Demon Slayer: The Journey That Began When I Became Yoriichi's Sister

Chapter 638 Take Good Care of Yourself

Yoruichi still remembers the deathly stillness that emanated from the depths of Ikuko's eyes when they first met.

She seemed to be quite looking forward to death.

She complained about it for a long time, saying things like she had taken the wrong path to hell.

She couldn't quite understand why Yuko wanted to die after only living for a few hundred years, but later she realized it was because Yuko had once been human, and human lifespans are too short.

The lifespan of Shinigami is long, easily reaching several hundred years. Captain-Commander Yamamoto has lived for over a thousand years. While he may have different friends, his lifespan is not as short as that of humans, and he is accompanied by people like Chojiro Sasakibe.

That wasn't a spiteful complaint, nor was it a self-destructive rant; the voice conveyed a sense of weariness and anticipation.

They awaited death.

"...Ikuko."

"Hmm? What…"

Snapped!

A crisp sound echoed across the silent rooftop.

Hearing Yoruichi's shout, Yuko instinctively turned around, only to be slapped so hard that she turned her head to the side, the burning pain on her face leaving her somewhat dazed.

"It hurts a little..." Yuko muttered subconsciously, but saw Yoruichi's chest heaving violently, his golden eyes burning with a fury Yuko had never seen before.

Her hand was still suspended in mid-air, trembling slightly.

"You... hopeless idiot!"

Yoruichi's voice was filled with suppressed anger, as if the words were being squeezed out from between her teeth.

“Ha…” Yuko understood Yoruichi’s anger and touched her burning cheek in confusion.

With the loss of regenerative abilities, even this painless attack seems considerable.

Yu Zi opened her mouth, but was momentarily speechless, unsure of what to say.

Yoru's gaze was icy: "Do you think the butterfly sealed your power just to make it easier for you to die?"

Yuko stroked her cheek, her lips moving slightly: "I was just mentioning it casually, it wasn't like that..."

"You didn't mean that?" Yoruichi's voice was laced with anger. "Then what do you mean?"

"...Could we change the subject a little?" Yuko smiled awkwardly, reaching out to tug at Yoruichi's sleeve, trying to appease her. "I really just misspoke."

Ye Yi expressionlessly shook off her hand, took out an exquisite invitation from his pocket, and slapped it directly onto Yu Zi.

"Even though Mr. Kurosaki and Masaki were extremely busy with their wedding approaching, they still made time out of their workdays to help you with the shop."

Yuko instinctively caught the invitation; it was the wedding invitation for Isshin and Masaki that she had previously placed on her bedside table for Yoruichi to keep.

“Urahara was thinking about how to help you with your Bankai training.”

And that girl named Butterfly, she clearly hoped you would cherish yourself more.

Your heart is screaming for help!

Yoruichi's words grew increasingly cold: "I'm not saying this to stop you from committing suicide, but simply because I feel it's unfair to them."

"It's a waste of time and energy to put so much effort into a dead person."

"..."

This was the first time Yuko had ever encountered Yoruichi so angry, and she was genuinely a little frightened.

"Yes, sorry."

Yoruichi said coldly, "The person you should apologize to is not me."

Yuko pursed her lips. Although it was a little scary, how could she not know that Yoruichi was thinking of her?

Because I accidentally said those words...

Yuko nodded with a wry smile: "If it's Masaki and Yoruichi, I'm fine with it."

"But if I apologize to those two idiots, I think I'll probably be laughed at."

"Please be lenient with me on this."

Yoruichi's tense expression finally eased slightly because of those words. She lowered her eyelids, her fingers curled in her palms: "Those kinds of words... they're really hard to hear..."

Yu Zi sweated, stretched out her hand, forced a smile on her face, and was about to say something.

"Take good care of yourself, you idiot..."

A gentle evening breeze stirred Yuko's wine-red hair, and her red eyes seemed to shimmer with a faint light.

A silence fell between them, and they didn't know how much time had passed.

"Well, I see."

Yuko lowered her head, a faint smile on her lips.

"……Let's go back."

"Don't you find the breeze this night quite pleasant?" Yuko gazed at the streetlights, sat on the wall with her arms outstretched, and the pain in her chest seemed to ease as she relaxed.

Yoruichi paused for a moment, then jumped onto the wall, sat down next to Yuko, closed her eyes slightly, and tilted her head back.

Yes, indeed...

Very comfortable.

……

Sure enough, once people have something to worry about, they don't have as many thoughts anymore.

Yuko looked into the distance with a smile on her face. She didn't really want to die; she was just mentioning it casually.

There's a joke that asks whether you'd rather die first or last.

Yuko doesn't want to see her family and friends die, so she leans more towards the second possibility. Therefore, she would never commit suicide just because she knows she can die.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have needed to resist when facing Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's Bankai.

Yuko didn't expect Yoruichi's reaction to be so strong, so much so that she was a little stunned when she was hit.

However... although my face was burning with pain, a warm feeling welled up inside me... oh wait, could it be that the burning pain on my face was spreading to my chest?

……

Yoruichi didn't rush Yuuko; she simply sat quietly beside her.

After a long while, she finally jumped off the wall and landed steadily on the rooftop.

"Let's go back."

Yu Zi turned her head slightly and teased, "With such good weather, can we see the stars in the sky? Why don't we stay a little longer?"

"Or are you afraid that Yoruichi might have a moment of despair and jump off from here?"

"I think you want to get slapped on the right cheek too." Yoruichi sneered and rolled her eyes in annoyance: "Your chest injury hasn't healed yet. If you catch a cold, you'll suffer a lot."

"Probably not. I feel perfectly healthy. It's just that my regenerative abilities have been temporarily interfered with." Yuko said this, but she still obediently jumped off the wall.

"Ouch~" The movement paused slightly because it aggravated the wound.

Yoruichi sighed and stepped forward to support her arm: "What a troublesome person."

“Same to you.” Yu Zi leaned against her, and the two walked downstairs together.

Yoruichi escorted Yuko back to bed, covered her with the blanket, and was about to turn and leave.

Yoruichi.

"what?"

"Thank you."

"...No need to thank me, just behave yourself and don't cause any trouble."

"Give me back my gratitude and the pain on my face, you bastard!" Yu Zi shouted as she sat up in bed, covering her face.

"Give it back?" Yoruichi paused in her steps, turned around, and slightly clenched her fists. "If you want it, I can help you get your other face back."

“…Goodbye.” Yuko pulled the blanket up and collapsed into bed at lightning speed, then writhed and stammered on the bed due to the violent movement.

Yoruichi rubbed her forehead, thinking, "This idiot is hopeless."

……

In the days that followed, Yuko's life became more and more regular, and she received care from her friends like a real patient.

During the day, Isshin and Masaki would come to the clinic to help out, even neglecting their own clinic. Masaki would also prepare some light snacks, which touched Ikuko quite a bit.

Yuko's chest injury gradually improved, and about half a month passed like this.

"The wound on your chest has almost healed, that's fast." Masaki unwrapped the bandage wrapped around Yuuko's chest and examined her.

Yu Zi lowered her head, revealing some gruesome scars beneath the ointment, and muttered to herself, "This is already considered a serious disfigurement, isn't it?"

"I want to report Butterfly's despicable behavior."

No one paid any attention to her.

The scar had scabbed over, and there were basically no problems with movement, so Yuko took the initiative to take back the work at the clinic to make it easier for the two of them to prepare for the wedding.

The wedding was actually supposed to take place a week ago, but it was postponed for her sake.

Although Masaki convinced her with the excuse that "since she and Isshin only have Yuuko and the others as friends, there's no need to worry about causing trouble for everyone," Yuuko still felt quite guilty inside.

"What have you been doing, pacing around since this afternoon?"

Yoruichi didn't know how long she had been watching Yuko walk back and forth on the sofa, but she couldn't help but speak up.

Yuko was surprised: "You haven't left yet?"

A vein appeared on Yoruichi's forehead.

Before she could get angry, Yuko scratched her hair and said with some distress, "Isn't it because I'm determined to marry Masaki?"

"Since you helped me so much before, I want to give you a slightly more formal gift."

"A gift..." Ye opened her mouth, as if she hadn't thought about preparing a gift at all.

Yu Zi pondered for a moment and asked, "Don't you think giving expensive gifts would seem a bit cliché?"

Yoruichi rolled her eyes slightly: "So what do you think counts as unconventional?"

Yuko sat down next to Yoruichi with a troubled expression: "I had thought about giving my flesh and blood a necklace or bracelet or something, but now there's no way to do that."

Yoruichi's face twitched twice: "That's a bit scary, you pervert."

Has this guy lost his mind?

Who gives such a gift?

"Then what do you suggest we give?" Yuko asked, her eyes narrowed, looking at Yoruichi expressionlessly. "A monetary gift?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Yu Zi clapped her hands.

“Yes! Just give money as a gift!” Yu Zi said, then immediately worried, “Don’t you think giving money might seem a bit distant?”

"It feels like we're distant relatives who have absolutely no connection to each other."

"……Are you stupid?"

This self-talk left Yoruichi completely speechless.

……

Several days later, at a shrine in Karakura Town.

Kurosaki Isshin and Kurosaki Masaki successfully held their wedding.

Seeing Masaki Kurosaki dressed in a pure white kimono, Ikuko felt as if she had returned to the day when Kanae got married.

There were only a few guests, including Yuko, Yoruichi, and Urahara Store.

Given Kurosaki Isshin's current situation, he has basically lost contact with Soul Society, and it's estimated that Yamamoto would have already classified him as a missing person.

As for Masaki Kurosaki, she had even fewer relatives, otherwise she wouldn't have been taken in by the Ishida family in the first place.

Masaki did send an invitation to the Ishida family, and a messenger delivered a gift, but judging from the situation... it seems they don't intend to come.

The wedding had a Japanese-Western fusion theme, and the atmosphere immediately became cheerful after the ceremony.

"Hey~ Mr. Kurosaki, don't forget my contribution." Kisuke Urahara waved his fan and approached with a mischievous grin.

"Ahem..." Kurosaki Isshin blushed slightly, then proudly put his hands on his hips, "No problem! I'll definitely drink three cups later!"

Yu Zi patted her chest and offered her blessings: "To congratulate your love and to express my gratitude for your care, I'll take care of your honeymoon trip."

After much thought, she felt that giving luxury goods or money would either seem cliché or a bit distant, so she decided to give something more meaningful and appropriate.

"Really?!" Kurosaki Isshin's eyes lit up immediately. He was still planning how to budget for his honeymoon with Masaki, and now someone had delivered a dream come true.

Yuko nodded: "Really, and it's at least a honeymoon trip that lasts a month."

"Sister Yu Zi! Please accept my bow!"

"Sir, could you please not do this?"

"..."

After the boisterous wedding, Masaki and Isshin Kurosaki finally settled down here.

The two of them used the activity funds they received from Yuko to live a carefree and sweet life outside for a month.

During this time, Yuko picked up her Zanpakuto again.

The wound on my chest had completely healed without me even realizing it, and my skin was as smooth as egg white, without a single blemish. This was definitely not something that could be achieved through self-healing.

Her regenerative abilities have been restored.

No matter what, Yuko wanted to talk to the butterfly one more time.

She sat cross-legged on the tatami mat, placed her Zanpakuto on her lap, closed her eyes, and gradually let her mind sink into a state of tranquility.

Outside the door, Yoruichi saw this scene and quietly withdrew.

Yuko had tried to establish contact with her Zanpakuto several times before, but Butterfly had not responded and had kept her at bay.

But this time, her mind entered her inner world without any hindrance.

"Hey, long time no see, Yuko."

Under the long corridor of the Butterfly House, Butterfly leaned against a pillar, turned her head, and stretched out her little hand to greet Yuko with a smile.

"Long time no see... my foot!" Yu Zi's eyelids twitched as she walked up to her. "It's clearly you who's cheating."

"Cheating?" The butterfly blinked in confusion.

Yuko sat down irritably: "Why were you allowed to come in this time?"

Butterfly smiled and said, "No, Yuko."

"What?" Yuko frowned as she looked over.

“It’s not that I’m rejecting Yuuko, it’s just that Yuuko doesn’t want to see me,” Butterfly explained with a smile. “A Zanpakuto is a continuation of a Shinigami’s soul. If there’s a disagreement between the user and the Zanpakuto, it must be because the user is confused and lost.”

Yu Zi was silent for a moment: "So you mean that now that I'm here, I no longer feel confused or lost?"