"One breath away." OC x Kyojuro Rengoku

The beginning

"W-Wait! Where are you going? Why is everyone running?!"
Those were the last words before a massive figure trapped Chō in a corner. The air was so thin Chō could barely keep herself calm.

"I-I can't calm down! I can't get my breathing to stabilize! How am I going to pass the final selection this way?"

How did we get to this? How did we end up here? Let's start from the beginning.

CHŌ'S POV
It was a morning like any other. I'd train and run around the garden. My mother had called me and my sister in for some odd reason.
"Tsumi, you're in charge of taking care of your sister while you go out and buy vegetables. Your father hasn't returned either. Please look for him."
Our mother had spoken to us, looking at us both with her green eyes. My sister nodded, looking back at me, her gaze piercing through me. My sister grabbed my wrist and jolted with my outside.
"S-Slow down dummy!"
I whined trying to keep up with Tsumi. She went faster, arriving into town pretty soon. I caressed my hand, being in pain from all the pullin Tsumi did on it.
"I'm sorry Chō. But we have to hurry. It's going to get dark. You know what happens, right?"
Tsumi said scratching the back of her neck. She smiled trying to reassure me of her panicky self. I nodded, and we split up to look for vegetables. It took a while but we met in the center of the village after a few hours. I saw her right in front of me, but got pulled away.
"What the hell man?"

Chō was taken a back by the sudden change of environment. The one that pulled her was her father, huffing , holding a boy by his kimono, pulling him along.
Chō! Darling... I-I found this kid. H-He's injured. And seems about your age. I thought you could maybe help, since you're into medicine..."
He says pulling him up front. His arm was bleeding, being cut open. I looked up to see his worried yet still smiling face. His eyes were wide open, looking at me with such positivity. I couldn't comprehend his glance so I looked down at his arm. He ran his other free arm through his golden hair, ending with flaming red tips. I reached inside my bag and got my healing gels and creams along with some bandages I'd always carry around. I looked up at the boy and lifted his sleeve up to see his wound. He nodded in approval and I plastered on some medicinal plant gel together with some healing cream I made at home. He hissed in pain, and I bandaged his arm up.
"Keep It sterilized and clean for some weeks until it heals. Change the bandages everyday." I said to the boy. Yet something couldn't stop bothering me. How did he get a wound like this? But like the helping people we are, we wouldn't question it. So I looked over to my dad.
"Sorry for being like this all of a sudden. I know I'm asking a lot from you sweetie. But this is actually one of my friend's son. His name is Kyojuro Rengoku. He's training to become the Fire Hashira. Aren't you doing the same? You could try visiting one another."
He spoke smiling at the boy. Rengoku seemed hesitant to say the least, he still seemed older than me so I just declined. I went back up to the central alley after I said my goodbyes to my father and hoped to see him back home. My sister was closer this time and ran to me, shaking my shoulders.
"What the hell! Where were you?"
She asked frantically. She looked over my shoulder and saw our father leaving the alleyway.
" It's father! Why didn't you tell me?"
"It's fine Tsumi! He's going back home!"
I reassured her.
"He actually told me to heal one of his friend's son. He seems a bit older than me."
"Why did you waste healing gel on a STRANGER?!"
Tsumi shakes me up even more. It was getting darker and darker by minute and I did try telling her. Until it was sunset. The whole town went silent as a dark figure roamed across the streets. My sister stood her ground as soon as possible.
"Dammit. It's too late."
She grabbed me by the arm and ran off into the forest where our house was. We soon got lost by a common mistake we'd make if we weren't with our mother. Tsumi soon tripped and fell, leading me down with her. I grabbed my wooden sword I had with me since I was training daily.
A loud sound could be heard and I stood my ground, even if I was younger I tried protecting my sister. Then it happened. It attacked us. A demon. After defending my sister for a while, I decide to distract the demon so my sister could run off. I was cornered, but it was fine, my sister could run now.
"Sister, run! Now! And look for help!"
She seemed hesitant at first but ran off.
"Ah, dammit. One of you ran...you pricks. I'll enjoy eating you and shredding you to pieces!"
He said before trying to take a bite off of my neck. I blocked it with my wooden sword and pushed him off and started running the opposite direction. I ran and ran until I got cornered. And now. We are where we left off.
"It's the end for you! Say goodbye little prick!"
The demon laughed.
"This can't be it. This can't be the end! Not now!"
Chō closed her eyes, until she heard a loud slashing sound. She looked up and saw two boys. One with long,spiky, flowing hair and the other with rose golden hair. They were wearing weird kitsune masks being help up to their face with red thick string. They were extremely fast and skilled. Yet those weren't nichirin swords, they hadn't went to the final selection? How strange. After getting up on my feet I went over to them and bowed down.
"Thank you so much. I will forever be grateful!"
Chō looked back up at them, and they took off their masks.
"No need to thank us. It's our job and we love saving people. My name is Giyuu and this is Sabito."
He points at the boy next to him, who had a scar on his face. I looked back over at Giyuu and smiled thankfully.
"You were amazing! You must be going to this years Final Selection?"
"Of course we are! You must be going next year or so?"
Sabito asks beaming.
"I guess. But I'm fit to healing more. But I still want to become a skilled Demon Slayer!"
The two looked at each other and exchanged some looks.
"You could come by our house, higher in the mountain. We could definitely help you until we leave for final selection. Which means for about 4 months. Sound good?"
Giyuu smiles, looking at me and back at Sabito.
"That would be an honor! Yes!"
Chō says. Soon her sister rushed, our father with her. They were huffing and puffing like crazy. Tsumi ran over and hugged me, wiping a bit of dirt from my cheek.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes I am, I was saved by-"
I got cut off by father hugging me as well. I looked around confused. Sabito and Giyuu weren't there anymore. I let the subject go as I hugged them both back. After we came home I decided that next morning I'd go off to find the house Sabito and Giyuu were talking about. I went to bed, considering I'd need a lot of sleep to have energy for tomorrow.