丨Soar丨 Kimetsu no Yaiba x OC｜

Chapter 6

"Oyakata-sama," Muichiro greeted and knelt abruptly.

Oyakata-sama? The Oyakata-sama!?

"O-Oyakata-sama!" Like Muichrio, Chizuko quickly got on her knee.

He is... younger than I imagined, Chizuko thought to herself. Nevertheless, he was like the breezes in spring, the first green leaves on the branch, the fragrant plum flowers that bloomed.

After bringing Muichiro back to his room, Chizuko trailed behind Kagaya Ubuyashiki wordlessly. Muichiro-kun wasn't supposed to be outside! I should have reminded him to stay inside! Like what Oyakata-sama said, his body may still be weak and he may catch a cold! Ahhh I was so stupid! Would Oyakata-sama be mad at me? Would Amane-sama ask someone else to look out for Muichiro-kun? Would-

The flock of crows caught Chizuko's attention again. "O-Oyakata-sama? May I ask a question?" Chizuko stood closer to the engawa*. Kagaya smiled, "Of course, Chizuko."

How did he know my name? A-Ah! The question! "Ano*... Oyakata-sama! Why is the crow over there blind?" Chizuko cried. Pull yourself together! Chizuko! Just talk normally with Oyakata-sama or he would think you weird! "That is Hachi," Kagaya stood beside Chizuko. "She was one of the best kaisugai crows."

"Her owner died in a mission, she was also in range of the blood demon art at that time, the debris pierced her eye. No slayers were willing to keep her ever since, so she stays here now."

"Mama? Can you read me a bed time story?" Little Chizuko tucked at the orange sleeve kimono of her mother. The hand on the doorknob froze, "Ah, Chizuko, Mama is busy right now, she needs to go somewhere." "Eh? Mama? Where are you going? Grandma said it's dangerous outside at night!" Chizuko didn't understand, wasn't it bedtime?

Chizuko's mother knelt down to Chizuko's level and ruffled her hair, "Don't worry, Chizuko, Mama would be back soon." "Mama? Why are you crying?" Fear surged through Chizuko's veins, she trembled, "A-Are you sad? Mama? Is it something that I done? I-" "No, Chizuko, you have done nothing wrong. It's just that... Mama will be gone for a while." She dashed out of the house.

And so her mother never came back. They found her body in a well.

Chizuko bit her lips. She was bawling in the corner of her house. She was trembling, her arms wrapped around her knees. First her mother was gone, then her grandma, and now Ikeda-sama, along with his house that was burnt to ashes because of a fire. She couldn't save him, no matter how many buckets of water she and other villagers collected from the lake.

It suddenly hit her, she was left alone in this world. It hurt, like someone carved out her heart.

"Oyakata-sama, can I keep Hachi if I become a demon slayer?" The words slipped from Chizuko's lips. Kagaya gazed at Chizuko, "Oh? Why so? My child." "I think she is quite lonely," Chizuko watched Hachi peck on the floor, "and no one wants to be left alone."

"You have a pure heart, Chizuko," Kagaya smiled, "May you keep this heart in the days to come." "Hai! Oyakara-sama!" Chizuko returned the soft smile.

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"Iguro-san, do you want to have dinner with us at-"

"No." Obanai left without looking back.

Weaklings, they couldn't even get close to the demons. They should be training instead of celebrating, it was pure luck that they left without a scratch. Obanai sighed, were there no demons on the Wisteria Mountain? Or was it their luck that saved their foolish, ignorant selves? Either way, Obanai was displeased. How could they look at such serious matters so lightheartedly?

Kaburamaru blinked at Obanai as his stomach growled. "I know, Kaburamaru, but I'm not eating with those idiots," Obanai muttered under his breath. He had to admit, the three week mission was exhausting and draining, the demon hid in the dense woods and rocky caves, it took them a whole week to pinpoint its location. But no, he wouldn't have gone with them even if he were to faint from hunger.

Besides, Obanai didn't fancy extravagant or luxurious dining. He preferred simpler, smaller restaurants. Also, he would rather die than have to dine with another person without his mask.

He just didn't want to be reminded of them.

Obanai shut his eyes. He could still see them, hear them, feel them no matter how far he had gone. The past should be left in the past. Yes and no. Their family house was burnt to the ground. Obanai had become a new man, a phoenix from its ashes. He pushed himself to surpass his limits every day, fought like a madman no matter how many times he fell, and now he was the serpent hashira. He dedicated his all to slaughter every single demon that came across his path.

Still, they were always with him. Like stepping into quicksand, Obanai only sunk further as he struggled to get out. His hands were stained with the filthy blood of his messed up family. Sure, they weren't innocent, others may say it was a fitting end. But Obanai knew it was partly, if not entirely, due to his selfishness, his desperation to live. He was monsters like them, he only thought of the well-being of himself, he chose to push aside the apparent truth.

His cousin was somewhat right, everyone died because the sacrifice didn't want to throw away his life.

He hadn't heard of her ever since. He wasn't interested in nor wanted to know her whereabouts. He just prayed she would never appear in his life again.

Rain interrupted Obanai's deep thoughts. He cursed under his breath, hurrying back to his estate.

"CAW! CAW! Message for Iguro Obanai!" A kaisugai crow with a purple scarf landed beside the teapot. Obanai frowned and set his cup on the table, earning a disappointed hiss from Kaburamaru who was enjoying the steaming tea. "Oyakata-sama wishes you a good night's rest! And he would like you to meet him at two in the afternoon tomorrow!" the crow cawed.

Perhaps another mission, Obanai nodded and dismissed the crow.

*engawa : a porch outside of traditional Japanese houses
*ano : 'hmm' in Japanese