[Tanjiro X Zenitsu] Silent Voice

Chapter 1 - The loss of his voice

"I'm sorry for your loss, Zenitsu. May the both of them live in peace."

The woman pats the blonde boy on his shoulder as a sign of comfort, even if she knows that it would not help with whatever he was going through.

Firstly, his grandfather died due to a massive blow to the head. Secondly, it was found out that his brother was the one that killed his grandfather in cold blood. That was not all, after his brother was labeled to be Gramp's murderer and was wanted in the streets, his brother proceeded to end his life by a noose. This caused Zenitsu to hurt so bad to the point where he wasn't able to speak a word. He couldn't even if he tried to.

It was then that he was diagnosed with psychogenic mutism, a disorder that causes a person to be unable to speak after a trauma. Because of that, he had to take sign language classes in order to somewhat communicate with others.

Zenitsu nods at the lady, before closing his eyes in sadness. It all happened so fast, he remembered seeing Gramps a few days ago, yelling at him to study hard so that he could enter the prestigious Kimetsu No Yaiba High School, and now... Gramps was just gone. What's worse - he is now left with everything Gramps has left for him, but how is a person like him going to live alone in a house that big? Will life ever be the same as before?

...Should he get a dog?

No no! Zenitsu might forget to feed it, knowing how he had forgotten to feed himself many times before. Who could eat after such an incident?

Zenitsu sighs as he stared at the smiling face of his Gramps... then he lays his eyes on his brother's emotionless picture. Why did Kaigaku kill him? Actually, why would Kaigaku kill anyone? It just doesn't make sense...

Zenitsu wanted to cry at this point. He could feel his eyes wrinkled and dry from all the tears he shed ever since what had happened. He cried so much, that he just couldn't cry anymore. His eyes' hurt from the pain, yet he wished that he would cry some more, just so he could express his grief. He shut his eyes tight, hoping to squeeze whatever tears left in his tear glands but to no avail. He buries his face in his hands, wanting to scream, wanting to cry and wanting to feel the gentle warmth from his Gramp's embrace again... but god knows he can't.

The next final months of his middle school days were absolute hell. Because he couldn't speak to anyone, everyone thought he was being stupid with his furious hand gestures, which caused him to become an outcast. He was also labeled as a pervert due to his constant staring at girls and sometimes, he was doing some sign gestures at them, which they mistook it as Zenitsu trying to touch them.

Zenitsu gave up. He spent every day repeating the same routine, waking up, eating, studying, eating, then sleeping, hoping that his middle school life will end soon. Hoping, that his high school life will be different.

And the day finally came.

After his graduation in middle school (Once received his certificate, he left immediately.), he then received his acceptance to Kimetsu No Yaiba High School. His eyes immediately lit up as he dashes to his Gramp's room, only to remember that he was long gone. Zenitsu feels his eyes tear up from the memory as he drops to the floor, silently sobbing, knowing that he was going to be always alone.

'Gramps, I miss you so much.'
Zenitsu mouths the words, as no sound managed to leave his throat. The rest of the day was lonely and long for Zenitsu.

A few months later, Zenitsu was finally standing in front of Gramps' wish. Kimetsu No Yaiba High School.

' I have done it, Gramps. Are you proud of me?'

Zenitsu thought, he imagined the smiling face of his Gramps, hugging him. He then smiled at himself, the thought of making his Gramps proud makes his chest feel warm. He then immediately stopped himself from smiling, just in case any girl decides to look at him and label him as a creep again. He hurries to his class, hoping he could get a window seat so that he could sometimes get the chance to daydream by looking at the clouds or thinking of Gramps.