Wild Flower (Bleach × Demon Slayer)

2 - Gazing Eye to Piercing Gaze

(Chapter edited. There might be some minor mistakes.)

Longing, hanging, gazing, their presence noticed each other but they couldn't see the other.
As they walked through crossroad, a Butterfly traversed ahead.

interlude

...

Gazing Eye to Piercing Gaze

...

The house in question was ruined, dirty and full of dust. It was run down, full of holes and unhinged windows and door. Of a house in a state like this, this was a common sight in Rukongai. Multiple people in shihakushō entered the house while the onlookers watched them in the distance as they saw them talking to the house resident, a woman who wore a downcast, worried eyes with her hands close to her mouth. The people watched the interrogator, a Shinigami asking the woman who answers the questions with nervous sweat rolling down from her temple.

What happened to the woman that made the Shinigami questioned her?

Earlier when the sun above was between noon and morning, the nearby residents heard a scream of a woman. As they were about to briskly approach the house, the screaming stopped. They figured to themselves that the matter was resolved and went back to their respective business.

But the resolved matter that was supposed to produce peace, it instead brought a commotion.

According to the witness near the house where the scream was, a girl and a small Shinigami stopped by the house as both of them heard the scream. They both talked to themselves for a while before the girl grabbed the katana of the Shinigami and entered the house by herself. There was a bit of screaming and clatter before silence followed after it. After a while, the screaming returned and heard someone fighting inside. There was silence again and they saw the girl who hurriedly walking away from the house while clutching her face with the Shinigami following after her.

That was only the witness saw as both girls went out of sight. The witness soon after entered the house, and saw the woman at the floor along with the snake with a strange form that they had to back away in fright from its amalgamated appearance.

The witness wondered if—

"Is it possible for a snake to look like that?"

"Normally, it wasn't supposed to be." The male Shinigami answered the woman as he interrogated her. "But seeing that one exist, it is a strange snake."

The woman brought her hands to her chest. "I wonder if that girl is okay..."

The Shinigami raised an eyebrow. "'That girl'? What does a girl had to do with this?"

"She's the one who killed the snake. She saved me."

He narrowed his eyes under his glasses. "How intriguing. Do you know her?"

"Not really. I only noticed her living in a dirty tent at the side of the road." The woman trailed off with a thoughtful frown. "Now that reminds me, she was always a strange one..."

"What makes you say that, miss?"

She glanced up, searching for the right word. "...her eyes scares me."

"...oh?" He blinked in interest.

"I don't know, to be honest. She had this pressure with her that makes her unapproachable for some reason. Only few people dared to talk with her."

"Hmm..." He continued writing to his note at the information before stopping, putting his hand under his chin thoughtfully.

A strange snake for a strange girl...