With the wedding just a few days away, Akira went on a date with Mitsuri.
It was more a stage prepared by Akira for Mitsuri than excited time for lovers.
Akira precisely understood what Mitsuri was weak to, what words would make her crumble.
"Just in time for lunch. You must be hungry, I'll guide you to a place I think you'll like."
"Yes! Anywhere Akira-san guides me is good!"
Mitsuri walked the streets with a happy expression, tightly holding Akira's arm.
Passersby glanced, but she felt at the center of the world just by being beside Akira.
The place they arrived at was a restaurant located in the middle of the bustling district, one of the restaurants operated by the Akatsuki Trading Company.
"Oh my? Is this a place run by Akira-san's company? I only heard rumors!"
"Correct. I wanted to treat you to the best and most delicious food first." Y1pKRDY3WUhYeXVKQmZZeTNSUXY4UDFTR0x3UmQ4d1paeTRmbzFibHFHZ1RXTEkyK0dUNW44Q1RjSzYyOEU2Qg
Opening the door and entering, an appetite-stimulating smell struck their noses. Guided by staff, the two sat down. Akira handed the menu to Mitsuri.
"Don't mind the price. Today is solely for you, Miss Mitsuri. Order as much as you want to eat, to your heart's content."
Mitsuri's eyes danced over the menu. Katsudon, curry rice, ramen, tonkatsu, etc. Dishes that made her mouth water just from their names.
"Uuu... They all look so delicious I can't choose. I want to eat katsudon, and the curry smells so good too..."
As Mitsuri fidgeted her fingers, falling into happy trouble, Akira smiled gently and called a staff member.
"Here. One large special katsudon, two servings of curry rice, two bowls of chashu ramen, and one plate of tonkatsu."
"Huh?! Ah, Akira-san?!"
Mitsuri flinched and opened her eyes wide.
"Isn't that too much? Um, I..."
"Haha, I know. But seeing you wanting to taste everything, I got a bit greedy. It's fine if you leave some, so eat comfortably."
At Akira's consideration, Mitsuri looked at him with moved eyes.
A short while later, a bountiful table enough to bend the table legs was set.
"Let's eat."
"Th, thank you for the meal!"
Mitsuri picked up her chopsticks with a happy squeal. First, the katsudon topped with freshly fried tonkatsu.
Crunch~!
Taking a bite, savory fried coating and meat juices burst out. Sauce made with Akatsuki Trading Company special seasoned broth permeated each grain of rice.
"Mmm~! My goodness! So delicious! It melts in my mouth!"
Mitsuri puffed her cheeks and exclaimed in admiration.
"Glad it suits your taste. Eat a lot. Seeing you eat well makes me even fuller."
Akira rested his chin and watched her. The katsudon bowl emptied, the curry plate became clean. Then the two ramen bowls disappeared in an instant.
Mitsuri's eating speed and volume were marvelous. It was a meal for roughly five adult men.
And Akira naturally made additional orders to match Mitsuri's volume. Bowls only piled up on the table.
'Amazing. Eating like that yet having that body. A body many women would envy.'
Mitsuri, who emptied even the last bowl, let out a satisfied sigh. Then suddenly, noticing the surrounding gazes, her face flushed hot.
"...Ah."
She lost her senses and ate too much. In front of her fiancé.
'I'm done for. Messed up again. What will Akira-san think? Think I'm a stupid glutton? What if the engagement is broken?'
Mitsuri hung her head low and fidgeted with her fingers.
"Um, well... Akira-san. I... ate quite a lot, right? Sorry. It was so delicious I lost myself... uuu, like a pig, right? Repulsive, right?"
Mitsuri's voice trailed off. An expression as if about to cry any moment.
This moment, the optimal script was output in Akira's mind. He reached across the table and gently wiped the sauce at the corner of Mitsuri's mouth with his thumb.
"...!"
Mitsuri stopped breathing.
"What are you saying. Repulsive, you say."
Akira's eyes curved affectionately.
"I find someone who empties their bowl deliciously and bountifully like you, Miss Mitsuri, far more lovable than someone who picks at food and leaves it."
"Lo, lovable... you say?"
"Of course. That healthy appetite of yours, isn't it the source creating that beautiful strength of yours? I really like that healthiness of yours, Miss Mitsuri."
Those words pierced Mitsuri's heart. The only man who affirmed (pretended to affirm) her most shameful complex as lovable.
"Akira-san... uwaa! I'm really glad I'm marrying Akira-san!"
Mitsuri's eyes welled up with moved tears. Not dreaming how coldly calculated Akira's true intentions were.
"If it's not enough, you can order more. There's dessert too, sakura mochi."
"Sakura mochi! Really, can I eat it?"
"Hahaha, you may eat to your heart's content."
"Kyaa! Akira-san is the best!"
Akira smiled mechanically and called a staff member. The date with Mitsuri was about only giving her good things. Thoroughly catering to her, building好感 affection.
The daytime bustle subsided, and deep night arrived.
Akira roughly loosened his tie, threw off the slightly uncomfortable mask of the affectionate fiancé, and headed to a deep forest spring.
There, for some reason properly wearing a kimono, the oni Shuten was leaning against a rock enjoying the moon.
"Oh my, our Master has arrived. Must've been terribly busy playing sweet groom all day, aren't you tired?"
Shuten smiled slyly, shaking her gourd. Her eyes, languidly relaxed from alcohol, were endlessly bewitching.
Her characteristic slow Kansai dialect softly split the forest's stillness.
"Sorry, Shuten. Took a while to slip out. A bit tired."
Akira plopped down beside Shuten. No trace remained of his masked appearance before Mitsuri.
He stretched his legs and took out a pitch-black glass cup from his bosom.
"What a mess. Putting on airs pretending to be human. Don't even know real alcohol taste yet put on all the style."
Shuten grinned and tapped Akira's cup.
"That's right. What kind of taste that alcohol you drink is, I'm really curious too."
Akira chuckled and took a sip of blood that smelled of fragrant alcohol instead of bloody scent.
Made by Benienma, it was just blood with the aroma of alcohol. Only giving the feeling of drinking alcohol.
The intimate time of a real oni and a blood demon imitating an oni.
Though what they drank differed, the atmosphere flowing this moment was endlessly comfortable. Akira finally felt like he could breathe.
"Still, I'm glad you're by my side like this. This time drinking with you watching the moon is my most precious and ordinary happiness."
At Akira's sincere words, Shuten smiled with narrowed eyes.
"Hmm~ Our Master really says cute things."
She leaned her head on Akira's shoulder and lightly wrapped her arm around his waist.
"So? What about that cherry-haired lass? Heard you played sweet all day. That Kiyohime girl was so jealous she turned into a snake and rampaged."
"Just business. A play to recruit capable talent. That child is strong. Could call it a natural physique. Of course compared to Kintoki or King Hassan the grade falls short, but still outrageous in this world. With proper training, she'll become twice as strong as the Pillar I know. Can't let such talent be taken by the Demon Slayer Corps or such."
Before Shuten, Akira revealed his true intentions without any pretense.
"Hmm. Really just that? She's quite pretty. You haven't developed feelings for that lass, have you?"
"Hey, no way. She's certainly attractive but... not someone I'd give my sincerity to. My true companion, who can share my soul, is only you guys."
Akira added indifferently while looking up at the moon.
"After acting as husband and wife appropriately, when the fight with Muzan ends and the world stabilizes... I'll divorce by mutual agreement and let her go. Should let her meet a good human man suited for her. Give ample alimony too."
Akira believed that was a rational and clean ending.
But Shuten's reaction was unexpected. She took the gourd from her mouth and burst out laughing as if hearing an interesting joke.
"Ha! Really, our Master acts smart but is stupid."
"...What?"
"If you let her go, you think that lass will just say 'Thank you~' and obediently leave? Will that really go as you intend?"
Shuten's golden eyes shone full of mischief, yet strangely sharp.
"Things called human hearts, especially a lass's heart blinded by love, don't work as mechanically and calculatedly as you think."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Look at the Butterfly sisters in the mansion. Didn't you bring them to play family at first too? But how they look at you now, you really don't know? Or pretending not to know?"
Akira was speechless. Shuten leisurely took another sip of alcohol and continued.
"That cherry-haired lass will be the same. A woman letting go so easily of a man who loved (pretended to love) her as she was, a bundle of complexes?"
Shuten tapped Akira's cheek with her finger.
"I guarantee, that lass will fall for you far deeper than you think. Even if you say let's stop later, she absolutely won't let you go. Probably cling to your pant leg until her dying moment?"
Shuten wasn't mocking. As if teaching a cute child who doesn't know the ways of the world, she enjoyed it slyly.
"Life originally doesn't go as you want. Even our Master is no exception. Well, you sowed the seed so you'll reap it."
"...Hmm."
Akira made an uneasy expression. Shuten giggled as if finding Akira's expression cute.
"Now, don't make that troubled face. Gets ugly. Ruins the alcohol taste on this fine moonlit night."
Shuten pours the alcohol from the gourd into a cup.
"Let's drink, Master. For the coming storm~"
"...Don't say unlucky things."
Akira chuckled and raised his cup.
Clink~
Akira wished this comfortable time with Shuten would continue forever, but Shuten's playful prophecy left a strange aftertaste in the night air.
"Then, outdoor play today?"
"... Shall we do it now?"
"Kyaa~ Master is an animal~"
Of course, he didn't forget the main event either.
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