Amane stood up and opened the sliding door, a group of Hashiras then flooded the room and greeted Ubuyashiki as they knelt down and bow their heads.
Ubuyashiki smiled in satisfaction seeing his children well and alive, and in addition, their is a certain someone that will be joining their ranks.
"Goodmorning, my children." Ubuyashiki softly spoke. "In this Hashira Meeting, I am glad to announced that a slayer have climbed up the Hashira rank and shall be joining you today."
The crowed was filled with anticipation, except for Kyojuro who already knew who will it be. Nonetheless, he smiled widely as he waits.
"Rengoku, Fuyuko."
Fuyuko then stood up and proudly face the other hashiras behind her.
"She is now the 10th Hashira:" Ubuyashiki declared. "The Ice Pillar."
After Ubuyashiki's announcement, Fuyuko then found herself in another celebration, it was like what happened last night just repeated, but this time it is for her honor as the new hashira.
"For the Ice Pillar, Rengoku Fuyuko!" Tengen flamboyantly blared as he held his cup of alcohol.
"For Fuyuko!" The pillars happily toast while some just stayed silent like Fuyuko.
The ice hashira stared at the alcohol in front of her as she contemplated wether to drink it or not. She's not really a drinker, she already drank a few cups last night in means to not offend her companions but drinking again in an early morning is not really up to her taste.
Then she finally decide not to drink it, she already drank with them last night, she won't force herself in something she doesn't like.
"Is something wrong, Fuyuko?" Kyojuro's hush voice suddenly snapped Fuyuko from her train of thoughts.
"Your spacing out." He added while looking at her, worried.
Fuyuko didn't say a word and just pushed the cup of sake sideways towards her husband.
Kyojuro immediately knew what she meant and gave her a reassuring smile before raising the cup to his mouth and drinking the content with just one gulp.
Halfway to the party, Kyojuro then excused himself along with Fuyuko. Tengen wasn't pleased at all but after hearing Kyojuro's explanation that he needs to introduce his wife to his father and brother, Tengen understood and just let them go.
Fuyuko's ears perk upon Kyojuro's explanation, this news was so sudden. He never told her about this, but does it really matter to her if she gets his family's approval.
This marriage is just a coincidence that neither of them planned nor expected, and now she will soon meet the current head of the Rengoku clan, Shinjuro Rengoku.
She could never forget that name. Why? Because her father always cursed the said name like a rat skinned alive while beating her into a pulp.
With Tengen's approval, the couple then walk side by side towards the Flame Estate. The road was a comfortable silent, their are rarely any people passing by.
The sky is very blue with cotton white clouds, the sun shines beautifully high up, and the wind blows gently every now and then. Lightly swaying both white and golden hairs.
"The weather is lovely." Kyojuro complimented with a smile, hoping to spark a conversation with Fuyuko.
But Fuyuko only hummed as she nodded without a word.
After that, their travel was filled with comfortable silence. Fuyuko didn't say a word and Kyojuro respect his wife's introverted side as he too stayed silent to not annoy her.
When they were halfway to their destination, Fuyuko then felt the cool air blew from a certain direction causing the hair in her neck to stand erect from the sudden graze of the wind that seems to lure her.
She abruptly stopped and instantly whipped her head towards the borders of trees where lies an obscure path that not many could notice. Nevertheless, Fuyuko immediately eyed the said path that are abstracted by bushes and trees like she have once walked its grassy way.
A feathery feeling of familiarity stroke Fuyuko's senses like a soft brush, yet, the brush stroke no color in the blank canvas, reflecting Fuyuko's mind that do not recall any memory of her seeing the obscure path that leads to mystery in the shady woods of summer days.
She couldn't help but be curious of what lies ahead as the wind continued to silently call her name.
A invisible string is pulling her deeper to the path - there is something beyond its curtain that she unwarily longed to go. Where lies a piece that she have been missing.
Finally deciding to follow her senses, she bolted to the woods, running along the path as the dreamy daze of deja vu pass through her like the stream of cool wind that is blowing her blue-streaked white hair while she ran directly to whom who calls.
Then she halted, stopping by a large green tree in a grassy knoll that overlooked the wide field of wild summer flowers that colorfully painted the green grassland.
There is flat medium sized rock beside the tree, and Fuyuko could see a white-haired girl with cold azure eyes sat alone under the shade as she watched the flowers bask in the sunlight for hours.
Until a blond boy with bright golden-red eyes suddenly approached her. He gleefully smiled at her as he brought up a handful of puffy dandelion seeds.
The boy then exhaled a mouthful of air and blow as hard as he could, the dandelion seeds then scattered away towards the girl. It hovered near her while dancing gracefully in midair like snowflakes, yet, it doesn't melt in her touch as it landed on her pale palm like a feather.
The boy laughed happily while the girl just silently stared with hidden adoration at the dandelion seeds that beautifully floated around her.
Fuyuko blinked and they instantly vanished, just like how everything changed so sudden in her life like a page being flipped without even reading its words. It was very unexpected and abrupt, that Fuyuko didn't even notice what she have left behind. And that is the memories of the only blessing of her lonely childhood life.
She finally remembered, it all came back to her like a rushing river. Then followed by a question to herself of how did she forget those wonderful days? How did she forget this place? And most of all, how did she forget him?
"Do you still recognize this place, Fuyuko?" Kyojuro's voice gently asked from behind.
He was following her the whole time, immediately noticing when she suddenly stopped walking beside him and bolted to the forest.
He know very well that this path leads to this sanctuary like the back of his hand, since he visited this place countless of times from spring to winter, patiently waiting for someone... and now she's finally here.
"This is where we always meet," Fuyuko answered but she didn't face him. "and the place we first met."
The sound of footsteps approaching made her turn her head to see Kyojuro near her with a smile but this wasn't his usual smile, it was the most gentlest smile she saw with red-golden eyes brimmed with joy and mixed emotions.
He suddenly embraced her, wrapping his broad arms around her slim figure as he buried his face to the crown of her hair, inhaling her scent of fresh winter and sweet jasmine.
"I've been waiting for you, Fuyuko." Kyojuro softly said. "I'm glad you're finally back."
The happiness of his voice resonated in Fuyuko's ear, he is grateful. And the hint of longing in his tone is enough to make her heart felt a pang of guilt for ever leaving him without saying a word.
Without a second thought, she also wrapped her arms on his and rested her head in his chest. She closed her eyes, savoring every sweetness of this moment as a smile slowly made its way to her pale pink lips.
For 12 years, she finally managed to smile again. She could feel he heart fluttering in joy while finding peace and comfort in his arms that held her firmly.
"I'm home." She softly said with overflowing happiness in her once monotone voice.
"Thank you for fulfilling your promise, Kyojuro."
It was a sunny day of autumn, when little Fuyuko and Kyojuro met again under the shady tree. They have gotten close after countless months of meetings and now Kyojuro is telling her about his dream of becoming a Demon Slayer.
"I want to be as strong like Father!" He exclaimed with excitement and adoration sparkling in his eyes. "To protect people from the demons."
"What about you, Fuyuko?" He then suddenly asked her. "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"My future is already laid before me." She answered while fixing her white scarf. "I would become a caring, obedient, and well-mannered wife."
"Is that really what you want?" Kyojuro skeptically asked.
"That is all I know." She monotonously replied. "And that is all what I ever be."
"Are you sure?" He skeptically asked for the third time.
Fuyuko nodded.
"Then, will you be my wife?" He smiled.
Fuyuko's eyes widened in surprise before whipping her head to the smiling child beside her that just asked her to marry him out of nowhere.
She was speechless for a moment and when she regained her composure, she immediately discarded little Kyojuro's proposal.
"I doubt that I will be your wife." She commented. "It's impossible. Our clans our rivals, remember."
Kyojuro pouted. "Nothing is impossible. You just need to believe."
He then placed his fist above his beating heart as he smiled once more while looking straight at Fuyuko's azure irises.
"I, Rengoku Kyojuro, promise to be your caring and loving husband in the future, Kazahan Fuyuko." He vowed before giving him a sweet close-eye smile.
Fuyuko's world seemed to slow down upon his sudden declaration of an heartwarming act that seems impossible in her perspective.
But even though she rejected the thought of it happening, she can't deny that in that short moment of childish proclamation, she believed him.