Disclaimer: Demon Slayer is not mine. This fanfic is a translation.
Enjoy Reading!
---
In the courtyard, the Kakushi Building issued assignments.
The Kakushi hurried back and forth with anxious expressions, shouting to one another as they worked.
"Hey! The Butterfly Mansion needs more people again!"
"I'll go!"
"What's the status of the mission with the Water Hashira?"
"There's a risk of encountering an Upper Moon demon. Recommend sending additional personnel and delivering a message to Kamado-san."
"The Flame Hashira's mission location! Depart!"
"Yes, sir!"
Groups of Kakushi dressed in black uniforms filed out of the courtyard. They passed by Senjuro and headed down the mountain.
"So this is the Kakushi…" Senjuro turned his head, watching their figures gradually disappear in the distance.
They organize intelligence and information so quickly.
This was the logistics force of the Demon Slayer Corps.
'Could I… do this too?'
He withdrew his gaze, looked down, and straightened the hem of his clothing before walking toward the courtyard.
Then he timidly peeked inside.
Gripping the doorframe, Senjuro nervously looked into the doorway and raised his timid voice as much as he could.
"Um..."
But his voice barely lasted a moment before it was swallowed by the buzzing noise of the crowd.
"The Butterfly Mansion still needs two more people!"
"Why does no one want the safest job at the Butterfly Mansion!?"
The Kakushi hurried around the courtyard, crossing paths as they worked. Loud discussions about assignments filled the air, and it seemed no one had heard Senjuro's small voice.
"…Ah."
Seeing that nobody had heard him, Senjuro lowered the corners of his brows and sighed helplessly.
He clenched his fists as if encouraging himself.
'Everyone's busy. It can't be helped that they didn't notice me.'
"Oh! A child from the Rengoku family."
A passing Kakushi stopped. He instinctively glanced at Senjuro's striking hair color.
"Is something wrong?"
After a moment of thought, he pointed toward a team of Kakushi who had just left.
"Are you looking for the Flame Hashira?"
"The Kakushi accompanying the Flame Hashira just left. If you hurry, you might still catch them."
"N-no, that's not it." Seeing someone stop in front of him, Senjuro quickly shook his head and waved his hands.
"Excuse me, is this where you apply to join Kakushi's logistics division?"
He lowered his head, clutching the hem of his clothes and squeezing his eyes shut as he spoke with determination.
"I want… to become a Kakushi member."
The Kakushi froze for a moment.
If he remembered correctly, the Flame Hashira's second son was only about twelve years old.
And he's not planning to become a swordsman?
The man scratched the back of his head in confusion as he looked at Senjuro, but he still nodded.
"I see."
Turning around, he shouted toward someone not far behind him.
"Sayo!"
"Come here!"
"You're in charge of the new recruit today!"
Senjuro lifted his head and followed the Kakushi's gaze forward.
"Oh!! Coming!"
Already wearing a Kakushi uniform with her face partially covered by black cloth, Sayo waved her raised hand excitedly.
She squeezed past a few people and jogged over.
When Senjuro saw her clearly, he froze in surprise.
Because...
She looked about the same age as him.
So there were others like him who had already joined the Kakushi?
Senjuro felt a small sense of longing for his future life in the Kakushi.
In an unfamiliar environment, having someone with a similar personality or mindset often made things much easier.
"Hello! You're the one who wants to join the Kakushi?"
After greeting her senior, Sayo turned to Senjuro with a bright nod and a cheerful smile.
"It's noisy here. Come with me."
…
-Logistics Office-
Senjuro sat down, curiously looking around the room.
Sayo stood in front of him.
"Well then."
She held a small board with a neatly organized roster used to record members.
"Please tell me your name, your age, and your reason for wanting to join the Kakushi."
She remembered how flustered she had been when a senior asked her these same questions when she first joined.
'Well?'
'Were you scared by this strict atmosphere?'
Sayo cast a faintly smug glance at Senjuro.
'Go ahead, panic and get nervous~'
"It's okay, it's okay~ Every newcomer goes through this.'
'Heh heh heh~'
But contrary to her expectations.
"I understand." Senjuro nodded, taking a small breath before calmly speaking.
"My name is Rengoku Senjuro. I'm twelve years old."
"The reason I want to join the Kakushi is…"
He smiled gently.
"I want to help others."
Born into a prestigious swordsmanship family, Senjuro had received an excellent upbringing since childhood. His manners were impeccable.
When answering someone's question, you must smile and look them in the eyes.
You must look directly at them with a passionate gaze!
Only then will they feel your respect!
That was what his older brother had taught him.
Clatter.
Sayo blinked several times, not even realizing the pen she had been holding had fallen to the floor.
'That was so smooth!'
'And he's the same age as me!'
Listening to the boy, who was actually a little shorter than her, answer so fluently, Sayo was pouting silently.
Remembering how embarrassingly she had answered when she joined, she instinctively stepped back half a step and looked at Senjuro warily.
A total defeat!
She grabbed the front of her shirt as if struck through the heart.
After finishing his answer, Senjuro looked curiously at the stunned Sayo.
"What about you, senpai? Why did you choose to join the Kakushi?"
He raised his head.
"Was it also to help everyone?"
"Me?" Sayo froze.
Ever since joining the Kakushi, she had been asking around everywhere about a tall, thin monk with the surname Himejima.
But no one had ever asked her about this before.
No, no one would normally question the examiner during an entrance interview!
"…I'm different from you."
"I joined the Kakushi for my own sake."
Her lively mood dimmed slightly.
Compared to him, she suddenly felt selfish.
Her hand tightened around her chest.
…
…After that, I gathered information and finally came to the Demon Slayer Corps. But I still couldn't find him… That's basically it."
Sayo and Senjuro sat on stone stools at the entrance of the logistics courtyard.
Senjuro sat perfectly upright with both hands resting on his hakama, a textbook posture that contrasted sharply with Sayo's casual sitting position.
Listening carefully to Sayo's memories and explanations, Senjuro nodded in understanding.
"I see."
He turned to her.
"It's okay, senpai."
"That isn't selfish. It's guilt."
"Guilt?" Sayo tilted her head.
"That's right. Because you couldn't explain things clearly in time, a misunderstanding happened that couldn't be undone, and you never got to apologize properly."
Senjuro spoke from his own understanding, remembering his father once kneeling and crying before his mother's memorial.
"That's why you feel guilty."
"While you still can, you should explain everything clearly."
Noticing Sayo's gloomy mood, he continued gently.
"Don't worry, Sayo-san; things like this are never too late."
He turned back toward her, smiling softly.
"Hold onto what you believe in your heart and tell that person."
"The process may be difficult but—"
For some reason, an image of his father overcoming his despair and standing up again flashed through his mind.
The corners of Senjuro's lips lifted.
"I'm sure he'll forgive you and find his strength again."
"After all, you said he's someone brave and kind."
After speaking, Senjuro smiled apologetically.
"Sorry, senpai. I'm sorry for suddenly calling you by your name."
Sayo stared at his smiling face, unable to say anything.
After stammering for a long time, she could only press her lips tightly together.
Smack!
She grabbed her shirt again.
'Ah!'
'This kid!'
Sayo lowered her head and closed her eyes tightly.
'He's definitely an angel!'
"Oh, right."
As if remembering something, Senjuro turned toward her.
"Senpai, could you tell me that monk's name?"
His flame-colored hair shimmered in the sunlight falling from the wall. The boy smiled.
"Maybe I can help in some small way."
Snapping back to reality.
"His name…"
Sayo lowered her gaze as she recalled.
"Everyone called him 'Teacher.' I only know his surname."
"Himejima."
"I heard from the officials that the Master apparently rescued him… but other than that…"
"I'm not even sure he's actually in the Demon Slayer Corps. That's just my guess."
Her eyes grew dim.
So much time had passed with no news.
The teacher had always been frail and barely ate anything. If he were working in the Demon Slayer Corps.
Her face grew paler.
'Could it be… he already died to a demon…!?'
The thought terrified her.
"...Himejima?"
Senjuro's expression suddenly became strange.
He stared in surprise and asked again in disbelief.
"A monk with the surname Himejima?"
"Ah! Yes!" Sayo nodded quickly.
"He's very tall and very thin…"
After hearing Himejima, a monk and tall, Senjuro immediately nodded.
There was someone in the Demon Slayer Corps who perfectly matched those traits.
The Stone Hashira, Himejima Gyomei.
He completely ignored the word thin.
Senjuro suddenly stood up and looked down at Sayo.
"Senpai."
He nodded firmly.
"I know that person."
"…Huh?"
Sayo blinked.
"What?"
The boy's standing figure blocked the sunlight, yet the certainty on his face shone brilliantly even in shadow.
Sayo.exe stopped working.
…
…
A while later.
On their way to the Rengoku residence, Senjuro filled in Sayo on the current news in the Corps and Himejima.
"Teacher… actually became a Hashira…"
Sayo lowered her head, her trembling eyes full of shock.
"And the strongest one."
Thinking about the blurry figure who had once stood in front of her, constantly throwing punches to protect her, a thin mist filled her eyes.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"
Sayo sobbed quietly against the wall.
Suddenly she jerked upright.
"Hey! Senjuro, are you sure this is okay!?"
Looking flustered, she nervously adjusted her hair and glanced around.
"Are we really just going straight to Himejima-sensei's house like this?"
Even though she had always dreamed of this moment.
Now that it had actually arrived, she didn't feel excited like she imagined.
Instead, her heart was filled with anxiety and hesitation.
'What if Sensei doesn't accept my apology...?'
'What if he doesn't care anymore…'
'What if... he's forgotten about us entirely!?'
"What should I do?"
Sayo paced back and forth anxiously, staring at the ground.
"Caw! Caw!"
A Kasugai crow flapped down onto the eaves of the Rengoku House gate.
Looking at Senjuro, it announced.
"The Stone Hashira is at home and not on a mission. A visit is possible!"
"Thank you. Sorry for making you run the errand." Senjuro turned back to Sayo with a smile.
"See? Even the crow says it's fine."
Inside, he quietly felt relieved.
'Thank goodness Himejima-san is home.'
Growing up in the Rengoku household had given him a very sensitive heart, and he could clearly feel how fragile the girl in front of him was right now.
"Let's go."
---
-Himejima's residence—
"Meow~"
A white cat stretched lazily, arching its back and sticking out its tongue.
Just as it prepared to find a comfortable spot to sleep.
"Boooo—!!"
A hollow, awful blowing sound came from the courtyard.
Startled, the white cat jumped up with its fur standing on end.
"Meeow!!"
As if noticing the cat's discomfort, the terrible sound stopped for a moment.
Then.
"Boooo—!!"
As if unwilling to give up, it started again.
This time it wasn't just the cat reacting.
From the neighboring house came an elderly voice shouting angrily.
"You idiot, Himejima! Stop playing that awful shakuhachi!!"
Bang!
The courtyard gate burst open.
A white-haired old woman stood in the doorway, angrily gripping a broom.
Her cloudy eyes glared at Gyomei, standing in the middle of the courtyard with tears in his eyes.
"Namu Amida Butsu…" Gyomei murmured a Buddhist chant.
He held the shakuhachi flute, ready to play again.
Whoosh!
"Give me that flute!"
The old woman shouted and charged forward, swinging the broom.
Realizing the situation, Gyomei quickly dodged, and to keep his household cat from being caught in the chaos, his large, muscular body spun and dashed out of the house onto the street in an instant.
Thus,
Sayo and Senjuro arrived at Gyomei's house and stumbled upon a comical sight of the Stone Hashira being chased by an old woman with a broom.
"Stop right there!"
The old woman shouted furiously.
"Namu…" Gyomei ran ahead with tears at the corners of his eyes, hands clasped together while protecting his shakuhachi.
Sayo stared blankly as the two of them rushed past her.
She tugged at Senjuro's sleeve.
"…Senjuro."
Her voice shook as if she were on the verge of emotional collapse as she turned and shouted in disbelief.
"THAT GUY IS DEFINITELY NOT HIMEJIMA-SENSEI!"