[Kochou Kanae X OC] Kimetsu no yaiba -Twin Butterfly

Chapter 68 - Hidden Feelings

Naoto smile froze.

"Why... did you ask about her?"

Tanjirou panicked because he didn't expect this kind of reaction from Naoto.

"A-ah! No! It's just I heard her name a lot, especially when we are having a trial for Nezuko in headquarter. Also, nii-san mentions her name a lot, so I just..."

Naoto cast his gaze down with gloomy air.

"I... see..."

"B-but if you don't want to talk about it then it's fine! It's just that I always smell sadness coming from you, unlike when you visit my place. S-so maybe I thought something is bothering you, or something like that!"

"Sadness...?"

Naoto looks up at the blue sky with nostalgic eyes.

"It's okay... I will tell you about it. Maybe this is a good chance to tell you about my past."

"Ah, yes."

Tanjirou become serious and let Naoto explain without interrupting him.

"When I was nine years old, I lost all of my family to the demons. My parents and my little sister Iroha just didn't make it. Back then I was playing in the mountain at night so I survived, but my village and my house have been wrecked by the demons. It's like natural disasters, everyone died except for me. The demon hunters manage to come and save me in time. However there are just too many demons, they give their lives away just to let me escape."

Tanjirou holds his breath hearing Naoto's story, he can't imagine what kind of hell he just walked into as a little kid.

"I don't have any dreams nor I know about what kind of life I want to have. It's like I'm being pulled into a bottomless abyss. But one day, I met your father. He collapsed in a deserted street near my house, so I bring him back to my place. I feel grateful for him, because of him, I manage to open my eyes and find my reason to keep living. I don't know if God is real or not, but that time, Tanjurou-san is like a saint, maybe even god to me."

Hearing his father's name, Tanjirou smiled sadly. Now he knows why Tanjurou and Naoto are very close.

"After that, I meet Ubuyashiki and I train very hard under my master to become a demon hunter. A few days before the final selection I become friends with two boys. You actually know one of them. I'm very awkward at socializing with people of the same age as me at the time. But before I know it they already become my best friends."

Suddenly Naoto's voice becomes sad.

"However in the final selection, one of my friends died. He is very strong and keeps saving the other participants from a demon. But the demon he fought is just too strong... When I arrive to help him, he already died. On the same day, I also got a message that my master has died from sickness."

"Once again, it feels like I'm falling deeper into dark deep oceans for the second time. However, that time, a warm and kind sound save me. A pair of sisters save me, they pulled me back into the light. Kanae, the big sister is a very gentle and kind person. She is very carefree and patient, but you don't want to make her mad. I don't know how many times I need to hide myself from her out of fear, hahaha... And she also likes to meddle in every time I have a fight with Shinobu. Really... she is too meddlesome..."

Naoto laughed dryly with a wry smile, there is a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"And then, there is Shinobu. Unlike now, back then Shinobu is harsh and stiff. Although she's cold and mean on the outside, but she is very caring and kind. Actually I have known them from when I was nine, but I don't remember them. It was Kanae who still remember me, if she never mention it, maybe I already forgot about both of them."