Mission Begin

The day before departure to Tanjiro's misson...

(Tanjiro's POV)

I'm now fully recover now. Just have to find Shinobu and get a body check-up. I trace her scent and found her in her clinic like room.

Knocking the door, I ask, 'Shinobu, I here for check-up. Can I come in?'

She faces toward me and answer, 'Sure, Tanjiro-kun. Come in and have a sit.' I quickly grab a stool nearby and sit infront of her. She looks at me up and down trying to determine my body's condition. She also pats my body to check whether or not my body still has injuries.

'Do you feel any discomfort or pain in your body?' she asked me.

I shake my head in denial and reply, 'No, I don't feel anything off about my body. My stamina is back and all my injuries are heal.' with a happy tone.

She smiles and say, 'I see, please do your best from now on. I wish you good luck for tomorrow mission.'

Rising my hand, I ask, 'Yes! Thank you very much! Ah! Oh yeah, Shinobu. There's one thing that I want to ask. Have you heard of Breath Of The Sun before?'

She opens her mouth and answer, 'I haven't...'

Sweat begin to drip from my face and I quickly say, 'Then... How about Dance Of The Sun God?'

She waves her hand and reply, 'I haven't...' while giving me the same smile.

(Narrator's POV)

Tanjiro explained his circumstances from the beginning. He really sucked at telling the whole story.

(Tanjiro's POV)

'I see. So you used your father's breath style and don't know the breath style's history. If you ask a breath of fire user, you may discover something to your interest. I don't know Breath Of The Sun nor Dance Of The Sun God but there is Breath Of Flames.' she said while in a curious thinking pose.

I look down on the ground feeling a bit disappointed for not knowing my breath style's history, 'Oh... I see.'

She gives me a sad smile and apologize, 'I don't know the details either... I'm sorry. It's just in that situation, there's a very strict rule about the phrasing. For the details, it may be a good idea to visit Rengoku-san, The Flame Pillar. I shall ask the crow. But the reply may take some time.' I smile and bow toward her and leave the room. While humming in the hallway, someone bumped me and walk past me. I dodged him but he made the effort to bump me... Huh? That guy just now was from the final selection... The boy who punched the white haired girl. He got blessed with amazing physique in just a short amount of time... My physique more or less still the same and didn't even change at all since the final selection. It just quite sad. But what's with his smell... His smell is strange...

I yell at him, 'It's been a while! I'm glad you look okay! Stay healthy!' He stopped for a while and continue walking away from me while ignoring me. I scratch my head and sigh. I turn around and visit the estate's garden where Aoi is.

When I saw her, I wave my hand at her and say, 'Hi Aoi-san! Me, Inosuke and Zenitsu will be leaving tomorrow for our mission.'

'Is that so. You guys are leaving tomorrow. Our time together was short but it was great to be able to share it together. Good luck. Be careful.' she said while hanging futons on a drying rack.

I just make a happy face and reply, 'Thanks, Aoi-san. You took care of us so much. I'm really thankful for caring for us when you were busy. Thanks to that, we can fight again.' with a grateful tone.

She bites her lips and look down onto the ground, 'Compared to you guys, I'm not doing much, so there's no need for thanks. I'm a wimp who just got lucky in the selections and survived. I couldn't go into battle afterwards because I was afraid.' her hands was trembling a bit.

I walk toward her and pat her head trying to reassure her, 'That has nothing to do with it. You're already part of me because you helped me out, Aoi-san. I'll take your emotion into battle with me. Just be proud of yourself. Don't always doubt yourself. If I get injured again in battle, I'll be in your care right? I'll be going now! Take care!' I walk away from her while waving farewell toward her.

She widens her eyes and touch her head where I patted her. She smiles and look at my back at a distance, 'Thanks Tanjiro-san... You are very kind... Thank you for comforting me... I feel more better now...' while feeling warmness spread throughout her body.

I hope she will be fine. She seems scared and sad when she doubted herself. She should be more proud of herself... Eh? Bubbles? They are coming from the back of the garden... Slowly following the bubble, I was surprised to see Kanao. She is blowing bubbles with a bliss expression. I never know she likes to play this kind of stuff. I find it quite cute...

I slowly approach her and greet her, 'Hello Kanao. What are you doing at the back of the garden?' She jolted up in surprise and quickly hide her bubbles blowing toy.

She replies panicky, 'Is... not... nothing... I'm...' while feeling embarrassed.

Smiling at her, I say, 'Don't need to hide it Kanao. You like blowing bubbles right? Don't worry, I don't find it weird at all. Can I play with you since I have nothing to do.' She looks at me trying to decide whether or not to let me play with her.

Her hand try to grab her coin but suddenly she remembered Tanjiro's words, 'Kanao, everyone has a small voice in their hearts. You can follow the voice in your heart to decide...'

She slowly places her coin down and reply, 'Sure, Tanjiro. I don't mind.'

Upon hearing her reply, I sit beside her in the engawa and she continues blowing her bubble toy. It is quite tranquil here, I kinda like it.

I ask, 'Ne Kanao, can I try blowing bubbles? I can show you some cool bubble blowing tricks.' She looks at me and nodded. She hands over her toy to me and I start blowing a huge bubble. Then I blow some small bubbles into the big bubble. I called this trick bubbles within bubble. Turning my head toward her, I saw her eyes shines in fascination and curiosity.

'How did you do that! Teach me please!' she exclaimed while getting close to my face.

I reply, 'Calm down Kanao, I will teach you how to do that...' while keeping my blush in check. She is very close... I can smell her fragrance. It smells very nice. She beamed in excitement while looking forward to it. I smile at her childishness and instruct her on the trick that I created myself since I always play bubbles with my siblings in spring. After a while, she is able to do it. She turns toward me and smiles with satisfaction. In that moment, I widen my eyes when I saw her smile. It is quite pure and innocent. I could say that she looks even more beautiful when she smile. She suddenly walks toward me and sit next to me.

She turns toward me and say, 'Thank you, Tanjiro. I never know you can do that with the bubbles.'

I wave my hand and reply, 'It's nothing, Kanao. I'm glad that you are happy. You really like blowing bubbles don't you...'

She smile and look down, 'Yes, I really love it. It makes me happy and calm since I never play these kind of stuff in my childhood. I kinda find it embarrassing...'

Staring at the view in front of me, I answer, 'Is not embarrassing at all. Everyone has a childish side including me. I like to fly kite with my siblings and I don't find it embarrassing in the slightest. My kaa-san also like to tease me in a childish manner. So just play until your heart's content without any worry. I won't laugh at you.'

'Yes... Tanjiro... kun' she said.

(Kanao's POV)

He really didn't find it weird that I play with children toy. I'm glad... I look at him staring at the distance. A breeze blow toward him making his short dark red ponytail flow with the breeze. He is making a very relax and calm expression right now. Suddenly I have a urge to do something to his hair.

I fidget my fingers in shyness and ask him, 'Tanjiro, can I do something to your hair? Is okay if you don't want to.'

He turns toward me and reply, 'Hmm? I don't mind... sure you can...'

I beamed in happiness and get behind him. I untie his short ponytail and take out a comb slowly combing his hair gently. He continue staring at the distance while enjoying my company. When I'm done combing his hair, I take out a reddish-yellow butterfly ornament that Shinobu-sama gave me as spare in case my ornament is broken. I tie his hair in a ponytail and fasten the butterfly ornament onto his hair. I step back and give him a mirror to look at my work on his hair. He touches the ornament on his hair and smile.

His head turns toward me and get me a happy smile, 'Does it look good on me?'

I place my hands on my chest and nodded feeling warmness on my face. He pats his hand on the engawa floor next to him telling me to sit next to him.

Slowly sitting next to him, he say, 'The butterfly ornaments is beautiful, Kanao. It kind of matches your ornament's patterns.'

'Yeah, you can keep the ornament as a gift from me since I like pink-lilac colour.' I replied.

He suddenly think of something, 'Thank you for the gift, Kanao. Ah! by the way, I am leaving for my mission tomorrow. Thank you for your care these past month, Kanao.'

I feel sad a bit when he said he's gonna leave tomorrow, '... Yeah... good luck with your mission tomorrow.' I really gonna miss him.

(Tanjiro's POV)

Eh? Why is she emitting a scent of sadness? Did I do something that made her upset? Ah! I know what will cheer her up! I reach my hand toward her and pat her gently while singing a lullaby. She blushed hard when I made contact with her.

She asks me in confusion, 'Tanjiro, why are you singing a lullaby to me?'

I panicked a bit and try to explain to her, 'Well you are sad right? I sing a lullaby to cheer you up. That's how I cheer my siblings up when they are down.'

She nodded and say, 'Can you keep doing this for a while, Tanjiro... kun.'

'Sure, I don't mind. It makes you calm right?' I answered. While I keep singing a lullaby to her and she slowly drifts to sleep. She leans on my shoulder while sleeping soundly. I blushed very hard at her sudden contact. I slowly lay her head on my lap while calming myself down. Looking at her delicate face carefully, I noticed her eye lashes are quite long. Her lips were a pale pink that reminded me of a rose bud and were also small. I can't deny the fact that she is very beautiful for her age. I lean back quietly and continue staring at the view in front of me. Well at least I can enjoy this peaceful before my mission...

'Ara Ara... I better not disturb these two's moment together...' Shinobu just peek at us while walking away.

The next day...

'Goodbye, you girls! We'll be leaving for our mission!' I exclaimed to the butterfly estate's girls.

The girls cry and wish for us, 'Waaahhh! Stay healthy you guys! Waaahh!'

Me, Zenitsu and Inosuke depart to our mission destination while shedding some tears of unwillness to leave the girls who take care of us. We arrived at a location called "Train Station"

'Eeeehhh! So we still have no orders!? We should've just stayed with Shinobu-san! We didn't have to have that sad farewell! Moron! Moron!' Zenitsu yelled at me and keep hitting me at the same time.

I try my best to calm him down, 'No... our treatment's done and we've been cooped in the same place for a month... It's easier to make a move when the order do come and The Flame Pillar... Just calm down already Zenitsu!'

He shouted back at me, 'It's all your fault your thick forehead! By the way Tanjiro... What with the butterfly ornament on your ponytail and did you get a tattoo on you forehead?'

I answer, 'Well Kanao gave me the butterfly ornament so I will cherish her gift. And the mark on my forehead is not a tattoo but a demon slayer mark.'

He lifts one of his eyebrown in confusion, 'Huh? A demon slayer mark? What's that?'

I smile at him and say, 'I will explain it next time... We have to do our mission right now right?'

'Wait did you say that you received a gift from a girl! You lucky bastard!' he yelled in sudden realization. I keep sweating in uneasiness while continue hearing Zenitsu's blabbers.

Inosuke suddenly yells, 'Hey, hey, hey! You guys!'

'What is it, Inosuke! Can you see I'm busy!' Zenitsu yelled in irritation.

He ignores him and say, 'What's that creature there!' while pointing at a mysterious long metal object.

(Narrator's POV)

Tanjiro and his friend are ready for their next mission. Every wonder what would they encounter during their mission?

End