Spring from Heaven ▫ Kimetsu no Yaiba

23: Missing Answers

Warning| ⚠Short Chapter⚠Spoiler⚠
Words| 1025

Haru stares at the ruined pages in the book. "It's ruined- most of it is illegible..." Haru pointed out. "Was it always like this?" Tanjiro asked Senjuro who shakes his head. "I don't think so, the annals of the successive generations of hashira are restored carefully"

Haru nodded in agreement. "He's right, for generations, wind, water, and flames always restored it carefully for their successors" She traced the ruined pages. "But why this one..."

"I think father may have torn it up himself, I'm so sorry" Senjuro apologized at Tanjiro. "No, this isn't your fault! Please, don't worry about it" Tanjiro smiled.

"You came all the way here but you didn't learn anything about the Hinokami Kagura or the sun breathing my father had mentioned" Senjuro frown a bit, Haru pats his head gently. "That's alright because now I know what to do" Beamed Tanjiro.

"I'll train more" Tanjiro face turns into more serious and determined. "I haven't mastered all the Hinokami Kagura for which I do know the dance movements" 

Senjuro looks at him confused. "You haven't?" he asked, still letting Haru to fluffed up his firey hair.

'Fluffy- fluff- fluff- fluff- flame up!' Her eyes sparkling as Senjuro's hair facing upwards.

"When I use the Hinokami Kagura in a state of total concentration, I can't move the way I want. That's my problem, my body isn't performing my techniques" 

"Total Concentration: Constant improved my physical strength. But that's not enough if I continue doing constant, I'll get stronger day by day, but I won't get stronger instantly"

"That day... I wished there had been- a way to instantly get strong enough to help Rengoku-san. I've been thinking about it for a while now. I realize that there's no such method, there's no shortcut" Tanjiro gaze turns towards the tatami.

"The only option is to struggle on. All I can do is move forward... No matter how difficult or frustrating it is and if I do..." Tanjiro gripped on his uniform. "Eventually I'll become..." He lifted his head, tears up. "A powerful hashira like Kyojuro-san"

Senjuro start to tears up more while Haru's eyes softened.

"My brother didn't have a tsuguko, a successor. I was supposed to be his tsuguko- as his backups, I had to build experience. But..." The younger Rengoku trailed off. 

"- My nichirin sword never changed color. If you don't reach a certain level of swordsmanship the color doesn't change" His body starts to shakes as the tears dripping.

"No matter how hard I trained, I was no good- so I'm giving up being a swordsman. I'll be... useful- in some other way. This severs the succession of flam hashira. A blotch on their long history. But I'm sure- my brother will forgive me"

Haru lifted Senjuro's face and wipes his tears, she warmly smiles at him.

"Please, walk the path that you think is right" Haru and Senjuro looked at the burgundy boy. "If anyone speaks badly about you, I'll headbutt them" Haru looked at him blankly while Senjuro sweated. 

"You shouldn't do that" Senjuro and Haru said in synch deadpanned, Tanjiro flinch a bit.

"Ah- we should get going, Tanjiro-Kun. I'm pretty sure Shinobu-san is waiting for us" Haru reminded him. "Y-you're right" Tanjiro sweated. "Then, let me see you out" Senjuro walked the two out.

"I'll repair that shredded book as best as I can. And I'll look for the other books too. I'll ask father about them and If I learn something, I'll send a crow" Senjuro stated.

"Then in exchange, I'll keep you updated about Kyojuro-san's conditions by sending my crow to you" Haru smile and Tanjiro nodded in agreement.

"I'm glad we got to talk, be careful on your way back" Senjuro bow a bit then he remembered something.

"Oh, Tanjiro- One more thing, here..." He pulled out a sword guard, similar to Kyojuro's. "It's the handguard that same as my brother's, I made you one as a thank you" Senjuro held it out for Tanjiro to take.

"I-I can't accept something so personal- It's-" Tanjiro tried to decline. "I want you to have it, I'm sure it'll protect you" Senjuro convinced the burgundy boy, Tanjiro stares at him before finally give in. "Thank you" He takes it.

"That's good for you, Tanji-Kun!" Haru lightly punched his shoulder, he looks at her as the petite girl grins at him. "Haru-chan..."

Haru then crouches down on Senjuro's height. "Please tell your father to take care of himself, for your brother and I, alone concern about it too" Haru softly said, Senjuro didn't say anything as Haru tilts her head.

Suddenly, Senjuro hugged onto her before breaks into tears, catching Haru off guard a bit.

"T-Thank you- Thank you for saving my brother... Haru-san..."

Haru caressing his back before pulling away from the hug. 

"It's the least I could do- At the time when I saw him gravely Injured, all the memories I had with him flashes through my mind and then you, there's no way that I let him die when he still have you and your father to be taken care of"

She lightly boop Senjuro's nose. "We'll be going now" Haru stood up before waving at the small boy then walking away.

On their way back towards Butterfly Estate, Tanjiro was trying to catch his breath as he tiredly walks, Haru starts to get concerned. "Tanji-Kun, do you want me to carry Nezuko? I mean, you look like about passed out there"

Haru looked at him worriedly as they heard scratching inside the box Nezuko in.

"Ah- it's alright, Haru-chan, Nezuko. We'll reach Butterfly Estate soon!" He pulled out his usual beaming smile at Haru.

Then they noticed someone standing at the front of the Butterfly Estate, not just that. It's Haganezuka with four knives. Two tied on both sides of his head while the other two were held by him.

Haru flinched as she felt a murderous aura from him. 'Ahh... We're dead meat...' she gulped.