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His quiet steps across the vast courtyard of Kimetsu Academy, after helping some students who had asked for his assistance, are interrupted when a small paper airplane falls at his feet. Both the appearance of the airplane and the coincidence that it has fallen near him cause Tanjiro to freeze in place for a few seconds, blinking in disbelief, until he decides to pick it up to examine it more closely. There is a small bulge that catches his attention, so he decides to move it, and from it emerges a small note with no name on it.
“I've liked you for a long time.”
Tanjiro rereads the sentence over and over and can't help but feel his cheeks start to burn. No, the paper airplane can't be for him. Maybe it's just too much of a coincidence that he was walking and the paper airplane fell near him. Besides, the note doesn't mention anyone in particular, so it could be anyone. But, on the other hand, he can't stop thinking that it really is meant for him, and the mere idea that someone is romantically interested in him makes Tanjiro even more embarrassed.
He plays with the paper airplane to shake off his embarrassment, noticing that the folds are perfectly made. Unlike other origami figures he has seen in his life, this one in particular has fog patterns printed on it and is a beautiful pale cyan color: even that bulge he found right away was intentional, he deduces from some folds he finds upon closer examination of the plane that match the size of the note.
So his first conclusion is that the plane was made that way to carry the note and was thrown on purpose to fall near him. His eyes search around for someone who might be suspicious, but everyone is absorbed in their own business during break time, leaving Tanjiro in confusion and uncertainty. Anyway, he approaches some students to clear up his doubts, asking if they saw anything suspicious or anyone nearby throwing paper airplanes. The answers are negative: no one noticed anything unusual, so the mystery of the person behind the paper airplane begins to increase Tanjiro's incertitude.
Even after returning to class, he can't stop thinking about the little airplane and the note. The matter has begun to eat away at his mind and prevents him from concentrating on the class itself. All he has to go on is that the person is very good at origami. It's clear that this level of design cannot be achieved with a few folds following a manual on how to make origami; there is a lot of experience and practice behind it.
He takes out the note again to see if he can find any other clues in the handwriting, but Tanjiro isn't very good at seeing differences in how people write—unless it's Inosuke's handwriting, which he could definitely recognize almost instantly because of how messy and sloppy it is. Even so, he manages to pick up a particular smell from the note; a smell that seems familiar, but at that moment, he can't make any connection to anything or anyone.
At the end of the day, he manages to gather two clues: the paper skills and the particular smell of the note. Tanjiro comforts himself that it's a good start, but he still has too many unknowns to solve.
***
“Why are you staring at that paper airplane so much?” asks Zenitsu, as he puts away his things and watches Tanjiro, who hasn't moved from his seat.
“I don't see what's interesting about it,” says Inosuke, crossing his arms with an air of superiority. “That little paper airplane looks so simple. I could make something better!”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say.”
“I was walking when it fell at my feet,” Tanjiro says, without taking his eyes off the little plane. “It had a confession note.”
“What!? Who confessed?”
“I don't know!” he whines, and the boy lets out a frustrated sigh. “What surprises me is that the note came with the paper airplane. Can you believe it didn't fall out during the entire flight it could have taken?”
Zenitsu and Inosuke approach curiously as Tanjiro explains how he found the note tucked into the paper airplane. Both boys are surprised as Tanjiro also reveals the peculiar smell of the note and how familiar it seems to him.
“Do you really think it's for you?” Zenitsu asks him. “It doesn't mention anyone in particular.”
“That's what I thought at first,” Tanjiro replies, “but it's quite a coincidence that it ended up with me.”
“And who do you think did it?” Inosuke asks now.
“I... I don't know.”
“We can find out tomorrow,” Zenitsu suggests, patting Tanjiro on the shoulder to comfort him. “We have to go home.”
Tanjiro wants to insist on staying at the academy a little longer to ask the teachers, but he gives up on the idea because he has had a lot to process today. Instead, he agrees with Zenitsu, smiling kindly as he nods his head. At that moment, Nezuko enters the classroom, wondering why her older brother is suddenly late, because today is not the day she was supposed to go home with her best friend.
While Tanjiro puts away his things, the group of students chit-chats excitedly, and once they get ready to leave the classroom to go back to their homes, a new paper airplane falls to the floor. Zenitsu screams, Inosuke gets into a defensive stance, throwing punches into the air, and Tanjiro runs out of the classroom to grab the airplane.
“Who's there?” Tanjiro calls out. He looks both ways down the hallway to check if there is anyone else besides them, but finds no one.
Confused and frustrated at not finding any trace of the stranger, he decides to pay attention to the paper airplane. He looks again at the note attached to it, which catches his attention almost immediately: it is clearly from the same person. His friends and Nezuko approach him, their eyes curious, as Tanjiro pulls out the note and begins to unfold the paper to see what is written on it.
“I like your smile, Tanjiro. It feels as warm as the sun on a summer day.”
***
As the days passed, more paper airplanes began to appear for Tanjiro, falling at his feet. There is no longer any doubt that they are meant for him, that the person knows when to throw them so that they fall at his feet when he is alone or with his classmates. However, the identity of the person behind this remains a complete mystery.
The boy begins to suspect everyone. After all, Tanjiro is known by everyone at Kimetsu Academy. He is the eldest son of a large family that owns a bakery, and both teachers and students go there to buy bread. He is also known for being kind and generous to everyone, so he never hesitates to lend a hand when needed. It’s even well known that all the students at the academy have observed Tanjiro running away from Professor Tomioka when he is caught wearing his hanafuda earrings, a family relic that he refuses to take off even though he is aware that he is breaking the dress code.
It is clear that anyone at the academy could be the one behind the paper airplanes, and Tanjiro knows it. However, he has found a key clue that has caught his attention as he has been receiving the paper airplanes with his notes. It shows that the person seems to know him and that they have been able to talk more than once, so the person is clearly deeply in love with Tanjiro.
The notes summarize the qualities that the stranger likes about the boy, causing Tanjiro to feel embarrassed, confused, and his heart to race. However, he finds it difficult to figure out which of his friends could be behind it all, because none of them seem particularly suspicious, nor have they shown even the slightest bit of interest in him. To clear up his doubts, he has even asked them about it, but the answers he received were not very hopeful.
Now that he has a pile of paper airplanes stacked on his desk in his room, Tanjiro finds it very difficult to tear them up or throw them away; it would be an insult to the person and their feelings, even though he still doesn't know who it might be. Then, an idea pops into his head that immediately cheers him up: he begins to make strings of different sizes with them and leaves them hanging in his room as decoration. The notes are kept in a small box that he manages to find among his belongings and which, luckily, was empty.
As he hangs up the last rows of paper airplanes he has left, he notices a detail he hadn't paid attention to from the beginning: most of the paper is aquamarine green and has the same fog pattern as the first one he received.
His mind soon realizes the coincidence, and a mental image becomes increasingly clear inside him: the Tokito twins. Tanjiro is surprised at himself for the discovery he has made and finds meaning in that familiar feeling he has had over the days when he saw those little paper airplanes: the color reminded him of the twins' eyes and their long hair that ends in that same pale cyan color. However, despite thinking about them, Tanjiro cannot connect the fog pattern to them. Despite this, he must also admit that he cannot see Yuichiro, the older twin, as being responsible for all this: between the two twins, he is the rougher one with a very harsh way of speaking. Furthermore, Yuichiro has looked at him unfriendly on more than one occasion, so Tanjiro discards him almost instantly.
Muichiro, the younger twin, is the only one left on his list. Unlike his older twin, Muichiro proves to be a little kinder and sweeter, not to mention that he really enjoys his company and that on more than one occasion he has been able to sense a radical change in his personality when it comes to him. But even with this evidence, Tanjiro is unable to see Muichiro as the one responsible for the paper airplanes because he knows that Tokito twins are usually always together, and it’s very rare to see them separately.
Once again, Tanjiro finds himself at a dead end, so he involuntarily lets out a disappointed sigh. His train of thought is interrupted when his younger siblings burst into his room, and the children, upon entering, are surprised and captivated by the new decorations Tanjiro has been working on during this weekend afternoon.
“What beautiful airplanes! Where did you get them?” asks Hanako, as she jumps up to try to touch one of the little planes.
“Well... they’re given to me,” Tanjiro replies with some difficulty, his face slightly embarrassed. “Anyway, what are you doing here?”
“We came to get you because one of the Tokito twins is here and is asking for you,” says Takeo.
“The Tokito twins? Who?”
“I don't know,” Shigeru says, shrugging his shoulders. “I think it's the twin who looks less angry. I don't know, I can't distinguish between them,” he says, scratching his head.
“Muichiro?”
“Yes, yes! I think it's him.”
“He's with Mom, Rokuta, and Nezuko right now, waiting for you,” Hanako says. “Come on, Tanjiro, let's go.”
Before Tanjiro can say anything, his two younger siblings, Shigeru and Hanako, grab him by the arm and drag him out of the room, leading him to where Muichiro is, while Takeo disappears into the hallway, going to his own room. On the way to the living room, the boy tries to remember if at some point during the week he agreed to meet with the boy that day, but he can't quite remember when it was.
The three boys arrive in the living room where their mother, Nezuko, and Rokuta are with Muichiro. The scene Tanjiro sees makes his heart skip a beat and fills him with tenderness: he watches Muichiro making origami, folding some kind of winged animal. Nezuko looks at him eagerly and carefully, an action that Rokuta also imitates while his mother holds him in her arms. With a few more folds, Muichiro finishes making a crane. The youngest of the Kamado children applauds enthusiastically, and the boy approaches to give him the origami figure he has just made.
“Here, it's a gift for you,” says Muichiro, with a small smile on his face.
“How beautiful! Thank you!” replies Rokuta, his little eyes shining brightly as he holds the figure in his small hands.
“You must take good care of it, okay?”
The boy nods vigorously as he enthusiastically and happily shows his mother the figure he has been given. Nezuko also approaches her younger brother, letting him show her the crane.
At that moment, Muichiro notices Tanjiro in the living room. His face lights up and his smile widens.
“Tanjiro, I've been waiting for you!” says the boy cheerfully.
“Tokito mentioned that he came over because you agreed to study math together,” says his mother. “While your brothers went to look for you, he was doing some origami to pass the time.”
“Tanjiro! Look, look!” exclaims Rokuta as Mrs. Kamado lowers him from her arms. The boy runs excitedly toward his older brother and raises his arms to show him the paper crane. “Mui-kun gave me this crane.”
“Really? How cute,” says Tanjiro, smiling.
Then he remembers that he and Muichiro had indeed agreed to study together, as a way of reinforcing his weaknesses in math, because Muichiro is a prodigy at school, able to memorize texts in a short time and understand them almost immediately. A slight blush of embarrassment adorns the boy's cheeks when Muichiro approaches him with a math book in his arms. Tanjiro feels a little bad for having forgotten that.
“They'll be studying in your room, right?” his mother asks now.
“Ah...” Tanjiro says hesitantly. He swallows a little and after a few seconds, nods vigorously. “Yes! We'll be studying in my room.”
“Okay, Rokuta, come here,” his mother calls to the little boy. “I need you and Nezuko to help me bake a few orders that we have to deliver tomorrow. Can you help me?”
“Yes, I'm coming!”
Both boys watch the little boy run to Mrs. Kamado and take her hand. The woman wishes them both good luck, especially Tanjiro, telling them that if they need anything, she will be in the kitchen and in the store. With that, Tanjiro finally invites Muichiro upstairs to get ready to study.
***
Once they both enter the room, Muichiro's reaction catches Tanjiro's attention. When his brothers entered his room and saw the new decorations, Tanjiro could see in their faces how fascinated they were by how beautiful the little planes looked. Muichiro's surprise, on the other hand, is more like disbelief, as if he didn't expect to see that. Even Tanjiro could tell that Muichiro seems stunned. Still, beyond his reaction, there is no other sign that gives him away; not even a blush that would have raised his suspicions further.
“What do you think?” Tanjiro asks Muichiro in a friendly voice. “Doesn't it look cute?”
“Oh... yes,” Muichiro replies with a soft smile. “Your new decoration looks cute.”
The two settle down at a small table in the room. Muichiro waits patiently while Tanjiro goes to get his things. He takes his time because he wants to see if the boy has any strange reactions, but Muichiro simply looks distracted as he observes the paper airplanes, without much emotion, and then looks down to open his math book and flip through some random pages.
“I heard you've been getting some paper airplanes,” Muichiro says, breaking the silence. "Are those the ones hanging up?”
“Well… yes, they are,” Tanjiro replies, hesitating. He finds it a little strange that he knows about it, although not entirely. “How did you find out?”
“Well, they've been talking about it a little at the academy, you know?” the boy says with a soft smile. “Everyone's wondering who's throwing those paper airplanes.”
“It's a complete mystery, and I don't think I'm close to solving it,” Tanjiro admits, sighing. “And it would be an insult to throw away the little planes. You can see the effort and dedication that went into them, and I can't ignore his feelings either.”
Once he has his things, Tanjiro approaches the table to sit down and suddenly senses Muichiro's nerves. He feels it and smells it on him too. He watches him out of the corner of his eye as silence descends between them, broken only by the scratching of Muichiro's pencil against the paper of his notebook as he scribbles away. He finds it strange that Muichiro is suddenly so nervous.
“Okay, what do you need to work on? Equations, functions?”
“Uh...” Tanjiro is a little startled, turns toward Muichiro, and a slight blush colors his cheeks when he sees how close the boy is. “Y-yes, I need to work on equations more than anything else and... geometry.”
The boy stares at him, his expression turning a little serious as he brings a hand to his chin.
“I'm not very good at geometry, that's my older brother's strong point,” he admits. “But I'll do my best to teach you, Tanjiro.”
“Okay, thank you very much.”
As Muichiro talks to him about some concepts and formulas for different math problems, Tanjiro realizes how amazing Muichiro is at explaining the subject—he even dares to say that he explains it much better than Professor Shinazugawa, but that's something he'll keep to himself so as not to anger the professor— so many things that he didn't fully understand at first, he can now understand them better and thus proceed with the exercises. They both agree to do the same exercises to see if Tanjiro has understood what they have discussed, so silence soon reigns in the room.
There are moments when Tanjiro stops to think, then glances sideways at Muichiro, who remains focused and serious—something he also finds cute— responding to the exercises much more quickly than he does; he can even tell that Muichiro is about to finish his. Feeling a need to be competitive, Tanjiro perks up, silently encourages himself, and concentrates on finishing the handful of exercises he has left.
Once he manages to finish, the boy looks up at his visitor, surprised to find that he has already finished long before him and that, to pass the time, he had been watching him very cheerfully, with an amused smile. Once again, his cheeks flush and he scratches the back of his neck in embarrassment.
“Let me check them,” says Muichiro, taking Tanjiro's notebook to compare the answers and the processes they both used to arrive at the result.
“By the way, Muichiro,” Tanjiro says suddenly to change the subject, "how long have you been doing origami?
The question catches the boy off guard, and he remains in an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds. Tanjiro, for his part, is surprised by the reaction, but also finds it somewhat suspicious.
“Let's see...” Muichiro murmurs. “Since I was very young. My father taught my brother and me. I always liked playing with paper, so I started practicing origami as a hobby," he adds with a smile.
“What do you like to make the most?” Tanjiro asks now.
“Any bird in general. I'm also good at making paper airplanes. My brother says they're the best.”
The answer strikes a chord with Tanjiro. In fact, he was asking on purpose, and now he has a feeling: maybe Muichiro is the one behind the paper airplanes. Besides, there are many coincidences that point to him: the color of the paper, the skill behind the creation of each one, that initial smell he found in the first note they left him—because now that he is next to him, he has finally been able to connect the dots with that smell. Perhaps he still can't associate the fog pattern with him, but Tanjiro believes he finally has the puzzle almost complete: he just needs to corroborate this.
Of course, he's not going to do that now; he has no intention of pressuring Muichiro to give him explanations. For now, he just has a gut feeling that it's him, that there is evidence pointing to him, but nothing he has been able to confirm. Tanjiro also knows that Muichiro's feelings are involved, and the last thing he wants is for there to be a misunderstanding that could hurt his feelings. He cares for and loves him, and he can even say that the feeling is mutual. When it comes to Muichiro, Tanjiro is able to accept him and love him far beyond just a friend.
“Tanjiro?”
At that moment, when he hears his name being called, the boy realizes that he has been lost in thought and that reality has taken a back seat. Muichiro looks at him strangely, waiting for any response from him. Of course, this is not like Tanjiro, at least not when he is in company.
“Is something wrong?” Muichiro asks, a little concerned. “You've been thinking for a long time.”
Tanjiro blinks a few times and suddenly lets out a few forced laughs as he scratches the back of his neck.
“It's nothing, don't worry,” he says nervously, gesturing with his hands so that the boy doesn't make too much of it.
“Getting back to what we were talking about,” the boy says, smiling slightly, "it seems you've understood everything correctly, Tanjiro.”
"Huh? Really? There's no mistake?”
Muichiro shakes his head and returns the notebook to Tanjiro.
“Everything is fine,” he confirms, “it's clear that you understood everything. There's no need for me to give you extra help.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. You're a good student, Tanjiro.”
He feels his heart skip a beat at the compliment. Both notice through the window that the sun is already setting behind the mountains, a sign for Muichiro that it’s time to return home. Although Muichiro has ended the extra lessons, Tanjiro tries to persuade and insist that he really needs more private lessons at some other time, but Muichiro refutes him, arguing that he should just trust what he already knows and understands.
The two go down to the first floor of the house so Muichiro can return home. The boy says goodbye to everyone, and Tanjiro is the last to say goodbye, accompanying him outside the house.
“See you at the academy, Tanjiro,” Muichiro says goodbye, waving his hand.
“See you!” Tanjiro replies cheerfully, “I hope you get home safely, take care!”
The boy stands outside his house watching as Muichiro walks further and further away, his silhouette becoming smaller and smaller in the distance. Tanjiro turns to go inside and notices something: there is a small paper airplane on the ground.
As he picks it up, he tries to find Muichiro's silhouette in the distance, but it has already dissipated like fog, and there is no trace of his presence.
***
His hands and eyes are focused on one thing. He thinks about the folds he needs to make next, contemplating the size of the note he has written and which he has already folded enough to make it quite small. His only source of light at that moment is a lamp on the desk where he is making the paper airplane. Absorbed in his work, he tries to block from his mind the insecurity and fear of fantastical scenarios in which everything goes wrong. He knows he has given himself away, and he can even admit that he has done so deliberately because he can no longer maintain the aura of mystery surrounding the famous paper airplanes: word of mouth at the academy and Tanjiro's suspicions during the afternoon study session have already cornered him.
His peace and calm are interrupted when someone enters the room silently. The person who looks so much like him stares at him with a serious and cold expression. When he sees what he is doing, his brow furrows even more.
“Are you going to keep doing that?” the boy asks, in an annoyed tone. “I think it's time for you to stop, Muichiro. Tanjiro is going to find out sooner or later.”
Muichiro pauses for a moment, unsure whether to continue or not. He doesn't reply to his twin, remaining in a deathly silence that lasts for several seconds. A small sigh escapes his lips, and he finally decides to finish the origami he was halfway through when Yuichiro burst into his bubble.
“Don't worry,” Muichiro says, flashing a small smile. His tone of voice is barely audible to his brother. “This is the last paper airplane I'm going to make.”
He can't bring himself to look at his brother; the idea of observing that angry face for even a few moments makes his skin crawl and gives him chills. So Muichiro chooses to continue with the paper airplane, hide the note, and be done with it. Yuichiro, on the other hand, can't help but let out an exasperated sigh as he runs his hand over his face.
“I didn't think you were capable of doing that,” says the older brother. “Why don't you just tell him how you feel and stop playing games?”
“I'm not playing games,” Muichiro defends himself, confronting Yuichiro. “I just want Tanjiro to know how I feel.”
“That's nonsense,” says Yuichiro, his gaze hardening even more.
Soon the air becomes tense and difficult to breathe. Muichiro has always been hurt by the way his older twin expresses himself, to the point that he ends up sad or crying. The harshness of his words is always like crashing into a cold wall. Although he still loves him, it is often impossible for Muichiro to counter what Yuichiro says, which means that Muichiro either agrees with him or remains in an uncomfortable silence. However, this time is different. These are not the typical sibling arguments they have always had over the years: it’s about his feelings and how he has wanted to express them.
He finds reason in what Yuichiro says, that the paper airplanes have not been the best way to tell Tanjiro what he has been feeling for some time. However, Muichiro has never wanted to give the impression that he is playing with him. He knows that Tanjiro is good, polite, and kind to everyone, that he treats everyone who approaches him the same way without making any distinctions: something that Muichiro has seen countless times and knows perfectly well.
“Why do you talk as if you have experience in this matter?” Muichiro says, rising from his seat. “It's not easy to tell someone how you feel, that you don't see them as just a friend.”
Yuichiro opens his mouth to say something, but Muichiro speaks first.
“Tanjiro is always kind and good to everyone, he treats everyone equally,” adds the boy. "I was afraid to tell him how I feel because I thought it might come to nothing. But today I discovered something that made me realize how wrong I was, that it was just my insecurity.”
The older brother's hardened expression softens and changes to one of surprise. However, it doesn't last long, and he raises his eyebrows again as he crosses his arms.
“How did you find out?” he asks his younger twin.
"When I went to study with him, we went to his room and I saw that he had made decorations of the planes I had thrown at him.”
“That's all? It doesn't mean anythi...”
“He told me he couldn't throw them away because he could see how much effort that person had put into them,” Muichiro says quickly, “that it would be an insult to that person and their feelings if he threw the paper airplanes away. That's why he preferred to decorate his room with them.”
There is a brief silence. Yuichiro presses his lips into a thin line, while Muichiro looks for a moment at the paper airplane he has made.
“At that moment, I tried to keep my composure so as not to raise suspicion. But... I could feel my heart beating fast, and I got nervous thinking that it would give me away.”
“At least Kamado isn't so uncaring,” Yuichiro comments sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “But he's not that stupid: he surely suspected you.”
“I feel the same way, but you said it yourself, brother,” Muichiro pauses briefly, “I can't keep this secret for much longer. That's why this paper airplane will be the last one I send him.”
“Are you sure?”
The younger brother remains silent, reflecting before giving Yuichiro an answer. He stares at the half-finished paper airplane and thinks about what Tanjiro had told him about the ones he had already received. He must admit that ending it all makes him a little afraid, but it's true that he can no longer keep up the mystery, in addition to clearing up Tanjiro's doubts and facing his feelings. Muichiro swallows hard, letting out a small gasp.
“I'm sure,” he finally replies. The boy takes the little airplane and stares at it for a few seconds. “This is the last one.”
***
A new week of classes begins. Everything seems to be going normally for Tanjiro, which starts to bother him because he hasn't received any paper airplanes during the day. He's used to finding them, and he's even prepared himself to receive a new one today, but the paper airplane and its still mysterious remitter don't seem to have any intention of showing up. Tanjiro feels that all his speculations and investigations are suddenly going down the drain in the face of this sudden disappearance, but when he least expects it, a new paper airplane flies into the classroom while he is changing into his gym clothes for physical education class. With some contained enthusiasm, the boy picks up the object and pulls out the note attached to it.
“Are you curious to know who I am? Come alone at the end of the day. I'll be waiting for you on the stairs to the third floor.”
Her eyes take on a more intense shine and her cheeks flush with excitement mixed with nerves. Her heart also begins to beat faster. Finally, Tanjiro will be able to find out who is behind the paper airplanes, even though he already has his main suspect. For a moment, he forgets that he has to attend class, and if it weren't for Professor Tomioka banging his wooden sword against the doorframe to get his attention and warn him, Tanjiro would have remained lost in his thoughts.
For the rest of the school day, Tanjiro remains positive as usual and continues to be the same friendly boy he always is. He can't help but think about the upcoming meeting with that person from time to time, but he tries to stay focused on the remaining classes, an attempt to appease his excitement and curiosity to finally discover who has been sending him the paper airplanes.
Time passes faster than normal, so when the last bell of the day rings, Tanjiro realizes that the moment has come. Before going to meet this person, he tells Nezuko that he will be late because he has to take care of something important, but that he will return home as soon as possible to help with the bakery.
His heart pounds loudly in his chest, he has a small lump in his throat that begins to grow, and his mind is filled with questions and things to say when the time comes. His steps as he walks through the long corridors of the academy are firm, without hesitation. He feels prepared, Tanjiro believes it. But the reality is that he is nervous and has many doubts about it. He has remained firm in his belief that Muichiro is behind all this, but he can't rule out the other Tokito twin, and if it really were him, he wouldn't know exactly how to approach the situation.
The whole subject about love and relationships are concepts that are still very abstract for him to understand, because he’s still very young, because he has not experienced anything beyond the unconditional love he has for his whole family and friends. This new kind of love is almost entirely foreign to him, an unknown territory he has not fully explored. Of course, he has heard stories of other people's love, which were told by his mother in the form of bedtime stories, always with the same happy ending.
But now that he has grown up, Tanjiro knows that these stories are completely fictional and far from reality. More than once, the idea of having a partner or simply entering into a more serious relationship has crossed his mind, but it never goes beyond vague thoughts that eventually fade away and are forgotten.
In the distance, he can faintly hear a murmur that sounds more like someone humming a song; it doesn't last long, allowing silence and calm to return after a few seconds. Tanjiro quickens his pace a little, even though the distance to the meeting point is quite short. When he looks up at the stairs, the setting sun blinds him, the rays of light hitting his face, forcing him to raise his forearm to cover his eyes.
“I was waiting for you,” says a voice that is very familiar to him.
To try to adjust his eyes to the light, Tanjiro blinks several times until he finally gets used to it little by little. He sees a shadowy figure approaching him; he can barely make out their shape and the long hair that reaches down to their back. His mind goes completely blank when he sees a pair of eyes looking at him with kindness and tenderness: Tanjiro recognizes whose gaze it is. He doesn't know whether to be happy or surprised, but what he does know is that he is now a complete bundle of nerves and that all the questions he had in mind have completely vanished and he can't remember them.
“I thought you were never going to arrive.”
“Uh, I got lost in the hallway,” Tanjiro blurts out, his voice trembling with nerves.
His free hand is taken by Muichiro, and he feels him guiding him up a few steps so that the light no longer hits his face so cruelly. Tanjiro is surprised by the way they have taken his hand: gently, but firmly. With his heart pounding in his chest, he barely hears Muichiro tell him that they should sit down on the step where they have stopped. Tanjiro does so somewhat awkwardly: his hands are sweaty, and for some reason, he feels a little nervous about looking up at the boy who has sat down next to him.
“Are you surprised?” Muichiro asks.
The silence lingers. The knot in his throat makes it impossible for him to say anything, the emotions in his mind are running wild; his whole being is in complete chaos. Tanjiro makes an effort to swallow some saliva and brings his left hand to the back of his neck to scratch it.
“Actually... I had my suspicions since that day,” he says, his voice nervous.
He summons up the courage to look up, and Tanjiro is surprised to see that Muichiro has a calm expression on his face. There is not a trace of nervousness, and there is a small smile of apparent embarrassment on his face. For some reason, he feels a little stupid for being the more nervous of the two. His response causes a slight reaction of surprise in the other boy, and his smile widens.
“Well, I guess I revealed myself,” the boy murmurs, lowering his gaze slightly and playing with his fingers.
There is another pause. Tanjiro opens his mouth several times to say something, but his words remain stuck in his throat, so he clears his throat and that initial knot finally loosens. He thinks carefully about what he wants to say next, so he takes advantage of the silence to organize his thoughts.
“Why the paper airplanes?” Tanjiro finally asks.
“I thought it was the best way to show you my feelings,” Muichiro confesses, without looking up.
Tanjiro wants to ask what he means by that, but before he can say anything, Muichiro interrupts him and adds:
“You're a very kind and respectful person, you treat everyone equally,” he finally looks up, turning toward Tanjiro. “Don't think it's a bad thing, I like that about you, it's just... I came to think that maybe if I told you how I feel, you might not understand.”
He witnesses the way Muichiro's expression becomes a little embarrassed: his eyebrows curve and his fingers fidget more intensely, yet his face does not seem to blush, his pale cheeks remaining unmarked.
"I was very surprised to see that all the airplanes I sent you became a decorative part of your room, and what you said about hurting that person's feelings if you got rid of them made me realize I was wrong.”
All of Tanjiro's doubts dissipate at that moment, and he decides not to ask any more questions about it and to let Muichiro express himself. Besides, the answers he has received are more than convincing, and he believes his word; in any case, Muichiro has shown himself to be more open with him than with other people, even being a little more obvious in the affection and preference he feels towards him. Tanjiro dares to think that perhaps this has always been some kind of sign of Muichiro's feelings manifesting themselves.
“My older brother thinks I was playing with you by throwing the paper airplanes at you, but that's not true,” the boy exhales a sigh, the sparkle in his eyes diminishing a little. “I realize it wasn't the best idea to confess to me, but I didn't mean any harm.”
“I believe you,” Tanjiro says, taking Muichiro by surprise. "I believe what you say. I don't think it was a game either. I... respect the way you decided to show your feelings.”
Now it's Muichiro's turn to be confused. He blinks several times as he parts his lips slightly. Tanjiro, for his part, gives him a kind and radiant smile. With some shyness, he reaches for the boy's hand to take it. Their fingers intertwine unconsciously.
“Besides, you're very talented with paper airplanes. I really like seeing them in my room every time I come home from school. Rokuta still takes care of the little figure you made him the other day,” the boy now comments. His gaze wanders a little due to nerves. “I had my doubts if your brother was the one behind it too.”
“Yuichiro doesn't really like origami,” Muichiro confesses, gently squeezing Tanjiro's hand. "He always thought it was silly because he got so frustrated making the figures.
"Oh…”
He doesn't know if he regrets what he said, but he is aware that his embarrassment has increased once again. His lips purse into a thin line as he scratches the back of his neck with his free hand. Although he can't deny that part of him feels relieved to know that Yuichiro wasn't the mysterious person who was throwing paper airplanes at him. Tanjiro is once again unable to keep his gaze on Muichiro. He is so nervous that he even feels one of his knees begin to shake frantically, despite his attempts to hide it.
“That's why I wanted to clear things up today,” Muichiro says in a serious voice, breaking the silence, "because I want to be direct with you this time, Tanjiro.”
At that moment, Tanjiro's gaze finally returns to Muichiro, who shortens the distance between them a little more. He also reaches for his free hand to take it, his face coming closer, causing his heartbeat to quicken again and his face to redden almost immediately. His lips part slightly, but no words come out. Muichiro, on the other hand, remains calm, a confident smile on his face. Time passes slowly, the orange tones of the setting sun adding warmth and intimacy to the moment that Tanjiro will surely remember from now on.
“I like you, Tanjiro.”
Even though he read it in that first note, Tanjiro's reaction is one of utter surprise: his eyes widen, his lips part even further, and the heat from his cheeks spreads across his face. He swallows hard and has a feeling that something else is about to happen. Muichiro is still close by, their breaths mingling, and in his gentle gaze, Tanjiro can see an intention that he doesn't want to say out loud. Then, a small chuckle escapes the boy, breaking the tension.
“I like your reactions,” Muichiro admits, lowering his voice slightly, "they're funny.”
However, suddenly the boy distances himself, slowly and somewhat reluctantly letting go of both hands. Tanjiro soon misses the warmth.
“I don't want you to rush into giving me an answer,” the boy says now. His smile is a little smaller now. “I can wait as long as you need.”
Somewhat confused, Tanjiro stares at him when Muichiro suddenly gets up and starts walking down a few steps, as if he were leaving in complete silence. Then, uncertainty assaults him, causing Tanjiro to jump up. He doesn't feel he needs more time to give an answer. He has been thinking about it since the moment he received the first paper airplane and even more so when they were studying together, the moment the evidence pointed to Muichiro. The answer is on the tip of his tongue, so he has no intention of leaving the matter unresolved.
He quickens his steps to catch up with him and takes Muichiro by surprise. Tanjiro's expression reflects the determination he feels at that moment.
“I don't need more time to think about it,” he says, his voice confident.
“Huh?” It's the first time Tanjiro has ever heard Muichiro sound hesitant.
“I accept your feelings because...” Nerves attack his body again and his voice falters, “I like you too.”
Muichiro's face suddenly lights up, his eyes become brighter, and a slight blush finally appears on his pale cheeks. The image in front of him makes Tanjiro feel tender, his nerves finally leave him, and a radiant, kind smile appears on his face.
“That means we're dating now, right?” Muichiro asks, his voice excited.
“Huh? Ah... that's what people who say they like each other do, right?” Tanjiro laughs a little nervously as he scratches his cheek with one hand. “R-right?”
A scream is drowned out in Tanjiro's throat when Muichiro suddenly rushes over to give him an unexpected hug. Of course, the boy accepts it, but he stumbles a little, having lost his balance slightly to receive the other boy. He has a whirlwind of emotions that prevent him from thinking clearly, with his heart pounding against his chest and nerves consuming him the whole time, he barely reacts to return Muichiro's hug.
Suddenly, a chill runs down his spine as he senses a presence watching them. He doesn't know when it appeared or if it was always there. Tanjiro swallows hard as he tries to ignore the presence that seems to be watching him and doesn't seem to be looking kindly upon him, trying to think that perhaps it is merely a figment of his imagination, even though his keen sense of smell tells him otherwise.
“Hey, you two lovebirds,” says a hoarse voice that takes Tanjiro by surprise, “are you done with all the sappy stuff? I want to go home.”
“Brother!”
When Tanjiro looks up to see who the voice belongs to, he is surprised to find Yuichiro, the older Tokito twin, standing with his arms crossed and an annoyed look on his face, watching from the third floor. The older twin's hostile gaze makes him a little afraid, forcing Tanjiro to swallow hard. On the other hand, he understands; he's acting like any protective older brother would toward his beloved little brother because he's now in a romantic relationship.
“I thought you had already gone,” Muichiro says, visibly annoyed.
Yuichiro clicks his tongue and rolls his eyes. He stares at Tanjiro, his gaze sharpening and his jaw tightening.
“I decided to stay,” he replies reluctantly. “If you're done, let's get going. I'm hungry.”
“What about the bread I bought you at lunchtime?”
“I already ate it, but it wasn't enough.”
“But...”
The older twin walks past the two boys, giving them both an annoyed look. Tanjiro realizes how tense Muichiro is and that he has unconsciously clung to him in the embrace. He wants to intervene in the argument because the atmosphere has become uncomfortable, but he doesn't know when to do so. He even opens his mouth several times in an attempt to say something, but the words are stuck in his throat and cannot come out.
“Let's go,” Yuichiro insists, raising his voice as he descends the steps.
Muichiro, with nothing else to say, lets out a defeated sigh. He gives Tanjiro a sad smile as he walks away without much enthusiasm, and the other boy smiles back, a little frustrated. Before he can say anything, Tanjiro feels the soft pressure of lips against his cheek, which startles him and once again makes his face flush violently. He stares in surprise at Muichiro, who still has a sad smile on his face.
“See you tomorrow,” he says, without much enthusiasm. Then, an idea crosses his mind, causing his face to light up for a moment. “Is it okay if we go together tomorrow after class? Just the two of us.”
“Uh... Of course! That's fine with me,” Tanjiro replies quickly, delighted by the proposal. “Yuichiro won't mind, w-won't he?”
The boy lets out a giggle as he moves away from Tanjiro. Before going downstairs, he winks at him with a confident smile.
“Don't worry, I know how we can persuade my older brother.”
“Muichiro! Don't fall behind, let's go home now!” Yuichiro says loudly, interrupting their farewell.
“I'm coming.”
Tanjiro stands there frozen, one hand on the cheek that was kissed, watching Muichiro quickly descend the stairs to catch up with his older brother. That's when he finally reacts, going down the stairs, his feet stopping as soon as he sees the twins walking away down the hallway. Muichiro seems to sense this, because for a moment he turns his gaze toward him, but he quickly turns away and tries to catch up with Yuichiro without much enthusiasm. Although he finally knows who was behind the paper airplanes and has now accepted Muichiro's feelings, he has a feeling that unsettles and bothers him.
At that moment, an idea crosses Tanjiro's mind. Rather, it is a desire that his heart feels in that instant, but it is strong enough to convince himself that it is what he must do now. Because he knows that sometimes you have to do what your heart tells you to do. So, moved by this idea, Tanjiro starts running toward the twins, hoping that no teacher will notice what he is doing.
“Wait!” the Tokito twins hear. They both stop and are surprised to see Tanjiro running down the hallway toward them.
“Tanjiro?” Muichiro murmurs.
When he gets close enough to the twins, Tanjiro grabs Muichiro's wrist to pull him closer. He leans in slightly, bringing his face closer to press his lips against Muichiro's in a first kiss. The moment is very brief, but Tanjiro feels it last forever, filled with fireworks exploding throughout his entire being. The hand still holding the boy's wrist is sweating profusely, and he tries his best not to let on that he's shaking from nerves. In any case, it's something he doesn't regret doing at that moment.
Before running off in the opposite direction—because he knows Yuichiro is going to chase him—he manages to see Muichiro's completely flushed face, surprised and with his lips slightly parted. The image makes him smile tenderly. Out of the corner of his eye, Tanjiro observes the other twin, who is also blushing, but his sense of smell tells him that it is more a mixture of anger and embarrassment. A quick chill runs through his body just as his gaze connects with the angry look of the Tokito twin.
"You're a dead man, Kamado!”
That is the signal for him to let go of Muichiro's wrist and turn around to run away in terror, but in the opposite direction. Muichiro, meanwhile, remains frozen in place, trying to process what has happened, his face completely flushed, watching as his older brother and Tanjiro run away down the hallway, leaving him there alone, absorbed in the thoughts running through his mind and that feeling of complete happiness from that first kiss.
After all, the paper airplanes probably weren't such a bad idea: his feelings did reach Tanjiro as he had wished.