It was early in the morning.
The weather was very dull and gloomy. The thunderclouds covered the sky completely and it was all dark as the cool wind blew, making all the dry leaves rustle.

A small drop of water fell, accompanied by another, and another. It soon started raining heavily.

"Sanemi, Giyuu."
Kagaya smiled softly at the two young men who sat in front of him.

The two look at their master.

"I am very glad you're here,
you two..."
He paused a little.

"I called you here because I wanted to talk to you about a very important topic. I want both of your opinions on it."

"Yes master?"
The two ask, wanting to know what he had to say to them.

"Giyuu?"
Kagaya said softly.

"Yes master...?"
Giyuu looked at him.

"How is your relationship with all the Hashiras like?"
Kagaya asked.

Giyuu got a little astonished by the question.

"...They're all nice to me. I like them all."
He said, calmly.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you that you had to be completely honest while answering."
Kagaya said.

Giyuu's eyes widen.

"Be honest."
Kagaya said with a gentle smile.

Giyuu kept quiet as he looked down.
Sanemi looked at him.

"I can't really say anything. If I had to be honest, no one really talks to me. I'm not alone though."
Giyuu said.

"I see..."
Kagaya replied.

It was all silent.

"How is your relationship with Sanemi like?"
Kagaya broke the silence.

Both the Hashira's eyes widen as they look at their master.

"Go on, tell me Giyuu."
Kagaya said.

"Umm... if I'm being honest, I don't ever expect Shinazugawa-San to treat me nicely."

Sanemi's eyes widen.

"What do you mean?"
Kagaya asked.

"He's hot tempered. He usually doesn't talk to anyone nicely so, if I were to be honest, he doesn't treat me well. Though I consider him as my friend."
Giyuu said.

"Okay..."
Kagaya took a deep breath.

"B-But he's also a nice guy... Strong and brave..."
Giyuu said, trying to find something nice to say about his fellow comrade.

"Alright."
Kagaya said. He knew whatever Giyuu said just now must have affected Sanemi and angered him. Therefore to get rid of the now tensed atmosphere, he decided to ask Sanemi.

"What are your opinions on Giyuu, Sanemi? Be honest with your answer."

"Uh, if I'm honest, I feel like he's very annoying."
Sanemi said.

"...And, why's that?"
Kagaya asked.

"He's always keeping that straight face as if he's different than us... I believe he thinks that we're all inferior to him, this angers me a little."

"Okay..."
Kagaya said. He knew Sanemi was trying to keep his cool as otherwise he was not the kind of person to be quiet after listening to all the negative opinions on him.

Giyuu was all quiet. He knew Sanemi never had anything nice to say to him. But something inside of him, always wanted to hear whatever Sanemi had to say about him. Even if it was good or bad.
Giyuu didn't understand why he would like listening to Sanemi's stupid talks. He also found himself staring at Sanemi for quite a while now.
Even Sanemi was aware of Giyuu staring at him a lot but he never said anything. Though if Giyuu was to stare more, he wouldn't hesitate to ask why.

"Master, if I may ask... Why are you asking us these questions and why do you want us to be completely honest with our answers?"
Sanemi asked.

"Because..."
Kagaya took a deep breath in.

"I'm aware of everything. Yet I want to know what you all feel like."
He said.

"But... Why just us?"
Sanemi questioned.

"Because..."
Kagaya paused a little.

"I've been observing you two since a pretty long time now. I have been observing all of the Hashiras actually.
I wanted to see how you all behave with one another. I wanted to see the friendship and bond between all of you.
And to my surprise, everyone was very friendly with each other. But out of all, the ones who would never ever get along even in the name of God, were you two.
Each and every meeting I've called you all, I find the most friendliest Hashiras being either Kanroji, Kocho or Rengoku.
But the Hashiras who were a complete opposite of that, were either, you two or Iguro."

The sound of the rain outside slowed down, as it finally stopped.
Both the Hashiras looked down with guilt.

"Actually, even Iguro has been talking a lot more lately, with Kanroji.
But the ones that aren't in very good terms with anyone and most importantly, each other, are you two.
This is the very reason why I have called you two together.
And don't ever think that I'm not aware of whatever that's happening in the corps. Because I know, you two engaged in a fist fight a few days ago, and that too, in the name of practising."

Kagaya took a deep breath in.

"Look, you two are equally as precious to me. Both of you are very strong and important to me even. But, I don't like it when I find out that you two fight with each other.
I don't want to hear about any fights happening in the corps again and that too, between the Hashiras. You Hashiras are the most powerful people in the corps, you are supposed to be teaching the younger generation to be just as strong and powerful as you!
Remember my words. And also, I want to see the progress in your friendship with everyone and most especially, each other. That's all.
I hope you two understand and stop fighting from now on and try to give efforts on each other's friendship.
I believe in both of you!"

Kagaya smiled gently as he dismissed the meeting.

"Thank you, Master..."
The two slowly stand up and leave.

_______________________________________

Giyuu started walking away silently.
Sanemi caught up with him and blocked his way by standing right in front of him.

"What... are you doing?"
Giyuu asked.

Sanemi grabbed Giyuu by his collar and pulled him closer.

Giyuu gasped softly.

"Don't you dare act innocent now, Tomioka..."
Sanemi said, so silently that it felt like a whisper.

"What do you mean?"
Giyuu asked.

Sanemi let go of Giyuu's collar.

"You did it on purpose didn't you? You sick son of a bitch!"
He looked furious.

"What did I do?"

"Snitching on me like that... I don't treat you well, huh?"
Sanemi said as he stepped closer.

"You said I was annoying too, so we're equal."
Giyuu looked at the slightly taller male who looked even angrier now.

"Fuck you mean we're equal? We will never be. I said you're annoying because you fucking are!"
Sanemi pointed his finger at Giyuu.

"And I said you don't treat me well because you don't!"
Giyuu replied.

"That's it. Don't you dare expect me to treat you well after this."
Sanemi said as he stepped back.

"I have never expected you to treat me well anyways."
Giyuu said as he looked away.

Sanemi looked even more pissed.

"So you mean I can't treat you well? You're challenging me, huh?"
He asked furiously.

"No, I'm not..."
Giyuu looked at him with a straight face.

Sanemi let out a sigh, stepping a little closer.

"I would treat you well but..."
Sanemi paused.

"You don't deserve it, you fucking loner."
He whispered into Giyuu's ear.

Giyuu's eyes widen.

But before he could say anything, Sanemi stormed off.

"I-I am not a loner..."
Giyuu's said to himself quietly.

_______________________________________