Priceless Smile 2

Chapter 74: Friends

     "Haru-san, how can a slayer tell if someone's a Pillar?"

Haru and Kazumi are currently eating breakfast together as she face him waiting for an answer.

"Oh! Well, about that.... Pillars are given a special bracelet made out of jade. Once a slayer's seen wearing one or having one with them, that means they're a Pillar." Haru then put a spoonful of food in his mouth.

"But how? Anyone could just buy a jade bracelet anywhere when they have the money."

"You see.... *gulps* those jade bracelets are made special. The owner's name is engraved on them with the name of their breath style. Outside is the name and inside is the name of the breath style. Like mine." Haru then took out his bracelet from within his clothes, he wore it like a necklace instead of wearing it like a normal bracelet.

He then handed it to Kazumi as she trace her fingers on it feeling the characters of Haru's name engraved on the outside and the characters of his breath style inside. She then gave it back.

"I'm sure that looks beautiful.:"

"Yes it is! But I wear it as a necklace and not as a bracelet at all. I might just end up breaking it, ahahaha!"

Their scene changed again as Kazumi's now playing with the cat while just sitting beside the sleeping wolf. Haru then came as he called her. She followed him until they reached the living room as the watchers then saw a man with a short black hair and dark purple eyes, he's wearing a blue colored kimono with an open chest and black hakama pants, he has a scar on his left cheek. Together with him is someone younger who has a long burgandly hair tied in a high ponytail with a mark on his left forehead, dark red pupil less eyes, wearing hanafuda earrings, a red kimono, and black hakama pants.

"Kazumi-chan, meet my friends. Shindo Yuki-san, the current Flame Pillar and his tsuguko, Tsugikuni Yoriichi." Haru presented them.

"T-The first breath user!" Tanjiro stuttered expressing how surprised he is.

"Hold up, what?! Flame Pillar?! I thought Rengokus are the only ones to have that position?!" Shinjuro exclaimed looking awfully confused.

"Just shut up and watch. You'll understand later on." Hanare replied.

"They're quite cute and handsome!" Mitsuri squealed.

"Nice to meet you Shindo-san and Tsugikuni-san, I'm Kazumi." She said with a slight bow staying close beside Haru.

"Hello there too young one, quite shy I see. Just call me Yuki." The man said as he smile at her.

"Just call me Yoriichi.... can we be friends?"

"Uh.... yes of course. I'm glad you want to be friends with me, Yoriichi-san."

"Yoriichi's fine, I'm not that much older than you."

Haru then felt someone tugging the sleeve of his happi as he look down at Kazumi. He then crouched down to her level as she got closer to his ear.

"Is he the oldest Pillar you told me a few nights ago?" She whispered.

Haru just chuckled as he whispered back a 'yes' to her. Yuki's eyebrows then furrowed.

"How mean, Mo-chan! Why does it sound like you made me an old geezer to her?!" Yuki huffed.

"Ahahaha! Yuki, I just told her the truth. You're really the eldest amongst us."

'They sound like they're quite close with each other.'

Their scene then changed again showing Yoriichi and Kazumi making flower crowns together at the garden while Yuki and Haru watch them from the veranda drinking their tea. But just then, Hanare snapped her fingers making them hear the two Pillars converse instead.

"Haru, are you sure about this? She's still young and blind. She'll need you for a long time but you're a slayer."

"I know, I know that I could die at anytime. But only if you know what she went through, I really can't trust anyone to take care of her. Even I am scared of leaving her behind, but what can I do?"

Yuki remained silent as he look down at his tea.

"She even told me she wanted to become a slayer."

Yuki now has a surprised expression on his face as he look at Haru who remained facing down.

"She said she also wanted to protect people. She really mean it. But I don't want seeing her going around holding a sword and training her whole life just to polish her skills. I don't want to see her suffer from the lost lives of her comrades and the innocent people she's supposed to protect as a slayer."

"Haru...." Yuki then put his hand on Haru's left shoulder.
"I know how much you care and love that child but let's be honest, she got a point. She looks up to you and wanted to be just like you. If that's what she really wanted to do, let her then. Let her walk on the path she wanted. Even I think of Yoriichi as my son but we all know we can't stay with them forever. We have to let them choose their own paths they think is fit for them. Let them decide on their own. We adults are just here to guide and correct them, that's reality."

Haru remained silent for a while as he look at Kazumi. He could see her smiling and talking comfortably with Yoriichi whose face remained stoic but still smiled a little.

This time, they heard Haru's thoughts instead of Kazumi's.

'He's right, I.... have to let her decide on her own. If I really wanted her to be happy.'

Hanare then snapped her fingers again as they went back to hearing Kazumi talk with Yoriichi.

"Hey, what's that for?" Sanemi asked.

"Since this has already happened, I can switch with people that are part of the current events that we're watching at the current time. We'll be able to hear what they're talking about and what's in their mind." Hanare explained.

"So, you mean we can switch up from her to anyone as long as they're within the dream?" Obanai asked.

"Exactly, but that doesn't mean we can see their past too. We can only hear what they're currently talking about and what they're currently thinking."

Their scene changed again as they saw Kazumi facing Yoriichi's direction who's currently training. He's swinging a wooden sword repeatedly.

'Wait.... what's this I see? H-How?'

They all got confused at what is it she's wondering in her mind. Not until she spoke.

"Your shoulders.... your shoulders are too stiff."

"Huh?" Yoriichi faced her with a surprised look on his face.

"I think you should relax a bit more."

Yoriichi then walked towards her as he got closer and leaned down.

"Can you.... see the same world as me?"