With my long sleeves as my hands, I cupped his face. I want to see if I can make him remember. "Don't you remember? We were playing outside the ceremony at the courtyard, just waiting for your sister to get married. You were telling me how much you'll miss her—" Giyu moved out of my hands and walked away.
"I can't believe Giyu is getting the girls…!" Zenitsu cried in agony. "When's my girls coming in?"
"Giyu, you can't run from this!" I picked up the pace and started to follow him. "I thought you were dead after the attack." I had to push people to get out of my way. "You didn't know how sad I was. I had to move away from the area because there were nightly attacks." My eyes were swelling up from remembering how painful reality was. It was like my heart was shattering into small pieces. I almost caught up to him, "Why can't you face me?!" when I was about to reach for his sleeve, he disappeared right in front of my eyes. I closed my fist tightly and held back my tears. "Okay… I see," my chest was tight and painful from the rejection I didn't want to see.
I decided to go farming so I could forget the encounter with him. I was in the grain field smashing out the seeds.
"When I grow up, I want to have my own store…" little Giyu was looking at little Kirika as he told her about his future he wanted
"I want to travel around Japan with you,"
"Ughh… Why am I remembering it right now?!" I was frustrated at my brain for having such bad timing.
I went on the day, sweating and taking out the grain with my anger. My face was drenched in sweat as I wiped it off with my sleeves.
"You're a strong one," the farmer said, drinking down water to refresh himself.
"Yeah I am for now. I had energy to smash it all," I walked over to get some water near a well. "I don't have much energy to do anything now ahaha. I'm very exhausted. I applaud you farmers for providing us crops every single day." Then I used the water to wash my face. "I'm going to head out before it gets dark,"
"Yeah, I don't want anything bad to happen to you so you go now."
After leaving the field, I traveled back home. My feet and back ached. I stood up and walked for six hours, and for my back, crouching made it ache. I took off my straw hat and fixed my hair. My fingers were running through my nasty hair as I tied it back from my sticky face. "I need a shower after this. My hair, face, and body is stained and nasty," I stretched my body as the distance from the farmland to home was getting bigger.
Entering in town, I debated if I wanted to eat home food or restaurant food. "Hmmmm, I'm craving restaurant food." I was so lucky that I brought money with me.
I went to the best place in town to get delicious food. I was immediately seated when I set foot in the place. I told the chef my order and waited for my food to come. I laid back against my seat and closed my eyes. My body was just so tired and my eyes felt sleepy too. "Gosh, I overworked myself…" I yawned, resting my head on the table until my food was ready.
"Lady Chiba, your dinner is here" the chef laid the dish right in front of me and I could smell the sweet aroma.
"It's Kirika!" I heard someone call my name when I was slurping my noodles. "Ah, I'm so glad to see you!" I was taken back by Zenitsu's hug.
"Zenitsu, I'm not clean! I just got back from the field!" I was all sorts of nasty on me.
"How dare you hug Lady Chiba and also use her first name?!" the chef was furious as he slammed his knife straight into the cutting board.
"I'm sorry about his behavior," Tanjiro chimed up nervously.
"It's fine. I actually know them, unlike other males I don't. Besides I can handle myself," I always hated how overrated I was. Whatever I do, everyone's always in the know, if I interact with someone, everyone will know. I felt like a target.
Everyone was seated around me, and the boys purposely made Giyu sit right next to me.
"You guys can eat whatever you want, I'll pay for it." I slurped my noodles, ignoring Giyu because I couldn't muster the courage to ask him again.
"No, Kirika, you shouldn't pay for our food," Tanjiro politely declined my offer.
"Tanjiro, if she wants to pay then let her pay! It's free food!" Inosuke roughly spoke, ordering whatever he desired to eat.
"Tanjiro," I looked at him. "Just eat. I'm pretty sure the travel was long. Eat what you want to eat," I sipped my cup of water and started choking violently when it slipped into the wrong tube in my throat.
"OH MY GOSH, SHE'S DYING!"
My back was roughly being handled as hands were hitting against my back so I would stop choking, but it hurt more than me choking on water. My face was really red from non-stop coughing. "Guy…! Stop hitting me!" I begged, feeling like they were going to cripple my back. "I only choked on water…" I coughed again. "I'm good now! Ahaha!" I laughed at myself choking.
As the boys were busy doing an eating contest, I forced myself to look at Giyu. My eyes couldn't help but start tearing up. "Giyu," I gulped, feeling my chest swelling up from anxiety. "N-never mind." I couldn't bring myself to say anything after what happened this morning. So I directed my attention to the boys, "Here's money." I gave them more than they expected. "I'm heading home because I had a long day, bye." I waved as I left the shop.
I couldn't stand it in the shop, sitting right next to him. I felt a wash of anxiety over me. "Maybe he doesn't want to talk to me, or… I don't know," I sighed heavily. I wanted to talk to him, but I felt too scared to. I didn't know if my heart could be rejected like the morning.
"Kirika,"
I stopped dead in my tracks when a soft voice called my name. "Giyu Tomioka," I rotated my head and stared at him. "I…" I didn't know what to say, I felt at a loss. "Just forget about what happened this morning. It seems like you don't even remember me, and that's okay—" My sentence was cut short.
Warm arms wrapped around my body and pulled me close to him. His body was trembling as he held his sobs back. My heart broke from hearing him being strong. "It's okay." I held him tight and rubbed his back. "I'm right here. You never lost me, Giyu." His breathing was shaky as he poured out his tears. "I'm sorry you went through tough times, but everything will get better." I slowly pulled back and cupped his stained cheeks with my sleeves covering my hands. "Right now, I want you to smile to me like you used to when we were younger. All I see now is a stoic man who's lost human touch," I used my thumbs to move his mouth upwards. "Come on, smileeeee, smileeeee!" I wanted him to be happy that I'm still alive. "You have to cherish what you have now before it's too late, okay? Your old childhood friend is here,"
"Yes," he said through his forced smile by my thumbs. His blue eyes were glistening from his tears.
"Tomorrow morning, tell your group to meet me under the white dogwood tree. There's some questions I'd like to ask you demon slayer corps," I said as I removed myself from him. "I'm going to head out now. I'll see you tomorrow! Goodbye," I smiled off.
I felt my heart at peace after somehow solving what happened in the morning. I guess he ran away because of some emotional reasons. I really wondered what he went through.
"My lady, you need to get ready for your arrangement!" I was being dragged out of my room as I clung onto my futon.
"I don't want to goooooo! I hate going! I hate matchmakers!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.
The next thing I knew, I was already dressed up in a fancy pink kimono with my hair all dolled up. "Why is it always a matchmaker that has to find my spouse? You act like I can't find one at all," I rolled my eyes. I felt like a child being controlled because they don't want me to be happy.
"Because you're already twenty-one and single. Most girls are married at sixteen—"
"Well, I'm not like most girls! So I'm not going! I have other plans, thank you very much. I'm going to say this with my heart, but I think it's time for you to start fresh than spending your time around me. Today is when I let you go because I'm a grown woman," I got up and walked out of my house. I didn't know why I still had my handmaiden around me, maybe it's because I don't socialize a lot? Or it's because she was always there when growing up? I can't think about it right now.
I was struck by the sunlight as I got outside. "It's so bright…!" I squinted my eyes while I walked to the white dogwood tree in a secluded area.
"Lady Chiba, are you going to your matchmaker this morning?" A lady asked.
"No, I have other plans to be thinking about," I smiled and carried on my day until I spotted a mochi stand. "Ou! They would totally like it." I bought some mochi for the boys and myself, and finally went to my destination.
"There she is!" all heads were turned to me.
"And she looks amazing!" Zenitsu dragged his face down with his hands.
"Ahaha…" I chuckled. "Yeah, the daily routine where I might jump off the window because nobody cares for my happiness. It makes me sad honestly," I sat on the ground and pulled out a box of mochi. "Take some," I offered to the boys, shifting my annoyed thoughts to the food.
"So why'd you call us out here for?" Tanjiro asked, viewing his surroundings.
"It's a beautiful scenery filled with white dogwood trees, and it's the only place where you can have privacy. Your arrival caused my heart to be excited because we don't ever have 'travelers' or newcomers. It's always been the same people in this town. Tell me why you guys are here? Are there demons I should be aware of?" I chewed into my soft mochi and glanced at everyone.
"How'd you know?" One of them asked. They were shocked at how I knew.
"Of course it's obvious, it's your uniform. I have good eyes" I pointed. "Only people who hasn't witnessed a slayer at hand wouldn't know how they would dress like. For me, I've been saved by the corps like three times."
"This one is targeting young women. It killed many women from different towns and now their next destination is here." Giyu told me the information, and I had chills running down my spine.
"Wow… I guess I'm next!" I stood up on my feet. "It'd be such an honor if it happens to me because—" I was abruptly interrupted by an angry voice.
"Don't talk about getting killed by a demon!" Giyu's face was only inches away from mine. His eyes were enraged by my words. "You told me—"
I stuffed a mochi into his mouth, "Shush. I was being sarcastic, don't worry. You guys won't let anyone die on your watch, I know it. I'm going to head out again. You boys enjoy your stay until the demon arrives… Oh, I'm going to take Giyu out of your hands too!" I grabbed his arm and pulled him with me. I was going to see what changes happened in his life after our split.
"Soooo…." I looked over at him as my hands were behind my back. "What happened to you after the wedding?" I knew it might hurt him for opening up old wounds, but I was never there to make him feel better. I was out of the picture.
"I trained with Urokodaki Sakonji, a water pillar back then, after I was found. I befriended a boy named Sabito…" his eyes were wavering for some reason. "I trained with him…" Giyu's voice was cracking.
I stopped walking and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that question. You're hurting again."
"No it's fine, I can continue." His blue eyes looked at me, telling me that he'll be alright. "We both bonded quickly as we shared similar past. Before you can join the demon slayer corps, you have to pass the final selection where you slay demons and try to survive seven days…" Giyu told me the story of how he lost Sabito and how he doesn't feel like he should be a pillar.
"Hey, don't cry again," I shifted myself in front of him.
"I'm not," Giyu denied.
"Then why do I see a flood behind your waterline? I can clearly see it, don't lie to me." I used my long sleeve and pat his eyes dry. "You're a different person now. Your facial expression is indifferent. I remembered the old days where you did show much, but I can't blame you for not being able to. You lost so much as you grew up," I moved some of his hair away from his face and gently smiled at him.
"My life is really ass," I laughed, quickly changing the atmosphere. "After I escaped from the attack, I had to move to this place right here. Then somehow, I've gained popularity from my looks… I don't know how but I did. People are just overreacting; my looks are average like any others. My parents passed away two years ago, and my handmaiden has been by my side for a long time and is still taking care of me, but I let her go today. I don't know, Giyu, I don't desire to wed a stranger from a matchmaker. It's really annoying because I'm forced to hold back what makes me happy to please others, and that's not what I want. That's what's happening in my current situation…" I inhaled sharply, intertwining my fingers together. "It's crazy how grown we are. It seemed like it was yesterday when we were tiny kids, playing with each other because we were neighbors!" A smile appeared on my face when I thought about how close we were as kids.
"You ditched our arrangement for a man like him?!" A new voice came from a different direction.
I assumed it was the man I was supposed to see at the matchmaker. "I was going to say no anyways, so I don't get what's the big deal. Everybody knows I won't settle down, and yet you all still try to get with me. I think you need a check up from the doctor." I hissed, feeling my mood changed. I was filled with disgust because I never wanted to do arrangement every single day of my life.
"I won't take no rejection," Giyu moved in front of me as the man approached us, "as an answer! I'm going to—"
Instead of having Giyu protect me, I was going to show the man my stance, so I swiftly moved in front of Giyu and pulled out his sword. The sharp tip of the sword was right at the man's throat. "I choose whoever I'd like to marry and you're not one of them." I glared, moving my legs forward as the man was stepping backwards from the sword. "Get your head out of cloud nine and accept reality." My right hand that held the sword was shaking. The sword had a lot of weight to it, and I knew I was going to drop it any second now. "You better leave before I slice your throat. I'll show no mercy." I hoped my menacing eyes and voice was doing the job of making the man shit his pants.
"You crazy bitch," the man retraced his tracks and left, and it wasn't until I realized what he said.
"He didn't just call me that!" I lowered my arm to my side. "I can't believe it…" I was in disbelief as I turned to look at Giyu. "I'm… I'm going to fight him." My heart was racing from his insult. "I'm going to swing the sword at him!"
Giyu took his sword out of my hand. "You're not playing with swords." And he walked ahead of me.
"Well, if I can't use a sword, then I'm using a bow and arrow. I'm skilled at archery by the way…. Just like how you're a skilled swordsman." I tried to brag, but it seemed like Giyu didn't care much.
"And next time," he stopped his pace and look back at me, "don't be careless to whip out my sword. You can hurt yourself," Giyu sternly said, but he was only being concerned for me.
"Alright, alright. I can't promise you I won't hunt him down," My eyes shifted and narrows at him as I smiled evilly, before making a run for it. "You can't stop meeeee!"