ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴ sʟᴀʏᴇʀ: ᴀɴɪᴍᴇ sʜᴏʀᴛs "ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs x ᴏᴄ"

4

-WARNING: SPOILER ALERT-

Demon Slayer: Unwavering Resolve Arc "Sabito"

*a love story between Sabito and a girl named, Kazuko Negutseni

            Sabito was an orphan. Like Giyuu, he had lost his family and Sakonji Urokodaki took him in. Giyuu and Sabito became best of friends. Sabito was 13 years' old when he met Giyuu and they were both 13, when they met Kazuko. One day, after few weeks of meeting Giyuu, an orphan like them came home with Urokodaki. Giyuu and Sabito were stunned to see an innocent-looking girl, holding their master by his kimono. She looked scared, but also calm like water. "Giyuu, Sabito, this is Kazuko", she hid behind Sakonji, Sabito thought she looked sad and lonely. Kazuko was a little bit pale, had dark black hair; it was long, a little bit messy and curly; and, she had grayish eyes that sparkled in the night. Giyuu thought that maybe the same thing happened to her, and that might have been true, but she did not lose her family, but rather, she lost her dog. Yes, she lost her dog, her only companion. She was already an orphan, because her family died years ago. She was 8 years' old, when her home was invaded by a demon, and her dog is the reason why she somehow survived that attack. When her parents commanded her to run into the woods and hide, her dog led her to a cave, where she hid until sunrise. She was broken, upon seeing her mother and father all covered with blood. It was horrid. And just last night, she had lost her dog to none other than a flesh-eating monster. They lived on the same cave for the past five years. Kazuko was still traumatized by that fateful night and she did not want other people's help, because she thought she already had someone to help her. She considered herself as a weakling, but she was happy enough to have a brave dog. Kazuko and her dog, Yuki, looked for fresh fruits and berries to survive. At the age of 8, she already knew how to make a fire and cook. If she and Yuki wanted fish, Yuki would go by the river and catch some fish, while Kazuko was the one to cook it for them. She and Yuki were kindred spirits, soulmates if you may. And they both loved each other so deeply.

            Kazuko mostly kept to her own. She trained with Sabito and Giyuu. After training, she would then go wonder around the mountain. She was calm, gentle, very quiet, as if she doesn't have a mouth. She would smile occasionally, but she only did so if it seemed necessary. She was still heartbroken; it was clear to see, the pain in her eyes were unbearable. Sabito and Giyuu knew about her experience from Sakonji himself. He had found Kazuko in the same cave, crying while she was holding her severed dog's body. After the demon attacked them, the sun came and she went back to Yuki, to see if he was okay, but it was too late.

"I'm sorry about your Inu", Sabito says sitting with Kazuko after training all afternoon. "Maybe I should have said something weeks ago. Or at least gave my condolences", he was embarrassed of himself. Nervous to be exact, he didn't know what to say to her. They might have the same experience, but a dog is quite different, and what she felt is different from his. Giyuu, then, joins the conversation, a little clueless in what to say. "I bet your Inu was a good girl", Giyuu smiled trying to ease a little bit of her pain. Their master might have left a few details regarding the dog.

The boys waited for a moment. Before trying to make a conversation again, Kazuko suddenly laughs, mixed with her cries. She went on and on. It got louder and louder. She would not stop. Giyuu felt sad, but also weirded out. She looked like a crazy person. "Kazuko?", Sabito says, confused of what was going on. He looked at her and saw sorrow and regret. "Yuki was a good boy, why did he have to die? I could have died and he would have survived. If only he did not save me. I was almost eaten by a demon, but he jumps in biting it, causing the demon pain. It was just a weak little demon, but I didn't have the guts to protect myself. I didn't want to run, but it seemed like he wanted me to. I ran and ran; did not stop for a moment. Yuki! Yuki! Gomen nasai, gomen nasai", her cries were of a baby's. It was so hard, so loud, that Urokodaki heard it, but he did not interfere with his children's conversation, instead, he watched them. Giyuu didn't know what to do and he froze like he was crystallized. Out of nowhere, Sabito hugs Kazuko tightly, his head on her shoulder, eyes closed shut. "Yuki was a good boy, he saved you and he's happy that he did. You get to live for him", Kazuko returns the hug and hugged him as tight as you would hug a teddy bear. Giyuu joins in and cries with them, feeling sorry. Giyuu remembered her sister, who was supposed to get married the next day, but did not get to, because she was eaten by a demon. She saved Giyuu and what Sabito said made sense to him. He gets to live to honor his sister and for her.