(Muichiro)

I struggled to stay conscious with a breathing technique, my vision began to blur, and my head felt light as if the world were slipping away. Is this what dying feels like?

My limbs felt heavy, the numbing coldness spreading through my veins. I gritted my teeth, the weight of disappointment pressing me down further. I helplessly lay sprawled on the bloodstained ground. What a stupidly useless idiot I am in this state.

It was agonizing not being able to aid the Moon Hashira on this mission I was specifically assigned to, while Miss Yumira risked her life against the Upper Moon.

The battle raged around me, the clashing of metal screeching in my head, like a hammer striking my skull as the pain sharpened the edges of my waning consciousness. Pushing my remaining strength, I tilted my head.

Through the veil of my dark strands of hair, I saw a silhouette moving in a blur, the silver sword glinting against the demon. I could see the strain in their movements, their silver hair moving through the fog like a blinding light that seemed to fall from the sky.

I felt their presence in front of me; their fresh jasmine scent momentarily eased the pain in my body amidst the bloodshed. My chest pounded heavier, the edges of my sight closing in as the numbing cold threatened to drag me under, but I fought to keep my eyes open. 

Suddenly, a loud thud was heard, and everything became silent. 

No more yelling. 

No more clashing.

No more breathing. 

The figure ran towards Miss Yumira. A bright light enveloped the forest, a force that drove away the shadows just as my vision faded to black. 

- - - - -

White... all I could see was white. Am I dead? Miss Yumira... where is she? Did that white figure take me already?

My head throbbed as my vision began to adjust to my surroundings. A strong scent of antiseptic assaulted my senses as I groaned from the pain in my back. Soft bandages were wrapped tightly around my head and torso.

The wooden door swung open, revealing the Insect Hashira. In her big purple eyes, I saw remnants of unshed tears, though her voice came out calm and collected. "You woke up earlier than expected, Tokito. That must mean you're recovering quickly." 

She smiled, warm and comforting, masking the underlying grief.

"And... Miss Yumira?" I asked, heart heavy in denial to hear the news.

Of course, she didn't make it. After telling me about the nightmare of her death and giving up on fighting the Upper Moon when she realized it was someone she once cared for, how could she survive?

Getting overwhelmed by emotions was for the weak. She was weak. What else did I expect? 

Yet I couldn't even do anything to help her.

"The deep injury on your back could've been fatal if not for Miss Yumira's student coming to your aid," Miss Shinobu's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "You should thank her once you're well rested."

The white figure, huh? The one who moved in a blurry, bright motion under the moonlight, the one who had courageously gone against the demon alone. So that was Miss Yumira's student.

- - - - -

The first few days of recovery were unbearable. Pain shot like thorns, wrapping around my body with every waking moment. There was no comfortable position until my body had grown to numb all the pain away.

The cold winter wind blew through my demon slayer uniform as I stood beside the Flame Hashira. His dim eyes never left the wooden casket being lowered into the ground. 

The wind carried a sense of sorrow as if the world itself was grieving. The Hashiras lined up, mourning the loss of a respected comrade. 

The moon stood as a silent witness as another star joined the heavens.

I left the Butterfly Estate not long after. The pain in my back still lingered, but I decided to return to my estate. The longer I stayed idle, the more the memories of that night haunted my mind. 

The rugged path felt uncomfortably familiar—the same path I had once walked with the Moon Pillar. What was once a happy, fleeting moment has now become a lonely memory.

I remembered her habit of pointing out random things that caught her attention—the clouds, a butterfly, a random pebble on the road, or birds tweeting across the sky. 

Her favorite bird was a dove.

The path seemed endless, each step echoing the absence of her presence. The once vibrant journey now felt dull and empty. These were reminders of what I had taken for granted, filled with a silent longing to have someone walk beside me.

Spring had begun, melting away the sad memories of winter, as I entered the garden for the Hashira meeting. My body protested with every step, barely recovering from the injury I had sustained that night. 

The atmosphere was heavy, the usual lively chatter among the Hashira tinged with a palpable somberness. 

I glanced at the Flame Hashira, his eyes dimmed and distant, unshed emotions barely masked by his composed demeanor. He had been quite close to Miss Yumira to the point that they were more than affiliates. 

The Grand Master acknowledged the melancholy. For all of us, Miss Yumira was more than just a comrade—She was a friend, a sister, a lover, a teacher, and a family. 

She was someone to be honored and remembered. I found myself missing her stories, even if I had often seen them annoying.

But to our surprise, a girl with bright peach hair, dressed in a blue-red haori, and a silver blade on her waist glinting in the morning sun, stepped up to continue what Miss Yumira had left behind. Despite the grief of losing her master, she took upon herself the crushing weight of responsibilities as a Hashira.

"She's strong, but she can be reckless."

Miss Yumira's words echoed in my mind. Why had she entrusted someone younger than me, someone, who had just become a Hashira with no solid experience to support herself? 

I had no interest in mingling with an incompetent demon slayer. Perhaps killing the doll demon had been just pure luck.

I didn't realize how long I had been staring until her presence beside me broke my reverie. The fragrant scent of jasmine filled the once-empty space left by the previous Hashira. 

- - - - -

Over the next two months, I immersed myself in completing missions on my own. Driven by the pain of my scars, each encounter with demons was so merciless that the demons must have wished they had never existed.

I fought to turn the tables, where demons would cower in fear as humans hunted them down. I rejected any aid. If Miss Yumira herself believed I was capable of handling missions alone, then I wanted to live up to that expectation.

I visited the swordsmith village to get my sword repaired. Its chipped edges showed the fruit of the countless battles I had faced since that night. Each fight satisfied me. I wondered if I would feel this way if we had won that night without losing her.

During my stay, I decided to fight a mechanical doll to train. Its jerky yet swift movements were on par with the doll demon's. I wanted nothing more than to destroy it.

Much to my annoyance, Miss Yumira's student dared to challenge me to a duel. Her purple eyes shone with a mix of pride and determination, convinced she had what it took to face me. 

Her confidence was irritating, but with a sigh, I gave in to her request. If Miss Yumira were here, she would have pestered me the same way her student did.

As the sun began to dip down the horizon, her strength was surprising, matching my speed as she closed the gap between us with impressive agility. Her blade swung in an arc, aimed with precision to land a hit on me. 

She moved in a bright blur, her swift movements like light itself, and in her eyes, I saw the same fire I had seen when she fought the demon.

In a heartbeat, we were engulfed in a storm of soil and dust, with a throbbing pain in my chest as I received a blow from the handle of her katana. I let myself fall to the ground, the pain of my scars shooting through my body once again, leaving me paralyzed for a brief moment.

The twilight sky was painted with hues of orange and purple, and a distant star shone brighter than the others. I felt the exhaustion of my body wash off in the warmth of the earth.

"Not bad," I managed to utter.

But in the back of my mind, perhaps I had been wrong about her. Maybe she wasn't as incompetent as I had initially thought. 

The duel had brought me a newfound respect for her as a swordswoman, but it's not enough for me to acknowledge her as a Hashira.

- - - - -

Shiori was her name. Her temper was as short as her stature, yet her pride towered way above it. I might've hit a nerve earlier, getting her worked up over words she needed to hear. 

It's true, she only became a Hashira because her master was gone. 

Who said I was arrogant? Who said I belittle others? Who said I was heartless? I only did what I was supposed to do. In this cruel world, the only way to survive is to never get overwhelmed by our emotions. If she can't face reality, she might as well step down from her role that no one forced her to take.

The night sky was adorned with flickering stars, their light echoes of a distant past, while the waxing moon began to rise, waiting to be full again. The night sky was a silent witness to the past and the future, making the present a beautiful yet fleeting scene.

Rain poured heavily in a once-peaceful forest as Shiori and I left the swordsmith's village. I found the rain a calming invite to wash away the unnecessary emotions and thoughts that weighed me down. 

The next time I turned around, the girl behind me was nowhere to be seen. The dark, unfamiliar woods loomed around me as I scanned the surroundings, straining to see through the curtain of rain. 

Each step felt heavier and the ground was slippery beneath my feet. I pushed through the rain, an unusual sense of worry throbbing in my stomach that I could no longer ignore.

Then, through the sheets of rain, I saw her—a small figure dangerously close to the edge of a cliff. I felt my breath catch in my throat as I sprinted towards her, reaching for her hand and pulling her back to safety just in time. 

The lightning flashed across the sky, momentarily illuminating her face as I met her eyes, and at that moment, I saw the weight of her pain. But there was also something else—a flicker of vulnerability, a silent plea for help.

"Why do you care?" Her words cut through the rain. "I'd rather fall into a cliff or face the demons out here than be with you." She tried to wriggle out of my grasp, but I held her close. 

For a moment, the forest seemed to hold its breath, the rain mingling with the tears on her face. In the depths of her gaze, I found a reason to hold on to the promise I made with Miss Yumira, a fragile understanding that bridged me to her.

- - - - -

The first pair mission after two months was with none other than Shiori. Why now, of all times? And why her, out of many other Hashiras? I couldn't care less about her hatred towards me, but I didn't want to let our conflict get in between us on missions.

As we entered the district, the air was thick with tension, not just from the coming threat of demons, but from the unspoken words between us. We both knew our responsibilities—to protect the people. 

Without exchanging more than a few words, we separated to cover more ground.

Despite our personal hatred, I decided to place my trust in her. I had to believe that she would uphold her duty as a Hashira and work together, even if it was left unspoken. 

I battled through a horde of demons coming from one side of the district, their shrieks and snarls filling the once-peaceful night air. I fought like I always do, swinging my blade in a swift motion as I cut through the monsters. Nothing could make me feel alive than to see their bodies disintegrate to ash.

Yet amidst the chaos, I couldn't help but glance in Shiori's direction. Her form was a blur of light and strength, each strike as precise and devastating as her breathing technique. 

It was at that moment I saw a different side of her—one that revealed her true nature on the battlefield. 

She was relentless, driven by a fierce determination to protect and uphold her duties. The way she looked so much like her Master, her bright, silver hair cascading in the moonlight as she drew her sword to the demon launching behind me.

"Muichiro, if the day comes that you and Shiori are on the same mission, promise me you'll protect her." 

Once the last of the demons had disintegrated into ash, the silence of the night was finally at peace once more. I turned to find Shiori standing atop a building nearby, her breathing heavy but steady. 

I met her eyes, and for a moment, we simply stared at each other, the weight of the mission and our shared struggle hanging between us.

"I'm sorry," Shiori broke the silence. "I guess I was... a little harsh on you, but I realized I couldn't have accomplished this mission without you." Her words were unexpected, carrying a sincerity that nearly caught me off guard. 

Basking in her gaze, I felt the need to respond, to acknowledge her words, and perhaps apologize for my part in our misunderstanding. Yet, the right words evaded me.

I nodded instead, hoping she understood the gratitude and respect I struggled to express.

On our way back, the silence between us was different—less strained, more relaxed. The mission had revealed to me a side of Shiori I hadn't seen before, and in doing so, it had also revealed something about myself. 

We were warriors, comrades bound by duty and a shared purpose to protect. But I wanted to believe that perhaps, in time, the gap between us could be connected, not just as fellow Hashiras, but as friends.

The calming scent of jasmine mingled with the warmth of her presence, and I found myself unexpectedly at peace. I allowed myself to give in to the exhaustion, leaning my head back on the soft cushioned seat of the train. The distant clatter of rails faded into a gentle noise in the background.

- - - - - 

It was insane how someone could leave such a lasting impression. My thoughts kept drifting back to that mission with Shiori. 

I remembered her awkward gestures, the way my name sounded in her voice, and her sharp eyes that were hostile toward the demons but softened when they looked at me. 

I could still recall the scent of jasmine as I drifted to sleep on her shoulder.

Every waking moment, even in my sleep, that day replayed in my mind, leaving me restless and confused. It was as if my mind wouldn't shut up until I saw her again.

With a defeated sigh, I slammed the door open, finding the Moon Hashira sitting peacefully atop her estate. For someone of her short stature to be able to climb that high, color me impressed.

The moon shone with its glorious glow, illuminating her serene features as I arrived at her side. We basked comfortably in each other's presence, neither daring to break the silence, unsure of how to start a conversation.

Shiori had been doing night patrols lately. I knew this because her habit of climbing and walking atop houses and buildings was disturbingly loud. Sometimes, I could almost mistake her for a demon.

The forest was covered in the ethereal glow of fireflies, creating a pleasant atmosphere as Shiori and I weaved through the trees. We playfully chased each other like little kids. With Shiori, I felt a sense of freedom and joy I hadn't experienced in years.

The grass offered comfort as I lay down, the fireflies reflecting the stars in the night sky, engulfing us in a warm glow. I slightly turned my head towards Shiori, her eyes closed as the soft golden light illuminated her features. 

I couldn't care about anything else, because at that moment, she looked...

"Beautiful."

And for the first time in my life, I found myself hoping for more nights like this.

~ ~ ~

-Next Chapter Preview-

 Power comes with great sacrifices, often inevitable for a better outcome. 

---

 The mysteries of the past and the possibilities of the future were intertwined.

『𝐓𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭』

Shiori loves to braid her long, thick hair, though the constant snapping of her hair ties during missions often forces her to let it flow freely down her back.

『Author's Note』

I would love to read your thoughts and comments !!
Thank you for reading and see you next chapter (/≧▽≦)/

- Rezella

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