Inosuke and his group waited from daytime into night once more.
The wooden door of the photo studio was pushed open, cool night air rushing inside.
Each of them tucked a black-and-white photograph into their clothes as they set out together down the road in a grand procession.
They were heading back to the Paradise Cult.
The lanterns lining the street had grown sparse, yet the excitement on everyone's faces had yet to fade.
"Hey, hey, Aunt Kotoha, look—did I blink in mine?"
"No, Miss Ume, you look very pretty."
"Hehe!"
At the fork in the road, Akaza—who had been silent all this time—came to a stop.
He was still wearing that pink yukata, standing out painfully in the group, though he seemed too tired to fight it anymore.
"I'm not going back."
He looked toward the small road leading to the other side of Edo—toward his rundown dojo.
"There are… still some things to take care of at the dojo."
"Oh?"
Dōma drifted over, fanning himself, that infuriatingly smug grin on his face—one look and you just wanted to punch him.
"Akaza-dono, what business could you possibly have?
Really not going to reconsider?
What's the point of keeping that shabby dojo anyway—so remote, no visitors at all.
Why not move it to the Paradise Cult instead?
We'll build you a training hall right next to the main shrine! I can even order all believers to practice horse stance for two hours every day~"
"Scram."
A vein twitched on Akaza's forehead as he shoved Dōma's face away in disgust.
"My dojo… will stay in Edo."
He lifted his head, gazing at the sky above Yoshiwara—murky, yet still dotted with faint stars.
Once, this place had been the beginning of everything he lost.
And now…
Fragments of broken memories in his mind seemed to be piecing themselves together tonight, amid fireworks and laughter, forming something warm.
Those blurred figures… seemed to be growing clearer.
"The Paradise Cult… is a good place."
Akaza said softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
He looked at the people before him.
Aside from that idiot who only knew how to grin—Dōma—there was gentle Kotoha, the foolish Daki siblings, and those three boys over there… staring at their photos and grinning like idiots.
"I'm off."
Akaza waved his hand and turned to leave.
"Hey! Third Uncle! Stop right there!"
A loud shout shattered the mood of farewell.
Inosuke came charging in from behind.
Akaza halted and turned back with a frown.
"What is it, brat? Want to challenge me to a Blood Battle for rank?"
"Like hell!"
Inosuke rushed up to him and shoved a hand into his clothes, fumbling around.
Smack!
A heavy pile of gold ryō was forcibly stuffed into Akaza's large hand.
"Take it!"
Inosuke jutted out his chin, wearing the arrogant expression of this young master is rewarding you.
Akaza froze, staring at the gold in his palm, completely baffled.
"What are you… doing? I don't need human money."
"Quit yapping! This is an investment—an investment, got it?!"
Inosuke jabbed a finger at Akaza's nose, righteous and loud.
"Your crappy dojo clearly has no business!
It doesn't even have a sign anymore! If it shuts down, where am I supposed to freeload—ah, I mean, where am I supposed to train?!"
"Listen carefully! This money isn't free!"
Hands on hips, Inosuke declared:
"Use it to fix up the place! Buy decent training equipment! Hang up some proper lanterns! Don't make it look like a haunted house!"
"When the dojo grows big, takes in disciples, and starts making money, this young master is taking a cut! Eight—no, nine percent!"
Tanjiro and Zenitsu ran over as well.
Tanjiro, face red, pulled out a small cloth pouch—his carefully saved allowance.
"Mr. Akaza! This is mine! It's not much… but please accept it! Your dojo will definitely become the best in the world!"
"Me too, me too!"
Zenitsu generously handed over his secret stash.
"Third Uncle, you gotta get a good lock for the dojo!"
Looking at the pile of money growing higher in his hands, at the sincere yet awkward expressions of the three boys—
Akaza felt something slam hard into his chest.
"You bunch of idiots…
Hahahahahaha!!"
He suddenly threw his head back and laughed.
The laughter was bold and unrestrained, scattering the thin clouds in the night sky.
He didn't refuse.
He put the gold away, then reached out with those big hands and roughly rubbed the three boys' heads, turning their hair into a bird's nest.
"Fine!
I'll take this investment!
Just wait—I'll make this dojo the number one under heaven!
And when that day comes… if you little brats dare not show up, I'll break your legs and drag you there!"
"Go home."
Akaza gave Inosuke's shoulder one last pat, so hard it made him bare his teeth.
Then he turned, taking long, powerful strides, disappearing into the Edo night.
This time, his back was no longer lonely.
"Alright~ time for us to go home too!"
Dōma flicked his sleeve, ice crystals swirling.
"If we don't hurry, dawn will be here~"
"Home!"
Amid cheerful shouts,
Daki carried the sleeping Nezuko on her back, Gyutaro lugged all the bags, Kotoha linked arms with Dōma, and the three kids horsed around.
Together, they set off on their way home.
Paradise Cult
At this hour, the church was completely empty.
Kaigaku held a bamboo broom, sweeping with meticulous care.
Over the past few days, he'd scrubbed every floor in the Paradise Cult three times over, polishing every incense burner until it gleamed.
"Whew…"
Kaigaku wiped the sweat from his brow and stopped.
He looked down at the ordinary broom in his hands, his gaze suddenly sharpening.
He shifted his stance—knees bent slightly, center of gravity lowered.
This wasn't a posture for sweeping.
It was the opening stance of Thunder Breathing.
"Inhale."
Kaigaku took a deep breath, trying to stir that faint current of energy within him.
These past days, he hadn't been idle.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form—"
His eyes focused, foot slamming forward.
"Thunderclap… Flash!"
Whoosh!
The broom swung, kicking up a sharp gust that sent fallen leaves swirling.
A weak peal of thunder.
A fleeting spark of lightning.
"Damn it!!"
Kaigaku angrily slammed the broom to the floor.
"Why?!
I can feel it already!
Why is it always just short—
why can't I fully bring it out?!"
He slumped onto the steps, staring at the empty gate.
Frustration and loneliness washed over him like a tide.
He hugged his knees, burying his face in his arms, eyes stinging.
Just then—
BOOM!!!
A deafening crash.
The vermilion gate he'd just cleaned to a spotless shine was kicked open from the outside with brutal force!
"I'M BACK!!!!"
A brazen shout echoed through the hall.
Kaigaku jolted, snapping his head up.
At the gate—
Backlit by moonlight, stood a familiar figure.
Inosuke held his kicking pose, those multicolored eyes gleaming in the night.
His gaze locked precisely onto the broom by Kaigaku's feet.
"Oh?"
Inosuke grinned, flashing his sharp little fangs, and strode inside, pointing at Kaigaku like he'd discovered a new continent.
"Well I'll be damned, idiot senior brother—you're pretty impressive!
Sweeping this late at night!"
"I–Inosuke?!"
Kaigaku scrambled to his feet, flustered.
"I—I wasn't…
I was just playing around with the broom…"
"Sweeping what? It's already spotless!"
And then—a whole crowd poured in.
Dōma, Kotoha, Daki, Gyutaro, Tanjiro, Zenitsu…
The once-empty hall was instantly filled with noise and life.
"Oh my, this is way too clean!"
Dōma exclaimed, stunned by the gleaming floor.
He looked at Kaigaku standing stiffly in the corner, eyes lighting up.
Whoosh!
Dōma vanished, reappearing right in front of Kaigaku.
Before Kaigaku could react, he was pulled into a cold yet overwhelmingly enthusiastic hug.
"Kaigaku-kun!!"
Dōma lifted him off the ground, rubbing his cheek against Kaigaku's face, utterly moved.
"You're amazing! You're like the reincarnation of the Snail Maiden!
Cleaning the whole house spotless—I'm so touched!"
"L–let go of me…"
Kaigaku's face turned red as he struggled, but the loneliness in his heart melted instantly in that suffocating embrace.
"Why didn't you come to Yoshiwara to find us?"
Dōma finally set him down, ruffling his black hair, his tone more fond than reproachful.
"We really missed you."
"Even if you weren't there, we didn't forget you."
As he spoke, Dōma pulled out an exquisitely wrapped paper parcel like a magician.
"Tadaaa! A gift!"
Kaigaku froze.
Hands trembling, he took the parcel and opened it.
Inside lay a neatly folded haori.
Bright yellow, embroidered with white triangular patterns.
It looked… very much like Zenitsu's haori—but the fabric was finer.
"This is…"
Kaigaku's voice caught.
"We searched all over Yoshiwara to pick this,"
Kotoha said gently as she stepped forward, helping him straighten the collar.
"We thought this color suited Kaigaku-kun best. It looks so lively."
"And this! And this too!"
Zenitsu squeezed forward, excited and a little shy.
He pulled out the family photo prepared for Kaigaku.
"Senior brother, this is for you."
He stuffed the photo into Kaigaku's hands, scratching his head with a sheepish grin.
"You weren't there when we took it… and I felt really bad about that."
"I don't know if we can retake it someday, but…"
Kaigaku lowered his head and looked at the photo.
Everyone in it was smiling happily.
And at the very edge of the picture—where there should have been blank background—
Someone had clumsily drawn a stick figure with a pen.
The stick figure held a broom, had spiky hedgehog-like hair, downturned eyebrows, and beside it were two ugly little characters:
Senior Brother
The drawing skill was truly atrocious—so ugly it hurt to look at.
But it meant that, at the moment happiness was frozen in time,
someone had desperately wanted to add him in.
To tell him:
You're part of this family too.
"Pff…"
Kaigaku's shoulders began to shake as he stared at the ugly stick figure.
Tears fell onto the photo without warning, blurring the ink.
"So damn ugly…"
He laughed and cried at the same time as he cursed.
Suddenly, he reached out and pulled that foolish Zenitsu into a tight hug.
He roughly rubbed Zenitsu's golden hair.
"Ugly as hell… you useless idiot…"
Choking up, Kaigaku buried his face in Zenitsu's shoulder.
"Next time… next time you draw me this ugly again… I'll kill you…"
In the hall,
Inosuke watched the warm scene with a satisfied smile.
Tanjiro looked on as well, relieved.
Dōma and Kotoha exchanged a smile.
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