House of Wisteria

Chapter 047

| Welcome to the Honorable Ones pt2 |

From Hosu City, Japan, to the forest of Tsuru o Burasage, the walk there was long yet no one minded nor complained. A long and clear pathway was paved for the Demon Slayer Corporations' to get through (after many continuous demands from hero students and the majority of the Pro-Heroes). No civilians were on the roads or sidewalks, just them. With the remaining Ubuyashiki members leading in front, the two Hashiras at their sides, the two retired Hashiras walking behind them, and the rest of the Corporations' following suit with some Pro-Heroes on the sidelines. Behind the mob of people were endless caskets, with four decorated with flowers in front of them all. It was quiet and solemn, too lost in thoughts and drowning in sorrow to strike conversation.

Peering into the sky, Shinazugawa Sanemi clicks his tongue in annoyance. "If it were up to me, I would've given them a sight to see."

"Haha! How flamboyant! I wanna hear them pop!"

"Just a little longer," says Ubuyashiki Kiriya. He looks around his surroundings, taking in the scenery. "I'm sure at night, these would look breathtaking."

Night. That was right. Demons are of no more now, they could now walk freely in the night. No need to be on guard or look everywhere around you. No restless nights neither. They were free.

"I-uhh.. I think so too," says Uzui Tengen.

"This place is unlike our own," says Tomioka Giyuu. "It's strange but nice."

Shinazugawa Sanemi rolled his eyes. "Strange is an understatement."

"During your time here," says Ubuyashiki Kiriya, looking towards the white haired man; "What do you think of it, Shinazugawa-San?"

"Loud. Full of shit. A joke, a farce."

Uzui Tengen blinks. "Wow."

And yet, despite the negative commentary, Shinazugawa Sanemi's eyes softens and a small smile graces his face. "But their body language was content, calm. There was a certain glow in their eyes. I figured if that's the effect, then it can't be all tomfoolery."

Ubuyashiki Kiriya smiles. "Is that so?"

"I'm sure," starts Rengouku Shinjurou; "If Iguro-Kun and Kanroji-San was here, a big celebration would've been had when we got back."

"Oh yeah! My wives and I would've helped planned the most flamboyant, greatest and grandiose wedding of all time! Might even give ours a run for the money!"

"Kyoujurou and Senjurou would be so excited about the idea."

"I'm sure they'd be amazing groomsmen."

A bittersweet yet heartfelt silence covered them all, imagining what-if's and what could have been. So many wonderful, talented, loving and gifted lives were taken away from and was robbed of.

"I might've worked the courage to court Kochou," says Tomioka Giguu aloud absentmindedly.

"What?!" Exclaims Uzui Tengen in surprise.

"Motherfuckers, I knew there was something going on with you two."

"Wow, wow, wOw! I wouldn't have never expected that coming from you, Tomioka! Very flashy, but underhanded."

"... I didn't wanted to commit to something with limited time." The two married men's eyes clouds with understanding and sorrow. They too knew the risks and sadness of love when demons still roamed was a liability. "It would've been too much for both of us, and also unfair." Tomioka Giyuu looks up to the skies, saying, "Besides, Kochou deserved someone so much better to be with than I and her together anyways."

"Oh bullshit," says Shinazugawa Sanemi; "Don't go deciding for her. You should've took your chances." 'What a hypocritical thing to say,' he thinks to himself. He had no rights to say these things when he himself did not take his chances with the woman that he loved. Only when she was gone from the mortal realm had Shinazugawa Sanemi finally realized his feelings and felt ashamed of himself for his cowardice. "If you had, at least later down the road, you wouldn't need to be regretting on what you should've and shouldn't have done." Saying these unspoken, wise words made him think back to his brother. Oh gods, his brother. He should have had made up with him and spent more time with him, instead of being stubborn and ignored his existence.

"Yeah. Yeah, I should've. But I didn't."

Time was a common but strong enemy anyone and anything faces in their lifetimes. A just yet cruel thing. And no one can stop it, rewind back nor skip forwards-for time waits for nothing.

"... I heard Himejima-San went off with a smile," says Uzui Tengen, trying to relieve the tension.

Ubuyashiki Kiriya smiles, saying, "I'm glad."

"These newer and younger generations of Slayers," says Rengouku Shinjurou; "Albeit naïve and weak, without them and their efforts, we wouldn't have lived to see this day. Our numbers would've dwindled faster than we had already then."

"Speaking of newer and younger generations," says Uzui Tengen with a smirk; "What was it that you said about Tanjiro~?"

Ears flushed with embarrassment and anger, Shinazugawa Sanemi shouts, "Fuck off!"

Everyone laughed. Rengouku Shinjurou smiles with a faraway look in his eyes, saying, "Truthfully speaking, without him or his sister, the two major factors that ultimately helped pushed us closer to defeating Kibutsuji Muzan."

"Don't forget Fuji-San," says Tomioka Giyuu.

"Oh for sure! Without those three, we'd be back to square one!"

"It was due to this generation's efforts that we had made it thus far and surpassed expectations," says Ubuyashiki Kiriya.

"Awe man," says Uzui Tengen aloud. He was choking on his words, but none had the heart nor mind to point it out, rather letting him continue. "Muichirou and Fuji could've been living out their entire lives right now." The Corporations' two youngest Slayers known to record died honorably, but at what cost? Both would have had decades to have lived on, yet it was those demons that thwarted the possibility of tomorrow. "Man, it was so hard to hear those two keep saying there wasn't any use to think about the future, that they'll die anyways. Muichirou, Fuji-all the Slayers-could've had so much more. They're all kids but was forced to grow up and mature quicker than others their age."