ikigai | s. sanemi

四

Clad in a white kimono top paired with red hakama pants and slippers; her hair tied into a ponytail with red and white ribbons, eleven year old Himorogi Tsukihana hid behind a tree, knees raised up to her chest as she began to feel uneasy in her own body.

She could hear multiple voices within ten meters radius around her, could smell every fragrant and odor near and far from her. There are times wherein she'd suddenly raise her guard when she felt a presence of a demon but for every left and right turn she makes, she couldn't find anyone but herself in a certain area.

The sight of wisteria flowers began to irk her yet she didn't have a strong opinion about the said flowers. She didn't particularly liked, loved or hated it. To Tsukihana, a moon flower is still her favorite flower.

And last but not the least, she began to crave something she didn't expect to crave - blood.

"Tsukihana"

She suddenly hears a woman's voice calling her name. A pair of sandals stops right in front of her, snapping her out of her thoughts. Lifting her head up, she is greeted by the sight of her older sister, both hands holding onto her protruding belly.

"What are you doing hiding there, Tsukihana?" Eighteen year old Amane asks, one hand caressing her belly.

Tsukihana licks her lower lip, thinking of a good excuse to say. "I-I'm not feeling well." She replies.

"Is that so?" Amane asks, seeming as she bought Tsukihana's excuse. "Shall we go home then? You can take a nap when we get home." She tells her, extending a hand out for her to take.

Tsukihana nods her head, reaching her hand out to hold her older sister's hand.

As the two sisters traveled back home, Tsukihana kept staring at Amane's stomach from behind, hearing not one, not two, not three but five heartbeats altogether.

. . . . . . . . . . ♡

Tsukihana stood frozen inside the room as the sight and scent of blood wafted all around her.

Blood of the priestess' hands.

Blood stains on the cloth.

And five little infants still stained with blood.

She gulps to herself, suddenly feeling a strong surge of hunger in her stomach. Tsukihana knew that the scent of blood is nothing more than an odor to her, but now, it smelled wonderful.

"You're an aunt now, Tsukihana!" Her mother's merry announcement snapped her out, turning her head to look at her mother who is urging her to come closer to Amane's quintuplets.

"Come and meet your cousins." Lady Himorogi softly spoke, watching Tsukihana come closer with a smile on her face.

She really didn't want to. She really didn't want to come closer to them. Because if she did, the hunger she feels that is brewing in her stomach would only feel worst. And now that she is in front of the quintuplets, her craving for blood grew stronger.

What is happening to her? Who could even tell what exactly is happening to her?

One of the quintuplets suddenly opened it's eyes, this particular baby already had black hair strands and looked at Tsukihana before painting it's lips with a bright smile, as if this baby is happy to see her.

"It seems that Kiriya is fond of you." Lady Himorogi says, watching one of her grandchildren and youngest child interact together.

"Nice to meet you, Kiriya." Tsukihana says, smiling down at the baby. Her hunger somewhat subsiding.

After seeing and meeting her cousins for the first time, Tsukihana felt lighter. As she leaves the delivery room with a smile on her face to return back to her room, she hears a male's voice call out to her.

"Tsukihana!"

Whipping her head around, her eyes widens as she comes face to face with Kagaya, Amane's husband.

"It's our first time meeting and talking to each other, no?" He spoke to her in the softest and calmest voice, a small smile painted on his lips. "It's nice to meet you, sister in law."

"T-Tsukihana is fine." Tsukihana stammers. "Let's not be too formal with each other. Our age is close, right?"

"That's right." Kagaya replies, the smile on his face still lingering. "Are you already retiring to your bedroom? I wish to talk to you in this time."

Pursing her lips together, Tsukihana slowly nods her head.

"Alright." She agrees, the two of them going outside of the house to sit by the veranda with closed doors behind them.

"So...why did you want to talk to me?" She asks, staring at the bright, full moon up on the night sky.

"Tsukihana" Kagaya begins to say, sitting besides her but maintained a good distance between the two of them. "Do you feel anything strange going on with you lately?"

The girl didn't respond, keeping her mouth shut at the sudden question.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Tsukihana responded, taking a quick glance at him. "I'm perfectly fine if you're wondering. But thank you for asking."

Kagaya continues to smile, his eyes never leaving hers. "You say you're fine, but how fine are you?"

The almost twelve years old Tsukihana slumps her shoulders, emitting a silent sigh out of her lips. "If there is such a thing beyond perfect, I would be that." She says, getting up on her feet.

"If you'll excuse me." She spoke, bowing her head to him as she gets up. "I will be returning to my room now. Good night and my kindest regards." She says, turning around to leave. But before anything else, she hears Kagaya speak to her once more.

"Would you like to join the Demon Slayer Corps, Tsukihana?" He offers to her. "My instinct tells me you'll become a pillar."

"I'm sorry" Tsukihana replies, turning back around to face him. "But did you say Demon Slayer Corps? I don't know such organization like that." She adds, shaking her head. "I'm perfectly fine being a temple girl. I actually like performing rituals and dancing. I'll do nothing more than serve the gods and goddesses." 

"But if I may ask" Tsukihana responded. "What made you think I'll become a pillar?" She asks him.

"I and the rest of the Ubuyashiki family have been gift with foresight." He says in a soothing voice. "We often make guesses to avoid disastrous situations and neither of these guesses have failed us." He tells her.

"If you're to ask me right now, I'd say, you'll master a rare breathing style that no hashira has ever posed. One only you can do." Kagaya says. "Would you like to hear more?" He asks her.

Instead of responding, Tsukihana raised a hand, shook her head in response before going back inside her room, leaving Kagaya behind.