botanical garden [ muzan x reader ]

35: bleeding heart

The next night, there was a festival taking place along the Main Street of Chino, right outside your clinic.

Specifically it was the Tanabata festival.

It originated from the Chinese tale Kikkoden. You first heard of the legend back in the Heian period from when you were a human.

You remember your father telling you the tale as you walked to your first Tanabata festival.

The tale starts with a weaver princess named Orihime. She was the daughter of the Heaven God. Everyday, she weaved cloth for her father.

When her father began to worry that she was working too hard, he introduced her to a cow herder. His name was Hikoboshi.

Orihime and Hikoboshi fell in love and forgot all about their duties as they were lovesick. The Heaven God grew angry with their negligence and decided to separate the lovers.

Orihime was devastated and sobbed all day, which made her father change his mind about separating them.

The Heaven God allowed them to see each other again— but only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month.

Thus birthing the Tanabata festival.

Lanterns lit up the sky and lined the street as Asahi watched from the window, yearning to walk through the streets and follow the parade.

But he was too weak to walk on his own.

"Asahi-san," Your voice broke through the brown haired male's thoughts.

He smiled softly as you approached him, wearing a red and black yukata, your hair put up with a gold hairpin.

Your face had a look of concern as you gently put your hand on his bicep. "You should be in bed." You said.

Asahi stiffened, realizing how cold your hands were against his feverish flesh.

He took your hand in his before he turned to face the festival again. "I know... but..." He sighed.

You could tell Asahi was upset, and it bothered you.

You were much more accustomed to his outgoing behavior.

"What's wrong?" You looked out the window at the lively festival, seeing he was staring out at it longingly.

"I want to go out there." He said.

You sighed, debating whether it was a good idea for Asahi to go outside and walk around.

He wouldn't be okay on his own, but he should be fine if you accompanied him— like you did with Muzan on his walks when you were humans.

"I think... we can go to the festival together if you wanted. That should be fine, but only for a short while— you still need your rest." You said as you wrapped your arm around his.

Asahi smiled, in turn causing you to smile back.

"Really?" He asked.

"Of course. You still deserve to do things you enjoy, even if you are sick." You said.

The festival was lively, there were colorful tanzaku's hanging from trees lining the streets. Women and men in colorful attire were singing and carrying large and brightly colored streamers.

Asahi had a smile on his face as he pointed to the tanzaku's hanging from the trees and bamboo.

"You want to make a wish?" He asked.

You smiled, tightening your grip on him just a bit as you said "Yes, I do."

Asahi walked slowly, finding it was easy for him to lose balance from the dizzy spells his fever was producing.

Taking care of him... was so familiar. It reminded you of your human days as your father's apprentice.

You felt... happy. Comfortable. You had no reason to be unhappy around Asahi.

He was a ray of light.

You were sitting at a ramen stand after you had ordered Asahi a bowl of ramen.

He was writing his wish on his tanzaku, but you were too busy watching him to write your own wish.

Once he was finished, his eyes landed back on you. You gave him a smile before looking down at your light pink tanzaku before writing down in ink your wish.

You pondered on what you wanted to write, before deciding that your wish was to be happy for the rest of eternity.

"What did you wish for?" Asahi asked.

You slid the piece of paper towards Asahi as he looked down at the writing.

"Happiness?" He asked.

You nodded your head and said "Yes, I wish for happiness. What about you?"

Asahi looked down at his piece of paper with apprehension, unsure if he should show you or not.

"I wished... for our relationship to continue flourishing." He smiled at you, a slight blush dusting his cheeks.

You blushed softly and said "Even when you recover, Asahi, I will try to visit you often. I have enjoyed caring for you."

He rested his slender hand on yours, but something caught your eye.

Someone caught your eye.

A man was standing in the crowd, wearing a Sōmen mask, but his fiery red tipped hair flew in the summer breeze along with his Hanafuda earrings.

The world seemed to slow down around the two of you as you stood up, your eyes widened.

Asahi noticed the masked male you were staring at, his curiosity piqued as he asked "Do you know him, Amano-san?"

Your lips were parted, unable to speak before the figure began to walk away and get lost within the crowd.

"Yoriichi!" You yelled as you chased after him.

Your eyes were on Yoriichi as you chased him through the crowd.

Asahi stood up as he yelled after you "Amano-san! Amano, where are you going?!"

You continued to call after Yoriichi as you chased him out of the city central and into the neighboring wilderness.

He stood near the waterfall Muzan had proposed to you at, his back turned to you as his haori flew in the breeze's direction.

"Yoriichi..." You said.

He turned to face you before taking the Sōmen mask off, revealing his stoic expression.

He had aged. But what shocked you the most was that he was still alive.

The cursed mark on his forehead didn't claim his life by the age 25.

Yoriichi was exempt from the consequences of being a marked demon slayer.