stolen time

Ch93 dr

Even without his sight himejima never failed to accurately judge a person, whether it be their personality, morals, or simply interests. Due to their unexpected meeting, himejima was able to take that chance to peer deep into ayame's character, and perhaps even understand her better than those whom known her longer, which unknowingly gave ayame another supporter.

Once morning came by once again she was back at the walls of the Rengoku estate, she layed down on her back by the engawa in silence with only her and her thoughts remaining. "Should I head out today? I'm sure it'll be fine as long as I return by sunset" she thought, hanging a hand by the edge as her finger tips brushed against the tickling tips of grass.

With her mind wondering somewhere else, she completely forgot to watch where her hand was reaching. And the next thing she knew she heard the sound of sizzling and a sharp warm pain against the back of her hand, it snapped her right out of her thoughts as she flinched her hand back towards her chest.

"Ack!"

With a slight frown she inhaled through her mouth creating a hissing sound.

"Ayame? Are you alright!"

Kyojuro came asking around the corner, Ayame tilted her head up to see who it was and let it back down after, waving her hand in the air as it healed instantly.

"Yes, I just was just being clumsy"

Sighing with a chuckle he walked towards where ayame layed with his heavy steps thudding the wooden floor like a gentle quake, he stopped his feet a few centimetres before ayame's head and bent down 90 degrees meeting eyes with her from above.

"Hmm? Are you going out on a mission?"

Ayame asked after noticing his attire.

"I heard there was some suspicious activity near by! so I'm just going to take a look to see if there is indeed any demon that roams there"

"I see, we'll then be careful, I would like to go with you but I'm still basically under house arrest"

"Right! But I suppose if it's during the day it should be fine, unless it's cloudy do you think kibutsuji would appear?"

He straightened himself up along with ayame while she sat up to face him.

"unless he is that desperate to get me back, I doubt it he is quite a coward when it comes to anything that could potentially bring him harm, and since I do not have his curse he won't be able to find me unless there's a trap at the place you're going"

"That is true!"

"Either way I was planning on heading out for a short stroll, so I'll come"

"Are you sure?"

Kyojuro offered her a hand pulling ayame up to her feet.

"Hai"

She left to get changed while kyojuro left for the front to wait.

They left a note informing Senjuro of their whereabouts for him to see once he had woken up, putting on their shoes they left the Rengoku estate embarking on their mission.

*******

They arrived at their first stop, a place where a very important event of their lives took place, the Mugen train. But due to the repeated incidents on this said train rarely anyone had come to this station, making it seem deserted and barren.

"Ayame! There is two people I would like to pay a visit to before we board"

She tilted her head wondering who it was that he needed to visit at a train station, but nevertheless she followed him without question. As they walked down the hall by the train ayame couldn't help but remember the events of that day. And that very day could've led to a very different future.

"I never expected for us to be here again"

she whispered.

"Ayame!"

She heard kyojuro call, turning her gaze down the hall she saw kyojuro waving towards her with a smile as bright as ever. She sped up her pace approaching the place beside him.

"Oh! You brought a companion with you this time Rengoku san"

Ayame heard the voice of an elderly woman beside her, she tilted up her wagasa to see who it was and at the same time she accidentally revealed herself as a demon.

Her crescent pupils peered over them from under her wagasa startling the two bento vendors with a gasp.

"Y-you're a...demon"

The young girl said quietly but audible enough for everyone to hear, the elder woman covered her mouth with knitted brows in a hurry glancing at ayame the next second.

"Ah, sorry I didn't mean to startle you both"

Ayame said covering an eye with her left hand, she lowered the wagasa back down. After living so long with other humans in a somewhat peaceful life, she almost forgotten that she wasn't one of them but a demon that people feared.

"Right! She is a demon, but she isn't the same kind as the demon that I slayed the last time we met, she's a kind and noble person as well as my friend and ally in the corps"

He introduced with his hand placed on her back encouraging her spirit, after the two vendors examined the atmosphere their shoulders dropped in relief.

"Is that so, that's a relief to hear"

The grandmother nudged the girl whom was intently staring at ayame in awe now that she confirmed she wasn't a bad person.

"Ah! Yes right, and sorry for suspecting you"

Ayame chuckled lowering down her wagasa to the side she gently smiled at the girl.

"It's quite alright, it was expected and good that you're wary of demons, after all not many of us are friendly"

"But still, it hasn't been long since I found out the existence of demons I can't believe that I met another one already obasan, why can't all demons be like you"

fuku sighed through her mouth and the next second she felt something chilly but soft press upon the top of her head, peeking an eye open she saw ayame smile with a sympathetic tone.

"You're right, if only demons could retain their humanity, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation"

They heard the horn of the train blow a signal that their time was up, after waving the bento vendors their goodbyes ayame and kyojuro took their seats within the mugen train just like they did sometime ago.

It was as if the past was repeating itself, from kyojuro screaming umai with each bite of his breakfast, to them falling asleep on each other without a care in the world. All that's left is to hope tragedy doesn't repeat itself.

"K...juro"

"Kyo...o"

"Kyojuro!"

His eyes flashed open from the call of ayame's voice.