Chapter Text
It is morning after Kanae finished her last mission. Her first mission as a Pillar. A candidate of Lower Moon was taking a lot of children as hostages. Some of them still had their parents to return to, some of them were orphaned. The demon has a terrifying ability. It put the children on a glass box and decorate them like dolls. If you break the box, the children inside will die. Even a little scratch can harm those children. The demon’s real form was a childlike doll, hidden between the hostages.
She took care of the orphaned children until they find a place to stay. She can take the girls to be a member of Butterfly Estate, but her problem is the boys. She asked Himejima to take care of the boys, but that man refused and promise to find someone more proper to do it.
“Good morning, how are you feeling?” asked Kanae.
The boy in front of her stay silent while hugging his baby brother awkwardly. Looks like he is not used to it. The baby in his hands squirms uncomfortably, but the boy won’t let his baby brother go. He didn’t eat his breakfast like the other kids. He hides his face, only looking at his little brother all the time. Even all the baby formula Kanae prepared still full.
“What is your name, little boy? Aren’t you hungry?”
He is not answering. Kanae understands his feeling. This boy’s parents were killed by the demon right before it took both him and his brother away. He is only three and his baby brother only two months old. It must be a traumatic event for such young boy. Even Kanae still remembers the night her parents died.
“Kochou, can I go now? I am fine, seriously. Why should I stay here? Can’t I just go and do my job? Masachika got more injuries but he is allowed to go? Really?”
A white-haired man shows up with a bandage wrapped around his torso. His toned muscles can be seen clearly, his body full with scars from battle.
“You can’t, Shinazugawa-kun. Your injuries need more time to heal. Besides, Kumeno-san sent me a message to keep you here for a while. He said this is your punishment for being a bad boy last night.”
The man sighs in disappointment and pout. Kanae smiles as this man growl in frustation. This man is well-known among the corps. They always said he might become a Pillar soon. A skilled swordsman who hunts demon even way before he joined the corps. A foul-mouthed man with bad temper, feared by most and unfriendly, unless you are Kumeno Masachika. She met him several times and he never scared her like he scared the member of the corps.
Honestly, she pity this man. She never saw him smile. He always put this serious, frustation or angry face. No matter how bad his injuries, he always said something like I am fine, there are demons out there to be killed. Kanae feels pity as this man seems to forget how to be happy. Just like now. The only thing in his mind is killing demons. Even so, rather than scary, Kanae consider his behavior as cute and childish.
He and Masachika—plus several newbie members—helped her with last night mission, but he was so self-destructive as usual. Kanae didn’t know how to stop him doing so, even Masachika failed to stop him. He got several cuts here and there, but he almost ran away when Kanae drags him to the Butterfly Estate. Actually, his injuries are not that bad compared to the others. No broken bones or internal bleeding, but Masachika wished he can rest and relax a little. Masachika sneaks out to do a new mission before his friend is awake and left him in her care. Kanae couldn’t refuse that man’s request because he was like an older brother to her. Besides, Oyakata-sama agreed to it.
So here she is, ready to hear Sanemi’s complains for the rest of the week. She knows this man would complain until she let him go. Sanemi suddenly rushes to the boy in front of her. She is worried. What if he curses around the kids?
“Is that your little brother?” he asked in a warm tone she never heard before. A different warm tone when he is together with Masachika.
The boy nods slightly, still hiding his face.
“If you hold him that way, you will hurt his neck. It might be dangerous for him. You noticed that your brother squirms a lot, right?”
The boy looks up and start sobbing.
“Mom never told me how.”
“Want me to help you?”
After the boy nods, he sit beside the boy. Kanae’s heart melts from the scene in front of her. This is the first time she sees Shinazugawa Sanemi smile gently as he helps the boy to hold the baby in a right way.
“There you go. Hold him close to your heart. Yup, that’s right. Good boy.”
The boy cries as he holds his brother.
“I’m sorry, Yuki. Nii-chan can’t even hold you right. Nii-chan is stupid. Nii-chan is weak. Nii-chan can’t protect Mom and Dad. I’m sorry Yuki has to grow up without any memory of Mom and Dad’s face.”
The baby responds to his brother’s cry. He cries loudly the other kids start to swarm them, wondering what happened. They are asking if both of them are okay, if they can do something to help. One of the kids bring his breakfast, asking if the baby is hungry and need some foods.
Hiro-kun don’t cry!
We are here for you and Yuki-chan!
Here, I will give you and Yuki my food! Please don’t be sad…
Sanemi put him in his lap and caress his hair gently.
“Hiro. You can cry as much as you want until your heart feels better. You guys too, if crying can help you to feel better, just cry. It’s okay. It was scary, right?”
Hiro nods. The other kids nod and some of them start to sob.
“Remember, after your heart feels better, be strong and try to be happy. I know it will be hard to forget those nightmares even after you grow up, I know it so well. But if you are sad for the rest of your life, your parents will be sad too in heaven. You are not alone. All of you are not weak. Don’t let such thoughts get into your mind. Grow up well to be someone your parents will be proud of. So one day, when you meet them once again, you can say you did well and their sacrifice were not in vain.”
Hiro wipes the tears from his face and hug his brother tightly. He caress the baby’s cheek with his.
“Sorry for making you cry, Yuki. Nii-chan is fine now. I will eat a lot so I can get stronger and protect you!”
“Don’t forget to say thank you to your friends for worrying about you both. Let’s eat your breakfast, okay? You guys too, eat your breakfast so you can get stronger!”
Hiro bows to his friends and smile shyly. Sanemi pats those kids, thankful because they were so kind for worrying about Hiro. He ask Hiro if he can hold Yuki to feed the baby. Hiro let him and Sanemi signals Kanae to feed the boy.
“Hiro-chan, let’s eat your breakfast. Nee-san will feed you so you can get stronger. Haaiii, open up!”
Hiro opens his mouth and eat his food while Sanemi helps Yuki to drink his formula.
“Aniki, how long will you stay here? Can you teach me how to take care of Yuki? Can you teach me how to be strong like you?” Hiro asked with his full mouth.
“Don’t talk while your mouth is full with food, okay?”
“But aniki, you won’t go away soon, right?”
Sanemi sighs deeply. Kanae understands how much he wanted to hunt demons soon. Hiro’s request must be hard for him.
“Well, I have a little break right now. I can stay for a few days here.”
Hiro smiles brightly and cheer, caused him to chokes on his food. Sanemi pats his back gently while scold him for cheering with mouth full of foods.
That night, Hiro sleeps soundly. Kanae put a blanket on him and kiss his forehead lightly.
“Thank you for helping me with the kids and staying up this late to feed Yuki-chan. They like you so much, Shinazugawa-kun.”
“It’s okay. Your hands are already full with a lot of things. This is nothing, really. Taking care of babies is not a new thing.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t curse that much today.”
“Are you insane? Do you think I would curse in front of little babies like them?”
Kanae laughs at Sanemi’s words. It is so cute such harsh man can be so soft around little kids. Sanemi yawns as he hasn’t sleep since yesterday. He feeds Yuki while holding him. Two months old baby cries a lot at night, so Kanae prepared some formula beforehand. She told him she can handle Yuki herself, but Sanemi refused. You are a Pillar, there is no assurance you are not going to a dangerous mission tonight or tomorrow. You have other patients too. Just take a rest and let me do it. Kanae smiles as she remember his considerate words.
“Looks like I’m gonna stay here until the boys find a new place. Please take a good care of me, Kochou.”
Sanemi pats Yuki’s back gently until the baby burps. He pulls a chair and sit beside Hiro’s bed as he rocks Yuki slowly until the baby fall into a deep sleep. Sanemi put the baby beside his brother slowly so he won’t wake Hiro up. He yawns once again and fall asleep beside Hiro. He falls asleep quite fast, it is so cute Kanae’s heart almost burst. She take a blanket and put it on him. He must be tired playing with the kids all day. Kanae’s heart beats faster as she run her fingers on his hair gently. The first day of autumn, Kochou Kanae fall in love with a man named Shinazugawa Sanemi.