Star Girl (Tanjiro X OC)

Audrey Harding: Thriving Willpower - Chapter 16

The sparrow on the palm of Tanjiro's hand lets out panicky chirps and flaps its wings frantically as the blond boy continues crying to the dark-haired girl he's clinging onto.

"I'm begging you! There's no one else! You're all that I have!"

Tanjiro nods at the little bird and says, "I see. I'll try to help."

The bird chirps happily, and I blink in confusion. How does he know bird language?

"Please help me! I'll be asking you again! Marry me, please!!" The blond boy gets picked up by the collar by Tanjiro, who then yells at him.

"Why are you making such a scene right in the middle of the road? Can't you see she's not interested in you? Also, stop stressing your sparrow out!"

"W-wait, that uniform! A-are you the guy from...Final Selection?" The blond nervously asks.

Because I'm standing right behind them, he doesn't notice me.

"Don't pretend like we know each other! Because we don't, okay?"

"Ahh! But we have met, remember?! Don't get mad at me because you have a memory problem!"

There's a brief pause, and I stare at their backs as if they were outsiders from an ocean away.

Tanjiro lets go of the boy and walks over to the girl. "Alright. You should be okay now. Is there anything else you need?" He asks her.

"No. Thank you very much," She replies with a bow.

"Hey!" The blond shouts. "Don't interfere! That girl is madly in love with me! She's going to marry me–!"

The girl's hand makes a rough landing on his face, leaving a red mark from the impact. Tanjiro and I watch as she repeatedly slaps him, him crying, "Ouch! That hurts! Stop! Stop! Stop!"

"Hey! Calm down!" Tanjiro grabs ahold of the girl and restrains her.

"When did I ever say that I loved you? All I did was ask if you were alright after seeing you crouched on the side of the road looking ill!" She yells and points a finger at him.

He screams. "So you're telling me the reason why you did that was because you were falling in love with me?!"

"I already have a fiancé, so definitely not! You seem to be perfectly fine now, so goodbye!" She hmphs and turns to walk away.

"H-hey! Come back! Please!" The blond hopelessly extends a hand to her, but she ignores him and continues walking away.

"Come on. Quit it already," Tanjiro urges him, turning his head in his direction.

"W-why'd you have to get in my way? This has nothing to do with you!" He yells.

Tanjiro sends him a face of uneasiness and disappointment.

"Why are you looking at me like that?! Stop it!! You're staring at me as if I'm some sort of pitiful creature!!" He points at the dark-haired boy. "Now, listen here! It's all your fault I missed out on marriage!"

Tanjiro's eyes grow wider than the sun.

"Say something, would you?! Listen! During my next job, I'll likely die! I'm just a weakling! Do you understand? You have to protect me until I manage to get married, all right?!"

"Umm..." The blond whips around to see me right behind him and Tanjiro.

"Oh, thank goodness! Help me, please! I don't know when I'm gonna die, so I want you to marry me! Please, marry meeeeeeeeee!!" He drags himself over to me and attaches his arms around my legs. I hang my head low to see him and spread my free arm out a little.