HER LETTERS || GIYUSHINO

Sabito

~flashback~

I didn't actually want to go help the boys train. I just did it because Kocho insisted in her letter. To be honest, I didn't know how to train them. My best effort was reflecting on how Urokodaki trained me in my adolescent years.

"Okay, we'll begin with a spar. Each one of you guys will have three sparring matches with me. Best out of three wins, remember no using breathing styles. Only swordsmen skills. Kocho, can you countdown?"

Tanjiro sparred with me first.

"3...2...1! Begin!"

I went easy on him at first, but my moves slowly started to get more complex so he could develop a quicker reaction time to each of my offensives. It was an ongoing battle of our wooden swords hitting each other, with no serious progress.

Seeing he needed a push, I gave him an opening and he took it quickly.

"Tanjiro: 1, Tomioka: 0!" Shinobu shouted.

"3...2...1! Begin!"

The second spar was going like the first one, until I suddenly lost focus and my sword got knocked out my hand by Tanjiro.

'Shit, am I seeing things?' I thought to myself. For a moment there, I saw Sabito instead of Tanjiro. I was back at Urokodaki's home training for Final Selection. I quickly snapped out of it.

"What was that Tomioka-san? You could've beat me." Tanjiro scratched his head.

"Tanjiro: 2, Tomioka: 0! Keep up Tomioka-san!"

"Nothing, let's just get through the final round."

The final spar begun, I got more challenging with Tanjiro to see how far he could go. After going back and forth for a few seconds, I had notice as Tanjiro was backing up there was a rock behind his foot.

"Tanjiro!" I raised my voice.

The boy tripped and his wooden sword went flying, nearly hitting Kocho. Even though she could've avoided it herself just fine, I instinctively jumped towards the sword and grabbed it before it could hit her or anybody else.

"Nice save Tomioka..just not for me.." Tanjiro landed on his butt.

Kocho giggled, "Tanjiro: 2, Tomioka: 1. Regardless, Tanjiro still won!"

"Kocho I don't think I could continue training today, have Kanao spar the other two. I'll be inside." I walked away.

I asked Aoi for a cup of tea, I rubbed my forehead as the stress passed through my body. I didn't like thinking about the past, especially about Sabito.

Kocho followed me inside, "You ok? I didn't expect you to freeze up suddenly durning the second spar, or was it on purpose?"

"It wasn't. I'm fine, I just zoned out."

Hashiras don't zone out; well they aren't supposed to.

Kocho rubbed my shoulder as she looked at me with concern on her face. "I know you don't like talking, but write to me if you want to talk about it."

~end of flashback~

I remember that day so clearly, the image of Sabito was so vivid. I'm more comfortable talking about the past now, but I wish I talked to her about it more back then.