"Thank you so much!" Tanjiro bowed, thanking the kakushi who carried him to the swordsmith village.
"Ehhh!!? Tanjiro-kun!" Chizuko waved, surprised to see Tanjiro.
"Chizuko-chan!" Tanjiro greeted her with his signature smile, "What brings you here? Are you feeling better now? I heard from Kanao-chan that you fainted for months!"
"I'm getting better now, thank you, Tanjiro-kun," Chizuko returned the smile, "And... well.... You see... My katana has some cracks... and... er... I think Haganezuka-sama is angry about that."
"Ah, I've come here to find Haganezuka-san too! I think he is unhappy with me as well since I broke my katana!" Tanjiro showed Chizuko the violent letters he received, "Let's go find him together later!"
"Sure!" Chizuko nodded, "I'll see you soon, Tanjiro-kun, you should go to the chief first!"
"Alright, then see you soon, Chizuko-chan," Tanjiro waved Chizuko goodbye before heading into one of the grand buildings.
Muichiro stared at Chizuko and Tanjiro and pursing his lips into a thin line.
***
Muichiro had been holding a silent grudge.
And the kid in front of him was adding fuel to the burning flames of irritation stuck in his chest.
"Go away! I'm not giving you the key!" the masked kid insisted, balling his hands into fists, "I'll not teach you how to use it!!"
His displeasure peaked due to the child's tantrum, raising his hand, his anger got the best of him.
Muichiro slapped the kid, a little too hard.
"Hey! What are you doing!?" a hand gripped Muichiro's arm, "Let go of him!!"
Muichiro glanced sideways, spotting the burgundy haired boy.
Ah, the centre of his exasperation.
Chizuko had spent most of her morning with this guy, searching for their missing swordsmith. Muichiro couldn't remember his name, but he vaguely remembered that this scarred boy always stopped by Chizuko's estate for dinner, along with two other rather noisy guys.
Muichiro didn't budge, "Your voice is annoying. Who are you?"
He had promised Chizuko to be nicer to others. To be specific, Chizuko had meant being kinder to people other than herself and the Ubuyashiki family. However, he really wasn't in the mood right now.
"Hands off the kid first!!" Tanjiro tried prying Muichiro's arm off the poor child. It wasn't working though, not even for a bit. He isn't flinching! Although he has a shorter build and is thinner than me! Tanjiro gritted his teeth, he looks familiar... Is he Chizuko-Chan's friend?
"You," Muichiro narrowed his eyes, "let go."
A figure pushed Tanjiro away as Muichiro's smack landed.
Muichiro's eyes widened, there was terror in his voice,
"Chizuko!"
He accidentally smacked her instead.
Chizuko fell to the floor, clutching her side and coughing.
Muichiro froze, panic and guilt pierced his heart. He was well aware that she hadn't fully recovered from her last battle with Upper Moon One. He stared at his own hand in disbelief, he has vowed to protect her, yet he has hurt her.
With his natural, inborn, tip top brotherly instincts, Tanjiro immediately sprung to Chizuko's side, "Chizuko-Chan! Are you alright!!?"
"What is in your box," sensing a suspicious presence on Tanjiro's back, Muichiro reached for the wooden box, fearful of Chizuko being harmed, "Is that a demon."
"Don't touch it!" Tanjiro swiped at Muichiro, his gentle eyes were filled with fury. He was afraid what happened with Shinazugawa Sanemi, the wind hashira, might repeat.
"Wait!" Chizuko grabbed Tanjiro's arm, "Don't hit him!"
"But...!" Tanjiro tried to move his arm, but it was as if he were dragged by an anchor, he couldn't move. Do all hashira have such amazingly shocking strength?
A look of remorse crossed Muichiro's emotionless face, he wanted to hold Chizuko's hands, wanted to tell her that he was sorry.
Meanwhile, the masked child broke free of Muichiro's hold during the chaos, "I'm not handing the key to anyone! Not even under torture! 'It' is going to break soon so no one should be allowed to use 'it' !"
"Have you ever been in real torture?" Muichiro was triggered by the wave of displeasure sent through his nerves, "Not even adults can endure it, so it's impossible for you. You are a dumb kid who doesn't know his place, what is the big deal if it breaks? Just make a new one. Do you know how many people die when you are grumbling and mumbling?"
"That's what happens when you get in the way of a hashira, unlike swordsmiths, a hashira's time is extremely important. Swordsmiths can't fight nor save lives, they only exist to produce weapons," Muichiro glared at the kid, "Give me the key, know your place already, stop acting like a baby."
Chizuko and Tanjiro's eyes went wide, they couldn't believe what they just heard. Especially Chizuko whom Muichiro had never spoken a single mean word to.
Tanjiro swatted Muichiro's hand to the side in furiously, "Th-This is just not right! It doesn't sit well with me! How can you be so inconsiderate!!? Why are you so cruel!? Y-You are right, what you said is more or less correct! But swordsmiths also have an important and crucial role! If they don't forge katanas for us, what do we fight with? We all have different skills that are amazing! We fight the same battle, the only difference is our posts! Please be more considerate and sympathetic towards others! Try seeing things from their point of view! You will definitely be happier!"
"Sorry, but are you done?" Muichiro turned to Tanjiro, "I don't have time for your dumbness."
Chizuko grasped Muichiro's wrist before he landed a blow on Tanjiro's neck, "Muichiro-kun, enough."
"Did you really mean what you just said?" disappointment was written on Chizuko's face, "Apologise if you didn't mean it."
Muichiro paused for a few moments, "I'm sorry for hitting you, Chizuko. That's the only thing I am sorry about."
"Then..." Chizuko let go of Muichiro, "I-I can't let you hold my hand until you understand what Tanjiro had said, Muichiro-kun, it's... it's not the first time we talked about this."
Sniffing devastating sorrow form both Chizuko and Muichiro, Tanjiro attempted to diffuse the tension, yet he couldn't think of what to say.
Chizuko left the woods.
***
"O-Oi! D-Don't just sulk over there, have some water," Genya placed a tea cup on the table.
Chizuko continued slumping on the table, "Ahhhhhhhhh!!!! I don't know anymore! Am I doing the right thing? What if I hurt him? What if he will be angry with me? What if he doesn't want to talk with me anymore!!?"
Genya snapped, he wasn't an expert in interpersonal relationships, "How the fuck do I know!!? Why are you even asking me!!? I don't know anything about romance!! And if what you said is really the case, then it serves him right to have some sort of punishment!"
"I-It's not romance!!" Chizuko lifted her head and blushed, "I-I was just thinking... Well... Maybe it's time to push Muichiro to change his attitude for a bit! I-I don't think I can accept him being a bully!"
"Then don't freaking ask for my opinion or panic about what had happened if you've already made up your mind!" Genya sat down opposite to Chizuko, "Why are you even here anyways!!?"
"Muichiro-kun may come looking for me," Chizuko lowered her volume, "I thought he'd probably look for me at Tanjiro-kun's or Mitsuri-sama's place, he'd never guess I came here. And I want him to spend some time reflecting on himself... I hope this isn't too much."
"Whatever, just don't drag me into trouble," Genya mumbled.
"Thanks, Genya-san," Chizuko smiled, "By the way, what are you doing here at the village? A-And I heard from Mitsuri-sama you haven't been eating these days? Are you alright?"
"Himejima-san asked me to come here for a break," Genya explained, "After... A gruesome mission."
Chizuko remained quiet for a couple of seconds, "Y-You had to do that again?"
Genya nodded.
Chizuko petted Genya's shoulder as silent support. She found out not so long ago that Genya could sort of transform into a demon... by eating them.
Chizuko stayed at Genya's place for the rest of the day.
***
Hachi watched as Chizuko snored softly on her futon.
Hearing the screen doors slide open, she flew off from her spot on the blanket to the window sill.
Muichiro entered, his footsteps as light as feathers.
He ended up knocking Tanjiro out after Chizuko left. He thought he'd forget about their little conflict soon after the training session, but he failed miserably. The incident was stuck in his head, the guilt and pain to see her walk away from him was unbearable. Did he scare her? Did he make her uncomfortable? Did she hate him now?
He just... wanted to tell her that he was sorry.
He was sorry that he couldn't control his emotions and actions sometimes.
And that he hoped she would be there with him when he didn't know how to deal with his feelings.
Muichiro laid down beside Chizuko, tugging a loose strand of her fiery red hair back to its original place.
"Chizuko," he whispered, intertwining their fingers.
Half asleep, Chizuko murmured, "Mui-kun...?"
Muichiro's heart skipped a beat. He shook his head, he wasn't here to hear his nickname, "I... I am sorry."
Chizuko nodded.
Eh?
Wait.
What?
Her eyes snapped open.
Before her was Muichiro bathed in moonlight, the soft glow illuminated his mint green eyes and unruly bangs. Chizuko's cheeks turned crimson, her heart thumped in her rib cage. Gods! Chizuko! Focus on your task! She mentally slapped herself.
"I'm sorry," they said to each other at the same time.
"I'm sorry for taking things too far," Chizuko had to admit that she could have handled it in a milder manner, "I... I didn't mean to leave you behind. Sometimes how you treat others... it makes me mad. But I shouldn't... jump to blaming you for something you cannot control. I could have done better."
"I'm sorry for what I said and done," Muichiro apologised, "I... I..."
"Don't worry," Chizuko turned and beamed, holding both of Muichiro's hands, "You have plenty of time to improve... and... I will be there with you for as long as I have."
Muichiro nodded and smiled.
Chizuko yawned, "Maybe we should start by finding the kid... to apologise to him..."
Watching as they drifted into dreamland hand in hand, Hachi draped a blanket around Muichiro.