Chapter 1

"Sigh, this is still not enough." A 15-years old youth sighed while looking at the coins in his hand.

"What are you saying, Nii-san? That money is plenty enough for us to eat for a few days," Beside him, a Youth who looks 13 years-old said.

"That's true but... what about the other necessities of the Family, like new clothes, or a toy for the little ones?" Kanjiro paused for a moment then finally let out his problem.

"That..." Tanjiro couldn't say anything as what Kanjiro said was true.

The money was enough for their Family to buy food that was enough to last for a few days but it was not enough for them to buy clothes as those were pretty expensive. And if they buy a few clothes, the money would be instantly gone.

"Sigh, let's think about that later, for now, let's go home, little brother." Kanjiro shook his head as he put the empty basket, which was filled with charcoals earlier on his back and said.

"Hm, Nii-san," Tanjiro nodded his head as he also put the empty basket on his back.

...

After minutes of walking, the 2 finally arrived at their house.

"Mother, we're here!" Tanjiro shouted excitedly, as though he was gone for a long time and finally came back.

"The both of you are finally here," A woman left the wooden house. The woman was exuding a warm and loving aura. Her eyes flashed in gentleness and worry while looking at her 2 ragged sons.

"Come, let's enter the house, it's pretty cold here," Kie lightly said.

"Mm! Mm!" Tanjiro repeatedly nodded.

"Fufu~," Kie lightly laughed while looking at Tanjiro's action, then she shifted her gaze to Kanjiro, who was not saying anything since earlier.

"Yeah, let's enter," Kanjiro couldn't help but said as he couldn't take the piercing gaze of his Mother.

"Good," Kie lightly nodded her head.

She turned around and re-entered the house followed by the 2 Brothers.

...

"Tanjiro-Nii! Kanjiro-Nii! Next time, let me join you guys selling the Charcoals!" A Boy said as the whole family was currently eating.

"Me too! Me too! I want to help Tanjiro-Nii and Kanjiro-Nii!" A Little Girl chimed in.

"Hehe~, both of you thank you, but the weather is really bad right now, so next time when the weather calms down, okay?" Tanjiro shook his head, even though, the Kamado Family was poor, their family was still very happy.

"Aaah!" The 2 Children pout unhappily.

"Hehe," Kie, Tanjiro, and Nezuko lightly laughed while looking at the cute pouting faces of the 2 Children.

Kanjiro's stoic face revealed a slight smile while looking at his Family.

Ever since, his Father's death, Tanjuro, Kanjiro was forced to become mature, and throughout maturing, his heart became a little bit cold. After his Father's Death, Kanjuro became the bread-winner of the family until his Little Brothes, helped him. Tanjiro helps him selling the Charcoals, Takeo by chopping the woods, his little sister, Nezuko, helps the family by taking care of the little ones.

'Later, I must buy a few set of clothes and other necessities for them,' Thought Kanjuro while looking at the worn clothes of his siblings.

"Kanjiro-Nii, what's the problem?" Tanjiro sensed Kanjuro's mood and asked.

"Nothing," Kanjuro shook his head.

"Mm," Tanjiro nodded his head, even though he was curious, he knew that it's bad to invade other's privacy.

"Kanjiro," Kie lightly called out, making Kanjiro turned to looked at her with his usual stoic face.

"Don't tell me you..."

"No, don't worry Mother, I won't do that," Kanjiro shook his head.

"That's good," Kie sighed in relief.

"Even though, we're poor, we do-"

"I know, Mother, I know," Kanjiro interrupted her.

"Mm, it's good that you know," Kie said.

"Mmm? What are you talking about Mother with Kanjiro-Nii?" Nezuko, the Eldest Sister, asked.

"Nothing, nothing," Kie was about to answer but Kanjiro stopped her by answering instead of her.

"Mm," Nezuko nodded.

...

In the dead of the night.

The members of the Kamado Family were sleeping peacefully with the exception of others.

Kanjiro whose eyes were closed suddenly shot open.

He slowly and carefully stands up to not awake the others.

"Where are you going, Nii-san?" Kanjiro was about to leave the room, when a voice sounded out.

"Just going to do some things," Kanjiro turned around and looked at Tanjiro who was rubbing his eyes.

"Hm? It's pretty late, also it's very cold outside... maybe you can do your things tomorrow, Nii-san," Tanjiro said.

"That won't be possible" Kanjiro shook his head.

"But-"

"No but," Kanjiro shook his head.

"Tanjiro, there's a chance that I won't be back tomorrow so I'm entrusting the Family to you," Kanjiro approached Tanjiro and put his hands on his shoulder, his voice was grave.

"Hm, I understand, Nii-san," Tanjiro showed a serious expression. He doesn't know what things Kanjiro needed to complete, but those must be important.

"Please, be careful out there, Nii-san," Tanjiro said, his face was filled with worry.

"Hm, don't worry," Kanjiro nodded his head.

After packing up his things, Kanjiro was about to leave the house when a gentle voice echoed, stopping his movements.

"Where are you going, Kanjuro?" Kie asked, her expression was undeniably anger.

"Just doing some things," Kanjuro nonchalantly answered.

"I see, then you can do those things tomorrow," Kie said.

"Mother, you know that I can't do that, right?"

"Do... do you really need to do this?" Kie asked, her voice was filled with guilty.

She was feeling guilty because if they were not poor, would her son had to do this?

"Don't be like that Mother, I promise you that I won't do bad things, I will just go out there and get a fast job and then return here," Kanjiro slightly smiled as he waved his hands in the air.

"I know that I won't be able to stop you from leaving no matter what, but please, be careful," Kie smiled bitterly.

"Yeah, Mother," Kanjiro nodded his head and turned around then finally left the Household of Kamado, Kie was staring at his Eldest Son's figure until it became one in the shadow of the night.

Her eyes were filled with Guilty and Sadness.

"Sigh, I'm so sorry, My Children, your Mother failed to take care of you," Kie bit her lips, trying to suppress the tears from coming out her eyes.

...

"No, you didn't fail mother, and never will," Even though, Kanjuro was far away from the house, he still heard the muttered of his Mother. Kanjiro doesn't know but his senses were very much sharper than normal people. His Brother, Tanjiro's, nose was sharp like a dog, so Kanjiro guessed that the abnormality of the senses comes from the blood in their veins.

"Sigh," Kanjiro sighed as he draped his body with thick and warm clothes.