𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

Part 17: True Bonds

| Source: zerochan
© entry by ajkk |

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______________________________

HALL OF HASHIRAS
16:15

"- kyyaaahh!"

Kanao snapped her eyes shut and embraced herself for the fall, until she was pulled back with strong arms wrapped around her waist. Her mind went absolutely blank, she didn't realize when was it that she ordered her hands to rest on the broad chest of someone, no other than the Sun Hashira himself.

"A- are you okay?"

A hitched gasp escaped her mouth, her face immidiately flushed at the very thought of being close to him at such cringy circumstances as this one. She was too embarrassed to even meet his eyes right now.

Tanjirou swallowed a lump in his throat, acknowledging those butterflies swarm inside his stomach as his nose picked up Kanao's breath-taking floral scents.

She smells so good.

His heart races a thousand miles, even Kanao could feel it thump against her open palm that was pressed onto his chest. Tanjirou unknowingly tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her closer.

This is bad. I'm not acting like myself.

All because he was enchanted by her beauty. And it was no good for himself.

"T- Tanjirou?" Her shaky voice woke him up and he quickly gestured her to stand in a good distance from him.

"I'm sorry," Tanjirou brought the back of his palm to his face, tilting his face to the side. "Are you hurt?"

"Uh- no, I'm... fine." Kanao was taken aback at how his usual calm and collected face suddenly shifted to something more remarkable.

He was flustered. For some reason that Kanao was indeed curious about.

"That's good," he gulped, his long lashes fluttered in discomfort as the redness of his face spreaded out ever so fondly.

"... Are you okay?" That question involuntarily came from the Tsuyuri.

Tanjirou held back a groan. He should be leaving right now if he doesn't have any wish to embarrass himself further infront of her. But somehow, his feet were forcefully glued to the ground.

"What do you mean?" Without replying to her concerned gaze, he asked back with a whisper.

Kanao studied his reactions well, and her eye would never lie to such details as this; Tanjirou was really acting all flustered around her. When was the last time that she actually paid attention to his face? When was the last time she ever appreciated such blessed sight of having him standing close to her, with his slightly long hair fluttered against the graceful wind.

What captured her interest more, is that he styled his hair with bangs. She couldn't take her eyes off him, for once, she just wished that time could stop just for her to print that image of him inside her mind carefully.

"You look... really good with your hair down, Tanjirou."

"... What?" As if his reflexes couldn't go fast enough, Tanjirou whipped his head back to Kanao. His red eyes shone a genuine look of surprise.