Chapter 131: Going Home
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On the wide road, three people walked side by side.
The man in the middle had black hair and golden eyes; he was tall and handsome. To his left, a tall, beautiful girl walked with graceful steps, while a petite and cute girl accompanied them on the right. Their presence together on the road was striking and drew the attention of passersby.
After Aoki escorted Mitsuri back home, he happened to stumble upon Shinobu, who was just about to leave. Kanae decided to join them, so what began as a solo journey quickly turned into a three-person trip.
Shinobu glanced at Aoki and asked, "Why are you so insistent on coming with me?"
Aoki smiled and replied, "It's fine. Let's go meet her together."
Shinobu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Takina is very beautiful, but she already has a fiance, so don't get any ideas."
A strange expression crossed Aoki's face.
"Don't worry. Do you think I would bother a girl like that?"
"It's not that," Shinobu said thoughtfully. "I just get the feeling that you're being overly enthusiastic, as if you have some hidden motive."
Aoki sighed. "You're quite perceptive."
Kanae chimed in, "Actually, Miss Takina is quite pitiable."
Shinobu looked at Aoki and explained, "Takina's father was turned into a demon by Muzan Kibutsuji and almost killed them. Takina's fiance stayed behind to cover their retreat, giving Takina and her mother time to escape."
Aoki lowered his eyes. No one understood this past better than he did.
"However," Shinobu continued, "things didn't turn out as badly as they could have. Even though Takina's fiance was just an ordinary person, he miraculously managed to defeat the demon. But for some reason, he never showed up again."
It wasn't that he didn't show up; he just didn't dare to meet them.
Aoki asked, "How did you two meet?"
Shinobu replied, "My sister and I were returning from a mission when we met Takina and her mother by chance. When we got back to their home, the battle was already over, and Takina's fiance was nowhere to be seen."
Aoki nodded, understanding. It was just as he had guessed.
Kanae looked at Aoki curiously. "Mr. Aomura, do you have any relatives?"
Shinobu also looked over, intrigued. They had always been curious about Mr. Aomura's past but had found it difficult to ask before. Now that Muzan Kibutsuji was defeated, they felt freer to inquire.
"Yes," Aoki replied with a hint of a smile in his eyes. "I'll introduce them to you later."
"Alright" Kanae and Shinobu both nodded, unaware of anything unusual.
Not long after, the three arrived in at their destination. Under Shinobu's guidance, they quickly found the yard where Takina lived.
Shinobu eagerly knocked on the door.
"Coming!" called a clear, bright voice from the yard.
The door creaked open, and a young girl appeared before them. Her long green hair cascaded like a waterfall on either side of her fair face. She wore a simple long dress, her face was bare of any makeup, yet she looked incredibly beautiful.
"Takina!" Shinobu greeted her with a smile.
"Shinobu… Oh, Miss Kanae is here too, welcome…" Takina's voice trailed off, and her expression froze.
Shinobu blinked in surprise. "Why is Takina so excited today?"
At that moment, she saw Takina open her arms wide.
Is this a hug? Shinobu thought. She was about to extend her arms as well, but quickly realized that Takina's target wasn't her but someone standing behind her.
Who's behind me? My sister? No!
With a rush, Takina threw herself into Aoki's arms.
"This… this is?" Shinobu's mouth slowly opened, and Kanae's gaze froze.
Aoki held the trembling girl close, gently stroking her soft, long hair. His expression was tender.
"I'm back," he murmured.
Takina buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled. "Why did you take so long to return?"
"I'm sorry," Aoki whispered.
"Ever since that day, I've had nightmares almost every night."
"I'm sorry."
"Why did you only send a letter instead of coming to see us?"
"I'm sorry."
"Mom and I were so worried about you! We missed you so much!"
"I know," he replied softly.
"Why… why only now?" Takina asked, her voice breaking.
Aoki held her tighter. "I'm here now."
With that, Takina could no longer hold back her tears.
Shinobu finally regained her senses, her mind slowly piecing together the truth. Judging from the conversation between Aoki and Takina, she had finally understood. Aoki was Takina's fiancé!
No wonder he had been so eager. He wanted to go home.
"No wonder he left only a letter and never showed up again," Shinobu thought to herself, staring blankly at the couple embracing each other. "He became a demon. And Muzan Kibutsuji considered him an enemy. To keep Takina and her mother safe, he had to stay away until Muzan was defeated."
Shinobu realized, with some relief, that if they had met Muzan Kibutsuji back then, both she and her sister would have likely died, never having the chance to meet and know Mr. Aomura, let alone see the day Muzan was defeated.
"But he knew everything all along and still acted clueless on the way here. He did that on purpose!" Shinobu felt a flash of annoyance and a little bit of envy.
Kanae, meanwhile, had figured out another part of the puzzle. She realized why Aomura had always treated her and her sister differently from everyone else.
"I thought of many reasons," she mused, "but now I see the truth. He must have known that we helped Takina and her mother."
"Could it be that Mr. Aomura saved me because of that?" Kanae wondered, biting her lip thoughtfully.
Across the yard, two middle-aged women were sitting. Both of them stopped what they were doing, their mouths agape as they watched the young couple embrace.
The slightly plump woman's face was filled with curiosity. "Is he Takina's fiance?"
Shortly after moving in, Takina's beauty had spread throughout the town. At the right age for marriage, she naturally drew attention. This woman had even considered matching her son with Takina.
However, rumors soon surfaced that Takina already had a fiance. Disappointed, many had given up. But as time passed and this mysterious fiance never appeared, some began to doubt.
As a neighbor, the plump woman had shared these doubts. She certainly hadn't expected the fiance to show up today.
The other woman was staring at Aoki. "He's quite handsome, and he and Takina make a beautiful couple."
The plump woman nodded. "Not only is he good-looking, but he dresses well. He doesn't seem like an ordinary person."
"Heh, those who gossiped can shut up now," the woman chuckled. "Takina does have a fiance, and a very fine one at that."
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