TO

By day, Yuki Shiraishi was the quietest member of the Tokyo Manji Gang. Standing alongside Mikey and Draken, she was soft-spoken, constantly stuttering, and hid her blushing face behind her oversized Toman tokkoufuku jacket. But by night, the sweet, stuttering girl vanished. As the Cosmos Hashira, she was a terrifyingly cold, ruthless combatant. She carried the venomous cynicism of Obanai Iguro and the explosive, aggressive temper of Sanemi Shinazugawa. She was an elite weapon, ranking above Mitsuri Kanroji in raw combat lethality, though she still grudgingly acknowledged the superior, quiet precision of Giyu Tomioka.The fragile wall between her two worlds shattered on a sunny afternoon in Shibuya. Yuki was timidly holding Mikey’s jacket while he ate taiyaki, when her Kasugai Crow shrieked inside her mind, demanding her presence at an emergency meeting regarding a slayer traveling with a demon."Y-Yuki? You're shaking," Takemichi noticed, looking at her nervously."I-I'm so sorry, Mikey-kun! I just remembered... I left the stove on! At home! I have to go!" Yuki squeaked, her face turning bright red as she bowed frantically, clutching her guitar case—which hid her Nichirin blade—to her chest. Before they could reply, she bolted down the street, tripping once but sprinting away with unnatural speed."Left the stove on?" Draken raised an eyebrow. "She doesn't even cook.""Something is wrong," Mikey said, his playful gaze hardening. "Follow her."The three Toman boys tracked her past the city limits and deep into the dense mountain forests of Okutama. Yuki abandoned her motorcycle at the base and ran up the steep mountain. The boys scrambled through the thick brush, barely keeping up as she slipped through a hidden path obscured by wisteria trees and entered a massive, traditional estate.Crouching behind a wooden wall, Mikey, Draken, and Takemichi peered into the courtyard. Their jaws dropped.Yuki was completely unrecognizable. The shy, blushing girl was gone. She stood in a starlit haori, her arms crossed, glaring down at a battered boy with a checkered haori, Tanjiro Kamado, who was pinned to the ground.Beside her, Sanemi Shinazugawa held a bleeding wooden box aloft, laughing maniacally. "So this is the idiot traveling with a demon!""To think a member of the Corps would shield a monster. It’s deeply saddening," Gyomei Himejima wept, clasping his hands in prayer."Let’s kill him flamboyantly!" Tengen Uzui proclaimed, adjusting his headpiece.Kyojuro Rengoku nodded instantly. "There is no need for a trial! Protecting a demon is a clear violation of the rules!"Shinobu Kocho maintained a sharp smile, while Mitsuri Kanroji watched nervously. Obanai Iguro, perched on a tree branch, hissed, "He broke the rules. He deserves termination."Tanjiro tried to speak, but Yuki stepped forward, her boots clicking sharply on the gravel. Her eyes were dead, devoid of any warmth. "Shut your mouth, trash," she spat, her voice dripping with pure malice. "A demon is a disease. Anyone who protects one is filth. I’ll decapitate you myself if the Master permits it."Behind the wall, Takemichi choked back a scream. "Is... is that really Yuki-san? She sounds like a demon herself!"Mikey’s eyes narrowed, his body freezing at the sheer, suffocating aura of bloodlust radiating from the girl who usually blushed when he said hello.Sanemi suddenly drew his blade and stabbed through the wooden box. A sharp cry echoed inside. Infuriated, Tanjiro broke free, charged forward, and headbutted Sanemi directly in the forehead, sending them both crashing down."You miserable piece of garbage!" Yuki snarled, her hand instantly gripping her hilt. The terrifying air around her spiked so violently that even Obanai looked impressed. "How dare you strike a Hashira? I'll cut your limbs off!""Shiraishi, stay your hand," Giyu Tomioka said calmly, stepping into her path.Yuki glared at Giyu, her teeth gritting. "Get out of my way, Tomioka. You're just as pathetic for letting this slide. Don't think because you're a fraction stronger than me that I won't cut you down too."Before a bloodbath could start, the doors slid open. Two children announced, "The Master of the Mansion has arrived."Kagaya Ubuyashiki stepped into the light. Instantly, the terrifying, enraged Yuki snapped into a deep, perfectly synchronized kneel alongside Sanemi and the others, her head bowed in absolute reverence.The Toman boys watched in stunned silence as Sanemi tested Nezuko with his own blood, and the demon girl ultimately turned her head away in disgust, proving her innocence.As the meeting concluded and Tanjiro was carried away to the Butterfly Mansion, the Hashira began to disperse. Yuki stood up, her cold, aloof expression returning as she turned toward the estate's exit. Suddenly, her ears twitched. She caught the scent of Tokyo motorcycle exhaust and heard a sharp intake of breath.Without a word, Yuki vanished from the courtyard.An instant later, she dropped from a wisteria branch directly in front of Mikey, Draken, and Takemichi. Her Nichirin blade was drawn an inch from its scabbard, gleaming dangerously in the moonlight."Who gave you permission to step onto sacred ground?" Yuki hissed, her voice cutting like ice. Her eyes were wide, glaring at them with the same terrifying hostility she used on demons.Takemichi fell backward, trembling violently. "Y-Yuki-san! It's us! Please don't kill us!"Draken stepped in front of Mikey, his muscles tense. "Yuki. Lower the sword."Yuki’s gaze flicked to Mikey, who didn't flinch. He just looked at her, entirely unfazed by her terrifying persona. For a fraction of a second, the cold mask cracked, and a flash of the shy Toman girl appeared in her eyes, before she slammed it shut again."You shouldn't have followed me," Yuki said quietly, snapping her sword back into its sheath with a loud click. "This isn't a game. This is a war against monsters that eat humans. If you interfere, I will have to eliminate you myself."Mikey walked past Draken, stopping just inches from her. He looked at her dark uniform, then up at her hardened face. "You act tough out here, Yuki. But you're still part of Toman. If you're carrying a burden this heavy, you don't have to face it with those terrifying eyes."Yuki stared at him, her lips trembling slightly. The overwhelming pressure she normally held melted away, replaced by a sudden, intense embarrassment. "M-Mikey-kun..." she stammered, her face suddenly turning bright red as she hid her face in her hands. "P-Please don't look at me! I... I looked so uncute just now! I'm so sorry!"Draken let out a massive sigh of relief, rubbing the back of his neck. "There she is. The scary act was giving me goosebumps."Takemichi blinked in disbelief. "The switch is so fast!"Yuki peeked through her fingers, completely reverting to her shy gang persona. "Y-You can't tell anyone in Toman about this... please? Especially not Baji-kun... he'll make fun of my haori..."Mikey smiled his signature, carefree grin and patted her head. "Your secret is safe with us, Yuki. But tomorrow at the diner, you're buying me two plates of dorayaki to make up for scaring Takemichi.""U-Understood!" Yuki squeaked, bowing rapidly.