Momoyama Town.
The small town was as peaceful and serene as ever. Unlike the bustling capital, this remote settlement had no electricity, and its people lived by the rhythms of sunrise and sunset.
Prosperity had its glamour, but remoteness had its own charm.
Walking down the familiar streets, Tendo felt at ease. He knew the people here—and more importantly, this was home to his only remaining family.
"Tendo, it's been so long!"
"Yes, I'm back, Grandma Shizuko!"
"Tendo, want to work for me? I'll pay you double!" Uncle Yamamoto extended his 870th offer.
"No!"
"Ah—!"
"Such a swift rejection... it hurts!" Clutching his head, Uncle Yamamoto sighed dramatically.
Shinjuro Rengoku had taken Obanai Iguro and the Butterfly sisters back to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters. Though Tendo was supposed to go too, he'd decided to visit the old man first.
After greeting familiar faces in town, he headed beyond its borders, laden with delicious treats—completely exhausting the money the old man had given him.
"Tendo!"
Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed in his mind—like a roaring flame, stirring his heart.
"Oh, how could that be?"
"Must be hearing things from hunger!"
He muttered to himself, devouring the tempura shrimp in his hand in a few quick bites.
"Tendo!"
Shinobu Kocho's voice rang out again. Tendo turned his head and froze in shock.
The distant sky was painted in hues of orange-red and purple, like a vast oil painting.
The lingering glow of the sunset draped down like golden threads from the far horizon, spilling across the earth. Each ray carried a warm, gentle radiance, illuminating everything around them.
Beneath the tender sunset stood a girl as delicate as a porcelain doll, her hands clasped behind her back, her chest rising and falling slightly—she must have jogged over.
Her purple hair fluttered in the breeze, her lively violet eyes fixed on Tendo, a bright and candid smile playing at her lips.
It was Shinobu Kocho. As an extreme sister-con, she hadn't chosen to follow the main group to headquarters. Instead, after a hurried farewell, she had chased after Tendo to Mount Momo.
She wanted to see the sight of peach blossoms covering the mountains that Tendo had described—and even more, she wanted to see his home.
"What, not welcoming me to your place?" she asked when Tendo remained silent.
Holy crap!
This wasn't a dream. Shinobu was standing right there—alive and real.
Hahaha! (??ω??)
"N-no, not at all!"
Tendo frantically waved his hands, overwhelmed by the sudden happiness.
"Welcome, absolutely welcome!"
"It's just… you came at the wrong season. The peach blossoms have long since fallen."
"If you came in autumn, you could've eaten peaches!"
Side by side, the two walked toward Mount Momo. Tendo chattered away like a little sparrow, sharing everything about the mountain.
Shinobu, meanwhile, was like a quiet lamb, only occasionally asking a question or two.
"By the way, are you okay leaving Kanae-san?" Tendo asked. Though they were the same age, Kanae was a few months older, so he naturally called her "Kanae-san."
Shinobu folded her arms and retorted, "Do I look like some brat who can't be apart from her sister?"
"Absolutely not, no doubt about that!" Tendo nodded with utmost seriousness, completely unaware of what he'd just said.
"Hmm?" Shinobu clenched her tiny fist, glaring at Tendo indignantly. I left my sister to come find you, and you call me a "brat who can't be apart from her sister"?
Damn it!
What did I just say?! Blaming the plot for his slip-up, Tendo quickly shifted the blame.
"Obanai said you're Kanae-san's shadow—a total sister-con!"
"It was all him!"
At that very moment, Obanai, who was on his way somewhere, sneezed. He muttered to himself, "That glutton Tendo must be bad-mouthing me again. Damn it!"
Seeing this, Shinobu burst into laughter, her smile blooming like a flower.
"Well then, it's all Obanai's fault!"
"Yeah, yeah!"
"Totally Obanai's doing!" Tendo nodded like a pecking chick. When there was no danger in sight, this was exactly how good buddies were meant to be used.
As the saying goes, you raise a brother for a lifetime, but use him in a moment of need.
Before they knew it, the two had arrived at the wooden cabin halfway up the mountain.
Kuwajima Jigoro sat by the door, leisurely smoking his pipe, the tobacco pouch swaying rhythmically.
The sight of his disciple filled the old man with joy, though he didn't show it.
But when Shinobu stepped out from behind his beloved pupil, the old man was so startled he tumbled right off his reclining chair.
"Oof—my back!"The old man let out a yelp but didn't seem to care about the pain. Only one question occupied his mind.
A girl?
How did this rebellious disciple manage to bring back a girl after just one trip out?
In Kuwajima's imagination, Tendo was a big bad wolf, while Shinobu Kocho was a small, pitiful, helpless little white rabbit.
After living together for so many years, the old man simply couldn't imagine anyone who could possibly take advantage of his disciple.
So he jumped to conclusions first.
"Grandpa, are you alright?"
Guided by her principles as a physician to heal and save lives, Shinobu helped Tendo support the old man as he got up.
"Hey, old man, I know you missed me, but no need to get so excited, right?"
Tendo felt warmth in his heart. The old man still doted on him, after all.
"You brat! How did you trick this poor girl into coming with you?" What greeted Tendo was the old man's skeptical glare.
"Grandpa, it's not like that! I came here willingly!"
"Please sit down. Let me massage your back. My family has been practicing medicine for generations—it'll help!"
Shinobu's sweet voice made the old man's heart bloom. What a wonderful girl!
Huh?
Wait—she came willingly?
He glanced at the utterly confused Tendo. Apart from feeling like this was a case of "a flower stuck in a pile of cow dung," he also felt a sense of pride that his child had grown up.
Such a young kid, and he already knows how to find himself a child bride.
Damn it, who taught him that? Definitely wasn't me.
Tendo: "???"
Watching the old man's incredibly complex series of facial expressions, he couldn't even begin to guess what was going on.
"Grandpa, my name is Shinobu Kocho. I'm Tendo's friend!"
"Tendo talks about you all the time. He really misses you!"
"Good, good!"
"So you're friends! That's great, that's great!"
Old Man Kuwajima nodded approvingly, then turned to Tendo and waved his hand. "What are you standing around for? Go to town and buy some good food to treat our guest!"
"Oh, right, right!"
Tendo left, looking thoroughly baffled. Had the old man been possessed by a demon? He was being way too kind—so kind it was unsettling.
Still, at least the old man seemed to like Shinobu, which put his mind at ease.
A short while later, Tendo returned to the cabin carrying bags of groceries, only to spot a very familiar set of bedding piled outside the door.
"Huh?"
"Isn't that mine?"
Just then, the old man emerged carrying a pillow. He glanced at his disciple and said:
"You're sleeping outside tonight. The girl's taking your room!"
Tendo: (′-﹏-;)
Of course, the old man had only taken out his bedding to air it. There was no way he'd actually make his disciple sleep outside.
He just liked saying things like that.