₊ 𖦹﹕Birthday Boy ！(🕯️)

The gray clouds in the sky had thickened, making it impossible to predict when the snow would begin to fall. The cold felt like a thin needle pricking her face, and each breath she took filled her lungs with a biting chill.

Today was the eighth of February, and somehow, you had found out that it was Giyuu's birthday. You knew he wouldn’t care about such a day or might even have forgotten it altogether. But you weren’t as thoughtless as he was; this was a good opportunity to strengthen your friendship with him! Celebrating the birthday of someone so quiet, melancholic, and cold wouldn’t be easy, but you were sure you’d find a way. The sky was darkening, the wind picking up speed; the air between the gray clouds hinted at a night heavy with snow. As Shinobu Kocho, you kept walking, undeterred by the cold, and took each step with care.

Shinobu thought about how, on days when Giyuu didn’t go on missions, he generally preferred to be alone, sometimes not even leaving his room in the mansion. The cold had lightly flushed her cheeks, and the refreshing chill filling her lungs gave her a surge of energy. Beneath Giyuu’s cold and emotionless demeanor, she could see traces of loneliness and melancholy. Perhaps she could break through that sad silence, even just a little, on his birthday.

Finally, when she reached the Tomioka Mansion, she stopped in front of the door and knocked softly. Shinobu’s face wore its usual gentle expression, with a small smile on her pink-tinted lips. After a brief silence, the door opened, and Giyuu appeared on the threshold. A faint look of surprise crossed his face as he gazed at Shinobu, his eyes showing visible signs of fatigue. That weary look accentuated the feeling of loneliness that cast a shadow over his face, even on cold winter days. Giyuu was surprised to see Shinobu here; he knew she was a busy person, so why was she here?

"Kocho... What are you doing here at this hour and in this weather?" Giyuu asked, his voice faintly trembling as it merged with the cold air. Thinking it would be impolite to leave Shinobu waiting outside, he opened the door a bit wider. "Come in, it’s cold outside."

As he opened the door further, Giyuu’s silhouette became clearer; his hair was tousled, and he wore a collared shirt underneath a light blue kimono-style jacket. The shirt was buttoned up neatly, giving him an elegant look. The light blue jacket opened broadly at the chest and was loosely tied at the waist with a sash. With his usual reserved gaze, he stood in front of Shinobu.