Into the Darkness (A Demon Slayer Fanfiction)

Chapter 17: The Lost Years

Disclaimer:

I do not own nor claim all the rights to 鬼滅の刃 | Kimetsu no Yaiba | Demon Slayer; all rights are reserved to its respective creator, Koyoharu Gotōge. This is purely a work of fiction; names, characters, businesses, events, localities, and occurrences are all extrapolated from the author's writings and imagination or utilized in a fictitious manner. As such, any direct or indirect references to actual entities, dead or alive, or events do not, in any shape or form, resemble the opinions of the author.

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"..." = Dialogue

'...' = Internal monologues

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Shinobu

I bestirred myself from the slumber.

My lethargy was no longer present, but I still felt perturbed. I have not yet recovered from the initial bombshell of a revelation that I identified only hours ago.

I myself cannot be certain. Was it all in my head? Or are my suspicions accurate?

Was that old man really Tomioka Giyuu? The Water Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps? The social hermit I liked to incessantly poke fun at?

I upraise myself from the soft futon.

I glanced out the window. It's still dark.

I check the clock that is atop the oak, brown cabinet—which was situated at the corner of the room.

Extrapolating common knowledge of mechanical clocks, the hands of the clock indicated a time of 5:30 AM.

It's still very early.

I ambulate towards the Shoji door and slide it open.

However, upon detaching the door from the opposite side of the door frame, I spot a small piece of paper taped onto the exterior surface—the one facing the hallway—of the door.

I take a closer look at it. It read:

Out to get firewood. Don't do anything stupid.

Getting firewood? At this time? What's he doing up so early?

I sigh.

At this point, I shouldn't be surprised.

Then, I walk down the hallway and around the corridors.

But I ponder about the implications of last night's exchange.

"You will only realize the true value of something after you've lost hold of it. You will only notice how truly important something or someone is after they've passed. Cherish every moment, so that you won't have to do so when it's too late."

I still don't understand why or how he got that information... There has to be an explanation for this.

He's definitely hiding something, no doubt about it.

But what exactly, I can't ascertain at the moment.

It can't be, right?

The Tomioka-san I know is taciturn, reserved, unforthcoming, and incapable of even dragging a conversation for at least ten seconds. He is cold but calculating. He exercises caution at all times; he never lets his guard down. He is solemn with his commitments and sincere with his convictions—he always took things seriously.