Upon hearing the name of the Heaven Hashira, Senjuro Rengoku became incredibly agitated. He looked at the man before him as if he were staring at a legendary idol.
"You... You are truly the strongest combatant in the Demon Slayer Corps? The Heaven Hashira, Lord Horitake!?"
Horitake let out a boisterous laugh. "I didn't think even you would have heard of my name, Senjuro."
"Heard of it? It's far more than just hearing about it!" Senjuro's voice rose with excitement and awe. "My brother speaks of you with the highest regard! Whether it's your combat record or your sheer power, he says you are beyond impressive. You are the person my brother admires most in this world!"
"Oh? I didn't realize Kyojuro thought that highly of me. He's exaggerating, truly. I'm just an ordinary man with a bit of strength, nothing as grand as your brother describes."
Senjuro paid no mind to Horitake's humility; his excitement showed no signs of cooling down. "To think it was Lord Horitake who saved me this time... I am truly, deeply grateful!"
Horitake patted the boy's shoulder. "It was just a small matter. Once I learned you were in danger, there was no way I could sit back and do nothing. So, Sister Shinobu and I came over to help out. Can you stand up, little brother?"
Though his body was weak, Senjuro possessed a certain resilience inherent to the Rengoku bloodline. With a determined effort and Horitake's steadying hand, he managed to get to his feet.
"I... I think I'm okay. I believe I can walk on my own once I get my circulation moving again."
Looking at Senjuro's frail and weakened state, Horitake felt a mounting sense of guilt. This really wasn't handled well, he thought. They could have rescued this kid last night, but because of those... "indescribable events," they had effectively delayed his freedom by an entire night.
Horitake supported Senjuro as they stepped out of the cluttered storage room.
"Senjuro, I'm not sure how much you remember about being kidnapped, but that demon had been hiding in this place for a couple of days, and you were dumped right in the middle of it. This isn't exactly a 'friendly' neighborhood for someone your age. Let's get out of here quickly."
Senjuro clearly recalled enough to feel a wave of awkwardness and embarrassment about the location of his captivity. He looked like he wanted to escape the "den of iniquity" as fast as possible.
"Lord Horitake is right. This place is definitely not for me. Let's leave at once."
As noted before, the morning hours in the bathhouse district were exceptionally quiet. The trio managed to slip out of the establishment unnoticed, leaving without causing a stir.
Once they were clear of the district, Horitake and Shinobu were perfectly fine, but Senjuro looked like a man who had just escaped the jaws of a monster. He let out a long breath of relief, looking back at the district with lingering trepidation. It was clear that, compared to his brother Kyojuro's fiery confidence, Senjuro's personality was much more reserved and timid.
With the rescue complete, a new question arose: what was the most important thing to do now?
Take Senjuro straight home?
No.
The priority was getting food into the boy! He had been tied up in a junk room for over a day and a night without a drop of water or a crumb of food. He was starving and parched, though he was too polite to say so.
Horitake saw through Senjuro's plight and decided to take the lead. Pointing toward a nearby restaurant, he said, "Senjuro, you've gone over twenty-four hours without food or water. Your body won't hold up if we don't fix that. Come on, there's a decent-looking place right there. I'll buy you a meal to get your energy back."
Senjuro hesitated, his polite nature making him feel like a burden. "That's... that won't be necessary, Lord Horitake. If you could just help me get home, I'll be fine. I don't want to trouble you further or have you spend your money."
Horitake didn't take no for an answer. He practically hauled the boy toward the restaurant.
"What are you being so formal for? Your brother is my friend. By the transitive property, that basically makes you my younger brother. Why is a little brother being so polite with his big brother?"
"Even if I sent you home now," Horitake continued, "you'd just drink some water and then have to cook for yourself. I know a bit about your family situation—your father isn't exactly in a state to whip up a gourmet meal for you. You'd end up slaving over a stove while you're already half-dead from hunger. Instead of all that trouble, just let me treat you. If it makes you feel better, just think of it as your brother owing me a favor later!"
Yes, brothers are meant to be used for leverage, Horitake thought shamelessly.
In his healthy state, Senjuro's small frame was no match for Horitake's strength; in his current weakened condition, he didn't stand a chance. The boy was effectively dragged into the restaurant by the Heaven Hashira.
Once they were inside, there was no turning back.
Even though it wasn't quite peak lunch hour yet, the restaurant was open. Horitake ordered a massive, lavish spread of dishes to replenish the boy's strength.
When the food finally arrived, Senjuro's resolve to be polite crumbled instantly. He simply couldn't help it; his hunger was overwhelming.
And so, the usually well-bred and disciplined Senjuro Rengoku—driven by primal hunger—abandoned his table manners. He tore through the meal like a whirlwind, desperately refilling the energy he had lost during his ordeal.
Horitake sat beside him, occasionally taking a sip of tea or a light bite, careful not to disturb Senjuro's focus on the food.
After a while, Shinobu returned to the table.
She had stepped away to retrieve their Nichirin Swords, which had been left in a secure spot outside. Not only did she have her own blade, but she had also brought back Horitake's partner—Weiguang.
Shinobu handed the sword to him, and Horitake felt a sense of complete calm as he fastened the familiar weight back onto his waist.
Good. Now everything is back to normal.
With his weapon returned, Horitake felt truly settled.
The massive feast did wonders for Senjuro. As the nutrients hit his system, the visible weakness in his frame began to fade, replaced by a healthy color returning to his cheeks.
Once he had eaten his fill and quenched his thirst, Senjuro looked back at the carnage he had wrought on the table. He felt a wave of embarrassment, realizing how "unbecoming" he must have looked in front of two Hashira.
Shinobu smiled gently at him. "Senjuro-kun, are you full?"
Being treated so kindly by such a beautiful, gentle older sister made Senjuro even more bashful. "Yes... I am full. Thank you so much for the hospitality. I... I apologize for my lack of manners."
Horitake laughed. "Don't mention it. You're Kyojuro's brother. If I didn't take care of you, the other members of the Corps would point fingers at me for being a bad friend!"
Still feeling guilty, Senjuro reached for his pocket. "Um... please, let me pay for the meal!"
He started to stand up to head for the counter, but Horitake placed a firm hand on his shoulder, pressing him back into his seat with a grin.
"How could I let you pay? Just leave it to me."
With that, Horitake went to settle the bill. While the cost of the meal was substantial, it was a drop in the bucket compared to what he had spent at the bathhouse. He didn't feel the slightest bit of sting.
Besides, Horitake felt he'd lose face if he let the kid pay. He already felt bad enough for not rescuing him the night before; if he made the starving boy pay for his own 'rescue meal,' he'd never be able to look at himself in the mirror.
After the hearty meal, Senjuro's gait returned to normal, and he no longer needed support to walk. With Senjuro leading the way, the three of them set off toward the Rengoku estate.
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