If the Sun never rose, would you still be standing?
Despite popular belief, I do have a pretty good memory, I think?
Or at least, I have pretty decent one.
And that was why some of the 'details' of the future never escaped my mind — especially one as serious as Kanae's death.
The only detail the manga ever gave about her death date was that she was seventeen when Douma killed her and that she was already a flower pillar when that happened.
With this in mind, I kept a pretty close eye on her as soon as she turned seventeen — going even as far as accompanying her to some missions despite them not needing the presence of two Hashiras.
But despite all my efforts, she was still attacked when I wasn't there for her.
I rushed to her location as soon as I heard she was off for a mission — not waiting to even hear the rest of it as my gut feeling screamed at me to follow her.
And my gut was surely as right as ever.
There they were — a severely injured Kanae and that disgusting Douma, looming over her as he reached for her.
My first (and involuntary) reaction was to kick that bastard on his stomach and get his dirty shadow away from my friend. Fortunately, my arrival took him by surprise and sent him sprawling as I kicked him with all my strength.
"Masa..." She softly spoke my name; her voice cracking with pain made my already boiling blood even worse.
"Oi Demon," I spat, surprising even myself with the amount of venom I managed to say that words with, "Why don't ya pick someone of your own size?"
"Welcome intruder..." That bastard gave me a shit eating grin as he rubbed the blood off from the corner of his lips, "That was a rather... unexpected arrival, I must say."
"Why? Did I interrupt something?" I spat as I took out my twin Dadao, "Cause if so, then I'll fucking love to continue it with you, Dearie."
Douma's unnaturally coloured eyes brightened as I attacked him — but that fucking bastard kept jumping away, avoiding every single attack of mine before appearing just behind me.
"I regret to say—" I immediately turned back to slash that bitch, noticing him jump onto the wooden fence of a nearby residence, "—but I have to leave." He made a disgustingly fake sad expression, making me sneer at him, "Hopefully we can continue it some other time~"
"Why not, trash face." I spat as he vanished, feeling his demonic aura disappear from the area instantly.
'He was pretty fast...' I thought absent-mindedly before I felt footsteps approaching.
Shinobu came rushing in; her eyes watering as she saw her severely battered sister.
"Kanae-nechan!" She screamed; her scared voice making me feel extremely guilty.
"Let's not keep standing here." I stated; my voice devoid of all emotions as scooped up Kanae in my arms, "She is losing bloody rapidly." I declared as I started sprinting, still feeling Shinobu's eyes burning onto my back; really not knowing if it was because she blamed me for it or for some other reason.
But, right at this moment, it didn't matter.
The only thing that mattered was the life of the girl in my arms.
oOo
"So, you're retiring, huh?" I asked directly as the elder Kocho took her medicine.
"Yes..." She softly answered, her downturn eyes showing her feelings regarding the situation, "My body was already too weak to handle demon slaying and after Upper Moon's attack, my hands..." She looked at her damaged, quivering hands; making me feel immensely guilty for not being there with her.
"I'm sorry..." I apologized, snapping her and Shinobu's attention onto me, "I... I should have been ther—"
"You had no role in it, Masa-kun!" Kanae loudly declared, her eyes widening in horror as if I had suggested something rather unholy, "How can it even be your fault? It is my body that is so... weak and fragile. And now useless." She frowned as she spat those words, her expression darkening as she kept her eyes on her damaged hands.
"Kanae," I called out her full name, making her look at me in surprise, "Stop it. Your body... you know you can't fight your body, right? Demon slaying wasn't something your body was made for and yet, you still fought and saved both humans and demons alike — you're no less than a Goddess, dear sister. Your body and mind endured so much for all this... maybe now, it's a good time to start something anew, right?"
"I-I..." Kanae's eyes watered as she turned to me.
"It's okay, lass." I patted the younger girl, slowly wrapping her into a gentle hug as she shivered in my arms, "Everything will be fine. You did your best, Dearie. And... I'm proud of you." I heard her sniffle as I patted her, "You can help them in a different way, trust me. So, you're not and — never will be — useless. Got it?"
I slowly looked up as I felt Shinobu's burning gaze on me again; this time, her eyes portraying a mixed emotion of gratitude and sadness.
"Thank you so much for saving my life, Masa-kun." Kanae suddenly started as she slowly unwrapped herself from the hug, "I... I wouldn't have survived if you hadn't..."
"Neither would I." I replied back, making her look at me in confusion, "If the Sun never rose, we both wouldn't have been standing here, Kana-chan. So, thank the Sun, not me." I gave her a lazy grin as I stood up, "Now, stop over-working that pretty little head of yours and get some sleep, yeah?" I said before exiting the room — needing some desperate alone time as all the tension from the past few months came crashing onto me suddenly.
'Yeah... I need a drink.' I thought wistfully as my lips twitched, 'And I don't even drink; shame, ain't it?'