"Senior Brother Giyuu, she bullies me every single day!"
Tomioka Giyu, who was notoriously bad at reading the room, left the Official Members behind. Lacking self-awareness, he didn't hesitate to step forward when he saw Kiyokawa Izumi calling for help.
"Insect Hashira?"
"She doesn't just bully me; she steals my food every day too!"
"Is it because of the hagi mochi?"
Tomioka Giyu had a sudden realization. So, Kochou Shinobu liked hagi mochi that much?
And she would bully Kiyokawa Izumi just because she couldn't get any?
So that was it!
Should he go out and buy some right now?
"You... two...!"
Kochou Shinobu looked at the feigned pitifulness of Kiyokawa Izumi and then at the half-clueless Tomioka Giyu. She was so angry she was almost laughing.
These two were equally matched when it came to being annoying!
She gave a somewhat forceful pinch to Kiyokawa Izumi's lying mouth. He was the culprit; not only did he love acting out, but he was also leading Mr. Giyuu astray.
"Um, could you please not bully him?"
Having received a pleading look from Kiyokawa Izumi, the righteous Senior Brother naturally wouldn't sit idly by. He could only speak to Kochou Shinobu with a serious expression.
He hadn't even figured out the situation yet, nor did he know who was actually bullying whom.
Right now, it was he and Kiyokawa Izumi who were bullying Kochou Shinobu.
Sometimes, seeing is not necessarily believing.
"Exactly!"
Kiyokawa Izumi gently patted away the hands pinching his cheeks. Now that he had backup, he slightly tilted his chin up, warning Kochou Shinobu to stop bullying him.
He wasn't without protection anymore!
Seeing Tomioka Giyu foolishly siding with Kiyokawa Izumi, Kochou Shinobu, who had originally intended to offer a kind word of warning, immediately dropped the idea.
Let him keep those hagi mochi in his pockets.
Once he met Sanemi and handed over the hagi mochi, he would realize just how detestable a certain man could be.
She hoped he would realize it then and not be played like a fiddle by a certain someone.
"Mr. Kiyokawa Izumi, can you accompany me out to buy some things?"
Suppressing her emotions, Kochou Shinobu spoke in a gentle voice, "Mr. Giyuu, you need to be responsible when training the members. Look, someone is slacking off!"
She pointed a finger casually, and indeed, some members were looking over.
After a slight hesitation, Tomioka Giyu looked at Kiyokawa Izumi with some concern.
Maybe he should go instead of Kiyokawa Izumi.
He felt that if Kiyokawa Izumi went, he would be bullied by the Insect Hashira where he couldn't see.
Tomioka Giyu couldn't quite understand why the serious and hardworking Insect Hashira enjoyed bullying Kiyokawa Izumi so much.
Even if her expression wasn't always pleasant, that shouldn't be her personality.
In the midst of the dilemma, Kiyokawa Izumi stepped forward on his own initiative.
"Going out to buy things? Fine, I'll accompany you for a trip!"
Tomioka Giyu:?
...Kiyokawa Izumi didn't have any bad intentions; he was simply bored and wanted to walk around.
During his recovery period, he only maintained low-intensity basic training, swinging his sword and running every day.
With his temperament, he had long been unable to sit still.
Being able to go out for a stroll was naturally excellent.
Just as they left the Butterfly Mansion, Kochou Shinobu looked at the unprepared Kiyokawa Izumi and couldn't help but ask.
"Did you bring money?"
"No. Do I need to bring money when I'm out with you?"
"?"
"Say, should we bring back a gift for Mr. Giyuu later? He would probably be very happy if he received a gift."
Although the socially withdrawn boy never said anything, it didn't mean he didn't hope to receive gifts.
The important thing wasn't the gift, but the sentiment behind it.
Even though Kiyokawa Izumi could be quite a rascal at times, he also had a considerate side.
"What kind of gift? The weather is getting colder, so how about a scarf? What do you think?"
"You didn't bring any money, so how are you going to buy a gift?"
Kochou Shinobu really couldn't help but look at him with a strange expression.
"Don't I have you?"
"?"
Her smile was about to break.
Kochou Shinobu finally understood what he meant.
She would pay, and he would give the gift?
Was that right?
He really was a bastard!
"In exchange, I can help you carry things. What do you think? Isn't that very fair?"
Kiyokawa Izumi wore an expression as if he were someone who never took advantage of others.
"Don't even think about it!"
Kochou Shinobu said with a smile.
Having already become a Hashira, Kiyokawa Izumi wasn't exactly short on money; the Demon Slayer Corps gave him a sum of money every month.
The money he owed Kochou Shinobu before had long since been paid back.
The reason he didn't bring any was purely because he was too lazy to go get it.
Having lived a second life, he placed very little importance on money. Perhaps it was related to the fact that he had transmigrated before he could finish spending his money in his previous life.
He truly understood the meaning of 'you can't bring it with you when you're born, and you can't take it with you when you die.'
"Aren't you going to change your clothes?"
Pointing at the slashed haori, Kochou Shinobu couldn't help but sigh, feeling both speechless and helpless.
"I don't have a new haori, so I'll just wear this for now."
Kiyokawa Izumi didn't care at all and asked casually, "What are we buying this time?"
"Common medicinal herbs, as well as some food ingredients and the like."
"Why not delegate it to the Kakushi?"
"Mr. Kiyokawa Izumi, didn't you really want to go out too?"
If you wanted to go out so badly, why would you delegate it to the Kakushi?
"Is it that obvious?"
Kiyokawa Izumi chuckled.
Meanwhile, Tomioka Giyu, who was watching the members train, couldn't help but worry if Kiyokawa Izumi was being bullied at this moment.
_____
Only a little remains for the extra chapter.