Everyone was acting weird today. It's the eighteenth of May and there was nothing special going on. Tanjiro recently got back from a mission, along with Zenitsu and Inosuke. Though all three of them were acting weird as well, they got back yesterday and seemed normal. I don't feel right asking anyone what's going on, maybe I did something, I have changed. I talk more and do my own thing more so I may be annoying to others. Tanjiro, and Master scare me the most. Master ease with the butterflies and when she saw me walk over she gave a small bow and left. Tanjiro, whenever he sees me he gets jumpy and runs away.
"Zenitsu-" I tried to ask him.
"Ah! Kanao, sorry I'm a bit busy!" He interrupted and ran off, just like Tanjiro.
I definitely did something, the problem is me. Everyone is freaking out because of me. I knew I should have stayed silent, even Tanjiro, the one who told me to speak up, is avoiding me. He didn't want me around once he found how annoying I was. I felt my breathing start to shift, it was uneven. I tried to fix my breathing, tried to close my heart like it once was, but I couldn't. My breathing got worse and my vision went blurry as tears were starting to slowly fall. My knees grew weak, I was standing in the middle of the hall and soon fell to my knees. I grabbed my shirt where my heart would be, my other hand on the floor holding me up. Tears kept flowing, a lot were falling to the floor. My arms grew shaky as my breathing got worse, I couldn't gain control of it anymore.
"Kanao!" I heard someone yell. I knew the voice but couldn't think of who it was. I looked up but all I saw was a blur, the tears still flooding my eyes. "Kanao!"
I then feel a warm embrace. The person hugged me. My breathing slowed down a bit and my vision cleared enough to see who it was. Black and red hair and red eyes, the eyes of Kamado Tanjiro.
"Kanao! Are you alright?" Tanjiro exclaimed as he hugged me tighter.
What was happening, I thought he hated me now, why is he comforting me, why is he even here, Master said I was in charge since no one was going to be here.
"T-Tanjiro?" I asked, "why are you here? I thought you left?"
"I was told to get you." Tanjiro was holding my shoulders, looking me in the eyes.
"Oh, alright." I whisper. I watched him stand up and he reached his hand to me.
"Let's clean you up." He had the sweetest smile, it could make anyone melt. All my worries seemed like the last thing to worry about.
I grabbed his hand and he pulled me up. He started gently pulling me to a place, probably a room to 'clean me up' like he said.
"Here we are." Tanjiro pulled me into a room. I looked around and saw it was my plain, basic, room. He must have been pulling me into the bathroom.
When we entered the bathroom, I looked at myself in the mirror. It was embarrassing, my hair was a mess and my eyes were red and puffy with tear streaks down my cheeks. I felt extremely embarrassed that the first person to see me like this was Tanjiro. I saw Tanjiro approach me.
"Here, look at me." Tanjiro told me so I did. He was wiping my cheeks with a damp cloth. "Your eyes are less red and puffy so they should be fine by the time we arrive."
Tanjiro is a confusing person. He has sympathy for demons, protects his younger sister who is a demon, has an extremely rock hard head, a scar that changes almost all the time, a smile too good to be true, but the thing that confused me the most was what he said. 'Arrive'? Where were we to go, how come he said he was 'sent to get me', it made no sense.
Tanjiro let out a soft laugh that broke me out of my thoughts. "Your hair is a mess." He put the cloth down and moved his hands to my hair. "Here, let me re-do it."
He carefully took out the butterfly and let my hair down. "Umm, sorry, where is the brush?" He asked with embarrassment and scratched the back of his neck.
"Second-" I was about to finish.
"Ah! Thanks!" He exclaimed and opened the drawer.
He pulled out my brush and started brushing my hair. He was gentle, acastionaly his hands would brush my neck when he grabbed my hair. His hands were rough and warm but his touch was so gentle. I closed my eyes, I didn't need anything at that moment. All I wanted was to feel his gentle touch. I felt a smile come to my face, a small, happy, smile.
"Kanao." Tanjiro broke the silence.
"Hmm?" I hummed, keeping my eyes shut.
"Is it okay if we keep your hair down?" He asked.
I open my eyes. "Umm, will it look good?" I asked.
Tanjiro gave me a smile. "Of course! I mean look at you now!" He happily said with a full eye smile.
I look in the mirror. My hair is down maybe about mid-back, two strands shorter strands framing my face, my bangs fell right above my eyes. I would say I looked decent but definitely not any better. I looked at Tanjiro through the mirror, the smile he gave before never left his face, his eyes slightly more open then a second ago, his hair the same as always, his scar changed from his last mission with Uzui Tengen, it was bigger and a different shape. Overall, he was stunning, just his smile alone could attract anyone. I look back to myself.
"Do you like my hair down?" I asked, his decision will be mine.
He looked at me confused. "Ya up or down you look nice!" He then replaced the confusion with a smile.
My lips go into a thin line. He didn't answer it the way I wanted.
"But I say you should try new things! Your hair is always up so I thought you might wanna try something new!" Tanjiro added, his fingers ran through my hair.
It was decided. I will keep my hair down, for a few reasons, one, I like the feeling of him running his fingers through my hair, two, he was right on trying new things, three, I wanna make him proud of me.
"I'll keep my hair down." I told him, he seemed to brighten up a lot more if that was possible.
"Alright! Now your outfit!" He pulled me back into my room.
Okay, Tanjiro being confusing is normal but today is a whole new level, 'now your outfit'? What's next?
"To be honest I am not good with choosing clothes, Shinobu-sama chose this for me." Tanjiro said, pointing to his outfit.
He did have a different outfit, I didn't realize till now, probably from everything that happened. I walked up to my closet and opened it, there were a few kimonos and western style clothes, ones I never wore.
"Also, a Kimono was suggested." Tanjiro said. "I'll wait out here." And he left the room.
He left the room for me to choose. There were so many options. What was I supposed to do? I was only told kimono, not style or anything. Just follow my heart, what do I want to do? I looked through until I found one I quite liked. I grabbed it out of the closet and quickly put it on. It was a light pink with slightly darker flowers spread along it, and a light yellow obi and a white and orange wrap on the obi. I put on white socks and pink sandals, the same as the flowers.
I walk out of the room. I look at the floor with a light pink across my face.
"You look great Kanao!" Tanjiro exclaimed. "Now come on!"
Tanjiro grabbed my hand and slowly pulled me. His hand was warm and rough like before, it was so gentle, I didn't want him to let go. I held his hand back. He squeezed my hand lightly when I finally closed my hand around his.
"We are here!" He told me.
I looked at the building. It was one of the hashira estates, though I've never been so it was either mist, water, or sound. Tanjiro let go of my hand and walked in, he turned towards me.
"Enter when you want." He gave another of his sweet smiles. "And don't worry, you look great!"
He then entered and shut the door. Again, I was to make the decision, he was doing it on purpose huh. I slowly walked up the small flight of stairs and paused at the door. 'Enter when you want' so I probably don't need to knock, that's weird. I opened the door and saw darkness and no one around, not even Tanjiro. The lights suddenly flashed on.
"Happy birthday!" I saw everyone pop out of literally nowhere.
"Eep!" I yelped in shock, backing up a bit, and I bumped into someone so I looked back. "Tanjiro?"
"Hey Kanao! Happy birthday!" He patted my head.
I felt something hug my legs and look down to see Nezuko. Tanjiro then grabbed my hand once again and led me around to everyone before letting go.
"Now the ultimate decision!" Tanjiro said, just proving the point that it was all a plan of his. "I am heading to the back yard, join me if you want and take as long as you want."
He then ran off, not even Nezuko followed him.
"You look great." I heard Zenitsu mock Tanjiro while walking up to me. "Seriously, how does he do that! And so easily!"
Zenitsu just kept ranting about Tanjiro this and Tanjiro that.
"Kanao you want a drink?" Aoi asked me.
"Umm." I didn't know what to do, should I accompany Tanjiro or stay here. "Ya but give me a second."
I ran as fast as I could in the direction Tanjiro went. Don't get me wrong I love the kimono but it's hard to run in. I kept running until I found Tanjiro. He was sitting on the porch alone, he had a smile though it seemed sad his eyes also seemed so hurt.
"Tanjiro." I call out to him.
He looks in my direction.
"Kanao you came!" Tanjiro exclaimed, his sad and hurt look long gone.
"Did you want to talk?" I asked.
He nodded his head and patted the spot next to him.
"I just want to get to know you more." He told me and I sat down.
"Same."
(This is a late birthday for Kanao, about 4 days after her birthday so hope you like it)