Sunlight spilled gently over the courtyard as the unrest settled. Giyu had vanished quietly after the confrontation—like a wave that surged and receded, leaving only whispers in its wake. Tanjiro, though still weak, had been permitted to rest in the Butterfly Estate under Shinobu Kocho's watchful eye.
It was serene here. The scent of herbs hung in the air, and butterflies flitted across the wooden walkways.
Tanjiro sat on the porch, bandaged and thoughtful, watching the sky turn amber.
A soft voice broke the stillness.
"You seem deep in thought, Tanjiro Kamado."
He turned.
Shinobu Kocho stood beside him, arms folded neatly within her haori, a delicate smile on her lips.
"Kocho-san… ah, I was just thinking about… Giyu-san."
Shinobu knelt beside him, her gaze drifting toward the garden.
"Aren't we all," she said with a quiet chuckle.
Tanjiro blinked. "I didn't know he could be that… fierce. That emotional."
Shinobu rested her chin on one hand, her smile thinning. "He's always been like that. Just… not in front of others. He's a still river, Tanjiro. You won't see the depth unless you fall in."
She paused.
"But what he did back there," she continued, her tone shifting, "was reckless. Risking everything for a demon."
Tanjiro looked down. "I know. But… if he didn't, Nezuko would've been…"
"Yes. And that's what makes it all so complicated." Shinobu's voice had softened. "You should know—many of us believed he would never raise his blade for anything but duty. But there he was… defying Sanemi, Obanai… and nearly crushing them."
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"I've never seen Giyu like that. I've known him since I was a child, and I've never seen that fire in his eyes."
Tanjiro stayed quiet.
Shinobu's gaze narrowed, but not unkindly.
"I don't know if he did it for you. Or for your sister. Or for something he's trying to atone for."
She stood slowly, letting the fabric of her haori flutter in the breeze.
"But I do know this—whatever he's carrying… it runs deep. You'd best be strong, Tanjiro. Or you won't be able to walk beside him."
Tanjiro's heart stirred with quiet resolve.
"I will be," he said softly.
Shinobu smiled once more.
"Good."
And then—like a butterfly drifting on wind—she turned and disappeared into the corridors of the estate, leaving Tanjiro alone with the evening sky, and a growing flame of admiration in his heart.