I was lost in thought as we were still on the rooftop as I planned out what I was going to do when nightfall came. It was easy to know that Uzui would probably be able to track down the demon but I was worried if he confronted the demon by himself that something bad would happen. I shouldn't be worrying about him since he was a Hashira but I couldn't help but worry. Looking at Tanjiro and Inosuke I clenched my hands when I remembered the tears that they had shead when we had almost lost Rengoku. I also thought about Zenitsu and about how scared he probably was right now, I had to hurry and act. It was the same story every time that we encountered demons. I spend too much time thinking and planning so the people around me get hurt but not this time. This time if anyone was going to carry wounds from this battle then it was going to be me. Feeling a smack to the top of my head I looked up to see Tanjiro looking at me with a frown on his face.
"Don't you dare think of doing something stupid like confronting the demon by yourself" Tanjiro said and I had to hold in my surprise. How did he know what I was planning?
"You act like we have only just met but I had known you since we were small. Ever since the accident with Aunt Hima you have tried to take everything onto your shoulders. You blame yourself for the smallest things and you try to do everything for everyone around you" Tanjiro said.
"We are strong as well so we can protect ourselves and fight against the demons," Inosuke said.
"We have your back and we aren't going to die so you don't have to worry about us so rely on us a little bit" Tanjiro said and I smiled behind my mask but I knew it was a fake smile.
"I know you won't die and that you have my back, I was actually lost in thought about Zenitsu, I hope that he is okay since he can get so scared sometimes" I said. Both of them looked like they didn't believe me.
"I'm not going to confront the demon by myself, you guys should know me better than that. I prefer to think and plan before attacking plus I have only just replenished my stock of medicine. I don't want to use it all on myself" I said and they nodded accepting it. I didn't like lying to them but I didn't have a choice right now, I had to stop everyone from being hurt.
"There is another thing that has me worried as well. The demon is never seen taking people so they have to have a way to get around the houses without being seen" I said. I hadn't seen Warabihime outside when I was performing as Little Sunshine and I have no doubt that if Uzui had seen her, he would know that she was a demon so she can't have been walking between the houses.
"Passageways?" Inosuke asked as they looked at me.
"Hikaru's right, he and Uzui have been patrolling outside the houses and haven't seen anything so since it's not coming in and out there's a good chance that the demon is working on the inside. If the demon is working inside and cleverly disguising itself as a human then it'd be all the more careful about killing people to make sure that its cover won't be blown" Tanjiro said.
"I get it, cleaning up after a murder would be a hassle and wiping away bloodstains would be a chore" Inosuke agreed.
"This is a nightlife district. It can be convenient for demons in more ways than one, but also just as inconvenient for them. They have to work at night. It would seem suspicious if they weren't around," Tanjiro said.
"You're right," Inosuke said.
"Zenitsu and Uzui's wives are probably still alive if that is the case, that means that we have to take that into consideration when attack the demon so that we can rescue them, that should be our first priority, I want you two to think about that as well when attacking" I said as I got up and walked over to the edge of the roof.
"But the most important thing that I want you two to do is....Don't die" I said, not turning to look at them.
"Heh everything you just said is what I was about to say myself" Inosuke grinned.
"He is right but remember Hikaru you can't die either" Tanjiro said and I smiled and nodded.
"Of course not" I said and with that we parted ways. They went back to their houses while I headed back to the Wisteria inn, there were a few things that I had to get ready before I tried to take on the demon.
I made sure that all of my make up was gone, I took of the kimono I was wearing and dressed in my Demon Slayer uniform along with my blue with white cloud's haori, tied my hair into a plait then twisted it into a bun before putting my box on my back and my mask on my face. Kuro had been nice enough to take a message to Riku to explain that I was leaving once again and that it was unlikely that we would meet again so I wished him and his wife well along with the baby that they were going to be having in the coming months. With all of that sorted out I grabbed my two katanas and put the smaller one across the small of my back and the other on my hip like normal and stood up. Warabihime, if that was the demon's name, was in the Kyogoku house so that was where I started. At least that was the plan until through all the other auras around I saw one that was slightly familiar. It was the aura of that demon-like thing that me and Inosuke had tried to catch and it was coming from the house that Tanjiro was in. Throwing everything to the wind I raced towards the house, my heart in my throat hoping that it wasn't going after Tanjiro. As soon as I thought that I wanted to hit myself, at least if the demon-like thing was after Tanjiro he would be able to fight it off.
"Miss Koinatsu?" I heard making me stop at the window. That was Tanjiro's voice so he wasn't being attacked. The demon-like aura had become hard to see but I could tell it was still in this house. Because of all the people and the emotions that they were feeling it was hard to single one of them out.
"Sumi-chan?" Koinatsu questioned.
"Forgive me for being so rude, I am leaving the Tokito house. Could you please give Master my payment for my food and lodging?" Tanjiro said as he took out an envelope of money and put it on the ground in front of him.
"Sumi-chan, the way you're dressed" Koinatsu said.
"I had to dress as a woman for certain reasons, but I'm actually a guy!" Tanjiro said.
"Oh, I already knew that, it was obvious at a glance and your voice. Plus your older brother, Little Sunshine told me" Koinatsu said.
"What?" Tanjiro asked, confused.
"I knew you were a boy from the start, I did wonder what you were up to but.....Little Sunshine told me so that I could make sure that you weren't sold off anywhere else or discovered" Koinatsu explained.
"You have your reasons, don't you? You and Little Sunshine were worried about Suma-chan for real, weren't you?" Koinatsu questioned.
"Yes, that's the truth, that was no lie. I promise you we'll rescue everyone who vanished!" Tanjiro vowed, his aura was burning bright with determination.
"Thank you, that sets my mind at ease a bit. You see I'm leaving this district tomorrow" Koinatsu explained and I smiled a little. Not everyone was like me, compared to a lot of people here I had it easy so to be able to get out of this district and lifestyle was a chance that you should never give up.
"Is that right? You must be so happy!" Tanjiro smiled.
"There's someone who would want even me as his wife, I really couldn't be happier right now! But that's all the more reason why I was worried sick about those I'm leaving behind. Even if I were to get a bad feeling about something, I have no way of even looking into it" Koinatsu said.
"No one can blame you for that, please don't worry about it. Please always keep a smile on your face," Tanjiro said.
"I don't want you to disappear either Sumi-chan. Also about Little Sunshine....When he leaves with you please tell him not to come back to one of these districts. If he does, there is a chance that he will be dragged into the worst kind of work that he can think off" Koinatsu warned. I didn't need her warning since I already knew that there was no way that Little Sunshine would ever appear again unless it was needed. I was lucky enough to make it out untainted the first time but coming back was a lot harder than I had told the others. The amount of times I had to defend myself rose quickly but I didn't want to tell them about that when they already had enough to do.
"Thank you, now then I'll be off. I wish you every happiness" Tanjiro said as he stood up.
"Thank you, you too Sumi-chan and Little Sunshine. I'm counting on you both to save Suma-chan" Koinatsu said.
"Right," Tanjiro said as he left the room.
I got onto the roof and started to scan everywhere for some trace of a demon's aura but since so many people were here since it was nearly dark I wasn't having much luck.
"Hikaru" called someone and I turned to see that Tanjiro had spotted me. I had hoped that he would be in a rush to get to Inosuke and not see me.
"Let's go, it's almost night time, we have to get to Inosuke's place fast!" Tanjiro said as I ran to catch him. That was when I turned and I saw it, the aura was back but it wasn't just the weird aura it was also Warabihime's aura.
"Wait Tanjiro" I called and he stopped and seemed to smell the air, it seemed he had picked up something as well. Now where was it? Where was it coming from? It was close by but....Oh no.
"Quickly, Koinatsu" I said and Tanjiro's eyes widened.
