To The Stars | Tokito Muichiro x OC

61 • Blood Red Flower District

"You know, now I understand why Inori-chan has no respect for you." Zenitsu deadpanned. "You're a delusional weirdo who likes to harass girls and even thinks he's good enough to have three wives."

Tengen punched Zenitsu right in the guts. "You damn foolish shitty snotty brat! I keep telling you that I do have three wives! Even the kid acknowledges my flamboyant wives!" More than she had acknowledged him, but Zenitsu didn't need to know that.

"Anyways, I have to sell you to House Kyogoku where Hinatsuru is." Tengen raked his hand through his hair, clicking his tongue. "Argh, dammit. This wouldn't be hard if the flamboyant kid is here. Compared to her, you guys are just plain ugly."

"Whose fault do you think it is, you old man?!"

With great difficulty and a lot of charming smiles, Tengen managed to get Zenitsu into House Kyogoku. The Thunder Breathing user was so pissed that he vowed to become the greatest oiran in Yoshiwara, completely forgetting his initial objective of infiltrating.

When he finally recollected his thoughts and simmered down his anger, Zenitsu finally decided to put his good ears to use. The madam died two days ago because she jumped off the roof, so everyone's gloomy and no one's talking. Not to mention the weird pressure in the air that was so thick that even Zenitsu felt it. But I should be able to hear something, especially since Inori-chan helped me hone my ears.

Zenitsu heard many things, someone asking for their hairpins, someone gossiping about their customers, someone complaining, someone fighting, someone barking orders, someone sniffling and crying.

"A girl is crying." Zenitsu didn't hesitate to make his way toward the source of the sound, completely forgetting to listen to anything about Hinatsuru. "That's a huge problem. An emergency."

He rushed towards the sound of sniffling and crying, arriving in a shipwreck of a room. He couldn't believe his eyes. The tatami floors were shredded, massive holes in the torn shoji doors, belongings and furniture toppled and scattered all over the floor, and some ceramic cups were broken as well. A little girl with bleeding lips and messy hair was crying in the middle of the room.

"Are you okay? What happened here? Is it a fight? Did a fight happen?" Zenitsu's loud voice only invited more cries and sniffles from the girl, causing him to panic even more. "Sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to yell! I'm not mad at you. I'm sorry. If you're worried about something, then I'll—"

"What are you doing in someone else's room?"

Zenitsu froze at the voice, or more specifically, the sound whatever this creature was making. A demon. It's the sound of a demon. A demon is right behind me right now. Cold sweat began to dampen the collar of his kimono. This is terrifying. This is not a normal demon. I've heard of it before. During the Infinity Train incident. It was faint at that time, but this...this...

This is the sound of an upper moon demon.

Sucking in a sharp yet quiet breath, Zenitsu resisted the urge to whimper. Why me? Why me? Why can't it be the brave Tanjiro or fearless Inosuke? Why must it be me? Zenitsu was trembling all over, drenched in cold sweat, and filled to the brim with fear.

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☆.｡.☆.｡.:*☆ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

"Zenitsu-san, you're a scaredy cat." Inori's words, coupled with a smile, stabbed through his heart like an arrow. "You're a scaredy cat, but that doesn't mean you're a coward, because you have never once run away from a fight, right?"

"That's not true, I ran away lots of time," Zenitsu admitted. "I'm just a talentless idiotic weakling who's wasting your time. I mean, I can't even do more than one form and Inori-chan can do multiple breathing styles. I can never be a pillar."