丨Soar丨 Kimetsu no Yaiba x OC｜

Chapter 62

"Perhaps..." Shinobu turned to search for a thermometer, "asking you to come for a quick body check every day is just an excuse to see you more before the time comes, Chizuko-chan."

"Sh-Shinobu-san!" Chizuko stood abruptly, "I... I just... I just want to say..."

"Thank you, thank you for everything," sinking to her knees, Chizuko's forehead touched the wooden tiles, "If it weren't for you, I... I wouldn't be standing here today! You took me in, you brought me into a new family, you always treat me as if I were really your little sister! I-I admire you! Shinobu-san! You are one of the best people I've ever met! Y-You light up the hearts of many without asking for anything in return! You changed- No, you saved my life, Shinobu-san! I-I'm sure Hina-chan, Ichika-chan, Aoi-chan, Kanao-chan, Naho-chan, Sumi-chan and Kiyo-chan all feel the same!"

"Chizuko-chan," Shinobu helped Chizuko up, wiping her tears for her, "Don't cry, it's... it's my greatest honour... to be part of your lives."

Chizuko sobbed in Shinobu's embrace. She was awake, awoken from a delusion of peace. There was this feeling in her guts that this was it, it was goodbye to everyone she cherished. Maybe she had been lying to herself these days, purposefully ignoring the cruel reality to lose herself in fabricated happiness.

She once thought everything would stay the way it was.

But time never stopped for anyone.

"Th-Thank you, Shinobu-san," Chizuko hiccuped.

Shinobu patted Chizuko's back, "You are most welcome, Chizuko-chan."

***
Moonlight splashed down from the ink black sky, everything was illuminated by its dreamy, silvery glow.

Muichiro opened his eyes, his chin resting comfortably on Chizuko's blazing red hair as he wrapped his arms around her. He watched as she played with the mint tips of his hair.

He finally knew what he wanted to do after the battle.

"Tokito-kun!" Tanjiro waved to him, "Over here! Hey! Zenitsu! Inosuke! He's here!"

"Are you crazy!!? What is he doing here!!?" Zenitsu grabbed Tanjiro by the collar, shaking his buddy, "This is the friend you were talking about!!? Huh!!!??? Why didn't you tell me sooner!!?"

"Mhahaha! Monitsu!" Inosuke exposed Zenitsu's insecurities loudly, "You just don't wanna admit a kid beat you at training!! And has a girlfriend earlier than you!!! Haha!!"

"You think you're better than me, huh!!? You stupid boarhead!! What about you losing to Chizuko-chan every time!!?" Zenitsu fired back mercilessly, "And since when did you have a girlfriend!!? Huh!!? You can't even talk properly to girls!!"

Muichiro stared as Tanjiro and Nezuko tried to cool down the heated argument between the two. Tanjiro had invited him to accompany them to town for some groceries. Chizuko was at the butterfly mansion, so why not accompany Tanjiro?

Spacing out, Muichiro wasn't interested in their quarrel, his eyes traveled around and stopped as he spotted a red oil-paper umbrella. Under the reddish shade were two people, the man in a tidy, black hakama, the woman in an immaculate, white kimono.

"Oh! It's someone's wedding today!" Tanjiro followed Muichiro's gaze, "Nezuko! Do you see it? They dress exactly like the wedding photo Mum and Dad showed us before, right?"

Nezuko hummed happily, "Hmmm!!"

Muichiro tilted his head, "Wedding?"

"A wedding is a ceremony for a man and a woman who decide they want to become husband and wife, to spend the rest of their lives together," Tanjiro recalled how his mum used to explain it to him and his siblings, "My mum also said that... She felt as if she was the happiest girl in the world that day!"

He wanted Chizuko to be the happiest girl in the world too.

"Chizuko?"

"Hmm?" Chizuko hummed in response.

"Let's have a wedding after the battle," Muichiro was so serious that it wasn't like he was joking at all.

"E-Ehhhh!!!!???" Chizuko choked on air.

Patting her back, Muichiro repeated, "Let's have a wedding after the battle."

"B-But...!" Chizuko stammered, blushing crimson, "Y-You are only fourteen!!! Mui-kun!!! W-We are both too young for that!!! A-And maybe you will meet someone else and marry that person instead!"

"There is no someone else," Muichiro insisted, "We're having a wedding after the battle."

"N-No! We can't! W-We're underage!! A-And...!"

"CAW!!" Hachi and Ginko came zooming across the sky frantically, "EMERGENCY SUMMON!!! EMERGENCY SUMMON!!! UBUYASHIKI ESTATE UNDER ATTACK!!!! UBUYASHIKI ESTATE UNDER ATTACK!!!"

Chizuko and Muichiro paled, both springing into action.

***
No no no no no.

Oyakata-sama, Amane-sama, and their children.

Why did they refuse to have hashira protect them?

Chizuko ran as quickly as her legs allowed, her surroundings nothing more than a blur.

She could see the estate, she could see the other hashira. Yes, the Ubuyashiki family will be safe, the hashira were here now, there was no need to panic.

BOOM!

The huge explosion not only blew up the estate, but also the hopes for any survivors inside.

Chizuko and Muichiro halted, shielding themselves from the scorching heat and massive shockwave, as well as some debris that rained from the sky.

Impossible.

"YOU BITCH!!! WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO OYAKATA-SAMA!!!!!" Chizuko could hear Sanemi's roar of absolute rage.

"It's Muzan! Kibutsuji Muzan!" she then heard Gyomei's voice amidst the chaos, "This guy doesn't die even if you cut his head off!"

Anger and hate bubbled in Chizuko's veins, a deadly combination. Before she knew it, Chizuko was already charging forward with her katana,

"Fox Breathing, Fourth Form, Kinko to Ginko, Omnyō!"

The ground below her disappeared right when she was about to reach the demon.

Screaming, she and Muichiro fell through.