Chapter Text
Zenitsu had a dream.
A dream where he was walking over the huge lake to where the others are but accidentally fall down and slip. Before he fell into the water, all he could see is everyone reaching out to him but unable to go over as they are trapped on the other side. But he didn't blame them but instead blame himself for his own clumsiness for not able to cross the bridge properly like he should. Feeling like the only person who could make such an embarrassing mistake.
Their face is what he last seen before the world goes dark and the first when he wakes up.
"Zenitsu! You're finally awake."
A boy with red hair looks so glad on seeing him. Gazing at him for awhile, immediately Zenitsu recognized him as Tanjirou but where is his scar? From what he knows the scars can't be removed so why is it gone?
"Geez, do you know how worried we all are?" And besides him is a full grown Nezuko. Instead of a sweet looking girl, she instead looks strong and hot headed.
And then he turns to see Kanao with a short hair and... wait, is she wearing a boy uniform? As far as he knows she prefer feminine style and always wear a skirt. And why is her body structure seems different?
"Hey, you okay?"
Besides Tanjirou, he sees the former flame pillar looking at him with worried eyes. Somehow he shrinks looking the same size as teenage kids which starts to confuse him more and more as he wonder what is happening. It didn't take another minute before he fainted again which shock everyone in the room once more.
___
"You really okay?"
Zenitsu just nods his head as he followed his sister to school. The doctor suspect that he is just having a slight concussion but on the last checkup, the results has show that he is finally well enough to go home. At home, he met two adults that called themselves as his parents which weird him out as he recalled that he is originally an orphan.
They make him stay in bed for another few days when realized how different his behavior is after the accident. Even Nezuko who somehow become his sister grows worried of him as he didn't even mention about girls for even a second after he wakes up.
Turned out this body of his used to be a pervert is what Zenitsu could tell.
"Hey, you're finally here." The little Tanjirou says. "Is he alright?"
Sadly, she shakes her head.
"He has been behaving strangely since he wakes up. But the doctor says he doesn't have any amnesia caused he still remembers us."
"Oh..."
That day the whole gang hangs out with him, keeping out an eye and trying to cheer him up as well. But Zenitsu only respond with a few words on each time as he feels sad and awkward. Knowing well these people are not the same family he had before.
And it seems like none of them carried the memories of their past life as a demon slayer other than him. And this made him feel excluded and lonely into this world. Unknown to him, the others starts noticing how Zenitsu starts growing more distant from them as each day passed.
Now, not even a single glance is given as if he is now living in his own world.
Far away from them.
____
"Wish me luck guys!" Nezuko cheers for herself, dressing up in a warm sweater and dark jean pants. On her shoulder is a huge bag that the family often used to travel.
"Take good care of yourself Nezuko. And remember to call once you got to your dorm." the woman who is known as his mother says, giving one last look on her only daughter.
"Okay mom."
After the entrance exam and graduation, Nezuko is finally ready to leave her nest to head off to her college. Standing by the front door, Zenitsu accompany this body parents as they bid her farewell. And Nezuko gives off teary looking eyes before she heads to the cab, ready head off. But before she could enter, she suddenly turns around and runs. Just to give a big warm hug on her brother as a last goodbye.
"If there's anything, or something happened, please call me. Okay?" She whispers so soft into his ears. And this warm hug makes him feel hurt on how similar it is to the Nezuko from his time.
"Of course." He whispers back.
After wiping her tears with her sleeve, she finally left her home. Leaving a dark red scarf of hers for Zenitsu as a memory.
___
After she left, his world seems to get smaller each day. And his previous friendship with the others has already loosen Up due to his lack of communication and participation in their activity. But Tanjirou refuse to give up and try to invite him on each time but he always refuse. As his feelings for him hasn't exactly move on yet and it will just hurt him to continue this friendship while trying to forget what they both once share.
The others seems more understanding and give him the space he needed. Despite not knowing the trouble their friend is facing, all they could do now is just wait until he is ready to tell them what happened. But Zenitsu continues to just live his own life as he wonders what will happened if everything is different.
If only he hadn't slip into the river then maybe he could have live peacefully with them without knowing the truth.
___
Zenitsu was in his senior year when he met him, the older boy with wild dark hair. He was in the city, exploring this world capital city and to study and see the different types of people existed, as well as the technology and the country development.
"Brother?" He immediately grab the guy hand to get a better look ok this person face.
"Huh, what do you want brat?" He looks annoyed and judging from his clothes, he must have got off early from work and just want to sleep.
Instead of answering his question, Zenitsu hugs Kaigaku tightly and starts wailing attracting everyone attention. Being on a busy street, this action of his didn't go unnoticed and some has start to give them some look while few had stopped to watch the drama.
"Oi! Let go." He tries to push Zenitsu away.
"Bro-brother.... don't leave me." He cries again.
Unwillingly, Kaigaku end up having to drag Zenitsu along before someone calling the cops and suspect him as a kidnapper. Turns out in this world Kaigaku is just an office worker with a regular salary. Like other people in the country, he is just trying to survive paying rent and try to make ut into another day.
Instead of abandoning the boy straightaway, he instead bought them both fast food mistaken Zenitsu as a run away. It is not uncommon to meet one of them in this city and usually the run away has problem at home which resolves them to leave and create a new place for themselves.
"After this go home." But unlike all the run away, Zenitsu doesn't seem to have any trace of a troublemaker. Maybe he just run away because he is in a rebellious phase, is what Kaigaku had thought.
And Zenitsu did go home after that after giving his thanks.
But the next day, Kaigaku ends up seeing him again in front of his house. As if he has been waiting for him all along to come home.
"Are you a stalker?"
"No, I just saw your address when you pull out your wallet yesterday."
Eh???
"W-what the? Dude! Just go home."
"Can I stay for awhile?"
"No!"
"I can cook."
On those words, Kaigaku ends up letting the boy he just met enter his home. Being a single man with no one to depend on, he has to rely on food from the convenience store to survive his days. Which is why he got tempted when he heard about home made food.
"Did you live alone? Where are you parens?"
"What the heck with all the question kids?" Seeing him looking so serious, he ends up giving in. "My parents passed away when I was in high school and I have been living alone since that day."
Nodding his head, Zenitsu takes all the information in before making his decision.
"Then... I will be your brother from now on."
"HUH?"