𝐌𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐦 ~ 𝐆𝐢𝐲𝐮𝐮 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐨𝐤𝐚

Chapter 14

The analogy of rain washing away the dirt of our life has always been mesmerizing to me, the way the water represents nurture yet when it's took much it can drown us before we realize.

I think that's a good way to also represent the Water Hashira, as the waters connect rivers to ponds to lakes and oceans; Koji was the friendly one among the Hashiras despite sometimes not knowing how to approach people he always found a way to do so.

Between Y/N and him, he was the one that tried to talk to people most of the time not because the Star Hashira didn't want to but she had the wide range fighting style in case someone wanted to harm them while Koji was the close-distance-attacker type, so having someone to look out for the surroundings while one aid the wounded was a nice combination that he was glad for.

Coming from a humble family, Koji was more of a peace maker like Tanjiro but still his introversion showing in the surface like fishes in a lake. Unlike Y/N whom apparently came from a well-spoken family or that was the idea she gave the moment someone spoke to her, she had manners and always controlled her tone and the words she used.

Sometimes it looked like it was rehearsed rather than her real self.

It was the usual day as their comrades headed to missions and a few training their tsugokus.

Koji remembered that day perfectly.

Two crows landing on their swordsmen to inform that there was a demon in a village from the south, his presence and Y/N's we're needed as soon as possible, both heading immediately to the place.

They saved the people they could and found out the ones that were trapped underground by the creature's blood art, one of them amused by Y/N's strength and confidence in her job.

He didn't managed to see her in action but wanted to know more about her, she looked so unapproachable in her uniform as if she was someone from another planet yet the way she talked to the elders and kids with such compassion and motherly tone, pull out a few strings of his heart.

It was that much, that a few days later during a mission; Koji encountered the man and with a flushed face and trembling hands, asked for her name to him. That man didn't look desperate whatsoever, but more like intrigued by the woman yet Koji told him he was no one to tell anything about her friend without her consent.

So, he told the man that I he really wanted to know her, he should follow him where she was at that moment and ask for it herself. Of course, that terrified him to the bones as rejection was now a fact and she had all the rights to do so.

But that's how things are, you know? You have to take that leap of faith and see how things turn out, because if the scenarios only live in our mind then we can't be completely sure how the events would have been in reality.

And so, the man accepted Koji's terms following to the small village the Star Hashira was helping back then.

He was clumsy and a stutter mess around her but she didn't find it uncomfortable or annoying, instead she thought it was because she was the one that saved him and he wanted to word his gratitude.

Yet it was more than that, later he let it show and so did she as little by little the flower buds opened to show the beautiful flowers that were hidden, love fluttering like butterflies around them. Years later getting engaged and soon to be married.

"Y/N? What are you doing here?" Asked her friend after watching her heading to Ubuyashiki's State.

"I am announcing my leave to a mission to Oyakata-sama, why are you asking that as if I am doing something weird?" She stared at Koji who was still confused by her presence.