"I'm not having it easy, okay?! I was tricked by a woman and ended up drowning in debt! The old man who paid it off for me just happened to be a former demon slayer. And every single day since then has been hellish training…"
Zenitsu curled up on the ground, muttering to himself, not caring whether Tanjiro and the others were listening.
"I thought I'd die during the Final Selection. But I survived by sheer luck. So now every day still feels like I'm living in hell! It's terrifying! So terrifying!"
After hearing all that, Tanjiro began to feel a little sympathy.
He wasn't bad—
Just scared out of his wits.
"Zenitsu, get up. Travel with us."
Zenitsu's face instantly bloomed like a flower. He sprang up and grabbed Tanjiro's hand.
"Really?! You've decided to protect me, right?! Protect me until I get married!"
"…Uh…"
Tanjiro immediately regretted his kindness.
"Senior Brother… help…"
He cast a pleading look at Aoyama. He genuinely couldn't shake Zenitsu off.
But the moment he called out—
Zenitsu released Tanjiro and latched onto Aoyama instead.
"Senior Aoyama! You must save me! Don't let demons suck my brain out through my ears before I die!"
He trembled violently, face pale green.
Aoyama swallowed the sarcastic remark that had reached his lips.
The kid was already terrified out of his mind.
One more ghost story and he might faint on the spot.
Fine.
He'd be merciful—for now.
Halfway down a rural path, Aoyama suddenly stopped, looking serious.
"What's wrong, Senior Brother?!"
Zenitsu immediately hid behind Tanjiro again, tears threatening to fall anew.
"My stomach hurts. Wait here. I need to… take care of something."
With that, Aoyama dashed off into the nearby woods.
Only after confirming there was no danger did Zenitsu step out from behind Tanjiro.
Right then—
His stomach growled loudly.
"You didn't bring any food?" Tanjiro asked.
Zenitsu sniffled.
"No…"
If he thought he was about to die, why would he bother packing food?
Tanjiro sighed and handed him a rice ball.
"Here. Eat this."
Zenitsu took a bite. When Tanjiro didn't pull out anything for himself, he blinked.
"Aren't you eating?"
"…There's only this left."
Zenitsu hesitated for a second—
Then broke the rice ball in half and handed half back.
They finished eating, but Aoyama still hadn't returned.
After another wait—
He finally strolled back leisurely.
There was a suspicious sheen of oil on his lips.
Both boys stared at his mouth.
Aoyama hurriedly wiped it.
"Heh… what's wrong?"
Tanjiro's nose twitched.
He smelled roasted meat.
There was no hiding from that nose.
Aoyama reached into his sleeve and pulled out an oil-paper-wrapped chicken drumstick.
"Oh right! I ran into someone in the woods who insisted on giving me a wild chicken leg. I didn't have the heart to eat it."
"…There's really someone that kind?!" Zenitsu stared in disbelief.
"Of course. Maybe you'll meet one someday too."
Aoyama spoke solemnly and handed the still-warm drumstick to Tanjiro.
"And mine?" Zenitsu stretched out his hand eagerly, nose filled with the aroma of meat.
Aoyama rummaged again and pulled out—
A rice ball.
With one bite missing.
He placed it in Zenitsu's palm.
Then, very inappropriately, let out a satisfied burp.
Roasting and eating an entire wild chicken alone in the forest—
Perhaps had been a bit much.
"Eh?! Why does he get a drumstick and I get a rice ball?! And it's already bitten!!!"
Zenitsu howled.
The disparity was outrageous!
Aoyama patted Zenitsu's head.
"Zenitsu, Tanjiro is my junior disciple. We're brothers. You understand, right?"
Silence fell.
Zenitsu had no comeback.
Tanjiro held the drumstick, ripples stirring in his heart.
This… was touching.
Sure, Senior Brother liked teasing him.
But he still cared.
Meeting Tanjiro's gaze, Aoyama nodded firmly.
"Eat up! Caring for your junior starts with me! Starts now!"
"Senior Brother…"
Tanjiro was so moved he forgot to question the drumstick's true origin.
Meanwhile, Zenitsu nibbled resentfully at his half-eaten rice ball.
If only he had a senior like this…
Thinking about his fellow disciples, who all mocked him for being cowardly and a disgrace—
He suddenly dropped to his knees.
"Senior Aoyama! From today onward, please treat me as your junior too!"
Aoyama's lips curved upward, eyes glinting.
"Are you sure?"
A cold wind swept through Zenitsu's heart.
He suddenly had a very bad feeling.
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