I Will Be Very Sensible And Obedient

---

The mountain road was difficult to walk, especially with the snow piling up—deep in some places, shallow in others.

Ryuji led the way, and Kamado Kie followed close behind. But with Ryuji's long strides, she had to take two quick steps for every one of his.

The cold wind bit at her frail body, and her illness only made things worse. Her legs felt weak, and every step was a struggle. Her head swam with dizziness, but despite how sick she felt, Kie said nothing. She just quietly kept pace, glancing up from time to time at Ryuji's broad back, worry etched on her face.

Ever since they left the gravesite, Ryuji hadn't spoken. His silence unnerved her.

Fear began to creep in.

Tanjuro was gone now—there was no one left to support the family. They were relying on her alone...

The thought struck a chord of panic deep within her. Her gaze lingered on Ryuji's back, fearing that at any moment, this strong figure would disappear too.

"Did I upset Ryuji-san somehow?" she wondered, her heart pounding.

---

Tanjuro's grave wasn't far from the Kamado family home, so after a short while, they arrived back at the house.

The worry from the journey, combined with her illness and the biting cold, left Kie feeling weak and dizzy. But she didn't dare rest. As Ryuji approached the door, she rushed ahead to open it for him.

Ryuji paused, his hand hovering in the air as Kie quickly slid the door open. She stood beside it, her head bowed, hands folded in front of her, her body slightly trembling. Ryuji's brow furrowed in concern as he glanced at her pale face.

Without saying a word, he entered the house, cradling Nezuko, who had fallen asleep in his arms.

Kie followed him inside, her steps light and tentative.

Ryuji carried Nezuko to her room, carefully laying her down on the futon. He pulled the covers over her and looked at her tear-streaked face, her eyes shut tight, even in sleep. He sighed softly. Tanjuro's death had hit her hard.

"I hope she finds peace soon," Ryuji murmured before quietly exiting the room, closing the door behind him.

He sat down in the living room, exhausted, but before he could even catch his breath, the sound of light footsteps approached.

Kie appeared, carrying a cup of hot tea, which she gently set down beside him.

After placing the tea, she quickly moved to grab a rag and began wiping the floor. Kneeling down, she pressed the cloth into the wooden boards, cleaning the path they had just walked.

Ryuji watched her, frowning. Her hair, damp and unkempt, hung around her face, which was pale and gaunt. He had told her to take care of herself when they returned, but she had been busy the entire time since they arrived.

Despite her focus on wiping the floor, Kie was constantly sneaking glances at Ryuji's face, worried she might have upset him. She feared making him angry, especially now when the family was in such dire straits.

Without Tanjuro, the burden of caring for six children weighed heavily on her. Ryuji had been Tanjuro's close friend, but seeing how hard life had become for the Kamado family, she couldn't help but worry that he was regretting his decision to help them.

Raising six children—Tanjirou, Nezuko, Takeo, Hanako, Shigeru, and little Rokuta—was a tremendous responsibility. Anyone would feel overwhelmed.

It was this pressure that had pushed Kie to move past her grief over Tanjuro's death so quickly. She couldn't afford to mourn. She had to think about how to provide for her children.

But she was just one woman, weak and ill, with so many mouths to feed.

The thought made her heart ache with helplessness.

Kie's hands trembled as she continued wiping the floor, her movements slowing when she noticed Ryuji's frown deepen.

" Kie…" Ryuji finally spoke, his voice low.

Her heart leapt into her throat. Did he intend to leave them? Fear gripped her.

Without thinking, she dropped the rag and knelt before him. "Please... Ryuji, don't leave us."

Tears welled in her eyes as she clasped her hands together, her voice shaking. "I'll be good, I promise. The children will be good too. We won't make any trouble for you."

Her face was pale, her hair disheveled, and her clothes were untidy from cleaning. To anyone watching, she would have looked like a woman who had been through too much—like someone who had been abandoned.

---

Kamado Kie knelt on the ground, tears in her eyes, her clothes disheveled from the journey and the weight of grief. The hemp rope tied around her waist emphasized her slender figure, and her head was bowed low, almost touching her chest.

Her hair, though mostly tied back, had fallen loose, framing her pale cheeks.

"Ryuji... please don't be angry," Kie whispered, her voice trembling.

She cautiously reached out a small hand, gripping the corner of Ryuji's clothing, unsure and hesitant.

Ryuji stood still, momentarily taken aback by the scene before him.

When had he ever said he was leaving?

He had only intended to remind Kie not to overwork herself. She was sick, and with the cold weather, she needed to rest more than anything. But now, seeing her kneeling and pleading with him, tears in her eyes, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow.

Kie's pale face, her sorrow-filled expression, and the way her eyelashes glistened with unshed tears made his heart ache.

He stood from his chair and gently helped Kie to her feet, holding her small hand as he spoke earnestly, "Kie, please don't worry. I promised Tanjuro that I would take care of you and the children. I wouldn't abandon you."

As he spoke, he patted her hand softly, offering reassurance.

Hearing Ryuji's words, Kie's anxiety eased a little, but she still felt unsure. She glanced up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes and asked, her voice barely above a whisper, "Ryuji... is that really true?"

"Of course," he responded gently.

"Then... earlier, you seemed upset..." Kie said, her voice shaky, as she carefully watched his face for any signs of anger.

Ryuji sighed, shaking his head slightly. "I wasn't upset with you. I'm just concerned about your health."

He tightened his hold on her hand slightly, speaking in a softer tone. "You've been sick, Kie, and with Tanjuro's funeral, you've had to push yourself even more. It's been cold, and I can see that you're not feeling well. I told you to rest, but when we got home, you went right back to work. How could I not be worried?"

Understanding dawned on Kie, and her heart sank with guilt. She had completely misunderstood him.

Her eyes welled up with tears again, this time out of regret. "I... I'm so sorry, Ryuji. I shouldn't have doubted you."

In that moment, Kie realized that Ryuji was still holding her hand. His touch was gentle, comforting, and it made her heart race. She could feel the warmth of his hand as he absentmindedly stroked hers, and suddenly, the reality of the situation hit her.

Flustered, she quickly pulled her hand away as if she'd been shocked, her cheeks flushing with heat.

But after pulling back, she grew nervous, wondering if she had offended him. Her eyes darted up to Ryuji's face, but his expression hadn't changed. He seemed as calm and gentle as before, as though her reaction hadn't bothered him at all.

Kie let out a quiet sigh of relief, but at the same time, she felt an inexplicable sense of disappointment.

She snuck a glance at Ryuji's profile again, her heart pounding in her chest. He really was such a kind and dependable man.

For a fleeting moment, Kie thought about Nezuko. When she grew up, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if she married someone like Ryuji. He was older than Nezuko, of course, but a bit of an age difference wasn't an issue. After all, Ryuji was kind, strong, and trustworthy—someone who could bring happiness to her daughter.

As for herself...

Kie shook her head, pushing the thought away. She was already a widow. The idea of remarriage was something she could never consider. Her fate was sealed; she would raise her children alone, no matter how hard it was.

She didn't dare to dream of anything more, especially not someone as kind and gentle as Ryuji.

-----

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