Tamayo and Yushiro say their goodbyes on the door and send them off with a smile (from Tamayo) and a scowl (from Yushiro) as the Sun starts setting over the horizon.

Not much time goes by before Nezuko gets out of her box, on Aya's back, and joins their walk, instantly holding onto her hand. Tanjirou watches happily at how both of them slowly distance themselves from him and Yuu, recognizing the love Nezuko was starting to have for Aya and vice versa. If someone had told him Aya tried to kill her just a few months ago, he wouldn't have believed it.

He wouldn't have believed that the Aya in front of him was the same Aya that told him to screw off the first time they met, but him more than anyone was familiar to change, and just like Tanjirou wasn't the weak kid that kneeled and begged for his sister's life to be spared against the snow, Aya wasn't who she used to be either. Changes weren't as unpleasant as he had at first thought, although it always hurt to keep going.

He looks at Yuu, who remains silent by his side, and realizes they're both alone and suddenly Tanjirou really, really hates silence, especially when Yuu has looked troubled ever since he talked to Tamayo.

"Um, when I was a kid me and Nezuko used to go with our mum to pick persimmons nearby," he cheerfully starts, trying to get something out of him.

Yuu's frown becomes lighter and he smiles. "Ah, I used to pick up herbs with my mum too!" He says, and Tanjirou recognizes that they're both hiding their respective reds under happy memories. "There was this huge book, 'The use of Medicinal Plants and other Natural Nutrients'. I read it in about three days."

"That's impressive," Tanjirou compliments. "You're really smart, aren't you, Kobayashi?"

Red flies to the tip of his ears as his cheeks fill with warmth. "It's not that impressive, really."

"But still, I think you're very cool," Tanjirou presses on with a smile. "You managed to figure out how dreams work back then, didn't you? And so quick too!"

"Oh." Yuu chuckles again. "I mean, I knew that dream was a lie from the beginning, it wasn't very complicated."

Tanjirou whispers how cool he is again and Yuu's cheeks only redden further.

"So, will you learn under Shinobu's wing now?"

"Yeah." His voice is surprisingly light compared to the last time they talked about this. "I talked with her back when you guys were in the nursery, before coming here. She looked very happy, even offered to take me in," he chuckles with a shrug, "it was nice to see a genuine smile on her face."

"How come you changed your mind?" Tanjirou inquiries.

"I just want to save lives, make my mum proud, wherever she is." Yuu gets very close to him. "I don't think she's in heaven, you see. I don't think I'll be in heaven either."

At this, Tanjirou's eyebrows furrow the littlest bit. "Why do you believe that?"

Yuu finally steps back and regresses back to his relaxed attitude. "A hunch."

"Well," Tanjirou says, uneasily, "what about your dad?"

"Oh, he was a mediocre kind of guy." Amusement crosses Yuu's face when he talks. "He wasn't good or bad at anything, he didn't get into fights, didn't believe in anything superior like Makoto-san did. He only joked, really, Aya always laughed a lot around him."

"Then his jokes must have sucked." The comment escapes under his breath but Yuu stares at him with surprise. Then, they both burst into chuckles.

"They really did!" Yuu says in between choked breaths, "They sucked so bad!"

And they keep laughing for a little while, holding onto one another and running out of breath, then looking at each other and bursting into a new fit of laughter.

Once they calmed down and Tanjirou gave Yuu some of his water, he looks back and sees Aya's still playing with Nezuko, now she makes her sister go after a little branch Nezuko tries to catch like a cat. Satisfied, he turns to Yuu. "So, Aya."

Yuu rubs at his mouth to dry his wet lips and looks at him with a questioning look. "What about her?"

"You, uh... I don't think I should be saying this." His voice falters midway, Yuu gestures for him to continue and Tanjirou's voice somehow comes back. "She liked you, back when you were kids."

"Ah," is the only thing he says. "Yeah, I guess so."

There's silence for a while after that.

"Is that really everything you're gonna say...?" Tanjirou mutters.

He shrugs in response. "It doesn't really matter anymore, she's gotten over it and so have I." His eyes suddenly turn teasing. "Besides, now you have a chance."

He hands Tanjirou his water bottle back and he's left with furiously blushing cheeks. At this, Yuu laughs.

"Come on, it's not funny!" Tanjirou tries, at which Yuu only laughs more.

"Why do you even..." He brushes a stray tear that blooms in a single eye. "Why do you even like her?"

"Why do I..." Tanjirou starts, "like her?"

Yuu nods, now a patient gaze taking over amusement. "I mean, you must have a reason, right? You can't just be in love with people because you feel like it."

"Isn't that how it works?" Tanjirou naively asks.

"Nah," Yuu says. "Only love sick teenage girls think that. That's not love, that's infatuation."

Tanjirou brings both hands to his burning cheeks. "Maybe I'm a love sick teenage girl..."

"There must be something," Yuu presses, and Tanjirou frowns a little.

Why does he like her? He looks back to see that Aya's now making silly faces at Nezuko. They look like they're having fun, he thinks, and the scene makes him smile.

"I don't know, she feels... familiar, somehow. Like home." Aya looks up and sees they're both looking at them, so she takes Nezuko and waves a hand at them from a distance, but Nezuko pinches her nose and they resume their silly games once again. "I knew she wasn't a bad person because she didn't kill Nezuko and because I could smell it, her smell is... sweet, sometimes a little bit twisted, but I've always thought of her as a person I can rely on."

Yuu takes in Tanjirou's face for a while. "Ayaka's always been like that, hardworking and loyal, I'm sure she treasures you just as much." He scratches his cheek in thought. "It must have been tough for her, since she was the one to kill Takeshi. They were friends, after all."

Tanjirou frowns at that, "she never told me that."

A creek in the distance rumbles in between them as Yuu looks at him in silence, clearly confused. "But I remember they hung out together all the time, after we fell out. In fact, back then he was the only person she talked to."

Tanjirou frowns. "I don't think that-"

"Mum! Hey, mum! We're back" Aya yells from behind them, waving her hand and loudly calling out to her mother, who appears in the distance. Tanjirou can see where Aya got it from when Kaori starts calling out to her daughter with the same enthusiasm, mentioning something about mochi.

"Dude," Yuu gives a quick tap to Tanjirou's back, gesturing to the end of the road with his chin. "Isn't that your swordsmith?"

Overshadowed by Kaori's huge form, Haganezuka waits for him holding something shiny in his hands. Oh gods, they're knives, Tanjirou thinks, those are definitely knives.

"I broke the sword..." He remembers in a second. Suddenly the fact that he's unarmed and weak and that Haganezuka is powered by rage and knives downs upon him. "I better get running..." He gives Nezuko's empty box to Yuu. "Please hold it while I try to survive."

Haganezuka yells his name in the distance, becoming larger the closer he gets to him. They're gonna be at it until morning, aren't they?

"I'm sorry, Haganezuka-san! Please forgive me!"

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Letter to Oyakata-sama #1.

"Dear Oyakata-sama", Ayaka wrote, feverish and trembling.

"I finally understand the words you told me months ago." And she means every single thing she says. "My life is precious because it's mine, I love and I laugh, and I'm happy with the people I share it with.

But my life is not the only one in this world, I acknowledge that there are many others like me who believe their life to be worthless and I want them to understand that it isn't. I want them to stop hurting just like I did, and for that I'll work hard, even if they reject me or push me away, or if they hit me or hurt me, I will be there for him just like you were, Oyakata-sama, and I'll make sure to stop their suffering."

There were drops of ink in the paper, as if the brush had been still over it for a while before continuing to write again.

"I also discovered something disturbing," her handwriting was shaky in these lines. "I don't know what to call it, but it was the first time I saw everything.

Don't get me wrong, my past self took pride in being able to see, even when I was a child. But this time it was completely different.

Although I should have felt excited or terrified, my mind was so full of thoughts I felt nothing, and for some reason, I was much more powerful than I have ever been before. I'm unsure about whether I'm able to replicate this or not, or even if my mind didn't make it up due to the fever I was under at the time and that I still am now. So I was hoping the knowledge of my beloved Oyakata-sama would be capable of enlightening my doubts.

I also have another goal in mind now; I no longer wish to become a Pillar, because that goal has only led me to pain and suffering and hurting the people I care about and I don't trust myself to pursue it and not fall on a selfish mindset again.

Instead, now I aspire to help the Kamado siblings on their quest to make Nezuko go back to being human, along with helping develop the cure that will ensure these ends.

The only thing I want for myself is to become someone who doesn't hurt anyone.

I will eagerly wait for your reply and pray for your health and wellbeing everyday, my dear Oyakata-sama.

May you be well when this letter reaches you."

On the bottom of the letter there was her name scribbled in a messy combination of kanjis, slightly blurred with a stain so it was not readable, the only things left being her words.

Oyakata-sama hummed against his teacup. Kiriya by his side looked up.

"Are you thinking about Ayaka Iwamoto again?" he asked, referring to the letter his father had received weeks back. When he nodded, Kiriya sighed. "I don't really get it, she isn't that powerful, is she? Surely she can't be stronger than Himejima-san."

"And she isn't," Oyakata-sama said. "But I'm excited, somehow."

Kiriya only raised an eyebrow, realizing his father couldn't see it, he talked;

"Why?"

"Strength does not lie on raw power only," Oyakata-sama tapped against the table like a child. "And I think she's a blessed one."

Kiriya blinked slowly. "You don't mean...?"

Oyakata-sama nodded, "yes, I mean that."

"No way," his son said. "They say the first Sun Breathing user was unbeatable, and Ayaka got her ass kicked by Lower Moon Five."

Oyakata-sama shrugged, amusedly. "Maybe..."

"No," Kiriya said. "There's no way."

The leader of the Demon Slaying Corps chuckled quietly. "We'll see then, maybe she'll change your mind."

Scrunching his nose up, Kiriya frowned. "She won't."

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