Aspiration For Tranquility (kny x M!reader)

Ch. 25 - Familiar Faces

Pushing his thoughts on Kocho aside, (y/n) followed the kakushi to wherever they were leading him to.
He didn't question them and walked alongside them quietly, much to the kakushi's relief.
(Y/n) was lost in his own world again as he followed the kakushi to some sort of mansion when he snapped out of his thoughts.
It wasn't because of the strange place he was being led to, but a sound that drew him from his memories.
When they arrived at the mansion, the kakushi turned around to notice (y/n) had disappeared somewhere and began to panic.

He wasn't off doing anything that would get them in trouble, though, so they were worried for nothing!

The sound that had brought (y/n) back to earth would lead him to what he would later find out was the training grounds.
It was a wonderfully familiar sound, and he just had to see who was making such an enchanting raket.
When he arrived at the gate, he peeked inside to see a man slashing at tatami mats with a green edged katana.
His slashes were wild yet precise, making him appear to be a force to be reckoned with.
They created the sounds of a raging whirlwind, tearing through the tatami mats with ease.

A user of wind breathing.

(Y/n) watched the man cut through the mats with stars in his eyes that were covered up by his mask.
That's when (y/n) realized this man looked like the first user of wind breathing he had seen all those centuries ago.
From the long and spiky white hair to his large pale purple eyes.
The only difference was the crazed expression he wore and the scars.
The scar that stood out the most was one that cut over the man's right cheek and across the bridge of his nose...
That's also when (y/n) realized that he was so focused on the man's face to notice his lack of a shirt.

The man's hard chest heaved in sync with his breathing technique, rising and falling in a specific rhythm as if it were second nature.
The muscles of his fit build flexed and rippled under the scarred skin, making the smallest shifts to deliver destructive blows like that of a calamity.
His stance was sturdy yet fluid as he moved.
His midsection, his core, was hard and firm.
The muscles of his upper and lower back were toned and powerful, flexing to let the man bend along with the swing of his blade.
Beads of sweat rolled down the man's lean build from training under the scorching sun, but he paid it no mind.

(Y/n)'s eyes trailed over the man, studying every movement and scar that littered his upper body.
His eyebrows knitted together as he frowned the longer he looked at the scars, especially the more painful looking ones like the "x" across his chest.
While (y/n) watched the man take out his everlasting frustration on the mats, he failed to notice that the kakushi from earlier had found him, and he was quickly dragged away.

The kakushi yelled and scolded him all the way to the mansion for running off, but (y/n) ignored their attempts at harsh words and intimidation.
(Y/n)'s mind lingered on the man all the way back to the mansion: his stance, how he moved, and his scars.

When they arrived at the mansion, the kakushi made sure (y/n) stayed in their line of sight and ushered him to some sort of medical ward.
(Y/n) stood there while they looked him over, analyzing him for any surface injuries they could patch up quickly.

While they looked him over, (y/n) scratched the back of his neck in a bored manner, revealing his ink stained fingertips.
Suddenly, a rough and calloused hand grabbed his hand, causing (y/n) to jump and turn around.
He quickly retracted his hand from the other person's hold and looked at whoever grabbed him, only to freeze in shock.

"Sorry if I startled you! I was just curious about that stuff on your hand. Is that ink?"

A loud voice asked, and two red and gold owlish eyes bore into (y/n)s mask.
(Y/n) stood frozen as he looked at the man, thinking that Shinjuro had somehow gotten younger.
When (y/n) didn't respond to his question, the kakushi started apologizing and explaining that (y/n) didn't speak.

But then he broke that silence in a very confused tone.

"Rengoku-san...?"

(Y/n) asked, tilting his head as he analyzed the man.

"Why do you look so... young? Where have you been for the last seven years?"

(Y/n) asked one question after another, making the kakushi panic because of how (y/n) casually addressed him like a friend.
Meanwhile, the man blinked a few times and let out a thunderous laugh.

"You must be thinking of my father! He is Rengoku Shinjuro, while I am Rengoku Kyojuro! May I ask how you know my father?"

Rengoku asked, tilting his head the same way (y/n) did and crossing his arms over his chest with a bright smile.

"I'm-"

Before (y/n) could introduce himself to Shinjuro's son, the man's crow flew through the window and alerted him that he was summoned by the master for a meeting.
With a quick bow, as if to say they would continue their conversation later, Rengoku hurried off to the meeting.

Once Rengoku was out of sight, the kakushi turned to (y/n) with their eyes wide in surprise.
Shrugging off their surprise as if he didn't just have a casual conversation with a hashira, (y/n) sat down on one of the empty beds in the room and let the kakushi continue their check-up.

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《~Fin.~》

972 words not including these!

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Hello again, my dear readers! It's great to see you all again! I do hope this chapter was good enough for what it is, and I hope the next one will be good, too! That's about it for this little end note, though! I will see you all again next time, my dear readers! I hope you all have a wonderful day/night!

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《{Secrets unlocked: x3!}》

《{This "scarred man" sensed (y/n) watching him train, but he didn't care since the gaze on him didn't feel threatened or important!}》

《{Kyojuro thought (y/n)s looks fit the description his father gave him of the flower seller long ago, but he figured it was just a coincidence!}》

《{The kakushi think (y/n) is so strange, but since the master ordered him there, all they can do is attempt to put him in his place!}》