To The Stars | Tokito Muichiro x OC

57 • Recovery

Inori held her arm out, beckoning Senjuro to join the hug. The younger Rengoku stumbled awkwardly, letting Inori pull him into the hug. "Of course, Senjuro-kun can call me that too, if Rengoku-san doesn't mind."

Senjuro beamed, circling his arms around her neck as he laughed freely. Inori should really thank the intense muscle training she still received from Gyomei. Otherwise, the five of them would've been a pile of messy limbs on the floor.

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☆.｡.☆.｡.:*☆ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

Shinjuro stomped towards the Star Estate, a bottle of alcohol swinging in one of his hands. He took a big chug of the drink, wiping his mouth as he continued to half-stagger towards the Star Estate.

The former pillar slammed the estate doors open without any care, immediately making his way through the estate in search of his sons. He eventually found the room Kyojuro was in, finding Senjuro sitting beside his brother's bed, talking with three other girls and three slayers dressed in a patient's clothes.

"Senjuro!" He roared without a single care toward the sleeping patient or the six other occupants. "How long are you planning on staying here with that pathetic expression?! Kyojuro is in that state because he became a swordsman despite having no talent! He's just a fool of a son!"

Senjuro flinched at his father's words, subconsciously taking a step back from the half-drunk man. His mind was in a state of panic, silently begging for Inori to return from her trip to the Butterfly Estate soon. Even his father wouldn't be able to do anything rash in the Star Estate if its master was present, at least Senjuro hoped he wouldn't.

"Hey, that's a really cruel way to phrase it." Tanjiro, who had just woken up a few hours ago, glared at the former pillar. "Please stop talking like that!"

"What's up with you?" Shinjuro pointed a finger at the burgundy-eyed slayer. "In the first place, people's talents are decided upon their birth! A small fraction of people are gifted with talent while the others are trash without value! Kyojuro was like that! Lacking any real talent! Of course he was going to end up in this state!"

"Please don't talk about Rengoku-san like that!"

"Just who the hell do you think you—" Shinjuro's eyes widened when he caught sight of the hanafuda earrings Tanjiro was wearing, dropping the bottle of alcohol until it smashed into pieces, making the room reek of sweet sake. "You...I see, you're...you're the Sun Breathing user, right? That's right!"

"Sun Breathing? What are you talking about—"

The conscious occupants of the room were driven into shock when Shinjuro suddenly pounced on Tanjiro, slamming him off the bed and onto the floor with a loud thud.

"Father! Please stop!" Senjuro tried to pull his father away from the wounded slayer. "Tanjiro-san just woke up! He's still injured!"

"Shut up!" The girls screamed and hid behind Kyojuro's bed as Shinjuro swung his fist, hitting Senjuro's cheek with a harsh slap. "Be quiet!"

"That's enough, you despicable person!" Tanjiro pushed Shinjuro away from him, moving to shield Senjuro from his own father. "Just what the hell have you been doing?! Badmouthing your son who nearly died to save others and hitting your other! What are you trying to achieve?!"

"Oi, Googly-Eyes Grandpa!" Inosuke clenched his fists. "Inomitsu told me to watch over the injured here! Inosuke-sama needs to fulfill his underling's request! Don't come near Gontaro and Googly-Eyes Pipsqueak!"

"That's...that's right." Zenitsu stepped forward despite his trembling legs. "Inori-chan told us to watch over the injured. Don't...don't come closer!"

"Shut up!" Shinjuro glared, staggering to stand on his feet. He pointed an accusatory finger at Tanjiro. "You! You're just making fun of me, aren't you?"