—Miyazono Kaori, Your Lie in April

~~~~~

"You remember your wish?"

Her hands fiddled with the hem of her skirt.

Tanjirou had never seen her like this since she appeared. All nervous and shy. It contrast the demeanor and disposition she had when she first met him. She was confident yet melancholy, like there is something lacking in her soul that day in the park. Tanjirou caught sight of her (E/C) eyes widening. She was facing him and her gaze was beyond past him.

"Kamado?"

Tanjirou immediately turned around at the sound of Zenitsu's voice. He was shocked at the sight of Zenitsu giving him a confused look. She can see the glare in Zenitsu's orbs.

Zenitsu accused, "So, you're the one who sent this note?"

Zenitsu threw the paper on the ground. Tanjirou quickly scrambled to pick the piece of paper.

Tanjirou read, "There's something I want to tell you. Meet me at the park..." His eyes wandered to the bottom of the paper. The sender's initial were on it. It was clearly not Tanjirou's, but hers.

Tanjirou was dumbfounded by this. He said, "I didn't send this. It's (Y/N)'s!" Tanjirou turned around, expecting to see she, but you she wasn't there anymore. She suddenly disappeared.

Zenitsu growled, "Don't give me that crap." Zenitsu turned and started to walk away.

Tanjirou was about to chase Zenitsu when he heard her voice that prevented him from running.

"I don't know if that's the wish. But, I want you and Zenitsu to be friends again."

Tanjirou turned to the side to see her watching Zenitsu's shrinking silhouette with a sad expression on her face. His heart tugged at the appearance of a very negative emotion present on her visage. Their eyes met and immediately he ran.

* * *

"Zenitsu! Stop!"

Zenitsu showed no signs of stopping. Tanjirou felt desperate to repair the severed friendship they have. He felt helpless seeing that expression on her face. She begged with her eyes. She was about to tear up as your (E/C) orbs spoke the words: I want to see the old Zenitsu again.

Tanjirou grabbed Zenitsu's wrist, who later harshly pulled his arm away. A cold glare was present in Zenitsu's gaze. "What?"

This time, Tanjirou was determined to make Zenitsu understand his situation, your situation. He won't let Zenitsu slip away from him again. Tanjirou firmly said, "Hear me out, will you?"

"No."

Tanjirou grabbed Zenitsu's shoulders. He persisted, "Stop running away from the past, Zenitsu!"

Zenitsu shot back, "The past remains in the past!" he pushed Tanjirou away from him. "It's time to move on, Kamado Tanjirou."

"You're stuck in the past as well, Zenitsu!" Tanjirou sighed. "Look, I can see (Y/N). She can't rest because of this wish she doesn't know."

There was silence between them. It lasted for a few seconds. And, in those seconds, Tanjirou felt eternity. His heart was pounding as he anxiously waited for Zenitsu's response.

"What does she look like?"

Tanjirou stopped himself from doing anything. He swore he saw a glimpse of the Zenitsu he spent his childhood with. That coward, yet strong blonde. The blonde that always fought with Inosuke.

Zenitsu asked again, "Does she look the same? Has she grown like all of us?"

With a gentle smile, Tanjirou spoke, "She has grown. She is..." Tanjirou's cheeks burned, "...very pretty."

Zenitsu's bit his lip before mustering a smile. "I see."

Zenitsu turned around and started walking away. Tanjirou called out his name.

Zenitsu stopped, looking over his shoulder to see Tanjirou. "See you tomorrow, Tanjirou."

* * *

"Do you have any idea what her wish is in the first place?" asked Zenitsu, visibly annoyed. He was irritated by the fact Tanjirou is always clinging onto him, probably wanting to talk about you for a while now.

Tanjirou felt happy. He never expected for Zenitsu to be his friend again. He was very grateful for you to push him like that. I should thank her later.

Tanjirou answered, "I think... She was about to tell me when you suddenly came yesterday."

Zenitsu looked down to see the crumpled paper he found in his shoe locker. He can't believe you're back. But, why only now?

"Help me!"

Zenitsu closed his eyes shut. He couldn't bear to see that face again. He tried to forget but he always failed. Tanjirou was right. Zenitsu is still stuck in the past and he has no way to get his time to move again.

* * *

"You act all determined and brave. Do you even have an idea what her wish is?"

Tanjirou looked away in guilt. Yes, he doesn't have an idea. But, weren't you about to tell him before Zenitsu appeared?

"I don't know." Tanjirou pondered deeply. His eyes widen once he remembered the cause of your death. "(Y/N) was..." his tongue struggled, "...killed, right?"

Inosuke's head snapped towards Tanjirou. "SHE WAS KILLED?"

The topic was heavy on Tanjirou, but he had to speak if he wants to keep the conversation going. He clarified, "Yeah. But, the culprit was never caught. I don't even know what's the cause of her death."

Zenitsu spoke up, "That's because we're children back then. They just popped up, sugarcoating her death on us. It's didn't take long for us to find out."

Tanjirou's gaze flickered over to Inosuke, who had gone uncharacteristically silent.

At the lack for a better solution or conversation, Tanjirou sighed. He stood up, saying, "I'll try to ask her again."

* * *

"How did it go?" asked Zenitsu. The three walked down the road. The sun had long set and left the world in its darkness. The only light that illuminated their path are the postlights along the way. Tanjirou was deep in thought and Inosuke was busy looking around for someone to challenge.

"I wasn't able to see her yesterday."

Zenitsu scoffed. "Are you even sure you can see her in the first place?"

Tanjirou insisted, "Of course I can see her."

Inosuke pointed an accusing finger to Zenitsu, saying, "Don't you dare be rude, Monitsu."

Zenitsu shot back, "Says a rude boar-head."

"Why you...!"

"Let's stay peaceful," Tanjirou tried to calm down the two.

As Zenitsu and Inosuke were arguing, Tanjirou noticed her familiar figure, half-exposed to his sight as the other is being hid by the corner of an alley. As if she felt his stare, her eyes locked with Tanjirou and ran deeper into the alley.

"(Y/N)!" Tanjirou called out, running after her.

Tanjirou running off made the two stop their bickering. Zenitsu followed, but nor before throwing an insult to Inosuke about "It's all his fault for being left behind."

Inosuke was about to spat back when the three of them heard a scream.

Zenitsu immediately pinpointed where the scream could possibly be. From the scream alone, he knew it was a girl, not reaching the age of 10.

Tanjirou turned to the dark alley. Zenitsu and Inosuke followed.

They found no one. If it wasn't for Zenitsu's sharp hearing skills, he wouldn't be able to hear the muffled voices.

"WHO'S THERE? SHOW YOURSELF!"

Zenitsu turned to Inosuke. "The hell, Inosuke? You're giving us away!" He ran forward. There was another turn deep in the alley. The muffled voices was gone but was replaced by shuffling of steps. This time, Zenitsu inferred the culprit is running.

The three forced their legs to their limits and ran, turning to the next alley. Inosuke spotted someone running to another alley and quickly took the lead.

"DON'T YOU RUN AWAY FROM INOSUKE-SAMA AND HIS MINIONS!"

Another scream erupted. The three inferred they were near. The three stopped.

Zenitsu's eyes widen at the scene. (E/C) eyes looked back at him in horror. The little girl's hand reaching out to him, "Help me!"

"Help me!"

The next events happened in a blur for Zenitsu. He barely made out the scene of Inosuke pushing the man away from the little girl. Tanjirou took the girl away from the man, her body shaking in fear and terror.

Zenitsu quickly pulled out his phone and called for the police.

He heard the sound of the line being picked up before he was shoved hard to the ground. Zenitsu winced at the impact of hitting the cold pavement. His phone slipped away from his hands. The man was pinning him down, telling him words that Zenitsu blocked out.

Just one look. It only took one look for Zenitsu to recognize that face. He'll recognize that face anywhere. It's etched in his memory clear as a glass.

"You...!"

His mind was filled with anger. Seeing that face again triggered bad memories in him. It caused all his hidden hatred to explode.

"You're the one who killed her!"

Zenitsu was on the verge of crying.

In the corner of his eyes, he saw a glint of a blade. This time, all he could feel is panic. Zenitsu just registered Inosuke was probably down somewhere, bleeding. Did Tanjirou ran off with the little girl? Zenitsu can only hope.

Tanjirou headbutted the man, barely missing Zenitsu from the deep slice of the blade. The man was knocked out cold on the ground. Zenitsu can hear the distant siren. He assumed Tanjirou took the call while the man was distracted.

Zenitsu spared a little to no time at that noise. His attention was purely on Tanjirou. He stopped Tanjirou from lunging at the unconscious man—knife in his hands.

"Tanjirou, stop!"

"Let me go! Let me go, Zenitsu! I'm going to kill him!"

Zenitsu struggled under Tanjirou's sudden rush of strength. "Can you even hear yourself?!"

Zenitsu landed a fist on Tanjirou's cheeks, the latter falling down to the ground. He harshly took the knife from Tanjirou's grasp and threw it far away from them. "Killing him is not going to change anything!"

Tanjirou refused to make any eye contact with Zenitsu. "Killing him won't bring her back. No matter what we do, (Y/N)'s not coming back. Can you see that?! Can you just accept her death? Goddamit!"

The siren was close. Zenitsu looked up, trying to blink the tears that pooled in his eyes. He saw (E/C) eyes looking down at him from the rooftop of the building. The smile on her face was something that pushed Zenitsu to tears. He didn't dare to wipe them away.

He rushed to Inosuke's side, seeing the deep wound on his forearm. This brought relief to Zenitsu.

Tanjirou wiped the tears from his eyes and turned to the girl. He inquired, "Are you alright?" The girl only nodded. He was guilty the girl was forced to watch what just took place.

Police officers flooded in the alley.