"Ahh! Konbanwa you both! So sad, I had just finished my meal! I can't offer something for my guests! How absurd of me!" the demon said. "Uppermoon two, shoot! I'm not ready to defeat him!" Yumiko thought. "Oh, who are you, beautiful girl?" Uppermoon 2 asked opening his sharp fans. "I'm the one who's supposed to be asking? Who are you exactly?" pretend that she dont know him.
"I'm Douma, are you interested in joining my cult?" Douma asked. "I guess it's right." Yumiko thought. "It is Uppermoon 2 who killed Nee-san. He has two sharp fans which killed her." a sad flashback voice of Shinobu said "You are the one who killed Kanae-sama!!" Yumiko shouted angrily.
"Kanae? Who is that? I don't remember eating her." Douma said. "The Flower Hashira and with butterfly haori." Yumiko said. "Oh, that girl! So sad I haven't got a chance to taste her!" Douma said and giggled.
"Don't laugh you b*stard, you make my life miserable!" Yumiko said. "Oh, did I? I must've apologise to you then, please accept my humble apology," he said as he began to bow down and strike Yumiko. "It's too late, your apology won't bring back the people you've killed!" Yumiko said.
"Calm down,Yumiko." Kyoujurou said while blocking. "I won't! Numerous people died because of this! If I don't kill him right away, we will die here too! Ka-Kanae-sama died because of him! " Yumiko said. "But she is now in a safe place, no one will hurt her." Kyoujurou said and calmed down Yumiko. "Fine I will." Yumiko said and calmed herself .
"Aw, what a sweet couple but she is mine for my meal!" Douma said. He attack Kyoujurou who defending Yumiko after she calming down "Gr, you f*cking demon!" Yumiko tried to slice Douma's head but then it defended the attack and made Yumiko get hit to the wall.
"Yumiko!" Kyoujurou shouted. "I-I'm o-ok!" Yumiko mumble. "Aw, are you hurt?" Douma said. "You little b*stard! You are very powerful but not as clever as me!" Yumiko humbled. "Oh, you're humble me? You're not very polite to the older one." Douma tried to punch Yumiko but was stopped by Yumiko. "You try to punch me? Nah you can't punch me either way!" Yumiko said. "Oh, you sure?" Douma said, clenching his fists and was about to hit her. Kyoujurou holds his fist so that it doesn't touch Yumiko. "I won't allow you to touch her, even a single strand of hair hers!" Kyoujurou said. "Rengoku-san?!" Yumiko said. "I will take care of him," Kyoujurou said. "Ok, now Rengoku-san takes care of Douma, now I have the right time to slice his head." Yumiko thought.
"Sh*t! My stomach is bleeding, I can't move further." Yumiko said. "Gr, this is very hard fighting with Uppermoon 2." Kyoujurou said. "I wonder where the girl is." Douma thought. Then Yumiko appears in Douma's back and almost slices the head. Douma then opened his fan and made a wound at Yumiko's arm. "Urgh, my wound is bigger." Yumiko thought. "The sun will be rising in 2 more hours!" Kyoujurou thought.
Then Douma attacked Yumiko. "You think you're so powerful until you can behead me?" Douma said. "Well, you're wrong!" the demon said again. Just when Douma approaches Yumiko, trying to slice Yumiko up, something unexpected happens. "E-Etsuko?!"
Fell to the ground, holding her wounds. "G-go! Run!" she said, holding the pain.
"No! I can't leave you behind!" Yumiko said. "Go! Don't be st-stubborn!" Etsuko said. "You think, by sacrificing yourself, you would obstruct me?" Douma pulled Etsuko's hair up, making her hurt even more. "No!" Yumiko said. "You go, Yumiko!" Kyoujurou said. "No! I can't leave my sister and you alone!" Yumiko said.
"I know, but it's too late because she will die in a minute. If she dies, she will be eaten by Douma and it will be your turn if you stay here. By the way, you have a big wound on your stomach and you could die here! I have to go, I have to fulfil my duty as Hashira." Kyoujurou said.
"No! G-go! Now you both!" Etsuko said, surrendering herself to Douma to protect her sister. Kyoujuro seems to not mind. "GO, Kyo-kun! GO! GET OUT!" Etsuko shouted while she cried, because she finally had the courage to say that name. "K-Kyo-kun? That's the nickname Yumiko like to call me since we were young! How did she know?" Kyoujurou thought.
"Just you wait, you psychopath demon! I'll kill you with both of my hands! If we meet again, I'll show you what mercy is like! Next time, don't expect me to repeat this! I'm not going to sacrifice anyone again!" Yumiko shouted angrily. Tears fall from her cyan-coloured eyes while running. "I'll help your sister, now you go!" Kyoujurou said.
Akita, Butterfly Estate
"It's all my fault, I'm the one who has to die there at that time, not my little sister!" Yumiko cried in pain. "I understand, Yumiko, I know you feel pain in your heart, so please stop crying, we can get revenge on Uppermoon 2." Kyoujurou said while calming down Yumiko. They get back to their home, Yumiko has to be healed and Kyojurou has to rest. Yumiko went outside and saw the beautiful dark blue sky.
"I miss her." Yumiko said while tears came out. "Ara, What's wrong, Yumiko-chan?" Shinobu asked. "My little sister, Etsuko, died when I'm about to kill the f*cking demon." Yumiko said angrily. "Etsuko?" Shinobu said, shocked. "Yes, and I think I need a cool down now, so please excuse me." Yumiko said.
"The trees, the flowers, the bright warm sun, all reminded me of her. Etsuko! Why should you leave me alone in this... horrible place?" Yumiko thought. Suddenly she saw Kyoujurou walked pass her. "Rengoku-san! Y-you're with Etsuko right? P-please say t-that you're with her! Please tell me her final moments, and did she die happy?" Yumiko asked. "Yes." Kyoujurou said. "Her final moments?" Yumiko asked.
*Flashback*
The endless night has finally come to an end. The battle is finally over. The demon realises if this is already dawn. The demon escapes, leaving the both exhausted slayers behind on the battlefield. Kyoujurou trying to catch up to the demon. "Kyo-kun, it is useless already," Etsuko said. "You can't die here, your sister will be sad and lonely, if you die!" Kyoujurou said. "No, I can't live any longer," she sighed.
"No, don't die!" Kyoujurou said. "I'm sorry Kyo-kun and Nee-san, I wish you two will be together forever. Nee-san... really loves you," Etsuko said. "You can tell from my appearance right? I just can't live longer. My eyes were already splitted, my right arm dislodged, and I got severely injured everywhere." Etsuko said.
"Yes you're very injured indeed, but you can be healed by Shinobu! Please don't lose hope!" Kyoujurou said. "Shinobu-sama can't heal me like this, it's too... impossible to be recovered, and there is no other way, Kyo-kun." Etsuko said.
"May I know where you got that nickname?" he asked . "...I've had it since... the first time we met, not as Demon Slayers..., but as a childhood friend," Etsuko said. "What do you mean by that?" Kyoujurou said. "I'm your childhood friend, not Nee-san, Nee-san was adopted by my real Okaa-san back then, but my real parents treat Nee-san harshly." Etsuko said.
"So thats why, she looks a little bit cold and a little bit rough!" Kyoujurou sighed. "Kyo-kun..., I have something to say to you." Etsuko said. She whispered to him and explained her last wishes. "I guess it's almost time, Kyo-kun... if I die, please bury me beside my parents, who I don't really know. I know it'll be hard, but Yumiko Nee-san knows where it is. And, Kyo-kun, I... love you-" Etsuko said, taking her last breath. Her muscles started to go limp and her body didn't breathe air.
"E-Etsuko?" Kyoujurou mumbled. Kyoujurou is shocked that she has passed. "Etsuko! Wake up! It's not a joke right? Your sister is waiting for you, please wake up!" Kyoujurou said. Then Kyoujurou carried Etsuko with a bridal style to bury her corpse. "I remembered... the last time I carried you like this, Etsuko-chan. We were so young back then, and ... for our promise, forgive me, I can't fulfil the promise I made for you. I'm very sorry," Kyoujuro said to the dead body of his childhood friend and fiancée.
Tears fell from Kyoujurou's eyes, he regretted how he treated her before, knowing that she's supposed to be his fiancée. "Why don't I notice it? Why doesn't she tell me about it? Why?! As a man, I am ashamed of myself!" Kyoujurou said in tears. A heavy rain fell from the sky, weeping over Etsuko's death, washing all the grief below the sunrise. "I must go on, I can't look into the past all the time, and yet I'm getting older every second. If I look to the past, my life will be meaningless," Rengoku said to himself, looking at the sun, rising up.
*End of the Flashback*
Tears fell to the ground, so did Yumiko. "I-I'm so sorry, Etsuko." Yumiko said. "I'm sorry Yumiko." Kyoujurou said. "Am I a bad Nee-san? I leave you and Etsuko behind!" Yumiko said. Then Rengoku hugged Yumiko tightly. "I know you left me behind but you have big wounds, so I don't want you to fight anymore and also your sister too, but it's too late." Kyoujurou said. "You can cry, let it out, if you want," Kyoujurou said. Yumiko cries until night time, Yumiko just strolling around. Then Yumiko's Kagusai crows said something to Yumiko.
"Caww! You will have a mission to defeat the demon in Asuki Village in the north west, Caww!" The Kagusai crows said. "Understood!" Yumiko said. The next day, Yumiko goes to Asuki Village in the west. "This is a very long journey," Yumiko said with a tired face. When she is walking, she looks at the Asuki village. Then she went running to Asuki Village.
Asuki Village
"Wow, this place is very huge and big!" Yumiko said. Then she went to an inn to get some rest. "Hi, can I have a room for one, please?" Yumiko asked the owner. "Oh, sure!" the owner said. Yumiko paid and went to her room. "Hah, what a tiring day!" Yumiko said. The night came, Yumiko hopped to the roof.
"I will see the demons in 10 minutes." Yumiko thought. The sound came to my head: "Ganbatte, Nee-san." The voice said. Yumiko is shocked that voice is similar to Etsuko, but Yumiko is still focusing on the mission. "That voice is like Etsuko but nevermind, I must focus on the mission." Yumiko thought. The demon appears. "It's my time to shine." Yumiko thought while smirking. Then Yumiko suddenly went down and walked quietly to the demon to reach the neck.
"Don't make a sound, or else I can't reach the neck." Yumiko thought. When Yumiko nearly hit the demon then Yumiko just put the sword in the demon's head and used the breathing. "Breath of Flower, 1st form: Little fall of petals!" Yumiko said. Then Yumiko slices the demon's neck. Yumiko goes back to her room and rests.
Akita, Butterfly Estate
The next day, Yumiko returned home safely. "Huh, phew, long journey again!" Yumiko said while tired. "Ara, do you need a drink?" Shinobu asked. "No thanks, Shinobu-sama!" Yumiko said.
Yumiko just sat and looked at the beautiful sky. "Huh, what a beautiful sky!" Yumiko said to herself. Then Mitsuko came by. "Oh, Mitsuko-chan!" Yumiko said. "Yes?" Mitsuko asked. "Is there something wrong?" Yumiko asked. "No." Mitsuko said. "Well, ok!" Yumiko said. "Well, look who is here!" The voice of a man said.
"Kyaa!" Yumiko shouted while shocked. "Oh, sorry I was only to surprise you" The voice said. "You scared me, Rengoku-san!" Yumiko said. "I'm sorry!" Kyojurou said while giggling. "Hmph!" Yumiko said. "Hahahahaha!" Kyoujurou laughed while patting Yumiko's head. "Don't do that again or I will kill you!" Yumiko said. "Hahaha, ok ok!" Kyoujurou said. while laughing again.
"How was your mission? Doing good?" Yumiko asked. "Kinda hard, but it's doing good!" Kyoujurou said while smiling at Yumiko. "Omg, He's very handsome!" Yumiko thought. "Why is your face turning red? Are you blushing?" Kyoujurou said. "Oh crap, he knows!" Yumiko thought. "Hm, mind explain, why is your face red?" Kyoujurou said.
"I-I eat... SPICY FOOD, yea spicy food, So my face turns red sometimes, hehehehe" Yumiko said while nervous. "Are you sure? Not because of me?" Kyoujurou said, teased. "N-No." Yumiko mumble. "Hm, ok then!" Kyoujurou said.
Then Kyoujurou whispers to Yumiko "I know you blushed because of me." Kyoujurou whispered. "Calm down Yumiko, Calm down." Yumiko thought, blushed. Yumiko said. "Hahahaha, I'm sorry." Kyoujurou apologises to Yumiko for whispering. "I-Its o-ok, R-Rengoku-san." Yumiko said, blushed. Then Rengoku left Yumiko behind and Yumiko just blushed harder. "Omg, This is my very first time he is super close to me" Yumiko said to herself.
Yumiko just went to her room and laid down. "Omg, I can't forget that scene." Yumiko said while blushing. "Ara, what happened to her?" Shinobu asked Kiyo. "Oh, well, today she met Kyoujurou-san, then Kyoujurou-san close to Yumiko-sama and whispered to her and Rengoku-san went home." Kiyo explained to Shinobu. "So, that's why she's happy?" Shinobu said. "Yes, Shinobu-sama." Kiyo said.
"Am I really in love with him? Yumiko said to herself, blushing below the blanket. "Hatsune-san! Someone is waiting for you outside." Naho said. "Who?" Yumiko asked. "The Flame Hashira!" Naho said. Again
"Alright! I will come outside!" Yumiko said.
(And the next chap will be published tomorrow :D)