Stone Cold | Tanjirou Kamado (old version)

4. Buried memories

Not much time passed for Ayaka to realize Tanjirou was warm.

Not in terms of personality, even if he was, Tanjirou's body radiated such an intense warmth that Ayaka's skin was able to feel it over the bamboo poles of the panel where they both leaned in.

Her parents weren't rich, they didn't have enough money to afford a bathtub nor enough wood to heat up the water regularly. With that and Ayaka's habit of bathing more than usual, they didn't have any other way than to take the river behind their house not too far away.

So the only thing they could was to manage with the water of the river (the one that came from the mountain, so it was clean, Ayaka had confirmed it) and a bamboo panel to protect the privacy between men and women.

Ayaka took no issue with this, since it wasn't strange for her to share the bathroom with Genya on Himejima-shishou's mountain. Even if Ayaka had tried to convince Tanjirou it didn't matter, he had insisted on using the panel.

It was quite clear his parents had tried to raise him to be someone respectful. It took effort to not use honorifics whenever he acknowledged her, receiving a growl from her every time. As respectful as he was, it didn't take away his stubbornness.

And, in Ayaka's opinion, his obnoxiousness.

"Your family is very kind, Aya", Tanjirou said. Ayaka didn't know if he was happy or that was just every day Tanjirou.

But one thing was evident, Tanjirou and her family got along. So much he seemed to be son of the Iwamotos and she didn't.

"Right, that's because you don't know my grandma when she's in a bad mood," she answered, voice as sharp as a knife. She played absentmindedly with one of her locks, which now floated freely on the water contrasting with her usual tight bun. The green tips were visible now that it wasn't at the top of her head."It's because you're a guest, if not, she wouldn't be so nice with you. Although I can't say the same for my parents, they are like that with everyone but they seem especially delighted with you."

The words that escaped from her lips were half lies, since Ayaka had never seen her grandmother treat someone with such kindness.

Kaede was just like her grandniece, maybe even prouder than her, since it was known she would never bow down for nothing nor anyone. Gaining her respect was no easy task, but even then, Tanjirou had managed to do it without problem in the few minutes that lasted their conversation.

She dived deeper into the water to the point the only thing merely visible were her eyes.

The coldness and the breeze that lost its warmth as time passed nearly made her shiver, but she managed not to. Tanjirou seemed used to the cold but she could still feel some irregular trembles over the bamboo panel.

Tanjirou Kamado was a mystery and Ayaka didn't like the things she had no explanation for.

"Do you carry two soap bars with you wherever you go?" She heard Tanjirou say at the other side. Despite being back to back with him, she could imagine him perfectly as he asked, watching in wonder the lilac soap he held in his hands.

"Of course I do, don't you?" she answered as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. "Although it wouldn't surprise me, with how filthy you were, do you even wash your hands?"

She only heard guilty chuckles in response, but Tanjirou's cheerful attitude didn't waver in the slightest.

"I think it's worthy of admiration that you take care of yourself so passionately", he said. Ayaka tried to look for any malicious intent on his tone but she found none. "That means you're a responsible person, even if this soap smells different than normal."