moons and stars

ii. sea of stars

Takes place after Red Light District Arc. Kinda OOC Kanao because she talks... for a bit.

There's a lyrics reference to Kamado Tanjirou no Uta, the insert song from episode 19 here. Also recommended to listen it for full feels while reading this.

...

ii. sea of stars

Tanjirou, at some point, heard of a story of a star that guides the road. Their shine twinkling without care, used as an object of compass while serving its purpose as a map. He never really see the point of using the stars because of the confusing swarm spread above the night sky. But it’s probably just on him, not in his area of expertise.

But still, looking up at the stars above him, he can appreciate their usefulness, despite being used as an alternative guide for a lost map. He chuckled at the idea that came to him. If only he can tell that story to Nezuko and his younger siblings, they would be sure to like it, just for passing silence in the boring afternoon, in their life as simple coal burner in the mountains.

Their humble, modest life that was stolen and covered in blood in front of him.

…it wasn’t the only story he eavesdropped from others during his mission, he also heard another story of the stars that symbolizes the souls of dead. The blinking light that represents the vestiges of their souls, always watching the living as they witness them. Not a single remorse nor sadness.

They were just there, twinkling as if without care.

If the story is true, is that the reason why he always heard the voices of his family that already passed on? Or was it just a reflection of his suffering that continues to cling on him?

The hidden desire for an impossible wish that any of this was not real?

“Tanjirou? What are you doing here outside?”

He turned his head to see Kanao approaching him, a scent of curiosity coming her.

“I can’t sleep so I’m here for stargazing.”

“…aren’t you still recovering?”

Despite her face not expressing her emotion, fragrance of worry overcomes him. He smiled, seems like she listened to her heart now.

“I’m stretching my muscles instead being coped up in my room. It would feel… suffocating.”

Kanao didn’t respond to him, instead he saw her sat beside him and joined in his stargazing.

Their position to each other reminds him of their first conversation, seemingly in the same setting and the same time. He remembered their talks about a story of moon, the tale of Chains of Moon.

And her words echoed in his head about him the chained moon.

You always seemed to be chained because you lacked freedom.

He wondered what those words supposed to mean, but he figured that she’s probably confused with her words. No… he probably understood what she was trying to say. Him being the chained moon, as the story goes, he was trapped due to his compassion.

…that wasn’t an accurate impression. The Chains of Moon is his opposite presentation. He is not the one being chased, he’s the one who chased. He lurks in the darkness not because it was ideal, it was just convenient to him because of the demons who walks and crawls in the wake of dead night.