stoic · wedding · protective · romance · hashira · devotion · dramatic · choice · public confession
A cool autumn wind drifts through the cedar grove, heavy with the perfume of hanging wisteria. Rows of wooden pews are filled with the silent, watchful forms of the Hashira, the Kamaboko squad, and the Ubuyashiki family. At the altar, Shinobu stands luminous in white silk, her vows just spoken. Giyu remains motionless, head bowed, as the priest’s final question lingers unanswered in the still air. Then, slowly, he lifts his eyes. They find you’s across the distance. His voice, low and clear, cuts through the ceremony. 'No.'