Chapter 3
As night fell, the pleasure quarters gradually came alive. The carved beams and painted pillars seemed to come back to life, and lanterns and decorations were everywhere, illuminating the entire street as brightly as day.
This is Yoshiwara, home to the most vibrant nightlife in Japan and a favorite haunt for men seeking pleasure.
The streets were bustling with people of all kinds of clothes and professions, walking together in small groups, occasionally bursting into laughter.
Lower-ranking prostitutes solicit customers in the buildings on both sides of the street. They wear exquisite makeup, have melodious voices, and speak provocatively, attracting many customers to enter without their consent.
But some people didn't even glance at it.
From the outside, this person didn't seem to have anything particularly remarkable about him. Like most people on the street, he wore an ordinary kimono without any family crest.
Surprisingly, he had a rather handsome face, but his expression was blank. As he walked, one could vaguely see his strong physique, and his cold aura made people want to stay away.
Giyu Tomioka was alone, not wearing his usual Demon Slayer Corps uniform. His destination was clear, and he didn't even glance at the commotion around him the entire way.
Aside from using kasugai crows to deliver messages, Tomioka Giyuu and Aori haven't actually met many times over the years, making each meeting all the more precious.
Moreover, this time it's quite rare, as Sabito is also doing a mission nearby, but he was delayed on his way back after finishing the mission, so he might arrive a little later.
As if remembering something, a hint of warmth appeared in Giyu Tomioka's calm eyes, though his appearance remained unchanged.
The courtesans at the tokinoya were enthusiastically inviting customers by the railing on the second floor, and naturally they wouldn't let go of this imposing and handsome man. However, Yoshiyuki Tomioka politely closed his head and walked straight past.
The woman covered her lips and chuckled.
This kind of person clearly has someone they like.
************
The companion had met him before, and with Aori's prior instructions, Tomioka Giyu walked without any hindrance to Aori's room, located deep inside the Tokitoya.
He knocked a few times, but there was no response. He assumed the girl might have fallen asleep while waiting, so he pushed open the door and went inside.
The room, illuminated by warm yellow light, exuded a unique coziness. The decorations were not much different from when they last parted, and every detail revealed A-Zhi's presence.
The vase on the table wasn't filled with seasonal flowers; instead, it contained several paper cranes disguised as flowers. Even the slightest breeze from moving around caused them to make a "fluttering" sound.
This was folded together a long time ago when he and Sabito happened to be visiting Aori together.
The girl was extremely angry; her hair almost stood on end, and her eyes were brimming with tears. Her nose was red, and she was folding paper cranes while sobbing. The paper cranes were all wet with tears and became wrinkled.
The reason was that they had carried out a very dangerous mission that time, and they had some injuries on their bodies. Although they tried to keep them from showing them to the girl, they were still discovered.
To distract Aori, Yoshiyuki Tomioka saw some paper on the table and suggested an origami activity.
The specific scenes have become somewhat blurred, but the emotions they convey transcend the limitations of time, remaining so genuine that they are unforgettable.
In Tomioka Giyuu's memory, Aori should be sitting at the table right now, perhaps because she is a little bored while waiting, so she is lying on the table and gesturing her silhouette with her hands.
When she sees him walk in, she will suddenly open her eyes wide, then stand up with a smile on her face. More likely, she will be unable to resist sneaking a bite of pastry, and when she stands up, she will also be accompanied by a hint of embarrassment at being caught eating.
But this time he didn't find that familiar figure in the room.
This was somewhat unexpected, making Yoshiyuki Tomioka feel a little uneasy. He calmly glanced around, then silently walked to the table and found a note on it.
It's clearly A-Zhi's masterpiece. Every character is written in a rounded shape, and at the end, there's a little figure with a strange but very intuitive style.
They didn't explain why they weren't in the room, only saying that it would take a little while.
In reality, Yoshiyuki Tomioka could guess the reason with a little guess. Only Aori was foolish enough to think that if she kept it from others, they wouldn't know—it was nothing more than agreeing to some requests from the proprietress or other prostitutes.
He slowly sat down, waiting for time to quietly pass.
With his keen senses, or perhaps because Yoshiyuki Tomioka's attention had been diverted to the surrounding rooms from the very beginning, he easily noticed something amiss in one of the rooms.
Noises, screams, curses... came one after another from a room on the west side. Yoshiyuki Tomioka carefully distinguished the various sounds and caught a soft "uh" sound mixed in among them.
Almost instantly upon hearing it, he moved closer silently.
The panicked prostitutes crowded at the door, anxiously waiting for the landlady to arrive, but the door was tightly shut, and Yoshiyuki Tomioka could not find Aori among the trembling prostitutes.
Ignoring the woman's exclamations, he pushed open the door with a furrowed brow and an angry expression.
As expected, something went wrong. In the chaotic and disorderly environment, Giyu Tomioka paid no attention to anything else and immediately spotted Aori lying on the ground in a corner.
Her delicate face was adorned with makeup, her petite body was wrapped in a light-colored kimono, and her jet-black hair was smoothly styled with a red gemstone hairpin.
Her fair and smooth neck was fully exposed, making her appear even more delicate and fragile.
The girl bit her lip timidly, her eyes filled with helplessness as she looked up at him. However, the moment she saw him, her helplessness was overwhelmed with joy.
********
Azhi felt she had suffered an undeserved misfortune today. She desperately wanted to leave this place as soon as possible, but the cruel reality was that not only could she not leave immediately, but she might also be accidentally injured.
—I wonder how long this fuss will last?
Azhi had no experience dealing with this kind of situation, and could only frantically and aggrievedly poke at the system in her mind: 【What should I do?】
000 remained calm; it could detect when the target was too close. Giyu Tomioka was already at the door and reassured him, "Don't worry, it'll be alright."
Protect yourself and avoid being accidentally injured.
………
The next scene was just like a hero rescuing a damsel in distress in a story, with the handsome samurai rescuing the woman in distress.
The black-haired swordsman stood there with a cold face, his very features cold and sharp, like a drawn sword, appearing before Azhi with an aura that no one could ignore.
People who know him often say that Yoshiyuki Tomioka has a cold personality and is not easy to get along with, but it has to be said that no one can deny that he is very reliable and trustworthy, and seeing him makes people feel at ease.
So what could be more reassuring than seeing familiar people right now?
Azhi was overjoyed for a moment, as if she had found a powerful backer. She almost immediately grabbed that hand, slightly out of breath, her trembling eyelashes fluttering like butterflies, her voice trembling with tears: "You've come."
She seemed to have entrusted everything to Yoshiyuki Tomioka with complete trust.
His rounded nails had a healthy pinkish-white hue, but because he was startled, his hands, which were resting on his palms, were damp and slightly sweaty. When Yoshiyuki Tomioka touched them, he almost pityly closed his fingers.
The arrival of Giyu Tomioka was quite a commotion, and almost everyone's attention was focused on them. It was because of this that they noticed Aori completely.
How come I didn't notice how beautiful this courtesan playing the zither was?
Their expressions were as if they had seen a pearl covered in dust, and they couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
The gazes directed at them seemed to materialize, tracing every inch of the scene with a sharp, piercing intensity. Startled, Aori hid behind Giyu Tomioka and refused to come out again.
Because of this sudden interruption, the arguing people were separated and taken away by their respective servants, and the farce came to an abrupt end. Jun Takahashi then focused all his attention on the strange man who had suddenly barged in.
He was tall and dressed plainly, with no indication of his status or position. Moreover, because he was facing away from the camera, his face was not even clearly visible from his angle.
The only thing visible was that the girl was helped up and hid behind the man in great fear, her hands naturally grabbing the back of his clothes, her petite figure almost completely hidden.
Her fair and slender forearm peeked out from the drooping sleeve, resting softly on Tomioka Giyuu's back like a piece of jade, displaying an extremely affectionate posture, like a dodder vine clinging to a branch.
Everything was quite obvious. Both the strange man in front of him and A-Zhi's behavior made Junichi Takahashi realize that their relationship was unusual. This scene truly stung his eyes.
He did have some affection for A-Zhi, otherwise he wouldn't have spent so much time sending gifts, but today's meeting was indeed a bit of a disaster.
By chance, Junichi Takahashi saw Ori and, unable to forget her, began sending her gifts frequently, hoping to create an opportunity to meet the girl alone.
Ah Zhi is truly oblivious to romance; no matter how precious the jewelry, it can't move her. She always seems clueless, but that doesn't matter. Such a beauty is even more alluring.
I thought today would be a good start, but unexpectedly, my partner suddenly turned hostile and ruined everything.
The unspoken atmosphere irritated Junichi Takahashi. He walked over, met Giyu Tomioka's cold gaze, and said to the girl behind him, "I was really rude just now."
"…………"
Azhi had already detached herself from the moment she started. Her mind was blank as she stared at Yoshiyuki Tomioka's broad and sturdy back, like a little quail, completely unaware that the words were being spoken to her.
000 reminds you helplessly: 【I'm talking to you.】
Azhi was a little annoyed: "But I don't want to talk to him."
It was indeed a sincere apology, but despite it, Azhi still felt uneasy.
She hesitated for a few seconds, then slowly peeked out from behind the black-haired swordsman, pursed her lips, and finally said politely, "It's not Mr. Takahashi's fault."
The soft tone contained only politeness, and then no further response was received; this was the attitude towards ordinary customers.
No, they're just ordinary troublemakers now.
The stranger in front of him glanced at him indifferently and then turned his gaze back to the girl.
It was an extremely protective posture, and Junichi Takahashi didn't know why that look made him so angry; a surge of anger instantly welled up in his chest.
—He's just an ordinary person. He has no money or power. How can you compare him to him?
He pursed his lips, and, somewhat unwilling to give up, threw out a bombshell question: "Miss Azhi, the reason I met with you today is actually to ask you a question."
"Can I help you buy your freedom?"
A note from the author:
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(Crawling in the shadows) (Twisting) (Jumping wildly) (Wandering) (Catching a reader) (Grinning) (Loudly questioning) (Why won't you talk to me?! ...
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