Human Again [Akaza] ✔

His Past

Three people smiling

A man was hugging his two daughters, standing in front of their house. The cherry blossom trees had bloomed earlier than intended.

The first one, the oldest, looked fragile despite the smile she had put on. Her pink eyes were big and rounded with a hint of white in her pupils that were shaped as a flower. She had her hair up in a bun and was wearing a pink kimono.

The second one, the youngest, looked healthy and cheerful but pain was evident in her face. Her eyes were [eye color] and oddly welcoming, her long [hair color] hair were braided in piggy ponytails and fell on her shoulders gracefully. She, too, was wearing a pink kimono with triangle shapes instead of circular ones so as not to copy her sister.

"Let go. Who are you?"

A female with a circle patterned pink kimono that matched his current hair color was behind him, tearing up.

"Just stop already. You have done enough."

"I can't. I have to kill these people."

"But why?"

"I have to become stronger. I will kill anyone who gets in my way."

"But why? Why do you want to be stronger?"

"Because if i don't, I won't be able to bring it back. The medicine for dad."

An image of a sick looking man flashed through his head. He was laying on his futon without moving. He was too weak to anyways.

"If I don't become stronger, I can't run away with the wallet I stole. If I don't become stronger, I won't beat the people who come back for revenge. If I don't become stronger, I will get taken to the magistrate and beaten."

Another image of Hakuji being on the floor appeared. His back was decorated with slices and scars that were made by them. "That's three pickpocket tattoo lines now. Next time, I will cut off your wrists." The boy laughed. He wasn't scared of him. "Go ahead and cut them off then! You cut them off, I will still have my feet and I will pick pockets with those. Either way, you aren't getting me next time."

He wasn't intimidated by the spears that were near his throat, threatening him. "One crime after another at the mere age of eleven. Even a large sized man would go numb after receiving a hundred blows. You are a demon child." He pointed his fan at him.

Hakuji was indeed a demon child. He even had fangs ever since he was born.

"Hakuji!" Some old men rushed to his side. "Your father heard you got caught again and hung himself. He is dead." There he was, standing in front of his graveyard, tightly gripping on the stone as if it would break.

Dear Hakuji,

Live an honest life. You can still turn over a new leaf. I don't want to live off money that has been stolen from others. I am sorry for being a nuisance.

 The child couldn't fathom this. How could his dad make peace with living as a poor person? No, Hakuji was furious so he did what he was best at. He fought all the people who went against him and his father.

Why do we live like total crap? Why did my dad have to die? He wasn't a bother to me. Why did he apologize? My dad never did anything wrong.

 It didn't hurt him to receive that punishment for stealing. He deserved it after all. Seizing wallets was illegal and he was aware of it.

They may whip me and break my bones but I can endure anything for you, dad. Even if it lasts hundreds of years.

"Repent! And find a damn job!"

Shut up and zip it, shitbag. I don't have the money. Medicine is expensive.

In the following days, his father's condition was slowly worsening. His battered bones in his back were enfeebling. He wished he could cure him somehow. Why did he have to hang himself? The kid would die for him!

He landed a last blow on a man's head with his knee and wheezed tiredly. He didn't regret a single thing. "Oh man, that's impressive. I got called over because some kid was about to kill everyone and I find seven beaten adults beaten with bare fists. You have got good muscles. You are winning against adults without a weapon. Must be feeling pretty good."

Who was this man? Were those his memories as a human being?

"Wanna come to my dojo? I got no students under me!" The man was lively and cheerful. "Shut it, you old fart! I will kill you." "Your tattoos say you're an edo criminal so you're banished from edo. That's why you came here?" This took him aback.

"What of it? You got nothing to do with this!" "Yep. But first, come at me, reformed boy." After cursing at the grinning man, he charged at him, only to be hit several times by his hands. He managed to make him faint. When he got back on his feet, the child was impressed.

"Maaan, you sure are strong. Despite that huge beating, it only took you an hour to wake up." He was hot on his trails with a tissue on his bloodied nose. "I am Keizou. I run a martial arts dojo that teaches a barefisted fighting style called soryuu. I don't have a single student. I make my day wages by simply doing some handyman work. So, what I want you to do first is to nurse my sick daughter and take care of my other one that's healthy for now. I have to work so I want to leave it to you."

The man explained how his wife had drowned herself because of his ill daughter. "Seriously, I was a bother to both my wife and daughters for being weak." "And you don't mind leaving your only daughters with me, a criminal?" "Well, mister criminal, I beat the crap out of you a few hours ago, so it's all good."

Tanjirou resembled this man so much. That's why he never liked him. Due to the fact that he made him remember his boring and lame past.

"My first daughter, Koyuki."

This worthless past.

The woman was on her futon, reading a book while coughing like she had just swallowed the wrong way. "Hey, you look better than in the morning. Are you feeling better now?" She nodded. "This guy isn't telling me his name so get him to spill it before I get back." "Otou san, are you finally done?"

The demon child snapped his head at the door, ready to fight, only to be met with [eye color] eyes. He was confused. Who was this woman? "Oh no, sweetheart, I have work to do. This is [name], my second daughter. Come here, he doesn't bite." The girl tilted her head at him. She looked younger than her sister and much more beautiful.

Worthless-

She approached Hakuji and inspected him. "Your face.. is hurt. Are you okay, mister?" And that was the first time Hakuji had felt his heart skip a beat at her concern. During the years he had lived, no one had ever looked at him in the way she had. Unbeknownst to him, she was the one that had treated his face after the punches he had received and just hadn't recognized him at that moment.

This creature.. he wanted to protect her. His life was worthless, filled with nothing but empty promises. Nevertheless, she was giving him hope that his life had a meaning ever since his encounter with her.