Wild Flower (Bleach × Demon Slayer)

12 - A Gathering Respite

This chapter features a certain character's appearance.

Enjoy and happy reading!

(Chapter unedited. There will be some mistakes.)

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A Gathering Respite

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"Seems like Muichirou is preoccupied with something. You might have to wait a little longer before he visits here again," Yuichirou had confided Kanao, telling her that her stay might be extended in his house which she actually expressed if she can still stay and the siblings for a little longer. "It's fine. Like I said, I don't hate it, it's just a little crowded. I can tolerate that," he assured despite his indifferent tone.

Kanao was thankful for that, and she expressed her gratitude by silently making chores around his house. The siblings eventually joined her endeavor to clean the house, wipe the floor, and take out the trash despite how little that was on the bin. "Onee-chan was grateful to Yui-nii-san, that's why we have to help you!" Teruko had reasoned, along with the nod from her brothers. Kanao had no reason to stop them, although, she did intent of doing the chores by herself. Well, in a perspective, the siblings was also freeloading so it would make sense that they would help her.

Walking around in Yuichirou's house, it occurred to her that this was probably the first time she stayed in a house. A real, proper house compared to her tent back in 14th District. Kanao can vaguely remember that she hadn't stayed in a house like this: a well-built wall, a proper hinged door, an unbroken window—everything in this house was not something she should have stayed. On a second thought, this house seemed like an out-of-place for Rukongai.

His brother probably funded the house, Kanao reasoned. Muichirou was a shinigami, of course he would have enough money to give Yuichirou for a proper house.

Kanao didn't count how many days they had stayed in Yuichirou's house, but she assumed that it was nearly a week. She silently wondered what the shinigami was preoccupied about that it took him this long to come back in his twin brother's house.

"Can't sleep?" a voice asked behind her. Kanao turned to look at the still-awake Yuichirou, his dark hair and dark green eyes illuminated by the light of the moon. She was outside, standing at the backyard of the house, looking up to the night sky before she was disturbed by his appearance. "Well, we, as souls, doesn't really get tired," Yuichirou remarked, standing beside her. "Despite that, we're used to live like a human where we sleep, eat, mingle so I guess it's just an old habit refusing to leave us."

"I do get tired," she bluntly told him before she realized.

"I know that," he said matter-of-factly. "Yuichirou was like that too. Well, it's just the difference between who had the potential and those who are not."

Kanao glanced to her side, seeing an indifferent look in Yuichirou's face. They're really similar, she thought contemplatively. It wasn't because their appearance was similar, but the way the twins can bluntly talk what was on their without any care of anyone's opinion. She can still remember Muichirou criticizing Inosuke and the sharp words he threw like a dagger. "Yuichirou-san," she started. "Do you... want to become a shinigami?"

He scoffed. "Shinigami? No way. I'd rather kill myself than become a shinigami."

She blinked. Isn't his brother...?

"You're probably thinking that my brother is a shinigami, why shouldn't I like them?" He instantly saw what was on her mind. "You're probably not going to believe this but Muichirou hated them too. In order to know what was going in his state, he had no choice but to take care of the role he hated."