Kyojuro Rengoku Ice Heart And Flame Soul

| Chapter Five | Melting Ice

I wanted to make sure I didn't allow those feelings to expand any further. Joy at seeing Rengoku. Excitement. Happiness. And the scariest of all; Longing.

I took on a few more partner missions, and they went well. I knew that my sword skills had improved because of it. And perhaps my communication skills. I allowed the change that had been because of Rengoku. I was more willing to talk to people than I was before. Mostly because I wanted to practice conversation so I wouldn't look so stupid in front of Rengoku again.

My crow had told me that another demon slayer had requested me because of my skill. So I agreed to work with this person and perhaps I could learn something. I knew it was mostly only the higher ranks that could make requests about who would join them.

I was watching the ground out of boredom as I walked, and I almost bumped into the demon slayer that had requested me. Flame patterned kyahan had my heart fluttering. I looked up and Rengoku was standing there with his arms crossed and looking at me.

"Hello!" He shouted.

I gasped. Rengoku requested me. All I could do was stare at him. After our last encounter, I wasn't sure what to say. Why did he want me to accompany him?

He turned and walked without another word. I picked up my pace and followed behind him. We walked in silence for a while until he turned his head and he looked at me. He slowed his steps and walked beside me.

"Rika?" He asked.

"Yes?" He did it again. He called me Rika.

"I apologize for what happened the last time we were together. You weren't ready because I was moving too fast. I just want to enjoy your company, that's all. If I do something else to offend you, please tell me and I will reflect." He said.

My stomach tightened. I didn't want him to feel bad about what happened. It had nothing to do with him. It was all me. I was just unsure about myself and why anybody would want to get to know me as much as he did.

I didn't respond and continued to walk in silence. I didn't know what to say. The one who left him behind was me. I was the one who should have been apologizing.

Kyojuro Rengoku

We would complete our mission first, then I would talk to her after. I wanted to resolve whatever conflict had come up between us. She was enjoying her noodles the last time we were together. And then she suddenly left and avoided me. It didn't slip my attention that she turned the other way whenever she saw me over the last two months.

"We're going to a riverside village, similar to the one where we met." I wondered if she remembered that. I looked over at her and she was looking straight ahead and I couldn't tell what she was thinking. "The demon is using the river to pull in people who go too close to the water and they're disappearing."

She remained silent and walked beside me. This was something I had to fix. I didn't want to lose her friendship; I worked very hard for it.

"Rengoku?" She asked.

"Yes?" I looked over at her and she was still looking ahead.

"I'm sorry for leaving you the way I did. You did nothing wrong. I just... I'm..." she paused.

She had to get her words straight, so I gave her time. I wouldn't interrupt her. I watched her as she struggled to find the words she wanted to say. She turned her head and looked up at me. I smiled encouragingly, and she stopped walking and stared at me a moment before turning away.

"I just... I've never had a friend before, and this is very new to me, and sometimes I get uncomfortable with somebody being so friendly."

I was happy to have her as a friend, but everything she said told me she had a past that still haunted her. I wanted to help her overcome that.