Every Beat || Tankana

III

Isn't it about time you
finish this chapter??!!
You're right. Gomen.

CHAPTER 3 : Daydreams And Realities

Tanjirou stared at the wooden box in his hands. He tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at the object, as if he'd gain the ability of x-ray vision and see what was inside. He didn't want to shake it to try and figure out its contents by the sound of it, because his nose is telling him it was some kind of medicine.

He stared at Kanao as she spoke. Her smile intact like always. She was standing straight and her eyes fell directly at his, her focus settling on him.

She was explaining why she was there late at night, she was delivering the shots Shinobu had brewed specifically for Hashiras. Kanao explained the rise of demon poisoning and how the medicine before had completely stopped working for such cases.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience and for bothering you this late." she bowed and Tanjirou waved his hands in the air in panic. The box almost fell, but he made sure to tighten his grip on the object.

"You're not a bother at all!" he said, a bead of sweat gathering on his cheek. He held the box with both of his hands and smiled awkwardly at Kanao. She returned the gesture with her eyes closed.

A moment of silence. Only the sound of the midnight wind filled in the quiet gaps. They didn't mind at all, it was nice.

Although Tanjirou was still a bit flustered at the sight of the Flower Hashira standing at his front door. All the other Hashiras have been to his home, all exept Kanao. He assumed she didn't know where he lived or that she just never had the reason to be here in the first place. Probably the latter.

The butterfly estate had quite a distance to where he lived, so it was hard to visit each other. It was as if the heavens heard his thoughts and decided to punish and bless him at the same time. And thus, here, she now stands.

"Say..." he shifted in his position. "Are you busy? Right now?" he asked, that awkward smile returned.

She opened her eyes, her vibrant purple pupils big and round, from a distance you would assume the whites of her eyes were nonexistent. "I don't think so." she smiled, the very smile she was not fully dressed without.

Tanjirou beamed. He walked inside his house, atleast just over the door frame. He looked back at her, hoping she understood his invitation. For a moment she just stared at him, but soon followed him inside.

But she did not allowed herself to walk up the steps to the wooden floors. She looked at him in confusion. "Tanjirou-kun, is there something important you want to discuss about?" she asked.

He thought about what to say. It was clear, all he needed to do is say it-

"Uh, dinner. You like, yeah?"

What the hell was that?!

-But his mouth failed to cooperate with his brain. He was crying in embarrassment when he saw the look of absolute pure confusion on Kanao's face. "I mean--!" he blushed. If his hands were free, he'd use them to facepalm himself, maybe that'll knock him hard enough to just pass out right there and then.

"W-would you like to join me for dinner?" he finally managed to say. "Zenitsu and Inosuke won't be home until tomorrow morning and maybe you haven't eaten yet... Maybe." he finished after an agonizing moment under Kanao's stare.