丨Soar丨 Kimetsu no Yaiba x OC｜

Chapter 11

Chizuko became paler than a demon, she swore she heard something crack.

"Done~ now let's move on to backflips, cartwheels and flips!" Mitsuri got up effortlessly while Chizuko writhed on the ground.

Following Mitsuri's instructions, Chizuko attempted different moves until evening.

A question popped up in Mitsuri's mind, "Chizuko-chan? What breathing style do you use?" Chizuko scratched her head, "Ah, Mitsuri-sama, I fail to use any breathing style. Iguro-sama said some people just don't have the talent. I-I'm afraid..."

To say that Obanai was furious was an understatement. "Get this, if you fail to master a breathing style in half a year, I'm kicking you out. I don't waste time on unskilled weaklings. You better show some potential or else don't even tell others we know each other," Obanai glared daggers at her.

"Don't doubt yourself! Chizuko-chan!" Mitsuri patted Chizuko's back. She remembered those days when she dyed her hair black and pretended to be someone else, it just wasn't right, "Just do what you like! Actually, I am developing my own breathing style from flame breathing. My inspiration comes from cats! I used to keep cats when I was small."

Chizuko gasped, "Developing a new breathing style? B-But Mitsuri-sama, I'm no where close to that." "Be yourself! Chizuko-chan! You don't have to force yourself to fit into a certain category,"Mitsuri squished her cheeks, "besides, Chizuko-chan is too adorable to be serious around us all the time~"

"Mitsuri-sama!" Chizuko protested.

***
She slumped on the floor, defeated. Like most of the days with Obanai, she couldn't complete tasks that were given. Rengoku-sama must be disappointed, and Iguro-sama too. She shut her eyes, is she meant to be a demon slayer? She had been asking herself this question for twenty sleepless nights. She would never tell anyone, but whenever Obanai's insults went out of control, she would spend the night tearing silently.

Chizuko had always cried in silence. She found that instead of sympathy, her sobs only provoked her bullies to go from simple mocking or name calling to punches and kicks, sometimes with sharp rocks on unlucky days. She also found out how her sobs would also jab knives on her grandma's heart. So she had to keep it to herself.

Suddenly, like a fairytale, her life turned upside down when Shinobu and Sanemi waltzed in. Yesterday she was just a nobody with foxes as her friends. The next day miracles happened to her in mere weeks, she gained a new family, new friends, a new teacher, and a new purpose. Is this all a dream? Is this a hallucination she was seeing after eating some poisonous mushroom in the woods? She didn't dare to imagine the emptiness she would feel if she were to wake.

She hated to see herself fail. She didn't like to let people down, completing the tasks they gave her and living up to their expectations were the only ways Chizuko felt she could repay them. She would have thrown her life away if any of them had asked, it was them who gifted her a new life after all. Is she unworthy of everything she has now?Does she deserve their kindness even if she was weak?

"There you are, young Suzuki," Kyojuro was searching for the girl around the house. He felt guilty upon laying eyes on her exhausted form, "Are you alright?" Is his training too harsh?

"I-I'm fine! Rengoku-sama!" Chizuko immediately sprung up from the floor, "I was... er..." "I want to have a word with you, Suzuki," Kyojuro sat down and motioned for Chizuko to sit next to him. Puzzled, Chizuko complied.

"I have noticed you are very tense around people," Kyojuro stated, "and from you movements during training, I can see that you are holding yourself back."

"It is normal for us to have to search for ourselves. Actually, my father is in the house right now. He has become addicted to drinking ever since my mother passed away. He didn't use to be like this before, but I'm sure that he will find himself again soon! And as for me, I will do everything in my power to protect the defenceless! Like what my mother had taught me!"

"As for you, Suzuki," Kyojuro beamed at Chizuko, "you are still very young and have many choices for your future. You may be uncertain at the moment, or that you may not see the fruits of your labour, but don't give up on whichever path you choose! Don't bend or change because of what others may think! The right people will come to like you! Set your heart ablaze and you can achieve anything with it!"

He then added, "If you choose the path of becoming a demon slayer, I look forward to going on missions with you!"

Chizuko was more than shocked, it was almost as if Kyojuro could read her mind. Grateful tears welled up in her eyes, that was what she didn't know she needed most.

"Arigatou*, Rengoku-sama," Chizuko grinned.

(Picture above doesn't belong to me)

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*arigatou: "thank you" in Japanese