bit. "Carrying Nezuko is something I'm doing of my own free will. I'm happy to do it, so it's not 'helping.' You don't need to feel any psychological burden."
"I. Do. Not. Have. A. Psychological. Burden!"
Tanjiro practically squeezed the words out from between his teeth. "I simply don't want you touching my sister!"
"Oh, don't be such a stranger, Tanjiro. We might even be family in the future..." Shirakawa began to talk nonsense.
"Who is family with you!!!" Tanjiro's hair practically stood on end.
Seeing that the two were about to argue again, they even began to secretly compete by tugging at the bamboo basket, though their movements were very careful for fear of startling Nezuko inside.
Nezuko, who had been clinging to the edge of the basket watching the scene, tilted her head, her pink eyes filled with confusion. "Hmm?"
Sakonji Urokodaki leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, watching these two jokers. He couldn't even be bothered to sigh anymore.
He could tell that with a kid like Shirakawa around, there would be no peace in the days to come.
"You two," Sakonji Urokodaki spoke coldly, "if you want to argue, go outside. Don't frighten Nezuko."
Shirakawa's eyes darted around, and he suddenly let go, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender.
"Alright, alright, I won't fight you for it. How about this, Tanjiro? Let's let Nezuko choose for herself. What do you say? Let's see who she's willing to go with."
Tanjiro was stunned. "Choose for herself?"
"Exactly!" Shirakawa nodded with an expression that said, I'm being very fair. "Even though Nezuko is a demon now, she still has consciousness, right? Let her decide for herself. Surely there's no problem with that?"
(;￢＿￢) Tanjiro instinctively felt that this guy was up to no good.
But... let Nezuko choose for herself?
Tanjiro had confidence in his sister!
Nezuko would definitely choose him, her brother!
"...Fine!" Tanjiro nodded vigorously. "Let Nezuko choose for herself!"
The corners of Shirakawa's mouth curled into a victorious smile. "Then it's a deal!"
The two of them each stepped back five meters. Tanjiro was the first to squat down, looking at little Nezuko in the bamboo basket at eye level.
The expression on his face was as warm as the spring sun, and his voice was so gentle it could practically melt.
"Nezuko, it's your brother." He reached out his hand, palm up in an inviting gesture. "Come, come to Big Brother. I'll take you home, okay?"
The affection and sense of security in his voice were almost overflowing.
Nezuko's pink eyes clearly brightened, and a look of attachment appeared on her small face.
Her tiny hands gripping the edge of the basket moved, as if she wanted to climb out.
Tanjiro felt a surge of pride. See! As expected, a sister is still closest to her brother!
However, just as Nezuko was preparing to move, another voice rang out.
"Nezuko-chan~"
Shirakawa also squatted down on the other side of the bamboo basket.
He didn't reach out his hand like Tanjiro; he just looked at her with a bright, gentle smile.
However, from his mouth and nose, a pale pink breath carrying a strangely warm and sweet fragrance began to drift out once again.
He didn't blow it directly at Nezuko, but instead controlled the mist, letting it slowly linger around her.
Color Breathing, Basic Trait Activated—enhancing attraction and releasing a subtle, reassuring "signal."
Nezuko's small, cute nose immediately twitched twice.
"Hmm?"
Her movement toward Tanjiro stopped, and her large pink eyes turned toward Shirakawa, blinking curiously.
It smells good... such a wonderful scent...
It wasn't just the earlier "rare blood" fragrance that stirred her instincts; now, within this pink mist, there was also a feeling that made her feel comfortable and safe—a natural urge to draw closer.
It was like... soaking in water at just the right temperature, or being wrapped in soft, fluffy clouds.
Unlike the warmth of familial love given by her brother, this was a sensation her instincts found even more pleasurable—something that pulled her in.
Nezuko's small hands released the edge of the basket.
She braced herself inside and, with a soft grunt, tipped the basket over and crawled out on her own.
Having returned to her smaller form, she was barely taller than an adult's calf when standing.
Her pink kimono trailed along the ground, and her steps were still a bit unsteady.
Each step she took made a soft, adorable patter-patter sound.
Watching little Nezuko walk toward him like this, Shirakawa felt his heart get hit—she was so cute he could hardly breathe.
(≧ω≦)
Seeing Nezuko walking toward Shirakawa, the smile on Tanjiro's face gradually froze, and he hurriedly called out.
"Nezuko! Don't go over there—come to Big Brother!"
Hearing her brother's voice, Nezuko instinctively stopped.
She looked back at Tanjiro, then sniffed lightly, appearing conflicted.
She raised a small hand to bite her finger, but the bamboo gag blocked her. She could only press her finger against it, looking left and right in confusion.
On one side was Tanjiro's gentle, hopeful face; on the other was the pleasant pink mist surrounding Shirakawa.
A clear hesitation appeared in Nezuko's large pink eyes.
"Ne... Nezuko?" Tanjiro's voice trembled slightly.
"It's your brother! Come, come to Big Brother!" His voice softened even more, filled with warmth.
Big Brother's voice...
Nezuko looked at Tanjiro, the warmth in her eyes deepening.
Yes... Big Brother, her most important and kindest brother...
Her little feet took a small step toward Tanjiro.
Tanjiro felt a surge of joy.
But just as Nezuko was about to take a second step, Shirakawa intensified his Color Breathing.
The pink mist thickened, making it impossible for Nezuko not to turn back and take a deep breath.
Ah... so comfortable... so dizzy...
Naturally, her steps stopped again.
Tanjiro: "!!!"
He whipped his head around, glaring at Shirakawa, who was now casually exhaling the mist. "You're cheating! You're using that strange Breathing Style, aren't you?!"
No matter how inexperienced he was, he could tell Nezuko was being influenced by that pink mist!
Shirakawa looked innocent. "Am I? I'm just breathing normally. Tanjiro, you can't call it cheating just because Nezuko likes my 'vibe,' can you?"
"What kind of demonic vibe is that?!" Tanjiro was so angry he almost stomped his foot.
Seeing Nezuko so conflicted that her little head seemed about to overheat, Tanjiro felt both distressed and desperate.
He took a deep breath and unleashed his ultimate move—a Flashback Kill combined with emotional persuasion!
"Nezuko, do you remember? Back in winter, we would sit by the hearth together, and Mother would roast sweet potatoes for us..."
"In summer, you always dragged me to the stream to play in the water..."
"The first time you made a flower crown, you placed it on Big Brother's head..."
Tanjiro's voice was soft and full of emotion as he recalled their warm memories.
Nezuko's pink eyes gradually grew moist, filled with attachment and emotion.
Even though she had become a demon and her memories were no longer clear, those fragments were still deeply engraved in her soul.
Big Brother... yes, Big Brother is the most important!
To resist the influence of that alluring scent, Nezuko used both hands to tightly pinch her nose.
Holding her breath, she moved her short legs and ran—firmly but unsteadily—toward Tanjiro!
One step, two steps...
She was getting closer and closer to Tanjiro's open arms!
A bright, victorious smile appeared on Tanjiro's face. He even shot Shirakawa a smug look.
Shirakawa watched Nezuko's adorable determination—her nose pinched, giving it her all for her brother—and then saw Tanjiro's triumphant expression.
A vein on his forehead twitched.
Fine, you sister-con. Using emotional attacks and Flashback Kill tactics?
You forced my hand.
Shirakawa moved his right hand behind his back. With a slight thought, a trace of pink mist gathered at the tip of his thumb.
As he lightly pricked his fingertip, a drop of rare blood the size of a soybean—an irresistible temptation for demons—slowly seeped out.