Sanemi stood frozen, staring into the dark forest where his brother had disappeared. The words still rang in his ears, sharp and venomous, louder than they had sounded in the heat of the moment.

He exhaled sharply through his nose, his jaw tightening. It was supposed to be for Genya’s own good. The harder he pushed, the more he hoped his brother would finally get the message and leave the Demon Slayer Corps. Get out before he got himself killed. But no matter how much Sanemi tried to push him away, no matter how cruel the words or how heavy the blows, Genya stayed.

The moment he was alone, Sanemi’s legs buckled and he had to sit down. His breath came in ragged gasps, his heart pounding so fiercely it echoed in his ears. Everything he had been holding back- the anger, the guilt, the crushing fear of losing his brother- poured over him like a wave.

His chest heaved as he stared at the ground, his teeth gritted so hard it hurt. “Damn it…”