On his way, he met Tengen.

"Hello, Tomioka! What's up this early in the morning?"
He asked.

"Nothing really..."
Giyuu said.

"You look a little worried, is everything alright?"
He asked.

Giyuu shook his head to say no.

"What happened?"
Tengen asked.

Giyuu let out a sigh.
He told him everything that happened and how he was out of ideas now.

"Hmm... Shinazugawa? He's a grumpy man, you know? Yet, I get along with him well! Do you wanna know how?"
Tengen asked.

Giyuu's eyes shine.

"How do you do that?"
He asked.

Tengen laughed a little.

"I am the God of Festivals, afterall! I have a flashy friendship trick! It's very effective, and works for me everytime!"
He said.

"And what is that?"
Giyuu asked, puzzled.

"You see... If you want to make friends with literally anyone, you need to appear as if you're very cool, and no match for them! This attracts them and makes them want to approach you on their own! You let them carry the conversation as well, this makes you seem mysterious. I am good friends with Sanemi because I looked flashy and flamboyant when I met him for the first time."
Tengen said.

"Well... Am I flashy?"
Giyuu asked.

"Oh hell no, you're fucking basic!"
Tengen laughed.

"What do I do?"
Giyuu asked.

"It depends on how you look, and how your personality is. You can wear attractive clothes!"
He replied.

"...But, this is my uniform. I can't change this."
Giyuu said.

"If I were you, I'd let my hair down. Your hair is long and flashy! He'll get attracted to it, I know it!
He'll be like: 'Tomioka! Please be my best friend, you're so cool!!!' Just you see!"
Tengen said.

"Hmm... Will it really work?"
Giyuu asked, a little unsure about the consequences.

"Yes, trust me!"
Tengen said.

"What if it didn't work though?"
Giyuu asked.

"Then you can work on personality! Maybe tell him something that's on your mind! For example,
'Be my friend, Shinazugawa!' or something like that. You know it!"
Tengen said.

"Okay... I got it."
Giyuu made way to his estate.

"Where are you going?"
Tengen asked.

"To my estate...?"
Giyuu turned back.

"Go do what I said first. The faster the better, you have the whole day for yourself anyway! I'll check on you doing it."
Tengen said.

"But he'll see you."
Giyuu said.

"I'll hide behind a bush or something, let's go! I have nothing to do anyway, atleast I'll have some entertainment. Rengoku left for a mission today as well..."
Tengen said.

Giyuu let out a sigh.

"Alright, let's go."

_______________________________________

The two walk towards the Wind Estate.

Once they reached, Giyuu turned back to look at Tengen.

"You got this!"
Tengen whispered as he ran back and hid behind a bush.

Giyuu sighed as he knocked on Sanemi's door.

"Who the hell is here now-"
Sanemi opened the door to find Giyuu.

"What do you want?"
He asked, wanting to rush to the main topic.

"..."
Giyuu stood silently. He suddenly let his hair down, making it flow in the air as he smiled at Sanemi.

What the hell- what's with his cheeky smile...?
Sanemi thought.

"This method is working! Shinazugawa is flabbergasted!"
Tengen whispered to himself quietly.

"...Are you mad?"
Sanemi asked.

"What the..."
Tengen whispered.

Giyuu remembered that if appearance won't work, he could use personality.

He cleared his throat as he looked at Sanemi in the eyes, all confident.

This made Sanemi blush very slightly, which was completely unexpected.

Did I just witness Shinazugawa blush!? Is he flustered or something? Damn this is so entertaining!!!
Tengen laughed to himself quietly.

"Let's be friends."
Giyuu said, in his usual monotone voice.

"Shut the fuck up."
Sanemi immediately rejected him.

Giyuu's eyes widen.
He felt his heart break.

"Dude, what the hell? This was getting exciting!"
Tengen walked out.

"The fuck are YOU doing here!?"
Sanemi asked.

"Uzui-San, I think you should leave..."
Giyuu said.

"No, shut up Tomioka. You've tried so hard, and on top of that, it was my flamboyant idea! There's no way he rejects you like this!"
Tengen said.

"Accept him Shinazugawa. I saw you blush. You like him, don't you?"
Tengen asked.

Both Giyuu's and Sanemi's eyes bulge. Giyuu blushed a little.

"WHAT THE HELL!? WHERE THE ACTUAL FUCK DID YOU GET THAT IDEA FROM? I'D RATHER DIE THAN LIKE HIM!"
Sanemi shouted as his face turned red.

"Whatever..."
Uzui rolled his eyes as he walked off.

"Sh-Shinazugawa-San...?"
Giyuu looked at Sanemi.

"WHAT?"
Sanemi snapped.

"Do... Do you like me?"
Giyuu asked as he blushed softly.

"FUCK OFF!!!"
Sanemi shouted loudly, running back and slamming his door shut.

Giyuu looked down at his feet.

'I'D RATHER DIE THAN LIKE HIM!'
Sanemi's words echoed in his mind. It felt as if his heart broke. He didn't know what was going on in his mind either.

He slowly walked back. But instead of going back into his estate, he decided to walk outside a little, for a refreshing feeling.

Hours had passed and he still couldn't stop thinking about Sanemi.

Why do I always end up thinking about Shinazugawa-San...? I've tried to divert my mind by thinking about other stuff, yet, I still end up thinking about him.
Giyuu thought.

He was genuinely curious. He didn't understand why he couldn't stop thinking about whatever happened earlier.

It was dusk before he even knew it. The skies turned gray as the moon slowly showed up.

Giyuu walked over to a small lake.

Disheartened by his multiple failed attempts, he slowly sat down by the lake and closed his eyes, feeling the serenity and peace of the lake at the moment.

"Moshi-Moshi~"

Giyuu's eyes widen. He turned back to find Shinobu standing there.

"What's up, Tomioka-San? You look like you're lonely!"
She said.

"I'm not lonely."
Giyuu replied.

"Tell me, did something happen?"
She asked as she slowly sat beside him.

Giyuu sighed.

He told her everything and that he was feeling disheartened because of Sanemi's rude activities.

"I see... You could've asked me sooner!"
Shinobu said cheerfully.

"What do you think I should do?"
Giyuu said as he looked at the water in the lake flow slowly.

"Tell Shinazugawa-San that you admire him very much!"
She advised.

"Admire...?"
Giyuu questioned.

"Mhm!"
Shinobu smiled.

"Tell him something you like about him, as people love compliments!"
She added.

Giyuu let out a deep breath.

"Say... What do you like about him anyways?"
Shinobu asked.

Giyuu blushed slightly.

"L-like? I... I think his physique. No, I guess his hair... No. I guess... I don't know."
Giyuu said.

Shinobu smirked a little.

"Hm... Maybe offer him a flower."
She said.

"He'll reject it."
Giyuu replied.

Shinobu sighed.

"Tell him you like his scar! It's the only thing that differentiates him from all the other Hashiras. I always thought it was unique and pretty."
Shinobu said.

"You're right."
Giyuu said.

"But,"
He paused.

"Whenever I face him, he tells me to shut up and leave. He doesn't even bother to listen."
Giyuu looked at her.

"You can always poke him, he'll definitely look back!"
She said.

"What if he didn't-"

"He will!"
Shinobu smiled at him.

"You can do it, Tomioka-San!"
She stood up, ready to leave.

"Thank you, Kocho."
Giyuu said as he stood up too.

"Don't mention it!"
She walked away.

Tomioka-San blushing is something I never expected to see. It's funny!
Shinobu thought to herself as she left.

Giyuu let out a sigh as he made his way to his Estate as well.

_______________________________________