Whispers of Shadows and Bonds

Chapter 36: A Father's Grief

The dimly lit room in Shinobu's mansion was heavy with an oppressive silence as Giyuu and Shinobu sat beside Sakura's father's hospital bed, waiting for him to regain consciousness. It had been a long and restless night, filled with the haunting memories of the tragedy they had discovered.

As Sakura's father slowly opened his eyes, his gaze darted around the unfamiliar room, panic and confusion etched on his face. "Sakura?" he cried out, his voice trembling with desperation. "Where's my daughter?"

Giyuu and Shinobu exchanged a somber glance, the weight of their sorrow apparent in their eyes. With hesitant voices, they began to recount the horrifying truth to Sakura's father, each word heavy with guilt and shame.

Shinobu's voice quivered as she spoke, "I'm so sorry... Sakura... she's... she's no longer with us."

The words hung in the air like a heavy shroud, and Sakura's father's eyes filled with disbelief and anguish. His body began to tremble, and then he erupted in a storm of emotion.

"You let her die?!" he shouted, his voice choked with tears and rage. He turned his furious gaze toward Giyuu, who sat beside him, unable to meet his accusing eyes.

"Aren't you a father yourself?" Sakura's father continued, his voice breaking. "Do you realize what happened? You had one job—to protect her! Why didn't you just let me die with her?"

Giyuu's face twisted with pain as he absorbed the father's words. The weight of his responsibility as a demon slayer and a guardian weighed heavily on his shoulders. He had failed to protect an innocent child, and the guilt gnawed at his soul.

Before the tense situation could escalate further, the Kakushi who had been stationed nearby intervened, gently restraining Sakura's father and offering words of consolation.

Sakura's father's anger gradually gave way to a flood of grief. He sobbed uncontrollably, his heart-wrenching cries filling the room as he mourned the loss of his beloved daughter.

Giyuu, overcome with guilt, finally found his voice. He whispered through his own tears, "I'm so sorry... I couldn't save her. I should have protected her, and I failed."

The room was filled with the sound of sorrowful lamentation as Giyuu and Sakura's father shared in their grief. The weight of their collective guilt hung heavy in the air, a painful reminder of the harsh realities of their world and the sacrifices made in the name of duty.