The snow crunched under their feet as they walked in silence, approaching the village as it came into their views. Y/n took Tanjiro's hand and entwined it. "Tanji... Your hands are soft" she said as she opened Tanjiro's hand and traced every single line on his palms. Tanjiro glanced at Y/n from the corner of his eye with a warm smile. "You've said that loads of times" Tanjiro smiled happily before he grabbed Y/n's hand gently and entwining it, rubbing his thumb on the back of her palms. Y/n looked at their hands then at Tanjiro who had his beautiful maroon eyes on the road ahead, then she blushed into a brilliant shade of roses.
Y/n and Tanjiro entered the village as some people who were walking by smirking knowingly at each other. Some whispering, "Y/n-chan is beautiful as always," "So, Tanjiro and y/n ARE dating! Give me your side of your bet. I won," "Dammit, I'm broke,"
Y/n's cheeks turn rosy pink in every single comment that was traveled in the form of whispers and hushed voices.
Tanjiro's cheeks overheated when he heard one of the whispers of the villagers. "Are they married?" "Finally, thank God that they are. They're obviously in love with each other.." a girl hissed back at her friend with a roll-on her eyes. Y/n felt that Tanjiro might not be comfortable with this so she quickly let go of Tanjiro's hand and avoided Tanjiro's eyes. Tanjiro let out a little whine. Oh no, that wasn't expected at all.
Y/n heard it as she let out a small chuckle. "What was that?" Y/n asked, looking at Tanjiro. He gave an awkward goofy smile. "Nothing, you heard nothing," Tanjiro said.
"Alright, sure".
Loud voices and exclaims shouted as Tanjiro and Y/n passed by. The voices travel and lingered around the pair.
"Can I have some charcoal, Tanjiro?"
"Thanks for fixing the sliding doors yesterday, Y/n!"
"I'll need some charcoal too, Y/n, Tanjiro!"
"Tanjiro!" a man was shoved outside with his blood shining and running down his nose.
"Oh man, perfect timing!" he staggered towards Tanjiro, then fall on his knees in front of Y/n and Tanjiro. "Oh Y/n, good to meet you, BUT TANJIRO, I NEED HELP!"
"I have been accused of breaking this plate," He said as he unraveled a purple cloth to reveal the shattered pieces of red china. "Help me out, will you?!" he exclaimed with a desperate look.
"Sniff it!" the man shoved the china in front of Tanjiro. Y/n stifled a laugh. The man looked at Y/n. "Sorry-- that just sounds f-funny" y/n let out a small snort. The man then turned to Tanjiro again. Tanjiro leaned in and sniffed it. "I smell a cat," Tanjiro answered. "You see?" the man turned to the lady with her black hair held tightly with a bun. "Oh my, it was a cat?" she said as she placed her hand in front of her mouth.
"I told you it wasn't me!" the man cried as an irk mark appeared on his temple. "Y/n! Could you help me with my luggage?" another man asked. "Oh, sure!--" "No, let me do it" Tanjiro smiled. "No, no, I'll do it" Y/n said. "No, you're not. I don't want you to get tired" Tanjiro said as he turned to face y/n and gave her a bright smile. "Tanjiro... it's just luggage, I can help," she smiled. "No, no, I'll do it. You can wait for me in the ramen store" Tanjiro said. "I'll meet you there once I sell all these charcoal, and help the people around". Y/n sighed. She knew that Tanjiro would never give up. "Right, I'll meet you there" Y/n smiled.
Y/n had fallen asleep on the wooden bench next to the ramen stan, her hair was neatly in a bun so it wouldn't get stuck on the nails that connected the pieces of the bench together. Her soft snores were quiet, her chest heaving up and down as her scent produces a scent of Lavender wherever she goes, pestering away the mosquitoes and making Tanjiro fall ten times deeper for her. Some strands of her hair fall gently on the side of her face, the ramen man was just shooing away creeps who were staring or smirking weirdly.
The ramen man was a wise old man, he had golden-brown eyes and long blonde hair that was always tied into a short ponytail. His name was Hiroto Asasahi. A legend at cooking ramen, owning one of the best ramen shops in the village. He and Y/n are great friends since Y/n always loved eating his ramen. Tanjiro's figure approached the sleeping beauty as he glanced at Asasahi. "Asasahi-sama, thank you" Tanjiro beamed gratefully. "YOU!" Asasahi hissed. "What were you thinking leaving your girlfriend sleeping on the public benches?! Do you know how many creeps are there that I had to shove off?!" Asasahi whisper yelled as his figure looked twice bigger than he usually looks and Tanjiro's figure looked four times smaller than his usual height.
Tanjiro sweatdropped. "S-Sorry Asasahi, I was just selling charcoal to get some profit for my family's new year's feast" Tanjiro stuttered as he was shaking a bit. Steam poured out of Asasahi's ears. "Don't do that again. You have to protect your girlfriend not me!" he hissed. "She's not my girlfriend!" Tanjiro blushed. "YET!" Asasahi added hotly. "SHHH-- SHE MIGHT HEAR YOU AND FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE!" Tanjiro hissed angrily. He would never forgive himself if she felt uncomfortable because of him. "Oh shut up, blood hair, I'm saying what will happen in the future!" Asasahi whisper yelled as more steam poured out of his ears.
"I don't even know if she likes me or not!" Tanjiro frowned. "oH yOu WiLl. Now shut up and eat my delicious ramen," Asasahi scowled as he pushed a bowl of glimmering ramen soup. The soft noodles, bathing in the ramen broth as well-cut vegetables were floating in the simmering soup. The sauce of the ramen winked handsomely at Tanjiro under the lantern from the small ramen stand.
Tanjiro grabbed the warm bowl. "Thank you Asasahi-sama!" Tanjiro cheerfully exclaimed. He didn't want to wake Y/n up so he sat on the floor, leaning against the tree as he started slurping the ramen from the bowl. Y/n's twinkling eyes slowly opened as she saw Tanjiro on the floor. She got up but she winced in pain as she was experiencing, the cramps.
Tanjiro looked at Y/n in worry as he swallowed the ramen in his mouth. "Are you okay Y/n? Are you hurt?" Tanjiro worriedly asked as he got up and gave Asasahi the empty bowl, then quickly turning back to Y/n. He stood before y/n and looked at her with worried eyes. "It's alright, just cramps. Don't need to be worried, Tanji" Y/n giggled as she stood up and dusted herself. "You took way too long, and after that delicious bowl of warm ramen, I fell asleep" she explained. Tanjiro looked at her with a guilty look. "I'm sorry Y/n-chan," "It's alright, don't need to be sorry, Tanji," she said as she stretched. "Anyways, it's getting late. We should head back to my house, it's nearer" Y/n smiled. "Are you sure?" Tanjiro asked hesitantly. "Very," Y/n nodded.
Suddenly, Asasahi broke into tears. Y/n looked at him worriedly. "A-Asasahi-sama?!" Y/n and Tanjiro flinched. "You called my ramen DeLiCioUs, I already know it is very delicious but when you say it Kigiku-chan, uGh, it sounds different! Free ramen for you and your boyfriend--" "We're not a couple!" "You and your bEsT fRiEnD, pfft, husband, I mean what--forever!" Asasahi cried. Y/n and Tanjiro looked at each other as they sweatdropped. "Alright, thank you Asasahi-sama" Tanjiro bowed before taking y/n's hands in his and dragged her away.
The sun was still up as the sky was painted by God in a brilliant shade of purple, pink, and red. The sun glowed and shone the perfect lighting for both faces. The thin clouds traveling above them. Hours later, Y/n got a lantern from Asasahi before she fell asleep as the Japanese lantern light the way as the sky was changed into a dark shade of blue and the stars appear as they twinkled. None said to the other as they just walked up the path towards Y/n's house in an untroubled silence. Tanjiro glanced at Y/n from the corner of his eyes tenderly. Wishing that they were a couple already, but he knew better than to just admire your features instead.
"Tanji, we're here" Tanjiro snapped out of his journey in his train of thoughts as Y/n stopped in her tracks. Tanjiro too. "Y/n-chan, are you sure I'm not going to trouble the Kigiku household?" Tanjiro asked worriedly. "I'm sure, Tanjiro. I'm sure," Y/n chuckled before she grabbed the key from her kimono's ribbon and unlocked the door lock, opening the sliding gate, she then shut it close and locked the key again when Tanjiro and her are already on the other side of the gate.
Y/n turned around once she's done locking the lock. Before they stood a huge wooden house. "Put your sandals on the engawa, there's a shoe rack there," Y/n informed. Tanjiro nodded before they went towards the engawa, placing their sandals on the provided shoe rack. Y/n opened the door. "Mother, Father? I'm back!" Y/n called. Then a woman with H/C and tawny-colored eyes, glowing S/C, wearing a pretty white-colored kimono with floral patterns came out from one of the sliding doors. "Oh, dear, welcome back," Tanake Aiya smiled brightly at the sight of her daughter.
She then noticed Tanjiro. "Tanjiro, welcome! Oh, it's been so long I've seen you!" she smiled brightly. Then the sliding doors opened again and this time, it revealed a man with brown hair and blue tips here and there with E/C and wore a black yukata.
"Welcome back y/n--" he stopped when he looked at Tanjiro. Tanjiro bowed down. "My apologies M-Mr. Kigiku and M-Mrs. Kigiku for interrupting," Tanjiro said. Takane and Kigiku looked at Tanjiro with amusement. "Don't need to be so formal, Tanjiro" Kigiku Saori smiled fondly. Tanjiro stood up and his body was tense more than ever. "Don't need to be so tense, dear," Takane held unto Kigiku's arm and smiled at Tanjiro. Tanjiro's shoulders relaxed as he smiled back. "You can stay with Y/n, have a small sleepover, you know?" Takane said. "Or, you can go sleep in the guest room," Takane smiled.
Y/n blinked. "He'll be staying with me, mother, unless.." Y/n looked at Tanjiro for his approval. Tanjiro nodded. "Right. We'll be staying in my room," y/n beamed. "Alright, but... Kamado. Don't even try to hurt my daughter or you'll regret it. Miserably" Kigiku said with a cold glare then he broke out into a smile. "Go get some rest you two, oh, have you eaten dinner yet?" Kigiku asked. "Yeah, we've eaten Asasahi's ramen stan," Y/n nodded. "Alright, we'll be going now to rest. Goodnight both of you," Takane smiled as she let go of Kigiku's arm and went towards Y/n, giving a kiss on her forehead. "Mother..." Y/n whined. She finally let go before going to Kigiku and dragging him off to their room. "Sorry about that," Y/n sweatdropped. "I don't mind at all," Tanjiro smiled softly.
[ Notes ]
- i do not own ANY of the art that are shown in this chapter, nor the previous ones. credits to the person who drew these pictures.
- i will try to update everyday. it really depends if i have assignments/tests/and so on.
- kigiku saori and takane aiya are used instead of the reader's parents because not all people like their parents.
- tell me what you think about this book so far! thanks for reading.