Priceless Smile 2

Chapter 1: Awake

The sun's starting to rise as the slayers remained asleep with Fuji and Kai while Shinjuro, Senjuro, Kanao, and Nezuko stayed by their sides. Just as Senjuro's eyelids are starting to close, Kyojuro suddenly sat up from his futon. And so are the rest. They were all wide eyed and panting as if they just got chased down or as if they ran after someone. Fuji and Kai opened their eyes with such saddened looks on their faces. The two soon stood up and left the room, just as the two left, the slayers started crying. Their tears burst out like a flowing river as it fell like that of a waterfall. They all cried as Shinjuro and the others who didn't join them in the dream looked confused. Shinjuro just remained silent as him and Senjuro hugged Kyojuro, Nezuko hugged Tanjiro and patted Zenitsu's head while Kanao hugged both Kanae and Shinobu. They cried for thirty minutes straight before drifting to sleep again because of exhaustion.

"I wonder what happened." Senjuro muttered out.

"Whatever happened, seeing their reactions just now means it was not a very good thing at all." Shinjuro replied as he looked at his sleeping eldest son with pity and to the rest.

Nezuko slept hugging her brother and so did Kanao in between Shinobu and Kanae. Senjuro slept hugging his older brother while Shinjuro left. As he walk down the empty corridor, he saw Masako.

"Masako-chan, do you know where Fuji-san and Kai-san's room?" He asked.

Masako nodded as she led him to a certain room at the very inner part of the mansion where sunlight won't reach. The way there is gloomy since there's no sunlight at all. Only the dim lights from the lamps. They stopped in front of a door as Masako left.

"Excuse me, may I come in?" Shinjuro asked while knocking twice.

"Please come in." Kai answered.

Shinjuro came in as he slide the doors behind him close. He saw Fuji on her own futon with her back turned as Kai sat up. Shinjuro knelt down the tatami mat beside Kai.

"I'm pretty sure you were confused about what happened, I'm sorry." Kai said.

"Yes I am, but please don't apologize. I'm just here to ask why it turned out like that."

"...You see, the memories we showed them are mostly very unpleasant to be heard or known. It's just that, the last one happened just recently." Kai explained.

"What was it?" Shinjuro asked with a worried look.

"It was Master's memory before she left for the Train Mission." Kai answered turning his head down looking at his blanket.

"Train.... Mission?"

"Yes, the reason why she was able to save your son was because.... she put herself in the same mission as a back up."

Shinjuro was shocked, although he already knew that Kazumi was the one who saved Kyojuro, he still feels worried about her. He thought of her like a daughter ever since she talked him out of his anger, and it hurts him back then during the time when the Pillars neglected her including his son.

"You should rest for a while Shinjuro-san, I bet you haven't slept for the whole night. Fuji and I also has to rest now, we have to gain back the energy we lost." Kai said as Shinjuro just nodded and left the room.

As he walk back, his worry about Kazumi made him reminisce the memory when he first met her.

Flashback》》》》

Shinjuro's lying down on his futon as usual. He just finished drinking and now he's reading before he drinks some sake again for the afternoon.

"Father, we're coming in!" Kyojuro announced from the other side of his doors.