The New Year's holiday.
After bidding farewell to his master Urokodaki Sakonji, Roy set off on the road home.
The basket on his back was stuffed full. There was medicine for his father, new clothes for his mother Aoi and his younger sister Nezuko, candy for Shigeru and Takeo, a bamboo dragonfly for his youngest sister Hanako, and... the reluctant gazes of all his senior brothers and sisters like Sabito and Makomo.
"I'm not saying I'll never come back," the young man always said with a smile.
He knew. Without him as a medium, they had just reunited with their master, only to be separated again. It was an incredibly cruel thing for his senior brothers and sisters.
Even though they were all very understanding and no one asked him to stay, Roy could still feel their intense emotions and anticipation.
"Don't worry. In the future, even if I'm not here, you will still be able to see master." This was the promise the young man made before leaving.
The prerequisite for fulfilling this promise was—Shu.
Shu: An advanced application of Ten. It involves using the Ten technique to wrap one's aura around an object they are touching, thereby strengthening the object's properties. Even after letting go, the effect can persist for a short time. The duration depends on the user's aura strength...
Sabito patted his shoulder. "Of course we believe you."
His master stuffed the long-prepared New Year's money into his robes... They all thought the young man was just speaking words of comfort....
They watched Roy leave, waving silently.
Roy didn't explain further. He tightened the basket, gave them a small smile, and turned to disappear into the mountain forest. He left behind two sets of footprints, which were quickly erased by the blowing snow...
On his way from Mount Sagiri, the young man hunted another wild boar, sold it in town to get some silver, and bought New Year's gifts.
He then followed the familiar path up the mountain, quickening his pace. Before the sun set, he caught a faint scent.
He smiled, quietly activated Zetsu to lower his presence, and followed the scent. In an open, snowy area, he saw a red-haired boy repeatedly striking a withered tree.
He had a face that somewhat resembled his own, with a flame-shaped mark spreading across his forehead. In this era, it was seen as an auspicious symbol.
"Chop, chop, chop..."
"One thousand one hundred fifty-one, one thousand four hundred fifty-two, one thousand seven hundred seventy-nine, two thousand!"
The red-haired boy let out a low growl. His hand rose and the blade fell. A "Snake Awakens" strike pierced the withered tree. "CRACK!"
The tree, having lost its support, fell and became pieces of firewood in the boy's basket.
Tanjiro, holding an axe, wiped his sweat, straightened up, and stared blankly in the direction of Mount Sagiri...
It had been over three months since his niisan left home. He had wanted to set out for Mount Sagiri to find him countless times, but was always held back by the firewood in his basket and his younger siblings at home. Fortunately... although his niisan wasn't here, he would send a crow with some silver every week. Tanjiro recognized that crow; it was the Kasugai Crow that belonged to his niisan's master, responsible for sending messages.
His mother said that as long as the crow was there, there was hope, and they knew niisan was doing well. That put her mind at ease.
As for the money, she didn't spend a single bit of it. She put it all in a wooden box, locked it, and said it was for niisan to use when he gets married in the future.
Getting married... it was probably something like what his father and mother had. Tanjiro came back to his senses and exhaled. The white breath condensed into an icy mist and fell. He bent down to pick up his basket, but his nose twitched. He noticed a pair of feet had appeared in front of him at some point.
Following the feet up, past the knees, to the chest... the axe in his hand fell to the ground with a "clang."
"Niisan!"
The boy leaped onto Roy, and the firewood in the basket on his back couldn't withstand the violent shaking, scattering all over the ground.
"Tanjiro, you've gotten taller." Roy smiled and patted Tanjiro's head. The red-haired boy was choked with emotion and about to cry, but he bit his lower lip and held it back.
He clung to Roy like a koala, and Roy let him, listening to his chatter while picking up the firewood and putting it back in the basket. "Niisan, you didn't even send a letter. Mother was asking just the other day if you were coming home for the New Year..."
"I wanted to give you all a surprise."
"We don't need surprises! We just want you to come home more often. Otherwise... Hanako won't even remember you."
"My fault."
"It's not your fault, niisan! Father said this is the age for you to be out in the world, and you shouldn't let coming home for the New Year get in the way of important things..."
"It's not getting in the way. Is Father doing okay?"
"We had a doctor come to the house to see Father. His condition is relatively stable."
"That's good."
The sun slanted west. The big kid and the little kid trudged through the snow, moving through the forest.
In the evening, he stopped, looking up at the wisp of cooking smoke rising from the easternmost wooden house. Roy's arms relaxed, and Tanjiro, too embarrassed to keep clinging, jumped down. He stood side-by-side with him, gazing at their home not far away.
Faintly... they could hear the laughter of children playing, the sound of an adult coughing, and a few blurry figures, all forming a warm, picturesque scene.
Roy took a deep breath. "Let's go."
He lifted his feet again and, with his little brother, walked one deep step at a time through the snow, stopping in front of the courtyard gate.
"Creeak." The gate opened, and the wind and snow seemed to pause... From the main house, the kitchen, and the backyard, people poked their heads out. A moment of silence was followed by an eruption of cheers!
"Eiichiro..."
"Niisan!"
"Grandma, come quick! Brother Eiichiro is home!—."
"Who?"
"It's big brother Eiichiro!"
Takeo and Shigeru rushed out like a whirlwind, each hugging one of Roy's legs... His mother, Aoi, wearing a headscarf, lifted the kitchen curtain. She was holding a plate of freshly battered tempura, and her eyes reddened with tears... Nezuko was supporting their grandmother, who was holding Hanako in her arms... Their father, Tanjuro, was leaning against the hearth, sitting up straight...—
Roy's mouth curved into a gentle smile. "I'm home."
"It's good you're back... it's good you're back. My precious grandson, come let Grandma look at you..." His grandmother, with a head of silver hair, handed Hanako to Nezuko and hugged Roy's head, pulling him into an embrace...
Tanjiro helped his big brother take off the basket...
The two little ones, Takeo and Shigeru, chirped "Niisan" one after another as they poked their heads into the basket, pulling out the candy, their faces beaming.
Aoi wiped her tears with the back of her hand, lowered the curtain, and began to fry the tempura. Her child was back; she couldn't let him go hungry.
The young man patted his grandmother's back and exchanged a glance with his father. Tanjuro smiled at him, and even his coughing seemed to lessen.—
That night, the town at the foot of the mountain began to set off firecrackers, praying for peace and driving away evil spirits.
Roy had also bought some small handheld fireworks from the market in town. He sat next to Tanjuro, watching Tanjiro, Nezuko, Takeo, and Shigeru play joyfully in the courtyard. He reached out and accepted the hot tea that Tanjuro offered him.
"Eiichiro, welcome home." Tanjuro raised his tea cup and tapped it against Roy's. This year was now complete.