Her family belongs to a line of pharmacists. Making and creating medicine is their forte.

She is lucky to be born into such a loving family. Her family is wealthy due to their craft, she can tell from the difference of the clothes she and her sister wears and the quality of the food they eat. Her parents are also wise and caring people, often going out of their way to help others in need. It inspired her to do the same, so she helps whoever she can.

Being the daughter of a wealthy family has many perks but it also has its downside. Not many children her age like to play with her, afraid of accidentally offending her and bringing down the wrath of her wealthy family down on their heads. As such, she only has her younger sister to play with. It doesn't matter. She will be the best nee-san to her little sister.

Every child her age in town avoided her. That was why she was a little taken aback when she first met him. Unlike others, he "couldn't give a shit" about her status, in his own words. He's the only one who would talk to her despite the words he spewed out of his mouth.

"Daichi-kun~"

"What?" The boy a year or two older than her grunted as he worked on gathering the medicinal herbs that grow in the forest at the edge of their town, located right at the foot of a mountain. Her family may be pharmacists, but they rely a lot on gatherers like Daichi to supply them with the wild medicinal herbs to make their medicine. Daichi is one such person and he always managed to somehow find and gather the best herbs available in the most dangerous places, a feat that even adults could not accomplish. He's naturally athletic and strong.

"Mou~ why must you be so standoffish?"

"I have work to do, ojou-sama."

Technically speaking, she's not an ojou-sama, but she is the closest to an ojou-sama one can get in the small town they live in due to her family's wealth. The mocking sneer he sent her way would have come across as rude but Kocho Kanae doesn't mind. Daichi may have quite a mouth on him but he isn't a bad person. She had often spotted him in town treating the sick animals and younger children free of charge using whatever herbs he has on him at the moment.

"It's Kanae-chan."

"Kanae ojou-sama." That same sneer sounded out again as he worked on picking a wild ginger root and visually inspected it. Satisfied with his find, he placed it in the basket he carried on his back. He moved on ahead up the slope without waiting for her. She skipped along after him, a smile on her face and humming a tune under her breath.

"Is Dairu oji-san alright?"

"Still coughing. It's getting worse." Daichi grunted as he swiftly climbed up a tree even before she could blink. Like, wow, she knows he's athletic but that speed in which he climbed the tree is a little too fast.

He drew out the sickle he attached to his belt and in one swift motion, scraped out a perfect piece of cork tree bark. He did that a few more times before sliding down the tree at such a speed that she genuinely thought he might break a few bones when he landed, but he broke his fall before that happened. He stood up and dusted himself before walking off again.

"You should go back home. What are your parents thinking, letting you come here with me like that? It's dangerous here. There are wolves in this forest."

"Eh, but you look so lonely all the time! And I really want to learn where you find the herbs from!"

"Your family is rich enough to hire people to do it for them. Me, for instance. Don't be a stupid ojou-sama and risk your life out here."

"It's K-"

He jumped onto a large boulder and grabbed a fern that she could not quite identify and put into his basket before landing again. Before she could say anything, he grabbed onto her hand and pulled her along.

"Let's go. The sun is starting to set and we need to leave before it does. It's dangerous in these parts."

She smiled, knowing that this pricklish boy is genuinely worried about her safety.

"So you view me as a friend after all!"

"Friends? Pft. Why would a lower class like me befriend an ojou-sama like you? Don't be an idiot." He scoffed before seemingly remembering something. He dug out a small object wrapped in cloth and passed it to her hands. She took it from him, eyes blinking in confusion.

"Daichi-kun, this is…"

"Wisteria flowers. Make sure you have it with you at all times." He said and she did what he told her as she put it somewhere safe in her yukata. "I heard there are monsters called Demons lurking around this part nowadays and they don't like anything related to wisteria. Not sure how true that is but better safe than sorry."

Her face lit up in joy.

"So we are fr-"

"Not."

"Why?!"

"You are an ojou-sama. I am just a measly medicinal herbs gatherer. We live in two different worlds, get that in your head. Our worlds will never collide." He replied as he continued to pull her along. "Hurry up. At this rate even if Demons don't appear wolves will. If you want to be free food to those beasts then be my guest but I'm not dallying here any longer."

"I'm no ojou-sama. I'm just Kanae." She spoke softly as she looked downwards, simply letting him pull her along on their way out of the woods. "I just want to… make a friend."

"Don't make friends with everyone you see. This world is a backstabbing hellhole. Not all people are nice people even if they smile all the time."

"Dai-"

He pulled her along with him, not letting her complete her sentence.

"Hurry up. I really don't want to be here after sunset."

"Thank you for your hard work, Daichi-kun! This is your payment! I added a little more because of the quality of the goods you brought to us today and- oh! Before I forget, here's the medicine for your father!"

"Thank you, Hiroka-san." Kanae watched as Daichi said with a bow to her mother. "I'll be going now."

"Thank you for playing with Kanae-chan today! Have a safe trip home!"

"Bye bye, Daichi-kun!"

She happily waved her farewell to the grumpy boy, watching in amusement as his eyes twitched irritatedly at her actions. Still, he never acted rudely when in front of her parents so he gave another bow before leaving her house to head back home.

"Did you have fun today?"

A hand patted the top of her head fondly and Kanae looked up, seeing her mother's smiling face. She beamed in joy and nodded enthusiastically.

"Yup! Daichi-kun is mean as usual but I can tell he really doesn't mean it, and look!" She quickly took out the small piece of cloth and unwrapped it, revealing the wisteria flowers within. "He gave me flowers! Saying that it will protect me!"

"Those are wisteria flowers. They are popular among those who believe that it can help ward off evil spirits and demons." Her mother said with a thoughtful hum. "Medicinal wise, the seeds are sometimes used to treat heart ailments but they are toxic, so are the pods, which means we have to be very careful in using them. The flowers are edible in moderation and can be used to make tea, but it is not very popular."

"Wow, you know a lot, mother." Kanae said in awe of her mother's knowledge. Both her parents are experts in this field but she could never really get the hang of remembering all the names and respective uses of the various plants and herbs their family uses to make medicine.

"One day, you will too." Her mother said with a laugh as she held her hand and they both walked back into the house. "Go wash up and then we will have dinner, okay?"

"Okay!"

"So these are wisteria flowers?"

"Uh huh! But mother said that the seeds and pods are toxic so don't touch them. The flowers are okay though, just don't eat them."

It's night, right after dinner. The both of them are lying down in their futons side by side. She showed her younger sister the flowers Daichi had given her earlier that day.

"They are so pretty, nee-san."

"Really? I think so too!" Kanae said with a laugh as she placed a single wisteria flower into her hair and turned back to her sister. "How do I look?"

"Pretty! I want to try too!" Shinobu said in eagerness and Kanae patiently picked out the prettiest wisteria flower she could find in that small pile and carefully placed it in her sister's hair as well.

"Wow…" Shinobu said in awe when she finally found a small mirror to look at her own reflection. "Do you think you can get Daichi to get us some more wisteria flowers tomorrow? They are so pretty."

"Okay!"

She waited patiently by the door of her home, watching the people come and go across the street where her house is situated. If Daichi wants to go into the forest to pick and gather herbs he will have to pass by her home. It's already nearing noon and he hasn't made an appearance yet.

It's very unusual indeed.

She trotted off back into her house to find her parents.

"Um, father? Mother?" She poked her head into her parents' workspace, spotting them grounding up some medicinal herbs. "Daichi hasn't appeared yet and I'm getting a little worried about him. Can I go find him? He's never been this late before."

"Really? Oh dear." Her mother seemed to share her sentiments, a slight frown marred her face.

"Let's go have a look. Dairu-san's health is not that good and that may be why Daichi had not appeared yet today. Maybe we can help." Their father said as he stopped whatever he was doing and picked up the box which contained the usual things he needed to give medical treatment. He's not exactly a doctor, but he's the closest to what their small town can get.

Her mother stayed behind to look after Shinobu. Her father held her hand as they both walked towards where Daichi's house is. They soon saw it, a small hut made of bamboo and straw at the edge of town.

"Father? Why are there so many people crowding around Daichi's home?"

The sight of a small crowd gathering themselves in front of her friend's home gives her an uneasy feeling that she cannot quite explain. She's still too short to peer over the crowd and see what had gotten their attention, so she looked back up at her father. That dreadful feeling grew when she spotted how his face was slowly turning pale.

"Father?"

"It's… It's best if you don't look, Kanae." Her father knelt down to face her the moment his attention is back on her once more, his hands on her shoulders. "There's a lot of blood."

"B-Blood?!" She gasped out loud with her hands over her mouth. "T-Then Daichi-kun a-and D-Dairu oji-san are…"

"I don't know. I need to go in to see. Kanae, I need you to go straight home by yourself. Can you do that for me? I promise I will do whatever I can to save Daichi and Dairu-san, so you have to listen to me too, alright? Promise?"

"P-Promise." She nodded her head obediently. She has faith in her father's skills. If there's anyone who could bring someone back from the dead, it is him.

So, she ran back home without stopping as her father pushed his way through the crowd to see if he could help. She held the small bundle of wisteria flowers he had given her only just yesterday in her hands, internally praying that he will be alright.

Please, be alright.

"Dairu-san is dead."

Her life had been smooth sailing thus far. She had really never been on the receiving end of any bad news before. This is her first.

"H-How? And Daichi-kun?"

"We could not find him." Her father said with a sigh as he shook his head. "Several others had formed a search party but we could not find him. All that we know is that Dairu-san was murdered."

"M-Murdered?!"

This time, it is Shinobu's turn to sport a look of horror on her face, her young mind still not able to wrap the idea of anyone killing anybody else.

"It's not just any murder too. In fact, we are torn between saying that a wild beast had killed Dairu-san or he was murdered. The kill looked methodological yet bestial, like a work from something between man and beast. There's a lot of blood and his guts are spilled everywhere. We could not see a sign of Daichi anywhere, but we found a pot of medicine still on the stove, half-boiled. Daichi must be brewing medicine for Dairu-san when whatever happened to them happened."

"That does not bode well." Their mother said with a worried frown. "If there is indeed a murderer on the loose, then who? This place isn't very big. Everybody knows everybody else."

"Some of the older and more superstitious folks say that it is the work of Demons." Their father tiredly rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm not sure if I want to believe them."

"B-But Daichi-kun is very good with a sickle. I don't think he could win a bear or a wolf in a fight, but it shouldn't result in Dairu oji-san dying in that manner. He is good enough to get them both out alive and call for help." Kanae reasoned, remembering the various occasions where she had seen her friend wield a sickle with expert ease. Word has it that he once used it to single handedly drive a wolf away.

"Then maybe it is not a single bear of wolf, but more than one." Her father explained. "In any case, it is not safe to venture out any longer. You and Shinobu will not step out of the house without our permission and will not go anywhere out of the house without your mother and I accompanying you, clear?"

"Yes." She replied, and her words were echoed by her sister. She looked down at the wisteria flowers in her hands, still worried about her one and only friend.

"If Daichi-kun is still alive, where would he be right now?"

Her mother's hand patted her head to give her some comfort.

"I don't know, but we will find him. I'm sure someone in town will."

They turned in for the night in a solemn mood. She is sure the entire town is in a solemn mood after word of what happened to Dairu oji-san spread across their small town. The town they lived in is small, but it is peaceful. Close to no crime happened here because everybody knows everybody else, everybody is each other's friend. The fact that Daichi disappeared without a trace is worrying too. He may be a little brash, but doing something like that is just not like him. He cares a lot about his father and wouldn't leave him just like that.

"Nee-san? Don't be sad."

Shinobu patted her on the head as they both lay side by side in their futon. Kanae gave her younger sister a weak smile to reassure her that everything is alright even if it really isn't. She didn't say anything when Shinobu placed a wisteria flower into her hair to cheer her up.

"See? You are so pretty, nee-san. So don't cry, because if you cry you won't be pretty anymore."

She cannot help but choke out a laugh at her sister's words. The scent of the wisteria flower placed in her hair can be easily picked up by her nose and it gives her a sense of comfort, like her friend is still alive and out there.

"Thank you, Shinobu."

They fell asleep soon after.

They were woken up by a loud sound. Then several loud bangs could be heard followed by their parents' screams. Kanae jumped out of bed alarmed and wide awake. What's going on?!

"Kanae! Shinobu! Hide yourselves, hurry!"

Their mother barged into their room in a flustered frenzy, blood coating her body. Shinobu was shocked into a stunned silence but Kanae managed to snap out of it quickly enough and dragged her sister away, hiding themselves in a nearby cabinet, heeding their mother's words.

"GET AWAY FROM MY FAMILY YOU DEMON!"

She heard her father's shout. Through the gaps of the cabinet's doors, she could see the shadowy silhouette of her father through the shoji door as he picked up a vase and smashed it on the head of an unknown figure. Her father was sent crashing through the door with great force thereafter, also covered in blood.

"Fa-"

Kanae quickly used her hand to cover her sister's mouth, pulling her close to her chest so that she does not need to see what is going on outside. Her mother screamed in fury as she pounced on the… the…

Demon.

That's the only word that came to mind when she saw that ugly and vile creature. The only word that could fully describe that disgusting creature is Demon.

Her parents are fighting tooth and nail to prevent the Demon from getting close to the cabinet where the two of them are hiding in. Shinobu struggled in her hold but Kanae held onto her even tighter, making sure that she cannot make a sound nor see what was happening outside. That didn't stop her tears from flowing as she watched how that Demon easily broke her father's arms and threw him aside like a ragdoll. She can only watch as that creature tore a piece out of their mother using its mouth and chew on it, smacking its lips like it had just eaten a tasty snack.

It was then she heard him.

She heard a roar as a familiar figure crashed through the windows and lunged at the Demon. It's Daichi. He's covered in blood from head to toe but it is his eyes that scares her. The look in his eyes is a crazed one and he immediately pounced on the Demon and began to stab it with his sickle like a lunatic.

"JUST. FUCKING. DIE. ALREADY!"

Daichi had grabbed the Demon with a headlock using his legs as he sat on the Demon's shoulders and began to stab at its head repeatedly with his sickle, shouting angrily the entire time. Kanae's gaze travelled to her parents and the feeling of dread grew when she realised that they are not getting back up.

Please. Please Please Please let them be alive. Please-

The Demon began to thrash about as it tried to get rid of Daichi but Daichi kept stabbing its head and neck as blood spilled everywhere.

"FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! JUST FUCKING DIE! GIVE ME FATHER BACK TO ME! FUCK! JUST FUCKING DIE! DIE!"

Her nose caught the scent of the wisteria flower Shinobu had placed in her hair before they fell asleep.

"Daichi-kun, this is…"

"Wisteria flowers. Make sure you have it with you at all times. I heard there are monsters called Demons lurking around this part nowadays and they don't like anything related to wisteria. Not sure how true that is but better safe than sorry."

"Yup! Daichi-kun is mean as usual but I can tell he really doesn't mean it, and look! He gave me flowers!"

"Those are wisteria flowers. They are popular among those who believe that it can help ward off evil spirits and demons."

Memories resurfaced in her mind and without thinking, she opened the cabinet's doors, grabbed the small bundle of cloth containing the wisteria flowers he had given her and flung it at the Demon. By sheer luck, the bundle hit the Demon squarely in the face and the remaining wisteria flowers in it came flying out. The Demon roared in agony and she knew that it was true. The Demon really does not like wisteria flowers.

Her action had seemed to spurred Daichi to continue to stab the Demon even more relentlessly as he renewed his effort in vigor, but the Demon just cannot seem to die.

It was then the sound of clinking chains reached their ears. The next thing they knew, an axe came flying in and cut the Demon into two. Before they could tell what was going on, a huge and imposing figure had grabbed Daichi with one hand and separated him from the Demon. In the next second, a heavy looking spiked flail smashed the head of the Demon into paste. The Demon never got back up.

Her parents also never got back up.

"Namu Amida Butsu."

The huge man who saved them was helpful enough to help bury their parents and help make a grave for them. She and her younger sister can only weep as they knelt in front of their parents' grave, still angry and confused as to what had happened.

Demons. Demons are real. Their parents died trying to protect them from a Demon.

The huge man prayed for their parents' departure to the afterlife alongside them, chanting the same words over and over again. Daichi is still unconscious. He had collapsed out of exhaustion soon after Himejima saved them and had not yet woke up.

She and Shinobu said their farewells to their parents and followed after Himejima. Himejima wanted to escort them to another town where one of their relatives lived but they decided against it. They had seen and experienced the horror and pain Demons can inflict on humans. She does not want anybody else to experience that ever again. Her sister felt the same.

So, she asked Himejima to take them in and teach them the way to slay Demons.

"He's waking up! He's waking up!"

Shinobu ran up to her and Himejima, shouting at the top of her lungs. Immediately, the two of them got up and went over to inspect Daichi. He gave a groan as he moved a little. In the next second, he leapt up from where he was lying, eyes wide and screaming and hands frantically searching for his sickle. Thankfully, Himejima had put it away a long time ago, fearing that something like that would happen.

"FUCK! DIE! FUCKING DE-"

"Daichi-kun!" She shouted at and in a desperate attempt to calm her only friend down, hugged him from behind to stop him from thrashing about.

"Calm down! It's me, Kanae! Calm down! The Demon's dead! IT'S ALREADY DEAD!"

Her words seemed to got through him as he stopped struggling. She peeked over his shoulder, spotting a few tears slowly sliding down his face.

"Dead…?" He croaked out. His voice had never sounded so empty before and it pains her to hear it.

"Himejima-san killed him. Everything's fine now. The Demon's dead."

"Himejima?"

"Namu Amida Butsu. That would be me. Are you feeling fine, young Daichi?"

Daichi's head slowly turned to face the man, eyes blank.

"You killed it? You killed that… Demon?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I am a Demon Slayer. I am specifically trained to combat and take down Demons."

Upon hearing that, Daichi struggled to free himself from her hold and knelt down in front of Himejima, who still has his palms put together in prayer. Kanae watched on as her friend continuously kowtowed in front of Himejima and furiously banged his forehead on the floor.

"Please! Take me as your disciple! I want… no, I need to kill Demons! I WANT TO KILL THEM ALL! PLEASE! TEACH ME!"

She couldn't take it any longer. She could not just stand aside and watch as her only friend acted out in such a self-destructive manner.

"Daichi-kun!" She ran up to him and used her hands to prevent him further injuring himself. "Please stop! Your body is still recovering!"

"Namu Amida Butsu. Kanae's right." Himejima's hand reached out and easily prevented Daichi from continuing to kowtow to him. "Please raise your head, young Daichi. Do not let vengeance cloud your mind. Being a Demon Slayer is a life of hardship. Very few had the privilege to live long enough to reach their thirties. You will be condemning yourself to a life of eternal struggle and conflict. Think through this properly and give me an answer tomorrow morning. If by then you are sure that you still want to be a Demon Slayer, then I will introduce you to a Cultivator and you will begin your training proper. The same goes for you too, Kanae, Shinobu."

With that, Himejima left them alone, saying that he still has to go out and patrol the area, but not before instructing them to ensure that the wisteria incense continues to burn and to stay in this room until he returns. Daichi seemed to deflate as he sat on the floor, a listless look in his eyes.

"Daichi-kun?" Kanae asked softly, knowing very well how he must be feeling. Her voice seemed to stir something within him as his gaze slowly travelled to her face, looking at her in the eyes.

"I… You… You aren't injured, are you? You and your sister."

"We are fine. See?" Kanae tried her best to lift their moods up by speaking in a cheery voice, but they all know that it is just an act. "If you didn't come when you did, Shinobu and I… I don't know what would happen to us. Thank you, Daichi."

"That fucking monster." Daichi spat in visible hatred. "It… It killed father. I was outside brewing his medicine and when I returned I saw that… that thing e-eating…"

He could not bring himself to complete his sentence. Kanae patted her friend on the back, trying to give him some moral support.

"We found your father at your home the next day when we didn't see you around. We couldn't find you though."

"I… I just lost my mind, Kanae. All I can remember is trying to kill it with my sickle after seeing that Demon killed my father but no matter how I sliced its face or cut its neck it just won't die. It fled and I ran after that thing to try and kill it and tracked it down to the forest. Lost track of it until when night came again. I heard its howl so I came running after it. I didn't even realise it was your home that it entered until you threw those flowers."

There was a brief period of silence until Daichi spoke again, tears running down his face once more.

"S-Sorry. If I was faster, your… You and Shinobu wouldn't…. Sorry. I should have been faster. I don't know what else to say. I'm sorry."

"Please don't be. Shinobu and I don't hold it against you. In fact, you saved us, didn't you? Right, Shinobu?"

"Y-Yeah. So stop moping already, okay?"

"My father, did anyone-"

"Father see to it that Dairu oji-san was buried properly. Don't worry about that."

"Thank you." Daichi let out a visible sigh of relief as he closed his eyes and caught his breath. He opened his eyes again to look at her. "Are you two going to… uh, be Demon Slayers too?"

"We are." She replied with a smile because it is in times like this that they need to smile more than ever to keep going. "You?"

"Of course I am signing up for it. If I'm going to be a Demon Slayer, then I will be the best. Demons. I… I will kill them all."

It was at that moment that she felt intense fear. The pure unadulterated hatred she saw in his eyes at that moment actually made her break out into cold sweat.

She really doesn't like that look on his face. It doesn't suit him.

"Daichi." She gently shook him out of it. "You have been unconscious for awhile. Do you need anything to eat? Drink?"

"Some water would be nice." He nodded as he looked around. "We are not in town anymore, are we?"

"No. We have already moved on to the next one. Himejima-san still has work to do and he cannot afford to stay in one place for too long."

Shinobu had passed a cup of water to Daichi. He took it and muttered a thanks. He managed to down it in one single gulp through his sobs. Kanae hugged him and her sister close and patted them on the back.

"Let it all out, Daichi, Shinobu. Let it all out."

The three of them spent the night huddling against each other as they let their emotions flow, crying for the people that they had lost.

It took them some time, but Himejima finally brought them back to the HQ of the Demon Slayer Corps where he is also staying.

"I will be frank. Kanae, Shinobu, my style of fighting is not suited for the both of you. I will recommend you to another teacher who I think will be able to best bring out your potential. Daichi."

Daichi straightened his back upon hearing his name being called. Himejima bent down a little and began to use his hands to feel his arms, legs, and torso while muttering under his breath the entire time. The three of them were weirded out by his sudden action, but the time they spent with Himejima had let them know enough that this huge and kind man is a little on the eccentric side, so they simply said nothing.

"As I thought." Himejima finally spoke again as he straightened his back. "Daichi, your body is best suited to use the same Breath Style that I use. Not only that, I can tell that you are naturally fit and athletic. You are blessed with the body of a warrior. With the right training and mindset, there is a possibility that you can eventually become a Hashira. Do you want to learn under the teacher who taught me?"

"Yes." Daichi answered without any hesitation, determination clear in his eyes. Himejima stared at Daichi for a few seconds before releasing a sigh, palms still pressed together in prayer.

"Namu Amida Butsu. I can understand your hatred, Daichi. I, too, am in constant struggle with my anger and hatred towards Demons, but take it from someone who has walked your path. Learn how to let your hatred go. Don't let vengeance cloud your mind and cause you to miss out the important things that you have to cherish in the present, that is all I can say to you. The same goes for you too, Kanae, Shinobu. Namu Amida Butsu."

With that, Himejima walked into the large estate that is the Corps HQ and they followed after him.

From this day onwards, they are aiming to be Demon Slayers.

She didn't see him for an entire year.

Shinobu and her were sent to the Cultivator of the Breath of Flower. The Breath of Flower had traditionally been a Breath Style solely created for females due to the female body naturally lacking in strength as compared to males. The first Demon Slayer who created this Breath Style was also a woman who had learnt the Breath of Water. After realising that the Breath Style doesn't suit her needs, she created the Breath of Flower based on what she knows from the Breath of Water and it has been passed down ever since from one female Demon Slayer to the next.

Her talent in swordsmanship shone. It surprised even her, because even she herself had never envisioned herself as a swordswoman. When her Cultivator had deemed her good enough to enter the Final Selection, she went for it and easily passed the test.

Now, she is a full-fledged Demon Slayer on her first mission.

It will still take a while for Shinobu to be ready for the Final Selection. She walked by herself along the road which her Kasugai crow had told her to go, wondering how Daichi was doing. He's her first friend and her only friend to date. She didn't make any new ones because it is just her and Shinobu and their teacher back at the mountains where she learnt the necessary skills to be a Demon Slayer.

She stopped by a dessert shop to take a small break, ordering a small cup of tea and a plate of dango. She was halfway into her meal when she spotted a familiar figure walking through the streets.

"Daichi-kun! Over here!"

She waved in his direction with a smile on her face. Her voice had caught his attention and he turned around, spotting her immediately.

"Kanae?"

"You finally got my name right!" She said with a happy clap of her hands and offered him the last stick of dango on her plate. "Dango? As reward?"

"Tch. Still annoying as ever, I see. Ojou-sama." He clicked his tongue but took the dango sick she offered to him anyway. The two of them sat down side by side as they watched the people pass them by.

"You passed the Final Selections."

It's not a question. It's a statement.

"Yup!" She replied with a chirp. "This is my first mission! My crow said that I am to meet up with another Demon Slayer in this village. Could that somebody be you?"

"I looked around this place before I saw you. There are only two Demon Slayers here right now, me and you."

"Yay! This will be so fun!"

"There's nothing fun about being a Demon Slayer. I'm simply here to kill them all." He growled as he chewed on his dango harder than necessary. "If this is your first mission then stay alert. Anything can go wrong no matter how weak the Demon is. The Blood Demon Arts vary from Demon to Demon and you need to expect anything to happen."

She blinked her large eyes at him. He sounded like he had a lot of experience.

"How many missions had you already gone on?"

"Dunno. I passed the Final Selections just two months after I learnt the Breath of Stone. Long since lost count on how many missions I had been on. Right now I just want to hurry and accumulate a kill count of more than 50 Demons or hurry and kill a Demon from the Twelve Demon Moons so that I can be a Hashira."

"That's impressive!" She clapped her hands happily, genuinely happy for her friend's prodigal rate of progress. "Take good care of me for this mission, okay?"

"Couldn't let the ojou-sama hurt herself, could I?" He scoffed.

"Daichi-kun~"

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"The way you speak my name." He said with an annoyed scowl as he pointed at her with the empty dango stick. "Stop with the kun~ and letting your voice go higher and higher. It's annoying."

"Daichi-kun~" She immediately said with a smile and purposely did the very thing he told her not to do. This is so fun!

"You are doing this on purpose."

"Is it starting to annoy you?"

"What do you think?"

"Good! Daichi-kun~ Shall we prepare for our mission? Daichi-kun~"

"Go away."

"Huh, that wasn't as hard as I expected it to be."

"This Demon isn't exactly strong, just annoying to deal with." Daichi huffed as they walked side by side under the moonlight, their mission completed and they are now on their way to the next location. "The way it can minimize its size just made it hard to cut its neck, that's all. Count yourself lucky that you face a Demon that weak on your first mission."

"Hmm, and my skills have nothing to do with it?"

"Fine, you are not too bad, that I admit."

"Now that isn't so hard, is it?" She said with a smile on her face, her head tilted to a side. This man, seriously, would it hurt him to say what he really has on his mind?

They are currently both heading northwest because that is where the location of their next assignment is. Looks like they will be sticking with each other for the foreseeable future.

Her line of sight travelled to the kusarigama he held in his hands. A weapon that has a scythe and a heavy iron weight attached to each other through a long metal chain. Considering that Daichi learns the same Breath Style as Himejima, Daichi having a similar weapon to the Stone Hashira isn't surprising. His weapon is nothing as intimidating as Himejima's but considering that Daichi's built is on the leaner side, maybe having a heavy iron weight instead of a massive spiked flail would be better. It also made sense for him to use a kusarigama since he is naturally talented with using a sickle.

"Say, do you think there will come a day when humans and Demons can live peacefully alongside each other?" She asked in an attempt to keep up the conversation, knowing that her grumpy friend has no qualms in continuing their journey in silence. Someone among the two of them has to talk.

"Don't really care. All I want is to kill them all, especially Muzan. Humans and Demons, living alongside each other? Hah. Not possible."

"Daich-"

"We are Demon Slayers, Kanae. Our job is to slay demons, it is in the name of our job title. If you decide to be a Demon Slayer, then slay Demons. If you decide to defeat a Demon, then defeat it. Once you decide to win, then win, whatever the cost. There's no half-assing this. That attitude of yours will get you killed one day. Don't show compassion to these monsters. I don't care if they become a Demon willingly or not but the moment they become one they are no longer human, they have died and ended their lives as humans. If them becoming a Demon isn't by choice, then I will help end their suffering. If they choose to become a Demon to extend their pathetic lives then I will smite them down so that they will never eat another person. Stand up, Kanae. You are a Demon Slayer now. Steel yourself and find your resolve or you might as well just quit, ojou-sama."

He walked on ahead with a slightly faster pace, leaving her behind to stare at his back.

"If you decide to be a Demon Slayer, then slay Demons. If you decide to defeat a Demon, then defeat it. Once you decide to win, then win, whatever the cost."

"Stand up, Kanae. You are a Demon Slayer now."

She let a small smile rest on her face. Guess her friend has a caring side to him after all.

"Daichi-kun~" She ran up after him, enjoying seeing his annoyed scowl upon hearing the tone of voice which she purposely used to annoy him.

"I said stop-"

"Daichi-kun~ Shall we find a place to stay for the night or should we continue to be on our way?" She asked and tilted her head to the left, her palms closed together and resting against her left cheek and blinked her eyes at him in order to annoy him. He is just so easy to rile up.

"Of course we are going to be on our-"

BOOM

They both looked up upon hearing the thunderclap and saw the streaks of lightning flashing across the dark night sky. A second later, the skies poured.

"Well, fuck."

They really should have looked up to check the weather before leaving town.

They didn't manage to find a place to stay for the night because they are out in the wilderness, but they did manage to find a small cave to huddle and wait for the storm to pass.

"Thank god there is some dry twigs and grass here." She heard him mutter in the darkness. There was a shuffling sound and the sound of metal hitting metal. Soon, a small fire was started by Daichi when he lit up the pile of dry twigs and grass by hitting a flintstone and the sharpened end of his sickle together. She quickly helped to gather whatever dry twigs and leaves she could find and added to the pile as well. There should be enough to last them through the night.

He lit up a small metal pot that he took out from his haori and lit it up as well. She immediately smelt the familiar scent of wisteria incense. Huh, he really came prepared.

"You, go in." He pointed for her to go to the inner side of the small cave they are in. It's not very big. The width of the cave could barely allow them to squeeze past each other in order to switch positions such that she is on the inside and he is closer to the exit of the-

Oh.

"Oh my, I didn't know you are such a gentleman, Daichi-kun." She said with a laugh and a hand over her mouth. "I didn't know that you had it in you to protect a fair maiden like me."

"You think too much into things, woman." He scoffed with his back facing her and began to shed his dark brown haori. "Don't catch a cold. If you have a clean set of clothes, then change into it."

"Okie! Just don't turn around and peek, okay? If not I will have no choice but to marry you~"

"Shaddup."

She laughed as she too turned around and began to change into a clean set of dry clothes. He's really a big softie on the inside. Reminds her a little of her younger sister with the way both of them carry themselves, having a sharp tongue but a heart softer than tofu and then vehemently denying acting in such a way.

Hmm, could it be they are both tsunderes? Oh my, oh my, what a revelation she had stumbled into today.

"I'm done. You can turn around now." She called out to him once she was done. He turned around, now in a clean set of uniform like she is. They both placed their drenched clothes neatly around the fire to let it dry faster.

"Go sleep if you are tired. I will take first watch."

"If you say so, Daichi-kun. Wake me up when it's my turn, okay? Don't be shy!"

"Pft, you really talk too much." He snorted and turned around to face the entrance of the cave. "Just go sleep so that I can finally have my peace and quiet."

She used a finger to tap on his shoulder, prompting him to turn around. He scowled when he found her finger poking at his cheek instead.

"Got you~"

"Kanae. Stop that."

"Just admit that you enjoy my company." She said with a laugh. "By the way, are you sure you didn't peek at me when I was changing earlier? Like, very very sure?"

"Go. And. Sleep." He swatted her hand away and grumpily turned back to watching the entrance. "We have Demons to slay tomorrow, so sleep. I don't need you holding me back simply because you don't have enough sleep."

"Aw, so you actually care for me! You really are a good friend and a better tsundere, Daichi-kun!"

"Tsun-" She clutched her stomach and laughed even louder when he jumped on his feet upon hearing that word, only to hit his head against the low ceiling of the cave. This is really fun! They are really starting to act like real friends now!

"There, there." She patted him on the head when he crouched down and hissed in pain, hands still holding the sides of his head. "Do you need a smooch from me as a get well kiss? Blow away all your boo-boos? I'm telling you that this ojou-sama knows a thing or two about treating bumps on the head. What about it? Hmm, Daichi-kun?"

"I hate you." He glared at her, eyes a little wet from the pain of hitting his head against the ceiling earlier. She merely laughed even louder.

"Aw, thank you! Love you too, Daichi-kun!" She laughed and purposely patted him with a lot more force on the head right at the area which he just bumped into the rocky ceiling, making him hiss and fall over on his back from the pain.

She laughed even louder.

"Well, this is a problem."

The two of them stood outside the town where their next assignment is at. The Demon Slayer Corps is not an organisation officially recognised by the Government. To conceal their identities as Demon Slayers they had already changed into civilian clothes before trying to enter the town. Entering it isn't the problem. Entering the town while hiding the weapons on their persons is the issue. Hiding her sword is easy enough if she wrapped it in cloth from top to toe but Daichi's kusarigama…

She put a finger to her chin and thought about it real hard. Come to think about it, how did Himejima bring about his big and heavy looking weapon with him all the time without getting found out by the authorities? Let's see, when they were travelling with Himejima he used to-

Oh.

She turned around to look at Daichi, who had already gone up and purchased a straw basket that gatherers would usually carry on their backs from a nearby shop. He put his weapon into it and along it some of his belongings before covering the top of it with a cloth.

"Wait!" She stopped him before he could carry the basket and conveniently deposited the cloth bag containing her belongings as well, giving him a sweet smile. His right eye is still twitching in annoyance at what she had just done.

"Thank you for carrying my things for me, Daichi-kun!"

"Whatever." He replied as he carried the straw basket, the scene somehow reminding her of happier times before the presence of Demons took it all away from them. This is like how she used to follow after him into the forest to gather medicinal herbs. She will be behind, watching his back as he carried a straw basket that he slung on his shoulders.

"There's a lot of people in town today. Special occasion?" He muttered and she looked around as well. True enough, the human traffic is a lot higher today. It's a perfect feeding spot for Demons should they appear tonight.

"Well, let's go ask around, shall we?"

"Huh, Tanabata."

It totally slipped their mind that this period of the year is when people are celebrating the Tanabata festival. They didn't realise until they asked the innkeeper.

"Rooms are running out!" The innkeeper continued to do his sales pitch as he kept on speaking. "Since today is the Tanabata the rooms are at a discounted price for couples!"

Discount

She immediately glanced at him. Their eyes met within a split second. In that same split second, she quietly mouthed to him.

"Face, or money?"

"Money."

"We'll have a room please!" She replied in a joyful voice as her arms immediately wrapped around his to portray the couple image. She felt his body stiffening up from the contact. Huh, does the Breath of Stone allow the practitioner to really become as stiff as a stone?

She can see the innkeeper giving them the look of doubt at the sudden change of behaviour. The Tanabata festival is for couples. One moment they didn't even know there's a Tanabata festival going on and the next moment they claim they are couples?

She quickly rested her head on his shoulders and blinked innocently at the innkeeper, hoping that the innkeeper would buy her explanation. Now, if only Daichi wouldn't act so stiff maybe their act could be a little more convincing.

"Well… the room on the second floor, far corner to your left after you walk up the stairs."

"Thank you! Have a nice day and may your business prosper!" She quickly swiped the key the innkeeper pushed across the counter and dragged the stiff as stone Daichi along, head still resting on his shoulder as they stumbled up the stairs until they were out of sight.

"What. Was. That." He glared at her with a blushing red face the moment they are in the room and out of earshot.

"Well, you said money!" She responded with a happy clap of her hands and tried not to laugh out loud at how red his face was. "We have to act like a real couple so that the innkeeper wouldn't suspect anything, right?"

His mouth opened and closed to formulate a response but nothing came out. He simply let out a frustrated sigh as he put down the straw basket he was carrying in a corner of their room. They decided to catch some shuteye right now so that they can do their patrols properly later when night came.

Then come the next problem. There's only a single bed since the room is only for, well, couples.

"Don't cross this line here, okay?" She said with a smile as her finger drew an imaginary line across the middle of the bed, trying her best to suppress her laughter because it is just so easy to tease a reaction out of this tsundere man. "If you do so and touch me inappropriately I'm afraid I would have to marry you and Shinobu might concoct the nastiest poison the world has to offer! This ojou-sama can safely tell you from her past experience that being on the receiving end of Shinobu's poison will not be a very pleasant sensation!"

"You don't cross the line." He huffed out as he turned away from her and lay on his demarcated side of the bed. She smothered her giggles into her hand as she lay down on her side, back turned against him. How long would it take for him to figure out what she had been scheming since the start of the conversation?

"Oi, Kanae."

"Hmm?" She replied with closed eyes and a smile on her face, knowing very well what he is going to say next.

"You are taking up all the blanket."

"Did I? Then again I am an ojou-sama and this ojou-sama is afraid of the cold. She needs all the blankets she can get!" She said in the most pitiful voice she can manage to add on to the drama, shamelessly dragging the entire blanket to her side and cocooned herself with it.

"There's only one blanket and it is big enough for us both to share."

"Nuh uh. There can never be enough blankets."

"Give it-"

"Ah, ah, no crossing the line, Daichi-kun." She reminded him when she felt him getting up to snatch the blanket back.

She felt the bed shake a little and she didn't bother to hide her laughter when he lay back down on the side of his bed in a violent manner, seething and fuming the entire time.

Going on journeys with him really is fun.