bioinnovel Chapter 386 Zenitsu: You killed a dog in public!
Chapter 386 Zenitsu: You killed a dog in public!
Tanjiro watched the silent yet tacit interaction between Shinobu Kocho and Mr. Tomioka not far away, and a warm and knowing smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
The image reminded him of his parents.
In my memory, my father and mother were just like them. No words were needed; a single glance or a subtle gesture was enough for them to understand each other's meaning. Every gesture was filled with quiet yet profound care.
Therefore, seeing the warmth between the two that had finally emerged after transcending life and death and the flames of war, Tanjiro felt a warm glow in his heart and was genuinely happy for them.
However, his heartwarming sentiment didn't last more than a few seconds before he felt the empty seat next to him sink slightly.
He turned his head in surprise and saw that Kanao Tsuyuri had also quietly left her seat at some point. At this moment, she was imitating her adoptive sister Shinobu Kocho, with a hint of shyness that was hard to detect, and her own quiet determination, and sat down gently beside him.
She remained silent, her hands neatly folded on her knees, her posture upright. But her slightly flushed cheeks, like cherry blossom petals, and her eyes, which occasionally glanced up at Tanjiro before quickly lowering again, revealing a mixture of panic and expectation, had already quietly spoken her heart.
Tanjiro was taken aback at first, then a bright smile appeared on his face, a smile that was both a little embarrassed and genuinely happy. He then quickly picked up the juice pitcher beside him and, with slightly clumsy movements, poured Kanao a glass of juice as well.
His flustered and bewildered appearance was exactly the same as that of his fellow disciple, Yoshiyuki Tomioka, which made people smile knowingly.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere around Tanjiro became subtly complicated because of this budding romance. Zenitsu Agatsuma, with his radar-like gaze, desperately scanned the entire scene, taking in everything.
As the saying goes, a man is both afraid of his brother suffering and afraid of his brother driving a Land Rover.
When he saw that even the usually taciturn and quiet girl, who needed to flip a coin to make important decisions, had actually mustered up the courage to sit down next to Tanjiro, it was like a bolt from the blue for him!
He really couldn't understand how Tanjiro, who was always thinking about slaying demons and worked harder than anyone else during training and shouldn't have had much time to flirt with girls, managed to win over such a gentle and virtuous beautiful girl!
This is not enough!
When he clung to the last glimmer of hope, such as "There must be other lone wolves like me in this world," and turned his gaze to that wild boar-headed guy who was always overly energetic, constantly bickering with him, and who should theoretically be very annoying and impossible for anyone to like, the scene before him made his heart stop, and he almost fainted on the spot!
The usually restless and hyperactive Inosuke Hashibira was now unusually well-behaved, kneeling on the cushion like a primary school student!
Although the iconic wild boar head mask was still firmly on his head, his entire demeanor was noticeably more restrained, even revealing a hint of bewildered awkwardness.
Kanzaki Aoi stood before him with her hands on her hips, like a little housekeeper, her brows slightly furrowed and her lips moving rapidly, as if she were scolding him for his impatient eating habits when he snatched the food, and for his "misdeeds" of accidentally splattering oil and soup everywhere.
What shocked Zenitsu even more was that, for the first time ever, Inosuke didn't shout or argue back. Instead, he occasionally uttered a few muffled, somewhat submissive responses from under the boar's head: "Um... I... I know..." or "Next time... I'll be more careful next time..."
Even as Aoi continued her incessant muttering, she effortlessly reached out and picked up a clean, soft pastry. Seizing the opportune moment, she precisely slipped it into the "mouth" area of Inosuke's hood!
Inosuke, the usual troublemaker, actually accepted the food obediently with a "woof," and even managed to squeeze out a muffled "thank you" from his throat!
Such a harmonious and loving feeding interaction was enough to shatter Zenitsu's resolve, who was still single at the moment!
"Aaaaaaahh ...
Zenitsu let out a cry that was more piercing, more desperate, and more desperate than ever before. He exaggeratedly pounded his chest with both hands, as if his innocent young heart had been shattered into glass shards, and he was in so much pain that he could not breathe.
His desire to perform reached its peak at this moment, his eyes scanning the crowd like searchlights.
Finally, with the last glimmer of hope for "shared misfortune," they focused on Kamado Mizuko, who was quietly observing everyone's interactions while taking small bites of sakura mochi, her expression gentle yet filled with curiosity and bewilderment.
"Little sister Midouzi—! Only you! Only you can understand my pain right now! In this cruel and cold world, only the two of us can depend on each other for survival!"
While shouting in a dramatic, tearful voice, he deliberately stumbled and staggered towards Mi Douzi, pretending to be seriously injured and on the verge of death.
As for whether he wanted to rush into that seemingly safe and warm embrace, seeking a sliver of comfort, or whether he had ulterior motives at this critical juncture, it's truly hard to guess.
Mizuko was initially startled by his sudden and grand gesture, her small shoulders shrugging slightly. But she quickly saw through Zenitsu's extremely exaggerated acting and the fact that there was little real sadness in his eyes, but rather an expression of silliness and a desire for attention.
On her face, which had regained its human rosy color and made her even more charming, a helpless expression of both laughter and tears appeared. Her clear eyes held indulgence and a hint of sisterly understanding.
But she still opened her arms very gently, with a smile on her face, making a gesture of acceptance.
This instantly swept away Zenitsu's previous sorrowful expression. As if performing a face-changing magic trick, he immediately broke into a wide smile, controlled his strength, and threw himself into Nezuko's soft embrace, which carried a faint scent of soap and flowers. He buried his face in her arms and made fake sobbing noises, his shoulders even shaking in unison.
As if comforting a mischievous and spoiled younger brother, Mi Douzi raised his hand with a tolerant and somewhat amused expression, gently and rhythmically patting his back, silently and patiently soothing his dramatic companion.
This comical scene once again drew laughter from those around them, and low chuckles and whispers filled the courtyard, pushing the joyful and warm atmosphere to a new climax.
The central bonfire crackled and burned ever brighter, its leaping flames illuminating every face—whether smiling at each other, standing shyly side by side, resignedly indulging, or warmly embracing—the shadow of war and the stench of blood had completely vanished, replaced by this vibrant, warm, and human scene, foreshadowing a new, peaceful, and hopeful future, unfolding as blazing and bright as the bonfire itself.