Kanae and Kagerou walked side by side toward the Ubuyashiki Estate, summoned by Kagaya for an important meeting.
Kagerou, however, looked like the last person who had any intention of attending one.
Most of his body was still wrapped in fresh white bandages. Over them, he wore only a deep-black yukata with a loose, flowing fit. Graceful smoke-pattern motifs curled across the sleeves, chest, and lower half of the garment, each pattern outlined with subtle metallic-gold edging that gave the otherwise dark yukata a refined and distinctive appearance.
The yukata hung loosely around his frame, slightly open at the upper chest and revealing the bandages wrapped securely around his torso. A wide dark-gray obi held the garment together around his waist, accented with understated gold details.
In one hand, he casually held his kiseru.
He raised it toward his lips, took a slow drag, and exhaled a thin stream of smoke that drifted lazily behind him as he walked.
His posture was as relaxed as ever. (Just Imagine Itachi, you know what I mean, the hand thinging but with yukata instead)
There was absolutely nothing about his appearance that suggested he was on his way to attend an important meeting.
Well...
Even if he hadn't been injured, Kagerou wasn't exactly a fan of formalities.
Beside him, Kanae was dressed far more appropriately. She wore her Demon Slayer uniform beneath her butterfly-patterned haori, the delicate design flowing gently behind her with every step.
She looked beautiful.
Perfect, even.
If it weren't for the deep frown currently decorating her face.
Kagerou glanced sideways at his 'girlfriend'.
He could practically feel the irritation radiating from her.
With a quiet sigh, he took another drag from his kiseru before gently nudging her with his elbow.
Kanae turned her head toward him.
The frown remained.
"What?!"
"Are you still angry, Kanae?"
Kanae's eyebrow twitched.
"Am I looking angry to you?"
Kagerou studied her face for several seconds.
She was angry.
That much was obvious.
But for some reason, he found her expression rather cute.
A small chuckle escaped him before he shrugged.
"You're looking angry to me"
"Then don't ask," Kanae muttered.
She looked away.
"...Stupid"
"Hey~ Hey~ I'm sorry, okay?" Kagerou said, his voice carrying a teasing tone. "I won't do something like that again. I promise"
Kanae abruptly stopped walking.
Kagerou took another step before realizing she was no longer beside him.
He turned around.
Kanae was standing directly in front of him now, staring up at him with a mixture of frustration and embarrassment.
"What's the point of saying sorry?" she asked. "You already did it"
"Then why are you still angry?"
"You wouldn't understand"
Kanae's cheeks were beginning to turn pink.
"It's my first kiss, you know"
Her voice became quieter.
"I... I wanted something romantic. Not something sudden like that. You're not romantic at all"
Kagerou stared at her.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he rolled his eyes.
"Ahh... Troublesome"
"What?!"
"Nothing..." Kagerou quickly replied.
He sighed before looking at her properly.
"Okay, okay. It's my fault. Next time, I'll ask before kissing you, alright?"
"That's not the point here, Kager-"
"So, can I kiss you now?"
"Wh-"
Kanae's eyes widened.
Before she could finish her sentence, Kagerou leaned forward.
Their lips met in a brief, gentle kiss.
Kanae froze.
Her entire body seemed to lock up for a moment, her eyes widening in complete surprise.
Kagerou's hand lightly caught her waist.
In the sudden movement, his loose yukata slipped slightly from his shoulder, exposing more of his upper body and the layers of white bandages wrapped firmly around his chest.
"!!!"
Kanae immediately placed both hands against his chest and pushed him back.
Their lips separated.
"Y-Yo-"
Kagerou didn't give her enough time to finish.
His arm slipped around her waist, drawing her gently back toward him.
Kanae's eyes widened again.
"Kagerou-"
He leaned in once more.
This time, the kiss lingered.
It wasn't hurried like the first one.
Kagerou's movements were gentle, almost teasing, as though he were deliberately giving her the romantic moment she had complained about wanting.
Kanae's hands remained against his chest, her fingers curling slightly into the fabric of his yukata.
For a few heartbeats, neither of them moved.
The world around them seemed strangely quiet.
The distant rustling of leaves, even the faint curl of smoke from Kagerou's kiseru, seemed to fade into the background.
Kanae's cheeks grew increasingly warm.
Her earlier anger was still there somewhere... But it was rapidly being overwhelmed by embarrassment.
When Kagerou finally pulled away, their faces remained close.
Kanae stared at him, completely red.
Kagerou, meanwhile, wore the faintest hint of a satisfied smile.
"...Better?"
Kanae's face became even redder.
"You..." She clenched her fists against his chest. "...You absolute idiot!"
Kagerou chuckled.
"That doesn't sound like a no"
"Don't get cocky!"
Kanae shoved him lightly again, though this time there wasn't nearly as much force behind it.
Kagerou simply laughed as he adjusted his slipping yukata and took another calm puff from his kiseru.
The smoke curled between them.
Kanae turned away, desperately trying to hide her flushed face.
And for the first time since they had left, the frown was gone.
---
At the Ubuyashiki Estate, Kagerou and Kanae finally arrived at the backyard.
The moment Kagerou stepped through the entrance, however, he stopped.
For a brief second, he actually forgot to breathe.
Three Hashira were already kneeling in front of the engawa in a one-knee-up seiza position(Tatehiza), all facing toward Kagaya Ubuyashiki, who sat calmly upon the wooden veranda with Amane beside him.
Kagerou's eyes slowly swept across the scene.
'...So you were here'
His gaze immediately settled on the first familiar face. His father. Shinjuro looked toward him, his expression filled with unmistakable pride.
Kagerou's eyes then shifted toward the next person.
Tengen, the Sound Hashira, was already grinning from ear to ear.
And finally...
Gyomei, the Stone Hashira, gave him a rare, gentle smile, and naturally, tears were already pouring down his face like a waterfall.
Kagerou stared at him.
"..."
Well.
It wasn't exactly the sight of the three Hashira that had made him stop breathing.
It was the realization of what was about to happen.
He already knew.
He knew exactly why they were here.
And he knew exactly what Kagaya was about to say.
Kagerou let out a long, defeated sigh.
'...I'm not ready for this'
Kanae was the first to move.
She stepped forward and gracefully lowered herself into the same one-knee-up seiza position.
"Oyakata-sama, we are here"
"Hn," Kagaya's serene smile never left his face. "Nice to see you again, Kocho-kun"
Then Kagaya turned his head toward Kagerou.
There was a faint glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
His smile deepened.
Kagerou stared back at him.
Neither said anything.
The silence lasted for several seconds.
Eventually, Kagerou sighed again before lowering himself beside Kanae.
"How are you, Kage-kun?" Kagaya asked.
Kagerou didn't hesitate.
"It hurts all over my body"
His voice was completely serious.
His eyes remained locked onto Kagaya's.
"So can I go back to rest?"
He paused.
"Two or three days, maybe?"
Amane immediately covered her mouth with both hands.
Her shoulders trembled as she desperately tried to suppress her laughter.
Tengen wasn't nearly as considerate.
"PFFT... HAHAHAHAHA!"
He threw his head back, laughing openly.
Shinjuro simply brought one hand to his face.
A long-suffering facepalm.
Gyomei...Well.
Gyomei was simply being Gyomei.
His tears somehow became even more intense.
Kanae, meanwhile, lowered her head further.
A bead of cold sweat ran down the side of her face.
'Please stop'
She wanted to say it.
But she knew that saying it aloud would only make things worse.
Kagaya remained silent for several moments.
His smile didn't disappear.
But the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth suggested that even he was struggling to maintain his usual composure.
"You know I couldn't let you do that, right?"
Kagerou slowly turned his head away.
His expression became one of genuine disappointment.
"...At least I'm trying." He then turned his face back toward Kagaya. "...So?"
Kanae's eye twitched.
"Oyakata-sama deserves more respect," she whispered sharply, making sure only Kagerou could hear her.
Kagerou glanced sideways at her.
He sighed.
Again.
Then he faced Kagaya.
"Oyakata-sama"
He paused.
"I'm here"
Another pause.
"...So?"
Kanae's face went pale.
Tengen's grin widened.
Shinjuro's face tightened.
Amane was already struggling not to laugh again.
And Gyomei clasped his hands together, tears continuing to flow.
Kagaya, however, simply smiled.
"Kage-kun..." There was something in Kagaya's tone that made Kagerou instinctively straighten his posture. "...for your merit in having killed the Lower-"
"Kagaya, stop"
Kagerou immediately raised one palm toward him.
The entire backyard fell silent.
Kagaya blinked.
Kagerou maintained a completely serious expression.
"Let's do this slowly, alright?"
He lowered his hand and gestured calmly between himself and Kagaya.
"Let's do the small talk first. We have plenty of time"
Kagaya's smile remained.
Tengen's grin widened.
Shinjuro already knew exactly where this was going.
Kanae slowly closed her eyes.
Kagerou continued.
"Maybe I can tell you how I defeated Lower Moon Six first"
He pointed toward himself.
"Kanae didn't tell you how I defeated him, right?"
Kanae's eyebrow twitched.
Kagerou didn't notice.
"The point is..." He leaned forward slightly, his expression becoming strangely earnest. "Let's not get straight to the point, okay?"
Silence.
Kagaya stared at him.
Kagerou stared back.
Then Tengen suddenly burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHA! You're actually trying to negotiate your way out of becoming a Hashira!"
"I'm not... negotiating"
"You absolutely are!"
"I'm merely suggesting that we discuss other topics first"
"That's negotiating!"
Kagerou ignored him.
His attention returned to Kagaya.
"So..." He gave Kagaya a hopeful look. "What do you think about the weather?"
Kanae lowered her head.
She could feel a headache coming.
Shinjuro sighed heavily.
"Kagerou..."
"What?"
"Just accept it"
Kagerou looked at his father.
"...You're supposed to be on my side, father"
"I am"
"Then help me"
"I'm telling you to accept it"
"That's not helping"
Gyomei suddenly spoke through his tears.
"Kagerou..." His voice was gentle. "You have earned this honor"
Kagerou looked at him.
"...Please don't say it like you're giving me my last rites, Gyomei-san"
Gyomei's tears somehow increased.
"Namu Amida Butsu..."
Kagerou sighed.
There was no escape.
He looked back toward Kagaya.
The serene smile on the Master's face told him everything.
Kagerou already knew what was coming.
He had killed a Lower Moon.
He had demonstrated exceptional skill.
And, more importantly, his abilities with Smoke Breathing had reached a level that could no longer be ignored.
He had earned the position.
Whether he wanted it or not.
Kagaya finally spoke.
"Kage-kun, for your merit in defeating Lower Moon Six, and for the exceptional ability you have demonstrated as a Demon Slayer..."
He paused.
"Kagerou Rengoku, from this day forward, you shall bear the title of Hashira"
Kagerou stared at him.
"..."
He slowly looked toward Kanae.
She was smiling.
Then toward Tengen.
Still grinning.
Shinjuro looked incredibly proud.
Gyomei was crying.
Even Amane was smiling warmly.
Kagerou closed his eyes.
He let out a long sigh.
"...I tried"
Kanae covered her mouth, hiding a small laugh.
Tengen slapped his knee.
"HAHAHAHA! You really did!"
Kagerou opened his eyes again.
"And thus..." He looked toward the sky with the expression of a man accepting his fate. "...my peaceful life is over"
Kanae immediately corrected him.
"You weren't exactly living peacefully before"
"Details"
And that was how Kagerou became the Smoke Hashira.
It was, admittedly, a rather unusual way to become one.
Most Demon Slayers dreamed of reaching the rank of Hashira. They trained for years, risked their lives on countless missions, and desperately sought the recognition that came with the title.
Kagerou, on the other hand...
Had spent most of the conversation trying to find reasons not to become one.
In the end, he hadn't been promoted because he desperately wanted the title.
He had been promoted because he had earned it.
And perhaps that was what made Kagerou's appointment all the more amusing.
The newest Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps didn't celebrate.
He didn't boast.
He didn't even look particularly happy.
He simply stared at Kagaya with a resigned expression and muttered...
"...Can I at least go home now?"
---
#A/N: "Have you guys noticed a slight change in Kagerou? He's a bit more open to others"