᪥𝒯𝓇𝒶𝒸ℯ𝓈 ℴ𝒻 𝒲𝒾𝓈𝓉ℯ𝓇𝒾𝒶᪥

The House with the Wisteria Family Crest

「Ni...kko」

That name. The voice that spoke it.

They won't ever be heard again.

———

"Tanjirou, can you hear it?" Zenitsu looked back at the building once they finished burying the bodies.

"Hear what?"

"There's bells coming from inside. It's faint, but it's there." He darted behind Tanjirou. "Is it another demon?! Protect me!"

Tanjirou put a hand on his sword. "I don't smell anything except... wisteria?"

"Oh."

"We have to go back in. There's still someone in there."

"I-I'll stay out here."

Tanjirou walked back inside, slightly on edge despite the smell of the demon-warding flower.

"Tanjirou!" Zenitsu ran in after him. "Don't leave me!"

"But you just..." He shook his head. "The smell of wisteria has been here the whole time. I didn't pay much attention to it."

There was a banging from around the corner, making Zenitsu whimper, and Tanjirou drew his sword. "Zenitsu, go back to the others."

The older teen quickly sprinted out of the house.

"Who's there?"

"Is Kyogai dead?"

Tanjirou blinked. "Yes."

"Did you say anything to him?"

"I told him how impressive his Blood Demon Art was."

"Put your sword away." The source of the voice walked around the corner. It was a young teen who seemed to be around Tanjirou's age. The one thing that stuck out to him was the mask. It was like the one he had gotten, only with a different design.

"Do you know Urokodaki-san?"

"Uro...kodaki? No. I'm Machi Ichirou."

"Kamado Tanjirou!"

"Did you take care of the bodies? There was only one, I buried it out back."

"Oh, we did! Don't worry."

"And that kid? I left him with the tsuzumi from Kyogai. I couldn't find a way out."

"Oh, Kiyoshi's alright! Just an injury."

Ichirou nodded, walking back into the hallway.

"H-hey, you should come with us!"

"Why?"

"There's safety in numbers. No one should really be out all alone at night."

Ichirou paused. "You have a point." She turned to face him how low is the sun?"

"It's starting to set."

The two walked out of the building.

"Another person! Fight me!"

Ichirou inhaled. "What? Why are you wearing a boar head?"

"Don't question it," Zenitsu mumbled.

"Hey, you alright, kid?" Ichirou asked, kneeling down in front of Kiyoshi.

He nodded. "Thanks for helping me."

Ichirou smiled beneath her mask. "It's no problem. I'm glad you made it out safely." She looked at the sun. "We should probably get going, Tanjirou."