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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What had been.

..

..

Within the narrow, but welcoming, halls and corridors of mahogany brown, a young girl was approaching her destination with great haste.

Though her eyes were fixed with a stern and determined view, her mind was in turmoil and her heart ached with worry.

As she walked through the maze that was the Butterfly Manor, she swiftly arrived at a subsection of the medical infirmary—where patients were delegated private rooms in the event of an extended convalescence.

Frantically perusing the individual nameplates on each door, she endeavored to locate a specific room.

Finally, her purple irises caught wind of her intended destination.

As she stood before the shoji screen door, however, she experienced a dreadful wave of trepidation, nervousness, and general anxiety at what was to come.

But, realizing the exigence of the situation, she mustered her courage and took a deep breath.

Then, with her eyes not averting and her resolve unwavering, she slid the door open.

Rattle

She came barging in, her concerned state of mind conspicuously on display due to the irregular subtleties in her movements and mannerisms.

After all, she couldn't hide her worries: "Tomioka-san are you okay—?!"

"Open your mouth wide~" Another familiar voice requested.

"Eh?" Shinobu stopped.

Thereafter, the young demon slayer's eyes widened upon witnessing the bizarre scene before her, "N-Nee-san?!?!"

Before she could deliver the spoonful of soup to her patient, Kanae—who was seated on a stool situated adjacent to the bed—halted her movements and glanced to the side.

She grinned widely upon seeing her sister, "Ah, Shinobu! You wanted to see how Tomioka-san was doing?"

Giyuu, still reclining against the bed, acknowledged her presence by way of a simple nod, "Kocho-san."

Shinobu didn't know why, but she felt quite irritated at the notion of Kanae tending to Giyuu instead of her.

Especially considering how she's been personally treating Giyuu during their weekly medical checkups, this imagery of another individual—much less her own sister—helping the Water Hashira appeared, at least purportedly, to be an affront to her pride as a doctor.

Consequently, she shot a glare at Giyuu, "Well, looks like I'm not needed here."

Giyuu returned the gesture with a quizzical look, 'Is she mad at me...?'

"Oh, don't say that! I was about to feed Tomioka-san since he is unable to use his hands at the moment. But you can take over now," Kanae lightly brushed away.

"What?! You can't use your hands, Tomioka-san?" Shinobu asked, slightly perturbed by the revelation.

"I... burned my hands..." Giyuu answered somewhat hesitantly.

Without forethought, Shinobu quickly approached the bedside.

She was visibly disturbed upon observing the layers of bandages wrapped around the Water Hashira's hands, completely depriving him of the ability to utilize them for any purposes whatsoever.

She frowned, "How did this happen? Weren't you two on a mission together?"

"I burned my hands," Giyuu answered staidly.

"And?"

"I burned my hands."

"Tomioka-san, you can't just put a word limit on your sentences," Shinobu groaned in frustration.

"Allow me then," The Flower Hashira stepped in.

"We had a little skirmish with a runaway demon inside a residential complex. But, before we could finish the enemy, it intentionally set the house aflame, forcing the Water Hashira and myself to save the inhabitants," she explained.

"And then, there was a young boy whose legs got caught under a plank of burning wood, forcing Tomioka-san here to utilize his hands to lift the log and rescue the poor boy."

"Why'd you use your hands? Couldn't you have used your Nichirin Blade to cut the burning wood?" Shinobu turned to Giyuu.

"... I had performed mental calculations and deemed the angular momentum of the blade to be lethal," Giyuu answered plainly.

"In other words, Tomioka-san didn't want to risk hurting the boy!" Kanae translated.

"Even so..." Shinobu sighed, still uncomfortable with Giyuu's preferred course of action. "You should be careful, burning your skin is no laughing matter."

"Shinobu's right, you know," Kanae directed her response to Giyuu. "I myself was quite shocked when you outright lifted a flaming log with just your bare hands."

"It was the optimal solution."

"How so?" Shinobu pressed.

"First, you have to set up a Lagrangian subject to certain constraints, or you could take the gradient of the parameterized function—"

"I didn't mean the solution to a math problem!!" Shinobu protested.

"Oh wow, Tomioka-san, could you go into detail? I'm sure Shinobu here would enjoy it," Kanae snickered.

"No! I don't!" The younger sister vociferated.

"There's a probabilistic solution to the problem, if you are interested," said Giyuu, still unaware of his interlocutor's unwillingness to sit through a lecture.

"Perhaps after you eat," Kanae raised, deftly avoiding the dreaded university lecture.

Before Kanae could proceed with grabbing the spoon and bowl, Shinobu instinctively grasped her wrist—obstructing the Flower Hashira's movement.

"Who said you could feed him?" Shinobu declared sternly.

"Ooh, what's this? Are you jealous, Shinobu?" Kanae poked fun.

"Wha— No I'm not! I'm simply asking why you're taking care of Tomioka-san when you have other duties to attend to," Shinobu felt her face heat up, something she seldom experienced even in response to her older sister's quips.

"The Flower Hashira volunteered to aid me in the recuperation, and Oyakata-sama sanctioned the motion," Giyuu informed.

"But you're letting Nee-san feed you?! Of all people!" Shinobu exclaimed with exasperation, as the subject matter—the fact that someone other than her was spoon-feeding Giyuu—seemed to aggravate her more profoundly.

"Oh, don't blame him, Shinobu. It was either I fed him or he wasn't going to eat, so I basically forced him," Kanae smiled, albeit with a slightly ominous demeanor to it. "Isn't that right, Tomioka-san?"

"... Right..." Giyuu acknowledged placidly.

"ANYWAYS," Shinobu pronounced, "I'm here now, so you should leave, Nee-san. I'll take care of things now"

Kanae then promptly 'whispered' into Giyuu's ear, though loud enough for Shinobu to overhear, "She says this, but when she was younger she would never let go of my hand—"

"Nee-san! Stop telling him that!" Shinobu, now completely flustered, began to wildly flail her arms around them—a gesture that commensurates to her present state of embarrassment.

"Aww, you're as cute as ever, Shinobu. Isn't that right, Tomioka-san?" Kanae chaffed once again, being ruthless in her effort to tease the younger slayer.

"Uh..." Giyuu didn't know what to make of the situation.

"Don't you DARE answer that!" Shinobu hurled a warning to the Water Hashira.

"And you!" She then turned to the Flower Hashira. "Get out!"

"Hehe, as you wish," Kanae upraised herself from the stool and subsequently made her way to the shoji door.

Shinobu eyed her closely, not in the mood to fall prey to any more of her older sister's antics.

Rattle

Kanae slid the door open, poised to leave the premises.

But, before she did, she turned around and emitted an impish smirk—one that Shinobu knew would presage a cheeky comment.

"I see you want him all for yourself, Shinobu," Kanae teased before leaving the room.

Shinobu was now red as a tomato, "Nee-san!!!"

..

..

Giyuu watched in silence as Shinobu organized the medicinal herbs and the associated, miniature glass bottles of medication.

Since Kanae's departure, it had only been an uncomfortable, suffocating stillness that enveloped the small room and its two inhabitants.

Though not overt with her words or actions, Shinobu's disposition exuded an acute sense of annoyance and vexation directed at the patient within the room.

Sensing these turbulent emotions, the Water Hashira was unsure as to whether he ought to say something or stay silent in the event that he might exacerbate the tense situation with his socially inept way of words.

'Perhaps she wants to be alone right now...' He surmised internally, completely misconstruing the underlying reason behind her attitude.

Thankfully for him, Shinobu took the liberty of speaking first: "I've prepared a few things that might help ease the pain."

"No need," said Giyuu.

"I'm sorry?"

"The pain isn't debilitating," Giyuu clarified.

"You're still hurt, no?" Shinobu queried.

"The pain isn't debilitating," Giyuu repeated.

"So what? The pain is still there."

"The pain isn't debili—"

"Are you broken record, Tomioka-san?" Shinobu interrupted sardonically.

"No."

Shinobu exhaled, "I'm asking if you're experiencing pain right now. In your hands."

"I am."

"Then you need the medicine," she gathered the bottles.

"There's no need for that," Giyuu asserted.

Shinobu raised an eyebrow, "And why's that?"

"There just isn't."

"Tomioka-san, you're really getting on my nerves with your inability to elaborate," veins protrude from the corners of Shinobu's forehead.

"I don't need the medicine."

Shinobu felt provoked beyond measure.

"Why not?!" She huffed.

"I just don't."

"Tomioka-san, just please give me a reason as to why you're acting like this," Shinobu replied harshly.

"... You should leave," Giyuu stated.

"What?" Shinobu said faintly, feeling weak all of a sudden.

'Good, now she can leave and not be burdened by my presence,' the thick-headed Water Hashira gave himself a mental pat on the back.

"You may leave if you wish," Giyuu answered, his staid delivery paradoxically serving to compound the cruel nature of his words.

"I... I don't understand..." Shinobu whispered, her cadence now expressing a dejected tone.

"I think it's better if you vacate the room," said Giyuu, unknowingly aggravating the altercation.

As if those words ignited something within her, Shinobu felt awashed with an array of conflicting feelings and thoughts: she was confused, angry, jealous, annoyed, and bitter all at once.

In fact, this release of emotions was merely the crescendo of a much wider development; from the moment she was informed of the Water Hashira's condition, Shinobu endured a whirlwind of emotional distress that weighed down on her heart.

Was it the frustration of her inability to come to the immediate assistance of an injured Giyuu, necessitating that her sister take her role? Was it the image of Kanae being close to Giyuu? Was it her own shortcomings that he didn't want her around anymore?

Not knowing how to rein in these capricious sentiments, she lashed out at the nearest, and most convenient, individual: the Water Hashira.

"So that's it, huh? You want ME to leave!" Shinobu shouted, her temper reaching a boiling point.

"Well, if you want to—" Giyuu, once again, misinterprets her response.

"I'm a nuisance, aren't I? You would rather have Nee-san treat you!" Shinobu entertained her own assumptions about Giyuu's motives.

"I didn't say that."

"Then what did you say, huh?!"

"Are you... mad at me?" Giyuu asked.

"I don't know!" Shinobu yelled, unable to either waft through or rationalize the stormy passions of her emotions.

"I am working on the supposition that it's preferable that you are left alone for the time being," Giyuu answered, not realizing that he was only making things worse for both himself and the younger slayer.

'He wants me gone...' Shinobu felt hurt as she gleaned—however inaccurately—the supposed implications of the Water Hashira's statement.

She had always felt... something around the Water Hashira—she didn't know what exactly. But, now, she's realized that she was nothing to him.

And it was perfectly natural; she was just a low-ranking member of the Corps, while he was the Water Hashira.

This should be expected.

'So why... Why does it hurt...' She underwent the distress of this disappointing, painful revelation.

"I see..." Shinobu frowned, her countenance turning dour and defeated. "I'm not good enough, aren't I?"

"Huh?" Giyuu noticed something off.

Shinobu's downcast eyes met the ground below, "Of course you would want Nee-san. She's smarter, stronger, and prettier... I'm just a forgettable younger sister with a bad temper..."

"Kocho—"

"No, I understand. I'm bothering you. I'm sorry for getting mad, that was unprofessional of me... I'll respect your wishes and excuse myself," the young doctor, her eyes still averting the gaze of the Water Hashira, added gloomily.

Giyuu realized his error.

Never had he seen the younger sister of the Flower Hashira so vulnerable, so unsure of herself—it was as if the self-doubts from within had physically manifested along her lineaments and evoked a sullen, melancholic outlook.

These traits were reminiscent of himself.

"Kocho, please wait," Giyuu reached for her arm.

Despite his hands being charred by the burns, and in spite of it correspondingly being hindered by the layers upon layers of bandages wrapped around them, Giyuu was able to grab a hold of Shinobu's pastel, silky forearm.

Shinobu was obviously taken aback by this gesture, as evident by her lack of response and her amethyst-colored eyes that dilated with shock.

"I apologize if I displeased you in any way. I didn't mean for my request to be indicative of any failings that you might otherwise harbor against yourself," Giyuu spoke in a formal, precise manner, not wanting any more misunderstandings to arise.

"No, it's not your fault... I'm just a terrible person," Shinobu mumbled.

"That is false."

"It's true though. Nee-san has always been kind to me. You've been kind to me—your advice alone motivated me to reach for the stars. Yet, I still keep making the same mistakes over and over. Worse, I doubt you and my sister, even though I alone have been the cause of all of my failures..." Shinobu whispered with a heavy heart.

"No one's ever had faith in me, and I can see why. I'm not like Nee-san: I'm not smart like her, I'm not always kind, I'm not pretty, nor am I patient like her... I don't know if I'll ever become a Hashira, honestly," she added dolefully.

Giyuu lowers his grip on her forearm, instead opting to gently support and lift Shinobu's hand, leaving it facing palms-up. Then, with his other—and equally calloused and bandaged—hand, he settles it atop her palm.

Shinobu stood perfectly still, as the blood rushed throughout her body at a rapid pace due to the drums of her heartbeat.

She could've never imagined that the reticent, introverted Water Hashira would ever convey his thoughts and emotions through such intimate gesticulations.

The Water Hashira, meanwhile, subsequently sighs deeply, having a lifetime's worth of experience to understand the pernicious nature of this self-deprecation.

Self-deprecation that he continues to practice to this day.

"Kocho, you are speaking in ways that contradict reality," he begins in a very blunt fashion.

"What do you mean...?" Shinobu answers lightly.

"You assert that you are not smart, yet you are extremely knowledgeable in the medical field. By all accounts, you're smarter than many of the Hashiras themselves."

"..."

He looked directly into her eyes, "You claim that you are neither patient nor kind. Yet, you've always gone out of your way to treat the sick and the injured—working long hours to save lives and restore people to health. If that is not an act of kindness or extreme patience, then I might have to cast doubt on your understanding of the Japanese language."

"Tomioka-san, don't feel forced to flatter for my sake—"

"And," Giyuu interjected, "you say you aren't pretty. Yet, I cannot think of a man who wouldn't ask for your hand in marriage once you come of age."

"E-Eh?!?!" Shinobu blushed madly, feeling the tempo of her heart reach an all-time high.

"But, most of all, you say no one has faith in you. That is simply wrong," Giyuu lowered his gaze to the hand he had clasped with his.

"Your sister has faith in you. The people you nurse back to health have faith in you..."

"..."

"I have faith in you... if that amounts to anything..." he admitted softly.

As if by the flick of a switch, all of Shinobu's frustrations, anxieties, and loathing, dissipated in an instant.

In its place, a tremor of the emotions manifested. The vibrations of a vague language, one that is seldom understood by the mind but easily comprehensible by the heart.

The young teenage girl felt an elation from within; she felt knots tightening in her chest and butterflies fluttering jubilantly in her stomach.

It was a strange sensation—one that cannot be explained by conventional means.

Even she didn't realize truly for what it was.

Because it was the first of a kind for her.

'What are these feelings?' she beckoned for an answer, though none came.

Finally, after momentarily being caught in a reverie, Shinobu gave her response: "No... It does... thank you..."

Giyuu merely nodded, removing his hands from hers—depriving her of a warmth she didn't think she would've otherwise desired.

"So..." Shinobu squeaked, still trying to process everything. "You... don't want me to leave...?"

"My apologies for that as well. I thought you were enraged by my presence, so I intended to expedite this meeting such that you would be permitted to leave early," Giyuu explained.

"Oh... That's good to know," the corners of Shinobu's mouth curved upwards.

She then summoned a bright, radiant smile, "Gosh, Tomioka-san. You really are bad with words, aren't you."

"... I suppose I am."

'She's smiling... that's good,' Giyuu took satisfaction in the outcome.

"You know, if it were anyone else, you would've been doomed. But, thankfully, I was around to help you," she claimed smugly.

"Perhaps. You're one of three people I talk to," said Giyuu.

"Three? Which three?" Shinobu questioned, her curiosity piqued.

"Oyakata-sama, the Flower Hashira, and you."

"You talk to Nee-san, huh?" Shinobu's grin grew more tepid at the mention of her sister.

"She tends to approach me. Why do you ask?"

"Hmph, no reason," she pouted. "You talk about anything in particular...?"

"Mostly you."

"Me?" Shinobu was caught off-guard.

"The Flower Hashira likes to sing praises of you—how you're hardworking, helpful, and the sort," Giyuu expounded.

"And... what did you have to say about it...?" she asked hesitantly.

"Nothing, she does all the talking."

"Pfft— what the heck haha," Shinobu laughed. "You barely talk to her?"

"I try my best. But... I think it's easier talking with you."

Alas, Shinobu's gleeful countenance returned, "And why's that?"

"It just is."

"I think it's because you're hopeless without me," Shinobu grinned mischievously.

"Hm," the Water Hashria merely hummed.

"Tomioka-san?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. Truly. I'm glad you're here with me," the young butterfly sister elicited an expression full of warmth and tenderness.

'Ah... that's a smile I haven't seen in a lifetime...' Giyuu reminisces as he stares at the visceral image of angelic value.

"Don't mention it..."

..

..

..

..

..

..

What would've been.

..

..

*Slurp* *Slurp*

Within the confines of the oleaginous, steamy Soba restaurant, two demon slayers partook in a high-pitched battle of dominance—one that carried much weight with respect to its implications.

Indeed, it was a duel of fates, one could say.

A battle of wits.

A confrontation requiring focus of the highest degree.

A clash of titans.

A fight between life and death.

That's right, this was the COLD SOBA NOODLES EATING CONTEST!!!!

As Kamado Tanjiro and Tomioka Giyuu indulged themselves in the myriad bowls of cold soba noodles that they ordered in advance, both devoured the noodles with such efficiency and speed that even onlookers couldn't help but spectate the spectacle.

Nonetheless, there were intermittent moments of normally-paced consumption, allowing the two to engage in colloquies.

However, it was usually just a hushed period of silence, as Giyuu was not particularly loquacious—and an understanding Tanjiro, true to his altruistic nature, did not force discussion out of respect for his senior.

Still, there would be instances of the taciturn Water Hashira speaking.

"Regarding the training program," Giyuu brought up, much to Tanjiro's surprise.

"I didn't hear any mention of Kocho. What's Kocho teaching you all?" he inquired.

Tanjiro, ceasing his eating, instinctively looked up amid his pondering, "Shinobu-san? Come to think of it, I haven't heard anything. I wonder how she is..."

"... I see," Giyuu answered in a deadpan tone.

"Why? Do you want to visit her, Giyuu-san?" Tanjiro asked excitedly.

"No, I was just curious..."

"You know, I don't often see you with the other Hashiras. But, when I do, it's usually with Shinobu-san. Are you two close friends?" Tanjiro inquires.

"Not particularly."

"Really? But there's always a scent of happiness from her whenever you're around..." Tanjiro wonders.

Giyuu was slightly unnerved by this piece of information, "I see."

"But both of you emit a scent of sadness around each other," Tanjiro added with a hint of dismay. "Why is that?"

"..." Giyuu couldn't conjure up an answer.

Sadness? Why would he be sad around Shinobu?

But, more importantly, why would Shinobu be sad around him?

"Giyuu-san?" Tanjiro prompted, as there was total silence on the Water Hashira's end.

"Sorry," Giyuu snapped out of his daze. "It's probably a coincidence. Kocho usually has a lot on her mind."

And what about you, Giyuu-san?"

"... I suppose it's also a coincidence..." he answers halfheartedly.

"Really? With Shinobu-san?" Tanjiro pressed, much to Giyuu's consternation.

"You're on a first-name basis with Kocho?" Giyuu raises an eyebrow, skillfully transitioning the topic.

"Oh yeah! I plan on being friendly with all the Hashiras!" Tanjiro proclaims in his usual, optimistic fashion.

"Is that so..." Giyuu slurps on another batch of cold noodles.

"Yeah, so I'll be at your service, Giyuu-san!"

Giyuu sets down his bowl, 'Oh right... I'm a Hashira... He wants to befriend me.'

He slightly turns his head to the side, eventually bearing witness to a beaming Tanjiro that shone brighter than a lightbulb from up close—like a fawning child awaiting an answer.

'Oh boy...'

..

..

As the sun settled beyond the horizon, dusk was falling rapidly.

Street lamps were gradually lit, bringing a semblance of visibility into the darkness of the night.

It was also around this time that demon slayer patrols began their rounds, scavenging every corner and alley throughout the urban center in search of a potential threat.

Giyuu, meanwhile, chose to take the long way back home, as he wished to avoid Tanjiro's presence for the time being—especially considering how the young boy had been incessantly bothering him for days on end.

As he ambulated along the dirt path, his mind wandered to a certain Insect Hashira.

To say that Tanjiro's observations stunned him would be putting it mildly.

'Happy around me? Sad too? This makes no sense,' Giyuu excogitated

Why would Shinobu ever feel happy around him? He brings happiness to no one.

And why would she be sad near him? Because of what he did in the past?

And why did Tanjiro assume that they were close friends—much less, friends in the first place?

Do they really speak that often?

Sure, they used to be quite close. But, ever since Kanae's death, their relationship had become more distant and cool, with the two of them becoming estranged.

Although, in recent years, as a result of being consigned on missions together, they have grown closer. But the extent of their contemporary relationship is more along the lines of banters and insulting remarks towards one another—much in contrast to the more intimate bond they had back then.

"Ah, Giyuu-san!" A familiar, jovial voice suddenly called out.

Giyuu looked up, discerning a figure in the distance.

"Tanjiro?" he identified with confusion.

The young slayer eagerly, even with an injured foot, rushed up to the Water Hashira, "So you DO want to meet with Shinbou-san!"

"I... what?" Giyuu asked in utter confusion.

"Why else would you have arrived at the Butterfly Estate?" Tanjiro pointed to his right.

Giyuu rotated his head.

'... You have got to be joking.'

He had unwittingly trekked all the way to the Butterfly Estate—to where Tanjiro and Shinobu were.

"Ah! You should have dinner with everyone! It will be fun!" Tanjiro dragged the Water Hashira to the entrance.

"Ah, Tanjiro, I think I arrived by accid—"

"Everyone! Giyuu-san is here!" The boy with hanafuda earrings announces the arrival of the distinguished Water Hashira to the Estate.

*Click*

The door swings open, revealing Kanzaki Aoi.

"Tanjiro? Why are you out so late?" she questions.

She then spots the man being dragged around, "W-Water Hashira-sama?!"

"... Greetings, denizen of the venerated Butterfly Estate," Giyuu applies his most polite arrangement of words.

"I invited Giyuu-san here to eat with us tonight. Is that alright?" Tanjiro happily informs the astonished Aoi.

"I-If it's Water Hashira-sama, then he is—by all means—welcome to these grounds," Aoi stutters, as she has scarcely had any interactions with this particular Hashira.

"E-Especially how this is your first visit in years," she adds, still stumbling over her words due to the formality in which she is obligated to address a Hashria.

"Huh? In years?" Tanjiro repeated with bewilderment. "Is that true, Giyuu-san?"

"... Yes."

"Why's that?"

"..." Giyuu deliberately chose not to enlighten the boy.

"W-Well, if you wish to enter these premises Water Hashira-sama, you will certainly be welcome to do so," Aoi offers.

"Pardon the intrusion," Giyuu reluctantly steps forward and slips past the entrance, with a perplexed Tanjiro following close behind.

As she shuts the door, Aoi does her best to accommodate the guest, "If you follow along this path, you will reach the entrance. From there, Tanjiro here can guide you to the tea room. I will inform Shinobu-sama of your arrival."

"That's not necess—" Giyuu tried to stop her.

"Please enjoy the tea I've prepared before you eat!!" Aoi informed as she made a dash to the mansion, rendering her completely oblivious to the Water Hashira's objections.

Giyuu sighed deeply, 'This day could not go worse.'

Indeed, the last thing he wanted to see was Shinobu—at her own abode. Given how he had been intentionally avoiding the Butterfly Estate since the day he came to visit after the Flower Hashira's passing, his sudden appearance right now would make everything all the more awkward.

"Giyuu-san, shall we head in?" Tanjiro suggested.

"... You can head in. I have to use the lavatory," Giyuu ordered.

"Hai! Will do!" The naive boy fell for the Water Hashira's deception.

..

..

Within the confines of her office, Shinobu assiduously worked through a host of experiments relating to different concoctions and combinations of Wisteria plants alongside other herbs.

Ever since she was delegated the task of working alongside the demon Tamayo, the Insect Hashira had been made privy to a plethora of findings and knowledge from her demonic counterpart that served to further expand the horizons of Wisteria research.

Thus, she had been toiling day and night in search of a lethal chemical substance infused with so much toxin that it may potentially harm the likes of Kibutsuji Muzan himself.

Much of this work entailed her being sequestered inside her office for the majority of daytime—and even night—without disturbance.

So, it was a bit of a surprise when she heard a knock on the door.

"Yes?" she called out, still engrossed by the research.

Rattle

The shoji screen slid open and Aoi stepped in, "Pardon the disruption, Shinobu-sama."

"Oh, no worries. What seems to be the matter?" Shinobu finally removed herself from the desk and gazed at her interlocutor, plastering a smile on her visage as always.

"Uhm... It seems that Tanjiro has arrived..."

"This late? Oh dear, whatever was he doing?" Shinobu answered.

"... with Water Hashira-sama," Aoi added.

Shinobu's smile vanished.

"I'm sorry?"

..

..

Staring at the luminous glare of the full moon, Giyuu was perched on the overlapping tiles of the Butterfly Mansion rooftop.

He watched the night sky with an insouciant, sedated expression.

Then, he felt a presence from the rear.

He looked up, only to be met with a familiar pair of amethyst-colored pupils.

Shinobu, who was standing, hunched over the Water Hashira's back to yield an inverted field of view for the two of them—Giyuu, from below, appeared upside down from Shinobu's perspective and vice versa.

"Ara, Tomioka-san. This is a pleasant surprise, especially given how you never come here," Shinobu greeted with a blank smile, yet the words belied a more scathing criticism of her guest.

"Kocho-san," Giyuu simply greeted.

"So, what brings the great Water Hashira to the Butterfly Estate," Shinobu eventually sat down, making herself comfortable beside Giyuu.

"I was brought here against my will."

"Oh my, you really hate this place, don't you? Then why don't you go ahead and leave, alright?" Shinobu's eyes darkened even as she retained her plastered grin—indicating her annoyance.

"I didn't mean it like that..."

"Then what could it possibly mean, Tomioka-san?" Shinobu hurled another scathing remark.

"I apologize if I offended you, Kocho-san," Giyuu replied.

"Apology accepted then, but don't get too full of yourself just because I'm kind to you today," Shinobu jested.

"We've hardly spoken today."

"And you've already spoken since the Hashira meeting. Which, let me remind you, was the same meeting you left mid-way," Shinobu retorted.

"I had my reasons," said Giyuu.

"Oh? And what are those?"

Giyuu grunted, signaling his unwillingness to disclose that information.

"Oh come on, Tomioka-san, you can trust me," Shinobu prodded.

"..."

"Ne ne, Tomioka-san," she then resorted to incessant poking.

"..."

"To-mi-oka-san~" she kept poking.

"..." Giyuu ignored her provocations.

"You know, this is why nobody likes you," she smiled cheekily.

"... I'm not disliked."

"And there it is! The classic Tomioka-san response."

"Why do you feel the need to constantly remind me..." Giyuu exhaled.

"Because I'm the only one who tolerates you, Tomioka-san. Don't ever forget that," Shinobu quipped.

"Just you...?"

"Indeed. And... without me, you'd be hopeless..." she added softly, harkening back to a common phrase from the days of old—to their conversations from back then.

Even Giyuu noticed the gravity of her statement: "... Is that so..."

Then, a transient period of stillness ensued.

Under the scintillating luster of moonlight, wisps of a cool breeze delicately stroke the skins and spirits of the Hashiras.

If there's one thing that has not changed, it would be how Giyuu and Shinobu continue to find comfort in each other's company—even in dead silence.

"I actually intended to meet with you anyway..." Shinobu spoke, no longer adorning her cheerful demeanor or plastered expression—she was being genuine and candid.

"Why's that?"

"I suppose I have a few things I want to ask you," she answered.

"Hm," Giyuu hummed in acknowledgment.

"First of all, I wanted to ask about the Hashira meeting. About why you left," Shinobu turned to face him.

Giyuu, however, continued to look askance into the distance, "You can ask Shinazugawa-san to privy his thoughts if you want an answer."

"No, I want to hear it directly from you," Shinobu firmly rejected.

Giyuu felt a tinge of annoyance at her insistence, "You already know the answer. I told you and the other Hashiras when I left."

"No, I don't. Which is why I want you to tell me," said Shinobu.

"Why do you care?" Giyuu replied, coming off more coldly than he would've wanted.

"I care because we need you for the Training Program," Shinobu feigned an explanation—her actual reason was something else entirely.

"I have decided to participate. Is that enough?"

Shinobu frowned, "Tomioka-san..."

"What?" Giyuu sensed that she was not content with his answer.

"When you said you weren't like the other Hashiras, what did you mean by that?" she inquired.

"It means what it means," said Giyuu.

"That is?"

"Shinazugawa-san could tell—"

"I don't care what Shinazugawa-san has to say. I'm talking to YOU," she interrupts.

"Fine. I'm a selfish bastard who thinks too highly of himself. Is that satisfactory?" Giyuu, once again, expressed scornfully.

"Tomioka-san, we both know that you don't have enough vanity to think of yourself as above the others," Shinobu correctly pointed out.

"..." Giyuu refused to engage.

"I know you, Giyuu..."

"No, you don't," Giyuu snapped.

"But I do. I know what it's like to lose the person you love... To lose your older sister..." she conveyed with great pain.

Giyuu then looked at her with incredulity, "When did I—?"

"You don't say much, Tomioka-san, but your actions communicate your thoughts. From all the conversations we've had over the years, especially with regard to Nee-san, I slowly realized that you must've lost a loved one—that you must've lost a sister like me."

"..." Giyuu turned away, removing Shinobu from his line of view.

"I know the pain you hold, Giyuu. I know you... "

"... Maybe."

"Then why won't you tell me?" she entreated gently.

"Because it's irrelevant."

"That's not true."

"Why do you want to talk about this? This doesn't concern you," Giyuu countered.

"Why would you assume that?"

"And why would you assume otherwise?" Giyuu riposted.

"Tomioka-san, I..." Shinobu struggled to find the exact words. "I... I've always been on the receiving end..."

"Receiving end?" Giyuu questions.

"You've always helped me. When I was struggling with training, when I struggled to find my place here, and when I struggled after Nee-san's death. You were always there for me, always willing to lend a hand even when it wasn't any of your business," she elucidated solemnly.

"So, just this once, let me do the same for you..." she added with such tenderness that it even warmed the inner sanctum of Giyuu's soul.

Giyuu finally turned, greeting her face-to-face, and locking eyes.

It had been a long time. Too long, in fact, since the last time she had spoken heart-to-heart with him. It's almost nostalgic.

He had almost forgotten what it was like to open up to someone, until Tanjiro practically forced him to do so today.

Perhaps he could do it with someone like her—someone he's known for years, and someone he trusts with his life.

Tell someone he's so much closer with.

He lets out a soft sigh, "I'm not the Water Hashira."

"What?" Shinobu blurts, clearly puzzled by his words.

"I... never passed the Final Selection."

Shinobu's eyes widened, "That's not true, the fact that you're a demon slayer is enough—"

"No. It's not," Giyuu calmly rebuffed.

He continues, "I was 13. That year, I had taken the exam alongside two peers of mine: Sabito and Makomo. The three of us were disciples of Urokodaki Sakonji, the former Water Hashira. "

"And... we were all close friends..." he added wistfully.

Shinobu listened in silence, but she felt a frown weighing down on her.

"Sabito had a strong sense of justice and was often determined, while Makomo was impartial and caring. They both had kind and compassionate hearts."

"They were the only two participants to have died in that year's Selection..."

The Insect Hashira's brows furrowed, both out of fury for the loss of innocent lives and sympathy for the pain of the Water Hashira.

"Sabito and Makomo both single-handedly killed almost all the demons on the mountain. As for me, I was just running around, and biding my time like a coward."

"The three of us then came across an abnormally large demon. We decided to engage it, and I took the lead in the assault. However, my inexperience became obvious when I left myself wide open. Makomo was able to kick me out of the way... but at the cost of her own life."

"After that, Sabito tried to eliminate the demon, but he too failed due to my inability to support him. He died as well."

"I could've stayed there. Fought the demon to the end. I could've died with honor. Instead, I ran. I ran screaming in terror, using every ounce of strength in my body to flee—instead of using that to avenge my friends."

"It's true that I had survived seven days and passed the selection... but I failed to protect my comrades. Nominally, I did indeed pass. But, by all accounts, how could that be considered passing? How can you consider yourself a demon slayer if you are incapable of protecting even your loved ones?"

"I'm not worthy of being the Water Hashira. And, by extension, I'm not worthy of standing as an equal among the Hashiras—I'm not like them. I'm a failure as a demon slayer and a human being."

Giyuu grits his teeth as he recalls the painful memories, "I broke not only an oath to myself, but also to Sabito. I promised him that I would keep Makomo out of harm's way if he were to ever die... Instead, he died knowing that Makomo was dead—that I had failed in protecting her."

"Just like how I broke my oath to Nee-san's fiancé, when I let her die... When I shouted at her and told her I hated her on the same night she died," his voice began to quiver.

"I can still see their blood on my hands. Sabito's, Makomo's, and Nee-san's. I can't ever wash it away, no matter how hard I try to clean it or how much soap I use," he shuddered, beads of sweat beginning to manifest along his forehead and temples.

Giyuu's hands had begun to tremble violently, "I can still see their guts and limbs. I can't unsee it. I hear their voices in my head constantly, incessantly taunting me, telling me that I don't deserve to be the Water Hashira, that I don't deserve to be alive. I can't sleep at night, because the nightmares get too unbearable. I start to see their faces, their mutilated corpses, their blood, I start to see everything. It's too much at times. I sometimes want to end it all and just kill myse—"

Shinobu places her emollient palm on the back of his rough, callused hand, effectively breaking him out of his panic-induced trance.

A frown was present on her fair countenance, evoking sadness of the highest order, "Giyuu... I'm so sorry..."

Shinobu felt tears forming in her eyes. It was all too tragic. Through all that burden of grief, self-hatred, and guilt, the Water Hashira had been working through all that pain for years now.

Beneath the veneer of the indifferent and aloof Water Hashira, Tomioka Giyuu had been quietly suffering—his soul was crying out for help.

Shinobu's chest ached at the intense melancholy that wore down her heart, the likes of which she hadn't experienced since her sister's demise.

He was hurt. And yet, he always extended a helping hand to her. He was always there for her, even if she wasn't there for him.

He was always so kind, even if he saw the worst this world had to offer.

It was too sad, even for the likes of the Insect Hashira.

Giyuu was panting, his face and hands still drenched from all the sweat. And his eyes were fully dilated with fright and alarm.

Shinobu then pulled him into a warm embrace, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you... I'm sorry I couldn't help you..."

"I'm not the Water Hashira, Shinobu... I don't deserve to be a demon slayer. I don't deserve to liv—"

"Don't say that," Shinobu hushed, soothing the panicked Water Hashira. "You have every right to live. You deserve happiness like everyone else."

"B-But—"

"Shh," she gently stroked his head. "It's ok. You're not alone."

"I failed them," Giyuu whimpered. "I've failed everyone..."

"No, you have not," Shinobu repudiated lightly.

"I've even failed you, Shinobu," the Water Hashira's voice cracked. "I abandoned you when you were all alone. I'm sorry. I should've known better, I should've—"

"Giyuu," Shinobu pulled him out, looking at him directly into his sheen blue eyes. "You had done more than I could thank you for. You're the reason I'm here today, you're the reason why I do what I do. You aren't at fault here. Rather, it's me—I was so absorbed by training that I didn't bother checking up on you."

She then embraced him once more, "Don't blame yourself for something you couldn't control. Sabito's, Makomo's, and your sister's deaths were not your fault. They never were."

Giyuu was now weeping. Though not overly loud, his soft whimpers were evident of his pure expression of guilt, grief, and sorrow.

As the Water Hashira cried into the shoulder of his colleague, the Insect Hashira tenderly soothed him, casting away any vestiges of self-doubt that lay within.

That night, atop that rooftop, they had recovered what was lost.

The old bonds of a nostalgic past.

They were together again.

After so many years.

..

..

They remained seated on the rooftop.

But their fingers interlocked with one another, as it brought solace to both of their troubled and scarred spirits.

Even amid the relative quietude, their hearts fluttered with great consolation and merriment at each other's presence—they found enjoyment in simply being around the other.

Indeed, this outpouring of emotions was necessary for their bond to return anew.

"Kocho?"

"Hm?" she hummed lightly.

"Thank you."

"Whatever for?"

"Just... Thank you," Giyuu replied curtly.

Shinobu smiled warmly, "Don't mention it."

"Not just for this. But... also because you saved my life," Giyuu added.

"Well, we are both Hashiras. Of course I would've saved you in those instances—"

"No, not that. I meant on a non-commissioned basis," Giyuu corrected.

"What do you mean?" Shinobu didn't like where this was going.

"Do you remember that night in the forest? When I offered you advice on becoming a Hashira?" Giyuu asks.

"I have never forgotten it," Shinobu asserts.

"Well, that night... I was hiding because I was planning to do something..." Giyuu spoke ominously.

"And what was that...?" Shinobu dithered, unsure of whether she wanted to know or not.

"I was going to kill myself."

"... Why..." her voice was faint.

"I wanted the pain to go away. I wanted to give it all up," Giyuu explained in a mellow tone.

"But..." A vestige of optimism returned to his elocution. "You were there."

"And I realized that I can't leave yet, because there's people who need my help. So thank you, Shinobu, for reminding me of my purpose—of my duty," he added with sincerity.

"You idiot..." Shinobu's voice quavered.

"Kocho?"

"You're an idiot... This is why nobody likes you..." Shinobu murmured, shielding her countenance from Giyuu's gaze.

"Shinobu?"

"You were thinking about leaving me..." Shinobu sniveled, a forlorn mood overwhelming her mind and spirit.

"You're right. But, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here right now. You've saved me. So, once again, thank you. Thank you for being there," Giyuu smiled timidly—a rare sight to behold.

"Idiot, why did you even think about that? If you left, what was I supposed to do...?" her downcast eyes refused to meet Giyuu's.

Using his pointer finger and thumb, Giyuu gently tilts the Insect Hashira's chin upward, allowing them to stare face-to-face.

As the Water Hashira's azure irises met the lavender hue of the Insect Hashira's moist eyes, they both gaped at each other's multi-faceted expressions—ones that endorsed a unique synthesis of heartache, relief, happiness, and hope.

The sweet fragrance of Wisteria tickled Giyuu's nose as he leaned in closer to Shinobu.

He then smiled warmly, "You once claimed that you weren't pretty. Upon closer inspection, I can reaffirm my prior observation: you made an erroneous claim."

Shinobu's face reddened involuntarily, "Y-You remember that?"

Giyuu wiped the tears trickling down her cheeks with his thumb, "Always have."

"May I ask why...?" Shinobu held her breath in anticipation.

"Well, it was the same day I was trying to explain Lagrange Multipliers, so obviously I would remember," Giyuu answered frankly, clueless as to what his partner would've preferred for a response.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Now, Tomioka-san, would you be so kind as to jump off the roof?" Shinobu plastered a sinister grin again as her disposition turned sour.

And, just like that, the Water Hashira ruined the moment.

"Why would I..." Giyuu said with bewilderment.

"Because you really like to ruin my expectations~. Now, chop, chop, you have some jumping to do!" Shinobu feigned enthusiasm.

"... Did I say something wrong?" Giyuu asks in his infinite naivete.

"Oh my, you don't know? Poor Tomioka-san, unable to figure out whether he's socially inept or not," Shinobu simply quips.

"Yamero, Kocho," Giyuu sighs.

"Pfft—" Shinobu giggles, discarding her masquerade. "You haven't changed one bit, you know that?"

"You haven't much either," Giyuu states, much to the surprise of the Insect Hashira.

Shinobu's comportment then tempered, as the hitherto state of amusement was replaced with a wistful contemplation: "... You think so?"

"I know you tried to mask off your emotions behind the personality of the late Flower Hashira, but, fundamentally, you're that same boisterous girl from back then."

"That may be true... But it also means I'm a shameless liar," Shinobu's smile donned a more mirthless evocation.

"A liar?" Giyuu said in confusion.

"I tell people I want humans to befriend demons—the same dream Nee-san had. That way, I make it seem as if her legacy had been passed onto me..."

She lowered her gaze, "Instead, I hate them. I hate them so much that I'm in a constant state of anger. Ever since Nee-san was killed by one, ever since I saw my parents being eaten right in front of me, every time I witness the tears of those who lost loved ones to demons, and every time I hear those cries of despair, the anger wells up inside of me and penetrates every fabric of my being."

"Nee-san was kind and good-natured. She felt sympathy for demons even as she fell at the hands of one. But I don't feel that way. I reckon I never will. How do you feel sorry for something that kills humans? It's ridiculous."

"I never understood Nee-san. We both saw our parents killed by those foul creatures. Yet, she felt bad for them. How could you even think of something so outlandish? Why would you in the first place? I could never reconcile her ideals with my view of reality."

"..." Giyuu listened closely, not uttering a single sound.

"But that's how Nee-san felt. And, be that as it may, that's the legacy I have to uphold as the last of those who bear the Kocho family name. All the while preserving the smile Nee-san loved."

"Is it exhausting?" Giyuu brings up.

Shinobu frowns deeply, "To have to become someone you're not? Someone you miss dearly? Always."

"Then why bear the burden?"

"Because, otherwise, I might find myself in a darker place—a place beyond saving. I have to lie to myself; I have to convince myself that it will be all worth it in the end," Shinobu closes her eyes reflexively, as if she's too afraid to visualize what that place was.

"Why your sister's personality?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense; it's the only thing to hold a semblance of sanity in the insanity I found myself in. Much like how Nee-san was my support for so many years after our parents died," she explained pensively.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Shinobu forced a smile. "There's nothing much we can do about it anyway. Like your pains, I have mine. And all the other Hashiras too, I imagine. But we have a duty to uphold. And until that commitment is fulfilled, we can only unsheathe our blades and protect what we love."

"... Kocho, is there something you want to tell me?" Giyuu sensed something, true to his sharp perception.

In truth, he had always known that she was hiding something—something important. But he had never raised it over the years out of courtesy.

"... Ne, Tomioka-san?"

"Yes?"

"What will you do after this final battle?" she raises seemingly out of nowhere.

"... I doubt I will survive to execute any plans I might deign in advance," Giyuu replied, unsure of the Insect Hashira's designs behind this inquiry.

"Neither will I. But it's nice to think about it, you know?" Shinobu answers.

Giyuu's brows furrowed, "No. There's nothing for me in this life."

"Nothing? Nothing at all?" Shinobu pressed.

"Even if we win this war, even if I even survive... I have nothing to look forward to," Giyuu candidly admitted.

"What about... marriage?" Shinobu suggests timidly, dither existing in her cadence.

"No woman would marry me."

"... What about me?" she mustered the courage.

Giyuu's eyes met hers, "... Kocho?"

"Would you marry a woman like me?" Shinobu whispered, the sound of her voice barely audible.

"..." Giyuu simply looked vacantly at her, unable to call upon a suitable response to this pressing question.

Shinobu, reeling from the embarrassment and shame of her supposedly stupid question, backtracked, "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for. I shouldn't be saying these things anyway... since I don't plan on surviving this battle eith—"

"In another life..." Giyuu interjects.

"Huh?" Shinobu is caught off-guard.

"If it can't be this one, then... In another life..." It was Giyuu's turn to call upon his courage. "I really would have liked just helping around here at the estate... Helping you, Shinobu."

She felt her heart sparkling with a cascade of elation, the kind she only recalls feeling long ago—when it is just the two of them, just like this..

He experienced a wave of nervousness, the likes of which he hadn't felt before.

Shinobu beamed with radiance, reciprocating the gesture as well: "In another life, I wouldn't mind you being at my side, Giyuu."

Her chest thumped alongside the excited palpitations of the heart.

His mind raced at speeds unknown to man.

It was a de facto admission.

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What could've been.

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"KAWWWW! DEAD!! KOCHO SHINOBU IS DEAD!! SHE DIED AFTER A CONFRONTATION WITH UPPER MOON TWO!!"

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Giyuu had a scream trapped in his throat as he woke up.

But, his croaky, cigarette-ridden esophagus couldn't release the full weight of this terror.

In the ensuing hysteria, he scoured his surroundings, desperately trying to make sense of everything around him.

Instead, he was met with empty bottles of sake strewn across the floor—he had been binge drinking the night before.

Seeing reality unfold before him, the cantankerous former Hashira merely suspired.

He promptly stood up, employing a cane in order to aid in this process, and slowly treaded towards a cupboard.

There, he pulled open one of the drawers and searched the contents.

Pulling out a syringe, he proceeded with an intravenous injection—releasing all the morphine into his bloodstream.

Feeling somewhat better now, he disposed of the syringe and walked over to wherever he was previously sleeping—which was on the hard wooden floor.

He then sat down again, albeit struggling to do so in light of his impaired physical condition.

He grunts in low, guttural sound.

And so, another lifeless day begins.

He pops open the cork on a bottle of whiskey and subsequently drinks straight from the bottle.

After a few heavy sips, he stops.

His hand began to tremble.

He grits his teeth, "Shit."

"I'm crying again."

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"Why..." her voice breaks. "Why?! Why'd you do it?! I don't understand you... Why do you want to protect me?"

He simply smiled and whispered, "Because, Kocho Shinobu... I was... always have been... and always will be... in love with you."

..

..

She opened her eyes.

It was a sunny day at the Estate, with little clouds to obstruct a viewing of the clear, blue sky.

The soft rings of the wind chimes resonated freely on this cool summer day, bringing a peace of mind to many who immersed themselves in the environment.

But not her.

An elderly lady, adorned with a butterfly-shaped ornament on her coiffure, sat at the edge of the Engawa. Her hair had fully grayed, but her irises still exuded the colorful tint of lavender.

Her countenance was inscrutable, but she was reminiscing deeply about certain, painful matters—or, rather, memories.

"Mama!" a voice called from down the hall.

Knocked out of her trance, the old lady carefully lifted herself onto her own two feet, "Yes, dear?"

"I have the incense for Papa!" The source of this feminine cadence did not physically reveal itself, as it was presumably preoccupied with some other task.

Thus, the exchange between mother and daughter was relegated to yelling at long distances—which is usually a standard operating procedure in a house as big as the Butterfly Mansion.

"Could you please leave it at the Butsudan?" the elder lady answered.

"Do you want me to light it?"

"No, I'll do it!" The lady quickly declares.

"Ok!" The daughter acknowledges.

The elder lady looks out at the adjacent courtyard, gazing upon the little ponds, greenery, and a cobblestone path that led into the heart of this natural sanctuary.

Normally, one would find everlasting contentment here.

But not her.

Everything was different after he left.

It all seems... sad now.

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..

Approaching the mini-shrine, which was situated inside the protective enclosure of a ligneous cabinet, the old lady seated herself seiza-style directly in front of the altar.

Along with images of the Buddha and other religious figures, the Butsudan also carried a portrait and photograph of her late husband.

She smiled weakly, "I miss you, my love."

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"What is all this?" Utsuro demanded. "What is happening?"

"As the Eyes of Prognostication scrutinized the Insect and Water Hashiras, it also provided prescience into prospects that transcend time and space," the man answered.

"In other words," he continued, "you are bearing witness to multiple iterations of their lives. Albeit, from differing timelines."

"Why is it showing me this? I couldn't care less about any of this!" Utsuro shouted in fury.

"Are you sure? Perhaps there are some insights the Eyes are trying to convey to you," the man enlightens.

"And you..." Utsuro growled at the figure. "You should know your place; you're a weak and pathetic spirit who couldn't even protect his own family."

"That may be so. But I am still you, Utsuro. And I am still the spirit Himari gave life to."

"I'm still Akio."

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A drunken, broken Giyuu wallowed in his own grief.

He wanted to sob, to unleash the floodgates of his grief.

But that would be too painful. He would rather drink it all away.

He would rather slowly blemish himself than think about it.

He opened another bottle and imbibed it.

Utsuro watched from afar, reveling in the sight of his enemy partaking in a self-destructive cycle.

How pathetic.

And yet, an unfamiliar sensation disclosed itself.

As if watching the broken Water Hashira somehow resonated with him.

Utsuro decided to ignore the feeling.

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Shinobu lit the incense and planted it on the Butsudan.

She striked the palms of her hands together and mentally recited the incantations.

Following this, she laid her hands to rest and looked fixedly at the photograph of her deceased beloved.

She frowned, "I miss you, Giyuu... We all miss you..."

"You once asked that I find peace even if you die... But..." she felt a moistness in her eyes, along with the slow descent of teardrops staining her cheeks.

"It's just been hard without you... I wish you were here with me..."

She wiped the tears, "I was, always have been, and always will be... in love with you, Tomioka Giyuu... For you, a thousand times over."

"I love you..." she hunched over, her whimpers gradually getting louder. "I love you... I love you..."

A tearful daughter also watched from afar, intensely saddened by her mother's grief and love for the late father.

"For you, a thousand times over..."

The words and teardrops tugged at the Father Demon's heartstrings.

He felt the soft grasp of a forgotten emotion.

"Himari..." he recalled.

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Giyuu was sobbing, with the effects of the alcoholic intake now manifesting, "I'm sorry, Kocho... I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough...! Goddammit!"

"Fuck! Shit! ARGH!" He bellowed out in agony.

"Kocho, don't leave me! Don't go away!" he reached his hand out, only to be met with the dismal emptiness of space.

"Make fun of me! Poke me! Say I'm unlikeable! I don't care! Just... just stay..." he curled up into a ball.

"I don't want to be alone..." he whispered.

Utsuro clenched his fists.

He experienced the tight grip of a pernicious, burning question.

"Is it all for nothing?"

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"Why love in the first place, if you know he's going to die?"

"Because regardless of the pain, the joy of being with him will always be more worthwhile. The time spent with him, no matter how little, would always be more valuable."

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"Would you rather have never loved her? Knowing how much pain it now causes you?"

"God no. I will never regret falling for someone as amazing as her. The memories of her will always outweigh the pain I now feel."

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"Even when he's gone, why don't you despair? Why don't you simply destroy everything?"

"Because that means destroying what we have created from our love: my beautiful children, and their children. I don't regret any of that. I don't regret my family. I don't regret living a long, happy life with him."

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"Why accept suffering? She wouldn't have wanted this."

"Perhaps... But I just can't control my feelings for her; I love her too much to let go. I would rather suffer knowing my feelings than to be ignorant of them."

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"Why are you not trying to fill the gaping hole in your hearts?"

"Because," they spoke in unison.

"In every life, we will always find each other. That's all we need."

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"They love each other so much that they would rather accept the pain of that love than not having those feelings at all," Akio surmises.

"I still don't understand..." Utsuro said in a defeated tone.

"I don't think anybody will. Only they can. As for us, the memories of Himari are so distant and removed that we can only invoke her name and nothing else; we have forgotten what our companionship with her meant," Akio dolefully remarks.

"Forgotten...?" Utsuro questions.

"Yes. We have forgotten why we fell in love with her. But, those two—Tomioka Giyuu and Kocho Shinobu—carry the essence of that bond. That undying, timeless, and boundless bond."

"We see it in every timeline—in every life."

In that moment, Utsuro observed hundreds of iterations of the same fundamental truth: the love between those two individuals.

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What shall be.

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An elderly couple leisurely sat along the Engawa, their fingers interlocked and their faces staring into the green courtyard.

Both were sat with a look of contentment etched onto their visages.

Even as the birds chirped, the cicadas sang restlessly, and the comforting breeze streamed through the air, the couple were focused only on each other: their company was all that they needed.

Shinobu grinned widely, "Your daughter is being courted by that businessman again."

Giyuu hummed, "Why does she only tell you?"

"Because you're absolutely hopeless when it comes to giving advice on these affairs. Besides, women like to gossip," Shinobu jested.

"You say I'm hopeless in virtually everything," Giyuu sighs.

"That's because you are," Shinobu teased.

"Thirty years of marriage, and you still repeat the same jokes," Giyuu retorts.

"Says the man without a sense of humor."

"Am I not funny?"

"Only unintentionally. Otherwise, you should leave the math jokes for the university students," Shinobu clarifies.

"... Fair enough."

"Ah, I heard Tsutako decided on a name for her baby," Shinobu remarks.

"Again, why doesn't anyone tell me important stuff... especially on matters pertaining to my grandson's name," Giyuu grumbles.

"Oh, don't be a downer. You just happened to not be around when she told me," Shinobu reassured.

"Also, why do the kids want to move out of the Mansion? It's big for a reason," Giyuu adds.

"Let them do what they want, Giyuu. They're grown adults now," Shinobu counters.

"I know... but it's getting a little empty around here."

"Well, that's life, isn't it?" Shinobu replied.

"... So, what's the baby's name?" Giyuu inquires.

"They decided on 'Ginosuke,'" Shinobu cheerfully informed.

"Ginosuke, huh... Well, that's definitely creative."

"Better than how we named our children," Shinobu chimed in.

"Definitely," Giyuu concurred.

"..."

"..."

"You know," Giyuu spoke.

"Yes?"

"This is nice. Just sitting here, talking with each other, and enjoying the pleasantries of nature," said Giyuu.

"What are you, an old man?" Shinbou jokes.

"Am I not a handsome old man?"

"You will always be handsome," she smiled.

"And you will always be pretty," he returned in kind.

"Flattery won't get you Salmon Daikon for dinner," Shinobu rejoined.

"Darn it..."

"But you're right..." Shinobu started. "This is nice..."

Giyuu looked up at the azure sky, "In every life, I would have us sitting on this veranda and reminiscing again. Given the chance, I would do it all over again."

"Oh my, a word wizard, aren't you?" Shinobu sings praises.

"I read some poetry last night."

"Well, my dear Giyuu, let me tell you this: 'If there were a next life, I still would choose to be with you.'"

"Is that so," Giyuu chuckled.

Shinobu grinned, "Always."

..

..

..

..

..

..

As Utsuro came to his senses, he realized something was off.

First, he was prostrated on the bare ground—as if he had fallen asleep.

And second, he was lying on a growing puddle of blood—his own blood.

In his state of utter disorientation, he looked up and around.

He was met with the perturbed gazes of the Hashiras, whose visages evoked an equally confused reaction to the developments.

The same Hashiras he thought he had killed earlier.

What was going on?

..

..

..

..

"Where are their corpses? The Hashiras' corpses!! WHY AREN'T THEY DEAD!!!" Utsuro shouted at the top of his lungs.

"What corpses?" Akio's eyes narrowed.

"There weren't any to begin with."