𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐮𝐬 - 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐮 𝐊𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐮 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑

The sun was an hour away from rising. I tucked up the fabric, feeling the gentleness of the silk and cotton against my cold fingers. There was a period of silence in the morning where you could either hear everything, or absolutely nothing at all. The hallway's floorboards would creak at your every step, the walls would echo your breaths and sighs, and the alleyways would feel lengthier than they actually were, but the time never seemed to last. Every night stretched over the same hours, but some just felt longer than the rest– but the wonder of late spring was that the day would cross the line of the night, collide and conquer the twilight.

I looked out my window and saw the black of the darkness had molded itself into the violets of sunrise, the orange painting the world like a canvas without thought. I should get going. Pulling up the rest of my haori from the middle of my back to my shoulders and opening the doors, I stepped outside with my shoes already on and headed downstairs.

There stands a tree outside that held every single memory that blossomed in this house and remembered all those who lived in it. Her roots anchored along every laugh ever emitted in the house and her flowers bloomed at every promise made. She herself was a promise. A promise that one day all the happiness, all the joy, would fight the sorrows and bring us victory.

Victory.

When Kanae-san planted her, she planted it with all her hopes and dreams for the people living in the butterfly mansion. Since it serves both as a hospital and a home, she wanted it to be a warm shelter for those who fought for the happiness of others and always served others before themselves.

I remember the words she told me the night we planted the tree. She said, "My father always said, 'If there is someone who is unable to shoulder their burdens, then bear half of it for them; if someone is troubled, think with them; if someone is enveloped by grief, then empathize with them.'"

Kanae-san, how do I stay strong at a time like this? How do I stand for the people I love?

If there was anything Kanae-san had taught me in the time I knew her in this world, it would be that any day could be your last. The morning of the day that the world ripped her away, she woke up with her usual gentle smile and walked into my room, a gentle creak and tap of happiness laid at the sole of her shoes. She pulled open my doors with her dainty fingers and poked her head in to ask if I was ready to head out. I remember how radiant her smile was that morning; she shone brighter than even the sun.

The sky had never been as clear as when she was here. It was almost like the sky grieved with us, mourned with us, and ached on its own to escape the thoughts that the most precious butterfly had lost its wings. I hoped that the sky would shine just a little more today. I wanted to whisper to Kanae-san in paradise and tell her that we're painfully adjusting to her departure and that we would never heal completely, but we're all trying to be happier for her.

The beauty of spring was that the flowers would reach further away from the cold winter, closing in on the warmth, and showering us in the grace of its petals. Every cherry blossom tree would be in full bloom, and every drop of morning dew would be as clear as glass. Every tree would eventually wither, but I had never seen Victory falter from the weather even once.

The only tree that will never wither is the tree covered eternally in flowers.

"(Y/N)-sama!" I heard someone call me from behind, "Good morning!"

I turned around to see Tanjiro waving at me from a distance. The only thing I hated about him was that he reminded me so dreadfully of Kanae; the way he smiled, the way he greeted everyone he came across. God, how does one even find a reason to hate such an innocent boy? 

"Good morning, Tanjiro-san," I put out the best smile I could, "You're up early."

"Yeah! I'm used to waking up early because I get to feel the sun before I start my day. I'm the son of a coal burner, so I need to deliver coal to the villages down the mountain so they can warm their breakfast up!"

I couldn't find the right words to tell him, so I only nodded and nudged him to come closer. 

"It's such a beautiful tree!" He exclaimed excitedly, watching the pink flower petals fall to the ground and get blown away gently by the wind.

"This was planted by the first flower breath user. Its name is 'Victory'. Sometimes I feel as though the tree is the last living thing that connects me, as well as everybody else in this house, to her. I come here in the morning sometimes to ask her to bring us guidance," I explained, turning my head to the boy. His unclouded eyes could almost reflect the little lights that danced around his heart.

"I see! It's kind of like praying or making wishes, huh?" He asked.

"I guess so. We come here to ask for guidance and everlasting happiness for the people in this mansion and for ourselves, we come here to drop our sorrows when it feels like everyone's turned their heads. It's almost like she's still here, still listening to us."

"Alright then!" He dropped his head and prayed for a few minutes. I found it odd that he was praying, but I didn't want to bother him.

When he lifted his head, I had turned my entire body in his direction. I tilted my head.

"What did you ask for, Tanjiro?"

"Well, lately, I've been catching the smell of a troubled and anxious person from you. Today, the smell you have is different-- it smells lighter, as though the weights have been lifted. I asked for your unconditional happiness! I wished for you to stay happy regardless of what comes your way! And for Shinobu-san's too!" He answered.

I wanted to thank him. I wanted to say something. But I was too stunned to say anything. Just as I thought I had put my shambled thoughts in order, a shriek emerged from the house. It was loud and almost cracked, like a dreadful ram being brought down to a knife.

"Ah! Zenitsu and Inosuke are awake now! I'll see you later!" He said, waving his hand at me as the distance between us grew.

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Word Count: 1118

A/N: I woke up extra early to finish this but it's not as good as I'd like it to be. I might edit it later because it looks like an utter mess. On another note though; this chapter is not extracted from the plot of the manga or the anime-- this one is my creation because I realized that Tanjiro had a meaningful moment with everyone in the house, ex. Kanao's coin scene, Shinobu's rooftop scene, Aoi's confession scene, etc. I figured Y/N should get something too; for this chapter, I wanted to focus on their losses and griefs, since we only get Shinobu's trauma from Kanae's departure in the canon story. I guess I wanted to 'humanize' the character or something. They're struggling too, from the guilt of Kanae's death and the burden of being the one who lived-- it's my job to make that seen. This one is a bit shallow though, and I'm inexperienced in that field of work, but I'll do my best to make it more realistic in the following chapters!