"Kind" Letters

After being 'gently' put back to sleep, Hiroto began to dream once more.

'Huh, this… It looks like our home. But, who's that?' Hiroto seemed to be confused as to where he was. In front of him, he saw a man with a long red ponytail, and in his arms was a baby.

"I poured some tea." Hiroto seemed to have spoken, but it wasn't actually his voice. 'Weird, am I really in a dream?"

"Ahh, thanks." The man holding the baby said.

"Wow, fast asleep. I'm so sorry. My wife also happened to fall asleep." 'Hiroto' spoke up. Looking behind him, he saw a woman sleeping in a futon. 'There's no mistaking it, although it's different… It's our old home…'

"I'm really, really sorry. You're a visitor, but I made you watch over my kid." 'Hiroto' said.

"Don't worry about it. She's probably tired. Birthing a kid and raising them is hard work." The man said, passing over the baby. "After I finish drinking this, I'll be on my way. I can't keep eating meals for free like this."

"Oh, no! We owe you our lives. If you weren't around back then, then I, much less my children, wouldn't be here now." 'Hiroto' said.

The man just continued to sip on the tea, his hair obscuring his face from this angle.

"... Alright then. At least allow me to pass on your story to the next generation." 'Hiroto' asked.

"No Need." The man denied immediately.

"But… it must be hard since you have no successor at hand." 'Hiroto' said, with some concern. "It may be impossible for me since I am a humble coal burner, but one day, someone will…"

"No need." The man said, turning his face towards Hiroto. From this close, Hiroto could see that he was wearing the Hanafuda earrings, as well as the onyx bracelet that he and Tanjiro were now wearing. There was a red mark on the right side of his face, similar to that of flames.

"Sumiyoshi. Master of their craft will always find their way to the same place. Even if the times have changed, even if they have taken different paths to that point, they will always go to the same place. You seem to see me as some kind of special human, but that's not true." The man then stood up and looked into the distance.

"I couldn't protect a single thing that was precious to me. I couldn't achieve what I was supposed to achieve in life. I am a man of no worth." The man said.

Hiroto looked at him and saw how his back seemed too distant, so lonesome.

'Wait… didn't I see him… in my dream on the train before…' Hiroto's last thoughts rang out before his mind turned foggy, and he woke up.

"Ngnnn… My head…" Hiroto said, rubbing his head from a headache.

"Ah!" Kanao's voice came from the side, as she sat next to him.

Looking at her closer, Hiroto saw that she didn't wear her usual white haori anymore, and instead just wore her black Demon Slayer Uniform.

Hiroto looked at her and smiled. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Umm, well… you might not know, but before Shinobu-san, Ummm, made you rest again… you were unconscious for… two whole months." Kanao said, unsure how Hiroto would react.

Hiroto just stared back at her and sighed. "*sigh* two whole months, huh… It seemed like it was only yesterday I was fighting the Upper Moon… How's my brother? And the others, Inosuke and Zenitsu?"

Kanao nodded, "They weren't hurt as badly as you and Tengen-san. Both of you had the most injuries compared to the others."

Kanao then looked down, tears starting to form on the side of her eyes. "I'm… I'm just glad… that you're awake now."

Hiroto looked at her silently, and reached his hand out, putting it onto hers. Lightly comforting her, he said quietly, "Sorry for worrying you. But I'm still here, so need to cry. It doesn't suit you." Hiroto lightly jokes at the end.

Kanao looked back at him and used her sleeve to wipe her eyes and nodded at him, "I'm fine. Thank you."

After that, Hiroto then looked at the ceiling of the room, and said, "...Inosuke… What the hell are you doing…"

Inosuke was currently climbing along the ceiling, upside down.

"Guwaahahah! I'm impressed you noticed me, Kontashintoro!!" Inosuke shouted, before jumping down onto the ground.

He then pointed towards Hiroto and shouted, "It took you long enough to wake up! I woke up months before you did! Hehe, fufufu, praise me some more!! And you're a feeble boy!! You made me worry!" Inosuke started fussing in front of Hiroto.

Hiroto then spoke up, "Say, where's Tanjiro and Zenitsu?"

"Ah, they went on a mission already. They should be back soon I think." Kanao answered.

"Hiroto!! I heard that you have recovered!!" Rengoku's voice came from outside, as he slammed the door open.

"Ah, Rengoku. Yes, well. I woke up, so not actually recovered. But it doesn't seem to feel as bad as the fight against Akaza." Hiroto said to Rengoku.

"Hmm Hmm. As expected of you. I heard what you did from Tengen-san. I'm very proud of you, Hiroto. You came far! You even defeated an Upper Moon! There was a message that Tengen-san wanted me to give you. He said, 'I accept Nezuko as a part of the Demon Slayers.'" Rengoku conveyed Uzui's message, after praising Hiroto.

Hiroto only nodded and smiled. The group then conversed about some other things for a while before departing.

At night, when Hiroto was about to sleep again, he heard some small footsteps approach him. "Hmm? Nezuko?" Hiroto looked to the side and saw Nezuko's head poke up from the side of the bed.

"Mmph," Nezuko mumbled, now having her mouthpiece back.

Hiroto smiled, as she climbed up Hiroto's bed and laid next to him. Hiroto patted her head and said quietly, "I'm guessing Tanjiro went along this time… I'm proud of what you did Nezuko. Being able to hold back."

Nezuko looked up at Hiroto and nodded, with an expression that was practically telling him to praise her more.

"Hahaha, aren't you spoiled," Hiroto said, before slowly falling asleep, along with Nezuko. He didn't have to worry about sunlight, as the room was already boarded up beforehand.

----

After around a week, Hiroto had partially recovered back to his previous strength. Although he's still injured, he was able to train again and run around.

Tanjiro had already returned and had a look of dread on his face as he was reading some letters. Hiroto walked over curiously and asked, "What's wrong? You look like someone's out to kill you, hahaha."

Tanjiro slowly turned to face his brother and said, "... I think someone really is…" He then handed the letters to him.

Hiroto took them and read them. To say he was gobsmacked was an understatement.

"I have no sword for you. Fuck you. Fuck you. Go to Hell. Fuck you. Fuck you. Hate. Hate. Hate. You can go to hell."

The letters were covered in ink and written as though it was a curse. Hiroto put the letters down and patted his brother's shoulders before saying. "Don't worry Tanjiro. I'll look after Nezuko."

"Brother! The letter was from Haganezuka-san. I-it was about my chipped sword." Tanjiro stuttered, before rubbing his head. "But I only chipped it this time. Rghhnnnnghh. Maybe it's because I actually broke it before."

The girls, Naho, Kiyo, and Sumi were listening next to them as they were having tea before then spoke up.

Tilting her head to the side, Sumi said, "But people often damage their swords, right? Maybe Haganezuka-San's the one who's being difficult here…"

*crunch crunch crunch* The girls were heavily crunching on rice crackers bigger than their heads. Hiroto was cleaning up after them as they spilled over the ground and their gowns.

"How about you head to the Village?" Kiyo suggested. "I think you should meet him in person and talk things out."

"The Village?" Tanjiro asked as Hiroto wiped the girl's mouths as they ate without regard.

*crunch crunch crunch*

"All the swordsmiths live there," Kiyo said again, before concentrating on her rice cracker.

Rengoku then came in and heard what they said. "Ah, the swordsmith village? If you want to go you will have to get permission from Oyakata-Sama! Since you're not a Hashira, you wouldn't normally be permitted to go. So you have to file in for a special request!"

Tanjiro nodded, and said, "So I just have to write a letter to Oyakata-Sama, and get his permission?"

"That's right!" Rengoku said, crossing his one arm across his chest awkwardly, but paying no attention to how weird it looked.

"You know, this would be good for you as well Hiroto! You should go with your brother, so you can gain some experience! Since you are my Tsuguko, it's inevitable that you will have to go to the swordsmith village at some point! Why not do it now? I can ask Oyakata-Sama, and most likely he will agree to my selfish request!" Rengoku said with his same stoic face and attitude.

"Eh? But what's there to see in the village?" Hiroto asked, picking out the rice cracker crumbs from the girl's hair.

"Lots!" Rengoku answered, not elaborating anymore.

"Um, sure then? I don't have anything else to do anyway. Plus, it's just a visit to the village, what's the worst that can happen there?" Hiroto said, totally not raising a flag.