"I really can't win against you, can I, Little Shinobu?"
Kanae Kocho sighed, half-exasperated, half-amused as she looked at her younger sister. "You're still just as impulsive as ever."
She had plenty of opinions about Shinobu's reckless move, but what was done was done. Complaining wouldn't change anything now. Kanae chose to accept it. Whatever consequences came later, they would face them together.
"Even though I've said it a dozen times already…" Kanae's voice softened, warm and gentle. "Little Shinobu, big sister is back."
Shinobu's eyes trembled. A brilliant, flower-like smile bloomed across her face. "Welcome home, sister~"
If you asked Shuya whether he was surprised by this outcome, the answer was yes.
But not that surprised.
It was completely unexpected… yet made perfect sense.
The bond between the Kocho sisters ran deeper than anyone else's. After Kanae died, Shinobu had copied her every mannerism—wearing that gentle smile like a mask even while she secretly loathed every demon she killed. And Kanae had never truly left. In the original story she only appeared in a fleeting vision when Shinobu died, guiding her away. Even in the modern-day extra chapters, the sisters were reborn together.
Nen was a power of the heart. Something like this was bound to happen.
Shuya crushed the unused Equivalent Exchange scroll in his fist. Since Kanae had become his contractor thanks to Shinobu, the deal was no longer needed.
"Shuya-san!"
Kanae released Shinobu and turned to him, eyes full of genuine gratitude. "Thank you."
"You don't have to—"
Before he could finish, a soft scent enveloped him. Warm lips pressed gently against his cheek.
"This is my thank-you gift, Shuya-san." Kanae smiled sweetly. "Please take good care of us from now on~"
"Sister~"
Shinobu watched the kiss and felt a sharp, unexpected pang of jealousy. She couldn't even tell if it was aimed at Shuya… or at her own sister.
"Oh? Is Little Shinobu jealous?" Kanae teased, eyes sparkling with mischief. "My, my. The Insect Hashira still acts like a spoiled little kid."
If Shinobu's black-bellied personality was something she'd learned from Kanae, then her real self had always been that hot-tempered, impulsive little sister. Kanae, on the other hand? She was the original black-bellied one.
"I am not jealous!" Shinobu snapped, cheeks burning.
"Then here." Kanae leaned in and kissed Shinobu on the cheek too. "There. All better?"
Shinobu's gaze drifted away, but the tiny smile tugging at her lips gave her away. She was ridiculously happy.
Noticing Shuya watching, she immediately glared at him. "What are you staring at? You got lucky, that's all!"
In front of her sister, Shinobu had completely dropped the gentle, black-bellied act. She was back to being the feisty little gremlin she used to be.
Shuya wisely kept his mouth shut. Buy one, get one free—and these were real sisters, not the fake kind like Yuriko and Saya. He'd hit the jackpot.
"Alright, Little Shinobu. Show me around the Butterfly Mansion," Kanae said, covering for Shuya's awkward expression with a soft laugh. "I'm dying to see everyone's faces when they spot me. Especially Kanao's. I bet that girl's expression will be priceless."
Shinobu's interest was piqued. She grabbed Kanae's arm, eyes shining. "Let's go! I'll take you to see Kanao right now. Yesterday afternoon when I asked her about you, she hesitated forever before flipping that coin. If she sees you're really back, she might finally start acting normal again."
She glanced at Shuya. "Shuya— I mean, Shuya, you coming with us?"
"Sister, why are you inviting him?" Shinobu huffed, deliberately trying to badmouth him. "Mr. Scumbag is bad news. If I hadn't shown up yesterday afternoon, he would've already made a move on poor little Kanao."
Without waiting for a reply, she dragged Kanae toward the door.
Kanae could only offer Shuya an apologetic smile over her shoulder.
Shuya didn't mind. Shinobu still hadn't fully grasped what being his contractor actually meant. Once she did—once she understood the weight of the contract and what it meant for the people she cared about—she might just push Kanao toward him herself if she wanted to keep her little sister safe.
Shinobu yanked the door open.
A familiar face stared back at them.
Aoi Kanzaki stood there holding a breakfast tray meant for Shuya, hand raised to knock. The door swinging open caught her completely off guard.
"Shuya-sama, here's today's breakf—!"
Her words died the second she realized it wasn't Shuya's face in front of her. It was Shinobu's.
Aoi immediately bowed, flustered. "I'm so sorry, Lady Shinobu! I must have the wrong room. This tray is for Shuya-sama—"
She turned to leave.
"Wait, Aoi!" Shinobu called out quickly. "You're not mistaken. This is Mr. Scumbag's room."
"Oh—huh?!"
Aoi's brain short-circuited. She wasn't wrong? Then what was Shinobu doing coming out of Shuya's room first thing in the morning?
One look at Shinobu told her everything. The girl's clothes were rumpled, her hair a mess—she clearly hadn't been awake long. As another woman, Aoi knew exactly what that meant.
They had spent the night together.
A cold shiver ran down Aoi's spine.
Oh no. I just witnessed Lady Shinobu's secret. Is she going to silence me now?
"G-good," Aoi stammered, slowly turning back around.
Then her eyes landed on the person standing right beside Shinobu.
The tray slipped from her hands.
Because standing there—alive, smiling, and very much not a ghost—was Kanae Kocho.
The woman who had died two years ago.