34

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"... And this is where I used to play with Asahi and Emi! Before it even happened we used to pretend we were swordsman and have fights with sticks!" I run eagerly along the track to my childhood village, a bandage still wrapped around my stomach under my yukata and around my head, and a sling keeping my left arm in place. Haganezuka follows behind, watching carefully as she on the surface seems how she normally would... but he can tell by the fiddling with her hair and scratching at her neck that something is wrong.

"Miss Nakahara..."

"And here is where we tried to build a treehouse but Emi got a splinter and decided she wanted nothing to do with trees!"

"Miss Nakahara-"

"And here is where we found the fox burrow with the mother and two-"

"Miss Nakahara!" He grabs ahold of my wrist, stopping me. "Just stop for a moment," he says and I turn to face him, my heart pounding in my chest as I force a smile.

"What's wrong? We're nearly there, are you tired do you need a break?"

"I know that you're nervous, stop trying to pretend you aren't," I bite my tongue, quickly shaking my head and smiling.

"I'm not! I'm excited!" He sighs, letting go of my wrist and getting a better grip at the basket he's carrying on his back. I can feel his strong stare from behind the mask, and it makes me shuffle uncomfortably as he's completely silent. "Ok! M-maybe I'm a little nervous," I give in and he shakes his head.

"It's fine if you're nervous you don't have to say you aren't."

"I just haven't seen them in so long.. what do I say.. will they even recognize me?"

"Just stop overthinking it and deal with it when it comes ok? I'll be there with you and everything will be fine ok?" He says in a soft voice and I take deep breaths, smiling up at him.

"Thank you Mr Haganezuka!" I gush, running to his side and holding onto his arm, making him clear his throat awkwardly as we continue to walk. As we approach closer and closer to the village and all the childhood memories come rushing back to me, I hug his arm closer for comfort and take deep breaths, trying to steady my growing nerves.

Just as we make it to the entrance of the village, I pause for a second making him look back at me.

"Are you alright?" He whispers and I bite my lip before slowly exhaling. I look up at him and nod with a smile... so we walk into the village.

Immediately, all eyes are on us and I look around nervously. I hear people whispering as we walk past, not only at the strange masked man walking beside me... but about the young girl they never thought they'd see again.

"Is that.. that's the Nakahara girl!"

"We thought she was killed with her siblings..."

"No no didn't you hear, she left to become a swordsman or something!"

"She's covered in bandages.. and look she's missing a hand..."

"What will her parents say..."

"Who's that with her... a husband?... Surely not, no man wanted to marry her when she was here.."

I hold onto Haganezuka tighter, trying to escape their stares and comments, and I stare at my feet as we walk towards my old house. I see familiar faces, but not one of them seems happy to see me. I then feel Haganezuka squeeze my hand a little, his way of reassuring me and it works instantly. I know that as long as he's with me, I'll be ok.

We then come to a small house at the end of one of the paths, and I stand at the front door as my right hand hovers in a fist. I squeeze my eyes shut, every memory of what they said to me before I left replaying through my mind. Taking every bit of courage left inside of me, I hold my breath and gently knock on the door. Haganezuka stands behind me as we wait, until the door finally opens... and my eyes widen.

"Hello..." I whisper, bowing my head to the two standing there with wide eyes.

"Hanako?" They mumble and I raise my head, tears in my eyes.

"M-May we come in?"

We all sit silently in the room, Haganezuka and I across from the two who continue to just look at me with a shocked expression. I haven't been able to think of what to say to them, so we've just been sitting here saying nothing for the past 10 minutes.

"What are you doing here?" The man finally says, making me lift my head to them.

"What happened to you?" The woman says, eyeing my injuries with a confused expression. My lip trembles as I close my eyes, pressing my head to the floor in front of them as a sign of my respect.

"I came here to beg for you forgiveness," I whisper, my eyes still closed as they say nothing. "I'm sorry I left you both all those years ago, but I couldn't face you with the shame I felt. I left and I met a man who trained me in the art of sword fighting... so I could avenge Asahi and Emi and kill the demons who took them from us... All these years I've been working and fighting against them... hoping to gain your forgiveness and have you take me back as your daughter."

I'm met with silence until the woman suddenly stands.

"Don't say their names..." She says sternly and I squeeze my eyes shut, never once raising my head. "You don't get to say their names when they're gone because of you!" She yells and I can hear the break in her voice. "You were supposed to be here with them, you were supposed to protect them! How can you protect others when you couldn't even protect your younger siblings!" Her words pierce my heart and tears escape from my eyes.

"You got those injuries from a fight?" The man finally says and I nod. "And now you can't fight anymore?" He says and I nod again. "Then you're worthless... did you kill the demon who killed them?"

"I'm sorry... I never encountered it..."

"Then how can you come beg for forgiveness when you have yet again failed not only us, but them as well?" I can't speak, so instead I just remain with my head to the ground, taking their words in. "We told you that our eldest daughter died that night as well... and we still feel that way," he says and my heart breaks.

Haganezuka then scoffs, making the two look at him.

"Sorry it's just... I've never met people as stupid as you two," my eyes widen as the room falls silent. I quickly sit up, facing him with worried eyes and tears streaming down my face.

"Mr Haganezuka-"

"Who are you?" The man says with a glare and Haganezuka crosses his arms.

"I am a swordsmith working for the demon slayer corps, Haganezuka Hotaru." He says with a confident voice.

"A swordsmith?"

"And I am also Miss Nakahara's fiance," he says making my eyes widen.

"Huh?!" They both exclaim.

"Which is why I cannot sit here and listen to you two insult her any further, because frankly you are absolutely blind if you cannot see her for what she truly is."

"A disappointment?"

"No. The kindest, most loving and brave person in the entire world. Quite honestly, you two are the disappointments. For four years, as a young child, she was risking her life to keep people like you safe from demons. Yet you two sit here on your asses doing nothing and rotting away in your pathetic home. How can you tell her she is to blame for her siblings deaths, when their own parents weren't there to protect them. Is that not your duty, to protect your children? Clearly you failed at that because now you both sit here alone with no legacy and no children to carry on your name. You're right, she's no longer your daughter, because there's no way someone as perfect as her could be associated with you. Soon she will no longer be Nakahara Hanako... she will be Hagaenzuka Hanako. She will have her own family and she will have her own legacy, and you two will have nothing to do with her anymore."

Not even a breath can be heard in the room, and the two sit there with their jaws agape and frozen in place. My eyes are wide as I stare at Haganezuka, who maintains his strong posture and glare at the two.

"H-how dare you!?" The man yells, standing and pointing at the door. "Leave this house and this village at once! You are disgraceful and disrespectful and I never want to see you two ever again!" He spits and Haganezuka also stands, towering over the man.

"With pleasure. I hope you live a miserable and lonely life, because that is all you are deserving of," he says in a calm voice, grabbing my hand and dragging me out of the house.

"W-wait-"

"Don't look back. Never look back at them again. Just look forward, from now on only look forward ok?" He says, looking at me over his shoulder as my eyes widen and I stumble after him.

"O-ok..."

He continues to drag me through the village, not once stopping or acknowledging the people we pass.. and I don't look back at once. Haganezuka is right, I can't keep looking behind me at the past and about things I should've done. Now, there's only forward. I should only look forward at what the future has to bring me, what my future with Hagaenzuka has for me. That's all I need now...

We sit with our feet in a river and I watch the fishes swim around and the butterflies land on the water creating ripples. I don't know how to explain this feeling... I thought I'd be upset that my parents thought of me like that... but I don't for some reason.

I feel free.

Free from their expectations, and free as if I don't have to live my life to please someone else now. I feel free to live how I want to live... and I know exactly how I want to live.

"So..." I giggle, and Haganezuka looks down at me.

"Hm?"

"Haganezuka Hanako huh?" I tease and he clears his throat, quickly looking away from me and rubbing his neck awkwardly.

"I-It was in the heat of the moment... sorry..." He grumbles and I laugh, nudging his shoulder.

"It's ok! It works... I like it more than Nakahara Hanako anyway," I wink making him chuckle. "So when will we be married?" He hums, leaning back on his palms as he looks up towards the sky.

"Why wait? Let's leave for the swordsmith village as soon as you're ready and then be married," he says and my eyes widen.

"O-oh... that soon?" I say and he looks over at me as I smile. "I'd love that! Miko and Haku can come to our wedding right!? And my other demon slayer friends... and the maid girls! They're all like my family surely they can come right!" I say and he chuckles awkwardly.

"The swordsmith village still needs to be protected... we can't have too many outsiders coming..." he says and I frown, making him sigh. "We can make an exception for Miko and Haku though..." I immediately perk up with happiness, jumping onto him making him yell and fall backwards. I land on top of him, giggling as he grumbles with annoyance but still wraps his arms around me.

"I can't wait to get married!" I gush making him laugh.

"I never thought I'd ever get married..."

"Since you're so mean to everyone?" I giggle as he gently smacks my head. "Well you are! Don't worry I didn't think anyone would ever marry me either!"

"Because you're annoying?" I glare at him making him snicker.

"And you have to live with me for the rest of our lives now!" I say triumphantly and he groans, leaning his head back dramatically making me gasp. "Jerk!" I try to get up, but I squeal and laugh as he scoops me up into his arms and holds me close to him.

"I can't wait to spend my life with you, Haganezuka Hanako," he whispers and I blush furiously, burying my head into his chest with a smile.