Work Text:
It was always like this.
Every time Kanao wanted to express her feelings, something always got in the way. Maybe it was the cowardly side of her.
Even so, Kanao still wanted to try—still wanted to make an effort.
But what if he rejected her? would she still be able to stay by his side?
I’ll think about that later. For now… just say it.
Kanao steeled herself and called out to him.
“Tanjirou, can we—”
The voice that left her lips was too small to be heard. Kanao muttered softly, cursing her own hesitation. She glanced into the classroom.
Ah—
There, Tanjirou was gently patting a girl’s head, accompanied by soft laughter. Kanao had never seen that girl before. Until now, she had only ever seen Tanjirou close to a few people—Zenitsu, Inosuke, Aoi, and of course, his younger sister, Nezuko.
Is she his girlfriend?
Just thinking about it made Kanao’s heart throb painfully. Her hands tightened around the strap of her bag slung over her shoulder. She bit her trembling lip. Her vision blurred.
What was wrong with her?
Shouldn’t she be happy if Tanjirou had someone special?
Then why did her eyes burn, as if they were about to spill something?
Why did her throat ache?
Kanao turned around and hurried toward the school gate. Thankfully, the school was already quiet—no one asked why she kept her head down the whole way. She bought a train ticket as quickly as she could.
Throughout the ride, Kanao held back her tears. When she arrived at the small apartment she had bought for emergencies, she rushed inside. Going home with eyes this swollen would only invite questions from her two older sisters. She would contact them later—she didn’t want to worry them.
She kicked off her shoes and socks carelessly. Her bag was tossed aside. Kanao ran to her bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. She buried her face in a pillow and finally let the sobs escape.
Thirty minutes passed.
She got up, drank some water, then washed her face at the sink. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Kanao murmured quietly,
“Pathetic.”
“Morning!”
Aoi approached Kanao, who was staring out the window. Kanao turned and returned a small smile. Aoi pulled out the chair beside her and sat down.
“What’s wrong? Your eyes are red and you look swollen. Did you cry all night?”
Panicking, Kanao waved both hands.
“N-no! I just… couldn’t sleep. I stayed up late watching a movie.”
Her laugh sounded forced.
“Hmm…”
Aoi leaned closer, eyeing her suspiciously.
Kanao gently pushed her shoulder, creating some distance. She had applied foundation and powder that morning to cover the dark circles under her eyes. It would be bad if Aoi really noticed.
“Really, I’m fine,” she said quickly.
“Alright then.”
Aoi finally gave up and returned to her seat.
Not long after, noise echoed from the corridor. Tanjirou entered the classroom, followed by Inosuke who was cursing loudly, and Zenitsu who kept complaining about Tomioka-sensei’s punishment. Kanao smiled faintly. Their antics were always strange—and somehow comforting.
Shinazugawa-sensei’s math lesson did nothing to stop Kanao from drifting off. Her gaze kept returning to Tanjirou’s back in the front row. What happened yesterday had clearly affected her.
She sighed and looked out the window. The blue sky and slowly drifting clouds eased the tightness in her chest, just a little.
Maybe I should ask him directly.
Staying silent will only make me more restless.
Suddenly, a piece of paper appeared on her desk.
『Kanao, you’re acting strange today. You’ve been spacing out since this morning. Are you okay?』
Kanao bowed her head. She wrote a brief reply on the back of her book—something about a weather forecast that even she wasn't sure made sense. Aoi clearly didn’t believe it, but chose not to press.
『If something’s wrong, you can tell me.』
Warmth spread through Kanao’s chest. She really was surrounded by kind people.
“See you tomorrow, Kanao!”
Aoi waved as she pedaled away on her bike.
“Ah, Kanao!”
Kanao froze. Her hand stiffened mid-air as she turned around. Tanjirou was standing beside her.
“You're not home yet?”
“I... I was just about to go home. How about you? Where are Zenitsu and Inosuke?”
“Inosuke forgot something in the classroom. Zenitsu had no choice but to go with him. Nezuko went to the restroom for a bit.”
“Oh, I see...”
Awkward. Kanao bowed her head, clutching her bag strap tightly. Her legs trembled slightly—a small detail that no one but herself would notice.
Rain suddenly fell, breaking the silence. The sound of raindrops calmed her a little. She took a breath, then looked at Tanjirou.
“Tanjirou, may I ask you something?”
“Of course. What is it?”
“Yesterday… after school… who were you with?”
She closed her eyes at the end of the sentence.
“Ah, that?”
Tanjirou smiled lightly. “Murata-san’s little sister. She was just returning something I left at their house.”
Kanao looked up. Tanjirou’s expression was ordinary—honest. Her chest felt lighter.
Suddenly, Kanao crouched down and covered her face.
How embarrassing. To misunderstand so badly just from a single glance.
“Kanao?! Are you okay?”
She froze when she realized Tanjirou was still there. A hand reached out to her. After a moment's hesitation, Kanao took it and stood up.
Tanjirou smoothed her messy hair, then gently patted her head.
“Thank you,” said Kanao, smiling with her cheeks flushed.
Tanjirou was silent for a moment. His pupils widened, and a pink blush appeared on his cheeks. He immediately turned away.
“I-I’ll go catch up with Inosuke and Zenitsu.”
He left in a hurry.
Kanao opened her transparent umbrella and walked home. A small smile formed on her lips.
“There’s still a chance,” she murmured softly.