Shinobu's legacy

Chapter 23

Choko's POV

'Knock, knock'

With Emiko's crow on my shoulder I hold up her katana now wrapped in her haori in front of her family's apartment door. The corpse cleaned my haori so I'm in uniform but clipped my mask to my belt. I trust they know to keep the corpse business a secret.

Before I could knock again a high pitched "Coming." came from inside.

Steadying my posture I prepare myself to do what I've done so many times but never gets easier. As the door opened a tall lean woman stood in front of it. Silk black hair and those beautiful silver eyes.

So this is what Emiko would have looked like. It feels like I'm looking at the very thing I failed to protect, her future. She's wearing a messy apron with purple stripes on it and her hair in a messy bun.

Dusting herself off she looks down at me with a sweet face. "How may I help you?"

Not saying anything I let her take in my appearance as I held out Emiko's katana. "Mrs. Agawa, I'm so sorry."

I watch as her sweet face quickly turns into one of horror, an endless stream of tears now coming out of her eyes. She shakingly retries her daughter's katana and looks down at it, tears plopping onto the haori.

Not being able to say anything, she collapses on the ground hugging the katana and lets out a scream that will never be able to get out of my head.

The scream of a parent who's lost their child.

"My baby! No, no! M..my baby E..emi!"

Getting down on my knees I bow down in the Dogeza position. She doesn't need some stranger comforting her right now.

And so we stayed like that, me bowing down and her crying her heart out. With my head still down I looked to the side and saw the sun start to set. Once it was dark the crying seemed to die down.

Now hearing only sniffling I feel my hands being raised, my face now in front of Mrs. Agawa's. She squeezes my hands looking up at me with her still tear filled eyes.

"Wa-was it painfu-full?" She choked up at her words, still forcing herself to look up at me.

A small lie..

"No, she didn't feel a thing." Squeezing her hand back I gave her a proud gaze.

"She fought bravely until the end." ..is better than a painful truth in this situation.

Her lips quivered into a ghost of a smile and pulled me into a hug. "I..i'm glad she wasn't alone. Thank you. Thank you."

No ma'am please, please.

"Don't thank me, please don't."

—

"In the name of the demon slayer corpse I'd like to thank Emiko Agawa for her service." I Bow one more time.

Mrs. Agawa who now has Emiko's crow on her shoulder and her katana clutched strongly in her arms gives me a small nod. Returning it I turn around and walk away. I wonder where her brother is. Maybe he's at a friend's house or something like that. Getting into the elevator I watch as the numbers slowly go to 1.

'ding'

As the elevator opens I'm face to face with a boy with dark blue hair and silver eyes.

Takehiko.

He's about the same height as me. Looking up from his phone his eyes widened slightly. "Hey, do you work with my sister?"

Smiling slightly, I nod. "For a brief while. Your sister is very commendable and you should be proud."