To the Butterflies and Peonies 《Demon Slayer》

4. Unlikely Unspoken Understanding

"Sanemi-san, if you keep frowning like that, you'll have more wrinkles on your face!" Kanae playfully smiled at him and patted his stiff shoulders from her lighthearted comment. "You should try smiling more, but it shouldn't be like your scary one because you'll scare off potential girls!"

Said Wind Hashira gnashed his teeth together and tilted his head to her, giving her a crooked smile. His eye twitched aggravated by her nonsensical teasing. "You got some nerve, you bit-"

"Language!" She quickly cut him off, taking extra steps forward to be ahead of him, her haori floating lightly by the breeze. "I'm just teasing you - it's nothing harmful or bad!" All she got in response was a silent sneer.

A couple of days had passed as she merrily continued on with her duties and priorities. While nothing was spoken between the two siblings that day under the rain's watch, it certainly didn't mean it left her mind one bit. In fact, she couldn't help but feel proud of Kanao - with or without the coin's use then. It wasn't anything that bothered her. It felt like the complete opposite, in a way. Oh, how happy she would cheer to Shinobu about the amount of progress their younger sister's having. She couldn't feel any more proud.

Would Shinobu had thought the same?

Kanae shook her head at the foolish question she asked herself. Of course she'd be proud! Maybe impressed? One thing she's certain of is that the former Insect Pillar would've been surprised.

Her thoughts diminished when she caught the sounds of grumbling by her, turning her head to look back at the irrational white-haired male. The two had been walking from the Butterfly Estate after he had Genya stay there - a better word term would be force. Kanae insisted on walking back with him to his abode despite his protests and that's where they ended up now.

Sanemi continued to scowl outwardly at the peppy, insulant teasings from his fellow Hashira. However, inside, he couldn't help but feel at least some ounce of sympathy for her. He understood the pain of his family's deaths in the hands of those demons. He couldn't begin to think what would happen if his reckless - and only - brother would've ended up dead. That was something he couldn't bear to live with(especially when Genya ultimately decided to become the one thing he didn't want him to pursue).

However, from the teasings themselves, it felt a bit... off. Even he knew that the ravenette Flower Breath user had her own inner turmoils hidden past that cheerful grin of hers. Past all the happiness she carelessly and randomly brought around her along with her easygoing personality, one could've assumed she'd moved past it.

What futile thinking...

"Sanemi-san," Kanae's voice pulled him out of his mind as he noticed her walking next to him now. She even their pacing so that they'd be walking side by side. He noticed that smile on her face once more.

Sanemi huffed, "what? If you got something to say, then say it already."

Kanae's lips turned into a frown. "You were just so deep in concentration. It's best to not do that on the path or you might accidentally bump into someone! The both of you could've gotten hurt." Concern and worry evident in her voice. It wasn't something she had to care about, but then again, that wouldn't be Kanae of her if she didn't.

"You might also scare away the younger ones living here if you keep making that scary face! Serious doesn't look so good on you!"

It also wouldn't be Kanae if she hadn't done that either.

"Ha?!" The silver-haired Hashira quirked his brow and his face contorted with anger. "You really like pissing me off, huh?"

In return, he earned a whimsical giggle. It chimed along with the fresh breeze that blew in their direction. And just like the wind that suddenly calmed, her giggles died down and her lips curled into a solemn tight-lipped smile. The shift in the atmosphere almost made him tensed, but his features smoothened and relaxed, waiting whatever she had to say. He was pretty sure what she might say.

Her unique pale violets locked with his own. "Sanemi-san, with what time we have left, you should treat your brother as kindly as can." He expected this. Of course he did. But not when she spoke in that grave tone. Almost like she, herself, was speaking form experience.

He knew she would after he yelled at his brother, spewing harsh and critical words that made her frown in dismay and disapproval. It would always irk him whenever anybody got in between his futes with his brother, but for the time being, he felt that he could let it pass. She's an exception.

He clicked his tongue and faced ahead, eyes trained in front of him. "It's none of your damn business, 'kay? I can't have him diving into shit after the fucked up things that happened. The shit's shouldn't have come here." Sanemi clenched his fists as he spat with venom. He ended it with annoyance lacing his voice, but there was an edge in his tone - which she almost missed - that hinted how he truly felt for his little brother. To show the venom in his tone wasn't sincere.

Truth be told, she wasn't midly earnest to hear him speak cruelly about his brother because of his impulsive behavior, but she began to understand his (terrible) thought process. They were more alike than she perceived and it made her realize that in the end, he cared more about his family than he would dare admit to anyone; himself included. If Genya ended up in the same way Shinobu did, would he prove his hatred and vengeance? He wouldn't have felt this estrange feeling of pity and sympathy like she's having now. It was utterly hopeless for her if she ever said this to anyone. Especially to her fellow demon slayers.

Kanae hummed, staring deep into the gravel beneath them. "Don't be mean to him. Truthfully, I'd wish for Shinobu to find a better life than join the Demon Slayer Corps. Instead, she..." she paused, considering her next words before speaking again. "Younger siblings really are stubborn, don't you think?" She sent him a lopsided grin. "Please do consider about your brother and speak to him about it. You'll lose your chance if you don't."

Sanemi didn't bother a reply. He thought about the words in his heads over and over when he stared at her grinning face. He didn't dare question the unfathomed meanings deep in her words when she changed the subject nor what she meant when she somehow understood where his thoughts were, but made it a note to not touch the subject for a while. It was evident now that her feelings are more than what met the eye.

"Also, we passed by your home three blocks ago, Sanemi-san."

"Why the fuck did you just say so now?!"