影と風 | Kage to Kaze | Shinazugawa Sanemi

23 - Jealousy

I waved goodbye to Genya, handing him a bundle of food wrapped in cloth before he set off on the path back to the Stone Estate. "Take care, Genya!" I called after him, my mood feeling lighter and warmer than the day before. It was heartening to know he and Sanemi had spent hours together after I'd gone to bed, their sibling bond given room to breathe. But as I turned back inside, I spotted Sanemi heading toward the door. Determined, I quickly reached out, catching his sleeve before he could brush past me.

"Not so fast."

He paused and shot me an irritated glare over his shoulder, clearly unhappy at being stopped. "The hell do you want?" he muttered, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. His stance was defiant, and I tried to ignore how his lack of layers, despite the chill in the air, made his muscles stand out even more.

Taking in a steadying breath, I looked up through my lashes and met his eyes. "I'm sorry for meddling in your family affairs," I admitted, my tone soft but firm. I hesitated before adding, "I won't apologize for why I got angry, though." My words felt blunt, maybe even childish, but it was important to me to get that across. Even if I knew I should leave out that last bit, I just couldn't.

Sanemi's expression was hard to read, his eyes intense but quiet as they lingered on me. My hand was still loosely grasping his sleeve, yet he didn't shake it off. He seemed to be studying me, weighing the words, the sincerity.

"You're forgiven." His response was as curt and clipped, no apology in sight. I forced myself to keep from sighing in frustration. I reminded myself that apologizing was about admitting when you're wrong, not fishing for an apology in return. A resigned sigh slipped from my lips after all as I released his sleeve and managed a small, tight smile.

"Here," I said, holding out a small box.

He glanced down at it skeptically, barely moving. "What's this for?"

"It's your lunch. You're heading off, right?"

"Yeah, but you've never made me lunch before." He narrowed his eyes, his tone almost daring me to push further.

I pressed the box into his hand despite his resistance. "Just take it, Sanemi." He seemed taken aback by my stubbornness, his fingers tightening instinctively around the box. It was strange, even a bit sad, how often he seemed to be thrown by simple gestures. But then, I reminded myself, this was the Wind Hashira. The man had built walls so thick and high it was a miracle any kindness ever slipped through.

After a beat, he muttered, "Thanks," barely meeting my eyes before he turned and stalked off.

"Take care," I called after him, unable to resist. He didn't respond, already too far down the snow befallen road, but I had to smile despite myself. Sighing, I looked down at the dog who had been watching the whole exchange with his head cocked to one side. Ruffling his fur, I muttered, "Your dad can be a real handful, you know that?" He wagged his tail, clearly unbothered, his eyes bright and trusting.

Later, I made my way to the Butterfly Mansion, expecting to receive some form of challenge from Shinobu. But instead, she simply handed me a stack of bandages and led me to help treat injured slayers alongside her staff. I'll admit, I was a bit disappointed, but the silver lining was getting to spend time with my younger sisters, something I missed dearly.

As we sat by the koi pond, watching the fish flit beneath the water, Haru leaned over, curiosity lighting her eyes. "Will you be attending the Flame Hashira's birthday party?"

"I didn't get an invitation," I said, half-pouting, a bit disheartened by the oversight. It felt odd not to have been invited to an event for another Hashira.

Haru's expression flickered with confusion. "Yes, you did! The Flame Hashira invited both you and Shinazugawa." She tilted her head, as though wondering if I was pulling her leg.