𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 | Kimetsu no Yabai

Chapter 35: Story (物語)

"Is that...our house? No, it's kinda similar, but the shape is a bit different...what am I doing here? Cutting the fire woods? Or was I staring at the blue sky?"

"Tanjiro" felt tiny hands clutch his clothes. He turns and sees a little girl.

"Da—ddy"

"Da...daddy? Did you just call me daddy?"

"Ah...aah" the little girl points to the right.
Tanjiro turns and sees a man.

"The original breath user? Then...he must be Yoriichi"
____
Yoriichi and "Tanjiro" sat outside of his home.
"There's something I need to talk about...I've been thinking about it for a while now...and what came across my mind is just...both Suyako's face and yours..." Yoriichi says.

"Maybe he can teach me how to use the 13th form..."

"It's been 2 years now...and I'm really glad to see you and Akiko in good shape..." "Tanjiro" says.

"Eh? What?! What?! Uum..."

"Sumire was just a baby back then. And now she's already this big" he says with a smile, but changes back to being nervous and confused.

"I can't talk at all...I can't even move at my own will...of course! No doubt that...this is the memory of my ancestor...I can't do anything right now"

"I'm glad to see you happy too. Being able to see others happy is making me happy too..."

"Tanjiro" looks at Yoriichi.
"Everything is...beautiful in this world...and I'm really grateful to be born into this world..."

Yoriichi tells "Tanjiro" a story about his childhood.

How his mother was a religious woman, the earrings he wore were an amulet of the sun god, his brother cared for him, how he was an unwanted child, how he was suppose to be sent to being a monk.

And all he wanted was to run freely, under the beautiful blue sky...He kept runny every single day and didn't stop until he was exhausted...

"Then around the mountain, I found a small rice field...and somebody is standing over there...there were two girls about the same age as me, maybe the other was just about a year older than the other...the young girl just stood still holding a bucket, while the eldest was holding a poorly made wooden bokken...then I asked them what are they doing...the eldest turned to me with glaring eyes, as she was being cautious towards a stranger like me...but looking at her carefully...it looked as she was crying..."

"All of our family is dead because of some epidemic...me and my sister are all we have left of each other now...I take some tadpoles and return them again..."

"After that, they stood there without saying a word. Right before the sun went down...she set free all those tadpoles into the rice field"

"You do return them back, don't you?" Yoriichi says.
"Yes..."

The elder sister bent down to her knees and hugged her sister behind in comfort.

"I feel bad for those little ones since they might get separated from their family..."
"...then let's go home with me" Yoriichi says.

Soon the two girls turn to him as the young one went in tears.
"Really?"

"Her elder sister was against it at first...but when she took a good look at me, she felt calm...so they both went with me...the two girl's names were Uta and Akiko...Uta, Akiko, and I all lived together after that. I came to know that Uta was a girl who keep talking all day...and her sister Akiko, though she was just only a year older than Uta, she would always try to act like the most mature. She was only thinking about Uta's safety as any sibling would"

"I knew it...I knew the way my eyes see the world is a bit different from others. Looks like there were no one who could see the world of transparent like I did...for the first time ever, I came to realize that my vision is my ability...Uta always...held my hand, like holding something so precious...she really held mine tightly...and Akiko...like no other woman I've ever seen, she would have no trouble doing the work that was meant for men to do...it's as if she had strength like one. I would come to her so she'd treat my wounds"

"My sister...? Well she's like that because we only had each other. So she had to be the strong to protect me. She told me how there are some bad people out there and might not know what'll happen so she didn't want to take that chance. She trained herself so much for my sake to be who she is now. My sister is amazing!" Uta said.

"After 10 years of all of us being together, Uta and I became a couple. With the exception of Akiko's blessings...soon Uta would give birth to our child...so to prepare the child birth, I went to look for a midwife. Uta asked for Akiko if she could get her favorite foods after the child birth. Akiko was not too sure since the town was a long way, but I promised them both that I will come home before sunset"

"I don't want to leave Uta alone, but I trust that you keep your promise that you do make it before I do till sunset. But I will be sure to make it back as soon as possible"

Akiko gives Uta a hug and went off.

"Soon on my way home, I met an old man who had walked three mountains...he looked like he's at his limit...he said he just want to see his son who is dying because of the war...I carried the old man to his son's place...after that, I rushed home since the midwife will arrive at home in the morning...I ran as fast as possible...the sun was no longer in the sky, and I knew Akiko was already home herself..."

"And when I arrived...Uta and our baby had been killed, and Akiko was on her knees crying...she looked at me with such a mix sadness and remorse, that she not only blamed me, but herself as well"

"Why...why didn't you keep your promise Yoriichi...why...why didn't I just stay by her side...I failed to protect her...my sister..."
_____
"You know...no matter how you valued your life...somebody out there...could lightly crush it down in an instant..." Yoriichi says.
_____
"I kept gently holding my wife's and my kid's body for ten days...Akiko didn't even move from her spot either...she stopped crying, but the light in her eyes no longer shined...they were dark and dim, and she only stared at the floor like the dead...and then a demon hunter who had been tracing a demon...came to our home and expressed his condolences for me, Akiko, and our family..."

"It was just my dream...to live such a happy and peaceful life...in a small house, together with my wife, my son, and Akiko to visit. A place where I could see my love ones every time...where I could hold their hands...and hug them..."

"Enough day dreaming...no matter what I do...my dream will never happen...demons, they do...exist and live in this beautiful world...I have decided to become a demon slayer...I didn't want Akiko to join in, though I would be hearing her denies anyway...these people...they have been fighting demons since long time...I taught Akiko and the others how to use breath techniques, since none of them can use it...the hunters were called pillars, and were very strong...every breath technique ever performed were upgraded at fast rate..."

"Demon hunters that are able to kill strong demons...my brother had been attacked by a demon too. So, he became a demon hunter too, helping each other..."

"Sometimes I do worry for Akiko...she was the only person left who is blood related to Uta...there were moments when I didn't want her to go out on missions on her own...I cared about her as I did for Uta...but I just didn't know if she still felt the same for me anymore..."

"I will be fine. As long as we stick together, we'll be okay...we only have each other now...even though I've already lost everything..."

"I knew for a moment she held a bit of resentment towards me...and I felt that she wanted to tell me that she has cursed the day I have met Uta and her...but she thought none of it to say so to me...as much as she had many opportunities to...no matter how she looked or what she has been through...she still carried a kind heart..."

"Years later...I finally met the boss of all demons...the moment I encountered him...I...I realized the purpose of my life is...only to kill that man..."