Sorai flew the fastest he could, quickly making his way to the Ubuyashiki Mansion, his eyes were still watery when he reached the entrance.

He flew to Kagaya, panicking as he landed on his arm and told him everything.

Kagaya's eyes widened.

"Sanemi..."

At once, he called for the Kakushis.

"Yes Master?"
The helper men stood right in front of him, alarmed.

"Bring Sanemi from the south, his crow will lead you! Now!"
Kagaya ordered, his heart racing with concern for Sanemi.

"He mustn't die..."
Kagaya muttered, his eyes darkening.

"Yes Master!"
They quickly made their way to bring Sanemi's body back to the headquarters.

They ran fast.

"Hurry, Hurry! Please!"
Sorai shouted out, flying even faster.

As soon as they reached down the mountain, near the rocky terrain, their eyes widened at the sight of Sanemi's blood-covered, collapsed body.

"Shinazugawa-Sama!"

They quickly carried him on their back, grunting a little as they panted out.

"We need to take him to the Butterfly Mansion, now!"

They nodded, rushing fast as they made their way to the Butterfly Mansion.

"Be fast, come on!"
The Kakushis hurried, running back to the headquarters while Sorai flew to Giyuu's Estate.

___________________________________________

Giyuu was sitting on the backyard with Kanzaburou on his lap.

He was bubbling with joy at the thought of Sanemi returning soon.

He kept telling Kanzaburou how much he wanted to see Sanemi's face even if it was only for once.

"Ne, when do you think he'll return, Kanzaburou...?"

"I don't know that, Giyuu... But I know one thing for sure, it's that you are being restless again..."
The crow replied, warming himself up on Giyuu's lap.

Giyuu chuckled softly, patting his head.
"That I am... I really am restless, I want to see him..."

He blushed softly.
"And maybe even tell him..."

He gasped softly at his thoughts of confessing, covering his face up in embarrassment.

That's when he heard Sorai's faint cawing from a distance.

Giyuu looked up in the sky at the flying crow, squinting his eyes.

Is that a Kasugai Crow?
He wondered.

Sorai flew to Giyuu, so fast, it felt like the bird would pass out.

As soon as he came closer, Giyuu recognised him.

"Sorai...?"

The bird landed on Giyuu's arm, throwing the note on his hand.

"Sanemi wants me to give this to you..."
The bird flew off almost immediately.

Need to go to the Butterfly Mansion, fast!
Sorai's tears rolled down again.

Eh...? A note?

Giyuu stared at the piece of paper for some time.

His eyes widened almost immediately as he realised Sorai flew away.

"Hey! Where is Shinazugawa-San? Is he back!?"
He stood up as he waved at the sky, but Sorai was long gone now.

Giyuu sighed, opening the note up:

[I love you, Tomioka...

   -Shinazugawa Sanemi.]

Giyuu's eyes widened at the note, his blush growing deeper.

"Wh-What...?"

His whole face and the tips of his ears turned a deep shade of crimson as he stared at the paper intensely.

"What is it, Giyuu?"
Kanzaburou asked.

"I... I love you... Signed, Sh-Shinazugawa-San..."
He muttered, pressing the note against his chest as he sighed with content.

"You told me he doesn't know how to write, Giyuu..."
Kanzaburou said.

Giyuu's eyes widened.
"...Maybe he learned it?"

He paused, sitting down quietly. His heart was still racing at the sudden written confession, his flustered self showing.

After a minute or two, he was all restless again.

"Ne, Ne, Kanzaburou! Why did Sorai come here alone...? I'm getting worried. Why wasn't Shinazugawa-San here?"
He muttered.

"Maybe he's just taking a rest..."

Giyuu sighed.

Why does my heart tell me...
Something's wrong?

"I don't know why, but, I feel worried Kanzaburou... What if something happened to him? I wish he took the charm with him! But it's still with me... And it makes me feel uneasy..."
Giyuu took a deep breath, his voice filled with concern.

"Do not stress out, Giyuu..."

Giyuu nodded, sighing softly.

___________________________________________

"Kocho-Sama! Kocho-Sama! Open the door!"

Oh my, who could that be...?
Shinobu hurried to the door, unlocking it at once.

She let out a loud gasp, taking in the sight of Sanemi's heavily injured and unconscious state.

"OH MY! WHAT HAPPENED?"
She exclaimed, her eyes widening at once.

"We'll explain, we need to get him to the bed!"

Shinobu nodded, hurrying Sanemi to the bed as she looked at all the injuries.

She tried to check his pulse, but she felt none.

"Wh-What...?"
Her eyes darkened, her expression serious.

"AOI! HURRY, BRING SOME WATER, QUICK!"
Shinobu called out, her expression darkening even more.

Aoi hurried into the room, her eyes widening at the sight of Sanemi's still body.

She ran to Shinobu, offering her a glass of water.

Shinobu quickly sprinkled droplets of water on his face, hoping he would respond, but he really wasn't.

"This... This can't be..."
She pressed her hands on Sanemi's chest with force, that's when she felt his heartbeat again.

"THANK GOODNESS!"
She smiled happily as soon as she felt his pulse, but it was surprisingly slow.

His breathing was even slower.

"Oh my..."
Her serious expression returned as she stared at his body, which had no movement at all.

She had a feeling that his heartbeat could stop any moment, which feared her.

The shock of losing a partner she just talked a few days ago alone made her heart feel heavy, triggering tears in her eyes.

"How... How did this even happen...?"
She looked at the helper men, who looked at Sanemi's body, fear creeping up on them.

"He'd fought with an Upper Moon, master told us... As soon as we went to bring him back, his crow told us that he had fallen off of a mountain cliff."

Shinobu's eyes widened.
"Oh my..."

Aoi stood there in silence, she remembered the day Sanemi had a fever and had come to the Butterfly Mansion.

The person she was talking to a few days ago, just laid there in silence, without any movement.

The intense feeling of fear caught her heart racing.

"KOCHO-SAN!"
Mitsuri ran inside through the front door, panting heavily, tears in her eyes.

She stared at Sanemi's still, unmoved body, gasping loudly. The sight of Sanemi's body alone triggered her tears.

"Sh-Shinazugawa-San!"

She weeped softly, leaning against the corner of the bed.

She remembered his face, when he was moving and talking during the Hashira meeting, her heart racing.

That's when Obanai followed in.

His eyes widened at the sight.
"Shinazugawa..."

He hurried towards Sanemi, his heart beating extremely fast.

"O-Oi... What is this, Shinazugawa?"
He swallowed hard, pulling Sanemi's haori gently.

"You're a Hashira... So, why are you laying here like this... G-Get up..."
Obanai's thin, pale hand trembled as he placed it over his forehead.

He slowly put his hand down again, only to find it painted red.

"Stop this j-joke... You're not dead... Hey!"
Obanai refused to believe Sanemi's death, his eyes tearing up as he pulled Sanemi's haori even harder.

Mitsuri weeped louder, leaning against Obanai as she cried.

"You can't leave us like this..."

Shinobu stood up to bring bandages.
"Come with me, Aoi..."

Aoi nodded, following Shinobu as the others surrounded Sanemi.

___________________________________________

Giyuu was still sitting in the backyard, staring at the note.

"Shinazugawa-San's handwriting is so pretty..."
He blushed, kissing the paper softly.

"I really cannot wait to see him!"
Giyuu chuckled softly, the excitement filling him up to the brim.

That's when he heard a very loud knock on the door.

"TOMIOKA! OPEN THE DOOR, FAST!"

Giyuu's eyes widened, he quickly hurried to the front door, opening it to find Tengen standing there.

He gasped softly at Tengen's serious expression, which was very unlike him.

Giyuu tilted his head to the side curiously.

"Uzui-San? Is everything okay-"

"Tomioka."
Tengen cut off Giyuu's words.

"..."
Giyuu looked up at Tengen eagerly.

"Shinazugawa's dead."

A strong gush of wind moved Giyuu's messy black hair as his eyes widened.

"...What are you talking about?"

"He's in the Butterfly Mansion, everybody else's there too... And..."
Tengen paused, taking a deep breath.

"He is breathing but..."

"...I don't think he has much time left."

Giyuu's heart started beating fast, the note in his hand falling onto the ground.

This is a joke... Right?

"Come on..."
Tengen turned around.

"Shinazugawa must be waiting for you...
Let's go send him off together."

Giyuu didn't reply, following Tengen to the Butterfly Mansion quietly.

As soon as he reached there, his heart was racing, so fast he almost felt it coming out of his chest.

His mind refused from walking even a single step into the room, his hands and legs, all trembling with immense fear.

"Shinazugawa... He was a man with a good heart, I know that..."
Gyomei cried, his heart feeling heavy. He knew he had talked to him a few days ago, and that... Just made him feel worse.

"I agree, he had a strong will."
Kyojuro stared at the body blankly, his eyes dry. He was unable to believe what laid in front of his eyes.

Their reactions, made Giyuu's mind go insane.

Muichiro was standing there, with no movement, he took deep breaths, his eyes open wide.

"This... This... "
He stuttered, his fists clenching.

He remembered the time he flew a plane at Sanemi... Somehow, those memories were as fresh as new... And looking at Sanemi made his heart beat fast.

Tengen looked over at Giyuu.
"Hey, let's go in... Come on."

Giyuu looked at his feet.
"This... This can't be."
He muttered quietly.

"You haven't even seen him yet..."
Tengen replied.

"I-I don't want to..."
Giyuu's heart was racing.

That's when Shinobu and Aoi came in with the bandages.

As soon as Shinobu walked to Sanemi, she sat down next to him trying to feel his pulse.

Her hand trembled, as she desperately tried to feel his pulse.

"What...?"
Her eyes were filled with terror as she stood up.

"What is it, Kocho-San!?"
Mitsuri asked, her eyebrows furrowing with worry.

"I... I don't feel his pulse anymore."

Giyuu's eyes widened, his body still and unmoving.

Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke and Nezuko were on the other side of the room, their breath hitching at the words.

Sh-Shinazugawa-San...?
They couldn't believe it, their eyes filling up with tears already.

Shinobu stood there, her legs shivering.

"He had been fighting continuously all night, and on top of that... He... He fell off of a high cliff..."
She paused abruptly.

"And with all that blood loss... And after all the internal damage he suffered in the battle... It wasn't unbelievable... That he would die..."
She paused, tears rolling down as her breath hitched.

"B-But... I never thought he'd go this quickly..."

Giyuu gasped softly.

"What is this nonsense you're talking about, Kocho...?"
He stepped into the room, his eyes dry as  he looked at everybody.

"Tomioka-San..."
Shinobu looked at Giyuu, who's face looked way paler now.

As Giyuu's gaze shifted to Sanemi's now dead body, he couldn't shake the intense feelings of shock and fear.

"Sh... Shina..."
He stepped closer to the body, his whole body trembling.

He gently touched Sanemi's white haori, tugging it softly.

"Answer me... Shinazugawa-San..."

His eyes were dark and dry, as he refused to believe that Sanemi was dead.

He pulled Sanemi's haori towards him aggressively.

"Sh...Shinazugawa-San... Wh-Why...?"
Giyuu felt his eyes getting watery.

"Why...? Why would you break your promise...? Why would you.!?"
Giyuu's back arched as he sat down on the bed.

"ANSWER ME, DAMMIT!"
He burst into tears, wailing loudly, his head resting on Sanemi's chest as his tears drenched his uniform.

"SHINAZUGAWA-SAN!"
Giyuu hugged Sanemi tightly, his voice cracking a little.

"Why... Why would you leave me alone...? You're- you're the only one I have!"
He cried loudly, his heart pounding inside of his chest.

"You're the only one who made me realise why being alive is important! And now... Now... You're the one that's dead!?"
Giyuu sobbed, his voice getting louder.

"You told me not to fucking kill myself!"

Everybody's eyes widened upon hearing Giyuu's words.

"And you're the one who's dead? This... This is not fair, Shinazugawa-San! I... I HATE YOU!"
Giyuu sniffled, his voice filled with remorse.

"Couldn't you take that goddamn charm with you!?"

He pulled Sanemi by his collar.

"How... How am I supposed to live without you now...?"
Giyuu burried his head against Sanemi's chest, sniffling between words.

"You... You told me you love me... Just to die?"

Everyone looked shocked.

"Tomioka-San..."
Shinobu muttered, her breathing heavy.

_

"Yeah, really... You're pretty damn hard to ignore, Tomioka..."

"Eat up, idiot... You'll get thinner this way."

"Even if you feel like there's no one... You have me..."

"I told you to quit laughing, this is what you get!"

_

Giyuu remembered the moments he shared with Sanemi, he looked at Sanemi's face, tears rolling down his cheeks again.

He sighed, letting his head drop.

"WHY WOULD YOU DIE, SHINAZUGAWA-SAN!?"

Giyuu whined, gasping for air.

"Shinazugawa-San..."

"...You- You love me right...? Well, I LOVE YOU TOO, YOU HEAR ME? I LOVE... YOU TOO!"
Giyuu sobbed, his heart beating extremely fast.

The others gasped softly at Giyuu's words.

"J...Just answer me!"
Giyuu felt as if his heart broke down, his breathing shaky.

Giyuu's eyes widened as he recalled their interaction from the past.

"I don't know, Tomioka...

...What if I don't wait for long?"

Remembering Sanemi's words just resulted in his heart shattering into pieces.

"I'm sorry... I thought I had time to tell you that I loved you... But you were right... Maybe you weren't supposed to wait for long... I'm sorry I was too late to admit it!"
Giyuu looked at Sanemi again, his tears rolling down to fall on Sanemi's skin.

"But... I'm still saying it now...

...I love you, Shinazugawa-San..."

Giyuu held Sanemi's hand, squeezing it gently.

__________________________________________

🍩⭐