"Then let's celebrate together!" Kyojuro Rengoku raised the cup in his right hand, his cheerful voice enlivening the atmosphere.
Everyone raised their cups and clinked them together.
"Congratulations, Yoizumi, on your appointment as Snow Pillar!"
"Congratulations!"
Kyojuro Rengoku looked at Yoizumi, full of excitement, "Yoizumi, aren't you going to say something to express yourself?"
Unaccustomed to such a lively scene, Yoizumi thought for a moment and succinctly said, "Thank you."
"That's really your style~" Miss Shinobu, who was beside him, took a sip of water from her cup and said helplessly.
"Eat!" Inosuke shouted, devouring the food like a whirlwind; he was practically starving.
"Let's eat too." Shinobu picked up the ginger tsukudani that Kanzaki Aoi had specially made for her with her chopsticks and put it into her mouth. She really liked the slight spiciness of the ginger itself, as well as the crisp texture of the pickled vegetable.
A satisfied expression unconsciously appeared on her face. Yoizumi, seeing this, was also a little curious about the dish. He picked up a mouthful with his chopsticks, ate it, and after a few chews, he frowned.
He took a sip of soup, forcing himself to swallow it.
He smacked his lips, savoring the strange taste.
Then he heard Miss Shinobu's teasing voice beside him, "Can't get used to it? Many people can't eat it~" She raised her hand and picked up a tamagoyaki, placing it in Yoizumi's bowl.
"This tamagoyaki has sugar in it, Yoizumi. You should eat this instead~"
"Thank you." The sweet tamagoyaki diluted the ginger taste in his mouth. Indeed, this was more suitable for him.
He looked up at everyone gathered together, chatting and eating joyfully, his sapphire eyes sweeping across all their smiling faces.
He lowered his head and ate the tamagoyaki Miss Shinobu had placed for him, a barely perceptible smile gracing his lips.
It's so lively… but not unpleasant… "Yoizumi-ge, I'll get you some more." Kanzaki Aoi held a bottle and poured some rose-colored liquid into Yoizumi's empty cup.
"Please help yourself."
He leaned in and smelled grapes. Is it fruit juice?
He took a small sip, and a sweet taste filled his mouth. It felt quite good. Yoizumi's eyes brightened, and he drank a few more sips.
"?"
It's just… why does Kyojuro in front of him seem to have multiplied?
Even Tanjirou… "...hic..."
Shinobu, who was focused on eating, heard the sound and turned to see Yoizumi's dazed eyes, with a faint blush on his cheeks. His usually straight brows now had a slight curve.
This state… Noticing the rose-colored liquid in the cup in front of Yoizumi, Shinobu took it and sniffed lightly.
Fruit wine… Oh no!
Last time, he got so drunk just from smelling Shinjuro-ge's alcohol. Now that he's drunk so much, will anything happen?
She tentatively called Yoizumi's name, wanting to see his reaction now.
At this moment, Yoizumi's reaction time seemed to have lengthened. After a few seconds, he realized he was being called and looked blankly at Shinobu.
"Hmm?"
He looked even more dazed.
This was the only thought Shinobu could come up with.
"Do you still know who I am?"
A hint of confusion flashed in his blue eyes. He stared fixedly at Shinobu, tilted his head, and after a long while, he spoke, "Shinobu…"
"It's so good that you still recognize me~"
"Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"
Seeing him obediently shake his head, Shinobu felt a little relieved. It seemed there were no problems.
Yoizumi sat blankly on the cushion, unmoving, staring at his bowl in a daze. Shinobu was still curious about what was in his bowl that captivated him so much when she saw his head nod, about to fall onto the table.
Before she could react, Shinobu subconsciously reached out and cupped Yoizumi's chin, preventing him from falling. At once, everyone's attention was drawn to their actions.
"Yoizumi-nii? What's wrong?" Tanjirou rushed over, supporting Yoizumi's shoulder.
Eh?
The smell of alcohol?
Yoizumi-nii is drunk again?!
"I'm sorry! Yoizumi-ge, I didn't know you couldn't drink alcohol." Kanzaki Aoi felt extremely guilty at this sight.
Yoizumi-ge unexpectedly has a terrible alcohol tolerance. The alcohol content in this fruit wine is almost negligible.
"Yoizumi-ge, how lame."
"Yosuke, is this your weakness? I'm much stronger than you!" Inosuke picked up the bottle of fruit wine and drank directly from it. And then, there was no 'then'.
In less than three seconds, Inosuke had already collapsed.
Agatsuma Zenitsu's speechless and disgusted expression was evident.
"You're not much better!"
"Get up, you're not allowed to sleep here!"
He pulled hard at Inosuke but found he couldn't move him at all.
"Let go of the table leg!"
Over there, Kyojuro Rengoku laughed heartily, drinking the fruit wine from his cup and eating tempura fried shrimp.
"Five ants!"
He enjoys lively scenes.
"Tanjirou, go help Zenitsu. I've just finished eating and am about to rest."
"I'll take Yoizumi back on my way."
"Thank you, Miss Shinobu!" He wasn't worried at all that Yoizumi-ge would act out due to alcohol, so he safely entrusted him to Shinobu. Compared to Yoizumi-ge, Inosuke was more difficult to handle.
Shinobu stood up and extended her hand towards Yoizumi, "Can you get up?"
He raised his hand and took the hand in front of him, swaying as he stood up. Seeing Yoizumi constantly stumbling, Shinobu smiled helplessly. It seemed she would have to lead him.
"Let's go."
Walking along the long corridor bathed in moonlight, Shinobu constantly paid attention to Yoizumi's movements. She looked back and saw Yoizumi with his eyes closed, moving slowly.
"You need to watch where you're going~"
She tapped Yoizumi's forehead with her fingertip, reminding him.
"It's fine, because… you're holding my hand."
Yoizumi opened his eyes, and they were filled with trust, tinged by the alcohol.
Perhaps the moonlight was too bright, for Shinobu easily saw her own reflection in those clear, bottomless eyes.
As clean as the first snow of a new year.
Being looked at by such pure eyes, without a trace of impurity, made her heart skip a beat.
She heard Yoizumi's slightly slurred voice, due to the alcohol, say to her:
"This morning…"
"Shinobu said I was cute."
"Tanjirou said that 'cute' means wanting to dedicate all the beautiful things in the world to the other person."
"So…"
On Yoizumi's dazed face, a genuine smile appeared, "I think… Shinobu is cuter."
"Shinobu… Hmm?" Seeing Shinobu lower her head and remain silent, Yoizumi wanted to say something more but was suddenly pulled by his collar, forcing him to lower his head and meet her magnificent purple eyes.
Her ear tips flushed red as she continuously closed the distance between them until she could clearly see Yoizumi's slightly trembling eyelashes.
Now she couldn't hear anything else; the sound of her heart was too loud.
He wouldn't remember being drunk, would he?
Then… could she… Shinobu slowly stood on tiptoe.
Be a little more greedy…
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