Joy and Despair

Chapter 11 - Etsuko

"Etsuko! What did you want to tell me earlier? Wait, where are you?" Yumiko asked. "Oh, Yumiko-san! I think Etsuko just used your uniform and left! But weird, why is it a skirt and why is she holding a katana, I had never seen!?" Naho said. "D-Demon Slayer uniform? Skirt? K-katana? I don't understand!" Yumiko said. 

Then Yumiko hurriedly searches for Etsuko. "Yumiko-san! Etsuko-san said that she wants to give you this letter!" Sumi said. "A letter?" Yumiko thought. "Arigato, Sumi-chan!" Yumiko thanked Sumi. Then the letter says:

"Konnichiwa, Nee-san! I hope you read this letter, and I want to tell you that I'm a Kinoto ranked Demon slayer! I always wanted to tell you that I'm a Demon slayer but it's always not the right time so I must have the right time to tell the truth, now. Nee-san, I'm very sorry, actually I am Ottou-san's legal daughter. We were switched when we were borned, since Ottou-san just wanted you to be his only daughter, since they said that I had a mental disorder since birth. When Okaa-san got me, she found out that I'm not crazy, but she said that I must act crazy, so that I don't be taken by Ottou-san. If I was found normal, we'll be exchanged again!"

"She also said that, so her daughter, Yumiko, can have a noble, rich life. I don't want to go to Otou-san, since I'm already used to being like this. I don't know why, but I feel that by being really childish, I'll be safe! Well I know you're suffering there but at least you're not suffering anymore. I'm glad I see you, Nee-san! Sayonara! Let's see each other if we have the same mission!"

Yumiko read the letter and tears started to fall in her beautiful cyan eye colour, then someone hugged her. "It's ok, Yumiko-chan let it out." Shinobu said. Then she cries a lot. When Yumiko cried , she lay down in her bed. "Huh, I'm bored, how can I don't have a mission, since it's day now!" Yumiko said. The Kasugai Crow just came by. 

"Caaw! Tomorrow you have a mission! In the village called Kagura Saiki, Caaw!" The crow said. "Okay!" Yumiko said. The Kasugai Crow leaves Yumiko behind. "Yes! Finally I have a mission!" Yumiko said excitedly. The next day, Yumiko prepared all the things that she needed and started to leave the room. "Ohayo, Yumiko-chan!" Shinobu said. "Ohayo, Shinobu-sama!" Yumiko said.

"Oh you have a mission now, that's Great!" Shinobu smiled. "Hehe, I'm gonna go bye!" Yumiko said. "Bye and don't be so clumsy!" Shinobu said. "Alright!" Yumiko said. Then Yumiko left Shinobu behind. When Yumiko walked, she saw Rengoku just talked to Mitsuri. "Huh, I can't talk with Rengoku-san because of my mission" Yumiko said to herself. Mitsuri saw Yumiko stare at them. "Ohayo, Yumiko-chan!" Mitsuri said. Rengoku also turns to Yumiko.

"Ahhh! Ohayo, Mitsuri-san and Rengoku-san!" Yumiko said, greeted. Then Yumiko left both of them behind. "I think she has a mission so we can't talk longer, Rengoku-sensei!" Mitsuri said. "Yeah I guess..." Kyoujurou said. When Yumiko's done her mission, She laid down in the front door and looked to the dark blue sky. 

"Hah, what a tiring day." Yumiko said, while looking to the sky. "Ara~Ara, Why are you still here?" Shinobu said, smiled. "Oh, Shinobu-sama!" Yumiko said, shocked. "Are you shocked?" Shinobu giggled.

"No, no, no, I'm not shocked." Yumiko said. "Haha, Well get inside because it's very cold outside!" Shinobu said. "Hai!" Yumiko said. The next day, Yumiko was still sleeping and someone came to her room. "Yumiko-sama, are you still sleeping?" Kiyo said. Yumiko didn't respond, Kiyo tried to talk with her but she still didn't respond. 

"Yumiko-sama, it's morning now." Kiyo said. She didn't respond at all, Kiyo got worried so she called Shinobu to check on Yumiko. "Now what happened here, Kiyo-chan?" Shinobu asked. "Yumiko didn't respond, I kept calling her name but she still didn't respond." Kiyo said.

"Have you tried shouting?" suddenly Mitsuko said. "Hanamura-san! N-not yet!" Kiyo said. "This is her room right?" Mitsuko asked. "Yes," Kiyo said. "HATSUNE YUMIKO! GET UP! YOU'RE SO LATE! RENGOKU-SAN WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO GATHER INFORMATION OF THE DEMON YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DEFEAT, AND NOW HE HAS GONE BY HIMSELF!!" Mitsuko opened the door violently and shouted. "Eh?" Yumiko woke up. 

"Should I say it twice?" Mitsuko sweatdropped while clearing her throat. "EH? HE HAS GONE BY HIMSELF?!" Yumiko realised. "Yes, so go now!" Mitsuko said.

"I'll be going then." Yumiko said. "W-with that?" Mitsuko asked while holding her laughter. "Eh? Ah! Of course not!!" Yumiko goes to the bathroom, embarrassed. "Huh, calm down Yumiko and change your clothes quickly." Yumiko said to herself. "Oh my, she almost used her sleeping kimono to a battle." Shinobu giggled.

 "I'll be going right now." Yumiko said. "Ara-Ara, Why don't you eat breakfast first?" Shinobu said. "No thanks, Shinobu-sama!" Yumiko said, smiling. "Then, be careful!" Shinobu said. "Hai!" Yumiko said. Then she walked to the Ubuyashiki Estate. "Oyakata-sama, it is nice to meet you face-to-face." Yumiko greeted. "Hello Yumiko, Nice to see you too." Kagaya said. "Oyakata-sama, What is my mission?"Yumiko asked.

"Your mission is to go to the woods called Wakita Sakura, the famous woods." Kagaya said. "My pleasure, But Oyakata-sama, Who will be my partner?" Yumiko asked. "Hmmm, Rengoku Kyoujurou." Kagaya said. "What?! oh I guess I need to obey his command." Yumiko thought. "Kyoujurou is now in the Wakita Sakura, in the front gate, he must be waiting for you, Hatsune Yumiko." Kagaya said. "Your order is my command, Oyakata-sama," Yumiko said.

Wakita Sakura Village

"Hmm, I wonder where the place is." Yumiko said. Then Yumiko saw a teenager examining something. "Uhm, Excuse me, do you mind me? Where is the Wakita Sakura?" Yumiko asked. "Oh, the Wakita Sakura village is 1 km in there!" the teenage girl said. 

"Oh, Arigato!" Yumiko said. "She looks like Etsuko-chan. How could that be? Never mind." Yumiko thought. Then she walked until she reached Wakita Sakura. "Wow, this place is very beautiful and huge!" Yumiko said. "Hatsune! You're here!" a familiar man's voice said. Then Yumiko saw Rengoku Just smiling and waving, which made Yumiko blush.

"Oh, Rengoku-san!" Yumiko said. Then she walked to Rengoku. "Well, I see you're very tired because yesterday, Am I right?" Kyoujurou said. "Oh, nah, I'm not tired, I just don't want to wake up," Yumiko said. Then Rengoku laughed and patted Yumiko's head. "Uhm, Why do we go here? Is there any demon in here?" Yumiko asked. 

"Yes, there is a demon in here." Kyoujurou said. "Oh, Well I guess need to kill b*stard demons again, but I'm tired!" Yumiko said. That made Rengoku giggled. "Well, demon slayer is much harder than normal people. I know you understand." Kyoujurou said.

"Yumiko, do you remember? We used to go out together like this, right? Usually after we go home, your mother scolds you for being outside with me too long! Remember?" Kyoujurou said. "Eh? Did we?" Yumiko asked. "Rengoku-san, I think you're mistaken because I've never met you before!" Yumiko said. "Wait, what?" Kyoujurou said. "I don't know, probably you're mistaken for another girl!" Yumiko said.

"What did you mean? It's you! You had the exact same face since you were small!" Kyoujurou said. "Do you remember my promise to you?" Kyoujurou tested Yumiko. "No." Yumiko said. Kyoujurou is speechless for a moment, trying to remember his past. "R-Rengoku-san? Are you ok?" Yumiko asked. 

"You dyed your hair? Or is it natural?" Kyoujurou asked again. "Natural." Yumiko said "Natural?!" Kyoujurou said. "Yes, what is the problem?" Yumiko said. "Oh is that so? Okay." Kyojurou said. "I think he's mad at me, but why?" Yumiko thought.

Then they examine anything that could possibly be related to the demon. The day ended and became dark, the beautiful blue moon appeared, giving moonlight as a luminaire of the darkness. "It's night now! I didn't realise that we had been researching so long! " Kyoujurou said. "Yea." Yumiko said. 

"Well, the demon will appear any minute." Kyoujurou said. "Yea, it will appear any minute right now!" Yumiko said. They walked until the demon appeared, but something rather interesting and spine-chilling happened.

"Uppermoon 2?!" they said. 

(And the next chap will be published tomorrow :D)