After what felt like an eternity of drifting in darkness, the boy stirred. His eyelids fluttered open.
The sun was peeking over the horizon, spilling its first pale light across the streets. He blinked in confusion, no longer trees, no ashes, no forest. Houses stood shoulder to shoulder around them, and the cobblestone road stretched ahead, quiet save for the rare figure beginning their morning routine.
It was real, then. Not a dream. His mind flashed back to the night before...
The abyss.
The demon's claws.
The flames of the swordsman who had saved him.
He drew a shaky breath.
"Oh, you're awake, boy~" Shinjuro's voice rumbled, cheerful despite the exhaustion that lined his features. The man adjusted his grip, feeling the small movement on his back.
"…Yes, sir. Thank you for helping me, but… I think I can walk now." His voice was polite but uncertain. He squirmed lightly, trying to get down.
Instead, Shinjuro's arms tightened with stubborn strength. "No. Quit acting tough. I know you're tired, so let me carry you"
The boy stilled. He wanted to argue, but it wasn't his body that ached, it was his soul.
This sudden "reincarnation," this cruel world... his mind still refused to accept it. He lowered his head, sighing. "…Alright. I'll accept it. Thank you, sir. But… where are we going?"
"My home,"; Shinjuro answered simply.
"…Your home?"
"Yes, my home. Why? You don't like the sound of it?"
The boy hesitated. "…No. It's just… I don't know what to feel"
"Ahaha~ Don't think too hard." Shinjuro's laugh was rough but oddly reassuring. "I can't leave a child alone after something like that. And my wife, once she hears your situation, there's no way she'll let you be on your own either. That's why…" His tone softened, though his voice still carried its blunt honesty. "…I intend to adopt you as my son"
"…I see… Huh?" The boy blinked, unsure if he heard correctly. "You… what, sir?"
"Ahaha~ Just accept it!" Shinjuro grinned, unbothered by the boy's shock. "I've already decided. During the walk here, I kept thinking, since you don't remember your name, I can't just keep calling you 'boy.' From now on, your name will be Kagerou. And when the adoption process is complete, you'll be known as Kagerou Rengoku"
The boy, no, Kagerou was left speechless. The warmth of the name felt alien, yet… for the first time since he had awakened in this strange, cruel world, he felt a thread of belonging tug gently at his chest.
The silence stretched. Shinjuro frowned slightly, misreading it as a refusal.
"…What is it? You don't want to?" he asked.
Kagerou shook his head quickly. "…No, I'm fine with it, sir. It's just… too sudden. I don't know how I'm supposed to react"
"Ahaha~ That's fate, Kage,"; Shinjuro chuckled, his voice rough yet gentle. "It always comes suddenly. When we least expect it, that's when it hits. All we can do is accept it, or take our time and let it sink in"
"…I see…" Kagerou murmured, lowering his gaze.
"Actually," Shinjuro went on, his tone quieter now, "there's another reason I want to adopt you"
Kagerou looked up, puzzled.
"For a boy your age… even in this cursed world that forces us to grow up too fast… you're different. You're too mature. I could see it, even from the short time we've known each other." His expression softened, a rare gentleness peeking through the stern Hashira façade.
Kagerou said nothing, only listening.
"You know, as a Hashira, I can't always be home. My wife spends many days alone. And now, with our son barely a year old…" Shinjuro let out a breath, heavy with honesty. "…I thought, with you there, maybe my absence won't feel so heavy. That's another reason. I won't force you. Even if you refuse, I'll still take responsibility for you until you can stand on your own"
"…I see…" Kagerou repeated quietly. He truly didn't know what else to say.
Shinjuro smiled faintly. "Well, enough talk. We've arrived"
He crouched, letting Kagerou down.
Kagerou blinked, staring at the wooden house before him. "…This is your home, sir?"
"Yeah." Shinjuro's voice carried a rare warmth as he rested a hand on Kagerou's shoulder. "…And it'll be your home too. Come on, let's introduce you to my wife and son"
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"…I'm home," Shinjuro called as he stepped inside, Kagerou still close at his side.
The quiet house stirred, and before long the sound of soft footsteps echoed down the hall.
A woman appeared.
She looked young, her beauty sharp yet gentle at once, with defined features, a delicate nose, long eyebrows, and a pale complexion that made her crimson eyes glow all the more. Those eyes, round with white pupils like glass circles, held both strength and kindness. Her semi-long black hair, tied loosely at the end into a ponytail, swayed slightly as she walked. She wore a simple kimono, yet carried herself with a grace that felt unshakable.
This was Ruka Rengoku, wife of Shinjuro.
"Welcome back, Shinjuro-san-" she began, but her words halted as her gaze fell upon the small boy standing beside him.
Her eyes lingered on Kagerou. Just a glance, yet it felt as though she could see everything, his silence, his fear, his loneliness.
Pity flickered across her expression, soft and fleeting, before it melted into a gentle smile.
"…And who might this handsome little boy be?" she asked kindly.
"H-Hello, ma'am," Kagerou stammered, his cheeks warming under that unexpected kindness. He hadn't realized how much a simple smile could disarm him.
"This," Shinjuro interjected, stepping further into the home. "Let's go inside first. We'll talk about this slowly"