Chapter 3: The test
Flashback
"Right, just do that and fill out this form according to what you feel. I will head out now." Zenitsu stood up
"The person after me is someone very special to Kanao-san. So don't panic and keep calm. Good luck." Zenitsu opens the door
Flashback ends
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'So this is the person. Tanjiro-kun is a pretty nice person.'
"Pardon my intrusion, Kanao."
Sitting inside her office, Tanjiro actually waited for this moment to be alone with her. Usually she would do it slowly, but she seemed to be in a rush. As she went through the process fairly quickly inspecting everything that she was supposed to do.
Komi-san is actually nervous to be treating a male as she never seen them half naked. As she went on, she sees the scars that leaves a deep impression in the skin causing her to think what might happened that caused this man to suffer this kind of injuries. She was also curious as to why his left hand was as wrinkly as an old man whilst his right are normal. After a while, she finally finished.
"A-all d-d-done." She stutters her word really badly
"Kanao, are you really alright? You seems to be, stuttering a lot more lately." Tanjiro feeling a bit more concerned than before
"........" She went silent until she had an idea
'I'm doing fine Tanjiro-kun. It's only my throat is a bit dry.' She wrote
'Why is she, writing on the paper? And she called me with honorific.' Tanjiro noticed
"Ah, is that so? Then my apologies. Shall I go call Nezuko in next?" Tanjiro got up from his seat
"......" She only nods
".........Alright then. Thank you Kanao. Please excuse me." Tanjiro left without another word
'Did I do something wrong?' Komi-san can only wonder
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"Is it done?!"
It was a while after Tanjiro's turn, she had managed to finish inspecting the other two patients that was in her care. She signs off the feminine looking man with no further questioning whatsoever. Actually,
'This person is almost like Najimi-chan. If he cross dressed, nobody could tell that he's a guy.' She thought as she waved at him out the door
Inosuke felt someone talking behind his back. But he quickly forgot about it and rushed over to the kitchen. Komi-san felt a sense of relief and put all of the patients reports on the table. She stood up walking towards the door. She took a glance into the room again before closing the door. A plate with the name of the real owner was clearly displayed on the door.
She looked down the hallway where uncertainty awaits her. She has a goal to achieve at the moment. A man was waiting for her and she has to find him. He might even knows what was happening to her not being able to wake up. She walks and walks until she found a porch. Not far from where she stood, a man was visible playing with the patient that she had done a physical examination. Her name was Nezuko. She remembers her name as it was Tanjiro who mentioned it in the first place.
Seeing the two running around with a smile on their face, she felt that she shouldn't disturb them. Komi-san decided to sit down and wait for them. She has her eyes on the flowers around her and the insects that came to claim the sweet nectar contained within. Butterflies of many pattern and colour flew around every so often. She was entrapped by their spells slowly losing the track of time.
"Kanao-san?"
Startled by the male voice, she didn't noticed that someone had greeted her. She almost jumped out of her seat when the figure frantically trying to say sorry. After a while, they finally calmed down and they sat next to each other. The yellow haired man looked into the garden and took a really deep breath.
"I believed we have it at the wrong conclusion earlier. Let me start over." Zenitsu stared at her. "My name is Agatsuma Zenitsu. You can call me Zenitsu if you will."
"........" She nods
"Then, may I know yours?" Zenitsu politely asked
"........" She took out a book and began to write in it
'My name is Komi Shouko. It was nice to meet you Zenitsu san.' She wrote
"Can you not speak? Why do you wrote instead of speech?" He's genuinely intrigued
'I can, but I'm not very good at it.' She responded
'Someone with a communication trouble. Reminds me of the old her.' He thought
'Um, how did you know that I'm not who you thought I was?' She wrote again
"Oh, well about that. I'm not just any ordinary guy." Zenitsu points at his ears. "I have a super sensitive ears. It gets to the point that I can differentiate different sound from each person."
"I recognise Kanao-san and the sound she makes. A different soul inside a new body would make a whole new different sound. Hence why in your case, I know you aren't her." Zenitsu simply smiles
"So tell me. How did you end up here?"
"......"
'To tell you the truth, I have no idea how.'
'I only remembered that I was on my desk. That's when, I woke up here.'
'I only wished for this to be a dream. But it doesn't seemed to be the case. I'm scared. I know no one here.'
'I wanted to go home. I want to see my family, my friends again.' She showed him page by page as her tears slowly flows down
"I see. It must've been scary for you to be suddenly woken up to a new world."
'Thankfully, without demons roaming about.' He thought to himself
"Then, maybe I could help you. I will search for the cause of this whole thing. Come, I will introduce you to the person you should know."
'Will you tell them about me?' She wrote in concern
"Of course. It would be harder if we were to hide it." Zenitsu calmly explains
As he had said those words, he hears her breath trembles. The beat of her heart are off rhythm. He knows it was fear but he doesn't know what was she afraid of.
"Is something bothering you?" He asked to make sure
'What if they don't accept me? Wouldn't I be banished from here?' She frantically wrote
"Ah, well. If that were the case, then you would've been asked to leave long ago." He holds her hands gently. "Because you are still inside our friend's body. So of course we would keep you safe with us. Trust me, alright?"
Hearing his words, all of her worries are gone. As if they were to suddenly disappear from her mind. She calms herself down pretty quickly and nodded. Zenitsu smiles when he doesn't hear any foreign sound from her.
"Ja'ne, ikuzo Komi-san." Zenitsu stood up
Komi-san nod again and stood up from the porch. They both soon head back into the mansion where they will tell their comrades of what had happened. Will they believe their words? More specifically, his words as she could only froze still as they ask one by one.
"Hai, is that so? Then I will take care of the patients. You shouldn't have to worry about them anymore." Aoi casually said
"Really? Well, in that case. Nice to meet you Komi-san." The three caterpillar greets her
"Oh really? You poor thing. Lets be friend then, Komi-san!" Nezuko got excited
"Ah?! Are you sure this isn't Manao?! Well it's whatever. Welcome new minion! I shall guard you under my wing!" Inosuke boasted
All of the responses were pretty well. As they were successful with most of them, there's only one person left to tell. But they can't find him anywhere. Each room of the mansions has no signs of him, even the outhouse was empty. They wondered of where he could've gone. They continued to search until night had already fallen.
"Where is that bastard at? Did he left for home already? No that can't be. Not without Nezuko-chan." Zenitsu muttered
'Don't worry Zenitsu-san. We will find him, sooner or later.' Komi-san wrote
"Ah, you're right. Say it's almost dinner time. Maybe we should go and head to the kitchen."
'Sure, would love to.'
And so, the two figure walk along the hallway towards where the kitchen is located at. They may have been unsuccessful in finding the missing person, but at least they have told the majority of them which is good enough.
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"That surely took longer than expected. I hoped this will help cheer her up." A certain redhead said to himself
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Ding, dang, dong, deng.
"Ah, the bell rang. Alright students, don't forget your homework and class is dismissed."
At the Itan Private Elite High School, the rang of the bell meant it was the end of the school hours. Students flood out the front gate like the grand rapids. But for some, it's the beginning of their after school hours duty. Such as for those who are involved in the student council committee. They had to do tasks that was assigned to them before leaving for home. And such person that was involved are, Tadano-kun.
"Alright then, duty calls as they say. You can head back home first, Komi-san. I'll be staying here for a while." Tadano said before getting up
He left the class along with several students. One by one, they all leave until it was only her inside the classroom. All alone. She wanted to go home if she could. It's just,
'How do I go home?'
The thing about having to wake up in a different universe, you would have no sense of direction. Especially if you're in a completely different era all together. Kanao was conflicted. If she went home by herself, she would probably get lost in these jungle of stone walls. Whilst if she doesn't, she would made the family of Komi-san worried for her not returning.
'What should I do? Do I ask someone? But that would be awkward. Should I retrace my steps? But I did got lost before so I don't exactly remember where have I been! Come on Kanao!'
Kanao began to panic to the point she knocked one of the table down. She quickly calms herself down and looked at her surroundings.
'Right, look at this place. It's quite a mess isn't it? Lets clean it up.'
She came to mind that instead of fruitlessly panicking about it, she would try to clear her mind instead. And she does just that by cleaning the whole classroom until it was pretty much spotless. The tables are straighten out into a pair of two in each line of tables. She even wiped it all down with a wet towel she so happen to brought.
'Well would you look at that. Now students can learn more comfortably.' She thought in pride
"Ah, Komi-san."
Focusing too much on the task of cleaning the classroom, Kanao didn't noticed how much the time had passed and most of the students left in the school had left. This includes Tadano-kun as he was about to get his bag that he left in the room. Tadano looks around and noticed how spotless the class was. His gaze finally lands at the woman who's behind all of this.
"Did you stay behind and cleaned the class?" Tadano curiously asked
"........" Kanao felt embarrassed and nodded
"Ah, I see. By yourself?" She nodded again
"Well, then. If you have told me about it, then maybe I could've lend a helping hand as well." Tadano scratches the back of his head
Kanao quickly shook her head and took out her notes. She wrote and showed to the average male.
'I did this because I chose to. I don't want to burden you with anymore work.'
"Hm, I don't think of it as a burden at all Komi-san. Because I chose to do it also." Tadano suddenly realized what he said
"N-not that I'm trying to act cool or something! Ahaha haha haha." His hands suddenly multiplied by a hundred
After he calmed down, he went to get his stuff and looked at her.
"Hmm? Aren't you going home, Komi-san?" He asked and she nodded
"Well in that case, would you like me to walk you home?"
Kanao hearing those words made her heart jumped in delight. At last she has a way to go home. She nodded in excitement and quickly grabbed her bag. She was relieved as she doesn't have to worry about it anymore. But, she still isn't out of the woods. Because in reality, she needed to find a way to go home. Her real home, where her family and her friends are at. She wonders, what are they doing at this moment of time.
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'How is Tanjiro doing at this moment?'