Priceless Smile 2

Chapter 106: Thankful

     Despite having a human body now, he still has his wolf ears and tail. He has a short black and white hair with some longer ones tied in a low ponytail, his scar also stayed on his left lip, even his nails grew longer and now has a dark gray color.

Just then, Kazumi held her right hand up as black mists gather on her open palm. Shortly, the mists turned into a shiny black orb on her hand as she face Riku.

"Your hand." She said as Riku immediately obeyed putting his left up as the orb transferred on his palm.

"What is this Master?" He asked as he look closer at the orb.

"That's my core. I'm born having two in my body, my human core and my demon core. That's my demon core. That's also where I've stored most of my demon powers."

"T-Then, why give it to me? You need this!"

"For safety. Riku, I'll die. And once that core of mine is handed to the wrong hands, it'll cause nothing but chaos. There's a possibility that, I might lose against Shinjitsu and he could use that to gain more power."

"But Master.... what if I lose it? I'm not worthy of taking care of such important thing."

"You are." She gently cupped his face with her soft and gentle hands as he put his right hand on her left holding it tightly holding his tears back.
"My core has two purpose. Break it and absorb it, you'll have my power stored in there and use it once you're in a critical state. The second one, break it and let it disappear in the air, I'll be back in this world of the living being born again."

"Reincarnation?"

"Yes, so the choice is yours." She smiled at him as she look at him in the eye as she slowly made him bent down a little kissing his forehead.
"Riku, I'm happy to have you and the others by my side." She added hugging him as he hug her back.

They shortly let go of each other as Riku face the dark forest behind him. He looked back at her as she smiled at him and nodded. He took in a deep breath before exhaling it.

"Master, I promise to take care of it and make the right decision in the future. Thank you for everything." He bowed down so low his head touched the ground before standing up again and walked into the forest.

'Be safe on your way Riku.'

Their scene changed again as they saw Kazumi in her human form now standing behind Muzan, and what surprised them, is seeing her holding her sword out from her scabbard. Muzan stopped scribbling as he sigh and turn a bit to look over his shoulder seeing her sword. He faced back forward as he chuckle. Nakime's asleep in the corner too.

"So in the end you chose to be the enemy."

".... Yeah."

"You chose them."

"No, I chose you that's why I'm freeing you." She held her sword tightly with her right hand as her lip is formed in a thin line instead of a smile.

"Tonight.... is quite chaotic isn't it?" Muzan spoke as Kazumi stepped closer.
"I wonder when we'll ever get our long lasting peace."

"Me too."

"What's happening? Why is she holding her sword behind him? I thought they're siblings." Tanjiro asked not wanting to believe what he already know would happen.

"I too.... never wanted to believe this." Hanare answered as her tears slowly trickle down her cheeks.

"You know what, the happiest day I ever had in my life after losing our parents.... was meeting you that day. And the time when I'm most happy were those times that I am with you. The times when you would call me 'nii-san'. The times you would hold my hand and pat my head. Those times when you would transform me into a kid and carry me out of here just to have a look outside, especially when you let me watch the sunrise for the first time at an open field full of flowers."

Kazumi's hand slowly trembled as she held her sword with both hands not to let it fall. She held them tightly despite trembling.

"Because of you, I saw how beautiful life can be despite the darkness that enveloped my life. You made me feel happy and loved again. You made me, look at the brighter side of life."

Tanjiro and Zenitsu's tears slowly streamed down their cheeks too as they listen to his words full of his emotions. His words and his voice full of sincerity and affection. Even Mitsuri and Inosuke started tearing up with Kanae and Shinobu.

Nakime finally woke up too as she sat up and faced the siblings. Her eyes widened in shock as she gasped covering her mouth with her hands.

"Thank you Kazumi. Thank you.... for accepting me.... and spending time with me." His tears finally fell down too as he sigh and smiled looking down.
"I'm very thankful to the gods for having you as my sister." He stood up facing her with a smile on his face as he lift his arms up.

And just that, she took in a deep breath and stabbed his abdomen making her sword pass right through his back. They all gasped at what she had done.

"I'm thankful.... to have you too.... as my brother." She muttered out, her tears came out of her blindfold.

"I'm sorry, if you have to carry such burdens at a very young age." Muzan hugged her that just made her and the people watching cry even more, while the others who haven't cried yet started tearing up.
"But in my next life, if there is one.... If there is a chance.... for me to be your brother again.... I would still.... love and accept you the same way.... And by that time.... I'll protect you.... which I was never able to do.... in this current life of mine."

She pulled her sword out as she catch his body that fell limply on her arms. She dropped her sword on the floor stained with his blood as she fell on her knees hugging his lifeless corpse.

'I'm sorry.... I'm sorry....'

She kept on crying hugging her brother as they watch with pity and sadness while Hanare almost fell on her knees too but tried her best to remain standing walking towards her children slowly. She knelt on the floor as she touch her daughter's back but her hand just passed through.

Shortly, she stood up picking her sword up and putting it back in her scabbard. She walked to the door leading outside his room step by step as she no longer have tears on her cheeks. Upon finally opening it and stepping out, she was met by an empty garden as she stepped down the ground.

"Kazumi-sama!" Nakime called that made her stop as she just ran out of the room.
"I'll wait! Whatever happens after this, I'll wait for you! I'll wait for you to come back! And I promise.... I promise that.... I'll never forget you." She cried falling on her knees on the veranda.

Kazumi just let out a short sigh and continued to walk away not responding at her words at all.

'Please don't wait for me.... Nakime.'

(A/N: Pain all the way again.... *cries in the corner*)