Where The Cherry Blossoms Bloom //Sanegiyuu

Shizuka: Ohagi

Shinazugawa trudged back to his estate, completely drained. Tomioka's nonstop rambling had pushed his patience to its limits.

"How could that stupid loner say such pointless things?" Shinazugawa muttered, thoroughly annoyed by the idea of being friends.

The thought of forming any kind of connection with someone in the Demon Slayer Corps-let alone Tomioka-felt ridiculous. Shinazugawa let out a deep sigh, trying to shake off the memory of their awkward exchange beneath the cherry tree.

After some time, a knock echoed from the door. His head snapped in the direction of the sound, and for a moment, he considered ignoring it. But with a grumble, he forced himself to get up and answer.

Standing there was a young man with crimson hair and a gentle smile. It was Tanjiro, holding a small basket in his hands.

"Good morning, Shinazugawa-san!" Tanjiro greeted cheerfully.

"What do you want, brat?" Shinazugawa replied, his voice as sharp as ever.

"Oh, I'm just here to bring you these." Tanjiro held out the basket, revealing a collection of neatly packed ohagi.

Shinazugawa blinked, momentarily stunned. Ohagi. He loves ohagi. His stomach betrayed him with a faint grumble, and with a reluctant huff, he accepted the basket.

"By the way, those are from Tomioka-san," Tanjiro added casually.

Shinazugawa's eyes widened slightly. "Why?" he demanded, his voice laced with suspicion.

"Huh? What do you mean, why?" Tanjiro tilted his head, visibly confused.

Shinazugawa clicked his tongue, frustration bubbling. "Forget it. Just leave, you brat!" He slammed the door shut without waiting for a reply.

Outside, Tanjiro stared at the closed door, baffled. "Shinazugawa-san is...weird," he muttered before turning and heading back down the path.

Inside, Shinazugawa glared at the basket, his mind racing.

Tomioka, what are you trying to pull...?

He opened the basket and saw the freshly made ohagi coated in red bean paste. The smell filled the spacious room.

"That guy... he really knows how to push my buttons," he muttered.

But as he picked up the basket, an envelope tumbled down. Shinazugawa, full of curiosity, picked up the letter. He opened it, and inside was a neatly written note from Tomioka.

To: Shinazugawa

I know that I've been annoying you constantly, and I want to say I'm sorry. I just wanted to get to know you better. Both you and I know very well that we've been through a lot of tough times, and I know that we both have lost our loved ones. But despite that, I want you to realize that I'm always here for you, through your ups and downs. And I want to be with you, in every way. Can you at least, let me in, in your space...?

But aside from that, I hope you like the ohagi. I noticed, since the first time I saw you eating, that you always seemed to enjoy ohagi coated with red bean paste.

Have a good day, Shinazugawa.

-Tomioka

As Shinazugawa finished reading, he placed the letter back on the table, his thoughts a little heavier than before. He reached for the ohagi, taking a small bite. He chewed thoughtfully, his usual stoic expression not faltering.

He sighed, shaking his head slightly as if trying to push the emotions away. "This... needs more sugar," he muttered under his breath, though the words lacked their usual sharpness.

For a moment, he allowed himself to sit quietly, the weight of the letter and Tomioka's words lingering in the air. Deep down, something stirred-a thought he couldn't quite grasp. But for now, he chose to dismiss it. After all, this was just another gesture. Just another odd moment from someone he didn't quite understand.

Still, as he sat there, the ohagi seemed to taste a little sweeter than usual.