Blossoming Fissure | Tanjirou Kamado

16. Trust

Ayaka's mind had been full of lots of things ever since her father's death. And although it was difficult not to, she found herself nearly buried in a dream. But this time, her worries take a concrete shape:

Senjuro looked at the floor and she involuntarily frowned.

"I don't think I could..." he shook his head and his ponytail moved from side to side. "Not yet, at least."

Ayaka sipped from her teacup and didn't even realize that her tongue got burnt.

"It's okay," she said. "Just promise to send me a crow in case you change your mind."

Senjuro nodded again and both got out of the room.

"It's not okay," she thought, "it's definitely not okay." She could see something broken and dying in the way Senjuro Rengoku walked, moved in the way he breathed, and she could not stand it.

"What will it be?" The bakery lady called Ayaka from the counter and she finally looked up.

"Taiyaki." Yuu butted in before Ayaka stayed silent for too long. "And some dango." He hit her ribs with his elbow, making her blink.

The bakery lady slid a packet over the counter containing whatever it was that Yuu asked for and Ayaka slid back a few coins. With one last smile at her they both went out of the bakery and set off back to the Rengoku residence.

Ayaka sent a discreet glance at Yuu by the corner of her eye and clutched the package closer to her chest.

"How do you know Senjuro?"

Yuu eyed her the same way, like a specimen he didn't want to get too close to, and shrugged. At least, Ayaka sarcastically thought, they weren't trying to kill each other.

"I've been helping with the funeral since last month." None of them talked for a moment. "I had to return the favour, I guess."

Ayaka raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Are you suddenly worried about your karma?"

"Nah," Yuu said, scratching at the back of his head before looking her in the eye. "I'm not a devotee. I just wanted to honour Rengoku-san's memory."

Ayaka nodded in understanding.

"I heard it was very violent," and then she quickly added, "his death."

"It was," Yuu said, gaze fixed somewhere in the distance. Now that she focused on his face, he looked much wiser. Were those wrinkles? "In the end I told him the truth."

The idea of giving him some sweets from the package quickly flashed by Ayaka's head, but she finally dropped it. "About your mum?"

"And training under Shinobu." The difference between adults and children was that they didn't run away at lies, or at admitting them once the moment's come, Ayaka suddenly thought. "He wasn't mad or anything."

"That's good, isn't it?"

Yuu muffled a chuckle against the back of his hand, expression in between sad and amused.

"Disappointment," he said," is much worse than anger."

After that, none of them said another word.

They reunite with Senjuro and Tanjirou. By then, Tanjirou was already back to consciousness and there was a new teapot resting on the table.

Ayaka scrunched her nose up when smelling green tea and not jasmine, but she was discreet enough for Senjuro not to notice and come off as rude.

"So they're completely torn to shreds?" She asked over the cup of tea she wasn't going to drink. The 'Generational Flame Hashira Record' sat on the table, seemingly useless