丨Soar丨 Kimetsu no Yaiba x OC｜

Chapter 7

"Aaarrrrhggghhhhh!" Hina screamed in defeat as the hane* fell to the floor.

"And the winner is Kanao-chan!" Aoi announced. "Sugoi*! Kanao-won three times in a row!" Chizuko clapped. Ichika and the three little ones nodded in agreement.

The girls found a pair of hagoita* while cleaning the mansion and decided to have a friendly match.

"Chizuko-chan! You're next!" Hina was about to hand Chizuko the hagoita.

"CAW! CAW! Message for Suzuki Chizuko! Oyakata-sama asks for your presence an hour from now! Please get ready and follow me!" A crow landed on the hagoita. "This crow is blind in one eye?" Aoi lifted an eyebrow, she had never seen it. Hachi? Chizuko blinked, Oyakata-sama accepted her request? But she was just some nobody, she wasn't even a slayer. "CAW-" "Alright alright! Chizuko-chan here has got your message! Please don't yell next to my ears!" Hina groaned, the crows were always too loud.

"Hachi? Did Oyakata-sama tell you what was it?" Chizuko asked on the way, what could it be? Is it Muichiro-kun? Did he get sick? But he looked fine this morning. Did he get hurt? Or was it about Hachi? But Hachi was sent to fetch her. "Caw! Oyakata-sama didn't specify!" Hachi replied.

Chizuko's eyes widened as she stepped into the garden. Oyskata-sama was not yet there, but a man in a striped haori was present. Chizuko forgot to greet him, forgot to breathe, she was lost in the sight of him. He also had different coloured eyes, shimmering like gold and sapphire under the crystal clear sky. Even though she couldn't see his full face, her heart skipped a beat. He may not have noticed, but he had walked into her heart uninvitedly, it was the most beautiful accident.

What was this feeling?

Obanai glanced at the red haired girl, who is she and what is she doing here? He was sure she wasn't even a slayer, he could easily tell she could barely hold a katana. He grew a bit uncomfortable under her stare. Gosh, why is she looking at him? But more importantly, why is she here?

"Oyakata-sama has arrived," a daughter of Oyakata-sama broke Chizuko out of her trance. "Good afternoon, Oyakata-sama," the two genuflected and bowed.

"Oyakata-sama, it is both a pleasure and an honour to be summoned. I sincerely wish you good health," Obanai gave his blessings. Kagaya dipped his head in gratitude, "Thank you, Obanai. Now, I would like you to meet Suzuki Chizuko. And Chizuko, I would like you to meet Iguro Obanai, the serpent hashira."

"H-Hai! Oyakata-sama! Good afternoon to you! Iguro-sama!" Chizuko blurted out. Obanai merely nodded at her, "Likewise." Is she a kakushi? No, she isn't in the uniform. She is breathing in total concentration constant. Kaburamaru studied Chizuko curiously as well.

"Obanai, I would like you to train Chizuko," Kagaya stated his order.

"What!?" Saying that the both of them were stunned was an understatement.

"Chizuko, Shinobu has told me you had gone through basic training splendidly, and she would like to train you," Kagaya continued, "but in my opinion, Obanai is better suited for the job." 

Obanai came to his senses first, "My most sincere apologies, Oyakata-sama. I do not intend to disrespect but I am afraid I cannot comply with your expectations." The least thing he wanted was a student. Isn't it better for the both of them if she stayed with Kocho? "A-ano... Oyakaya-sama, it's okay if I have to stay with Shinobu-san, I am more than happy to train under her," Chizuko suggested.

"I stand by my decision," Oyakata-sama insisted, "Obanai, Chizuko, I hope that you can understand and get along."

"Understood, Oyakata-sama. But I do need some time to process," Obanai replied a bit too quickly. He bowed deeply to Kagaya before leaving straight away, not even sparing a glance at Chizuko. Chizuko wasn't stupid, it was clear that Obanai disliked her. It shouldn't have hurt her, she barely knew Obanai, but still, her heart ached.

"Chizuko, I hope you would understand that Obanai is a complicated person, and that you can help him with his struggles," Kagaya turned to Chizuko who was still in front of him. "B-But..." Chizuko stammered, it seemed as if she were only burdening Obanai, let alone assisting him in any way. "Even the smallest droplet can ripple the ocean," Kagaya smiled at Chizuko.

The smallest droplet.

"Hai! I will do my best! Oyakata-sama!"

Chizuko departed with Hachi. She yelped as she was suddenly yanked by her wrist to a corner.

"Listen up, girl, I don't want a student," Obanai pointed at the poor girl while glaring daggers at her, "especially some scrawny weakling like you. You barely have any real strength, Kocho must have been too lenient and to have even praised you in front of Oyakata-sama. Train with her all you want, but I can for sure tell that you she had been overestimating you. You couldn't even sense me hiding behind that wall just now. You are too incapable for my expectations."

"Don't appear in my sight again," Obanai threatened her before turning on his heels.

Chizuko was caught off guard, she stood with her reddened wrist. Obanai's harsh words replayed in her ears. Yes, deep down she knew he was spewing nonsense, but she couldn't just forget about it. After all, she often lacked the ability of forgetting. Is Shinobu-san really too merciful? It was true that she didn't spend all her time training. In fact, a great proportion of her time was spent bonding with her new found family. Did she not train hard enough?

Hachi landed on her shoulder worriedly and pecked her head lightly, "Caw! We should head back now!" Chizuko rubbed her wrist, "O-Oh, right, thanks. Let's go, Hachi."

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"WHAT!!? Chizuko-chan has to leave tomorrow!!?" Hina shrieked. Aoi crossed her arms, "But Shinobu-san, Iguro-sama didn't even reply, he won't let her stay with him! We shouldn't let Chizuko go!" "But I want Chizuko-san to stay with us!" Naho, Sumi and Kiyo were on the verge of tears. Ichika chewed her lips with a disapproving look, "Shinobu-san, I have to agree with Aoi-chan." Kanao looked between everyone, unsure of what to say. She didn't want Chizuko to leave either, should she say anything?

"Ara ara, please calm down first, everyone," Shinobu worked hard to keep her lips tilted into a smile. To be honest, she didn't want Chizuko to be sent to Iguro Obanai. Iguro was harsh and merciless, she saw him chastising injured slayers for their so called 'weaknesses' during a rescue mission. She attempted reasoning with Oyakata-sama, but for some reason he stood his ground. She wanted to keep Chizuko. Like the other girls, Chizuko was one of her girls already.

"Guys?" Chizuko eyed her 'family' , "GUYS!"

Chizuko took a deep breath, "I... I think I will follow Oyakata-sama's order!" "What? But Chizuko-chan! That Iguro-sama doesn't sound like good news!" Hina exclaimed. Aoi and Ichika nodded in agreement.

"I think I want to try first!"

And like that, the 'family meeting' continued until before bedtime.

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Obanai slammed his front door close. What is she doing here?

"Iguro-sama! Please accept me as your student!" Obanai had seen Chizuko kneeling at his front door as he opened the wooden gates.

He rubbed his temple, how did she get here? Hadn't he made things clear yesterday? He didn't want a student. Anyways, he would just have to ignore her, and she would go back to Kocho. Speaking of Kocho, she would definitely want to poison him to a slow and painful death after this, but that doesn't matter right now.

"I am not leaving until you accept me!" Chizuko's voice came from the other side.

I sure would like to see you try, Obanai thought to himself as he left by the back door. 

*hane & hagoita: Japanese badminton, with hane as the shuttlecock and hagoita as the wooden paddles (racket)

*sugoi : 'wow' or 'amazing'