Give Life a Chance

Chapter 38 - The Old Giyuu

With Giyuu.

"Tomioka-san, what's wrong?" Mitsuri asked.

Giyuu turned and looked at her, finally noticing her presence. He was shocked by her and shuffled backwards. Mitsuri recoiled at the sight of him. He looked almost like a wounded animal. His eyes red and bloodshot from the crying, his typically calm and cool blue eyes full of panic, and his expression... one of pure pain.

"What happened?" Mitsuri asked.

Giyuu wiped his face and stood up.

"I.... I.... She...." Giyuu stuttered.

"Tomioka-san..." Mitsuri said. She walked up to him and hugged him.

Giyuu stood there unmoving and continued to cry.

"You'll be okay. Whatever happened you'll find a way to fix it." Mitsuri said.

Giyuu continued to stand silent, not sure what to do. Mitsuri held the hug for a couple of minutes, neither saying a word.

"No. I won't." Giyuu said.

Mitsuri stepped back and looked at Giyuu. His face was one void of emotion once again, the hope that had once made its way into his eyes had vanished. The old Tomioka Giyuu was back.

"And I was stupid for thinking I deserved something." Giyuu said, turning and walking away.

"Tomioka-san wait. It's okay. You two are so close you can come back from this." Mitsuri pleaded.

Giyuu turned around and looked at her, the vulnerability he showed early completely evaporated and Mitsuri knew there was nothing she could do.

"Thank you for your concern, but it is not necessary." Giyuu said.

Giyuu walked away leaving Mitsuri stunned and shocked.

"Kanroji. Can you get Giyuu and Kocho? Oyakata-sama wants a word with the Hashira before we all leave." Tengen said, walking through the exit.

He noticed Mitsuri's saddened face and looked around the area seeing that Shinobu and Giyuu were gone.

"What happened?" Tengen asked.

Later that Day at the Butterfly Estate

The Kakushi had arrived and entered the property. Tanjiro was awake, but exhausted on one of their backs. The other Kakushi began to breathe heavily, carrying Nezuko's box for such a long time was very tiring.

"Hello! Is anyone home?" One of them called out.

"HELLO! IS ANYONE HOME?" They repeated.

"Geez, I guess no one is coming to the door." The other said.

"Let's go check the yard, this is a big property they may not have heard us." The first one replied.

The Kakushi began to walk around the perimeter of the estate.

"Geez, surely you can walk on your own now." The Kakushi carrying Tanjiro said.

"Sorry. It's just... my whole body is aching right now and it's a bit hard to breathe." Tanjiro responded.

The group kept walking and Tanjiro was in awe of the estate.

"Wow, the headquarters was huge too, but this mansion is something else." Tanjiro said.

"This is the main hospital and recovery centre for the Demon Slayer corps. It is also where Lady Kocho lives. The Hashira are granted such land in return for their services. So you would be wise to start watching yourself around them." The Kakushi said.