To The Stars | Tokito Muichiro x OC

Bonus Chapter: Kanamaru Special

"I dream of a future where everybody is alive and happy." He remembered the feeling of calloused fingers gliding through his feathers, and he remembered her soft voice. "Isn't a bright future such a beautiful thing to hope for, Kanamaru?"

Kanamaru has many homes now, but at the same time, he no longer has a home. The Star Estate where he and Inori used to call home now belonged to Aoi since she had married Inosuke and needed a place of her own. She had asked for permission from Kanamaru to live in that estate, and Kanamaru had allowed her that without a second thought. Aoi was Inori's sister in everything but blood, and she was someone Inori had entrusted the future to, so Kanamaru didn't feel sad to give that estate to her.

He no longer had a place he could call home because his home was with Inori, and her alone. Wherever she wanted to go, that was his home. So, Kanamaru chose to travel from one place to the other, going as far as he could before eventually coming back. Because Inori wanted to see the world, because she wanted to travel the world.

"You're here again, Kanamaru." The crow lifted his head, looking at Aoi who was walking slowly towards him, an umbrella held tightly to not get snow on herself. The woman stopped in front of the grave, holding the umbrella between her shoulder and neck so she could brush away the snow piled on top of the headstone. "If Inori had survived, she would've been twenty-four now, right?"

Yes, that was how old she should've been. He wondered if she would've gotten married. He wondered if she would choose marriage over traveling, and whether Muichiro would still follow her wherever she wanted to go. He wondered what kind of names she would give her children if she had them, would they be a girl or boy, and would they inherit her beautiful silver-rainbow hair. But even if the stars twinkled brightly every night, Kanamaru knew that Inori was gone from this world, and that future would never happen in his life.

"I wonder what kind of name I should give this child." Aoi placed her hand on top of her stomach, smiling softly. "Inosuke comes up with the most horrible names, it reminds me of when Shinobu-sama tried to create a name for Kanao." She chuckled at the memory because even Kanae was shocked by the names Shinobu had suggested. "I was thinking of Arisa for a girl, the kanji for love, dignity, and cherry blossoms. If it's a boy, I'd like Itsuki, the kanji for one and hollyhock." She hummed. "Hashibira Arisa and Hashibira Itsuki. Sounds wonderful, right?"

"Caw. Hollyhock is from the Aoi plant." Inori used to ramble everything she learned about plants to him, and Kanamaru remembered most of them. "Cherry blossoms because they'll be born in spring. It's beautiful."

"I'm glad to hear that." Aoi let Kanamaru perch himself on her shoulder, stroking the crow's head. "Now, let's go back, shall we? It's Medicine Day, after all."

Medicine Day was the day the marked former demon slayers needed to take their monthly medicine. There were many healthier and younger crows who could do this job, but Kanamaru always insisted that he be the one who delivered the medicine to them. The medicine was the realization of Inori's wish for everyone to have a bright future, so Kanamaru felt like he had an obligation to make it really come true.

"Are you sure you want to do it this year too?" Aoi asked as she strapped the six packets of medicine onto the crow's back. "It might storm today, and you're not as young or healthy as you used to be. It's okay to let others take on this job, you know. Inori will still appreciate everything you have done for us."

Kanamaru shook his head. Inori had dedicated more than her life to this world, and she had died for this world. It wouldn't do for Kanamaru to be defeated by something as minuscule as a storm and age. Besides, it has been a while since he last visited some of the former pillars, and he heard the Uzui and Iguro families were meeting up for another playdate between their children.