影と風 | Kage to Kaze | Shinazugawa Sanemi

12 - Sister

Sorai, Sanemi's crow, explained to me that Sanemi had been misled by false information and literally dragged beneath the earth's surface, where a clan of demons had carved out a network of tunnels. The Wind Hashira had been trapped down there for days, battling demons relentlessly, as they had no need to retreat from the sun. He had sustained numerous injuries in the process, but he fought fiercely and emerged victorious nonetheless.

Shinobu arrived at the Wind Estate as swiftly as she could, setting Sanemi up with all the necessary care.

"He's in a state of comatose, but since he's a Hashira, he'll likely wake in the next few weeks," the Insect Hashira reassured me as she demonstrated how to properly change his bandages. I nodded, trying to absorb her instructions, but the concern on my face must have been plain to see.

"Don't worry, he'll be alright," she said, her warm smile radiating reassurance. I managed to return a small smile in response, though the sight of him still pained me.

Later, as we sat in the kitchen, I took a deep breath. "Shinobu, I wanted to ask you something." Her eyes perked up from her black tea, attentive. Setting my cup down, I hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Why did you entrust me to Sanemi's care? I'm just a Corps member, not even a Tsuguko. Technically, I shouldn't be staying at any estate permanently."

Her reaction caught me off guard—she inhaled sharply, clearly taken aback by the question. Her gaze drifted toward the window, as if searching for an answer in the evening sky.

"Because I'm selfish," she sighed, her voice tinged with regret. My eyes widened at the unexpected admission, but I remained quiet, allowing her to continue.

"You, Kanao, Haru, and Yuka are my family. After Kanae died, I had to bear the responsibility. With you around, it felt like having an older sister watching over me," she confessed, her sadness seeping into her voice. "I kept you at the Wind Estate because I knew Sanemi wouldn't ask questions. I could've sent you to another Hashira, but they would've grown suspicious."

Her heartfelt confession left the room in an almost eerie silence, broken only by the faint chirping of cicadas outside. Slowly, I stood up and crossed the space between us, before falling into her arms in a tight embrace. At first, Shinobu stiffened in surprise, but her hands soon found their way around my shoulders. I sniffled back a tear, smiling through it.

"Don't worry, Shinobu. You'll always have me. I'll always look after you." A small tear slipped down her porcelain cheek, which she quickly wiped away as she stood up.

"I have to go now. Please keep me updated on his condition," she said, her voice back to its usual composure as she prepared to leave.

I waved after her as she disappeared down the road. "Take care!" I called, watching until she vanished from sight.

~*~

Over the next few days, I kept a close eye on Sanemi, ensuring his bandages were changed and making sure he received enough sunlight through the window. I spent most of my time reading in his recovery room or chatting to him about whatever gossip I had heard, though I knew he probably couldn't care less. 

One day, Mitsuri surprised me with an unexpected visit.

"Mitsuri! What a lovely surprise," I beamed, opening the door to find her standing there with sakura mochi in hand. "I heard Shinazugawa was injured, so I thought I'd take you out to distract you for a bit," she explained, smiling brightly.

"That sounds wonderful. Let me just change." I accepted her thoughtful gifts and beckoned her inside. Her eyes lit up as she glanced around.

"Wow! I've never been here before. It's a lot tidier than I expected!" she exclaimed, her excitement contagious.