Ｐｒｏｔｅｃｔ ||Tomioka Giyuu X OC||

Eleventh.

I woke up the next morning. I stretched my body before preparing myself before heading out. The sky is starting to change its colour from dark blue into a warm orange. I can hear birds chirping from outside. It's still dusk.

'I think Giyuu is already back.' I humming happily. I locked my house and walking off. I skipped my walk as I'm heading to Giyuu's house.

When I got near to his house, I saw him getting out from his front gate.

"Giyuu!" I called him.

He glance at me. "Hana, morning."

"Morning! Where are you going?"

"I just planned on heading to your house," he deadpanned.

"Eh? Is that so? Then since we meet up, let's take a walk somewhere. Do you have time?" I clasped my hand while talking happily.

He nodded.

"Let's go training! I have a new form I want you to checked out!"

"Sure," he replied. He hold my hand and we walk to our training place. It is located somewhere near a small river on the hills. It's not hard to find, but not easy either. There are bushes around and you need to step out from the main roads. There's a small abandoned shack there. Thus, we use it for taking a break.

We reached the place. Behind the shack is a large field with no trees nor grass. It is a good place for practicing.

I take a position on the field and Giyuu did the same. He is standing some meters away from me.

"Alright, let's do it!" Suddenly, Tengu came flying to my shoulder. I see Giyuu's crow do the same. "Tengu, what is it?"

The crow whispered at me. I widened my eyes in shock.

"Kyojurou-san is..."

'Kyojurou-san is one of the strongest person I have ever knew. If he was killed, then...' I looking up at Giyuu. He seem to notice and walking towards me.

"Hana, are you okay?" His expression shows worries.

"Giyuu, Kyojurou-san is... I can't believe this. He is a strong guy, how can this be?" I scrunched my eyebrows. I know what this means. My heart cleched at the fact that I know what this means.

'It means that it has already begun.'

Giyuu pulled me into a hug, wrapping myself in his haori.

"He did that to protected 200 peoples. He is indeed strong," Giyuu said.

"No, Giyuu. Do you know what this means?" I pushed his arms gently and staring at his eyes. "It means... he is starting to move! He is desperate right now. An upper moon starting to show their head to us. Muzan is now..." I stopped.

'He is afraid because of something. Something that makes him this scared is...hanafuda...Tanjirou! These all happens because Tanjiro is now with us! But...the fact that Kyojurou-san got killed. They are that strong... If we don't work together, we won't stand a chance!' I look up at Giyuu.

"Giyuu, they got Kyojurou-san. I am afraid that if we, Hashiras, don't work together as a team, we won't stand a chance against Muzan!"

He twitched his eyes. "Did you mean that I have to work with other Hashira?" He covered his eyes with his bangs.

I hold his shoulders. "I did. That's the only way. This won't stop here, so I hope you can also-"

He released my hands from his shoulder. He frowned.

"I can't," he said.

"What? Why?" I asked him.

'Tell me, Giyuu,' I put my hopes up.