To The Stars | Tokito Muichiro x OC

06 • Unwavering Conviction

"How is she, Shinobu?" Kagaya asked. He had already read the report, but he wanted to hear it from the person herself. "That child Sanemi brought, Hoshizora Inori?"

"She's stable but is still in a coma," the Insect Pillar answered. "Iguro-san has visited and confirmed that she looks similar to the photo he saw of the Hoshizora family. Though we won't know for sure who she is until she wakes up."

In truth, it was a shock for her when Sanemi suddenly barged into the Butterfly Estate with a nearly dead girl in his arms. Apparently, the Wind Pillar found her when he was battling Lower Moon Six. News about Sanemi finding Hoshizora Inori spread amongst the pillars, and everyone was on the edge, anxiously waiting for her to wake up. They needed to know whether Muzan managed to conquer the sun or not.

But that wasn't the only thing Shinobu and Sanemi were anxious about. According to Sanemi, Hoshizora Inori's heart stopped mid-treatment in the Wisteria House. Shinobu speculated that it was due to internal bleeding, dehydration, and starvation. The doctor from the Wisteria House managed to get her heart beating again, but Sanemi immediately transported her to Butterfly Estate as soon as the first treatment was done.

Needless to say, the Wind Pillar owed her a new door.

It has been four months since then, and it has been four rocky months for Shinobu, especially during the first week when Inori's condition would just worsen out of nowhere. The entire Butterfly Estate took turns watching over her throughout the day and night. By the end of the week, everybody could breathe a bit easier as Shinobu gave them the clear. But four months later, Hoshizora Inori has yet to wake up.

"I see. How about the child Amane brought to you?" Shinobu recalled the boy with black-mint hair who was also brought to her estate in a near-dead condition. Unlike Hoshizora Inori, Tokito Muichiro was in a much graver condition.

"He's also getting better," she answered with a sad smile. "Though it has been six months since he came, and he has yet to wake."

"Shinobu, can I request that both of them be moved to my house?" Shinobu blinked at the odd request. Surely, the master couldn't be thinking of housing them, right? Kagaya seemed to have understood her confusion because he smiled. "Aside from wanting to explain what happened to them upon their awakening, both of them have suffered greatly at the hands of demons and I wish to help them. Of course, I do not wish to inconvenience you by having you come here just to check up on them. It is merely my selfish request."

"It's not selfish, Oyakata-sama," Shinobu denied. "Both of them are in stable condition, I only need to check on them once a week. I will have someone immediately move them here. Please rest assured, I am more than happy to be of help to you."

"Thank you, Shinobu." Kagaya smiled softly. "You really are such a kind child."

No. Shinobu wanted to deny him, smiling back bitterly. I'm just doing what Nee-san would've done if she was still alive. The kind one is her, not me.

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☆.｡.☆.｡.:*☆ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

Inori stared blankly at the scene above her. She has been here for quite some time now. It's not that she hated the scenery. In fact, she actually loved the beautiful view. A dark mirror-like ocean that reflected the starry sky. She was standing on the water, never drowning but always seeing ripples every time she moved. She felt like she was walking on a mirror that reflected the sky infinitely.

The sky was her favorite part though. A splash of purple, blue, red, and black that created a galactical look. Stars and constellations, as well as the moon, hung above her. Her mind convinced her to never leave this beautiful place.