Kimetsu no Yaiba doesn't belong to me. This story is a translation of another fanfic of mine. I hope you like it!
Mitsuri breathed a sigh of relief when her eyes spotted a restaurant. She was starving and she and Obanai had been looking for one for a while. She smiled widely, turned to Obanai and asked, "Do you feel like going there to eat? To celebrate the success of the mission?"
The man looked at the restaurant and then looked at his companion. It was obvious that the young woman was quite hungry. And, to be honest, maybe they could use a break to eat something.
"Yes, let's go," Obanai agreed, not objecting to his companion's choice. Mitsuri smiled happily and the two of them walked to the restaurant and entered.
The place turned out not to be too big. There were about four wooden tables with their corresponding chairs, a counter behind which was a corpulent man wearing a white cap and apron of the same color.
"Welcome!" the man greeted enthusiastically, smiling kindly. "Sit wherever you want and I'll take your order."
Obanai noticed how empty the restaurant was, but didn't comment on it. He glanced at his friend, the young woman was already heading to one of the tables. Without seeing any other option, he followed and they sat down, facing each other.
On the table, folded, there was a paper with handwritten notes listing the different dishes offered by the restaurant. Mitsuri took it right away and read the various options available.
They ended up ordering three portions of all the dishes on the menu. The cook, amazed at the immense amount of food, got to work.
"How's everything in your region?" Mitsuri asked, smiling a bit.
"There's more demon activity, but nothing I can't handle," Obanai admitted. "And in yours?"
"Everything's good," Mitsuri hadn't noticed anything unusual lately.
"I'm glad to hear that," Obanai stopped abruptly when he saw the cook approaching with a couple of bowls.
"Enjoy your meal," the cook wished them and left what he had on the table. He quickly retreated and went back to his spot behind the counter to continue cooking the next dishes.
"They look fabulous!" Mitsuri exclaimed, smiling a bit. They were two bowls of udon, which, according to the girl, smelled wonderful. And they looked fabulous.
Iguro watched as Mitsuri ate with enthusiasm and offered her the other bowl. "I'm not hungry, it's all yours," he said.
Mitsuri, who had been about to take a bite of noodles, stopped and looked at him, concerned. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yes, I already ate before," the man lied, trying to reassure her.
"Oh...I see," Mitsuri couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed. Her intention had been to invite him to eat, partly as a thank you for giving her those adorable long green socks.
She took more food into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully with her mouth closed. She would have liked the opportunity to eat with him, not just have Iguro watch her eat. With that in mind, she couldn't help but eat even faster, not wanting to waste his time.
"Don't worry," Obanai responded quickly, trying to make her feel better. Mitsuri tried to contain a sigh and looked at her companion.
Since she had known him, she had noticed a few things. She had never seen him without the bandages that covered his mouth, nor did he ever separate from the small white snake he wore around his neck.
But she didn't have enough familiarity with him to ask him about it. She didn't want him to think she was nosy. She continued to eat under his watchful gaze, which didn't seem uncomfortable with the silence that had settled in.
Kanroji finished the first bowl and, after hesitating for a second, grabbed the other and started eating. Obanai, though she couldn't see it, was smiling, happy to see her enjoy the food so much.
"Do you have a mission after this?" the girl asked, leaving the bowl on the table and looking at him.
"No, but I don't think they'll take long to assign me one," he replied. He appreciated it. He couldn't stand still without doing anything, and it wasn't something they could afford with Tengen's absence.
"I imagine, yes." As Pillars, it was rare that they had moments to rest.
"I heard one of your sisters got married recently," Obanai said, changing the subject. Mitsuri's face lit up and she nodded immediately.
"Yes, it was a beautiful ceremony," she recounted, smiling at the memory of how beautiful Hikari had looked in her traditional wedding dress. And she told the whole ceremony, in great detail.
For a moment, seeing her so happy, Obanai couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like to grow up in a normal family, one that loved him. Mitsuri finished telling her story and looked at him, somewhat embarrassed, aware that she had gone on for too long.
"I'm glad to see you so happy," he confessed.
The two fell silent and the cook approached again, this time to collect the empty bowls and serve the next dishes, which Mitsuri immediately began to eat. They were two plates of breaded meat, and the girl picked up one of the pieces already cut with chopsticks.
"Are you sure you don't want to eat anything, Obanai?"
"Yes, don't worry."
Mitsuri stopped for a moment, thoughtful, before speaking. "What do you think of Nezuko Kamado, the demon girl?" she asked. She hadn't had the chance to ask him about it before.
"Demons can't be trusted, sooner or later she'll eat someone," Obanai frowned as he said that.
"I think she's an exception," she contradicted him immediately. Although she understood his reservations.
"I don't know what Rengoku was thinking by letting her live," the young man continued, visibly irritated about it.
"She also has the approval of Shinobu and the boss." Mitsuri looked at him, serious, before continuing to speak. "I've seen her fight alongside her sister against other demons and she hasn't eaten anyone since she turned. I think you're judging her unfairly."
"I know, I know." Obanai tried to calm her down, seeing that she was getting angry. And that was rare, Mitsuri was a kind young woman and rarely got in a bad mood. "I'm sorry, it's just that I find it hard to believe."
Nezuko got up from the bed, finally waking up after sleeping all day. Her instinct told her that it was already nightfall, and she looked around, recognizing the place where she was. She was back in the Butterfly Estate.
She opened the door, being careful not to make any noise, and left the room. She knew the way she had to go to get to her sister's bedroom.
She walked down the hallway in silence, barely paying attention to her surroundings, her mind fixed on her goal. All she cared about was Sumiko, and she would do whatever it took to make sure her sister was safe.
She stopped at the door of the bedroom and carefully opened it and entered. As soon as she closed the door behind her, she felt movement coming from the bed.
"It's me, Sumiko," she said, knowing that she had woken her sister up by entering.
"Nezuko," Sumiko murmured, approaching, worried. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes, don't worry, it's nothing," the younger one replied, turning around and looking at her older sister. Sumiko was already sixteen years old, while she still looked twelve. She hugged her tightly, being careful not to hurt her.
"Are you sure?" the older sister asked, not too convinced.
"Yes," Nezuko replied.
Sumiko moved away from her and looked at her. Nezuko sat on the bed, and as she looked at the bedside table, she noticed the butterfly-shaped clip that her sister had left there. Since Kanao gave it to her, Sumiko always wore it.
She turned on the bedside lamp and took the clip, examining it with some resentment. She had noticed how close Sumiko and Kanao had become, and she wasn't sure what to think.
She felt her sister sit next to her and gently took the clip out of her hand. Nezuko looked at her, serious. Sumiko's hair was already reaching the middle of her back, and she didn't seem to intend to cut it anytime soon.
"You like Kanao," Nezuko said, aware that what she had just said sounded like an accusation. In response, Sumiko's cheeks blushed slightly, but she didn't deny it.
"I think I do," she admitted, seeing no point in denying it. Nezuko frowned at her sister's words.
"You're going to leave me behind, then," she said, her voice full of obvious resentment.
Sumiko froze on hearing that and looked at her. "No, of course not, what are you talking about, Nezuko?"
"You've been doing it since the beginning!" the other girl exclaimed. "Since you started all this demon hunting stuff, you've been leaving me behind!"
The demon got up abruptly. Sumiko was her only family, and she felt that Kanao was slowly taking her away. She began to cry, unable to even remember her deceased family members clearly, only clearly remembering Sumiko because she was a constant in her life. And seeing another girl taking her away made her blood boil with the anger she felt.
She backed away when her sister tried to approach her. "Leave me alone, please," she murmured, going towards the door.
"Nezuko, wait!" said Sumiko, ignoring her request and trying to catch up with her. Nezuko, upon seeing her sister's expression of concern and distress, couldn't help but feel some satisfaction. Her sister deserved it, for leaving her aside. She hoped that would make her value her priorities.
Nezuko left, slamming the door behind her, and went back to her bedroom, in a very bad mood. She heard one of the doors of another room opening, but didn't bother to turn around. Not even when she heard someone calling her name.
Kanao watched in bewilderment as Nezuko walked away down the hallway, ignoring her calls while the girl attempted to understand what was happening. She headed towards Sumiko's dorm room, the only place the demon could have come from, but before she could knock on the door to ask for permission to enter, she heard sobbing coming from inside. Without a second thought, she went in.
Sumiko was sitting on the bed with both hands covering her face, crying. Kanao could see her shoulders shaking and hear her sobs. The girl was wearing a white pajama and had loose, slightly messy hair, suggesting that she had not been awake for long, observed Kanao. And when Sumiko looked up and their eyes met, Kanao could see tears falling from the other girl's eyes.
Sumiko began to rub her eyes with more force than necessary in an attempt to stop crying, but all she managed to do was irritate the skin in that area and leave it red. She didn't want Kanao to see her like this; it was embarrassing.
Kanao, who at that moment felt completely lost, tried to delicately remove Sumiko's hands from her face. For some reason she couldn't understand, she didn't like seeing her cry. It made her feel bad.
"What happened?" Kanao asked. Although she sensed they had argued, as Nezuko's scream woke her up, she had never seen them fight before.
Sumiko opened her mouth to say it was nothing, but she could smell how worried the other girl was, and it wouldn't have been fair to lie. "It was a misunderstanding...I think," Sumiko began to believe that the fault was hers. Perhaps she should have paid more attention to Nezuko. As the older sister, she was supposed to take care of Nezuko, and it was clear from how her younger sister felt that she had failed miserably at that task.
Kanao frowned upon hearing that. Thanks to Nezuko's first scream waking her up, she could hear what she was saying. In the hunter's eyes, Sumiko had done nothing wrong. She had the right to interact with others, and she had never ignored her sister at any time.
"You're wrong," Kanao said, gritting her teeth slightly. Sumiko looked at her in confusion, and the other girl added, "You haven't neglected your sister at any time."
Sumiko looked away, not entirely convinced of her words. Kanao grabbed her by the shoulders with vehemence, and Sumiko, confused, looked back at her. "You haven't done anything wrong, Sumiko."
Nezuko was not fair in saying those things to her sister, and Kanao would not allow Sumiko to believe those words. No matter what.
"But..." Sumiko murmured, unconvinced of her words, but Kanao didn't let her finish speaking and interrupted her.
"It wasn't fair for her to say that, and it's not true," the other girl insisted, serious. "Nezuko is wrong, do you hear me?"
Sumiko didn't respond, and Kanao thought quickly about a way to distract her. She didn't want to leave her alone while she was like this. She would stay with her until she felt better.
Kanao abruptly opened her eyes when the light coming in from the window became bothersome. She looked around, half-asleep, and realized she wasn't in her own room. At that moment, she looked beside her and saw Sumiko sleeping peacefully.
Memories of the previous night flooded Kanao's mind. They had been talking until late into the night, and, as expected, sleep eventually overcame them.
She smiled a little. Sumiko looked beautiful sleeping like that. Kanao was momentarily paralyzed by the realization of what she had just thought. She got up from the bed reluctantly, knowing she couldn't delay much longer. Who knew what the others would think if they found out they had shared a bed.
She opened the door carefully and, seeing that no one was in the hallway, took the opportunity to hurry back to her own room. She only relaxed completely when she was alone in there.
She approached the chair where she had neatly placed her hunter uniform and began to take off her pajamas and dress herself. She combed her hair with her fingers to undo the simplest tangles and took the butterfly-shaped clip she used from the nightstand. She also grabbed a brush and left the bedroom to go to the bathroom to freshen up.
She entered and closed the door. She stopped in front of the mirror and began to brush her hair. When she was satisfied with the result, she tied it into a side ponytail and secured it with the clip. She looked at herself in the mirror, evaluating the result, and smiled a little. She felt more upbeat than usual that day and was in a very good mood.
She left the bathroom after washing her face and came face to face with Sumiko. Although her hair was disheveled from sleeping, she looked better. There was no trace of the tears she had shed the day before. Kanao even noticed her smile a little when she saw her.
"Good morning, Kanao!" Sumiko greeted her.
"Good morning, did you rest well?" the young woman asked.
"Yes, thank you for last night, Kanao," Sumiko thanked her. She felt a little better after talking with the other girl.
"Don't mention it. I just spoke the truth," the girl assured her.
"So, there you are!" exclaimed Rengoku, who had just arrived from the other end of the hallway and was approaching them at a good pace.
"I should go in and wash up now," Sumiko acknowledged, feeling uncomfortable. It was obvious from her appearance that she had just woken up. She quickly entered the bathroom, leaving the other two in the hallway.
"Was he looking for us for something?" Kanao asked, looking at Rengoku.
"You have a mission with Shinobu, and she was looking for you, so I offered to help her," Kyojuro explained. "I think she was in the area near the infirmary."
"Thanks," Kanao murmured, hurrying off to the infirmary so as not to keep her master waiting any longer than necessary.
Senjuro sighed with relief and put the pen back in its place. He had finally finished transcribing all the content from the first volume. He gathered all the materials he used and, after properly binding the new notebook, he stood up. He wanted to show his brother the final result and ask him a series of questions about its contents.
There were certain notes that had caught his attention. What was the Breath of the Moon? He had never heard of that kind of breathing before. He hoped his brother could answer him, although he didn't want to waste his time.
He took the tome and left his bedroom. Knowing his brother and seeing how early it was, it was quite possible that he was having breakfast, so with that in mind, he headed to the kitchen.
He smiled a little when, as he approached, he heard his brother's lively voice exclaiming how delicious his food was. He quickened his pace and entered.
Kyojuro and Sumiko were standing, each holding a cup, although his brother was also eating some fruit. Both of them were already wearing their uniforms, the boy noticed.
"Good morning, Senjuro!" exclaimed Kyojuro happily when he saw him. Sumiko turned around and greeted him too.
"Good morning," he replied, although with less enthusiasm than his brother. Kyojuro noticed the notebook the boy was holding.
"And what's that?" he asked with interest, looking at the notebook.
"Oh, yes. I've finished transcribing the first volume," announced Senjuro, contentedly.
"I'm so glad!" exclaimed Kyojuro, leaving the cup in the sink and taking the last bites of the green apple he had been eating.
"There are a couple of things I've read that I'd like to ask you about," Senjuro said. His brother nodded, inviting the boy to continue. "It mentions the Breath of the Moon several times. What kind of breathing is that?"
"I don't know, it's the first time I've heard of its existence," Kyojuro admitted immediately, furrowing his brow slightly.
"Really?" murmured Senjuro, confused. His brother knew all the types of breathing that existed. It was strange that there was one he didn't know.
"Does it say anything else?" Kyojuro wanted to know, approaching with the intention of taking the notebook and leafing through it.
"It talks a little about the Breath of the Sun and something called the Hunter's Marks."
Kyojuro furrowed his brow a bit more and tried to review what he knew about the different types of breathing. The only thing he knew about the Breath of the Sun was that it was the first one created and that the others had arisen from it. But his knowledge stopped there.
"Rengoku, I'm going to find my sister," Sumiko interrupted them. The Flame Pillar nodded and the girl left, leaving them alone.
"I can't tell you anything, I'm sorry, Senjuro," Kyojuro apologized. "I can ask Kocho, maybe she knows something," he murmured, although he didn't sound too convinced.
"I'd rather move on to the next notebook. Maybe there's more information there," Senjuro said.
"As you wish, but you know, it's no trouble for me to ask her," Kyojuro replied.
"Don't worry about it."
"One more thing, Senjuro, if you find out more, let me know," Kyojuro requested, visibly interested.
"I will."
Kyojuro nodded and, although somewhat forced, gave a smile. He was glad to see his brother was well, but if there was one thing that really displeased Kyojuro, it was encountering things he didn't know.
And, now that he thought more carefully about it, he also didn't know the name of the creator of the Sun Breathing. The only thing he knew was that the Mist Pillar, Muichiro Tokito, was the only living descendant.
Sumiko stopped at her sister's room door, still unsure whether to enter or not. The argument was still too fresh, and she doubted that Nezuko would want to see her. But Nezuko was the only family she had left, and she didn't want any problems between them.
With that determination in mind, after announcing who she was, she entered, hoping that Nezuko was awake and willing to listen to her.
"What do you want?" growled the demon, not even bothering to sit up in bed.
"To talk about what happened yesterday."
"There's nothing to talk about, your priorities are quite clear."
"Nezuko, you know perfectly well why I'm doing all this."
"You didn't even ask me if I want to become human again!" Nezuko shouted, feeling angry again.
"You've never said otherwise," commented Sumiko, confused, not understanding the reason for this new outburst.
"You just decided for me," continued the younger girl, confusing her older sister even more.
"Don't you want to, then?"
"I don't know!" Nezuko yelled. She had seen how weak humans were thanks to the missions she accompanied Sumiko on, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to be like that again. Not to mention the fact that if she tried to remember her life as a human, she only got a sharp headache.
Sumiko, though somewhat hesitant, moved towards her, sat on the bed, and hugged her. Or she tried to, as Nezuko pushed her with more force than she intended, causing her to fall on her butt.
Both of them fell silent, assimilating what had just happened. Of the two, Sumiko was the most surprised. Nezuko had never acted so violently against her, and she didn't know what to say.
"Please go away," begged the younger girl. "I want to be alone."
Sumiko considered protesting, refusing to leave, but perhaps, given her sister's reaction, Nezuko simply needed some time alone. She was going to have to tell Kocho before leaving, she didn't want to leave her there without the owner of the house knowing.
"Okay, and Nezuko, I'm sorry if I've ever done anything to upset you," murmured Sumiko, although she left before the other girl had a chance to respond.
Genya sat on the medical table to make it easier for Shinobu to do what she needed to do. Since he had been accepted as an apprentice of the Rock Pillar and she had learned of his special condition, these check-ups had become routine.
Shinobu made sure everything was in order and provided the necessary medication for his asthma. At the moment, the Insect Pillar was listening to his chest with a stethoscope. After a few minutes, she stepped back, smiling a little.
"Everything is in order, but I advise you not to push yourself too hard," said Shinobu. "Your body may not be able to handle it. I also recommend that you not overuse your 'ability'. We still don't know what repercussions it could have in the long run."
"But it's the only way I have to..." Genya stopped abruptly when he saw the disapproving look the woman gave him.
"I insist, there are no precedents for something like this, and it's not advisable to use it too much, Genya."
"I understand," muttered the boy, sounding quite disheartened, but he quickly got off the table. "Thank you very much for seeing me."
"You're welcome, and Genya, don't forget that the next check-up is in two months, okay?"
"Of course, of course. I'll be here."
Shinobu nodded, and the boy left quickly, claiming that Himejima, the Rock Pillar, was waiting for him. As soon as he turned around and stopped looking at her, Shinobu stopped smiling.
She suppressed a sigh. Although all the medical exams she had performed so far had yielded no explanation for his strange condition, the boy did not seem discouraged at all. And he continued to use his ability despite the woman's warnings.
Of course, for obvious reasons, Shinobu could only perform superficial exams, and perhaps that was why she had not yet found the origin of his ability. And it didn't seem like she was going to find an explanation anytime soon.
Deep down, she couldn't help but pity him. With the respiratory problem he had, Genya Shinazugawa would never be able to use any breathing techniques, and, with luck, he would achieve some promotions, but sooner or later, his physical condition would hold him back. He would be lucky to ascend to Tsuchinoto.
Kanao had already managed to ascend to Kanoto, and if she didn't remember incorrectly, Rengoku had told her days ago that Sumiko had reached the rank of Mizunoe. They were from the same promotion as Genya, and he had not been able to ascend even one rank.
Genya left the infirmary and almost collided with a girl who crossed his path.
"Watch where you're going!" he yelled in annoyance, and the young woman turned around. Only then did he recognize her. Although he hadn't seen her in a long time, he remembered her from the Final Selection. She had longer hair now and wore it tied back in a ponytail, held in place with a butterfly-shaped clip, like all the girls who worked there.
"I'm sorry, I was distracted," she admitted, but upon seeing him, she furrowed her brow for a moment. "Do we know each other?" she asked. He looked familiar, but she couldn't place him.
"Yes, we participated in the same Final Selection," he said, trying not to blush. Something that happened to him frequently around other girls.
"Oh, yes, that's right," Sumiko smiled a little. "We didn't have time to introduce ourselves. I'm Sumiko Kamado. Nice to meet you," she said as she extended her right arm to shake the young man's hand.
"I'm Genya Shinazugawa, nice to meet you too," Genya introduced himself, shaking the girl's hand. He was the first to retract his hand and looked at the girl curiously. She was taller than the last time he saw her. She seemed to find his scrutiny uncomfortable, as she quickly muttered an excuse.
"Well, it was nice to see you again, but I have to go," she apologized.
"No problem, I'm in a bit of a hurry too," Genya quickly turned around and walked away. It had been quite awkward in the end, and he was glad to leave. He didn't really feel like keeping Himejima waiting any longer than necessary.
See you soon with the next chapter! Don't forget to leave a review! I would love to hear your thoughts!