Whoops. Sorry for the lack of update guys but at least I'm back on board now. Little bit of heads-up: due to having read published books from the past month, my prose might have been affected. I'm easily influenced like that.

Enjoy.

(Chapter unedited.)

Truth within the Rain: The Foolish Oath

Kagaya had respected a lot of people in his life. Both living and dead. Before he became a figure named Oyakata of Flower District, and perhaps even when he was still alive, he had met different kinds of people. He won't brag that he had met all kinds of them but, in their own ways and in their own says, he respected a certain parts of their individuality. Their personality, their goals, their habits. He can't help but give them respect for what they are. For what they sought to be.

If he had to provide an example, he would offer his children as one. Not his biological children, but his children nonetheless. His children of the night who chase after the creatures of the night that seemed to embody the despair of humanity. Monsters, fiends, demons. Under his care, his children chose the life of a slayer, making it into their way of life to annihilate and exterminate and butcher these beasts for them to finally disappear in the world.

This tenacity was what made him respect them. As deeply as the ocean and as fervently as the waves. He truly did so. But like a wide vast ocean, like a sky hanging above them, his guilt was equally as great. Not every sin was always overlooked. His children had to pay the price. Unknowingly, obliviously, as they pass on to the other world, they had to pay the price. And him being involved to it, despite not executing the deed himself, he bears the same sin.

He had respected a lot of people in his life. Yes, he certainly did so. Despite their unpleasant personality, despite their harsh berating words, it's inevitable they are certain parts of them that can be found admirable. Not all people are truly evil and he had believed those words. And because of this belief, he had not hated a single person in his whole life, though not completely. He tried to understand everyone and he did, albeit not completely. Not a single person he had met was open and vulnerable to show themselves what they are to him. After all, he was stranger who seemed look foolish with blinded sight for eyes and fragile frame for a body.

A sickly-looking man. This was a certain person's impression he had also respected back when he was still a simple soul wandering in Rukongai*. His first companion… no, his second companion who was once his child in the world of living but now one of his subjects within his own creation, Garden of Stars.

The Flower District.

"Ubuyashiki… Kagaya…?" came a baffled voice when he had entered the guest room. Kagaya didn't expect she was already awake before he made his entrance. He had intended to wait for her in silence until she would stir in her sleep but it seemed that his plan was immediately thrown away.

"Tsuyuri Kanao." He greeted in return as he groped the air for a nearby chair. His hand bumped a hard wood and grabbed it, running his hands to confirm if it was a chair before he plopped himself to it. He offered her a smile which he thought was where she was lounging to rest. "It has been a long time, isn't it?"

"…yes." She replied after a moment of silence. He heard her shifted, assuming she was changing her position. Either to face him or get up to stretch herself, he doesn't know. "Are you… The Manager of Red Light…?"

So she had that figured, he thought knowingly. He knew, even when he was still alive, that Tsuyuri Kanao was an observant person and he was glad to know she still haven't lost her edge. She even became an infamous figure in the 14th District through it. Observer from Farthest Gaze, Makomo told him once. A silent guardian who lives in the entrance (in truth, it was a boundary between 13th and 14th District) who judge potential threats entering the Flower District. The girl was quite fond disclosing him unnecessary information but it provided him enough entertainment nonetheless. She was one of his 'eyes' after all, she only played her part, he reasoned. "How did you know that? I may be just one of the customer." He gently yet challengingly questioned her, wondering what kind of response he was going to receive from her.

Observant you may be but let us see what you have seen.

"You're not a customer." She told him firmly. "It's obvious. I don't see you entering and leaving the establishment. I should've seen you already if you did. I approach this building for food and had seen what kind of people attends Red Light." He heard a brief rustle, seemingly coming close to him. "You're not one of them, Kagaya-san."

"Impressive." He complimented. "That is true. I'm not a customer. But another question appears, how did you know I was The Manager?"

A thoughtful silence hang over them. "I've heard that The Manager of Red Light was also The Master of Mansion, Oyakata." She replied as if still wondering. "He doesn't get out from the establishment and he was not allowed to be seen by the people." He can feel a pointed look directed at him. "I think that's obvious you are him."

"As expected." It has been a while since he had a conversation like this. An honest and frank observation with no reservation. Or perhaps, it has actually been a while since he had a talk with someone other than Makomo and Sabito. It takes him back when he was still a wandering simple soul as he exchanged talks with her. "You don't want to know how I arrived in this position?" he offered.

"No. It's not because I want to or not, I'd rather not hear about it." She replied, as usual without reservation. "A long time had passed since we've seen each other. It would be a long talk."

So she doesn't want to talk with him. How cruel of her, he thought. But the way she told him those words, he can hear a tint of suspicion as if she can't trust his words for granted. He supposed it makes sense for her to be doubtful. As she had said, it has been a long time, and time makes the experience of every person change. As a soul living in Rukongai, in Soul Society*, you would become a man, or woman of their former selves whether you like it or not. He reasoned that her apprehensive behavior around him was because of this. "I suppose so." He agreed. "Questions from me ends. Now it's your turn to ask." He knew she wanted answers. The moment when she uttered his name in bewilderment as he entered the room was evident.

"…is this your Garden of Stars?" she asked after a long pause.

"You've remembered?" He never expected the question.

"Recently." She admitted. "I forgot… I forgot most of it. It came to me in a dream… before you entered here." There was another pause but a short one. "It really… has been a long time, isn't it?"

"It is." he answered her almost longing words. "Don't be ashamed of that, Kanao. In this place, memories doesn't last unless you imprint it somewhere. We had lived in an almost immortal lives in Soul Society and despite being dead, we longed what is alive, what makes us happy; something that makes our undying life matter."

"Is that the answer?"

"What?"

"People longed what is alive. I've never understood that. We are already dead; we shouldn't have earthly desires anymore. We shouldn't yearned to exist again."

Ah, he thought as he remembered. She did ask about that before. He gave her a sad smile. "Kanao, did you realize you've just said cruel words?"

"…cruel?" a confused word was uttered. And suddenly, sadness overcome him. Is this the conclusion she arrived in her observation?

"You are making it seem like people shouldn't longed for the impossible. That people shouldn't be allowed to have dreams." He told her yet gently reprimanding. "Some people didn't ask to die, some didn't want to die. It is natural for them to yearn to be alive again. To be with their family, or lover, or family. They yearn what is lost and wants to reclaim it, wants to go through it once again."

"I still don't understand." She muttered as he can still hear her being confused. "Isn't it because it was impossible they shouldn't yearn for it? Because it was only a dream?"

A very practical, literal-minded, he thought. But unfortunately, not everyone thinks like her. "So they should just give up?" he asked no longer holding back.

That seemed to strike a chord within her since silence had blanketed the room. "No… I…" stammered Kanao which she rarely did. "You're right. I just said cruel words." She confessed. Kagaya was about to open his mouth to answer but she beat him to it, "Someone told me those same words. That I gave up."

"Who?" he asked curiously instead.

There was a pause, which made him realize that it was the usual occurrence throughout their conversation. "…I don't know. Someone did but I don't know. They said that I was only a petal fluttering in the wind, life and dull but beautiful." That made him raise an eyebrow but didn't attempt to interrupt her. "We also talked about butterflies… and life and death. But I can't remember anymore."

"Seems to be an interesting conversation." He mused. "Why do you think they said that?"

"I recall them telling me to build a bridge between life and death if I encountered a cliff. I also recall telling them that death was the final ending when they said about rebirth."

"Rebirth? It is about the butterflies, isn't it?"

"Yes." Another pause occurred. "Where is this conversation going?" she asked suddenly.

"You're the one who raised the topic." He reasoned, raising his eyebrow again. "I was supposed to answer your question about the Garden of Stars but you beat me to it."

"…"

Hearing silence on her part, he smiled ruefully. "My apologies, Kanao. I wasn't blaming you."

"It's fine." She replied stiffly.

She must have been eager to talk with someone she knew whether she realized it or not, he observed. Living in a tent alone, Makomo had reported to him once, that no one provided her an entertainment despite living in Flower District. He assumed no one had dared to approach her. As her former companion in the past, starting a small chat with her proved to be hard practice since the topic she wanted to talk about was limited… or perhaps it's because of the certain pressure around her. "To answer your question earlier, yes, it is my Garden of Stars. How did you know that? It may be just a place I thought the name of." He questioned her the same as earlier.

"You've told me about a field of wild flowers before." She replied promptly. "That you and I are among them. You've also said that Rukongai is a meadow of wild flowers. And that wild flowers had to be pulled out from their roots and planted in a proper garden. Am I right?"

"You're right." But not completely, he thought. The sentence before 'am I right?' was placed wrong. It wasn't supposed to be included there and she half-misunderstood the meaning of it. That was mostly his fault, he lamented, since he told her those words out of nowhere before. And she thought that was what it meant. "You're right." He repeated but more of an affirmation to himself. He can't bring himself to correct her since he was 'leashed'. "A field of wild flowers… I suppose it did grew into Garden of Stars." He told her instead.

"Why?"

"Why…?" he asked back inquiringly.

"Why did you gather all these people to create… this? The Flower District. What made you decide to develop this district into one?"

Nostalgia, he wanted to say. Admittedly, that was the greatest reason why he created Flower District. Time makes the experience of every person change, he echoed, and one of them is loneliness. He had been wandering the place for so long that he eventually found himself yearning for something familiar. Something he was used to. Something he had been accustomed with from the past. And during that endeavor, he met the two children who were now his 'eyes'. Makomo and Sabito. Unfamiliar and foreign yet acquainted and friendly. This was their relationship to each other. Imagine the surprise when they found out they were related as the three of them were 'leashed' to the same group of people. "To the give people some kind of purpose." He found himself telling her. The reasonable side of him told him this was his reason why created the place in spite of the nostalgia."Rukongai is desolate and gloomy, and I've wondered if it's possible to create a place that provides purpose for people who had seemed to lost hope and gave up their lives." And it came with a price, he added silently. "Flower District was born from that idea."

"I've heard that… I've heard Flower District became an equal standing to Seireitei ever since it was expanded from 14th District to 20th District. Some people wondered why… Central 46 didn't react from this."

He didn't missed her stumble of her words as she forced out two certain words, hesitant and apprehensive. Did she heard something about them? "Connections. Without it, money is just a piece of paper. Or metal for coins. The same goes to influence." He told her. "Central 46… well, we had some of pacifistic agreement to each other." A very long term one. That even goes on before he was born.

"Does this connection included Central 46?" she asked neutrally.

"In some ways." He admitted. "They overlook Soul Society as a whole. They got the iron hand in almost everything. I had to approach them for permission if I was allowed to create this Garden of Stars of mine."

"I see… it also includes the Shinigami to patrol and walk around in Flower District?"

He stared… where he thought was where she rested. "As part of the non-aggression agreement." She noticed, he thought, or maybe she was only stating the obvious. "We… had to be monitored." And he should stop telling her this. If he continues, there is a possibility he might spill everything.

A nerve-wracking silence washed over them. "Someone… told me about them." Kanao's soft voice broke his trance. "Central 46."

He bristled.

"Kagaya-san," she called him more faintly than before, "does secrets spill out from these walls?"

"No." he replied, confused at her intention. "No one other than me will hear about it."

"I see." She nodded. "I was told to never speak of this to someone but I… wanted other person's view."

He gathered his hands to his lap. Somehow, he thought he knew what was coming. "I promise I will listen and keep it close as a secret." He promised with a slight tilt of his head.

"Thank you." He heard a tiny rustle of cloth. And after that, she began her story. Lost memories and restlessness. A coincidental meeting with a Shinigami who was once a leader of Black Zeal. The Shinigami's purpose (and others like him when he heard the list of names) and their secret mission. And the invitation she received to become one of them and join their endeavors to reclaim their memories.

"Tokitō Muichirō said the same thing to me before." He stated after she finished her story. "Before he became a Shinigami, he told me all these things."

"You already knew?"

"Yes." With the exception that Muichirō had already intended to enter Shinigami Academy. He was attempted to approach by that one, demanding to see him despite the security trying pull him away. It was Sabito who listened to his reasons and relayed his words to meet him. Kagaya agreed and Muichirō was brought to his office inconspicuously. He was quite an angry one despite what his calm demeanor says. His tone was laced a silent rage and harsh words seems to come out naturally if he criticize someone. "He was a fierce man. A silent fierce one but a loyal sibling to his brother."

"I heard that his brother was… 'leashed' by Central 46. Turning him into a prisoner of secrecy."

He nodded. Muichirō told him the same. It's what made him join and become Shinigami. He may not realize this or maybe he did deep within him, it was loyalty to his twin brother that inclined him to enter the secret mission. To give Yuichirō freedom, an air of relief and to be free of worries. Perhaps that's what he wanted the most. The well-being of his twin brother. "Tokitō Yuichirō. I've never met him." He reflected. "Does he look like his brother?"

"A splitting image." She told him, supplying an image to his mind's eye. "Long black hair and mint eyes with average height. Nearly as tall as me."

He can see it. He did the saw the appearance of Tokitō Muichirō before, back in the World of Living. He supposed that his brother possessed the same disposition of harsh words and unseen, silent rage.

"When he… Muichirō-san offered me to join them, I rejected him." Kanao resumed the previous conversation. "But he told me to think about it and I should take my time."

"And I supposed that you've made up your mind?" he guessed.

"I don't know." She admitted. "I wasn't interested. I was fine with my own and I thought I don't need it. I was fine without my lost memories. I was managing by myself and I was fine. But thinking it again… I think might want to know. I deserve to know what happened. I wanted to know what happened. Why I lost my memories, why Central 46 was involved in it… and why others are involved to it. I want to know the truth."

A small smile grew in his face. "It sounds like to me you already made up your mind. Go ahead. If that's what you've wanted, no one would stop you."

"But is it fine to leave Rukongai? I've lived here as far as I know. I… don't want to leave."

"It's a necessary sacrifice." He told her. "In order to look ahead, you don't need to look back. See what's in front of you and observe. Observe with your heart's content. With your eyes, you might see the whole truth." As you always did, he thought. Draw conclusions on your own and see the truth. And he hoped she would see it. Will see it. So that they will be 'unleashed' from these chains. A foolish oath, the voice told him. He hoped it was otherwise.

"…thank you, Kagaya-san." He heard yet another rustle of clothing. "To be honest, I still don't know. But I'll think about your suggestion."

He raised his pale hand. "Are you bowing? Don't bow to me, Kanao. I only told you what I think."

"I have to. You promised you would keep our words a secret and I had to thank you." Another familiar noise rustled, perhaps bristling herself in front of him. "Please accept my gratitude."

She really left him with no choice, isn't she? he thought as he nodded in acceptance. He almost told her to rest and sleep but he remembered that he still had another matter from her. "Kanao, my apologies if this seems out of nowhere but the Shinigami that brought you here; do you know him?" he asked.

"I only met him on the road… back on Orange Zeal. At 17th District. I didn't know him before that." She replied.

"Hara said it was the same Shinigami who questioned her about the snake incident. Did he approach you for an interview or something to that?"

"I… no. I collapsed and he helped me. This is the first time I saw him."

"Only that? He didn't force you in anything?"

"No." She replied slowly, confused.

The Shinigami must've observing her from afar. "Have you felt anything strange from him?" he asked after a moment.

"No…" came her troubled voice. "Wait… I think there was. When I touched him at first, a pressure came over me like a gravity but instead it didn't pull me down, I just… I freaked out. If I touched him any longer, I would probably froze."

Froze… it happened with Ama—Hara though. "At first?" he asked.

"At first." She affirmed. "When he helped me up and accepted his hand for the second time, the gravity was never almost there anymore… as if he lowered it…"

Did the Shinigami made a mistake and flared his reiatsu*? "Kanao, did you know what it was?"

"What was what…?"

"The gravity-like pressure you felt from him is called reiatsu. Every Shinigami and some handful souls possess it. Powerful Shinigami or souls can exert it like you felt from him. I heard that every reiatsu has different sensation or quality individually." He pointed his eyes where he was certain where Kanao is. "Did know you possess it too?"

"…Sort of." She replied after a contemplative silence.

"Really?" That got him curious. He never expected her to be aware of it.

"A… Shinigami told me I have a strange reiatsu when we first met. In our second meeting, she said it became normal."

"Did she had any ulterior motives?" he asked directly.

"No. She was only intent on befriending me. She even brought her… friend to meet with me."

"Who?"

"Zaraki Kenpachi." She replied flatly.

Kagaya knew the Shinigami she had met when she told him the name. "Kusajishi Yachiru?" He knew the girl Shinigami, indirectly from Makomo. She was one of the patroller who preferred eating and buying sweets rather than patrolling the 14th District. She was also a Lieutenant of 11th Division from Seiteitei*. A member of Gotei 13*. Makomo told him that this certain Kusajishi Yachiru asked to be a patroller, specifically around Flower District, she added, to the Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryusai. The supreme officer eventually relented to her wishes apparently since she was now sauntering around here.

"Yes." She confirmed. "She comes around sometimes, and she likes talking."

He smiled. "Was she a good company?"

"Depends." She replied vaguely but he knew she was smiling. Though, maybe a bit. Faintly, he guessed. Such a shame he would never meet this girl Shinigami who lighten up the mood of Tsuyuri Kanao.

"I hope your friendship with her was genuine." He cheered lightly as he stood up. "And I wished for your good health. Rest, Kanao. Sleep and recover. Your body needed it more than most." He advised. He recalled her stubbornness whenever she received injuries but continues to stand up as if her wounds was never there. It took a lot of convincing from him, insisting her to rest before she relented. I can still stand up, he remembered her words when he tried to convince her, wounds heal eventually and this will not stop me. He shook his head at the memory. He hoped her stubbornness had fled from her during the course of their parting. It's bad for her health, he thought.

"I will." She replied faintly, hearing hesitance in her tone. As expected, he sighed inwardly, her stubbornness stayed. He gave her a nod as farewell and grope the air for the door. When he finally touched the doorknob, he gripped it firmly and opened the door.

"Kagaya-san." He heard his name. Kagaya turned his head to indicate he had heard her. "The people like Muichirō-san's brother… people who are 'leashed' like him; are you one of them?" she asked curiously.

He closed his eyes. Whether he was blind or the room was dark, it made no difference anyway. "Why ask, Kanao?"

"I realized…" she paused as if recollecting her words. "I realized that Muichirō-san approached you asking for your audience. Is there a reason why he was to demanding talk with you?"

With eyes still closed, a small smile stretched on his mouth. So that one didn't went unnoticed to her, he thought, already expecting it. "With the same reason you just asked me now." he replied.

"Are you?"

"One of them?" he repeated. Pushing the door widely in an arc, he replied with a melancholic smile, "I always am, longer than any of them." And closed the door.

Author's Musing:

So we never knew what's the mystery with the Blue Spider Lily flower…?

Anyway, Kimetsu no Yaiba is ending in a few days. Whether there will be a sequel or not; personally, I don't want one. The series had been a straightforward story from start to finish, and the threat (Kibutsuji Muzan despite how underwhelming he was) is finally gone. If Gotouge still had plans since some demons are still wandering around (unless they were all erased off-screen during the timeskip to modern era), I will still see to it.

Despite the messy second half of the final arc, Kimetsu no Yaiba is still a solid manga. Thank you, Koyoharu Gotouge for sharing this series with us, along some characters that are forever remembered to the fans. The main characters, the Hashiras (Pillars), Kanao (my kindred spirit and a personal favorite), and all the demons slayers and its association; the Twelve Demon Moons and maybe even Muzan who sexually-confused many fans with his shapeshifting powers (heh).

Thanks, sincerely.

This chapter I hereby thee: Counselor Kagaya who counsels and troubled Kanao who is troubled, along with some bread crumbs thrown here and there; hints about the true nature of the demon slayers' memory loss.

I dunno if this is true but some claimed that Gotouge didn't want to give **this** kind of conclusion to the series, saying they originally had a different ending. Due to personal reasons, they had to rush the ending. Like I said, I dunno if this is true. Fandom in denial or something?