Functional Recovery Training Part 1

(Zenitsu's POV)

My limbs are super small right now. I was on the verge of turning into a spider after all. My treatments involves taking a lot of medication and bathing in the sun. I'm told I won't have any after effects.

But those who turned into spiders completely might suffer from after effects even if they manage to turn back into humans. It's sad. The 'sound' of the one called Shinobu-san is peculiar. It's unlike anything I've heard before. It's irregular so she scares me a little. But when the people who were turned into spiders were getting treated, she seemed like a goddess. Every single one of them went to where Shinobu-san was while they were crying. And she was super adorable. I could've had my fill if only based on appearance.

Then only Inosuke who was taken to the 'Functional Recovery Training' by that cute girl, so that he could bring his stamina back to normal. Tanjiro hasn't taken part in this training because he is still recovering from his injuries.

When Inosuke came back from the training, he looked like a dead fish. He walked to his bed and planted his face on it without saying a word.

I asked him, 'What happened? What's wrong? Hey.'

Tanjiro also says, 'Yeah, what's wrong Inosuke?'

Inosuke and laid there speechless, 'Sorry...'

Tell me! Though me and Tanjiro are starting, from tomorrow onwards, we will be joining the training too!

The next day at the training room...

We kneel down on the floor of the room while I am holding on Tanjiro's sleeve feeling scared of the training that we are gonna do.

The girl named Aoi explained the training to me and Tanjiro, 'Zenitsu-san, Tanjiro-san, you two are taking part in the training starting today. So let me explain it to you guys. First over there, those girls will massage your body which is stiff from laying in bed. Then the reflex training. The cups are filled with medicated broth. You will both compete to snatch the medicated broth. If your opponent restrains before you raise it, then you may not move the teacup. The final one is whole body training. Putting it frankly, it's tag. Kanao and I, Aoi, will be your opponents.'

Tanjiro nodded in understanding but tick marks starting to appear on my face.

I get up and say, 'Sorry could you give me a moment?'

She looks at me in confusion and replies, 'Is there something you don't understand?'

I say, 'No, just come over here, you two. Especially you Inosuke...'

Inosuke just replies, 'Not going...'

I shout in anger, 'I'm telling you screw it and just come! Come dammit! Piece of trash!' I quickly drag them to the outside of the training room.

(Tanjiro's POV)

What on earth is Zenitsu doing? Why is he dragging me and Inosuke out of the room?

When we arrived outside the room, he shouts at Inosuke, 'Get in the seiza! The seiza! You complete moron!'

Inosuke just yells back, 'What did you say you...' Suddenly Zenitsu punches his face hard. He fall down onto the ground.

I quickly go to Inosuke's side and say to Zenitsu, 'What are you doing, Zenitsu! Apologize to Inosuke now!'

He just points his finger at Inosuke and look at me with a very angry eyes, 'He apologizes! He begs for forgiveness! Don't he ever make that face as if we were in hell, not in heaven! All he did is fool around with girls everyday, so what was he so worn out about! Prostrate himself and apologize! Slit his own stomach!' while flinging his limbs all over the place.

I try to calm him down, 'Zenitsu! Just calm down! What are you saying? You are making no sense at all!'

He immediately grabs my hair and yells at my face, 'Shut up you gloomy stubborn forehead! Shut up and listen, Okay?! He is being felt up by women! They are groping his body! He put out his hand when he is playing around with teacups! And they are touching him when he play tag, riiight! There are two boobs, two buttocks and two thighs with each woman and they smell good if they ever pass by, so I look forward to even lay my eyes on them! It's bliss! Waaaaghhh! Blllisss!'

Inosuke gets up from the ground and yells again, 'You're saying stuff you don't even get! You will die inside when you lose to someone with a smaller body!'

He just looks at him and mocked him, 'Oh no, you poor thing! Inosuke, you have never gotten along well with the girls. Were you raised in the wild? This shouldn't have been overdue. Ahhh, you poor thing!'

Inosuke is getting very furious now, 'Haaaahn! What did you say!'

Zenitsu replies in a sarcastic tone, 'I've stepped on little piglets before!'

Our morale was raised due to Zenitsu's participation for better or worse. They got tragically motivated except for me. I don't think it's good to train with those wicked intentions.

Zenitsu continued to laugh while his body was being massaged even though pain run through his body. He was not normal. And he already beat Aoi in the teacup splashing reaction training and he tried to look cool. But it seems like he was too loud and the girls heard everything back that was said out back. They give him a stink eye.

He also won in the tag game during the whole body training but it was pathetic. And then, there was Inosuke who hated losing. He didn't hold back a bit. I feel pity for the girls. But Zenitsu and Inosuke only got that far. They couldn't beat Kanao. Nobody could hold her teacups down and nobody could catch her. They two couldn't do it so is my turn now to face her for the first time.

I walk to the middle of the room and get ready to do the tag game with her. I quickly take in a deep breath and enter full focus breathing. All the blood flow in my body became faster. My temperature also shoot up. When Aoi started the match, Kanao and I quickly become a blur. I run around the room chasing her. Her speed is almost as fast as me. She keeps jumping off walls and keep dodging my grabs. I focus even more blood flow through my legs and my speed increases. In a sudden burst of speed, I shoot towards her and grab her.

Since the floor is quite slippery, I cannot slow down my speed. I drag her along with me and gonna crash to a wall. I wrap my arms around her and crash onto the wall hard. Phew... Is a good thing that I crash onto the wall first or else she will be injured .

I look down at her and ask, 'Are you alright Kanao?' She just look at me in the eyes and blushed a bit. She is not used to close physical contact with a boy before. I quickly realized the situation. I am hugging her! I quickly unwrap my arms around her and my face turns really red.

I apologize, 'Sorry... I didn't mean to. Because we are going to crash onto the wall, so I do that to prevent you from getting injured. It's my fault, I'm sorry.' while rubbing my neck in nervousness.

She nodded and quickly go to the teacup reaction training. I quickly follow her while calming myself down.

Aoi was amused by the scene, 'Hmm... Kanao is blushing. This is the first time I see her like this. She usually show no emotion on her face but now she is blushing! I better pay close attention to these two. I want to see my theory is right or not.'

Aoi yells, 'Tanjiro-san wins! Now to the reflex training!

Me and her sit down and get ready for the reflex training. When the match starts, we quickly block each other teacups. The speed of the match is getting faster by the minutes. We did not loosen up a bit. Zenitsu and Inosuke was surprised by our speed. They cannot track our speed with their eyes. Come on Tanjiro! Faster! Faster! I concentrate my blood flow to my arms and immediately pull a teacup up. When I am gonna splash her, the world around me become slower.

There is a voice in my head, 'Hello Tanjiro. I am your logic! This medical bath is stinky. if you pour it on her, you will feel bad.'

The world reverted back to normal and I immediately place the teacup on her head. I look at her awkwardly and smile.

The girls in the room which is about 8 years old yell in excitement, 'He wooon! He is the first one who defeated Kanao beside the Hashiras! Placing on her is the same thing as pouring it on her!'

I slowly grab the teacup on her head and place it down onto the table but I spill a little medicated broth on her face. I panic and quickly grab a handkerchief from my pocket and get close to her.

I wipe her face gently while apologizing, 'I am very sorry Kanao. Did the broth get into your eyes? Did it sting your eyes?' I get closer to her face to make sure that her eyes are fine.

Her face turns really red when I am very close to her face. I notice that her face is really red so I assume that she had a fever. I make my forehead touch hers to feel her temperature. Since I am dense toward romantic feeling to a decent level, I thought she is having a fever but in reality she is blushing hard.

(Kanao's POV)

What with this boy? He is way too close to me? Why is my face getting so hot right now? I don't know what is this thing that I am feeling right now. I have to ask Shinobu-sama later.

(Tanjiro's POV)

'Are you having a fever right now, Kanao? Do you need to rest?' I asked in concern. She quickly shakes her head in embarrassment. I sigh a relieve that she is fine.

I step back from her and say, 'That was a good match, Kanao. Thank you for the training. My stamina seems to recover now. Lets do more this type of training in the future. I am looking forward to it. If you are not feeling well, call me anytime. I will help you as much as I can.' while smiling at her warmly.

When she looks at my smile, her whole perspective of her surroundings suddenly become much brighter and colourful. She nodded and flips a coin into the air. She grab it and the coin landed on tails.

She says stutteringly, 'Goodbye... Tanjiro. We...will meet again... soon...' She quickly leave the room leaving me confused. Why did she flip a coin? Did she has trouble making decisions? Is she shy? But at least she talked to me. Her voice is quite wonderful. She should talk more.

Zenitsu just looked at the scene in jealousy, 'How can Tanjiro be this lucky! He just hugged and touch a girl without getting beaten up! Why the world is so unfair and how can he be so dense! She is clearly blushing! Not having a fever! Sigh... At least I have Nezuko-chan.'

In the other hand, Inosuke thinks, 'That forehead guy just defeated her so easily! Fine I will surpass him! I will be stronger than him!'

They two think in union, 'You better watch out Tanjiro...'

Aoi just looks at them blankly and rethink the event that had just happened, 'Ho ho ho, good job Tanjiro-san. Looks like my theory is right. Kanao is in love. He will probably help Kanao to break out of her lifeless shell and she will start to enjoy life more. That's what Kanae-sama said before she died. I just hope Kanao can find someone that appreciates her and cherish her. Tanjiro-san is probably the one that is right for her. Good luck Tanjiro-san, make her fall in love with you although you are quite dense. I must report everything that had happened today to Shinobu-sama. It gonna be fun seeing her reaction.'

(Narrator's POV)

And that's how their day ended. Good luck Tanjiro! You can do it! I believe in you!

Time for a Taisho Secret! Did you know that when Yahaba and Susamaru went to attack Tamayo's house, it was the first time those two had met and they had befriended each other by chatting on their way there.

End