Underneath the Beech Tree (Kyojuro Rengoku x teacher! reader)

Good Conversation

"So, let me get this straight- this is your first year teaching, and your class already has the best performance in the district?"

You blush and nod, taking another bite of baked sweet potato.

"I figure it's because I have the most recent training," you say humbly, looking at Kyojuro with a polite smile.  

"I'm sure that has something to do with it!" Kyojuro responds. "But I'm sure being a young, relatable young woman helps motivate your students!"

You laugh and wave your hand, embarrassed at the praise.

"I couldn't tell you!" you admit. "I only ever had older teachers back home!"

Kyojuro chuckles and raises a cup of tea to his lips, gazing at you with a sweet smile.

"Where are you from anyway, Miss l/n?" Senjuro asks, adjusting his seating position excitedly. "Your accent sounds different than ours!"

You grin and set your chopsticks down.

"I'm from Osaka!" you explain proudly. "I was born and raised there, and I attended school a little up North"

"Osaka!" Senjuro echoes, his eyes wide. "Why did you ever leave?"

Silence falls over the table as your kindhearted expression falters.

Senjuro suddenly looks quite embarrassed, but before he can apologize, you decide to answer the question.

"My father passed away shortly after I graduated," you say with a faint smile. "I never had any siblings, and my mother had passed away when I was very young, so I had nothing tying me to Osaka. When I was offered the job here, I gladly took it."

Senjuro and Kyojuro both nod in acknowledgement.

"I understand," Senjuro says softly. "My own mother passed away when I was quite young, and I often wish I could run off to some other town. Or even go on missions with my brother!"

"Aha!" you laugh. "Speaking of missions... how did your last assignment go, Kyojuro?"

Kyojuro crosses his arms over each other and grins.

"I'm surprised you'd want to talk about such a thing!" he calls. "Most people are too afraid to even acknowledge the existence of demons!" 

You shrug and tuck another piece of sweet potato into your mouth.

"I suppose I'm just some brave warrior," you jest.

Kyojuro laughs and leans a bit closer to you.

"My last assignment was up north," he explains slowly. "I was faced with not one, but three demons, two of which worked for the larger one. They were easy to take out, but the larger demon... it used it's hair to latch on to me and then it tried to suffocate me."

Kyojuro then laughs good naturedly and gives you a confident smile.

"Luckily," he finishes, "hair is very flammable!"

You laugh and raise your cup of tea in the air.

"Well, thank you for keeping us safe, Kyojuro!" you say happily.

"It's my pleasure," Kyojuro responds. "It is the duty of the strong to protect the weak. I'm just doing what I was born to do."

You blush at the boldness of Kyojuro's words and take a moment to mull it over in your head.

The strong are meant to protect the weak...

"Is that philosophy what made you want to become a demon slayer, Kyojuro?" you finally ask.

Kyojuro stares for a moment before looking up at the sky.

"I suppose it is," he says simply. "Our mother always encouraged us to follow our hearts and live our lives honorably... so becoming a demon slayer was a natural choice for me."

You smile and take a quick look at Senjuro.

"I'm sure your mother would be very proud of you two," you say gently.

Senjuro blushes, looking down at his hands and smiling slightly.

"Thank you, Miss l/n."

A moment of silence passes as you all continue to eat, then Kyojuro comes out with another question.

"So what made you want to become a teacher, y/n?" Kyojuro asks with a grin.

You pause for a few seconds, thinking over your response in your head.

"I suppose," you finally say slowly. "I wanted to do the same thing that you did. I wanted to help people."

You adjust your sitting position and clear your throat, preparing yourself for a short story.

"When I was little," you explain. "I was terribly lonely. After the death of my mother, I performed very poorly in school and lost many of my friends. It was my teacher, Miss Tanaka, that was able to help pull me out of my depression. She showed me a world full of hope and wonder, and it reignited my passion for learning. After that, I decided that I wanted to pay it forward. I told myself that if I ever saw a child in need, I would be right there, talking to them patiently and helping them get what they needed."

Senjuro smiles at you kindly while Kyojuro rests his chin in his hand.

"You've been very helpful and kind," Senjuro says happily. "I couldn't have asked for a better teacher." 

"And I couldn't have asked for a better student!" you reply with a grin.

Upon hearing this, Kyojuro laughs and gives you both an amused look.

"You two are so positive!" he booms, picking up his chopsticks again.

You all eat silently but comfortably for the next couple of minutes.

Then, an oddly mischievous look crosses Senjuro's face.

"Hey, Miss l/n," Senjuro asks loudly. "My brother was asking me earlier if you were married."

Kyojuro coughs and sputters, but you just laugh, a red flush creeping up your neck.

"I uh- no!" you finally say with a smile. "I'm not. Married, I mean, I'm not married."

"Senjuro," Kyojuro coughs, punching his brother lightly on the shoulder. "You can't just ask a woman these sorts of questions!"

"You wanted to know!" Senjuro insists, hitting his brother back.

As the two boys begin to bicker with each other, you let out another loud, genuine laugh.

This... is the most fun you've had in quite some time.