影と風 | Kage to Kaze | Shinazugawa Sanemi

4 - Favor

"Ya-ho!" I called out cheerfully, waving at the Wind Hashira. Sanemi stood with his arms crossed over his broad chest, his imposing figure towering over. Despite the deep scowl etched on his face, I sensed no malice from him, only a gruff exterior.

"I'm only doing this because I owe Kocho a favor," he grumbled, his voice laced with irritation. He turned and walked ahead, and I followed him into his home. As I stepped inside, I was taken aback by the serene atmosphere that greeted me. The interior was simple, with minimal decoration, yet it exuded a calming peace I hadn't expected.

"And I'm only doing this for my sisters," I muttered under my breath. Just then, Sanemi stopped abruptly, and I bumped into his back. "Watch where you're going, idiot," he hissed, continuing down the hallway. For a Hashira, his home felt oddly lonely. There were a few staff members here and there, but the place lacked the bustling energy I had imagined.

"You don't have a Tsuguko?" I asked after a stretch of silence, curious about the lack of people. He pushed aside a traditional shoji screen, revealing a room beyond. "No," he answered curtly, gesturing for me to enter. It was clear that he intended for this to be my room. Without another word, he left me to unpack.

Later, I found him in the kitchen, preparing lunch. It surprised me to see him cooking for himself—most Hashira had attendants for such tasks. "tea?" he asked, trying to mask his politeness with irritation.

"Yes, please," I replied, matching his tone with a polite one of my own.

We ate in silence, the only sounds coming from the soft clinking of utensils. The food was simple but satisfying, much like the man who had prepared it.

"Do you have siblings?" I asked, blowing gently on my hot green tea.

"I have a younger brother," he replied after a long silence, his voice gruff as ever, though there was a hint of softness when he mentioned his sibling.

"You do seem like an older brother," I mused aloud, nodding to myself. I caught a brief twitch of annoyance in his eye, but it vanished quickly. I didn't expect him to continue the conversation, so I was surprised when he looked up and asked, "Are your sisters going to join the Corps?"

"Over my dead body," I replied instantly, the thought alone making my chest tighten.

Instead of the eye roll I expected, he simply said, "Good." He finished his tea and left the room, leaving me to wonder what lay beneath his gruff exterior.

~*~

Weeks passed without a word between us. It must have been a month, and still, Sanemi hadn't made any effort to train me. When I finally confronted him about it, he shrugged off my concerns, saying it wasn't his duty and that he had only taken me in as a favor to Shinobu.

Determined to prove myself, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Every day for the past week, I had been secretly mimicking his training routines. I kept my distance, careful not to get in his way, but I studied his every move. Each day, the exercises became easier, my body adapting to the rigorous demands.

Sanemi's training was brutal, focusing heavily on offensive techniques. Yet, just yesterday, I noticed him practicing defensive moves—a rare sight. What changed? I thought to myself.

"Caw, caw—demon north of here, near a village, caw!" Sanemi's crow, Sorai, screeched in the dead of night. Without hesitation, Sanemi was out the door, his usual irritation replaced by the cold focus of a slayer on the hunt.

I had just finished preparing dinner, lost in thought. But as I watched him leave, a decision formed in my mind. I wasn't going to learn anything by staying behind, only going on my own missions. Without a concrete plan, I ran after him, keeping enough distance to avoid detection.

I followed him through the dense forest, past the village, until I heard the sounds of battle. "I need to be careful," I thought to myself. I wasn't afraid of the demon but more so of being discovered by Sanemi. I concealed my presence as best as I could, taking deep breaths to steady my nerves. Moving swiftly and silently, I approached the scene of the fight.

What I saw filled me with awe. Sanemi was a force of nature, his raw power overwhelming the demon before him. The creature was strong, but Sanemi's relentless offensive left no opening for a counterattack. His movements were unpredictable, each strike flowing into the next with deadly precision.

Suddenly, Sanemi's eyes flicked toward me, and in that brief moment, the demon noticed me as well. Before I could react, the slender yet fast demon was upon me. I tried to move, but my body was frozen with fear.

"Get the fuck out of the way," Sanemi growled as he appeared beside me, kicking the demon into a nearby tree with brutal force.

"Are you going to help or just stand there?" he barked, his eyes locked on the demon. I nodded, quickly taking a stance.

"Go left and blend in with the shade of that building," he instructed, his voice low and firm. "Attack when I tell you."

I moved swiftly, my footsteps light as I dashed into the shadows. I watched as Sanemi continued to rain down blows on the demon, his nichirin sword a blur of motion. Finally, he saw an opening. "Now!" he shouted.

I sprang from my hiding place, slicing through the demon's neck with a single, precise strike. The demon's eyes widened in shock, its body beginning to disintegrate before it could comprehend what had happened. As the ashes settled, I offered a small prayer for its soul and turned to face Sanemi, bracing myself for the scolding I knew was coming.

"If you can land a blow on me, I'll train you," he said, his voice calm and matter-of-fact. There were no angry remarks, no yelling. He simply turned and started walking back home.

I stood there, stunned for a moment, before a determined smile spread across my face.

~*~

Taisho-era Secrets

~ Main Protagonist spent the entire night contemplating how she was going to hit the Wind Hashira

~ She is not really scared of Sanemi, but much more of being kicked out from the Wind Estate and disappointing Shinobu. In fact, she sees him more like a wild, feral dog that likes to be left alone. 

~ Sanemi has never told anyone that he has a younger brother, she was the first one he has told. He does not know why he did it though.