Disclaimer:

I do not own nor claim all the rights to 鬼滅の刃 | Kimetsu no Yaiba | Demon Slayer; all rights are reserved to its respective creator, Koyoharu Gotōge. This is purely a work of fiction; names, characters, businesses, events, localities, and occurrences are all extrapolated from the author's writings and imagination or utilized in a fictitious manner. As such, any direct or indirect references to actual entities, dead or alive, or events do not, in any shape or form, resemble the opinions of the author.

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"..." = Dialogue

'...' = Internal monologues

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Reading the comments for the previous chapter was probably the most entertaining thing I did that day.

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Fireworks.

Hanabi.

The mid-summer fireworks festival.

The interrelation between Japan and fireworks is but an idiosyncratic arrangement.

In most countries, fireworks are displayed as a means to celebrate a special event.

In Japan, however, they are mainly employed to be enjoyed without any particular reason; they are regarded as less of a formal occasion and more of leisure activity.

Thus, most Japanese perceive watching fireworks in the summer as being equivalent to watching cherry blossoms in spring.

They are considered to be a display of evanescent beauty, one that should be enjoyed with friends or loved ones.

You eat, you drink, and you engage in informal colloquies while watching the combustible flowers manifest themselves in the sky.

Hence, why there is such a lively and nonchalant atmosphere that is prolific throughout the festival grounds.

The ubiquity of food stalls and entertainment booths that are adjacent to the pathways can be easily discerned through the congested crowds.

People from all walks of life—soldiers, sailors, workers, children, mothers, fathers, students, and many more—have congregated to bring some levity to their otherwise hectic lives. They are to merely relax, celebrate, and relish the moment.

After all, these were changing times.

Rural families are moving, for the first in generations, into the pandemonium that constitutes the pith of the urban environment. Their simple-minded approach to life is immediately challenged whence they are brought into the polluted, frenzied, and feverish setting of a booming city.

Young boys are enlisting into the armies in droves, heeding the call of their Emperor to fight this new war. Many are expected to be shipped off unto either another part of Japan, a colony of Japan, or a faraway foreign nation that is an ally of Japan.

Whatever the reason may be, and there are plenty, the general mood exuded by this audience is one of trepidation for what the future may hold, but also hope for what it may bring.

Thus, as a country and its people transmute into a radically different society, there are times when one simply needs to take a break from the chaos.

There are times when one must simply lay back and gaze upon the heavens as human ingenuity attempts to make a temporary exhibition of its flair.

Amid all that, two inconspicuous demon slayers are strolling about—their presence is but a periphery to the city's inhabitants.

They have been trained to always be vigilant and on guard, even in times of seemingly innocuous quietude.

Nevertheless, these two particular slayers have deemed it redundant to retain that level of composure on this lighthearted occasion.

Like everyone else, they are here to just savor the moment.

"Why the long face, Tomioka?" Shinobu queries as the two were ambulating through the plethora of stalls and booths.

"I think it's because we skipped lunch," Giyuu said groggily.

"That was your idea, you know that..." Shinobu retorts.

After doing some rounds across the entirety of the city, the Pillars were coveting food.

However, with the lack of punctuality with respect to attending lunchtime—as they had completed their expeditions by as late as 15:30—and expecting to eat a wide variety of foodstuffs during the festival, Giyuu erroneously posited that disregarding a late afternoon meal would be in their best interests.

Unfortunately, that decision only worked against the interest of his own stomach.

"Well, what do you expect? This is what happens when you skip breakfast, which is the most important meal of the day~" she quipped.

He glanced at her, "I... was too preoccupied this morning..."

Shinobu, realizing what incident he was referencing, turned a little taciturn, "Oh... Right..."

They continued walking in awkward tranquility—no words being exchanged between the two.

But Shinobu eventually broke the silence, "Ne, Tomioka, you want something to eat?"

Giyuu didn't have to respond before Shinobu got confirmation—not that Giyuu did anything to give such an indication.

"Of course you do! I guess it can't be helped, we Hashiras have to look out for each other," she jests.

"What...?" Giyuu was confused.

Shinobu grabs a hold of Giyuu's hand and pulls him, "There's some yakisoba over there."

"Oh, ok..." Giyuu plainly accepts the proposition.

They proceeded toward the stall selling the aforementioned food.

"Irasshaimase!" The owner greeted them as they arrived.

"Two, please," Shinobu takes her order.

"Coming right up!" the owner replies.

Giyuu looked up at the orange-colored sky.

The distant ball of flame settled into the precipice of the horizon. Its once magnificent rays were but a fleeting prospect as the arrival of the caliginous sky was nigh upon this part of the Earth.

Instead, with the setting sun, came a sky of fire—a pastel orange and red hue engulfing the vastness of the multi-colored ether.

"When are the fireworks?" he asks in his reverie.

"In about an hour from now," Shinobu answers.

She then contrives a look of dismay, "You should really stop relying on me for this, Tomioka. I'm not a living clock."

Shinobu wondered how the Water Hashira was able to manage up to this point.

But, more than anything, she's actually concerned about how he will deal with timetables into the future, especially during solitary consignments—as she's almost always the one who keeps track of the time.

"... Sorry," he says back. "I usually depend on an internal clock for day-to-day matters."

"Internal clock?" Shinobu inquires.

"I almost always wake up at 5:30 every morning, whether I intend for it or not," he provides empirical evidence.

"Five, huh?" she looks at him with curiosity, "Why get up so early?"

"I adhere to a strict schedule," he replies.

"In what sense?" Shinobu's inquisitive nature was getting the better of her.

"... I can draw out my morning routine if you like," he suggests.

Shinobu blinked twice before being knocked out of her little trance.

She then grins, "What's this? You want me to know your private information? You shouldn't be creepy around women, Tomioka."

"Uh..."

"Unless, of course, you have already imparted such knowledge to another lady," she gives a slight glare.

Shinobu was getting jealous of a hypothetical scenario.

This is truly an odd world.

"Don't be ridiculous," Giyuu calmly rebukes, "you're the only female I ever extensively speak with."

While Giyuu intended to establish a line of defense so as to protect his image, he had inadvertently divulged some vital information as well.

Ordinarily, one would pity the man for being such a loner.

But, for Shinobu, this information only perturbed her to a substantial degree.

'He's only ever... talked to me...?' she could hear her heart thumping at a faster pace.

While she was already aware of the Water Hashira's inability to socialize, she never imagined it would go this far.

Shinobu felt relieved.

Relieved to know that she is granted such a privileged standing within Giyuu's social life—that she really is the only one who has access to it.

She was starting to treasure his reticent personality, as that meant she could have him all for herself.

For someone whose first intense, romantic love is for a social hermit, she is starting to feel possessive of a man she has not yet even confessed to.

It's a little odd, yes.

But considering how little experience and much ardor she carries when it comes to romance, her passion for Giyuu goes beyond logic or simple reasoning.

She was falling for him more and more each passing second.

"M-My, my... This is why nobody likes you, Tomioka," in her flustered state, Shinobu flat-out lied.

She wonders when she will be able to grow out of her bouts of childish bashfulness.

"I'm not disliked—..." he starts with his usual answer to such an assertion.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry you feel that way, Tomiok—"

"—by you," he finishes.

"..." Shinobu gives some thought to what he had just said.

"W-Well..." she stammers, "I suppose that's correct to a certain degree..."

'Huh... She didn't get hostile this time...' Giyuu was surprised, as he had recalled a similar situation that didn't end so well for him.

"Here ya go!" The stall owner hands Shinobu two wooden bowls of yakisoba.

"Thank you," Shinobu was about to pull out some paper currency.

In place of that, however, Giyuu came up and paid the fines.

"Here," he hands the man the amount due.

"Thank you for your patronage!" the man called out as the Hashira vacated the premises.

They eventually made their way to an empty bench situated at an isolated location—far away from the concourse.

They both take their seats.

"I was about to pay for it, you know," Shinobu passed one of the wooden bowls to Giyuu.

"Your hands were full," he replied as he unveiled a pair of chopsticks.

"Fair enough," said Shinobu.

They began to consume their repast.

Both manducated at a very slow pace—even Giyuu, who was basically starving at that point.

As a result of their protracted mealtime, there were longer and more intervals of time when they could chat.

"What do you think we should do next?" Giyuu asked.

"Kempeitai?" she questions.

"Yeah, since we have been compelled into not undertaking any major operations around here," he confirms.

"Well, that's easy," said Shinobu.

"It is?"

"Yeah. We just ignore them," she said with a smile plastered onto her face.

"... Why?"

"Well, you said it yourself: Those officers were extremely dubious, and I doubt they were acting under direct orders," she elaborated.

Giyuu finally realized it, "Yeah, that's right. Insubordination, especially among the officer ranks, in the Imperial Army is widespread."

"Exactly."

"But that's an assumption; there's no guarantee of anything," Giyuu counters.

"Indeed, but that's where our request comes in," Shinobu points out.

"Request?"

"Our request for an extension concerning our stay here comes at a great advantage," she clarifies.

She goes on, "For example, depending on how long it takes them to articulate their intentions towards us, we might be given an additional few days for that reason. So, even if they reject our proposal, the convoluted military bureaucracy is going to buy us more time depending on the circumstances."

"Oh... I see," said Giyuu.

He then finalizes her argument, "And it's possible we can deliberately ignore their orders by utilizing the lack of public dissemination as an excuse."

"Indeed. Either way, we are going to be given more time to finish the job."

"But we're going to have to toil nonstop since we are acting under a constricted time schedule," Giyuu notes.

"Hai. Which is why I suggest we head down into the sewage system first thing tomorrow morning," Shinobu propounded.

"Agreed."

They resumed their evening meal.

"Do you like it, Tomioka?" Shinobu inquired as she continued eating.

"It's fine," Giyuu succinctly replied.

"What was your favorite food again? Salmon daikon?" she asks.

"Yep," he answered.

She sighs, "I will never understand your love for that."

"Does it taste bad?"

"Not bad, but bland for me."

"Huh... I always assumed it's a staple food that is widely popular," he remarks.

"Tomioka... just how much of that do you eat on a weekly basis..." she said with disappointment.

"Every other day."

"... Seriously?"

"It's one of only a few dishes I can cook properly," he adds.

"Now I can see why you would think it's popular," she notes.

Shinobu goes on, "You should diversify your diet; don't just be reliant on subsistence-level rations or salmon daikon."

"Why?"

"Are you really asking that...?"

"My diet satisfies the basic nutrient and caloric intake that is required on a daily basis," he explains.

"I get that, but you should try other dishes as well; not everything is about constantly maintaining a balanced diet," she defends.

Giyuu looks at her with perplexity, "Huh?"

Shinobu exhales, "What I'm saying is that, on some occasions, you ought to eat something not just for the sake of fulfilling some nutritiously healthy plan, but also for the taste. Like how you like salmon daikon."

"Salmon daikon is healthy."

"Sure... But that's not the point," she rejoins.

She continues, "Like how we're eating yakisoba right now. It's delicious, isn't it?"

"... I suppose," he takes another bite.

"See? There's more to life than just your rigid lifestyle," she quips.

"Discipline is what makes the warrior," Giyuu simply replies.

"What are you, a stoic poet?" Shinobu jests.

"Stoicism is what makes the warrior."

"I think you're lacking in the creativity department, Tomioka..." Shinobu mentions.

"That's what my Japanese language teacher told me," Giyuu harks back.

"You attended school?"

"We had compulsory education in my prefecture. But I only attended for five years before training under the auspices of Urokodaki Sakonji," he expounds.

Shinobu recognized that name. It's the former Water Hashira.

But she also agnized it from Giyuu's memoirs.

March 1917,

Urokodaki-sensei died on a Thursday.

It's the man who taught Giyuu, Sabito, and Makomo.

In about three years from now, he will be dead.

It's one thing to be cognizant of the fact that someone is bound to die, but it's another thing to know the exact date when that person will pass away.

It never really dawned on her just how much she knows now; she has been bequeathed with extraordinarily indispensable knowledge regarding the future.

She is au courant with specific dates, specific developments, and the state of worldly affairs decades from now.

She knows what events will transpire, the fate of certain institutions, who will do what, and who will be deceased.

She has single-handedly become the most powerful mortal standing on this Earth, at least in terms of prudence and prognostication.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya.

Rengoku Kyojuro.

Tokito Muichiro.

Kanroji Mitsuri.

Iguro Obanai.

Himejima Gyomei.

Kocho Shinobu.

All dead by 1916.

And, finally, Tomioka Giyuu. Dead on January 1934.

What should she do with this information?

She obviously wants to save Giyuu by any means necessary.

But what about everyone else?

What about herself?

Can she even change the future? Can she avert the cold hand of destiny? Can she defy fate?

Is it all preordained?

Is she powerless?

Too many questions, but no one to answer them.

Though Shinobu was practically trembling on the inside, her outward appearance remained at ease—at least on a superficial level.

Even so, Giyuu caught notice.

"Kocho...?" he asked concerningly, seeing Shinobu discomposed deportment—in light of her unearthly reticence—as being indicative of a disturbing matter.

"Ah, sorry about that, I just had a thought in mind," Shinobu comports herself.

"About what...?"

"School," she answers.

"School?"

"You see, my prefecture hadn't yet made education mandatory for girls. Even so, my parents wanted me and Nee-san to become educated and had us enrolled into a local school," she explicates.

"I see."

"Compared to what our parents taught us, though, school was a walk in the park. So we obviously did well academically. Although, it did present an opportunity to make new friends," she adds.

Giyuu hummed in approval, "Ah. I reckon someone like you would've easily bonded with fellow classmates."

"Well, only with other girls. The boys were a bunch of hooligans and trouble-makers," Shinobu remarks.

"Makes sense," Giyuu, recalling how he had to deal with bullies, says.

"What about you?"

"Oh... Essentially identical to your description," Giyuu replies.

"Minus the friends," Shinobu interjects.

"Minus the friends," Giyuu comes to face reality.

"Well, I guess that's what I can expect coming from a loner like you," she shrugs.

"..."

"You know," Shinobu starts.

"Hm?"

"I sometimes ask myself, 'What if Tomioka was in my class? What if we met earlier in life? Would I still be friends with him?'" she muses.

"And what do you think?"

Shinobu smiles radiantly, "I think I would've liked you very much. Compared to all the other rowdy boys, I would've found your quiet personality a breath of fresh air."

Regardless of how many times Shinobu likes to poke fun at Giyuu's mannerisms and personality, she always appreciated that side of him.

There was something about Giyuu's reserved nature that attracted her to it. Something about his solemn, staid, and courteous comportment that made her fall in love with him.

"I think we definitely would have been close friends," Shinobu concludes on a high note.

"Like now?"

"I guess you could say that, but too bad I'm the only friend you have," she jokes, trying to change the tone of the conversation.

In reality, she was hoping to alter the subject so as to prevent Giyuu from seeing her face go red.

"Hm. You are correct," Giyuu replies.

He then turns his head to look directly into her eyes, "But I don't mind. You are a good friend."

Shinobu merely gawks at him, unable to formulate a coherent response.

That alone brought solace to her soul. It's as if his presence was the missing puzzle piece she had always been looking for; the quintessence of whatever filled the gaping hold within her spirit.

As if he was meant to be there for her.

In the darkest of times, in the lowest of the lows, and amid her greatest tribulations, he was always there.

She owed him a lot.

She will do anything to protect him, to procure deliverance to his ill-fated life.

It doesn't matter if fate has preordained his destiny, because she will do everything to defy the odds and find a silver lining in the eternal darkness.

Of all the people she can save, he has to be one of them.

He can't be excluded.

Because she needs him, and he needs her.

'He likes to surprise me with his words too many times...' she laments the wave of embarrassment she's going through.

"Kocho? Is something the matter?"

"Nothing... It's just that you're an idiot," she replied sheepishly.

".... What?"

Shinobu sighs, knowing full well that this dense man won't be able to understand the implicit connotations of either his actions or her statements.

If only there was some way to explicitly convey her affection without it being misconstrued.

She steals a glimpse of his countenance.

"Ara-ara, you sure are one sloppy eater, Tomioka," Shinobu takes a closer look at his face.

"I am?"

"There's a noodle stuck to your cheek," she points out.

"Oh, which side?" he asks, hoping to remove it as soon as possible.

"Here, I'll help you," Shinobu hoists herself towards Giyuu.

It happened within seconds. And yet, it felt so long.

As he watched her face fly by, Giyuu suddenly captured the fragrant aroma of such a delicate, yet tantalizing essence that resembled nothing artificial or exaggerated. It all seemed inherently applicable to its setting.

The scent of Wisteria.

He caught the sight of Shinobu's violet eye, its alluring color engrossing the attention of his optical organs.

He felt a peck to his right cheek. It was soft, gentle, and full of tenderness. He could feel the warmth of her lips, placating his senses and bringing peace to his mind.

It was most extraordinary.

Following that development, Shinobu was quick to perch back onto the bench. She remained situated in that spot without a word or an explanation to her abnormal movements and behavior.

Her lineaments were completely straight and expressionless.

Giyuu blinked twice, '... What just happened?'

The Hashiras simply sat there in the gut-wrenching stillness; no words were contrived, no sound could be perceived, and no thorough examinations of one another's facial expressions could be distinguished.

"That's..." Shinobu squeaked, blushing, "your reward..."

Giyuu felt an acute sensation in his heart, "Oh..."

His heartbeat quickened for some godforsaken reason, "What... for....?"

"For being you," she concealed her face from his line of sight.

Giyuu's eyes widened.

That is certainly the most peculiar thing he has heard yet.

But it's also the most comforting utterance he had the privilege of hearing.

All his life, Giyuu had loathed the way he was; he disliked his nonsocial personality, his weaknesses, and his inability to protect loved ones.

But this very moment was an aberration beyond reasoning.

Here was someone telling him, face-to-face, that she had a high opinion of him as an individual. Not as the Water Hashira, not as Tomioka-san the slayer, but simply as Tomioka Giyuu.

He didn't know what to make of any of this.

Giyuu cleared his throat, "I'll return the bowls... Since we're done eating..."

Shinobu merely nodded.

..

..

As he made his way back, Giyuu contemplated the implications of Shinobu's conduct thus far.

Ever since the start of this mission, there was something different about her.

She's been acting a lot more strange lately. From the weird incident that same morning to whatever happened just now.

Why was she acting like this?

Did something happen down in the sewers to induce such a dramatic shift?

Or is this just the natural progression of things?

Giyuu didn't know.

'Maybe I'm overthinking this...' he sighs.

Then, he heard a faint whimper.

'What was that?'

The resonance of the cries came from nearby the corner of the intersection between the alleyway and Main Street.

He followed the noise to its source.

Eventually, he had reached this secluded location, albeit it wasn't too far away from the hordes of pedestrians and other avid spectators of the upcoming fireworks display.

There was a young girl, probably between the ages of five or seven, sniveling as a trail of tears flowed down her cheeks.

She was accoutered in a pink kimono fastened with a red obi sash.

'There's obviously something wrong... She's probably lost. I'll ask her,' he evaluates the situation.

Unfortunately, the Water Hashira was unsure of how to properly converse with the girl; he isn't exactly the connoisseur of communication.

"Good evening, fellow denizen of Yokohama," he started with a very formal tone of voice.

The girl abruptly halts her cries and slowly lifts her head to look at her interlocutor.

A few seconds pass as the girl and Giyuu just stares at each other.

However, upon looking at the Hashira's face, she started bawling her eyes out once again.

"Waah!!"

"Uh... Don't cry. Uh...." Giyuu panicked, he wasn't sure why the girl was crying again.

"Your face is scary!!" she continued sobbing.

Effectively scoring a home run against his self-image, the girl basically destroyed Giyuu's confidence in the management of this predicament.

'Oh Kami-sama, what am I supposed to do now...' he lamented.

What's worse, the myriad of whispers from behind was appraising the Water Hashira's handling of the situation as if he were some elected, government official to the Japanese House of Representatives.

"What a horrible father!"

"Such shame! He treats his daughter with no respect!"

"What a despicable man!"

"Careful, he might hear us!"

"Is that man trying to abduct her?"

"Kids these days, always crying!"

"Grandpa, you cried yesterday."

Giyuu was now sweating profusely, 'I've really messed up this time...'

"Looks like you found yourself in quite the pinch, Tomioka," Shinobu called from behind as she approached him.

Giyuu turned around to greet his savior.

"Help me."

"Should've just asked me to deal with things from the start," she exhales.

"Alright, move over," she then commands.

Giyuu compiled, and Shinobu subsequently crouched down to attain modus vivendi with respect to their height difference—Shinobu aimed to speak directly with the child.

"Is something the matter?" With a calming, soothing voice, Shinobu immediately grabs the attention of the girl whilst coaxing her to reciprocate the gesture by means of a conversation.

"I-I... d-don't... know... where... M-Mama... and P-Papa are..." she sniffles between her words.

"Oh no, you poor child. You must've been scared, right?" Shinobu frowns, utilizing pathos to augment her credibility.

"Y-Yeah..." the girl gulps.

"In that case, why don't we find them together? I'll be by your side," Shinobu smiles, establishing a cordial dialogue with the kid.

"O-Okay..." she accepts, though there is dither in her cadence.

"I'm Kocho Shinobu, he's Tomioka Giyuu," Shinobu begins introductions in order to initiate a baseline for an atmosphere of familiarity, "and what's yours?"

"R-Rena Naho..." she answered.

"Rena Naho. That's a lovely name!" Shinobu compliments with serene, phlegmatic elocution.

"You are one lucky girl, Rena-chan," she adds while grinning.

"T-Thank you, Miss..." Naho replied softly.

"Want to hold hands?" Shinobu proffers.

The girl initially looked as if she was going to welcome the offer, but then hesitantly backed away.

"What's wrong?" Shinobu queried.

"H-He... looks scary..." Naho points towards Giyuu.

Shinobu turned to give Giyuu a look that said: 'You're not helping.'

Giyuu dismissed her concerns by returning the gesture: 'Can't do anything about it.'

"Oh, Tomioka?" Shinobu turns back to Naho. "Don't worry about him. He may be scary on the outside, but he's harmless."

"Really?" Naho asked innocently.

"Yep! He's like a turtle!" Shinobu exclaims.

"Turtle?"

"He likes to be cooped up in his little bubble all day, like how turtles hide in their shells! So, he's very shy because of that," Shinobu expounds.

"Hold on—" Giyuu was about to protest.

"Hehe! He's a turtle!" Naho laughs.

"Mhm! So you should whisper around him, he doesn't like loud noises—otherwise, he might run away like a turtle!" Shinobu was adding more layers and depth to Giyuu's fictional character t̶h̶a̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶a̶u̶t̶h̶o̶r̶ ̶p̶o̶s̶s̶i̶b̶l̶y̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶m̶a̶i̶n̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶t̶a̶g̶o̶n̶i̶s̶t̶s̶ ̶.

'I can't tell if she's trying to defame me or not...' Giyuu was left to wonder.

"Okaaay! Oop—" Naho, realizing her mistake, begins to whisper, "Sorry Turtle-san."

Giyuu conjures up a staid response, "Yep... That's me..."

..

..

While Naho was tightly gripping Shinobu's left hand, Giyuu was walking right behind them.

The Hashiras were navigating Naho through a congested crowd, their destination was locations Naho dwelled previously before ending up near that alleyway.

Hopefully, through this measure, they will be able to find her parents.

But that's easier said than done.

After all, they are right in the heart of Yokohama, one of the biggest and fastest-growing cities in Japan. Looking for Naho's parents is synonymous with looking for a single needle in a haystack.

"Miss?" Naho called out, her cadence evoking low spirits, "Will we find Mama and Papa?"

"Of course, Rena-chan. We will be sure to find them no matter what. So, don't you worry about a thing," Shinobu replied cheerfully.

"Thank you, Miss!" Naho's morale was boosted, "And Turtle-san!"

"We are happy to help you, Rena-chan," The Insect Hashira smiled graciously.

Giyuu simply nodded.

Shinobu looks behind at her partner.

"Tomioka? Don't you want to come up here?" she suggests.

"I'm fine," he answers.

She stares at him for a bit, "Well, suit yourself."

Giyuu had purposefully positioned himself behind the two.

The reason was simple: He was fascinated by the interactions between Shinobu and Naho.

It reminded him of how he and Tsutako used to speak to each other.

..

..

A young Giyuu was giving her the silent treatment.

"Now, Giyuu, you know you must attend school," Tsutako said, her deportment was still ​​equanimous, but she was a little sterner this time.

"No." He huffed in disapproval.

Tsutako sighed, "I know you want to tag along with me to work, but you have other responsibilities now."

"Hmph!"

"That attitude won't get you salmon daikon tonight~" she plays her cards against him.

".... Hmph!" not even a delicious dinner could sway Giyuu over.

"You're just as stubborn as I ever was..." Tsutako remarks as she attempts to formulate a solution for this conundrum.

'No matter what, I'm not gonna go to school! I wanna go with Nee-san!' Giyuu was determined to see through with this plan no matter what.

But Tsutako had a trick up her sleeve.

"Tickle, Tickle, Tickle!" she began to lightly prod his sides nonstop.

"Hahahahahaha!!! Nee-san! Ahahahh!! Stop! Hahahaha!!!" Giyuu couldn't control his laughter.

"I won't until you agree to go to schooool!" she says playfully.

"Ok! Hahahhahah! Okay! Hahahhahah! I'll go! I'll g—Ahahah!" Giyuu capitulates.

Tsutako finally stops, "Well, that did the trick."

Giyuu was breathing heavily, "That... wasn't fair...!"

"But it worked," she smiled.

He pouted, "I still wanna stay with you Nee-san... I don't need school if I'm with you; you're a great teacher!"

"Oh, Giyuu, you know I can't teach everything. Besides, you'll be able to make lots of friends at school!" she exclaims.

"..." he didn't reply.

"How about this: If you go to school today, I'll make salmon daikon today AND tomorrow," Tsutako presents a compromise.

Giyuu could feel his mouth watery at the thought of it, "Yes... Please..."

Tsutako smirked, "Worked like a charm!"

"Hey, no fair!" Giyuu fell for his sister's crafty plan.

"Hahaha! Better luck next time!"

While Giyuu had indeed lost, he could help but laugh alongside Tsutako.

Is it because of the prospect of eating more salmon daikon?

Maybe.

But, more so, it was a way to poke fun at this ridiculous dispute.

Especially at the fact that it was resolved by nothing more than some tickles and a fish.

..

..

'She really is like her...' Giyuu muses.

Seeing how well Shinobu managed to communicate and convey her well-intentioned goals to Naho with ease gave Giyuu a striking impression of his late sister.

To him, it was like Tsutako appeared before him.

After all, Shinobu does resemble Tsutako on multiple accounts.

Giyuu began to understand why he always harbored such a deep fascination for this woman.

Because, one way or another, Kocho Shinobu reminded him of Tomioka Tsutako.

Maybe that's why he always gives her special treatment, why he was always looking out for her.

Within her, he saw an opportunity to make up for the wrongs of the past; he had to succeed with Shinobu where he failed with Tsutako.

He had to save the Insect Hashira, as that would—in his mind—bring redemption for the misdeeds of the past.

Where he was weak, he had to be strong.

Where he was cowardly, he had to be defiant.

Where he couldn't save Tsutako, he had to save Shinobu.

They continued their saunter down the copious amounts of stalls.

"Miss, do you like fireworks?" Naho asks.

"Of course, do you?" said Shinobu, her restful voice brings reassurance to Naho.

"I do! They're so beautiful! They're also a bit loud, which scares me, but I like them anyway!" Naho said excitedly.

Naho was obviously an exuberant type of child; she's quite rambunctious at times.

Shinobu giggles, "Hahaha, is that why you're here today?"

"Yep! Mama said that, if I was good at school, she and Papa would take me to the Summer Festival!"

"Ooh. How's school going?" Shinobu poses another question.

"I love it! I get to meet and play with my friends!" Naho answers with a jubilant demeanor.

Then, it was Naho who asked a question, "Do you two not go to school anymore? Mama said that if I turn old enough, I'll be able to skip school!"

"You are correct, Rena-chan. Neither Turtle-san—"

'I can hear that from here, Kocho,' Giyuu didn't take the liberty of actually saying anything at all.

"—and I go to school," Shinobu finished.

"Woooow! What do you do, then? Mama says that people work in the rice fields after school," Naho's insatiable curiosity was on full display.

"Not everyone, Rena-chan. For example, I am a doctor. And Turtle-san is... well, a turtle," Shinobu explains.

"I'm not a turtle," Giyuu finally says.

"What was that, Turtle-san?" Shinobu rejoins.

The Water Hashira vowed retaliation.

"... Rena-san, do you want something to eat?" Giyuu asks.

"Shaved ice, pleeassee!!" she supplicates.

"Kocho?"

"Well, why not. We can share one together," she proposes.

"I'll be getting two kids-sized then," Giyuu asserts as he prepares to walk towards thither.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Shinobu instantly deciphered the innuendo to identify the ridicule she was being subjected to.

"You would probably require a kids-sized, as that commensurates to your present behavior," Giyuu said placidly.

A vein protrudes from Shinobu's temples, "Oh really? Is that so? Even if I'm eighteen years of age? Even if I just said that we were going to share one together?"

"... Yes."

"How funny of you, Tomioka. By that logic, I could call you 'Turtle-san' for an eternity," she counters.

"That would be most unwise, Kocho," Giyuu replies.

"Tell me, are you insinuating that my behavior is akin to a child?"

"..."

"At least I don't scare away kids," she retorts.

"I don't try to," he defends.

"Well that's too bad because you do," she ripostes

Suddenly, both felt a tug against their hands—it was Naho.

"Miss and Turtle-san are like Mama and Papa!" she said as she clasped one hand with Shinobu's, and the other with Giyuu's.

The Hashiras looked at her with bewilderment, then looked at each other.

Shinobu smiled, "Good grief, we really are like some children ourselves."

Giyuu could tell it was a genuine smile. In fact, he noticed Shinobu's smiles were more authentic and less feigned nowadays.

He liked that.

He very much liked that.

He was enamored by that smile.

That radiance of happiness and love.

The bringer of joy and ebullience.

A gesture that can impart so much knowledge and bring so much life into people's souls.

He just loved it.

So much so, in fact, that he instinctively decided to reciprocate it.

Giyuu, in an unprecedented gesticulation, let out a small, but discernible smile.

"Yeah... We really are," he grinned.

Shinobu goggled at the man with amazement.

"You're... smiling..." she said.

"Huh... I guess I am," he replied.

With the number of pent-up emotions already building up inside of her, Giyuu's smile made her want to confess and kiss him immediately.

It was like she was rediscovering why she loved Giyuu through that smile.

That infectious, gentle expression—it was becoming the very image of her sentiments. The meticulous portrayal of what she has spent days pondering over. The most concise, yet thorough elucidation of her emotions.

The raw ardor, passion, and infatuation she still cannot fully understand or come to terms with yet.

Nevertheless, it was all right there.

The projection of her love into the material world.

That timeless, boundless, and eternal phenomenon. The flexible, incorruptible, and infinite feeling of contentment.

She saw all of that within that damn smile.

"Tomioka..." her face reddened—she was, in fact, more flustered by this development than she was when she kissed him on the cheek.

"Kocho..." he was taken aback as well.

"Naho! Naho!" a womanly voice yelled.

"Naho!!" a masculine elocution shouted.

"Mama, Papa? Mama!! Papa!!" Naho promptly ran towards the source of the voices.

"Oh, Naho!" The woman subsequently embraced her as she ran into her arms, "We were so worried!"

"Don't go off running like that ever again!" The man chastised, but then soon relaxed. "Come here, give your Papa a hug!"

As the family reunited, Giyuu and Shinobu recomposed themselves and addressed the aforementioned group.

"You are Rena-chan's parents, am I correct?" Shinobu greeted.

"Ah yes, did you two look after her?" the mother asks.

"Yeah! They were so nice!" Naho said with vehemence.

"In that case, we cannot thank you enough for that... uh..." the father obviously struggled with identifying their names.

"Kocho Shinobu," she bowed.

"Tomioka Giyuu," he did as well.

"Kocho-san, Tomioka-san, we are in your debt," the mother said as she gave a formal bow, the father followed too.

"Please, don't trouble yourselves," Shinobu respectfully says. "We only wish for the three of you to enjoy this special occasion tonight."

"Thank you so much," the mother reiterated.

"Thank you for helping our little Naho," the father restated.

"And thank you for raising such a wonderful girl," Shinobu returned.

"Hehehe! You're embarrassing me!" Naho giggled.

"Hahaha!" the Father chuckled, "Well, we have to be on our way now. But you two enjoy this festival as well. Again, we express our eternal gratitude."

"I don't know what would've become of Naho if she weren't with you two," the mother added.

"Just don't forget to keep an eye on your child next time," Giyuu stated.

"Of course," the Father bowed again, "we shall be off now."

"Naho, show your gratitude to them," the mother instructs.

Naho cheerfully bows, "Thank you Miss and Turtle-san! I had fun!"

"Don't run off again, alright?" Shinobu advises.

"Of course!"

And thus, the Rena family departed from the vicinity.

It was a very strange instance for the Hashiras, but a welcoming one nonetheless.

Even so, both Shinobu and Giyuu couldn't help but look fixedly at the happy family.

Watching Naho and her family left them both wistful.

It was a plaintive view for them to observe.

After all, one is a child who longed for something he never experienced. While the other is a child who longed for something she lost.

The guidance, the bonds, and the experience of parental love.

They both wanted it, but it was long gone for either of them.

"Rena-san!" Giyuu, in a feat that wholly surprised Shinobu, yelled, "Don't forget to thank your parents!"

Neither of them knew if she heard that—the Rena family was pretty far away at that point.

But it encapsulated what both felt at that moment.

What it felt like to be an orphan.

..

..

It would be pitch-black, if not for the convenience of street lamps.

The Hashiras were quietly hiking up a small hill, hoping to get a better view of the fireworks display once it begins.

And, unlike the crowded areas down near the food stalls, the hills were relatively-speaking—and surprisingly—locations of sparse populations.

Giyuu was the first to speak, "You are certainly compatible with children."

Shinobu raised an eyebrow, "That's an odd way of putting it... But yeah, I suppose I am. After all, Nee-san and I did have to raise Kanao, Aoi, Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho."

"The Butterfly Mansion staff?"

"Yeah."

"I see..."

They carried on with their leisurely stroll.

"Kocho..." Giyuu suddenly says.

"Yes, Tomioka?"

"I think you would make a good wife..."

"..."

"..."

"What... do you mean by that... Tomioka...?"

Giyuu abruptly stops walking, and Shinobu follows suit.

He turns to face her.

The tension within the atmosphere was too great, both hearts were beating at a rapid pace.

Their breathing had become less perennial and more periodical.

Beads of sweat glistened upon reflecting the beams of the incandescent street lights.

Neither of them knew what was going to happen next, but they were well aware that it would be something crucial. Something that demanded their full attention.

Giyuu started.

"Kocho, I...—"

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

The crackle of fireworks engulfs the sky. The whistle that precedes each sizzle indicates the deployment of such pyrotechnic devices.

"Fireworks..." Shinobu looked up.

Giyuu, too, pivoted his neck up to the heavens.

*Bang* *Bang*

"They're beautiful..." Shinobu was in awe.

"Yeah..." Giyuu was enraptured as well.

The riveting sparkles of the fireworks bring life to the darkness of the starless, night sky in the city. Its dazzling gaze beguiles the numerous citizens of this great, transforming city.

Emotions are running high.

Young, naive conscripts are being sent off to war. Young, rural families are having to adjust to the pandemonium of city life. The youth face the conundrum of having to be betrothed in arranged marriages. Children are astonished by how the world around them is rapidly changing in these peculiar times.

Orange, yellow, green, blue, red, and so much more.

The arching fireworks light the sky as rainbows of starlight.

Giyuu rotates his head back towards Shinobu.

More so than the fireworks, he is bewitched by her smile.

He stares at her facial expression.

The smooth, creamy skin. The pristine lipstick. The enchanting, amethyst eyes. The neatly configured yakai-maki coiffure.

He is enticed by her. By her appearance, by her character, by her actions, and by her past.

No matter how many altercations they tend to get into, Giyuu had genuinely enjoyed their time together, and he wanted to be with her forever.

He felt elated.

She was by his side.

She was going to be safe...

And yet, as happy as he was, an inexplicable feeling of sadness discloses itself.

Within his pensive mood, a melancholic sentiment overwhelmed him.

Why?

Why now?

She's right here next to him.

She will be protected...

Right?

"You can't win against destiny."

Something was gnawing away his spirits.

He was beginning to remember.

"Just give up. She won't live."

He can't allow that.

No matter what.

He can't just give up so haphazardly.

"And there's nothing you will be able to do."

But there is.

He can still protect her!

He's the Water Hashira, for god's sake!

He didn't train for years on end only to become useless again!

The memories of the Infinite Castle and Shinobu's final moments come rushing back into his head—like a malignant tumor attempting to erase any semblance of a healthy brain.

That's right...

It is by her own will that she will die...

"You saw it, didn't you? You should already know all of this," he jeers.

He did see it.

He saw every last second of it.

He saw her final moments, her final breath, and her final words.

She was so full of hatred.

Being driven by anger entrusts one with so much power, but also curses them with blindness—the inability to see how their obsession is destroying both themselves and the people around them.

It's a double-edged sword.

"It's not that she can't be saved, but more like she doesn't want to be saved. It's as simple as that."

How can you protect someone who wants to die?

Is it even possible?

"It's hopeless. You'll never be able to save her. She will be dead... on her own accord."

And he won't be able to do a single thing.

He will be just as useless, helpless, and incompetent as all the other times.

She will die like how Tsutako perished—by the hands of a demon.

And there is nothing, absolutely nothing, Tomioka Giyuu will be able to do about it.

Because, in the end, he is still that 10-year-old kid.

That cowardly, distasteful, repugnant child. The one everyone in town called mentally insane. The one who was abandoned by both his family and his friends.

He hasn't changed one bit.

——— Kocho Shinobu ———

——— 1896-1916 ———

That empty casket will be full soon.

The missing piece will be recovered.

Soon, there will be four bodies instead of three.

All the coffins will be occupied.

And Tomioka Giyuu's life will be complete.

A life of tragedy, loss, and grief.

"Your soul will forever be hollow."

Nothing felt right anymore.

Everything felt futile.

He felt lost.

Lost in his mind.

Lost in his hollowed soul.

Despair.

He feels something trickle down his cheeks.

He's too distracted to fully take notice of it.

Too distracted watching Shinobu from afar.

She is so close to him, but simultaneously so far away.

And, in due time, she will be somewhere he will never be able to reach.

She will be far, far away. Beyond his reach. Beyond his comprehension.

"Wow... They have purple ones as well..." Shinobu commented.

She turned to him, "Isn't that right, Tomiok—"

She stopped.

Almost immediately, Shinobu's face loses its jocund expression; the lineaments are exhibiting a serious expression.

She raises her right hand and gently caresses Giyuu's cheek, wiping away whatever was lightly touching him before.

"Tomioka... Why are you crying...?" she asked melancholically and concerningly.

Never, in the six years she knew him, had Shinobu seen Giyuu so emotional, so afraid, and so fragile.

He was in despair.

It all feels so hopeless like destiny is working against him.

As if the forces of the universe are conspiring against him, he can't do anything. Nothing at all.

Kocho Shinobu will die and he can't do a damn thing.

He will never see that smile again. He will never listen to her teasing again. He will never be able to hug and touch her again.

She won't be there for him.

He wanted to hold her hand and tell her everything.

Tell her about what troubles him, what emaciated his soul, and what causes grief within him.

But he just couldn't.

"I'm... sorry..." his voice cracked.

Then, he briskly ambulated away, hoping to avoid her presence.

Where he was going, he did not know.

Perhaps that's the summary of his life: Aimless walking with no destination.

He just couldn't bear to see her anymore.

Something stings inside his chest once he sees her.

He must get away.

..

..

It was in the middle of a forest.

He didn't know how long he was walking, but he could no longer hear the commotion of the festive congregations.

Nonetheless, she had followed him here.

"Tomioka," she sets her hand on his shoulder, "tell me what's wrong."

She was staring straight at his back; he refused to look at her.

Looking at Shinobu corrodes his soul and weakens his heart.

He can't bear it.

Giyuu's face furrows, "Why did you follow me...?"

"Why wouldn't I follow you...?" she replies.

"..."

"Something is troubling you," she states.

"I'm fine."

"You're clearly not," she counters.

"..."

"Please, talk to me, Tomoika," she emphatically says.

"..."

"Please..." she whispers.

"..."

"I'll always be here for you..."

Those words alone provoked his ire.

"Don't act like you don't know..." he mutters.

"You're hurt right now, I know that. Just... don't ignore me, Tomioka. I want to help you," she answers.

"..."

"I want to protect you..."

"..."

"I really care about you, Tomioka. More than you think..."

"It's all a ruse. She's lying to you."

"I always have been..."

"She's deceiving you," his contemptible voice echoes.

"Tomioka..."

"Is this another one of your lies?" Giyuu growled.

"What?"

"Tell me Kocho, do you really think you can fool me with those fake emotions?" He glowers at her.

"Fake... Emotions...?" Shinobu was aghast.

"You think I don't know? You think I wouldn't notice?"

"Tomioka, what are you—"

"You've lied to me after all these years, and now you're trying to deceive me even further..." he was drowning deeper and deeper into his paranoia

Giyuu was losing control of his emotions; the anger inside of him is trying to vie for control.

"Deceive you...? Tomioka, why would I do such a thing? Why would I deceive one of the only few people I trust," said Shinobu.

"If she really trusted you, then she would've told you everything by now. She would've scrapped the entire damn plan, wouldn't she?"

"Trust?" he snarled, "You say you trust me? And yet, you hide everything from me?"

"Hide? What did I hide from you, Tomioka?"

"Why..." he murmurs.

"Tomioka...?"

"Your beloved Kocho-san is going to abandon you."

"Why? Why do you want to abandon everything...?"

Then, it hit Shinobu harder than a moving train, "Tomioka... You.... know...?"

"..."

"How? How did you find out?" her voice shakes violently.

"None of that matters anyway, because you're preordained to succeed. Congratulations. A well-earned accolade."

"W-Wait, Tomioka, let me explain—"

"What's there left to explain? You've got what you wanted. Be grateful," he said bitterly.

"Tomioka! Listen to me! I don't—!"

"NO! You listen to Tsuyuri-san, you listen to Kanzaki-san, and you listen to the late Flower Hashira! See what they have to say! But, I suppose that's asking too much of you considering how much of that shit you've already injected into your body."

"Just... listen..." Shinobu's voice sounded feeble, she looked down in despair.

"Why should I? You've only been lying to me all these years."

"No... that's not true..."

"Tell me, were the last two weeks also a ruse?" he questions.

Shinobu raises her head back up, "No! No! None of that was a lie! I really do lo—"

"They probably were. After all, you've been doing this for years..." Giyuu gritted his teeth.

"That's not true..." Shinobu said, utterly dejected.

"Everything! Every last damn sentence! A goddamn lie!" he was losing himself.

"Don't say that..."

"You never cared about me!"

"No..."

"You only ever cared about your stupid plan!"

"..."

"You just want to leave me..." he sighs, "But I guess that's my fault as well... After all, I'm a horrible human being. I suppose it does make sense why you would want to distance yourself from someone like me..."

"..."

He turns around, "I've seen enough to—"

He was frozen.

A cataract of droplets was streaming down from Shinobu's eyes. Her face was a mess, a countenance expressing sadness in the purest of forms had manifested itself.

And yet, there was no sound, no hint of sobbing. Instead, it's only the visual representation of the pain the Giyuu has exacted upon her.

A deep pang of guilt promptly began gnawing away his bones.

"I.. I... Kocho..." he couldn't get it out.

That feeling was confined to his chest. He wanted to let it all out, but that was simply impossible.

Every passing second, that sensation slowly morphed into agonizing, aching, and stinging pain against his heart.

"Kocho... I.... We... We will rendezvous at Arata Fumiko's place," he curtly says.

Giyuu then begins running at full speed in the opposite direction.

He leaves behind a woman drowning in her own misery.

..

..

..

..

..

..

Giyuu

I stopped running.

I stare into the eternal abyss.

I really did it this time.

I interrupted her.

I insulted her.

I didn't listen to her.

I... I hurt her...

She probably hates me now... and for good reason.

What was I doing back there?! What the hell was I thinking?!

Why did I let that bastard take over?!

Godammit!!

I let my emotions run amok again...

This is why I created that emotionless shell in the first place. So that incidents such as these never occur.

But I was too naive.

I thought that, if I let myself free, I would be able to experience new things and understand the world better.

No... Instead, I was blinded by my hatred again.

And worse, I've directed that hatred against her...

Kocho... I'm sorry.

You hate me now.... You definitely do... You will never forgive me... And understandably so.

I'm such a horrible person...

I don't deserve any of your affection. I was never worthy of it anyway.

"..."

I continue to walk under the brimming and desolate street lamps as I steadily make my way through the darkness of the night.

..

..

..

..

..

..

Shinobu

What... What was I expecting...?

Just admitting to loving him will magically solve everything? That I didn't consider the possibility that he might hate me?

I'm such a fool.

A naive little girl who can't accurately comprehend this world.

What am I supposed to do?

The tears just won't stop.

I can't control myself.

It's too painful...

I love him so much... So much that it hurts...

Tell me, someone, what should I do?

Tell me...

"You're just gonna have to be patient with him," the voice of Old Tomioka-san echoes in my head.

Tomioka-san, I'm sorry.

It was never his fault.

I'm the reason why you will live in despair in the future.

I'm the reason why... he hates me now...

No amount of time will make him forget this.

He despises me.

Loathes me.

And it's all my fault.

Everything.

"..."

I gaze upon the starlit sky. Its blazing illumination touches the crevice of my soul.

I carefully start walking again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Notes:

Did the ending feel rushed?

I'm only asking cause, once again, I wrote this at 2 in the morning.

So, might've messed up somewhere.