Voices of a Desperate Butterfly ^A Shinogiyuu Story^

Chapter 4; Misayo

Shinobu Kocho

There was a wisteria house at the very center of the festival. According to Tomioka-san, the master had told the wisteria house's owner ahead of time we would be coming. Knowing how many demon slayers had disappeared here, my throat closed up.

"Hello, young ones." An old lady said as we approached a house with the wisteria banner. "Are you the people the Master told me about?"

"Yes." I said, not trusting Tomioka-san to handle this well.

"I wish my granddaughter could be here, but she says she's working late and doesn't have time to come. This is my other granddaughter, Misayo." A little girl around five peeked behind the old lady.

"My name is Sayo. Please, make yourselves at home." I peeked inside the cozy home.

"Um...any chance you have a separate room? Or...a separate mattress?" I asked shyly. Sayo gasped.

"Oh dear! I forgot you weren't a real couple-sorry, no means to insult you. Um...Misayo, help our guests get settled darling. I need to get a few things." Sayo walked out of the house, hunching over with her bad back. I felt bad, but Misayo grabbed my hand and Tomioka-san's and dragged us into her room.

It was small and cozy. I did wish I could have such a pretty, flowery room when I was little.

"Awe you two mawied?" Misayo asked. I looked at Tomioka-san and he choked on air.

"No." I said firmly. Tomioka-san nodded frantically.

"Why not?!" She demanded, shaking my hand.

"We-uh..." I looked at Tomioka-San frantically. My heart pounded. He refused to look me in the eye.

"Kiss." Misayo said. I shook my head, jerking her tiny hand out off my mine. Misayo ran off, grabbing a book (it said Tips for Stupid People to get ). She grabbed a bunch of stuffies and put them in a bunch of rows.

"I've been to a wedding befowe." She said proudly. "And I'm going to wed you."

My head was spinning. This was all I had wanted in my entire life. But...a five year old? I was too confused by this child to even begin to speak.

"What the heck?" Tomioka-san said, pulling his hand away. Thankfully, Sayo returned.

"Misayo, what are you doing? I got an extra mattress. I'll get you some food, anything you would like?" Sayo set down the mattress and I rushed into the room to help her.

"Don't worry, I can fix up the mattress." I said rushed out. She smiled kindly.

"Thank you young lady." She set a bunch of blankets down. "I'll help if you need anything."

Tomioka-san sat next to me, sighing awkwardly.

"Tomioka-san? When are you going to start speaking?" I said, my heart pounded as he looked at me.

"Kocho...why do you always try and talk to me?" He asked. I blinked back in surprise as I set up the mattress.

"Well, you always seemed a pitiful young man without friends." I said, turning around, letting my heart go crazy. "I thought I could help you out."

"You aren't helping." He said stiffly and I glared at him. "Um...I..." he was also looking the other direction.

"Dinners ready!" Sayo said. I stood up, not wanting to keep up the awkward moment.

"So...how are you two? Anything going on?" Sayo said as I sat down. The food looked amazing. I looked at Tomioka-san, and he was already devouring his food.

"Um, we're just working." I said.

"I'm always glad to help. Misayo's parents were killed, and Misayo and her older sister were going to have the same fate. Until the demon slayers came." She looked sadly away. "My husband suffered the same fate as Misayo's parents. Misayo's older sister hates being here for some reason. I wish I could help her, but she thinks I'm coddling her."

I looked at Sayo. She did suffer from demons. My entire vision was blinded by an alternate universe where demons were gone, Kanae was alive, no one suffered, and I could be with Tomioka-san without any restrictions. I didn't have to suffer with the madness of revenge.

"I'm sorry." I looked at Tomioka-san oddly. He actually apologized? Unlike him, becoming a kind man...my heart pounded at the thought.

Love is stupid.

It was the only thing that kept me alive.

"Hi! I heard that a few Demon Slayers are over!" Miyako.

***

"Tomioka-san! I've heard you're a hashira! How's life as that?" Miyako asked in a flirtatious manner.

I tried to keep my cool. Sayo didn't deserve any more of her family to die, even if they were slutty, insufferable assholes.

"Why won't you talk to me?!?!" Miyako moaned. My eye twitched so badly I stood up. Wow, Miyako...

"I'm taking a break." I growled. Seriously, Miyako? No wonder she's a harlot.

"I'm coming Kocho." Tomioka-san? I turned to see his blue eyes as he grabbed my hand and walked out.

"Tomioka-san! Aren't you single?! No one should ever try and be with that woman, she's uglier than hell, and you don't have to treat her nice just because she's pitifully fat and stupid." Miyako said. It was a shallow insult, but it burned.

"Miyako, no one wants to talk to you." Tomioka-san said, and took me outside. The town was still bustling with people, since the couples festival lasted five days. I was still bubbling with anger.

"Thank you for..." I trailed off.

"Don't thank me. We need to find the demon and get out of this madness as soon as possible." Giyu said. I nodded quickly, agreeing. Keep this professional Shinobu.

I trailed behind him. Quickly, I stopped.

"Um...Tomioka-san?" I asked, poking him. "Was this passageway here before?" He glanced at me, and then at the passageway, and then at me again.

"No..." He stepped in, looking at the passageway.

"Hey! I'm going in first!" I said, pushing him aside. "I'm faster and harder to catch...if this is a demon's doing."

He thought about it. Before he could respond, I ran into the dark alleyway.

"Kocho!" Tomioka-san yelled. If there was a demon here, I would be the perfect target. I stopped, looking around. Suddenly, I was swept to the air, landing on a roof. My mouth was covered and I was pinned down.

Suddenly, I was grabbed by a female demon.

"Found ya." She smirked.

"KOCHO!!!"

I stared at the lady with complete disgust.

"Sayo?" I asked.

I'm glad my plot of the story is finally stretching out. For my first book, my storyline wasn't able to be as long as I intended it to be. My estimate on how long it will be is around 12 chapters?

Is that enough for y'all?