ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴ sʟᴀʏᴇʀ: ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ғʟᴏᴡᴇʀs ʙʟᴏᴏᴍᴇᴅ "ᴋʏᴏᴊᴜʀᴏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴋᴀʀɪ"

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

"Akari's death"

The sun shined like never before. Akari is now on her death bed. She had been feeling sick for the past week and she knew she was nearing her end. Her daughter and son, Kyori and Kajuro had sent letters to their loved ones, upon Akari's request that they come to their house to at least say goodbye. She wanted everyone to be there for her and for her children and her grandchildren.

Her breathing was slow and raspy, her eyes were closed. Kyori was preparing food for the guests that will be arriving soon. Kajuro was in town with his wife, Mirai to fetch some of the guests and to buy some ingredients for Kyori to prepare food with. Hiro, Kyori's husband, helped her with all needed preparations, while their three children was with Akari, telling her bedtime stories and telling her memorable memories.

"Grandma, you'll be with grandpa soon", Hiyojuro said, Kyori's eldest son. He smiled and held his grandmother's hand, trying not to cry as he felt her slow beating heart. Although, Akari seemed asleep, she could hear them talk and a tear fell from her eyes as she heard her grandson say this. She was happy — very excited — to see Kyojuro again. She knew she would see him. But she was sad, to leave her children behind, to leave everyone she holds dear behind. She was heartbroken.

"Hiyojuro, Hikari, Kyojuro. I need your help, please", Kyori called out to her children. The three of them went to their mother and their cousins who were helping with the preparations. "Where's your brother, Akira?", asked Hiyojuro to his cousin, Kajuro's eldest daughter. "He's outside. Probably cursing at the world as to why grandma's being taken away. He wanted to at least have grandma at his graduation", Akira said with food on her hands as she was setting the table. "I'll go talk to him. Maybe I can soften the situation a bit", Hikari said as she took off her apron and gave it to her brother. She went outside, to the backyard of the house where Akari's favorite smelling flowers bloomed. Kenjuro was the youngest of all the cousins, he's only 18 and his graduation was still months away, that's why he's so mad at himself for not taking good care of his grandmother. "I should've taken good care of her. Now what will grandpa say", he said angrily, his hands turning into fists. "I personally don't know what he'll say. Besides, we never met him, but I'm sure, if he was here, he wouldn't want you blaming yourself. Uncle Kajuro chose to live nearby grandma's house after having you and Akira, but you have your own life to deal with. So, stop blaming yourself, because Grandma wouldn't want you feeling like that", Hikari said. She put a hand on his shoulders to ease the tension he was feeling. "But... grandma was always the one I would go to whenever I have something on my mind. Now, where will I go?", he turned to her, his eyes were tearing up, but he couldn't hold back his tears. "My, my. You big baby. Don't worry, since I'm living alone, you can go live with me in the city when you go to college. I'll be your anchor", she smiled so widely. The same smile that Kyori has. "Don't call me a baby, it embarrasses me", Kenjuro said wiping his tears away. "That's because you are a big baby", Akira said with a mad-looking face as she appeared behind them. The others were with her. "You're our big baby. Even if we're only cousins, we've always treated each other as siblings. So, since you're almost graduating, we'll all be there for you", Hiyojuro said, smiling so sweetly, his eyeglasses slightly falling on his nose. "Who would have thought, Kenjuro graduating", Kyojuro sat down, patting him in the back, laughing so happily. "You're one to talk, Kyojuro. You're jobless, because you quit school. Fix that will you", Akira hits him in the head. "Nee-chan, that hurts", he said and rubbed his head. Akira rolled her eyes.

"Kids, come on", Kyori called out to them, signaling Kajuro and Mirai's return, along with some familiar faces. "Mom! Don't call us like we're a bunch of three-year-olds", Kyojuro shouted, his face getting red. Kyojuro might have been 2 years older than Kenjuro, but he's always been the one who's childish. Akira and Kenjuro greeted their mom and dad with a hug. Not all could come, but still found a way to pay their respects.

Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke, along with their wives Kanao, Nezuko and Aoi came. None of Tengen's family came as they were busy, but that's to be expected, though they sent some flowers that Akari would surely love, because it was all strong-scented ones. Senjuro was there, of course. He wouldn't want to not be able to say goodbye to his big sister. Kiriya came as well, with his close friend, Yushiro – through the years, Yushiro and Akari became good friends. "We're so sorry for making you come, Uncles. It was mom's request", Kyori bowed down to say sorry. Tanjiro didn't mind at all and said that he will come even if his legs won't let him. The others practically said the same thing. Although Inosuke complained about his back aching and Aoi shouted at him for being so rude. That's Aoi and Inosuke for you. "Well, as long as there is food, I won't mind", Inosuke said and he received another blow on the head by Aoi. "All you think is food. You have a lot of food you shouldn't be eating and yet, you still eat them. Now, who's to blame for your back aches", they started to argue with each other and Tanjiro tried to stop them. Zenitsu dragged Nezuko to the table and let her seat, carefully and gently. Nezuko thanked her husband and then, Zenitsu proposed that they eat, before the food gets cold. Yushiro, who was only standing in between Senjuro and Kiriya said, "I'm surrounded with old people". Akira punched him in the guts. He landed on his butt and coughed. "Uncle Yushiro, have a seat", she said looking at him with dagger stares as she pulled Yushiro up and forcefully put him down, a seat near him. "Shall we eat. Mom wouldn't want you all to starve", Kyori said and everyone sat down. Kajuro and Kyori smiled at the sight. They remembered a time where they once gathered together to celebrate. It was much like this, Kanao and Tanjiro being all sweet. Zenitsu basically treating Nezuko as a baby. Lots of argument from Aoi and Inosuke. Senjuro, Kiriya and Yushiro talking to each other. Their Uncle Tengen and his wives. Everyone they hold dear was there. But the table soon went from many to little and now, their mother is departing from this world. Everything will be alright. Kajuro put his right arm around Kyori, as he held to Kyori's hand with the left one. I guess this is really goodbye. Dad, take good care of mom for us.