Where Paths Cross || Giyushino

The Beginning of a Bond

Chapter 1: The Beginning of a Bond

The village was quiet in the late afternoon, with a warm, golden light filtering through the trees. A young boy, Giyu Tomioka, sat on the grassy hillside outside his small home. His dark blue ocean eyes were serious, even for a boy of his age, and his gaze drifted up to the clouds, lost in thought.

"Giyu!" came a gentle voice from behind him. He turned to see his older sister, Tsutako, carrying a basket of herbs she'd gathered from the woods. Tsutako was kind, always looking out for him since their parents had passed. She ruffled his hair affectionately as she sat beside him.

"Why are you out here alone?" she asked, her eyes warm.

"I was just... thinking," Giyu replied, averting his gaze, unsure how to express the sense of unease he sometimes felt. Tsutako always seemed so full of light, while he often felt like a shadow beside her. He looked at her basket. "Those are for the villagers?"

Tsutako nodded. "Yes, some of them are sick. It's nice to be able to help, don't you think?"

Giyu thought about her words, nodding slowly. He admired Tsutako's kindness and wanted to be just like her. He opened his mouth to say so but hesitated, feeling shy. Tsutako, however, seemed to understand, her hand resting comfortingly on his shoulder.

"Come on," she said, smiling brightly. "I have someone I want you to meet."

She led him to the edge of the village, where a small group of children were playing by the stream. Among them was a girl with dark hair tied up with a purple ribbon, her laughter echoing across the water. She seemed to be everywhere at once, her energy boundless as she chased after the other children, calling out excitedly.

"Shinobu!" Tsutako called, waving. The girl stopped, turning to face them with bright, curious eyes. She bounded over to them with a smile, not the least bit shy.

"Hello! You must be Giyu," she greeted him cheerfully, as though they'd known each other forever. "I'm Shinobu Kocho!"

Giyu blinked, taken aback by her straightforwardness. He mumbled a greeting, feeling slightly embarrassed but unable to stop himself from watching her with interest. Shinobu seemed so different from anyone he'd met-so open, so cheerful.

Shinobu didn't seem to notice his quietness. Instead, she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the group of children by the stream. "Come on, let's play!" she said, beaming.

"Woah woah wait! Slow down!," Giyuu panics for a moment. Tsutako sighs "Something tells me that they won't be back for a while"

From that day, Shinobu became a regular part of Giyu's life. She'd invite him to play or explore the nearby woods, asking endless questions about everything they saw, her curiosity never fading. She'd even show up at his door some mornings, dragging him out for early walks. Giyu was hesitant at first, but something about her persistence and bright spirit began to bring a quiet joy to his days.

One evening, as the sun was setting and the sky blazed with colors, Shinobu and Giyu sat by the stream, watching the sky's reflection on the water's surface.

"Do you ever think about what you want to do, Giyu?" Shinobu asked, her voice softening.

Giyu thought about Tsutako and how she always helped others. "I... think I want to protect people, like my sister does," he replied quietly. "She always helps others, and I want to be like her."

Shinobu smiled, her expression turning serious as she looked at him. "Then we'll do it together. I'll help people, too. And we'll protect everyone we can. That way, no one has to be sad."