Our Halcyon Days || Reader x Tanjiro | RESUME 2022!

* f o r t y - s e v e n *

The room was empty, save for yourself.

A warm cup of osmanthus tea sat untouched on the table in front of you. It was filled to the brim. Were you not in such a horrid mood, you'd like to have a taste.

When you'd first woken up, and Tanjiro told you the 'truth,' you'd accepted it right away. Almost drowned. Coma. Memory loss. Alright. It was difficult, but you could deal with that. You were not so uneasy that you'd lose your footing forever, but now... things were different, and they'd become a lot more dangerous. Your own fate had been wrenched from your hands, leaving you even more helpless than before.

Tanjiro, who had comforted you in your hour of waking, was now someone to be wary of. If that whole accident thing wasn't true, then just why did he give you that heartfelt apology? Was it for not telling the truth, or something more sinister?

And if there was an option to return your memory, why did he seem against it?

Granted, he stood up for me against that crazy man. I'll thank him later, but I really don't know what he's thinking.

You wanted to talk to Shinazugawa though you despised him. It seemed you weren't on the best of terms in the past, either.

You drummed your fingers impatiently on the floor. You were sweating, driving yourself crazy, all alone in that room. What were they discussing without you?

There's no one here to watch or guard me, and they thought I'd sit still?

Against their instruction, you slid open the door and crept along the hallway. It was almost dawn now, and the light of the sun was gentle and welcoming in spite of the events just a few hours past. When muffled voices reached your ears, you carefully drew towards the chamber they were coming from.

Stopped just before the door, you pressed your ear to the wall.

"I promised her an explanation, but..."

You grimaced. Of course, this gentle speaker was Tanjiro.

"I can't bring myself to tell her. I want her to stay safe. Is that too selfish of me?"

There was a soft laugh, and the chiming voice of the petite woman followed.

"Of course it is."

You flinched. Those obvious words, spoken with a gentle tone, caught you off guard.

"Your affection for her is adorable, but in truth... it's getting a bit in the way."

Affection?

Though the word piqued your curiosity, Tanjiro neglected to address that part of her statement.

"I'm sorry, Shinobu. I want to tell her. I'm the one who wants to tell her the most! But the way things are now, with no leads on Ren... things feel impossible."

She hummed, pensive.

"Well, thanks to Shinazugawa, she's bound to figure things out eventually. And as you said, you owe her an explanation."

"Yes, but—"

He halted abruptly, mid-response. There was some shuffling before you heard someone walking to the door. No longer intending to hide yourself for any longer, you stepped up to the entrance to greet them.

The door opened, and you looked upon Tanjiro's concerned face with little emotion of your own. In truth, a storm of complicated feelings welled up inside you, yet all you could muster was cold indifference.

"For not wanting me to know anything, you two sure talk loud..."

You winced internally at your prickliness. But you were hurting, and certainly petty enough to make it known.