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Chapter 16

Tanjiro further pushed his sword to the demon.
"Talk to me!"

He only grew angrier as the demon stayed quiet.

"Come on! Talk!"

"-I... I-I can't... I can't tell you! I can't do it. I-I just... Can't!"

He suddenly broke out, repeating over and over "I can't! I can't! I can't! I can't!"

Everything about him now was filled with terror. His eyes, his voice, his movements.
This demon was absolutely terrified of Muzan.

But... Something felt really off. I felt... watched, somehow. No, this isn't right.

"I can't tell you, alright?!"

He lunged towards Tanjiro, meeting his immediate demise as his head was now cut off.

Tanjiro was disappointed, and I pat his shoulder, then spot Nezuko from the corner of my eye. She was down with her back against the wall, her eyes shut.

"Nezuko?!"
I run to her side, Tanjiro immediately after me.

He holds her face for a moment, but soon calms down.
"She's asleep."

"The bleeding stopped..."
I'm relieved, thankful to see Nezuko was just tired and not badly hurt.

"So this does help her recover."

"I was so scared for a moment."
I grab my robe and gently wipe away the dried blood from her face.

Tanjiro took off the box, and we gently placed Nezuko inside so she could rest. My neck was still bleeding, but now it was barely as much as it was earlier.

Looking to Kazumi, he sat on his knees, still in shock after everything. The girl was still asleep, rested against the wall.

We both walked up to him, worried.
"Mr Kazumi? Are you alright?"
Tanjiro softly asked, and I checked the sleeping girl for any possible wounds.

She was perfectly fine, just out like a light for now.

Kazumi teared up.
"I lost my fiancé. How can I be alright?"

Seeing him cry hurt me. I failed. I saved the village, but what about people who already lost someone?

How do I help them now?

"Mr Kazumi. You have to go on. In spite of losing people. Even when it's devastating."

He suddenly got angry and grabbed Tanjiro by his haori.
"How am I supposed to do that?! You're just a kid! What do you know?!"

Before I could intervene, Tanjiro just grabbed his arm softly.

It wasn't that... his face...
His eyes...

I've never seen so much grief and regret before on someone. Such pained eyes and yet he still can't help but smile.

My eyes teared up, as if I could feel what was perhaps just a fraction of his pain. And, it tugged my heart with such force that my tears fell.