The Butterfly's Embrace | Demon Slayer x Male OC

Chapter 6

A young girl carrying a tray of food slowly walked through the outer hallways of the mansion. As she passed, a few Kakushi members greeted her, to which she politely nodded back, "Good evening, Shinobi-San."

Arriving at her destination, she knocked on the door of the modern medical laboratory, funded by the Ubuyashiki Family.

"Come in," a soft voice answered. Shinobu slid the door open and entered.

"Nee-San, I brought you something to eat," Shinobu said. "You've been inside since morning; you should take a rest."

Kanae, wearing a white clinic robe over her uniform instead of her usual Butterfly Haori, lifted her head from the microscope. "Thank you, Shinobu-Chan. I was so focused that I didn't notice the time. You can leave the food on the desk; I'll get to it later, after I check one last thing."

"Don't take too long; your dinner will get cold," the younger sister reminded her as she approached the cluttered desk littered with books and notes. Placing the plate on an empty spot, she carefully started checking some of the books.

'Pulmonary Medicine'

'Respiratory Diseases'

'Rare and Interstitial Lung Diseases'

'Western Medicine'

'She got these from our father's medical library,' she thought, reading the titles. She had learned a few days ago that the Flame Hashira's wife was ill and dying from an unknown lung disease. Since her sister returned from the Rengoku Manor, Kanae had been working tirelessly to find the cause or even a cure.

"Any luck, Nee-San?" Shinobu asked hopefully but got her answer as she watched her sister frown.

"I don't know, Shinobu. I don't even know if there is a medicine for this disease," she said tiredly. "I've tried all the common herbs and even went further with Western techniques and more advanced medicines, but nothing is reacting with the blood."

"I'm sure you'll find something; you're the smartest person I know, Nee-San," Shinobu encouraged, to which Kanae couldn't help but smile a little at her sister's words.

"I appreciate the encouragement, Shinobu-Chan, but let's not exaggerate. I'm just nearing fifteen years old, and more experienced physicians haven't been able to find a cure," Kanae explained, feeling exhausted and defeated.

"Don't belittle yourself. You work very hard and learn quickly. Even Mother used to say that," Shinobu still tried to encourage her elder sister.

"Oh, Shinobu-Chan, what did I do to deserve such a cute and loving sister like you?" Kanae approached her sister with open arms, asking for a hug.

At other times, she would have objected to the idea of a hug, knowing how her sister liked to be extra affectionate and crush her into hugs. But this time, she could see how much her sister needed it, so she silently obliged and hugged her back.

"You're like the best stress relief in the world, Shinobu-Chan," her sister chuckled as she started feeling better, continuing to hug the younger girl. "I could hug you all day."

"Please don't; I have work to do," Shinobu objected, getting crushed by her sister's chest.

"At least let me hug you for a few more minutes," Kanae playfully said.

"A couple of minutes should be fine," Shinobu replied.

A couple of minutes passed, but Kanae mischievously kept embracing her sister. "Hey, two minutes have already passed."

"There's still a minute," Kanae tried to play it off, but Shinobu was wiser.

"I counted in my head," the younger girl replied.