"Thank you, Kanae-san."
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KANAE KOCHO POV
After our conversation and Azura Yamazaki finished eating the onigiri I offered her, she succumbed to exhaustion and drifted off to sleep. She's such a gentle and vulnerable girl, but the world can be unforgiving for souls like hers. Silently, I make my way out of the room, carrying the empty tray with a cup and plate.
"Kanae."
I spot Shinjuro-dono standing before me, his face expressionless. Before proceeding to the kitchen to tidy up, I offer him a small smile and a bow.
"Is she asleep?" Shinjuro-dono asks, his voice filled with concern.
"Yes, she's still shaken by what she's been through, but she's eager to understand and learn," I respond, conveying Azura's determination.
Shinjuro-dono contemplates for a moment, his voice monotone and hoarse, "Do you think she could be of assistance here? Perhaps helping in healing the injured demon slayers."
"She seems keen on training under you, Shinjuro-dono," I reply as I enter the cooking area, rounding the corner.
I begin to wash the dishes and tray at the sink, while Shinjuro-dono remains silent. He crosses his arms, leaning against the doorway, deep in thought. The furrowed brows and visible wrinkles on his face betray his contemplation.
"She won't be able to handle it," he finally asserts, his voice carrying a tone of resignation.
"How can you be so sure, Shinjuro-dono?" I inquire, rolling up my sleeves to my elbows as I begin the task of cleaning the tray, empty plate, and cups. "Azura-chan shared with me what she went through, how the demon loomed over her for three long hours."
Shinjuro-dono responds, his eyes widening slightly in awe of the young girl's resilience.
"Those kinds of individuals are... your cup of tea, aren't they, Shinjuro-dono?" I remark, a smile playing on my lips, before redirecting my focus to the dishes.
Shinjuro-dono has trained numerous Tsuguko in the past, but many of them quit due to the immense difficulty of the training. He is known for his rigorous schedule, with minimal breaks. However, I have a feeling that Azura can handle a bit of chaos in her routine.
A Tsuguko (継つぐ子こ) refers to a highly skilled Demon Slayer Corps soldier who is chosen as a trainee and eventual successor to one of the Hashira.
"It just so happens that she holds great admiration for you as well," I add, emphasizing Azura's respect for him.
Shinjuro-dono let out a snort, his chest puffing up with confidence. It was no secret that he had a weakness for praise, and I was strategically using it to appeal to his ego, hoping he would consider training Azura.
"I suppose I can give her a chance," he conceded.
Ara~ Men can be so easily swayed.
"Wonderful!" I beamed, rinsing the cup under the running water. "Because I might need to take her under my wing and teach her the flower-breathing technique instead." I carefully set the cup aside to rinse, then casually added, "And, well, Shinjuro-dono, you're getting older and will be retiring soon."
"I'm not that old..." he muttered before adding, "Well...the young girl would make a fine playmate for Kyojuro."
Though he would never openly admit it, Shinjuro-dono had always held a soft spot in his heart for his two sons. It was a pity because I had heard that his wife was unwell. I sincerely hoped that nothing terrible would befall her and that she would recover swiftly.
"Kyojuro-kun would indeed appreciate that," I commented with a knowing smile.
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THIRD POV
"This is Kyojuro Rengoku."
Shinjuro Rengoku took Azura to his home and he introduce her in front of his family. Azura scanned the man's eldest son, Kyojuro Rengoku, who is just an exact carbon copy of his father, except, he has shorter hair.
"Nice to meet you!", He exclaimed in excitement with a bow to which the little girl slightly jumped at his sudden loud voice.
"Nice... to meet you too, Rengoku-san," Azura replied, feeling a bit awkward since it was her first time talking to a boy. She noticed that they were the same height; he wasn't exceptionally tall, but Shinjuro had informed her that he was fourteen years old, making him older than Azura.
"From now on, I'll train both of you!" Shinjuro exclaimed, smiling as he patted the children on the shoulder.
The training session then began, with the basic stamina coming first. Rengoku-sama led the two children up a hill, instructing them to run down the hill and then back up for hours. Azura was dying because her legs were weakening, but Kyojuro was smiling with joy and determination, radiating an ambiance that says 'I want more!'
Azura knew this was still the beginning of the training.
It was midday, and the next training session focused on flexibility. Kyojuro effortlessly breezed through each flexibility exercise, while Azura struggled to keep up. Sensing her difficulty, Kyojuro was asked to assist Azura in performing a split. He positioned himself beside her, using his own legs to gently push hers apart, allowing them to execute the split together while holding hands in front to maintain their balance and prevent their backs from arching.
"My legs are going to snap, Rengoku-san!" Azura complained, feeling the strain, while Kyojuro only widened the split with a determined expression.
"Don't give up!" he beamed, his enthusiasm contrasting with Azura's irritation at how effortlessly he seemed to handle it.
After approximately thirty more minutes of flexibility training, the two children found themselves alone in the room, panting and gasping for air, their bodies glistening with sweat. They took a moment to catch their breath and recover.
"Where's Shinjuro-dono?" Azura broke the silence, her voice filled with curiosity.
"He's out there, fighting demons as it nears nightfall. I'll be leaving for my own mission soon," Kyojuro replied, his tone carrying a sense of duty.
Azura nodded, understanding the situation. She took a deep breath, contemplating the new circumstances.
Kyojuro sat up, turning to face the girl beside him. He spoke with excitement in his voice, "Father told me that you'll be living here with us."
"Yes... I promise I won't be a bother! I can even help with the household chores," Azura responded, sitting up as well.
"In that case, you're officially a part of our family!" Kyojuro exclaimed happily.
'Family...?' Azura's thoughts became tangled and conflicted. She had always considered her older sister as her only family. Now, faced with a new 'family' before her, she felt uncertain. Fear lingered within her, afraid of forming new bonds only to lose them, just like she had lost her sister.
"I'll take you to Mother. She's been eager to meet you," Kyojuro announced, standing up and offering his hand.
Azura reached out and took his hand, allowing him to lead her through the corridors. They arrived at a simple sliding door, and Kyojuro gently opened it, still holding Azura's hand.
As Azura entered the room, her eyes widened in awe. Before her stood the most stunning woman she had ever laid eyes on. The woman possessed distinctive features—a sharp nose, long eyebrows, and semi-long black hair loosely tied in a ponytail. Her eyes, wide and dark red, held circular white pupils, and her lips were delicate. She sat gracefully on a futon, dressed in a traditional kimono.
Azura couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and nervousness in the presence of this beautiful woman.
Gently caressing another boy who shared the familiar characteristics of his father, but with even shorter hair than Kyojuro, the woman exuded a sense of warmth and tranquility. As the boy slept peacefully beside her, Azura found it difficult to determine if he shared the same eye color as Kyojuro and Shinjuro.
Kyojuro introduced, "Mother, this is Azura Yamazaki," as he positioned himself protectively in front of Azura and closed the sliding door behind them.
The woman greeted them with a soft voice, her eyes attentively observing the two children. Azura couldn't help but be captivated by her presence.
"Ah, so you must be Azura-chan," the woman addressed her by name, and Azura nodded in response. The woman motioned for them to join her on the futon, creating a comfortable space for a closer interaction.
"I believe I still have some of my old clothes in the drawers. Perhaps you would like to wear them, Azura-chan?" she suggested, her voice gentle yet resolute.
Kyojuro eagerly searched through the drawers in the room, hoping to find his mother's old clothes for Azura. Recognizing the importance of providing her with fresh attire, free from the reminders of her past, he wanted her to feel comfortable and welcomed in their home.
"My name is Ruka Rengoku, but you can call me Ruka or even try calling me mother," Ruka expressed with a gentle smile.
Azura's cheeks flushed once again, and she couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. Calling someone 'mother' was a completely foreign concept to her, as she had never experienced the presence of a real mother in her life.
"I...I'll consider it... Ruka-san," Azura replied softly, her eyes still avoiding direct contact out of shyness and uncertainty.
Ruka's smile grew warmer, understanding the complexity of Azura's emotions. Meanwhile, Kyojuro returned with a stack of old clothes from his mother. It wasn't an extensive collection, but it was a meaningful gesture, symbolizing the extent of their welcome and acceptance. In this family, even a small offering was enough to make Azura feel grateful and embraced.
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AZURA YAMAZAKI POV
"Ack!"
As my back hit the ground from Kyojuro's forceful attack, I gasped for breath. It had been three months since I arrived at the Rengoku Household, yet I still struggled to master the techniques.
"Your moves are still rough, Azura!" Kyojuro exclaimed, his tone oddly enthusiastic.
I let out a frustrated grumble and quickly got back on my feet, bracing myself for another round of intense training. Avoiding attacks should be simple, right? Well, not when your opponent is a level or two ahead of you.
"Take a moment to calm yourself, Azura," Shinjuro-dono intervened, walking up behind me and placing his strong hands on my shoulders.
"Remember the breathing exercises I taught you, use them with Kyojuro to find a sense of calmness in your body and stillness in your mind during the fight," he spoke softly, gently poking my forehead with his two fingers.
He then released his grip, allowing me to follow his instructions. I took a deep, controlled breath, focusing on exhaling completely before inhaling again. I held my breath for four seconds before slowly exhaling. Gradually, I felt a sense of tranquility wash over me. Meanwhile, Kyojuro patiently waited in his battle stance, a confident smile on his face, knowing that I needed to gather my complete focus.
As Kyojuro charged towards me, throwing his hands in the air after three minutes of practicing the breathing technique, I focused on avoiding his attacks. I swiftly moved to evade as many punches as possible while also attempting to land a few hits of my own. However, Kyojuro effortlessly dodged my punches with ease, leaving me in awe of his exceptional talent. It made me question my own abilities, wondering if I was truly just a weakling.
"Amazing, Azura! You're evading my punches much faster this time!" Kyojuro exclaimed enthusiastically, his voice filled with energy. But I was too engrossed in his lightning-quick movements to respond to his upbeat mood.
Suddenly, he crouched down and swiftly extended his leg, aiming to swing it underneath me. However, from the state of "stillness" that Shinjuro-dono had described, everything seemed to slow down. My adrenaline was replaced by a sense of calmness and clarity.
Before Kyojuro's leg could reach me, I seized the opportunity and grabbed his shoulder. With a quick burst of energy, I propelled my body above him, landing behind him in a fluid motion. I instinctively swung my arm, intending to jab towards his head, but stopped just inches away from his neck. Both of us were breathing heavily, and his eyes widened in surprise as he looked at me.
"Finally! A three-month improvement!" Kyojuro exclaimed, a smile spreading across his face. I couldn't help but feel a flush of embarrassment. I knew he meant it as praise for my progress, but still, the attention made me self-conscious.
"Sh-shut up Kyojuro!"
We had grown closer over the past month, addressing each other by our first names. We spent a lot of time training together and also bonding with Kyojuro's younger brother, Senjuro Rengoku. Senjuro would join us in training occasionally, but he mainly helped out around the house, just like I did.
"Congratulations, Azura-chan!" Shinjuro-dono applauded as he approached us, holding two wooden swords. "This time, let's incorporate weapons."
"Alright!" Kyojuro exclaimed with excitement, while I let out a small groan but still took hold of the other wooden sword.
With Shinjuro-dono perched on the edge of their traditional house, Kyojuro and I assumed our regular stances, this time wielding the wooden swords.
Without even a two-minute break, Kyojuro darted forward with lightning-fast movements, swinging his sword and knocking me out in the blink of an eye.
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I opened my eyes and found myself in the same infirmary where I was taken after the incident with my big sister which was three months ago. What a bizarre sense of déjà vu.
I groaned as I sat up in bed, rubbing the throbbing in my head.
'Kyojuro...you-'
"Awake?"
As I scanned the area, my eyes fell upon a young girl who appeared to be around my age. Her complexion was pale, and her eyes caught my attention immediately. They were large and had a unique, compound-like shape, with no discernible pupils. Instead, a gradient of purple hues surrounded the center, giving them an ethereal quality reminiscent of Kanae-san's eyes.
Her shoulder-length hair cascaded in waves, transitioning from black to a dark purple shade. It was styled into a neat yakai-maki bun at the back of her head, adorned with a butterfly pendant in shades of white, turquoise, and light purple. Her curtain bangs framed her face, reaching the length of her ears and parting neatly in the center, adding volume to her overall appearance.
'She's so pretty...'
"You were unconscious for four hours, and Rengoku-san came to see you every five minutes, with tears in his eyes, apologizing," she informed me as she walked alongside my bed. I couldn't bring myself to look directly at her, but the thought of Kyojuro visiting me every five minutes made me chuckle internally.
Letting out a sigh, she placed her palms gently on my forehead and asked, "But are you feeling alright?"
"U-Uh, I think so...?" I stammered like a bumbling fool. How could I not? It's only natural for people to react this way in front of someone attractive, right?
"In that case, I'll call Rengoku-san to come and pick you up," she stated, turning away from me and heading towards the exit door with a stoic expression and an icy demeanor.
'Not only is she incredibly beautiful, but she's also so cool! I really want to be friends with her!' I thought to myself, captivated by her allure.
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"I'm so sorry, Azura!" Kyojuro wept as he held onto me tightly. "I got carried away because of your progress over the past three months! I thought you were already as fast as me, but it seems I was mistaken!"
I couldn't quite decipher whether he was genuinely concerned for my well-being or just teasing me...
"It's alright... Actually, I'm grateful to you," I reassured him with a gentle pat on the back, letting out a slight giggle.
He released his grip on me and tilted his head, sporting his usual smile. "Hm? What do you mean?"
"I think I met a girl in the infirmary who's around our age," I twirled a strand of hair, feeling a bit bashful. "She had dark hair that's gradually turning dark purple, and her eyes were a beautiful shade of purple..."
"You must be talking about Kocho-chan!"
Kocho... could she be related to Kanae-san? Although 'Kocho' sounds like a surname...
"Do you know her first name?"
"No idea!" Kyojuro exclaimed, his face lighting up.
"In that case, feel free to knock me around as much as you want, Kyojuro!" I declared, my eyes sparkling with anticipation of encountering 'Kocho-chan' once again.
"I like your commitment! Try to avoid a couple of my attacks so that it isn't visible to Father, or even avoid all of my attacks because he would be angry in either case!"
As we walked towards his house, he beamed once more beside me. Was he scolded while I was knocked out? That's not something he'd be overjoyed about, but...
"I'm sorry..." I murmured, ashamed.
"Don't worry, it's my fault this time," he reassured me with a smile. "As though you were his daughter, Father was concerned about you!"
Daughter? Me? I've never been one, but it's not like I don't want to know what it's like.
"I've never had a younger sister, though!" Kyojuro exclaimed excitedly, "Nor my little brother, Senjuro, having a big sister!"
The combination of having a sister and becoming a daughter was too much for me, and I felt like my cheeks were burning and my mouth was slightly curved up, forcing me to cover my mouth with both hands.
"Stop Kyojuro..."
He chuckled and took my hand, pulling me back to his...or what I refer to as 'our' home.
I never imagined myself as part of a family with a father, mother, older sibling, and younger sibling. It was complete. I don't believe I deserve a proper family. How could I be enjoying this time when my big sister hasn't...
It was an unfair and guilty feeling, but I sensed that my big sister wished for the best for me, and she was never a docile and harsh big sister; instead, she was a gentle but confident big sister, willing to protect the weak, as she did that night. She'd be well at home here. I wish I was the one who-
"What's wrong, Nee-san?"
As I glanced to the side, my attention fell upon Senjuro Rengoku, a young boy who paused his dinner to address me. We were currently having dinner with the Rengoku family in Ruka's room, although Ruka herself wasn't joining us. She remained seated on her futon, as she always did, observing us as we ate. Kyojuro had told me that his mother had fallen ill with an incurable disease after giving birth to Senjuro. Despite the circumstances, everyone here, including myself, prayed for her recovery.
I let out a hearty laugh in response to the curious gazes directed my way. "Just lost in thought, hahaha."
How could I sit here and enjoy a family dinner when my sister had never experienced anything like this?
"I heard you've been making great progress in your training, Azura," Ruka-san inquired, her smile tender, and I nodded.
"I'm sure your older sister would be proud of how far you've come, not to mention your determination to protect the vulnerable."
Ruka Rengoku's voice was gentle. Yes, I was certain my older sister was looking down from paradise, smiling and cheering me on. I shouldn't dwell on sadness; instead, I would strive to make her proud by showing that I could protect the weak, just as she had always done.
'I miss you Nee-san.'
"AZURA IS CRYING!?! WHY?!!?", Kyojuro screamed next to me, frantically reaching for a tissue to wipe my tears.
"DON'T CRY NEE-SAN!!", Senjuro was shocked too and almost teared up.
Shinjuro and Ruka were merely smiling, their gazes softening as they observed our shambles.
I remembered my older sister's words as she carried me on her back in the chilly weather as snow fell like raindrops, she told me with her sweet voice, and her breath could be seen in the air,
'Azura, don't ever give up protecting the weak, okay?'
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AUTHOR'S NOTE