Chapter One:

Origin: Y/n L/n, The Flower Hashira

Part One: Precious Halcyon Days

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Five

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Numerous murmurs resonated around the area as the not-so-loud shuffling of the fabrics of an expensive kimono entered their ears. "It's Y/n... Why is she here..?" a woman whispered. A small, five-year-old girl had yet again appeared in public. She had h/c and pink hair that reached slightly below her shoulders. Her usually empty eyes shined as she happily skipped along the road.

It was the girl most men referred to as "the young beauty".

More incoherent murmurs filled the air, none of the rude comments bringing down the five-year-old's mood. She was extremely happy today. The reason wasn't apparent, which brought discomfort to some of the townspeople

'Okaa-sama, Oto-sama, and Onii-sama are coming home today.' The girl happily thought to herself as she skipped along the dirt path of her quaint hometown. She held the basket of freshly picked flowers in her arm, glancing about as if she was looking for something.

She came to a halt as a certain shop caught her eye. The sweet scent of chocolates clouded her senses as she skipped over to the small building. She entered the shop, flashing a smile at the familiar shop owner. "Konnichiwa, Akira-san," Y/n greeted with a smile. The old lady smiled back. "Ohayo, Y/n. I assume that it's another welcome home gift?" Akira asked. Y/n nodded coyly. "ah, so its the usual. I'll be right back," Akira said.

Y/n nodded, thanking her as she walked into the kitchen. Y/n turned around, her eyes glistening in the light as she looked out the window. Her eyes widened and her pupils contracted. Two boys were picking on a small girl. Y/n pushed the door open, running over, but someone had beaten her to it.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" a boy exclaimed. He had black locks that faded into a dark red at its tips, combed back to expose his forehead. He was rather peculiar looking, considering the look he sported was fairly uncommon. A notable patch-like scar was on his forehead, making him stand out all the more. His warm, burgundy eyes that burned with passion and a small bit of fury, were fixated on the two boys, giving them a firm stare. He stood a reasonable height and was taller than Y/n.

"Why should I?" one of the boys asked, pushing the burgundy haired boy back a little. The said boy raised his hands, getting into a stance as if he was trying to threaten the burgundy haired boy. The boy swung his fist at the red-haired male. The latter raised his arms in defense.

Before a fight could break loose, the girl who stood on the sidelines finally intervened. "Don't you think that's enough..?" The young girl asked quietly. Her small hand had the boy's wrist encased within it, squeezing it lightly. "Oh... It's you... You should know your place, little girl," the boy snarled, his nostrils flaring up. Y/n's brows furrowed as her grip on his wrist tightened.

"I should be saying the same to you," Y/n retorted. "Both of you should back off this instant. It would pain me to resort to violence," Y/n said, attempting to sound nice. A cocky smirk etched itself onto the boy's features. "Go ahead. I'd like to see someone as you try," The boy urged.

"If you insist..."

A crunching sound echoed within their small circle. "G-gah!" The boy exclaimed in pain, pulling his arm out of the girl's now loose grasp. Holding his wrist in pain, he backed away from the monstrously strong girl. The h/c-nette sighed, standing in front of the two victims. "I suggest that you two begin running," Y/n said. The boys' breathing hitched. "W-what a freak! That's no girl, that's a monster! Come on! This monster and her losers aren't worth our time!" The boy exclaimed, running off with his friend.

"Thank you so much!" The girl exclaimed, gratefully bowing in front of Y/n and the burgundy haired boy. The girl was a tad bit taller than Y/n. She had black hair and rather fair skin that was bruised and battered. "Sure. Just make sure to get back to your home safely," Y/n implored. The girl nodded, muttering a thank you as she ran off.

Y/n turned around, immediately met with a shining pair of warm, burgundy eyes. They looked at her with such admiration, such passion, such comfort, such warmth. The boy himself was so bright that she was tempted to look away. The sweet aura that radiated off him was something that she wasn't used to. It was sickening to her.

"You're so strong! That's so cool! What's your name? I'm Kamado Tanjiro!" The energetic boy exclaimed.

The quiet girl brushed off the compliment, walking past him with a neutral expression on her ever-changing face. She pushed open the doors to the bakery, inhaling the scent of her family's favorite chocolate. She entered the shop, the burgundy haired male following behind. "Are you from here? I live up that mountain near this shop," The boy pressed on.

"Oh! There you are, Y/n!" The elderly woman called out as the girl once more had set foot into the shop. "Apologies. I didn't mean to make you wait like that," she said. "It's quite alright, dear. Here you go," she said, leaning over the counter to hand her the box of chocolates. "Arigatou, Akari-san," the girl said.

The grey-haired woman nodded at her. Her pink eyes lightly shined as she gave her a grateful bow, leaving the shop. The persistent boy trailed behind her, the sweet aura remaining and the bright smile on his features yet to disperse. "Oh, are you going home already?" He asked curiously. The said girl nodded quietly. "I am. And you should too. It's getting late, so go back to your family and leave me alone," Y/n said bluntly. He continued to follow the girl, making her eyebrows furrow and her lips form into a small scowl. He was getting on her nerves.

Seeing her expression, the bright boy had given her a recherche frown. "But I wanna be your friend!" He urged, making the girl stop in her tracks. Her eyes widened and her pupils contracted. She slowly turned her head towards the boy, staring into his warm, burgundy eyes. 'He... He isn't lying... I can tell just by his expression...' The girl said to herself. Her furrowed eyebrows loosened up,

"L/n Y/n... My name is L/n Y/n... I live near the edge of the village... It's about a ten-minute walk from my house to yours..." Y/n muttered, shocking Tanjiro. "You... You answered my questions..!" Tanjiro exclaimed happily. Y/n hummed in response. "I'm going home. And you should too. I'll see you when I see you," Y/n said, not even looking as she waved, walking away from Tanjiro.

"I'll see you around!"

~~~

"Y/n, we'd like you to meet someone. Her name is Kocho Kanae," M/n said. "She's here to teach you about the breath of flower," M/n continued. "Breath of flower?" Y/n asked. "Yes. Since you liked flowers, we thought you'd like to learn the breath style. Luckily, Kocho-sama agreed," M/n said. "Y/n, right? Shall we get started?" Kane asked. Y/n nodded.

"Alright, first things first, how the breathing technique works,"

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

It was a fine morning. The young beauty was spending time in the fields, watching as butterflies passed by. Her eyes would dart around now and then, admiring the beautiful flowers around her. Her eyes glistened as the sun reflected her features. Young boys who passed by her had stopped for a few seconds, staring at her with infatuation. "Megami..." They'd mutter. She was truly a beauty when she was calm.

"Oh! Hey, Y/n!" An enthusiastic voice exclaimed. The said girl turned to the direction of the voice, the same warm burgundy eyes meeting her own. "Ohayo gozaimasu, Kamado-kun, " Y/n greeted bluntly. The boy laughed awkwardly. He was not used to someone being extremely polite to him. "You can call me Tanjiro! And you can drop the honorific," he said said. Her face slightly contorted. She didn't like the idea of calling an acquaintance by their first name. It just went against what she was taught.

"Tanjiro..."

Despite her discomfort, the feeling of muttering his first name felt so natural to her. It felt like she was meant to call him that. "Tanjiro..." She muttered again. The burgundy haired male smiled. "See? It isn't so bad!" Tanjiro claimed. She nodded slightly, a small smile tugging on her lips.

"Anyway, it's been a month since I've last seen you. What have you been doing?" Tanjiro asked. "I... I was training... Training to inherit my parents' job..." She said hesitantly. The boy tilted his head slightly, a few of his burgundy locks falling over his eyes. "Really? This early into life?" He asked. The girl nodded quietly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "It was my choice anyway... I wanted to start this early... I wanted a headstart..." She muttered.

The boy furrowed his eyebrows, pressing his lips into a thin line. He sat down on the grass, patting the spot next to him. Y/n hesitated but accepted the small invitation. When she sat down, the boy engulfed the girl's small hand into his own. The girl's eyes widened as her mouth fell agape. 'His hands are so warm...' The girl thought to herself. Her mind went blank as she stared into his now determined burgundy eyes.

"Listen, Y/n, it's nice that you wanna get an early start in life, but live a little. Enjoy life. Don't spend most of it worrying about the future. Focus on the present, not on the future," the boy said, the tone of kindness never leaving his voice.

"I appreciate the concern, Tanjiro... But it's a little hard to explain..." She trailed, looking away from him. "You don't have to. All I'm trying to say is that you should enjoy life while you still can. Who knows, someday, when you're older, you actually might have to sacrifice your time so you can survive," he said worriedly. The girl let out a breathy chuckle.

"Noted,"

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

"Y/n, how come you only give small smiles?"

It was another morning. Another month has passed. Every day, the two would see each other in the field, talking with each other until sunset came. They'd sit beside each other as they got to know each other better.

"Well... I never really knew why I had trouble smiling in public... I guess it's just become a part of me... I only smile around my family..." She admitted. "You should smile more often. I think you'd look prettier than you already are if you smile all the time," Tanjiro said Casually. The girl's cheeks tinted themselves red. She was feeling something new, and yet, it felt so familiar. It was just as she read.

The corners of her lips twitched up. She was smiling. It wasn't her usual, small smile anymore. It was a smile that meant she was at home. She finally felt comfortable around him. He had become her querencia.

"Ne, Tanjiro," Y/n's soft voice called to Tanjiro. The latter raised an eyebrow, turning his head to his emotionally distant companion. "Yes?" He asked. "I guess you're right... I really should've been enjoying my precious halcyon days..." Y/n said. Tanjiro smiled. He was finally getting somewhere.

"I'm glad you finally understand,"

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

It was a cold winter morning. The sound of shuffling fabrics and feet hitting snow was very audible. Her f/c kimono along with her white haori were being blown by the wind as she ran with her friend.

"Ne, Tanjiro, where are you taking me?"

Her eyes were blindfolded and she felt unfamiliar with her surroundings. He had been pulling on her arm for several minutes now. Her curiosity was gnawing at her. "It's a secret..! Don't worry, we're almost there!" Tanjiro exclaimed excitedly. They continued to run up the steep surface, the burgundy haired boy refusing to cease his running.

"We're here!"

She squinted her eyes as she groaned in annoyance. The newly found light was slightly blinding. She rubbed her eyes, finally adjusting to the brightness. "Oh!" A feminine voice exclaimed in shock. Y/n blinked a couple of times, both shocked and nervous. It was a woman with a noticeably light complexion, kind, dark purple eyes that appear a lighter color around the rims of their irises, and a small beauty mark located on the left of her face below her lower lip.

She had black hair, tied back in a messy bun with a few loose strands left to dangle over her face. She wore a purple and cream checkered kimono with a white and long-sleeved smock over the top, also sporting a length of white cloth that she wore around her head, covering most of her hair.

beside her was a man who had skin that appeared to be dull and pale. Y/n quickly noted him to be similar in appearance to Tanjiro, bearing the same dark red eyes, black hair with red tips hair, and forehead scar. He also wore a similar outfit as Tanjiro, except with an orange and black patterned haori instead of dark turquoise and black.

They were his parents.

Sweat formed on her temples as she shook nervously. "O-Ohayo gozaimasu..." She muttered with a soft voice. "Okaa-san, oto-san, this is Y/n!" Tanjiro introduced happily. "Y/n? L/n Y/n?" The woman asked. The girl in question nodded shyly. "Ah, so you are M/n's daughter!" She exclaimed. "You know my mother..?" Y/n asked shyly. "Yes. We met a while back. I'm pretty sure your brother remembers me," she claimed.

"My name is Kie," she said. Y/n's eyes darted to the man beside her. "Tanjuro," he said, smiling warmly at Y/n. Y/n smiled coyly, rubbing her hands together. She bowed respectfully, her hands on her lap. "It's delightful to finally meet you, " Y/n said. "Onii-chan! Onii-chan!" A voice called. A little girl in a pink kimono came running up to Tanjiro, tackling him in a hug.

Tanjiro laughed, catching the little girl. The little girl's eyes landed on Y/n, her instincts making her run behind her older brother. She clutched onto her brother's haori, peeking at Y/n from behind him.

"This is my little sister, Nezuko!" Tanjiro exclaimed happily. "Nezuko, this is Y/n! She's the girl I've been telling you about!" Tanjiro exclaimed happily. Nezuko's eyes lit up. She stepped up from behind her brother, looking at Y/n intently.

"So you're Nezuko..! Your brother has told me a lot about you," Y/n said shyly, giving Nezuko a small smile. "Onii-chan talks about you a lot," the younger girl blurted out. Y/n giggled. "Is that so?" She asked, her eyes darting towards Tanjiro, who rubbed the back of his neck and looked away in embarrassment.

Tanjuro and Kie laughed. "Why don't you come in? It's quite cold out today," Kie invited with a motherly voice. "Oh! Yeah, you should come in! You could meet Takeo, Hanako, Shigeru, and Rokuta!" Tanjiro exclaimed happily. Y/n smiled, then bowed gratefully.

"Thank you for your hospitality,"

~~~

"Thank you for having me, but it's getting late, I should head home," Y/n said. "The moon's already out, Y/n. It's dangerous. Let me come with you!" Tanjiro urged. Y/n smiled softly. "You said it yourself, Tanjiro. It's dangerous. I'll be fine, I can take care of myself," Y/n said.

"But-" "I'll accompany you," Tanjuro said sternly. "It's way too risky if you go out alone. Your parents might have trained you but it's better not to risk it. Besides, you'll be out there unarmed, and I doubt your parents have trained you in hand to hand combat," Tanjuro said. Y/n nodded slightly. "Wait... Trained?" Tanjiro questioned. "It's... A self-defense thing..." Y/n claimed.

"It's settled then. Come on," Tanjuro said. Y/n followed him outside, where he grabbed two old hatchets and proceeded to lead Y/n down the mountain. "You have good ears, don't you?" Tanjuro asked. Y/n nodded. Tanjuro stopped, making Y/n stop too. "Listen carefully," he said. Y/n obliged. "Growling... Three... No, five wolves," Y/n said. Tanjuro handed her a hatchet.

"Your parents are demon slayers, correct?" Tanjuro asked. Y/n nodded. "They must have trained you to hold a katana then. A hatchet's metal isn't as dense as the metal of a katana, so naturally, it would take more than one swing to decapitate something with a thick neck," Tanjuro said. The growling grew louder as a wolf stepped out of the shadows.

"I'd like to teach you something, so watch closely,"

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

"So I finally get to meet them?"

It was a nice winter morning. Several days remained before Christmas arrived. Y/n and Tanjiro walked through the dirt roads that had recently been cleared of the snow piled on top of it.

"Well, today is one of the rare days they're at home and not at work, so yes. I thought it would only be fair since I had met your family already," Y/n said. They continued to trudge, eventually arriving at the L/n manor's door.

Y/n slid the door open, revealing a clean yet chaotic setting in front of them. Y/n's parents and older brother were laughing as the younger ones playfully argued with each other.

Y/n cleared her throat. "Tadaima," Y/n said. "Okaerinasai!" They greeted. "Oh? Is he a visitor?" M/n asked, finally catching a glimpse of the taller boy behind her. Y/n hummed in response. "Ohayo! I'm Kamado Tanjiro!" Tanjiro exclaimed happily. "Oh! Now I remember why you were so familiar! You're Tanjuro and Kie's son!" M/n exclaimed. Tanjiro hummed.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves then. My name is F/n, Y/n's father," He said. "M/n, Y/n's mother," she said. "Takeshi, Y/n's older brother," he said. "Hana! I'm one of onee-sama's younger sisters!" Hana exclaimed. "Masahiko, I'm one of Y/n-nee-sama's younger brothers," Masahiko said. "Goro! I'm their youngest brother!" Goro exclaimed. "Haruka! Their youngest sister!" Haruka exclaimed happily.

Tanjiro smiled. "It's nice to meet you all!" He exclaimed, bowing. "We second that," F/n said, smiling at Tanjiro. "Why don't you join us for lunch? We'd be happy to have you," M/n invited. Tanjiro nodded happily.

"I'd love to! Thank you for the offer!"

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Six

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

It was a fine morning. It was like any other peaceful day, except...

"Happy valentine's day!"

Numerous girls ran around, buying or making gifts for their significant other. As for Y/n...

She wiped the beads of sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand, releasing a breath she involuntarily held. She had finished making her siblings some breakfast. "Ohayo onee-sama! Something smells good, what is it?" Hana asked, peeking into the kitchen from the hall. "It's valentine's day, so I made you all a nice breakfast," Y/n said, stepping aside to reveal several batches of sweets.

"Anyway, I'll be back in a while. I have something to do, " Y/n said, placing boxes of chocolate and flowers into a large basket. "Are you visiting 'we're too young to be dating' and his family?" Hana asked teasingly. "Don't call him that! And yes, I will be visiting them," Y/n said.

"Okay Then, Will Nanika-san come?" Hana asked. "I'm not sure. I"ll ask her to look after you guys when I pass by her later," Y/n said. She turned around to grab a small backpack and the basket then turned back to Hana. "I'm off now. I trust that you'd wake up the others?" Y/n said. Hana nodded. "Go on ahead," She said. Y/n smiled. "Thanks, Hana. Take care of the others, and stay safe!" Y/n exclaimed, exiting the kitchen.

The dirt crunched below her zoris as she walked around the dirt roads of her hometown. "Nanika-chan!" She called, waving her hand as she spotted the familiar ravenette. "Oh! Y/n-chan! Happy valentine's day!" Nanika greeted. Y/n ran up to her, handing her a small box.

"Happy valentine's day Nanika!" She greeted. "Ah! Arigatou!" Nanika exclaimed, happily taking the box. "Well, since you're out here, I assume your siblings require a babysitter?" Nanika asked knowingly. Y/n sighed. "Yeah. Are you fine with babysitting them again?" Y/n asked.

"Of course! They're fun to hang around with," Nanika said. "Oh, thank goodness! It won't take long. I'll make sure to be back immediately after so you can spend time with your family today, " Y/n said. Nanika smiled and nodded.

The two waved at each other as they went their separate ways. Adrenaline filled her body as she got closer to the mountain. She began running, pacing her breaths as she excitedly ran up to the Kamado household. If anyone had seen her, they'd think it be strenuous. It would, for any other child. But for Y/n, it was just like any other training regime.

"Y/n-nee-chan!" Nezuko called, finally seeing Y/n. She ran up to her, tackling her in a hug. "Hey, Nezuko~" Y/n cooed. "These are for you and your family! They're homemade by me! Happy valentine's day!" Y/n exclaimed, handing her the basket. Nezuko's eyes lit up.

"Oto-san! Okaa-san! Look at what Y/n-nee-chan got us!" Nezuko exclaimed, running up to her parents. They chuckled, then turned to Y/n smiling gratefully. "Y/n!" Tanjiro called, running up to her. Y/n smiled. "Hey Tanjiro," She said. "It was nice of you to drop by today! You should come in, come on!" Tanjiro exclaimed. He turned around but stopped when Y/n grabbed his haori's sleeve.

"I can't stay for long since I said I'd be home early. So before I go, here, this is for you," Y/n said, holding out a box. Tanjiro took the box, opening it. Inside, he saw several chocolate chip cookies. However, in the center of the box was a larger cookie. It was shaped into a heart and had a sun in the center. Written using frosting was the phrase 'you're the sun and I'm the moon. I can't shine without you.'

Tanjiro's smile grew. "Arigatou, Y/n! I-..." he cut himself off as he looked up to see Y/n gone. Tanjiro furrowed his eyebrows and frowned.

"Was it not the right time to tell her how I felt..?"

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

"Y/n!"

As February had passed, so had valentine's day. In succession with valentine's day was...

"Happy white day!"

A month after girls offering boys gifts, It was finally time for the boys to return the gifts girls had gotten them for valentine's day.

Tanjiro smiled brightly as he held out a bouquet of f/f(favorite flower. Plural form when reading). "Happy white day, Y/n!" He greeted. Y/n's cheeks tinted red. The feeling was too familiar. It was the feeling she had finally embraced.

Y/n smiled. She happily took the bouquet from Tanjiro, hugging it close to her chest. "Arigatou, Tanjiro," she said. Tanjiro gave her a warm smile. "Oto-san and okaa-san helped me save up for them! Speaking of... Here you go!" Tanjiro exclaimed, handing her a box of chocolates.

"Oto-san and okaa-san asked me to give this to you as a thank you. They picked it out from a nearby store while I went to get the flowers," Tanjiro said. "Oh? You picked out the flowers?" Y/n asked, accepting the box of chocolates. Tanjiro hummed.

"I caught you looking at them when we passed by some last time. Even though you do that with all flowers, you looked at those differently, so I figured they were your favorite," Tanjiro said, scratching his cheek.

Y/n smiled wider. "You're very observant~ you're right. They're my favorite," Y/n said. Tanjiro perked up. "Ah! I'm glad I got it right!" Tanjiro exclaimed. "If it makes you smile... I'll do my best to buy you those flowers as much as I can!" Tanjiro exclaimed, making Y/n giggle.

"I don't need material things to smile, Tanjiro. I'm happy as long as you're happy,"

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

"Tanjiro!"

Today was the day. July fourteenth. Kamado Tanjiro's birthday, sixth birthday to be precise. Y/n ran up to him, holding a small box behind her back. "Happy birthday..!" She exclaimed, shyly holding out the box.

Tanjiro's eyes brightened. "Wah! Thank you so much!" Tanjiro exclaimed. He grabbed the box and opened it, revealing a heart locket with a keyhole. "Oh?" He questioned. He picked up the locket, smiling as he put it on. "Is there anything in here?" He asked Y/n. Y/n nodded. She reached under her Kimono and presented him a key. She leaned in, making the boy's face burn up.

"E-Eh?!"

A click was heard. Y/n had opened the lock. "There you go," she said. Tanjiro looked at the locket, seeing a picture of them on the left side, then an empty slot on the right. "Why is there an empty slot?" Tanjiro asked. "Well, I was thinking we can put another picture of us there once we're a little older, but it's up to you, really," Y/n said shyly.

Tanjiro smiled. "I like that idea," he said. Y/n perked up, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Whenever you close that locket, it will automatically lock. So to open it, you need the key, which I always have," Y/n said proudly. Tanjiro turned the locket, his eyes lighting up when he saw the back of the locket. "Kamado Tanjiro x L/n Y/n..." Tanjiro read. Y/n's cheeks reddened. "It's custom made... And my mom insisted that they carved that there..." Y/n trailed, her eyes darting away.

Tanjiro smiled. "I like it. It's a nice touch," Tanjiro said. Y/n stiffened up as Tanjiro pulled her closer, engulfing her into a warm hug. "Thank you..." Tanjiro muttered. Y/n smiled, hugging back as she leaned her head into his shoulder.

"Happy birthday Tanjiro..."

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

"Y/n!"

Today was another special day. Today was (MM DD), Y/n's birthday. Tanjiro ran up to her, his hands behind his back as he hid a medium-sized box. "This is for you!" He exclaimed happily, excitedly holding out the box.

Y/n's face was unreadable, which would usually hurt any other person that would give her a gift, but not Tanjiro. Over the years of their friendship, he noticed that even when Y/n's face is expressionless, her face makes subtle changes that only the most observant people could see.

In this case, her pupils had dilated, which meant...

"Thank you..!" She chimed, a smile painting her face after the short, comfortable silence. She happily accepted the box, opening it to reveal a plain, white scarf. Tanjiro scratched his cheek, his eyes darting away from hers.

"I know it isn't much, but... Happy birthday, Y/n..!" Tanjiro chimed, giving her a close-eyed smile. Y/n's pupils dilated even more. "So warm..." She muttered. "Sorry, can you say that again? I couldn't hear you," Tanjiro said. "Ah, nevermind. What I meant to say was, it's perfect," Y/n said, smiling at him.

She smiled warmly as she wrapped the scarf around her neck. Her cheeks reddened as she snuggled into the scarf, inhaling the scent. "It has a mix of your scent..." Y/n trailed, making Tanjiro's face redden. "A-ah, is that so?" Tanjiro asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Y/n giggled.

"Mhmm. I like it, and I wouldn't dare to ask for anything more,"

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Seven

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

A sigh of content escaped her lips as she sat and watched the sunrise from a small cliffside near the Kamado household. The colors gracefully dance with each other in the ballroom that is the sky. Snow fell from the sky as cold zephyrs passed by, making the white scarf she wore shuffle.

"Y/n!" A familiar heart-warming voice called.

"I didn't know you were up this early," he admitted, taking a seat on the soft grass beside her. "I wanted to watch the sunrise..." She muttered. "Oh, hey! You're wearing it!" Tanjiro exclaimed, his eyes landing on the white scarf she wore, along with a plain, f/c haori over her kimono.

"Of course I'm wearing it. Why would I not wear it? It's from you, after all," Y/n said bluntly, making Tanjiro's cheeks redden. Tanjiro chuckled, then began to watch the sunrise. They sat together, a comfortable silence filling the air around them. From her peripheral view, she saw Tanjiro smiling happily, causing red to tint her cheeks. A small smile graced her features.

"Your smile is nice, it's cute," Y/n blurted out. Tanjiro's eyes widened and his mouth fell agape. As realization dawned her, she turned away, her face turning a deep shade of red. "Your smile is better though..." Tanjiro muttered coyly. Y/n perked up. "That's a lie!" She exclaimed. "I'm serious!" Tanjiro exclaimed, holding his hands up in defense. "Your smile is better than mine! Stop trying to flatter me!" "I'm being one hundred percent serious! I'm not trying to flatter you!" The two laughed at their shenanigans, sighing in contentment as they settled down.

'The sun shines brighter than the moon. It's always been like that. No matter what any of us say or do, I can never shine as bright as you.'

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

She held on tightly to the box in her hands as she ran up the familiar mountain. As she reached the top, she ran up to the door of the Kamado household, knocking excitedly. "Ara! Ohayo, Y/n!" Kie greeted with a smile. "Ohayo gozaimasu, Kie-san! I brought cake!" Y/n exclaimed, holding out the box in her hands. "How thoughtful! Come in, come in! Tanjiro and the others are excited to see you!" Kie exclaimed.

Kie stepped aside to let Y/n in. She took off her zoris at the genkan, immediately greeted by a hug from Nezuko. "Y/n-nee-chan!" Nezuko exclaimed. Y/n giggled, patting Nezuko on the head. "Ohayo, Nezuko, where's your brother?" Y/n asked. Before Nezuko could answer, the rest of the Kamado children came running towards her.

Tanjiro chuckled as he walked behind his younger siblings, watching as they swarmed Y/n. "Y/n-nee-chan came!" They all exclaimed. Y/n laughed with them as they all hugged her. She looked up, her eyes meeting kind burgundy eyes. Her laughter slowly died down as she smiled sweetly at Tanjiro. "Happy birthday, Tanjiro!" Y/n greeted, giving him a sweet, close eyed smile.

Tanjiro's cheeks reddened as his younger siblings giggled. "Alright, kids, settle down. Y/n bought cake," Kie said, smiling at them. The younger ones cheered, making Y/n giggle. She set the box on the small horigatsu, removing the cover to reveal a fresh, red velvet cake. The Kamado children's eyes lit up at the sight of the cake.

Y/n smiled. "Go ahead and help yourselves," Y/n said. "Ittadakimasu!" They exclaimed. They cut the cake, dividing the pieces amongst themselves. "Oh, and Tanjiro?" Y/n called. Tanjiro turned to her with his eyebrow raised. "Yes?" He asked. Y/n smiled. She held out a small, white box that was wrapped with a red ribbon. "Happy birthday," she said. Tanjiro smiled as he accepted the box. He pulled the ribbon off, then opened the box.

Inside, was a bracelet with a silver base and a black, metal plate. Carved into the plate and painted white was the phrase "forever and always". Tanjiro smiled, slipping it on. He turned to Y/n, who pulled up her sleeve to reveal an identical bracelet. The only difference was that it was a rose gold plate, and the phrase that was written was "always and forever".

Tanjiro's smile grew. "We match!" He exclaimed happily. Y/n giggled then hummed in response. "Always and forever?" Y/n asked.

"Forever and always,"

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

She stared blankly at the box he held out in front of her. It was her seventh birthday today. He could have given it to her earlier when they were at her house, but he saved it until they were alone. She smiled softly as she took the box from his hands. She opened it, revealing a pink, floral haori that's twice her size.

"It's bigger than your size so that you can still wear it even if you grow taller, " Tanjiro said, smiling at her. His eyes darted towards his feet. "Again, it isn't much but... Happy birthday, Y/n," Tanjiro said. "How many times do I have to tell you? It doesn't matter if 'it isn't much', as long as it's from you, it's worth more than millions of yen," Y/n said, smiling at him.

"Your presence alone is worth more than anything, and it's more than enough for me," Y/n said. Tanjiro's cheeks reddened. "Hey, Y/n," he called. "Hmm?" She asked, sitting down on the ledge of the cliff. Tanjiro followed, sitting beside her. "Wanna know a secret?" He asked, a cheeky smile plastered on his face. "What is it?" She asked, curiosity laced with her voice.

He leaned in, cupping a hand beside his mouth and her ear. "I like you," he whispered. Y/n's eyes widened as her mouth fell agape. She sat there, flabbergasted, attempting to collect her words. "Uh... Define 'like'." She said. Tanjiro chuckled. "By 'like', I mean I look at you as more than a friend..." Tanjiro muttered. They sat there, a deafening silence filling the air around them. The silence wasn't all that bad. It wasn't like 'the calm before the storm'.

It was the type of silence everyone needed. A calm, comforting silence. Y/n inhaled a sharp breath, collecting all her thoughts. "I like you too, Tanjiro," she said, making Tanjiro perk up. A sigh of relief escaped Tanjiro's lips. "I'm glad I'm not alone," he said, smiling cheekily as he rubbed the back of his neck. Y/n giggled, scooting closer to him to lean her head on his shoulder.

"You were never alone in that matter,"

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

"Y/n!"

The said girl looked up from the romance novel she was reading at the mention of her name. Tanjiro had skidded to a stop in front of her, his hands on his knees as he gasped for air. "Why don't you sit down? You could use a break after all that running. Besides, you must have run a fair distance, considering this field isn't even part of our hometown," Y/n said. Tanjiro followed her suggestion, sitting beside her.

"What are you reading?" Tanjiro asked, curiously peering at the novel. "It's a romance novel. It's called "philophobia". The protagonist is a girl that's afraid of falling in love," Y/n said, happily laying out the details of the book. "If it's a romance book then why is the main character afraid to love?" Tanjiro asked curiously.

"Her constant fear is what makes her interactions with the male lead more sentimental. She used to be that type of girl that falls in love so easily. That caused her to get hurt to the point where she developed her phobia. The male lead will show her that falling in love isn't so bad, as long as it's with the right person. The male lead succeeds in his task. I'm reading the climax right now. They're about to get married," She said, her eyes glued to the book.

Tanjiro perked up. He moved in front of Y/n, pulling the book away from her face to look into her eyes. "Speaking of..." Tanjiro trailed. He pulled the book from her hands, setting it beside her. He leaned in closer to her face, making the girl flustered. "Have you ever heard of promise rings?" Tanjiro asked, a hint of seriousness in his voice as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"Promise rings..? Yeah, I've heard of them. I read a book on it before," Y/n said. "That's good. Since you're familiar with what a promise ring is, you probably know all the possibilities. So, here's my question for you," he said. He reached into his pocket, pulling out two silver rings. One was decorated with a moon and several stars, while the other was decorated with a sun. "Do you want to make a promise with me?" He asked. His tone was dead serious, and his eyes said it all.

"W-what promise..?" Y/n questioned. "Well, since you know what a promise ring is, you surely know its secondary name," Tanjiro said. "Pre-engagement ring..." Y/n muttered. "That's right. You don't have to, but if you want... I want us to share a promise where we'll get married when we get older..! Where we'll always come back to each other, even if we're separated! I know we're too young to make this decision, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you! So... Will you accept and make this promise with me..?" Tanjiro asked. Hope and anxiousness filled his voice and expression.

He wasn't entirely sure he made a rational decision. They were young, after all, and most of their decisions didn't matter. But to him, this promise was something he wanted to hold near his heart for a lifetime. He truly wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Y/n's face was heavily tinted with red. She was completely tongue-tied. She took a deep breath, then exhaled.

"Yes," she said. Tanjiro's face brightened. He took the ring decorated with a moon, slipping it onto her right hand's ring finger. Y/n smiled, then took the one decorated with the sun, slipping it onto his right hand's ring finger. They looked at each other in the eyes, smiling sweetly. Tanjiro's hand went to grab hers. He raised their hands, smiling with a determined look.

"From now on, we've sealed a future with each other. A future where we can love each other and spend the rest of our lives together,"

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

"Hey! Y/n-chan!" Nanika called. "Oh, hey! What are you doing outside this late at night?" Y/n asked. "Well, I should be asking you the same thing. I was just out buying ingredients for dinner," Nanika said. "Ah, I just finished picking flowers. Why don't we walk home together? After all, your house is rather close to ours," Y/n said, revealing the basket she was holding.

Nanika smiled. "Why not?" She asked. The two began small talk as they walked in the direction of their houses. Y/n's breathing hitched as she began coughing, startling Nanika. "Wha! What's happening?! Are you okay?!" Nanika asked her. Nanika rubbed her back as she choked on practically nothing. After her little fit, her eyes went dark.

"I smell blood."

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Trivia/Tidbits:

1) Y/n does not go out of her house often. She spends most of her time indoors, reading romance novels.

2) Whenever Y/n does go out, she either picks flowers or visits that same dessert shop. That's why the shop owner, Akari, is very familiar with her.

3) Because she has always been left alone with her siblings a lot, Y/n learned how to cook at a very young age.

4) Nanika was the same girl Y/n and Tanjiro had saved. Y/n had formally spoken to her when they bumped into each other at the market.

5) Ever since Y/n and Tanjiro had gotten closer, Y/n began to go outdoors more often. It's because she knew he'd eventually find her, no matter where she was at. As long as she was outdoors, they were bound to see each other.

Glossary/Calvis:

Zephyrs: Gusts of wind

Megami means Goddess in Japanese

Recherche: Rare

Grinning like a Cheshire cat: is an idiom that has the connotation of the person grinning possessing knowledge the beholder is not/not yet aware of

Behind the scenes from the author:

Ohayo gozaimasu/Konnbanwa!

After about seven days of work, the first chapter is officially finished. I don't know when I'll be publishing this, but I'm hoping I finish all twelve chapters by July fourteen. Who knows? Maybe this would come out by then. Only time will tell.

So as a lot of you probably noticed, I changed a lot in this chapter. From the way, they met, to all the things they've done together. That's because I wanted their childhood to be more sentimental.

Also, their confession happened in the origin story. That's because in the previous version they immediately went for the phrase "I love you", without the initial "I like you" phase.

I realized that using "I love you" in the confession scene was too surreal. It was like it came straight out of a movie. My goal would be to try and make this as real as possible. I decided on that because I want you, my readers, to feel what it's like to fall in love.

Compare the confession in a mainstream romance movie to real-life ones. In romance movies, "I love you" is the typical confession line. In real life, it takes a long time before couples get to say "I love you". "I like you" comes first. Then, after a while of dating, that's when "I love you" is used.

How come they used promise rings at such a young age?

As kids, we often made stupid decisions. When we fall in love, we make even stupider decisions.

In this chapter, I showcased the effects of young love. It's possible, but it's hard to understand.

I've been trying to study physiology on love for three years, so I decided to review it just recently. there are many differences between falling in love and having a crush. but there's also a difference between adults/teens falling in love and kids falling in love.

Love is mature, but for kids, it's a mix of recklessness and maturity.

It's exactly like what happened to me. My ex-boyfriend had given me a promise ring. He ended up breaking the promise, which ended up being the downfall of our relationship.

I was only twelve at that time, and I made the stupid decision of not even thinking about the consequences.

Every kid wants something they can't have

but those who truly want it will work for it.

And as cliche, as it sounds,

Love always finds a way.