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It was that nightmare again. In what seemed to be an endless maze, Giyuu was running at full speed with another boy whose face had been blackened out. The boy nearly fell in a hole but Giyuu doesn’t waver. Giyuu never wavers and quickly tells the boy to not ease up.
“Cawww! ----- is dead!”
Giyuu couldn’t quite hear the name but images of a girl popped in his head. A girl who’s face had been blurred surrounded by several others who all seemed to smile in her presence. Giyuu felt a pain in his chest like he had forgotten something important.
“Tomioka-san. I’m sorry to leave this up to you,” whispered a voice next to his ear. Giyuu thought the voice was mixed with sadness and… relief?
Wait, he tried to call out, who are you? But Giyuu never stopped running.
What is so important that you can’t stop?! He wanted to ask himself but he knew this was only a dream and any effort would be pointless. Then the sudden smell of Wisteria flowers entered his nose and Giyuu awoke from his dream covered in sweat.
It was the start of a new semester at Kimetsu High and Giyuu had been assigned to be the homeroom teacher for a freshman class. Adorned in his typical blue track suit and trusty whistle, Giyuu came into the room and stood in front of the blackboard.
“The new semester has arrived. Announce your names.”
“Yes,” announced the boy in the first chair as he stood up, “I’m Tanjiro Kamado. My family runs a bakery and I’m the eldest of six children.”
Before the Tanjiro had finished talking, Giyuu had written “No piercings” and slammed the blackboard telling him to take them off.
The next boy stood up and announced, “I’m Inosuke Hashibira!”
Like he did with Tanjiro, Giyuu wrote on the board “Dressing down” and told him to button up his shirt.
The next boy stood up.
“Um, I’m Zenitsu--”
Slamming the blackboard once again, Giyuu told the boy to dye his hair back and in response the blond boy, confused, told Giyuu it was his natural hair color.
“Don’t talk back!” yelled Giyuu punching the poor boy in the face.
The rest of the class looked at Zenitsu, then to Giyuu, then back at Zenitsu, and all began to sweat.
Ah, we’re going to die , thought several students.
Once everyone was done with their introductions, homeroom was over and Giyuu went back to the teacher’s lounge to begin his preparation for P.E.
“Yo Tomioka-sensei, I heard you punched a freshman in the face! How flamboyant, especially on the first day,” said Tengen Uzui, the art teacher and whose desk was to Giyuu’s right.
“This is why the fucking PTA is on your ass,” said Sanemi Shinazugawa, the math teacher, who sat across from Giyuu.
“Ara, ara. Let’s not tease Giyuu-kun too much,” Kanae Kochou, the biology teacher, as she sat down at her desk next to Sanemi, “Anyways, why did you punch the boy Giyuu-kun?”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“ANSWER THE QUESTION!” yelled Sanemi causing the crows perched outside the windows to get startled and fly off.
“... He talked back to me.”
And with that, Tengen, Sanemi, and Kanae all just stared at Giyuu flabbergasted.
“Well then if you excuse me,” Giyuu said while standing up, “I have to prepare the gym equipment.”
As Giyuu began to slide the doors open, another person had already opened it.
“Opps. Sorry,” he said as the figure made way for Giyuu to walk by.
As he walked past the figure, a faint smell of Wisteria flowers appeared.
Ah, this smell , thought Giyuu quickly turning around to see who was it that was emitting that familiar yet sad smell. However, the person had already went inside the teacher’s lounge and closed the door behind him. Giyuu debated whether or not he should go in and investigate, pretending to forget his notebook or something, but he looked at his watch. There were ten minutes before class started and Giyuu had to prepare.
Oh well, he thought, I’ll have to look into this another time.
Instead of his usual nightmare, this time Giyuu was sitting on a porch that overlooked a small pond. It was night but the temperature wasn’t that cold. He was dressed in this mismatched haori he had seen in previous dreams and a sword placed next to his side.
“Tomioka-san, good work today,” came a voice. He recognized that voice. It was the same one that has been haunting him in his sleeps for God knows how long now. Giyuu was startled by its sudden appearance. He didn’t hear its owner’s footsteps nor hear the doors behind him slide open.
“...”
“My Tomioka-san, ignoring me again? This is why everyone hates you, you know,” said the woman in a teasing tone. Giyuu was relieved. Today she had sounded happier. Happier than what she normally sounds but he couldn’t help pick up a tinge of anger.
Why , he wondered, who has made you so angry?
“...”
“Tomioka-san? Hey Tomioka-san,” said the woman, voice beginning to sound irritated. She began to start poking Giyuu at a rapid pace. He would be lying if he said it didn’t hurt, her sharp fingernails felt like they were going to puncture him if this continued any longer.
“I am not hated,” he said turning his face towards the girl
“Ara ara, forgive me. I forgot that no one has informed you again. Silly me.”
Even though Giyuu couldn’t see her face, he knew she was smiling. Her hair was untied and moved slightly as the breeze began to pick up. Dressed in a yukata and butterfly-like haori draped over her shoulder, Giyuu could tell, even without seeing her face, this girl in front of him was beautiful.
“Hey Tomioka-san,” the girl says as she begins to take a seat next to him, “What would you do if I were to die tomorrow?”
Taken aback, Giyuu just stared at her. Turning her head to meet his gaze, Giyuu would tell she was serious.
“I… I don’t know…” he whispered.
“Well then I guess I’ll have to stay alive until you do,” she said giggling. When she stopped, her head tilted upwards and Giyuu followed suit, eyes staring at the full moon.
“The moon is beautiful today,” she whispered.
“Mmm”
“Nee-chan would’ve liked looking at it… Did I ever tell you that when she died, it was on a night just like this? The moon was full and shining brightly as if it was watching her dying moments. Sometimes when I see the moon like this, I am reminded that I couldn’t save her and she knows that I cannot avenge her.”
Giyuu turned to look at the girl who was now visibly shaking and crying uncontrollably.
“Why was I born like this? Why are my hands so tiny? Why didn’t I grow any taller? If my body was any larger, would I be able to cut off a demon’s head? Hands, legs, body, if they’re bigger that means they have more muscle mass, giving you a better advantage when you’re fighting. Nee-san was dainty and thin, but she was taller than me. Stronger than me. When Hime----san comes, everyone is reassured. Why can’t I be like that. If I was like that, I would’ve been able to save Nee-chan.”
Giyuu’s felt his heart was going to burst. He knew how it feels. How it feels to be weak. He didn’t know why but deep down in his heart he understood what she was going through. Giyuu pulled her in and embraced her hoping to soothe her tears, hoping to soothe her sorrow. The girl was shocked judging by her flinch. Giyuu was too. He couldn’t imagine doing this in real life but this was a dream, so who cares and pulled her closer.
“It’s okay to cry,” pulling her closer, “You’re plenty strong already. You’re fine just the way you are ----.”
The girl stopped crying. Her hands reached up, paused as if she was thinking, before finally returning Giyuu’s embrace.
“Tomioka-san… I know we’re pillars and pillars do not falter. But… I just wanted to say thank you. I really appreciated that,” she said as she stood up.
“Are you still going to sit here?” she asked. Giyuu nodded. He didn’t know why but this place felt very homey.
“This isn’t your house you know. No matter how often you come.” Giyuu could already imagine the smile forming on her face.
“Before I say goodnight…” she started before leaning down and kissing him on the lips.
Shocked, all Giyuu could do was look at her. Her lips were soft and warm compared to his chapped ones and the smell of Wisteria was stronger than he remembered and with that Giyuu had awoken covered in sweat once again. He looked at his clock. 1:43 a.m. Fuck he was in trouble.
When Sabito and Makomo, Giyuu’s childhood friends and the swim coaches at Kimetsu High, came knocking on Giyuu’s apartment door, they were shocked to see the current state he was in. Hair disheveled. Clothes wrinkled.
Eye bags larger than the trash bags that were on the street for trash day. Giyuu looked like he was dead.
“Y-yo. Giyuu what’s wrong?” asked Sabito shocked.
“Was it that dream again?” came a concerned Makomo.
Giyuu shook his head telling them what had happened.
Sabito whistled.
“I can’t believe you have a girlfriend in your dreams but not one in real life,” laughing.
Makomo elbowed his side causing Sabito to hunch over, a disappointed look on her face.
“Well Giyuu, have you tried looking for her? She could be your soul mate or something.”
“I don’t know what her face looks like. All I know is what her body looks like, how she sounds like, and she smells like Wisteria flowers.
“That sounds kinda lew---” said Sabito before earning another elbow to the side by Makomo.
“Well… we can’t really do anything about that… Anyways you should get ready. You promised to meet us at 9:00 a.m at the station but it’s already 10:30. You didn’t answer any of our calls and now I can see why.”
“Oh sorry,” replied Giyuu before letting the pair in as he got ready.
After Giyuu had finished getting ready, the three made their way to Kimetsu mall. Sabito wanted to watch the new movie, Demon Slayer , while Makomo wanted to do some shopping. Giyuu just tagged along because he hasn’t been able to spend time with his friends since the school semester started and it was nice to have some social interaction once in a while. After the movie, Giyuu excused himself to the bathroom as Makomo was dragging the boys into their fifth store in a row. He wasn’t sure where they had gone when he went back to the same store and the pair weren’t answering any of his phone calls so Giyuu decided to sit on a bench and wait for them to call back. All of a sudden, a familiar voice called him.
“Ara? Giyuu-kun what brings you here?” asked the sweet, soothing voice.
Giyuu looked up to see Kanae linking her arm around Sanemi who looked irritated to see Giyuu on his day off.
“I came to watch a movie with my friends and got separated,” he replied.
“Pfft. What are you fucking five?” scoffed Sanemi causing Kanae to pinch his arm.
“Well if your not busy, do you want to hang out with us? My two adorable sisters are here too but their in the bathroom right now.”
“No need,” Giyuu replied as he noticed the familiar strawberry blonde hair that belonged to his best friend, “I see them.”
And with that, Giyuu took off but not before accidentally bumping into someone.
“Sorry,” he apologized and the girl just gave him a smile as she continued towards the direction he came from.
“Kanao! Wait!” came a familiar voice zooming past him. The owner of said voice left behind the scent of Wisteria flowers and Giyuu turned around to look for them.
“Hey buddy, what’s wrong?” asked Sabito as he put a hand Giyuu’s shoulder.
Instead of replying, Giyuu looked and looked but no one looked like the girl from his dreams. Judging by her stature in his dreams, she probably could easily disappear in the large crowd of people.
“I lost her,” he sighed, “She was here.”
Once again, Giyuu’s dream was different. This time he was inside a room. The lights were turned off and he could barely make out his surroundings if it wasn’t for the open window letting in the small amount of moonlight. The room smelled of parchment and ink. Books were littered across the room, some open, some closed, many with sheets of notes sticking out from them. On the desk, he noticed test tubes and flasks all with stuff inside of them. A mortar and pestle with something grounded up was left unattended to.
“Tomioka-san,” said the woman’s voice, snapping him back into reality, or at least the reality in his dream.
“Tomioka-san,” said the woman again. This time Giyuu saw how red her face was. Her kimono was sliding off her shoulders and her breasts were so close to being shown that it was going to drive Giyuu insane.
“---- look at me,” he said.
“Tomioka-san, you promised me earlier not to look at me while we do ‘it’.”
“I apologize ---- but you’re too beautiful,” he said before biting her shoulder.
“Tomioka-san! What are you doing?!” She yelped before trying to hit him but Giyuu ultimately grabbed her arm, trailing kisses down it.
“I’m telling the whole world that you are mine and I am yours,” he replied coolly.
Clearly embarrassed, the girl tried to avoid Giyuu’s gaze. Annoyed, Giyuu tilted her chin up, stared into her blackened face, and kissed her.
“---- I’m ready.”
The girl didn’t say anything but instead tugged onto the sleeve of his mismatched haori. Taking this as a sign, Giyuu lifted her up and brought her to the bed.
“---- I love you.”
“I love you too, Giyuu.”
Before long, Giyuu realized he fell asleep in his dream. The girl he just made love to was still next to him not that she could go anywhere as Giyuu held her in a tight embrace. He grabbed some of her shoulder length hair and fiddled it in his fingers.
“Giyuu?” asked the girl groggily?
“---I love you”
“I know”
“I love you”
“I love you too”
“Don’t leave me alone,” whispered Giyuu as he eyed the substance in the mortar, finally recognizing its scent.
The girl turned around to face Giyuu and kissed him.
“I promise,” she said, sticking out her pinkie finger.
Giyuu locked pinkies with her before the pair fell back asleep.
Today was Giyuu’s turn for patrol afterschool. He needed to make sure all the classrooms were locked and that no students remained in the building. As he was finally finishing the first floor and getting ready to go home, he noticed a female student walking towards the shoe lockers.
“Hey!” he called out, “You should be getting home soon. It’s getting dark soon.”
“I’m fine,” called out the girl. Giyuu stopped in his tracks. It was her. It was the girl. He can recognize the voice from a mile away. He thought he had lost her but here she was so close to him.
“Shinobu and… Giyuu-kun?” came Kanae from outside the doors.
“Shinobu?”
“Ah, yes Giyuu-kun this is my little sister, Shinobu!” Kanae said with a smile. Shinobu then turned around to face Giyuu. Everything about her was the same as it was in his dream and now he could finally see her face. Her face was just as beautiful as he imagined it. Purple eyes stared at blue as the two looked at each other, clearly recognizing each other despite it being their first meeting. Shinobu’s face suddenly became red as she turned around to her sister.
“Let’s go Nee-chan. We can’t let Shinazugawa-sensei wait in the car too long.”
“Ara ma. I guess so. Giyuu-kun come along, we’ll drive you home!” as the older Kochou dragged Giyuu towards the black car waiting in front of the school.
Inside Sanemi was behind the wheel and the girl he bumped into in the mall were already there. Kanae sat in the seat next to Sanemi and Shinobu sat in the back between Kanao and Giyuu. The majority of the ride, Kanae was the only one talking with the occasional comment from Sanemi or Shinobu. Shinobu had refused to look at Giyuu the whole time, but halfway into the ride, she slowly snuck her hand next to Giyuu before locking her pinkie with his. Giyuu turned away and looked out the window, smiling.
It’s been almost five years since Giyuu’s dreams stopped appearing. Sabito and Makomo had just gotten married and was expecting their second child. Sanemi and him were starting to get along after Kanae convinced him that Giyuu wasn’t that bad.
“I’m home,” Giyuu called as his nose welcomed the smell that was coming from the kitchen.
Then a head popped out and smiled when they saw him.
“Welcome home, Giyuu”
Giyuu made his way to the kitchen and hugged them from behind, smelling the Wisteria perfume coming from them.
“I’m home Shinobu,” he whispered, leaning down and kissing her on her forehead. Shinobu turned around before puckering her lips out which Giyuu gladly planted his lips on. Then Giyuu bent down and put kissed Shinobu’s bulging stomach.
“Papa’s home little one,” he said before planting another kiss.