It has officially been two years, five months, two weeks, three days, eleven hours, forty-five minutes, and 12 seconds since Kanae Kocho has died.
Not that he was counting.
"Sanemi-san?" her younger sister, knocked silently on the door, opening it a crack. he was staring at the clock again.
"Counting the time again?" she asked, settling next to him on the bed. He looked at her, his eyes devoid of the usual vibrant enthusiasm and desire there usually was in them to kill demons. Simply put, he missed her.
They all did.
"I did that too. But Kanae-"
"She promised me... we'd always be together. Why'd she have to go and fight that damn demon?' he roared.
"I wish she was here as well. But.... Kanae's gone. We have to live for something else."
Shinobu stood up and closed the door, looking at him softly again.
...
"Sanemi-san..."
His eyes snapped open, drawing his sword and aiming it at the source of the sound. Behind him, the source giggled.
He turned around, to find a shimmering version of Kanae looking at him.
"I'm surprised you would turn on me that quickly!" she smirked.
"Kanae?"
"It's me, Shinazugawa-san." she placed a gentle hand on his cheek, cupping it. He frowned.
"What are you doing here?" he snapped, "is this a Blood Demon Art?"
"If it is, is it working?" she asked, laughing.
"Kanae, if it was really you, you'd come back."
"Is that what you take me for, Sanemi? I'd cheat death?" she rose an eyebrow.
It really was her.
He rushed forward and hugged her, much to her surprise.
"I hadn't pegged you as one to give hugs." she laughed. He bruied his face into the crook of her neck, the tears welling in his eyes preventing him from screaming and crying out.
"Ara-ara, Sanemi... I missed you." the Flower Pillar smiled gently.
He had never been the gentle type.
"Do you have to go?" he cried out, as her form started to drift away. Kanae looked down at her hands, which were fading.
"I-I guess... but... I love you-" her form flickered, and he knelt there, crying his eyes out.
She was really gone. It hadn't been a dream.
...
Shinobu peeked out the upper window of the Butterfly Mansion. Shinazugawa-san was staring at the flower tree. He never used to do that. It was always Kanae.
She climbed down the steps of the stairs, aching to find him and say that she missed her sister as well.
"Did she see you too?" he asked, as soon as she mentioned her salutations. She stared at him.
"See?" she asked. He remained silent.
"Never mind."
Shinobu satred silent at the large sakura tree, the petals of the flower slowly floating to the ground.
"I always used to watch this tree in wonder. But... I was afraid that it would make me more emotional. Kanae... she.... she let me be here, beside her. And together, we'd be vulnerable. And I loved it." he said softly, touching the trunk of the tree gently.
"And she told me... that she loved me." his eyes welled up.
"To keep on loving her, the tree stayed here for me." he smiled and looked up, staring at the sky filled with flower petals.
Shinobu stared at the emotion-ridden Wind Hashira, who had never shown this much fear, vulnerability, and love in his entire life compared to that of Genya.
Shinobu smiled at him.
"She loved both of us. And sometimes, I wish I could go back, and tell her that I loved her one last time before she died. If only I had a time machine." she humphed.
"If only."
