Road to Hashira

-05-

"So it seems all went well in the end. Good job, Shinobu." Kanae smiles dearly as she pats her sister's head. "How was that night, by the way?" She narrowly opens her eyes, hoping to see a reaction from Shinobu who lay on her lap.

"After all that's happened, I'm not really sure what to feel. That night was warm and cozy, and surely, it was pretty fun like I've never had before since mom and dad." Shinobu barely looks at her sister's warm, purplish eyes but rather stares forward out the courtyard. "I was having so much fun that somehow I forgot what I was actually here for. I can't sum it up in simple words, but... that night was too warm and cozy, too relaxed, too fun..."

Kanae raises her eyebrows in concern for her sister.

"I've dedicated my body, mind, soul and heart to the demon slaying corps. Every will and inch of my body is purely made to fight for the corps and eradicate those ugly demons. Yet, at a time like that, it's almost as if I forgot my purpose." She sighs deeply and rises up from her sister's lap. "It's not that I'm mad nor am I blaming Kumeno-san, I'm just disappointed at my own incompetence."

"And, what makes you think that?"

The two sisters look eye to eye. "While I was enjoying myself, Tomioka-san was hunting a demon. I was so indulged I almost got shocked that a demon exists near us. Tomioka-san was earnest, despite his looks, he's very hard-working and barely lacks dedication. In order to fully immerse himself in his duty, he neglects all other matters of life that would impede him. He woke me up at that time, snapping me out of my delusions of a happy, normal life. I'm a demon slayer. My duty is to destroy demons until there's none left." Shinobu's deep, violet eyes were stern, unmovable.

Kanae shuts her eyes for a moment. "Tomioka-san is truly an amazing person, very soon, he would also rise to the ranks of the Hashira. However, Tomioka-san's path may still be different from yours, Shinobu. He has fully dedicated his life to demon slaying, thinking of nothing else, because of his raging vendetta." Shinobu was shocked to hear those words from her sister. For a quiet person like Tomioka, he barely seems to get angry at all. 

"But you, Shinobu, your duty to fulfill is to protect the lives of people, their dreams and their hopes. Like us, Tomioka-san has lost people he loved most to demons, but he chose the path of vengeance as his ultimate driving force. Is that what you also want, Shinobu?"

Shinobu was taken aback by her sister's strong statements that she was driven to a silent corner.

Kanae, seeing her sister was out of words, decided to turn the subject around. "So, how's Tomioka-san doing?"

Shinobu looks up at her, shyly. "After the fight, Tomioka-san couldn't feel his wrists, but he was still able to walk safely. His injuries are not that deep, he was very careful despite the odds. Kumeno-san got to us later, and so he helped recover the girls. Fortunately, all of them were safe thanks to Tomioka-san's efforts to draw all the demons toward him. Right now, he must be asleep. I've changed his bandages a few times since that night."

"Well, I think you might want to check on him again. Tomioka-san has a very bad habit of not staying in one place for too long." Kanae giggles.

Shinobu flushes in the thought of Tomioka escaping his bed once again, so she hurries to his room. "Tomioka-san, you better still be in bed!" To her amazement, he was still lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. She comes to him to check if he is still alive. (Good, his eyes aren't moving but he's still breathing.)

"Kochou..."

"H-huh, what is it? Do you need something?"

"Is that a butterfly?" Kochou was puzzled, but when she also traced Tomioka's gaze up the ceiling, she realized he was staring at a dark-brown moth.

"Eh, that's a moth."

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Two nights since that other night. Are you alright? Would you like some water?"

"Who's been replacing my bandages and wiping my body?"

Shinobu was flustered so she averted his gaze. "I-I did..." Tomioka's face showed a distinct expression of repulsion. "WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THAT FACE YOU UNGRATEFUL BASTARD?!" Shinobu slammed his face with a pillow and Tomioka squirms frantically.

Aoi Kanzaki, their latest helper in the estate, a demon slayer who says she survived Final Selection by luck, comes in and stops Shinobu. "S-Shinobu-sama, what are you doing?!"

*A few moments later*

"From now on, Aoi will be your nurse!" Shinobu puffs out her chest and crosses her arms.

Right now, it was feeding time for Tomioka, but since he couldn't use his wrists more or less his fingers, he had to be fed by Aoi. Shinobu watches them carefully as Aoi takes a spoonful towards Tomioka's mouth. Shinobu raises an eyebrow and feels the awkward state of things. "Wait, on s-second thought! This looks like harassment!"

Tomioka was stunned. (H-harassment? What did I even do?!)

"Aoi, give me that!" Shinobu snatches the bowl and spoon from Aoi and shoves a huge amount into Tomioka's mouth.

"S-Shinobu-sama, he's going to choke!"

Later, Tomioka finished his bowl, but not without terrifying spoonfuls that felt like torture from Shinobu. Next, Shinobu offers him a hot cup of medicine. Its aroma was so strong and distasteful that Tomioka was hesitant. "W-what's in that?"

Shinobu smiles grimly as she coldly replies, "Just. Drink. It."

Tomioka was sweating. (Is this poison? Is she really trying to kill me?) "No." (NO WAIT!!!)

The veins on Shinobu's face popped almost audibly. She jumps on Tomioka, pinning his chest with her knee as she tries to pry his mouth open. "I SAID DRINK IT YOU FILTHY VERMIN!" Aoi does her best to calm her down. Tomioka felt like crying. Shinobu was still angry. The screams escalated so Kanae also rushed in.

In the end, Tomioka couldn't drink it because he passed out after Shinobu almost crushed his lungs. From then on, Aoi nursed Tomioka till he was fully healed. Kanae scolded Shinobu for her harsh treatment of Tomioka when she was doing well the past few nights.

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"Eh, Nee-san, where did you get those sakura mochi?" Shinobu passed by her sister sitting by the courtyard, binging on some fluffy sakura mochi.

"Oh, hewo Chinobu, care to hash shom with fwee?" (Care to have some with me.)

"Sure, but when did you buy these?" Shinobu sits down with her sister and takes one for herself.

Kanae gulps down her chunk with tea. "Someone sent it to us, as a 'thank you' I guess. I don't know much, the letter only addressed 'Kochou' and nothing else."

(Could it have been from Kumeno-san? I haven't seen him since the nine tailed fox demon.) Shinobu bites onto her piece and is delighted. "Oishiii~!"

Meanwhile, Tomioka was walking off from the Butterfly Mansion and thought to himself. (The sakura mochi back in the festival were actually pretty good, and I had some to spare after that girl gave me more as a 'thank you' gift.)