Akira sat in her room eyeing the red kimono she had been gifted.

It was a beautiful garment, made of silk and embroidered with intricate gold designs. She could not help but be intrigued by the thoughtful gift. But why had that man gifted it to her?

Somehow she didn't trust the demon's intentions. Especially since she still thought it was Muzan. Perhaps when she met up with Kokushibo again, she would ask him.

"There's no point in dwelling on that right now." She said as she put the red kimono away with the rest of her belongings.

She tried to shake off the feeling of unease, but it was difficult to ignore. Something about the kimono made her feel unsettled, like it was some sort of warning. But she couldn't place why she felt that way. She had never been one to dwell on such things before, and she was not about to start now.

She took out her koto and began to strum away at the strings, hoping to ease her worry. The sound of the koto filled the room, the notes flowing together like a gentle stream.

Akira felt her anxiety begin to fade, her body relaxing as she played. The music seemed to have a calming effect on her, soothing her worries and allowing her to focus on the present moment.

After a while she was finally able to drift off to sleep.

The morning came faster than she anticipated and even though she found the small town charming, she decided not to prolong her stay.

There was something about the town that made her feel uneasy, like a shadow hanging over it. She could not put her finger on what it was, but she knew that she needed to leave. She packed her things quickly and left the inn, the kimono still tucked away in her bag.

All the time she remained unaware of the demon who had been tasked by the demon progenitor to watch her.

Of course he would remain a shadow as his Master had commanded. He did not want to anger his Master Kibutsuji.

The demon had seen the wrath of his master, and he did not wish to be on the receiving end of it. So he stayed hidden, content to watch from the shadows. As Akira walked through the forest, she felt a strange sense of being watched, but she dismissed it as her imagination.

Besides, she thought to herself, what demon would be dumb enough to follow her? She would disperse them quite easily.

She had been trained in the ways of the slayer corps, and she was confident in her abilities. She had faced many demons in her time, and had never been bested. She continued on her way, unaware of the shadow that followed her, growing ever more curious.

As night neared she finally saw the outskirts of the Rengoku Estate. She smiled as she thought of how she would finally see the friendly flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku. It had been a while since they had seen each other. Had it been when he had become Hashira? She couldn't quite remember. All she knew was that it would be wonderful to see him again.

She found the Flame Hashira himself training with his younger brother, Senjuro. They stopped their training as she approached and greeted her warmly.

"Akira-san!" Kyojuro exclaimed, his voice booming with joy. "It is so wonderful to see you! It has been too long!"

He said whilst embracing her in a hug.

"I trust you have been well?" He asked, his face beaming with happiness.

Senjuro stood back, smiling shyly at Akira.

"Kyojuro -san, it's so nice to see you." She replied with a warm smile before she turned to the shy Senjuro. "And hello to you too, Senjuro. It's nice to see you both."

Senjuro's cheeks flushed slightly at the attention, but he gave Akira a small bow.

"It is nice to see you too, Akira-san." He said, his voice quiet but sincere. "It has been a while. How have you been?"

"I've been better! But it's so good to be around familiar faces. Travelling all the time can get quite lonely."

Senjuro nodded in understanding.

"I can imagine it must be difficult, to be away from home for so long." He said, his tone sympathetic. "I am glad you are here now, where you can rest and be among friends."

He gave her a gentle smile, his eyes filled with kindness. Akira was quite fond of the boy and often thought of him as her own younger brother. She had gone out of her way on many occasions to bring him out of his shell and was quite pleased with how well that was turning out.

"That sounds awesome, because I believe your brother still owes me a bowl of miso ramen from our last arm wrestling match!" She said to him with a playful smile.

Kyojuro let out a booming laugh, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"You are right! I had completely forgotten!" He said, a sheepish look on his face. "I promise you, Akira-san, that you will get your bowl of ramen!And I will not go easy on you this time!"

This made Akira burst out laughing. "Well, if you want to be a sore loser yet again then game on!"

Kyojuro laughed heartily at her response, the sound echoing in the courtyard.

"You are a feisty one, Akira-san!" He said, his eyes alight with mirth. "But I am not afraid of a challenge! Bring it on!" He said, his competitive spirit rising to the surface.

"Sure, sure. But food first." Akira replied, patting her belly for emphasis.

"Of course!" Kyojuro said, leading her towards the kitchen. "We will have to fortify ourselves with a good meal before the match! And perhaps a cup of sake to loosen up the muscles."

"Clever tactics. But you won't beat me even if you get me drunk, Kyojuro -san." Akira smirked at him.

"Ha! That remains to be seen!" Kyojuro said, his eyes glittering with mischief. "But I am curious to know, why did you decide not to become a demon slayer?"

"Well, I want to live my own life. I know it sounds selfish but it feels like at times I can't even control my own destiny."

"It is not selfish at all." Kyojuro said, shaking his head. "You have the right to live your life as you choose, and to make your own decisions." He said, his voice kind and understanding. "I can imagine it is hard, to feel like your life is not your own."

"Yeah. Even worse I can't even say my last name in fear that some demon might be listening. I just want to be Akira Himorogi. Not Akira, the sister of the Demon slayer corp leaders."

"That must be a heavy burden to bear." Kyojuro said, his voice sympathetic. "To have your identity defined by your relation to others, rather than who you are as an individual."

He paused, thinking.

"But that is something that you can change. You can forge your own path, and make a name for yourself outside of the Demon Slayer Corps."

"Thanks Kyojuro -san. You know, you sound like someone I met recently. He too told me that I was more than my family name.  How funny. His name starts with the same letter as yours." Akira said with a fond smile and a faraway expression.

"Oh? And who is this person?" Kyojuro asked, intrigued.

He was in fact more curious than he should have been. He had never heard Akira speak of a man and if he was being honest with himself it made him feel a little upset because it meant she might like this mysterious person.

"I am curious to know who else has given you such sage advice." He said, his brow raised in interest. "It is quite a coincidence that his name also starts with a 'K'."

"Oh don't bother yourself with that." Akira replied with a smile. "What do you say I rest a little? Well talk more tomorrow."

"Of course!" Kyojuro said, bowing his head slightly. "You have had a long journey, and you must be tired. Please rest well. I look forward to our conversation tomorrow."

He gave her a friendly smile and a hug before bidding her goodnight.

Akira smiled before she entered her room and proceeded to lie down to sleep. She closed her eyes, and the world faded away. As she drifted off to sleep, her mind wandered to her recent conversation with Kyojuro. It was true, she had been living her life as if it was not her own. Perhaps it was time for her to make her own choices, to forge her own path. It was a daunting prospect, but also an exciting one.

Meanwhile, the demon who had been watching her went and reported back to Muzan.

"My lord, I have news." The demon said, bowing low before the demon lord. "Akira Himorogi has arrived in a nearby estate, and is staying there for the night. I did not engage her, as per your orders, but I was able to observe her for a time."

Muzan did not respond but merely dismissed the demon. He couldn't help thinking about the woman. Even worse, he couldn't help thinking about how his Upper moon one was spending time with her. He shouldn't have cared but somehow the thought made him feel a little - jealous?

That could not be right. Muzan did not feel jealousy, or any other emotion for that matter. He was a being of pure power and ambition, beyond the petty concerns of the human heart. Yet, the thought of his Upper Moon One with this woman, sharing their stories and connecting on a personal level, made something stir in his cold, calculating mind.

He didn't like this feeling. But the only way to get rid of it would be to see her again. If only but to quell his curiosity.

That was the only possible reason, he assured himself. He wanted to see her again, not out of any sense of desire or longing, but simply to satisfy his curiosity. To understand what it was about her that made his Upper Moon One so interested in her. Nothing more.

Although he had to admit she was quite beautiful.

There was no denying that. Her features were delicate and refined, her lavender eyes shining with a curious intelligence. Her hair was a silver white color, and her skin was pale and flawless. She was the epitome of beauty, he had to admit. But that was all he would allow himself to think, he told himself sternly.

He would simply take it as a challenge. Figuring her out. A mystery to unravel. It was nothing more than that. And yet, he could not help but feel a strange pull, tugging in his mind. Something about her called to him, even as he tried to deny it. He pushed the thought away, focusing on his plans and his ambitions. He had no time for distractions.

The familiar twang of a biwa brought him back to the present.

"Lord Douma has arrived as you requested, Muzan-sama." Nakime, the Biwa demon announced.

Muzan stood, his expression cold and calculating.

"Let him enter." He said, his voice firm and commanding.

Upper Rank Two entered the room, his expression as blank and placid as ever.

"You wished to see me, Muzan-sama?" He said, his tone light and airy.

Muzan had to restrain himself from lashing out at the rainbow eyed demon. As much as Douma annoyed him, he could not deny that he was a powerful demon.

"I have a mission for you."

Douma's eyes widened in interest, his expression brightening.

"A mission? From you, Muzan-sama? I would be honored to carry out your commands." He said, his voice was eager and excited. "What task do you have for me?"

"I need you to watch someone for me. A woman. The weakling I sent is probably not that competent." Muzan said as he narrowed his eyes at the demon. "You had better not touch her or else..."

Douma raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"Do not worry, Muzan-sama. I will not harm a hair on her head." He said, his tone placating. "I will merely watch her, as you have asked. You have my word." He added, his eyes wide and somewhat sincere.

Muzan narrowed his eyes at him before he dismissed him. He didn't trust Douma to not touch Akira but he knew only his second strongest upper moon could do a better job of watching her should his upper moon one be dissatisfied with his decision.

Muzan knew that Douma was not above manipulating others, using his charming personality to gain the trust of those around him. But he also knew that the demon was fiercely loyal to him, and would not dare to go against his orders.