A raindrop for rinalin!
Nov. 9th, 2021 03:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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stormyexchangeTitle: The path not taken
Pairing(s): Ohmiya (slight Suezu)
Genres: fairytale
Rating: PG
Summary: Little Red Riding Hood inspired - befriending both the wolf and the woodsman.
Warning(s): unrequited love (maybe), badly interpreted fairy tales, genderbend Nino
Author's notes: Dear rinalin, I hope you have fun reading it. I tried to not make it a fluff piece without a story inside. I hope you are okay with female Nino and like my spin on the classic fairy tale.
Nino had just turned six when she first met Jun. Until then, she had walked the path to her grandfather's house only with her parents, her little hand tightly held by her mother as she hopped along the trail. She watched with wide, curious eyes at the flower patch that was just a few steps from the path, the butterflies flying above them, sparkling in the sunlight in the summer and spring.
She always wanted to step off the path to go there, pick a few flowers, chase the butterflies as she did when they were at home. Or jump into puddles when it was raining. The only time she didn't wish to leave her parents' side was when it was foggy and dark. Then the forest looked so very scary, and she hated it.
But not today. Today was the first time Nino was allowed to go on her own! She was a big girl now (or so her father explained to her). Nino's grandfather lived alone in a small hut in the middle of the forest. As the village’s woodsman, it was his job to make sure that everything was okay there, checking the trees and animals such as ensuring there were no dangerous animals too close to the village. Ever since Nino’s grandmother had fallen ill and then died, her mother had prepared the weekly food for the man to make sure he was taken care off after a day of hard work.
Nino thought that was so exciting! She loved spending time there. Her grandfather knew the most exciting stories. He would always take Nino out to the forest to collect berries and mushrooms. And Nino already knew how to navigate because of how the moss was growing on a stone or tree. Or where not to go because there were animals she shouldn't disturb. But those trips were always way too short, since her parents wanted to go home before it got dark. Nino was sure it was because they were just scared! So she wouldn't be scared and stay as long as she could, leaving as late as possible. And then she would grow up more and more until she could do exactly what her grandfather did. Live there all alone without any of those annoying boys that always teased her!
Her parents were always soooo slow on Sunday mornings since they first had to feed the animals, make sure that everything was cleaned before they could leave. All while Nino would have to wait. Today, that was different, though. As always, her mother had prepared a big loaf of bread, soup, and other things for her grandfather.
Nino had a quick breakfast, ignoring the scolding look of his mother when she ate her porridge as fast as she could and then hopped off the chair to announce she was ready to leave.
"Sure, you want to go already? The sun is not even fully risen," her mother said, but Nino huffed.
"I'm not scared!" she declared and put on her bright yellow coat that her parents had gotten her so that she would be visible on dark streets and in the forest. She hopped up and down as her mother handed her the basket filled with the delicacies, groaning at the weight.
It was heavier than she had thought, but she gritted her teeth as she saw the worried look on her mother's face. Not that her mother would still want to come with her! Her father had promised that when she was six, she was allowed to go alone!
"Goodbye!" Nino shouted as she was sure that she could carry the load and waved excitedly when her mother smiled, dropping a kiss on top of her head as she told Nino to be careful.
"Stay on the path," her father reminded her sternly, and she nodded.
"Okay!" she promised. She grinned when her mother explained that she put some juice in addition to the things for Nino's grandfather just in case she got thirsty on the way. With everything, she finally left their small home.
—
Nino was sure that the basket got heavier and heavier the further she walked and glared at it. Finally, she sighed and looked up, certain that she had walked for an hour already and she should be already at her grandfather's home! But she couldn't see it, so she wondered if she had gone wrong.
But she knew the way. She had walked it every week since she was born, after all! And she was good with navigating, so there was no way she walked down the wrong path (not to mention that it was straight and the only path in the forest). Nino was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't see the small cobblestone on the ground and cried when she stumbled over it. She lost hold of the basket and fell to her knees. A hiss left her lips at the sting, and with wide eyes, she watched as her juice bottle that her mother packed on top rolled down the path!
"No!" she cried. That was her treat! Nino couldn't lose it and she wanted to drink it now! She got to her feet, trying to get to the bottle before it was out of reach, but didn't make it. She only managed to get a hold of the basket before it could follow the bottle.
Nino put the basket in the centre of the path and then crawled closer to the edge of the way. Maybe… But no chance, no matter how much she stretched, not even her fingertips could reach the bottle. If only she was at least as big as her best friend! She was sure she would be able to reach it then.
Nino huffed and got back on her feet, checking both sides of the path, contemplating. She could neither see her home nor her grandfather's hut, so nobody could see her either. Nino could just quickly leave the track and come back, and nobody would notice. But every adult always told her not to do that since it was dangerous. But she wouldn't lose the way. She was sure of it. The path was right there, and she knew how to tell the way with the moss. Her grandfather has taught her, after all. She was sure all adults were just scaredy-cats. Or it was a lie like the one about the evil witch Aiba had told her in school.
Nino could also just leave the bottle… But she was thirsty! And leaving things behind was not good. What if an animal got hurt? She was sure the juice was not good for rabbits either. She gasped at the thought of being the reason a family would lose their baby and then jumped off the path. Just quickly, she thought, nobody would ever know!
Nino walked the few steps to the bottle, looking around curiously, wondering what was so scary as she picked up the bottle. She gasped when she saw a bush with her favourite berries - the one she had already eaten all the ones off of the bushes at her home and close to her grandparents' hut. Nino looked back at the path, the basket still clearly in sight and decided it couldn't hurt. So she walked further, grinning at how brave she was as she picked the prettiest looking red berries.
There was rustling, and she cried out in shock as she turned around, losing her footing on the unstable ground and falling down again. She whined and hid her face behind her hands when she saw something big coming out from the bush.
"Are you hurt?"
Nino whimpered. "Don't hurt me," she sobbed. "I'll go."
She was answered with a snort and the click of a tongue as suddenly there was a rough hand around her wrist pulling her away. Nino squealed in shock, opening her eyes and then being surprised even more when she suddenly was face to face with a boy she was sure was in his late teens with wolf ears and a tail.
"What?"
"Are you hurt?" the other repeated, and she shook her head, not being able to form words at her surprise to see another human out there. That had never happened before!
"Good."
"Who are you?" Nino asked after a moment of silence as the other checked her hands and proceeded to dust off the coat she was wearing.
"Jun," he answered gruffly. "And why are you here? I am sure children are taught to stay on the path," he scolded. "You could have gotten into trouble! Hell, if the old man wasn't so nice, I would have killed you."
Nino's mouth dropped open as she allowed the stranger - Jun, the name somehow popped into her mind - to lift her onto her feet. She was surprised that the other even managed since not even her father could lift her that easily anymore - the only downside to becoming an adult, Nino thought more often than not when her feet got tired on the way home.
"You know, grandfather?! Do you live here? Isn't it dangerous? Father says the forest is dangerous for us."
"Yes, and I know that you should not linger in the forest alone. Especially when you’ve been told it is dangerous. So naughty of you."
"My bottle rolled off the path… We should not leave behind litter," Nino said sullenly as she was pulled along by him. She gasped and stopped suddenly as his eyes fell on the trail again. "You’re not human?"
That brought an amused, even somewhat wry smile on Jun's face. He tilted his head and watched Nino staring at him. "What gave that away?" he sighed. "I live here with my woodland folk. Now, how about I help you get to your grandfather?"
Nino nodded slowly, if a bit unsure now, but Jun knew her grandfather, so she was sure it was okay. Jun let her drink the juice, and Nino was just slightly envious of how easy it was for Jun to carry the heavy basket and still walk so swiftly that she had to run now and then to keep up with him.
—
Nino waved at her parents as she left the courtyard. Today she had cake in the basket since it was her 15th birthday, and she was looking forward to sharing it with her grandfather and Jun. A slight blush crept on her face as she thought of the wolf.
Jun had become a strong presence in her life over the last few years. Each week, he waited for Nino just behind the first curve in the path behind her home, out of sight of any curious eyes that might follow her and see where she was going. Normally nobody would do that, but she was sure that on some days, her parents would check if she really made her way to her grandfather and not to the village to meet up with friends.
But still, no friends she had would want to make her miss the weekly meetings with Jun and her grandfather. There was so much to learn that was way more interesting than school, and with the addition of Jun, there were so many more ancient stories thrown into the mix.
Her smile got wider the moment she could see Jun, halfway hiding behind a big tree trunk, as always making sure she was alone, before stepping into the light. Her steps got a bit faster as she closed their distance, and he was looking a bit unhappy as he took the basket out of her hands to carry the load. Just as always, grumbling about it. A slight smirk was on her lips as she got to her tiptoes to be able to reach higher and pressed her lips against his cheek. Her cheeks got a bit warm, but that didn't stop the chuckle coming out when Jun turned away from her, his cheeks rosy.
"Thank you, J."
"Whatever."
"I brought cake."
He grumbled something she couldn't understand, and she quickened her steps to be by his side. "What were you saying?" she asked extra sweetly when she realised he was not meeting her eyes.
"Happy Birthday," Jun repeated through gritted teeth, his words so much clearer now.
"Oh why, thank you," she chuckled, decidedly ignoring the warmth spreading in her body at the words and from when their hands brushed when Jun fidgeted. They walked beside each other in silence. For once, the space between them was not filled with her stories about school and friends, and she was surprised when Jun stopped just before the forest would thin out to reveal the place her grandfather lived.
Jun put the basket down, his eyes looking sorry as he met hers finally. And she furrowed her brows, not sure what this meant.
"This will be the last time I will walk with you," he explained, and her eyes widened.
"Why?!"
"Because time flows, and your grandfather gets old. I need to protect my folk until we can be sure it is safe for us here again," he explained.
"I don't understand," Nino said, feeling hurt. She would never do anything to endanger him, after all Jun was her friend!
Jun smiled as he cupped her face. "In the end, you're just a girl," he said, his voice the softest she had ever heard. "And a girl would never become the next woodman."
Nino's mouth fell open at the words, not understanding, really. Her grandfather always taught her everything, after all. Jun's smile got gentler as he moved forward and, for the first time ever, touched her cheek with his lips. They were softer than Nino would have ever been able to dream off. Then, without another word, he left her in her daze. Nino was 15 years old when she felt her heart breaking for the first time.
—
Nino was also 15 when she met Ohno for the first time. It wasn't long after Jun had left her alone that a figure appeared through the trees, and it took a moment for her to shake out of her stupor. She blinked at the young man in front of her, who had a lazy smile on his face.
"Ah, there you are."
Nino frowned at the familiarity but tilted her head in greeting. "And you are?"
"Ah!" the man said, looking sheepish, and even as miserable as Nino felt, she couldn't help but think he was slightly cute that way. "Ohno Satoshi, nice to meet you! Ninomiya-san kindly agreed to teach me the ways of a woodsman."
"Ninomiya Kazuko," she mumbled, still slumped over the fact that her grandfather had agreed to do that. She had thought it was her place.
"Little Nino-chan," he said, the nickname her grandfather used since she was small, rolling so easily off his tongue. The name Jun always refused to use, regardless of how much she had told him to. She choked back a lump suddenly forming in the back of her throat and bit her lips.
"Sorry, I have to go back. I trust the food is well received," Nino excused herself, and before he could stop her, she turned around and ran, for the first time hating the well-trodden path.
—
A few days later, Nino met Ohno again. He had come to their house to bring back the basket that Nino had left with him and a sweet apologising smile on his face.
"Hello," she whispered, and his smile got a bit wider, if possible. Nino felt slightly bad for how she had reacted. It was not Ohno's fault that she had been hurt on that day.
"So we meet again."
Nino nodded and sighed as she finally invited him in. She was alone, her parents both out at work and at the market, respectively, but it was bad manners to let Ohno stay outside, especially after he had taken it upon himself to bring the basket when he didn't have to.
"Can I offer you a tea?"
"I just came to bring the basket back. I thought you might need it to bring such delicacies again. The cake was especially good. What a nice gift."
Nino stayed silent, mourning the reminder of her lost birthday feast with her favourite cake, her grandfather, and… Jun.
"Ah!"
Nino looked up curiously as Ohno looked for something in his pocket and rubbed his neck sheepishly. "And this. I found it on the ground after you left. I fear you might have lost it, and we're already missing it."
He handed her an envelope with "For Ninomiya Kazuko" written on it, and Nino traced the beautiful letters with the tip of her finger.
"Wouldn't want you to miss a present from your lover," he explained, and Nino could tell she was blushing at the words. But then the pain was back as she sighed and shook her head.
"A former friend," she said slowly in the end. After all, Jun and Nino had never been more, and Nino was unsure if Jun had been her real friend all along if it was so easy to leave her.
"I see," Ohno said softly after a moment, and Nino looked back up, having almost forgotten about his presence. She opened her mouth to say something, not knowing what, when he beat her to it. "I think I would enjoy a cup of tea after all."
She nodded mutely, turning around to prepare it. After offering him to sit at the table, and missing the gentle look in Ohno's eyes, she turned her back to him.
Late in the evening, she read the letter in her bed, bundled up in her blanket, as she allowed herself to mourn the loss of something that could have been but wasn't.
—
"You like wolves?" Ohno asked as they met in the middle of the path. It was strange for Nino how easily he had taken the space of Jun in picking her up to accompany her into the forest.
"Huh?"
"Your bracelet. You never seem to take it off," he said, and Nino chuckled as she caressed it with her fingertips. Right, since she got it over a year ago, she had never taken it off, not even when she took a bath for fear that she might lose it otherwise.
"A person very dear to me gifted it to me. But yes, I also like wolves. They are cute, and very family focused," she said.
"I think I heard they are more pack oriented," Ohno said with a hum.
"And where is the difference?"
"Family is what you are born in. A pack is what you chose."
Nino hummed and then nodded with a tiny sigh. That was probably true. And she had learnt that they would protect their pack from anything.
"I always thought there would be wolves in this forest," Ohno said in a hum. "There are so many stories involving them in the village, but I suppose they were wrong."
"Maybe," Nino agreed with a slight chuckle. "But stories are just that: Stories. There are many stories about witches or dragons, and you don't believe even those exist. So no wolves here, even if we have many stories about them, is not too surprising. The stories are old."
"You're probably right."
"But…" Ohno chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I, for one, believe in dragons and witches and all in between."
Nino threw her head back in laughter at the words, smiling when Ohno startled as their fingers touched when he moved his hand back down. She met his eyes, the silent apology for overstepping a boundary, as she let her fingers linger against the back of his hands.
"Ever met a dragon?" she asked, her eyes dancing in mischief as he was searching her face for what she didn't know.
Then there was a slight grin on his face. "Yes, and he used to hoard books and news and stories instead of money."
She chuckled and softly hit his shoulder. "Stupid."
"Big, red, and afraid of flying, so nobody thought it fair to kill him as he was not threatening after all."
Nino was still laughing when they finally left the forest behind, and she couldn't remember when was the last time she felt like that.
—
Nino was eighteen when she said yes, and left her home to live in a hut in the middle of a forest with a man with a sleepy smile and gentle eyes that had helped her forget and trust again.
Nino was twenty-one when she set foot on the well-trodden path again after many months of not doing so. She was not alone this time, but neither her parents nor Satoshi were accompanying her as she carried the fully-filled basket in one hand.
There was a bundle resting against her chest, which moved slightly as she set foot onto the patch of flowers, a tiny hand finding its way out of the cloth, a yellow bracelet fastened around the little wrist. She carefully made sure the tiny human against her was safe and warm as she hummed a lullaby under her breath. She picked a handful of the colourful flowers to bring with her and smiled as she went back onto the path before continuing. Just before the last corner to get to her parents' house, her eyes fell to the shadows behind the big old tree.
"I hope she will be under your protection as well," she whispered as she put the purple flower down.
The "Always" was carried by the wind, just like the flower, when she rounded the corner to leave.
Pairing(s): Ohmiya (slight Suezu)
Genres: fairytale
Rating: PG
Summary: Little Red Riding Hood inspired - befriending both the wolf and the woodsman.
Warning(s): unrequited love (maybe), badly interpreted fairy tales, genderbend Nino
Author's notes: Dear rinalin, I hope you have fun reading it. I tried to not make it a fluff piece without a story inside. I hope you are okay with female Nino and like my spin on the classic fairy tale.
Nino had just turned six when she first met Jun. Until then, she had walked the path to her grandfather's house only with her parents, her little hand tightly held by her mother as she hopped along the trail. She watched with wide, curious eyes at the flower patch that was just a few steps from the path, the butterflies flying above them, sparkling in the sunlight in the summer and spring.
She always wanted to step off the path to go there, pick a few flowers, chase the butterflies as she did when they were at home. Or jump into puddles when it was raining. The only time she didn't wish to leave her parents' side was when it was foggy and dark. Then the forest looked so very scary, and she hated it.
But not today. Today was the first time Nino was allowed to go on her own! She was a big girl now (or so her father explained to her). Nino's grandfather lived alone in a small hut in the middle of the forest. As the village’s woodsman, it was his job to make sure that everything was okay there, checking the trees and animals such as ensuring there were no dangerous animals too close to the village. Ever since Nino’s grandmother had fallen ill and then died, her mother had prepared the weekly food for the man to make sure he was taken care off after a day of hard work.
Nino thought that was so exciting! She loved spending time there. Her grandfather knew the most exciting stories. He would always take Nino out to the forest to collect berries and mushrooms. And Nino already knew how to navigate because of how the moss was growing on a stone or tree. Or where not to go because there were animals she shouldn't disturb. But those trips were always way too short, since her parents wanted to go home before it got dark. Nino was sure it was because they were just scared! So she wouldn't be scared and stay as long as she could, leaving as late as possible. And then she would grow up more and more until she could do exactly what her grandfather did. Live there all alone without any of those annoying boys that always teased her!
Her parents were always soooo slow on Sunday mornings since they first had to feed the animals, make sure that everything was cleaned before they could leave. All while Nino would have to wait. Today, that was different, though. As always, her mother had prepared a big loaf of bread, soup, and other things for her grandfather.
Nino had a quick breakfast, ignoring the scolding look of his mother when she ate her porridge as fast as she could and then hopped off the chair to announce she was ready to leave.
"Sure, you want to go already? The sun is not even fully risen," her mother said, but Nino huffed.
"I'm not scared!" she declared and put on her bright yellow coat that her parents had gotten her so that she would be visible on dark streets and in the forest. She hopped up and down as her mother handed her the basket filled with the delicacies, groaning at the weight.
It was heavier than she had thought, but she gritted her teeth as she saw the worried look on her mother's face. Not that her mother would still want to come with her! Her father had promised that when she was six, she was allowed to go alone!
"Goodbye!" Nino shouted as she was sure that she could carry the load and waved excitedly when her mother smiled, dropping a kiss on top of her head as she told Nino to be careful.
"Stay on the path," her father reminded her sternly, and she nodded.
"Okay!" she promised. She grinned when her mother explained that she put some juice in addition to the things for Nino's grandfather just in case she got thirsty on the way. With everything, she finally left their small home.
—
Nino was sure that the basket got heavier and heavier the further she walked and glared at it. Finally, she sighed and looked up, certain that she had walked for an hour already and she should be already at her grandfather's home! But she couldn't see it, so she wondered if she had gone wrong.
But she knew the way. She had walked it every week since she was born, after all! And she was good with navigating, so there was no way she walked down the wrong path (not to mention that it was straight and the only path in the forest). Nino was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't see the small cobblestone on the ground and cried when she stumbled over it. She lost hold of the basket and fell to her knees. A hiss left her lips at the sting, and with wide eyes, she watched as her juice bottle that her mother packed on top rolled down the path!
"No!" she cried. That was her treat! Nino couldn't lose it and she wanted to drink it now! She got to her feet, trying to get to the bottle before it was out of reach, but didn't make it. She only managed to get a hold of the basket before it could follow the bottle.
Nino put the basket in the centre of the path and then crawled closer to the edge of the way. Maybe… But no chance, no matter how much she stretched, not even her fingertips could reach the bottle. If only she was at least as big as her best friend! She was sure she would be able to reach it then.
Nino huffed and got back on her feet, checking both sides of the path, contemplating. She could neither see her home nor her grandfather's hut, so nobody could see her either. Nino could just quickly leave the track and come back, and nobody would notice. But every adult always told her not to do that since it was dangerous. But she wouldn't lose the way. She was sure of it. The path was right there, and she knew how to tell the way with the moss. Her grandfather has taught her, after all. She was sure all adults were just scaredy-cats. Or it was a lie like the one about the evil witch Aiba had told her in school.
Nino could also just leave the bottle… But she was thirsty! And leaving things behind was not good. What if an animal got hurt? She was sure the juice was not good for rabbits either. She gasped at the thought of being the reason a family would lose their baby and then jumped off the path. Just quickly, she thought, nobody would ever know!
Nino walked the few steps to the bottle, looking around curiously, wondering what was so scary as she picked up the bottle. She gasped when she saw a bush with her favourite berries - the one she had already eaten all the ones off of the bushes at her home and close to her grandparents' hut. Nino looked back at the path, the basket still clearly in sight and decided it couldn't hurt. So she walked further, grinning at how brave she was as she picked the prettiest looking red berries.
There was rustling, and she cried out in shock as she turned around, losing her footing on the unstable ground and falling down again. She whined and hid her face behind her hands when she saw something big coming out from the bush.
"Are you hurt?"
Nino whimpered. "Don't hurt me," she sobbed. "I'll go."
She was answered with a snort and the click of a tongue as suddenly there was a rough hand around her wrist pulling her away. Nino squealed in shock, opening her eyes and then being surprised even more when she suddenly was face to face with a boy she was sure was in his late teens with wolf ears and a tail.
"What?"
"Are you hurt?" the other repeated, and she shook her head, not being able to form words at her surprise to see another human out there. That had never happened before!
"Good."
"Who are you?" Nino asked after a moment of silence as the other checked her hands and proceeded to dust off the coat she was wearing.
"Jun," he answered gruffly. "And why are you here? I am sure children are taught to stay on the path," he scolded. "You could have gotten into trouble! Hell, if the old man wasn't so nice, I would have killed you."
Nino's mouth dropped open as she allowed the stranger - Jun, the name somehow popped into her mind - to lift her onto her feet. She was surprised that the other even managed since not even her father could lift her that easily anymore - the only downside to becoming an adult, Nino thought more often than not when her feet got tired on the way home.
"You know, grandfather?! Do you live here? Isn't it dangerous? Father says the forest is dangerous for us."
"Yes, and I know that you should not linger in the forest alone. Especially when you’ve been told it is dangerous. So naughty of you."
"My bottle rolled off the path… We should not leave behind litter," Nino said sullenly as she was pulled along by him. She gasped and stopped suddenly as his eyes fell on the trail again. "You’re not human?"
That brought an amused, even somewhat wry smile on Jun's face. He tilted his head and watched Nino staring at him. "What gave that away?" he sighed. "I live here with my woodland folk. Now, how about I help you get to your grandfather?"
Nino nodded slowly, if a bit unsure now, but Jun knew her grandfather, so she was sure it was okay. Jun let her drink the juice, and Nino was just slightly envious of how easy it was for Jun to carry the heavy basket and still walk so swiftly that she had to run now and then to keep up with him.
—
Nino waved at her parents as she left the courtyard. Today she had cake in the basket since it was her 15th birthday, and she was looking forward to sharing it with her grandfather and Jun. A slight blush crept on her face as she thought of the wolf.
Jun had become a strong presence in her life over the last few years. Each week, he waited for Nino just behind the first curve in the path behind her home, out of sight of any curious eyes that might follow her and see where she was going. Normally nobody would do that, but she was sure that on some days, her parents would check if she really made her way to her grandfather and not to the village to meet up with friends.
But still, no friends she had would want to make her miss the weekly meetings with Jun and her grandfather. There was so much to learn that was way more interesting than school, and with the addition of Jun, there were so many more ancient stories thrown into the mix.
Her smile got wider the moment she could see Jun, halfway hiding behind a big tree trunk, as always making sure she was alone, before stepping into the light. Her steps got a bit faster as she closed their distance, and he was looking a bit unhappy as he took the basket out of her hands to carry the load. Just as always, grumbling about it. A slight smirk was on her lips as she got to her tiptoes to be able to reach higher and pressed her lips against his cheek. Her cheeks got a bit warm, but that didn't stop the chuckle coming out when Jun turned away from her, his cheeks rosy.
"Thank you, J."
"Whatever."
"I brought cake."
He grumbled something she couldn't understand, and she quickened her steps to be by his side. "What were you saying?" she asked extra sweetly when she realised he was not meeting her eyes.
"Happy Birthday," Jun repeated through gritted teeth, his words so much clearer now.
"Oh why, thank you," she chuckled, decidedly ignoring the warmth spreading in her body at the words and from when their hands brushed when Jun fidgeted. They walked beside each other in silence. For once, the space between them was not filled with her stories about school and friends, and she was surprised when Jun stopped just before the forest would thin out to reveal the place her grandfather lived.
Jun put the basket down, his eyes looking sorry as he met hers finally. And she furrowed her brows, not sure what this meant.
"This will be the last time I will walk with you," he explained, and her eyes widened.
"Why?!"
"Because time flows, and your grandfather gets old. I need to protect my folk until we can be sure it is safe for us here again," he explained.
"I don't understand," Nino said, feeling hurt. She would never do anything to endanger him, after all Jun was her friend!
Jun smiled as he cupped her face. "In the end, you're just a girl," he said, his voice the softest she had ever heard. "And a girl would never become the next woodman."
Nino's mouth fell open at the words, not understanding, really. Her grandfather always taught her everything, after all. Jun's smile got gentler as he moved forward and, for the first time ever, touched her cheek with his lips. They were softer than Nino would have ever been able to dream off. Then, without another word, he left her in her daze. Nino was 15 years old when she felt her heart breaking for the first time.
—
Nino was also 15 when she met Ohno for the first time. It wasn't long after Jun had left her alone that a figure appeared through the trees, and it took a moment for her to shake out of her stupor. She blinked at the young man in front of her, who had a lazy smile on his face.
"Ah, there you are."
Nino frowned at the familiarity but tilted her head in greeting. "And you are?"
"Ah!" the man said, looking sheepish, and even as miserable as Nino felt, she couldn't help but think he was slightly cute that way. "Ohno Satoshi, nice to meet you! Ninomiya-san kindly agreed to teach me the ways of a woodsman."
"Ninomiya Kazuko," she mumbled, still slumped over the fact that her grandfather had agreed to do that. She had thought it was her place.
"Little Nino-chan," he said, the nickname her grandfather used since she was small, rolling so easily off his tongue. The name Jun always refused to use, regardless of how much she had told him to. She choked back a lump suddenly forming in the back of her throat and bit her lips.
"Sorry, I have to go back. I trust the food is well received," Nino excused herself, and before he could stop her, she turned around and ran, for the first time hating the well-trodden path.
—
A few days later, Nino met Ohno again. He had come to their house to bring back the basket that Nino had left with him and a sweet apologising smile on his face.
"Hello," she whispered, and his smile got a bit wider, if possible. Nino felt slightly bad for how she had reacted. It was not Ohno's fault that she had been hurt on that day.
"So we meet again."
Nino nodded and sighed as she finally invited him in. She was alone, her parents both out at work and at the market, respectively, but it was bad manners to let Ohno stay outside, especially after he had taken it upon himself to bring the basket when he didn't have to.
"Can I offer you a tea?"
"I just came to bring the basket back. I thought you might need it to bring such delicacies again. The cake was especially good. What a nice gift."
Nino stayed silent, mourning the reminder of her lost birthday feast with her favourite cake, her grandfather, and… Jun.
"Ah!"
Nino looked up curiously as Ohno looked for something in his pocket and rubbed his neck sheepishly. "And this. I found it on the ground after you left. I fear you might have lost it, and we're already missing it."
He handed her an envelope with "For Ninomiya Kazuko" written on it, and Nino traced the beautiful letters with the tip of her finger.
"Wouldn't want you to miss a present from your lover," he explained, and Nino could tell she was blushing at the words. But then the pain was back as she sighed and shook her head.
"A former friend," she said slowly in the end. After all, Jun and Nino had never been more, and Nino was unsure if Jun had been her real friend all along if it was so easy to leave her.
"I see," Ohno said softly after a moment, and Nino looked back up, having almost forgotten about his presence. She opened her mouth to say something, not knowing what, when he beat her to it. "I think I would enjoy a cup of tea after all."
She nodded mutely, turning around to prepare it. After offering him to sit at the table, and missing the gentle look in Ohno's eyes, she turned her back to him.
Late in the evening, she read the letter in her bed, bundled up in her blanket, as she allowed herself to mourn the loss of something that could have been but wasn't.
—
"You like wolves?" Ohno asked as they met in the middle of the path. It was strange for Nino how easily he had taken the space of Jun in picking her up to accompany her into the forest.
"Huh?"
"Your bracelet. You never seem to take it off," he said, and Nino chuckled as she caressed it with her fingertips. Right, since she got it over a year ago, she had never taken it off, not even when she took a bath for fear that she might lose it otherwise.
"A person very dear to me gifted it to me. But yes, I also like wolves. They are cute, and very family focused," she said.
"I think I heard they are more pack oriented," Ohno said with a hum.
"And where is the difference?"
"Family is what you are born in. A pack is what you chose."
Nino hummed and then nodded with a tiny sigh. That was probably true. And she had learnt that they would protect their pack from anything.
"I always thought there would be wolves in this forest," Ohno said in a hum. "There are so many stories involving them in the village, but I suppose they were wrong."
"Maybe," Nino agreed with a slight chuckle. "But stories are just that: Stories. There are many stories about witches or dragons, and you don't believe even those exist. So no wolves here, even if we have many stories about them, is not too surprising. The stories are old."
"You're probably right."
"But…" Ohno chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I, for one, believe in dragons and witches and all in between."
Nino threw her head back in laughter at the words, smiling when Ohno startled as their fingers touched when he moved his hand back down. She met his eyes, the silent apology for overstepping a boundary, as she let her fingers linger against the back of his hands.
"Ever met a dragon?" she asked, her eyes dancing in mischief as he was searching her face for what she didn't know.
Then there was a slight grin on his face. "Yes, and he used to hoard books and news and stories instead of money."
She chuckled and softly hit his shoulder. "Stupid."
"Big, red, and afraid of flying, so nobody thought it fair to kill him as he was not threatening after all."
Nino was still laughing when they finally left the forest behind, and she couldn't remember when was the last time she felt like that.
—
Nino was eighteen when she said yes, and left her home to live in a hut in the middle of a forest with a man with a sleepy smile and gentle eyes that had helped her forget and trust again.
Nino was twenty-one when she set foot on the well-trodden path again after many months of not doing so. She was not alone this time, but neither her parents nor Satoshi were accompanying her as she carried the fully-filled basket in one hand.
There was a bundle resting against her chest, which moved slightly as she set foot onto the patch of flowers, a tiny hand finding its way out of the cloth, a yellow bracelet fastened around the little wrist. She carefully made sure the tiny human against her was safe and warm as she hummed a lullaby under her breath. She picked a handful of the colourful flowers to bring with her and smiled as she went back onto the path before continuing. Just before the last corner to get to her parents' house, her eyes fell to the shadows behind the big old tree.
"I hope she will be under your protection as well," she whispered as she put the purple flower down.
The "Always" was carried by the wind, just like the flower, when she rounded the corner to leave.
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Date: 2021-11-23 03:34 pm (UTC)Thank you for your lovely comment :)