丨Soar丨 Kimetsu no Yaiba x OC｜

Chapter 33

"You don't remember? It's alright! Don't feel bad, Tokito-san! I'll read you the story again, I'm sure you'll remember it soon!"

"Muichiro-kun, don't worry! I'll be back before you know it."

"Muichiro! What happened!!? Is there a thief? Did anyone attack you!? Where is your wound!? Let me treat it!"

"Muichiro-kun, I-I want to show you something. You a-are the first one to see it. C-Can you promise to not to hate me after seeing it?"

"Thank you, Muichiro-kun."

"Mui-kun, I'm sorry for asking you about what you did in your past birthdays. I just want you to know that it doesn't matter if you remember the past or not. Today is a new day, all I want is for you to feel special at this moment, and be happy with us every day starting from now!"

"I will support you to become a hashira no matter what! Mui-kun!"

Tetsuido breathed out smoke, he couldn't tell what was going through the boy's mind.

There is, Muichiro answered in his heart, there is a person who always sees him for who he is and accepts him no matter what.

***
Chizuko and Hachi were surrounding a birdcage.

"CAW! I will not tell you!" Oabanai's crow turned his head to the side.

"Please tell me!" Chizuko gripped the cage, "What is the location of Lower Moon One!!"

Hachi came with news that Obanai and Giyu were going after Lower Moon One that afternoon. Chizuko knew Muichiro was ready, he had only started around two months ago and was if not better than her. Muichiro had his share of hardships in life, and was gifted for sure. But more importantly, he wasn't some kind of hybrid like her, he deserved the position, not her.

"CAW! I don't understand what you are talking about!" Obanai's crow retorted, there was a high chance that Obanai would chop him up for stew if he told the girl what she wanted to know.

Chizuko didn't want to 'kidnap' Obanai's crow. In fact, she and Hachi had asked Giyu and Kanzaburo about the mission. But Kanzaburo was too old and had forgotten where exactly they were heading to, so Giyu suggested that Obanai's crow might know. Taking a deep breath, Chizuko revealed the apples in the basket.

"Too bad," Chizuko sighed dramatically, "I was thinking of giving you these sweet, juicy apples as a thank you, since Iguro-sama rarely gives you treats. But it seems we are not giving them away now, right? Hachi?"

"Caw! Th-This is bribery!" Obanai's crow swallowed his saliva, "I-I refuse to accept! Caw!"

Watching the apple move closer and closer to Chizuko's mouth, Obanai's crow threw his wings up in defeat, "CAW! Alright alright! I will tell you!"

***
The golden rays of dawn lit the road ahead.

"Mui-kun! Come on!" Chizuko linked arms with Muichiro, "We got to hurry before Iguro-sama discovers my plan!"

"CAW! Hands off my master! You witch!" a crow with long eyelashes pulled Chizuko's hair. "O-Oww!" Chizuko yelped.

"CAW! Who are you calling a witch!!?" Hachi pulled Ginko's feathers, "Watch your beak!"

"CAW CAW! You are picking a fight aren't you!!? You blind eye!" Ginko was furious. Hachi didn't back off, "CAW! You want a fight!!? Bring it on!!"

"G-Guys! Stop it!" Chizuko tried to separate the two crows, they were at each other's throats ever since they met, "No treats for you two if you keep going on like that!"

"CAW! She started it first!" "Shut up! Blind eye!" "My name is Hachi! Not blind eye!"

Chizuko shook her head as the dispute didn't die down.

***
Obanai wanted to kill Giyu.

"You just landed her the mission when she asked you for it!!? I never knew you were this dumb, Tomioka. Just how did you even become a hashira with that brain of yours?" veins popped from Obanai's forehead, if it weren't for Mitsuri holding him back he would have charged forward with his blade.

He should have known something was fishy when Suzuki left some soup for him and Kaburamaru all of a sudden.

Uzui couldn't contain his thunderous laughter anymore, "HA! So you're saying that Suzuki actually succeeded in bribing your crow, locking it up, and drugging you!!? What a flamboyant master plan!"

"Shut it, Uzui, you aren't a lot better than Tomioka," Obanai turned to glare at Uzui, "Maybe your mind will become clearer if your headband wasn't so blindingly flashy." "Oi! That's not flamboyant of you to say that! Iguro!" Uzui raised an eyebrow, staring down at Obanai.

"Ara ara! Tomioka-san! Can you please explain yourself?" Shinobu asked with poison in her sweet voice. It was Lower Moon One they were talking about, the strongest of all lower moons. How could Giyu be so insensitive? "Tomioka-san? Please answer us!"

Giyu made a face, he wasn't sure how he should put it.

"What are you doing?" Giyu slid open the door to his kitchen and found Chizuko there. "T-Tomioka-sama!?" Chizuko almost dropped the small glass bottle she was holding, "I... I can explain!"

Chizuko told Giyu everything. She didn't expect herself to do so, but Giyu became one of the first bunch of people to know of her special condition.

Giyu was caught off guard, he never thought Chizuko would be concealing such a shocking secret. He was reminded of the siblings of the snowy mountains, how were they now? Did the boy become a demon slayer? Was his demon sister able to keep her ration?

"Tomioka-sama!" Chizuko stood and bowed to him, "Please trust me and Muichiro with this mission!"

"Tomioka-san?" Shinobu aggressively poked Giyu's shoulder nonstop, "Tomioka-san! Are you even listening? Give us an answer now!"

In the end, Mitsuri had to hold off both Obanai and Shinobu.