Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Touko-san knelt in the soft, dark earth, humming as she tended to the broadbeans.

“Such a fluffy bean you are,” she murmured, smiling at the fuzzy pods. “Soromame dishes, soromame dishes, grow nice and plump for the soromame dishes...”

She liked spending time with her garden. The house was peaceful and quiet, which was lovely, but sometimes she needed a little company while Takashi was at school and Shigeru worked at the office. She tended to the plants and listened to the birds. Most of the birds were tree sparrows, but sometimes there were a few white-cheeked starlings or black-eared kites, and of course there were plenty of crows.

Today, a whole family's worth of crows had landed in the big wisteria at the corner of the yard, and they were cawing and chattering at each other. She smiled and bent to pluck a small weed from the dirt. Crows were clever birds, and she'd started leaving treats for them in the lowest branches of the wisteria. Ever since, no bird had so much as touched her vegetables, and she liked to think the crows were returning her kindness by protecting her garden. She loved their company. They made the day quite lively, and today they were even more talkative than usual.

She finished with the broad beans and moved on to the potatoes. They were starting to flower already! And such lovely white blossoms. She needed to pluck them to make sure they plants would save their energy for the tubers, but she could put the blossoms in a shallow bowl perfect for short-stemmed flowers. They'd look so cute on the dining room table –

KAA! KAA!

She looked up, startled. There was some kind of disturbance in the tree. Suddenly three of the crows shot straight up through the branches, chasing another bird, this one snow-white. It was thinner than the others and several feathers were missing from its wings.

“Oh!” She stood abruptly and the blossoms tumbled to her feet. “Oh, no, that poor bird!”

The bird swooped and dodged, but the two crows chasing it were joined by two more, all cawing and flapping. Were they just being territorial? How could she make them stop? Perhaps she could distract them with food!

She started turning to go inside – there was a bag of birdseed she kept in the cupboard – but suddenly the white crow’s wing turned oddly. It swung midair and one of the other birds plowed right into it. The crow screamed and dropped, hitting a branch before plummeting to the earth. It fluttered feebly, stunned. Its beak opened and closed soundlessly.

Touko clapped both hands over her mouth. That scream had been terrible, so terrible –

She wanted to rush over to it, but she knew that could frighten the poor thing to death. No, what she had to do was make sure the other crows would leave it alone long enough for her to fetch something to help.

The birds returned to the tree. She waited by the potatoes, counting the seconds, prepared to call out or wave her arms if the crows kept attacking. But they just stayed on their branches, cawing and shuffling unhappily. She waited a bit longer, just in case, then dashed inside and grabbed the bag of seeds.

There was a strip of grass she'd left untended along the right side of the yard, running right up to the wisteria tree. She sprinkled a little seed close to the tree, then more and more further down. She wanted to encourage the crows to get some distance from the injured one.

The other birds didn't come down, but they still weren't bothering the fallen crow. She went back inside, found the shallow bowl she’d planned on using for the potato blossoms, and filled it to the brim with water. Then she took a small kobachi, filled it with some seed, and brought the two dishes outside.

The bird had repositioned itself so that it was resting on the ground, its breast feathers nestled in the grass. Its right wing was folded but held slightly away from its body. Touko winced just looking at it.

“Oh, you poor dear.”

The bird's beak was tucked down, but it jerked sideways to face her as Touko approached. She paused two meters away, knelt, and placed the bowls carefully in the grass.

“There you are,” she said quietly. “Have something to eat and drink. I'll be out here for a while, but don't let me disturb you.”

She scooted backwards before standing up. She was worried she had scared it. The bird’s feathers were half-fluffed, like it wasn’t sure whether it should make itself bigger or not. Her heart squeezed. She glanced up at the wisteria tree, a stern expression on her face.

“That was hardly a kind thing to do!” she scolded the birds. “There's certainly plenty of tree and food for everyone. I expect to see better behavior from now on!”

Two of them cawed at her.

She nodded. “Of course I'll still take care of you. You're clever birds and I enjoy your company. So there's no need to push others away. You understand?”

The birds shuffled around on their branches, looking vaguely embarrassed. She nodded again and turned to gather the flowers she'd spilled. Those birds really were quite clever, and she was sure they understood her. But she was still going to keep an eye on the white crow. If he wasn't hopping around on his own in an hour or two, perhaps she should take him to the pet hospital. It was a good mile away, though. She could walk that far, but she'd have to move the bird without frightening it.

Well, she’d just have to continue gardening. If she stayed calm and talked to it, it might get used to her, and then it would be less afraid if she had to move it.

She left the potatoes alone for now, since they were closer to the bird, and started again with the cucumbers on the far end of the garden.

“Ah, look at the little curls on this vine!” she exclaimed, touching it delicately with a fingertip. “Little cucumbers love to climb. And the leeks look so strong and healthy. They're what keep the bugs away, so I try not to harvest them too often – although they taste wonderful in sukiyaki! Leeks don't bloom, but aren't their strong dark leaves beautiful? Like the firm stroke of a brush.”

She glanced up and saw the bird slowly approaching the waterbowl, stopping every few steps to watch her. She smiled and kept talking.

“Seeing the cucumbers is like looking at the word ‘river’ spelled over and over. That reminds me, Takashi went fishing with his friends last weekend – he came back soaking wet, but I've never seen him look so happy! It's wonderful to see him playing like that, he was so quiet when he first came to us, and you know I think I will trim just a little off this leek, it's been a bit chilly lately and sukiyaki will be just the thing for him...”

The gardening had taken longer than she'd thought, mostly because she was having such a good time talking to the crow. She'd come close again to refill its water bowl, and it had blinked at her slowly a few times and closed its eyes. She beamed at it. Such a tiny, delicate little bird. It warmed her heart that it trusted her so much.

It was late afternoon when she finally stopped. She'd told it to stay put while she started dinner, and had just come back out with a few dried berries for it when she saw Takashi standing just inside the gate. His cat was hanging on his shoulder and he was staring at the crow.

“Oh! Okaeri, Takashi-kun!!”

“Touko-san!”

He'd looked a bit tense, but as soon as he saw her, a smile broke over his face like sunshine. She smiled back and held up the berries.

“What do you think? They're for our new visitor!” She nodded towards the bird. “Meet Shiro Kuro! It's a bit of a play on words, since 'kuro' sounds like the English word 'crow.' If he's still there in the morning, I'll take him to the pet hospital down the street. I think his wing may be injured.”

Something like a shadow flickered in Takashi's eyes. “Could I come with you?” he asked. “Wild animals carry diseases, so it's important to be careful.”

“Oh, I hadn't thought of that.” She touched her cheek with one hand and glanced at the crow. “You're right, we'll need to be careful, but I can't let the poor bird suffer...Alright, you can come. But only if you don't have too much homework from school. And we can stop for dorayaki afterwards! Doesn't that sound like a fun treat?”

Nyankuchi’s ears perked instantly. Nyow?

She laughed. “Someone's certainly a hungry cat! Well, it is an animal hospital; Nyankuchi-kun can come too, and can catch up on any shots he needs – oh!”

The cat had jumped off Takashi's shoulder and dashed inside the house, yowling. The two of them chuckled.

“Ah, Takashi, I've kept you standing out here for ages! Come inside, I can make you some tea and a snack while I cook dinner. We're having sukiyaki tonight!”

“Thank you,” Takashi said, smiling, and she turned to head inside.

She wasn't sure what made her look back. Maybe it had been the tension she'd seen in his eyes. But when she did turn, Takashi had paused at the doorway, looking worried, his eyes still fixed on the bird.

Chapter Text

The next day, Touko watched her family finish their meal, feeling full and content. This was always her favorite part of the day. Everyone was home, talking happily together, and the soft clink of chopsticks and porcelain spoons was like faint music in the air.

They had a new guest for dinner tonight. Shiro Kuro had still been still been sitting under the tree that morning, so she’d waited for Takashi to come home from school and they’d taken the bird to the vet. The vet had cleaned the bird and carefully repositioned the wing. He’d been undernourished and dirty, with so many missing feathers the vet had been surprised it had been airborne at all. The injured wing was likely a torn tendon. But the nice thing was that all of it could be fixed with time.

She’d paid for the bird’s treatment, then gone shopping for bird supplies with Takashi. They stopped for dayango on the way home (at which point Nyankuchi-kun appeared, mewling for treats). Now Shiro Kuro was hanging from an indoor bird stand, in a large, handsome cage with mirrors, toys, food, and water. She'd been rather anxious about Nyankuchi-kun and their new guest, though, so she'd made a special shrimp dish and told him he'd get it for dessert if he left the bird alone. So far the cat was on his best behavior.

Shigeru sat back from his plate with a happy sigh. “That was wonderful.”

Takashi nodded. “Thank you, Touko-san.”

She smiled. “I'm glad you liked it! I rarely make spicy dishes, but the soromame looked so good that I wanted to try something new.”

“No, it was perfect,” Shigeru assured her.

Suddenly she felt a weight on her foot and looked down. Nyankuchi-kun had already finished his own meal and was sitting on her foot, stars in his eyes, purring with excitement. She laughed.

“Alright, yes, you've been a wonderful host for our guest. Here you are!”

She set down a small bowl full of fried shrimp and squid. Nyankuchi-kun nyaow'd with delight and dug in noisily.

“Oi, Nyanko-sensei!” Takashi scolded.

“He may need to go on a diet,” Shigeru said.

She laughed. “It's just for one night! It's important to appreciate good behavior.” She stood, collecting her dishes. “Oh, and I found a nice bag of raw sunflower seeds and some plump raisins at the store today, and I thought I'd add a bit of each to Shiro's bird seed. Food is such a lovely way to welcome people. Takashi-kun? Is something wrong?”

“Eh? Oh – no, no. Here, I can do the dishes for you.” He started to get up.

“Nonsense, go ahead and get started on your homework. I can bring you a snack later if you like.”

Takashi hesitated, and Shigeru gave him an encouraging smile. “Don't worry, we can handle the dishes.”

“Not you either!” she said, half-serious, scooping up his bowl. “Didn't you go to work early this morning? Now go rest or I'll drop shrimp in your lap for Nyankuchi-kun to find. He's certainly heavy enough to make you hold still!”

Nyankuchi-kun huffed at her and Shigeru chuckled. “Alright, alright. Clearly I have met my match.”

“You certainly have,” she said sternly, but she was smiling and bent down to kiss him on the cheek. She straightened up, caught Takashi's eye, and sent him her warmest smile. “Make sure you do your best on your homework, Takashi-kun.”

“Hai, hai. Come on, Nyanko-sensei.”

Shigeru helped her clear the dishes and then left to read the paper. She talked to Shiro Kuro while she did the dishes, telling him all about Shigeru and how he liked to read the paper in the evening, so she'd leave it on the coffee table for him, sometimes open to an article she thought he might find interesting. Shiro Kuro seemed to listen, sitting on his perch with his breast feathers fluffed over his feet. The sight of it pleased her enormously. That was what birds did when they were happy.

When she was done with the dishes, she mixed the bird treat together and spooned some onto its little bin of bird seed.

“There you are,” she said when she was done. “Rest a bit, and I'll be back to check on you later.” She turned off the lights to keep Shiro calm, then went to the living room.

To her surprise and delight, she found Takashi sitting in front of the coffee table, his homework spread out in front of him. Shigeru was sitting on the couch behind him, reading his paper. The two of them looked up when she came in.

Takashi smiled at her. “Thank you again for the dinner, Touko-san.”

“Of course! You're not upstairs today?”

“Ah...” For a second his eyes seemed to flick to the kitchen. “Well, for a little bit, would this be alright?”

“Yes, yes, it's such a treat to have you here!”

At the sound of the word 'treat,' Nyankuchi-kun poked his head out from under the table and nyow'd hopefully.

“Now, now, don't think you'll be getting treats every day, or you really will need to go on a diet.” She moved to the couch and settled herself beside Shigeru, who moved his arm to make room for her. “Although I am a little worried about having the bird and Nyankuchi-kun in the house tonight. If we're asleep, we can't check to be sure they're getting along.”

“I always close my door at night,” Takashi said.

“The bird will only be here for a week or so, won't he?” Shigeru asked. “It might ease your mind to give Nyankuchi-kun a small treat each morning, if he keeps behaving himself. It won't be for long.”

“I can take Sensei for walks, too,” Takashi added.

“Hmm...well, alright –”

NYOWM!

Nyankuchi-kun mewled with delight and bounced up and down like a very heavy beach ball. All three of them burst into smothered laughter.

Shigeru lowered the paper, still smiling. “It's so companionable having you here, Takashi-kun. Although I hope we're not disturbing your homework.”

“No, this is fine. This is wonderful.”

Touko caught her breath. Takashi was normally reserved, or quietly happy. But now his cheeks almost glowed with happiness and his eyes sparkled. He was rarely so brilliantly joyful, if only she could make it last –

“I know!” she clapped her hands lightly together. “If it doesn't get too late, the two of you could play a game! We have Go and Hanafuda in the closet, it would be so much fun to watch!”

“Wouldn't you play with us?” Takashi asked, as Nyankuchi-kun climbed into his lap.

“I don't know how to play either one,” she said, with a slightly embarrassed laugh. “I just always liked the game pieces, and the illustrations on the Hanafuda cards are so beautiful. I'd be happy just to watch.”

“We could teach you,” he said earnestly, leaning forward. “It's more fun if everybody plays.”

“Even the teaching can be fun,” Shigeru added. “Although it's only if you want to.”

She beamed at them. “Alright, I'd love to try it.”

“Homework first, though,” Shigeru said, when Takashi opened his mouth to speak.

“Ah – hai!” And he quickly got to work.

He finished before Shigeru had gotten halfway through the paper, and the three of them spent the rest of the evening trying to teach Touko the rules of Hanafuda. Eventually it dissolved into telling jokes about the cards, and then into funny stories for each one, and then funny stories that had happened to them. Shigeru did most of the telling, and Touko couldn't catch her breath for giggling.

At one point even Takashi burst out laughing. The sound rang through the house like a note of pure joy.

It was much later that night when Touko woke up, for no reason she could tell. They'd finished the evening and gone to bed pleasantly tired. She yawned sleepily, staring up at the ceiling, then turned her head to the left. Her husband's profile was faintly visible in the dark. He looked both softer and stronger without his glasses. And it was so cozy and warm under the covers. Her eyes drifted closed.

Nk, nk.

The sound was so quiet she nearly missed it. It sounded like someone faintly knocking against the house. Perhaps just a tree branch, then, or an animal.

No, it came again, from downstairs. Was it Shiro?

She slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb her husband, and stepped quietly to the door and down the hall. She passed Takashi's room on the way to the stairs. The door was closed as usual.

When she reached the kitchen, she found Shiro Kuro facing the kitchen window, which overlooked the garden. He was hopping a bit on his perch. Every time his good wing bumped the cage, it made the soft knocking sound.

“Shiro Kuro-kun, you'll jostle your wing,” Touko said softly. When the bird didn't respond, she stepped closer and noticed that the bird's eyes were closed. Was it dreaming? But it wasn't good for it to hop about like that.

Before she could decide what to do, the bird stopped hopping and hunched its wings. It looked like it was still asleep.

She paused for a moment, waiting. The moonlight cast a soft glow over its still form. The vet had cleaned it carefully, and its pale feathers shone like lustrous pearls. She wished she could reach in and stroke its feathers. They looked as soft as kitten breath...but she didn't want to disturb him, or worse, frighten him. He'd certainly been through a lot. And yet Shiro Kuro was such a calm bird. He hadn't shied away once since she'd brought him inside, and he had simply watched them calmly while they ate at the table only a meter away. She wondered if he'd been fed by other humans and knew human kindness. She hoped he did.

She waited a few more minutes, just in case, but he was holding still and looked a bit more settled into sleep. She turned as quietly as she could and made her way back upstairs.

Then she paused. Takashi's door was open?

It was, just by a few inches. She hadn't heard him, but he must've gotten up to use the bathroom and forgotten to close it all the way when he came back. It was quite lucky she was still up. And even better that the door wasn't open wide enough to let Nyankuchi-kun into the hall, although he'd proven quite trustworthy around their guest.

She stepped to the door and peeked in. Takashi was peacefully asleep, his golden hair brushed lightly over his forehead, his face round and young and peaceful. Her heart ached at the sight.

Nyankuchi-kun was lying on Takashi's other side, snuggled close against him. When she peeked in his ear flicked and one eye opened. She smiled and waved at him, then went to quietly close the door.

“Nn...”

She looked up. Takashi stirred in his sleep. She almost thought she saw a shadow seemed pass over his face. He turned pale.

“Oh!” she squeaked, fingers tightening on the door. She felt caught between wanting to soothe him and respecting his privacy.

Nyankuchi-kun's ear flicked again. He hauled himself up, shuffled towards the pillow, and fwumped down with his chin on Takashi's shoulder, facing Touko. His eyes were fixed on her, luminous in the dark.

Slowly, Takashi settled down again. His face smoothed. He sighed and his breathing evened out, becoming slow and deep.

“Thank you, Nyankuchi-kun,” she whispered, and closed the door as softly as she could.

She made her way back to her room and slipped under the covers. Shigeru reached for her in his sleep. She twined her fingers in his and settled down. She hadn't realized she'd been a little upset until they were holding hands. The feeling steadied her.

Takashi had had nightmares when he first came to live with them. Sometimes he'd talk in his sleep, always about being chased or eaten. They sounded terrifying. She hadn't realized he still had them. At least this one had gone away quickly. She wished he would tell her about it, but he was always so shy about himself, and she didn't want to pry. She wanted to make him feel safe and loved and cherished.

She yawned. Well, the games tonight had certainly helped – that was the first time she'd ever heard him laugh like that. What else could they do together? Nothing too time-consuming. She didn't want to take him away from his studies. But perhaps errands? Or walking Nyankuchi-kun? Shigeru had said the cat needed a diet; this way they would all get a little exercise. Or maybe...

She yawned again. Her eyes slipped closed, and she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Touko finished packing the bento and closed the lid.

“Takashi-kun!” she called. “Come eat breakfast, you're going to be late!”

“Hai!”

She went to pick up the bento and something sharp sliced her finger. She dropped it with a yelp. The cutting knife? She hadn't remembered putting it on the bento.

Shiro Kuro cawed at her.

“Daijoubu, don't worry!”

She set the knife in the sink as Takashi rushed into the room, Nyankuchi-kun at his heels.

“Itadakimasu!” he said, and began quickly eating his omelet.

“Don't forget your bento,” she said, setting it down in front of him. “And could you pick up some more birdseed on your way home from school? I don't think we have quite enough for the week.”

He swallowed a mouthful of sausage. “Hai!”

She nodded and turned to call Shigeru.

“Ah...Touko-san?”

“Mm?” She turned back. Takashi looked hesitant.

“I was wondering...if you'd like some help in the garden today?”

“Eh? Really?”

“I can finish most of my homework at school today. It would be fun to do it with you. If that's alright?”

Touko nearly gasped with delight. This was exactly the kind of thing she'd been thinking about last night – ways to spend time together!

She beamed at him. “Takashi-kun, it sounds wonderful.”

Chapter Text

“Ah!”

“Touko-san? What happened?”

“No, no, it's fine.” She sat back, pinching her finger to stop the bleeding. She and Takashi had barely started gardening. She'd set Shiro Kuro-kun in his cage on the porch for a little fresh air, and Nyankuchi-kun was playing in the dirt around the wisteria tree. She'd been checking on the cucumbers when she noticed the wooden trellis looked a little crooked. “I must have snagged my finger on a splinter.”

He leaned over. “It’s bleeding!”

“It doesn’t hurt,” she assured him. “I think I’m just a bit absent-minded today. This morning –”

Kaa, kaa!

They looked over. Shiro Kuro-kun had been quite calm, but now he was hopping awkwardly in his cage, one brilliant eye fixed on them both. Takashi was close or she wouldn’t have noticed, but he tensed ever so slightly.

“Maybe we should go inside,” he said.

“It’s really a small cut. I’d really like to finish trimming before it starts to rain,” she said, nodding at the sky. It had been overcast all morning, and the clouds were just starting to turn that silvery gray that suggested rain. “Let me go get some disinfectant and a band aid. Then we can finish the potatoes; I haven’t gotten to them since our guest arrived.”

Takashi nodded reluctantly. She patted his arm headed inside, careful to close the door slowly behind her so it wouldn’t bang and startle Shiro Kuro. Really, she should’ve gotten gardening gloves a long time ago, she just so enjoyed the softness of the leaves in her hands. Then again, if Takashi was going to garden with her, she wanted to get a pair to protect him, and she’d be setting a poor example if she didn’t get a pair for herself.

“And some sandpaper,” she murmured, as she reached the bathroom. “I thought I’d sanded that trellis smooth, but I wouldn’t want Takashi – oh dear.” The bottle of disinfectant was empty. Well, that was alright. After Takashi scraped his hand last week, she’d gotten two extra bottles just in case. She opened the cabinet under the sink and reached for them. They were oddly light when she picked them up.

No, not just oddly light. They were empty! Had Takashi gotten hurt and simply not mentioned it? No, the seal was unbroken on each of them. But she would’ve noticed they were empty at the store, surely. She checked the cabinet shelf where they’d been stored, but there was no liquid underneath, so they couldn’t have leaked.

“I’ll have to add that to the list,” she told herself. In the meantime, some soap and water would disinfect it just the same. She washed her hands and wrapped the fresh cut in a band aid. Then she went back to the garden.

As soon as she stepped over the threshold, a sudden wave of dizziness caught her up and spun the world like a child’s top. She stumbled, caught one foot against the other and nearly fell before a strong grip caught her arm.

“Touko!”

“I’m a bit dizzy,” she said, gasping slightly. Static swarmed at the edges of her vision. She felt Takashi carefully lowering her to the porch.

“You nearly fell! Are you alright? Did you get hurt?”

Kaa! Shiro Kuro added, as if he was concerned as well.

She blinked away the static and smiled. “I’m alright. I think I’ve just been out in the sun too much the past few days.”

“Maybe you should go in and rest. I can finish the potatoes for you if you like.”

“Ah…but I was so looking forward to gardening with you.”

For a moment, Takashi looked startled. Then his face softened. His eyes suddenly looked so young that her heart ached. “At least rest on the porch,” he said gently. “Please? I’ll bring you some juice. You can tell me what you’d like me to do, and we can talk while you stay in the shade.”

She smiled warmly. “You’re such a kind person, Takashi. Yes, I’d like that very much. I suppose I’ll need to buy a hat now – for you as well – my, how the list keeps growing! Hats, gloves, disinfectant…”

“Disinfectant?”

“We’re all out, although I’m not sure how it happened. The extra bottles still had the seals on them, but somehow it must have evaporated.”

Takashi looked anxious at this, but only offered to go to the store after he’d finished gardening. Then he brought her a glass of orange juice and set about carefully trimming the blossoms from the potato plants.

For all the fuss over a little dizzy spell, the rest of the afternoon was absolutely wonderful. The clouds kept it nice and cool for Takashi as she worked, and the two of them had a lovely time talking about their favorite vegetable dishes and laughing as Nyankuchi-kun played tag with passing dragon flies. Even Shiro Kuro seemed content, his feathers fluffed, eyes half-closed as if gently dozing.

It seemed like no time at all before the potato plants were pruned, although when she checked they’d been happily chatting for over an hour. Takashi had hovered around her as she stood up, slowly so as to avoid a head rush, then helped her bring Shiro Kuro inside.

“You’re still going to the store?” she asked, surprised, when she saw him going back to the door for his shoes.

“For the disinfectant,” he said, glancing at her hands. “Just – just in case.”

“Well, make sure you take an umbrella. And a raincoat. And come back if it starts to rain!”

“I will!”

Takashi settled her at the kitchen table and Shiro Kuro next to the window, then insisted on making her some tea before he headed to the store. She waited until she heard the front door close, then let herself rub at her temples – she was getting something of a headache, but she hadn’t wanted him to worry. Besides, tea always made her feel a bit better. She took a few slow sips.

Kaa.

She smiled at Shiro. “I miss him, too. But he’ll be back soon. And we have each other for company, ne?”

The bird shuffled and fluffed its feathers.

She leaned forward on the table and rested her head on her arms. Her headache wasn't too bad, but it was quite tiring. She hadn't had one like this since she was applying to universities. Staying up too late, studying for exams... How odd that she looked back on that with a certain nostalgia. Of course, that was around the time she'd met –

“Tadaima!” Shigeru called.

She sat up. “Okaerinasai!”

He walked into the room and paused, surprised. “Touko? Are you alright?”

“Sorry, I have a bit of a headache. I – oh!” She’d been about to say that Takashi had made her tea, but she seemed to have finished the cup without noticing.

“Hmm.” Her husband set down his briefcase and brushed his fingertips through her hair. She smiled and closed her eyes. “You look a little flushed. Were you gardening? It hasn't been too hot, but you've been outside quite a bit these last few days.”

“I thought so too, but...” She opened her eyes and glanced at Shiro Kuro-kun.

“Here, let me make you some tea.” He stepped to the pantry and opened it. “Is Takashi home yet?”

“He was, he left to get me some disinfectant after I scratched myself.”

“I thought – didn’t we buy two more bottles after Takashi hurt his hand?”

“We did, and the seals were still on them. I suppose the bottles must have leaked, although the shelf underneath was perfectly dry.”

“Hmmm…”

Touko glanced up. She knew that tone of “hmmm.” Sure enough, he was frowning as he measured out the tea leaves. “And…now you have a headache?”

“What are you thinking, love?”

He set the kettle on the stove and turned on the heat. “Yesterday, before bed, I came downstairs for some of the melon we cut up the other day, and maybe for some leftover sukiyaki. The melon had dried, so I thought the lid just hadn’t been sealed properly, but the sukiyaki looked the same way. More than that – it had dried so much that it became brittle and dark, like flakes of charcoal.”

“That’s…certainly unusual. Shigeru?”

He finished steeping the tea and brought it to her, sitting down thoughtfully. “I’m thinking about a time a few months ago, when you had headaches and became dizzy just as things around the house began to break. Do you remember what happened to the room upstairs?”

“I do. But I’m not sure – the headaches stopped after that, didn’t they?”

He nodded slowly. “This feels somehow similar, although this time the only thing in common is your headache. But…”

Her fingers tightened on the cup. “Are we cursed? Should we go see a priest? I can’t imagine a neighbor would do anything of the sort, but we’ve had so much good fortune in our lives, I wouldn’t want anything to hurt Takashi –”

He took one of her hands gently in his. “We could,” he said quietly. “But, Touko, what if Takashi did what a priest would have done?”

“A – you mean, when the room was damaged, he’d been purifying the house?”

“I’m not sure.”

Touko turned this idea over very, very carefully. It was certainly possible that people had inherent spiritual power outside of a priest’s training. One of her dear friends from college had worked at a shrine, and always seemed to possess a certain peace about her. She’d certainly been a popular guest during exams, when her very presence seemed to invite peace and focus. But to think that Takashi had something similar…

“If this is true,” she said slowly, “he must have tried something he thought would protect our home. But if he thought that, it would mean that he expected it to work. As if he’d tried it before. If he encountered curses before. Or…”

Their eyes met and their jaws dropped in shock.

“Touko – when he was younger!”

“They said he told lies –”

“Strange shadows – breaking things –”

“He wasn’t lying –”

“He was telling the truth this whole time –”

“Shigeru!” she cried suddenly. “Remember that crow I told you about, the one who warned us if it rained? Takashi mentioned seeing another crow next to it, a pure white one!”

“He did?”

“Yes, but I couldn't see it! And for another white crow to visit us now, when I’ve never heard of anyone seeing one near us, for a white crow to appear twice - Shigeru, I wonder if this is the bird he saw, and it was really a spirit, too!”

Their gazes snapped to the cage. Touko didn’t remember when they’d both stood up. The crow – or, or spirit – was looking at them and holding very, very still. A few long seconds passed. Given the commotion she’d just made, Touko was certain that it would have alarmed an ordinary bird, but it may very well have been carved of stone.

She swallowed and moved to open the cage. Shigeru brushed her sleeve.

“Wait, we should be careful. It might still be a wild bird. We could ask Takashi-kun –”

“No, we can’t!” Her husband looked startled, and she lowered her voice. “Think of the way his previous homes treated him. The outburst they mentioned – how they said he scared them, how they blamed everything on him. Takashi was so lonely and mistreated. If he found out what we guessed just now, he’d be so frightened. He might think we would treat him the same way.”

“Of course we wouldn’t!”

“I know,” she said earnestly, “but hadn’t you noticed? When he first came here, he almost expected us to act the same way. He’d come home injured and silently wait to be reprimanded… And his eyes used to look so far away. Like he’d closed himself off from everything, and wherever he’d hidden himself, he was silently crying. Even after the room was destroyed, having lived with us for more than a year, he kept flinching like he’d expected us to beat him. Shigeru, it broke my heart.”

Kaa, Shiro Kuro said softly.

She took her husband’s hands in hers. “The other night, when we were playing together, it felt so wonderful to see his eyes so full of warmth and light. He wasn’t hidden away anymore. He was there in the room with us. Maybe one day he'll tell us, when he trusts us enough. Until then, I want to see that gentle, warm light.”

Shigeru closed his eyes. “I do, too.”

“Then…”

Shigeru stepped into her and folded his arms around her. She hugged him back, pressing her face into the curve of his neck.

“I want to keep him safe,” Shigeru whispered into her hair. “If we don’t talk to him about it, how can we know if there’s something dangerous we can’t even see? What could we even do?”

“I don’t think we could do anything.”

“But it’s our Takashi.”

She nodded.

They held each other for a long, long moment. She wanted there to be a better answer than pretending they didn’t know. But with so much sorrow carved into his heart, she was afraid they’d end up breaking it by mistake. And wasn’t that the hardest part? That to protect Takashi’s feeling of safety, they had to let him face curses and spirits alone?

Kaa.

She and Shigeru let go of each other, both of them wiping their eyes. The bird was shifting from foot to foot, still watching them, its tail feathers flicking uncertainly.

“We’re alright,” she assured him. “We’re just sad we can’t help our son.”

“Takashi – Takashi mentioned being friends with the priest’s son,” Shigeru said hoarsely. “I’d like to encourage that friendship. Perhaps we could invite the priest to visit now and then.”

She laughed. “You wily thing! Alright, but – but we’ll keep this to ourselves, until he feels ready to share it with us.”

“He might never feel that way.”

“Then I’ll settle for him feeling happy and loved.” She turned to the bird and bowed. She heard her husband bowing next to her. “Shiro Kuro-sama, I apologize for the accommodations. You are welcome to stay as long as you need for your wing. I promise to do the best I can to make you comfortable. And, if you would be so kind, please watch over Takashi-kun.”

Chapter Text

Thunder boomed so loud the windows squealed like they would crack. Touko started badly. She’d been trying to sleep for the last hour, but the rain pounded on the roof and every peal of thunder shook her right down to her bones.

Shigeru found her hand under the covers. “I’ve seldom seen a storm this strong.”

“I hope you won’t have to go to work in it,” she said worriedly.

“I’ll be fine. It’s not a long walk to the station.”

Touko opened her mouth to answer when the thunder struck again. Touko actually jumped, and Shigeru flinched.

“Then again…”

She sighed and sat up. “I don’t think we’ll be getting any sleep tonight.”

“Do you want to have some tea?”

“That sounds very calming, yes.”

Shigeru sat up with her. “I’ll get some started for us. And maybe a light snack. Do you check on Takashi, see if he wants to join us?”

The next round of thunder drowned her out, so she just nodded and kissed his cheek. Frankly she wasn’t sure if he would be awake – he certainly tired himself out helping her garden the other day. But if he was awake, at least that meant he wasn’t having bad dreams. Well, either way, perhaps they could play a game downstairs. Something that would relax the three of them and give them good dreams when they finally did fall asleep. Perhaps Hanafuda?

She slipped on a robe and followed Shigeru to the hallway, parting ways at the staircase. Takashi’s door was fully closed tonight. She waited for the next deafening boom to subside, then knocked on the door.

“Takashi-kun?” she called. “Shigeru and I are going to have some tea and a small snack. Would you like some?”

She waited, but didn’t hear an answer. Well, it was possible he still couldn’t hear her through the door over the rain. If anything it was now coming down just as hard as the thunder.

“Takashi? I can’t hear you if you answered me. Can you come to the door?”

Waiting always seemed to take longer for the person doing the waiting, so she made a slow count to thirty. She didn’t want to just open the door without permission.

She’d made it to fifteen when she heard a noise downstairs. She glanced down the stairs and saw Shigeru walking past – no, not just walking, nearly running.

“Shigeru?!”

She heard him answer, but couldn’t make out what he said over the storm. She started down the stairs.

“Shigeru, what –”

“Our guest is gone!”

She stopped halfway down. He ran back from the living room, face tight with worry. “The kitchen window was open, and I thought at first it was Nyangoro’s doing, but its cage door was shut and I can’t find either of them anywhere.”

“Check the guest room and the bathroom, I’ll check with Takashi-kun.”

She turned and hurried back up the stairs, Shigeru right behind her.

“Takashi-kun?” she called, knocking again. “I’m sorry, I have to come in to see if Shiro Kuro-sama is there.” She opened the door.

The room was empty.

She stared at the futon. The blanket was pulled back. The pillow was completely off the bed. He wasn’t there.

The desk, then. Her eyes moved to it. But it was too small for him to hide in the chair space. She moved towards it almost mechanically, but there was nothing underneath or behind or beside it, same with the bookshelf, and the closet was empty, the floor totally bare save for two pairs of shoes.

“Touko?” Shigeru stood in the doorway, his eyes moving from her to the empty futon and back.

“Was Takashi in the bathroom?”

“N-no –”

“Then he’s gone.”

They were downstairs in their coats exactly three minutes later, stuffing flashlights and spare batteries into the pockets. Shigeru handed her her cell phone in a small Ziploc bag, to protect it from the storm.

“I’ll search left, you search right?” She asked.

“Yes. I’m going to go to the end of the street and do a loop from the bakery and back.”

“I’m going to check up block 16 as far as the park. Let’s either meet back here or call in 20 minutes.”

“Be safe.”

“You too.”

They kissed and opened the door. Instantly sleet hammered their faces, collars, hands – anything even remotely exposed. When had the temperature dropped so fast? It felt like the storm was trying to force its way inside and pin them to the ground. Touko braced her feet and pushed herself into the wind, leaving her husband to lock the door. Her flashlight barely reached two feet into the darkness, but that was all she needed. She knew her neighborhood by heart.

Within seconds her shoulders ached from the pounding sleet and her fingers were cold and stiff, but she kept her grip on the light and kept moving. The Nakamuras, the Andos, the Moritas. They all had walls around their yards, but she checked thoroughly down each narrow space between the houses. When she got to the Ishii residence she saw a shape slumped against the wall, and for a terrifying moment she thought it was – but it was just a collection of plastic trashbags, stretched to tearing and half full of water and gritty sleet.

“Takashi-kun!” she kept calling. “Where are you? It’s Touko! Please, Takashi-kun!”

The storm ripped her voice away the moment it left her lips, but she kept shouting just in case.

Finally she reached the street corner, nearly falling when she misjudged where the curb was under the gutter’s overflow. She fumbled for her phone, but her hand was now too stiff to do anything but paw at it. How long had she been out here? How long had Takashi been out here? What if he was suffering from hypothermia, what could she do? What if he was struck by –

Lightning struck. Touko screamed. The flash hit the park to her right across the street, lighting up the metal bars of the jungle gym. For a split second she saw it all in stark black and white. The line of trees curved like whips in the wind, the jungle gym a ghastly skeleton, and a small figure huddled against the swing set, clinging like he’d be swept away.

“TAKASHI!”

She ran, even though she knew it was foolish and dangerous, but she hadn’t had time to think about it and she wasn’t going to stop. She saw Takashi struggle to his feet. She called again, but in the next flash she saw that he was facing away, pale, scared, mouth open like he was shouting desperately.

Suddenly the sleet in front of Takashi moved and raised itself like a curtain. No – like it was hitting a massive shadow, something curved that towered several meters above the trees, with broad, sweeping shapes at either side of it. The temperature dropped so fast Touko couldn’t force her lungs to breathe. Then the shape unfolded itself until it seemed to fill half the sky. She had just a moment to realize the shapes were wings before it struck.

A wall of air hit her like a blow. It ripped the flashlight from her hand and sent her straight back into the wall behind her. She would’ve expected her whole body to hit it, but instead she bounced off like she’d hit a rather hard pillow. She landed badly and slipped, almost cracking her chin on the pavement.

“Agh! Takashi!”

“Nyaow.”

“Nyankuchi-kun?” she gasped. The cat was suddenly in front of her, eyes glinting in the dark. It turned and bounded away.

Instantly she was back on her feet. They cut across the street heading straight for the swing set. The shadow-thing was gone but she hardly paid attention. Takashi was no longer standing. He was crouched on his hands and knees, and he was shaking badly.

“Takashi-kun!”

His head snapped up. “T-Touko-s-s-sa –”

She hadn’t even realized the storm had begun to slow until she heard his voice. She dropped next to him, checking his face and hands frantically. “What happened? Did you fall? Are you hurt? You’re so cold, how long have you been outside?”

“I –” He ducked his head. “I was – just g-going for a walk…”

“Never mind that, are you alright? Can you stand?”

“I-I think so –”

Touko caught his hand to help him and he winced. She let go immediately and grasped his arm instead, pulling him closer, trying to shield him from the wind. It was raining again, not sleeting, but Takashi was so cold she could feel it even through her own frozen fingers, and he was trembling so hard his teeth kept knocking together. She wanted to call Shigeru, but she doubted she could manipulate the buttons and she still needed both hands to support Takashi.

“Nyankuchi-kun, go get Shigeru. Bring him back to the house, please.” He sniffed at her and bounded off.

“T-T-Touko-san –”

“It’s alright, just lean on me. With your full weight! You’re so thin, do you need me to pack you bigger lunches? You’re not even wearing your raincoat! Did you outgrow it? We can buy you a new one tomorrow, next time please borrow mine or Shigeru’s coat whenever you need it. We’ll run a hot bath for you as soon as we get home. And something hot to eat and drink, whatever you like, Shigeru was going to make tea but I think we have hot chocolate somewhere –”

However long it had taken to reach the park, they made it home in only ten minutes. By that time the rain had tapered to a drizzle. They were both shivering like they’d swallowed icicles, though, and Takashi was shaking so hard he was almost gasping. Was this what hypothermia looked like? Should they go to the hospital?

“Takashi-kun, Touko!” Shigeru met them at the kitchen door and they limped inside. He was back at Takashi’s side in a second, helping him to the table. “Takashi-kun! Are you hurt? What happened?”

“H-he’s freezing, Shigeru, the bath –”

“The water’s still heating, but I started tea and hot chocolate –”

“Nyaow!”

“And warm milk for Nyangoro, please, both of you, sit down, Takashi you can borrow my robe while the tea steeps, are you wearing pajamas? If you’ve outgrown your old coat we’ll buy you a new one first thing tomorrow –”

Touko wanted to help Takashi, but her knees were so stiff with cold she could barely bend them to sit down. Shigeru was suddenly there, peeling off her drenched coat and wrapping her with warm towels around her shoulders and feet. Takashi had been given similar treatment, and she glanced away when Shigeru moved to help him take his shirt off for the robe.

Her eyes landed on the bird cage. Shiro Kuro-sama was sitting on their perch, perfectly dry. The bird watched her back, its gaze somehow pleading and piercing. She shivered and dropped her gaze to the water bowl. It was covered in a thin sheen of ice.

“Shigeru, we may need warm water for our guest.”

“Our – oh! When did they get back? Is that ice? ”

“Nyaow!”

“Right,” he said distractedly, stepping away. “Ah, Touko, Takashi-kun, tea or hot chocolate?”

“Hot chocolate for both,” Touko said, when Takashi didn’t answer. He was now fully wrapped in Shigeru’s robe, and hot towels were covering his feet, but his head was bowed and he was still shaking badly. His hands were gripping the sides of his seat so hard she could hear the wood creak. She looked more closely.

“Takashi-kun, may I see your wrist?”

He hesitated for a long second. Then he held up his left arm. She took the sleeve of Shigeru’s robe and gently rolled it back. There was a deep cut across the outside of his wrist and two lighter scratches on the inside. It reminded her very much of bird talons, but they were too large to have been made by Shiro Kuro-sama. She thought briefly of the strange shape of the rain, the way the air had moved as if beaten by enormous wings.

“Shigeru, could you get the first aid kit?”

He glanced over his shoulder and his eyes widened. “Oh – yes, of course. Here, both of you drink this, I’ll get the kit and check on the bath.”

“Thank you.”

She was almost afraid Takashi wouldn’t take the offered mug. He still hadn’t raised his head, or moved on his own at all. Shigeru must have thought the same, because he gently caught Takashi’s arm as she let go of it and pressed the steaming drink into his hand. “Slow sips, nice and steady.”

He took it, nodding, but he still hadn’t taken a single sip by the time Shigeru got back. He stayed perfectly silent as Touko disinfected his cuts and wrapped his wrist in gauze, tucking the end inside the wrap so he could take it off easily for the bath. It reminded her oddly of the time he’d come home with a cut on his right arm. Or some kind of injury, anyway – he’d wrapped half his forearm in gauze, but two days later there wasn’t a scratch left. At the time she’d only been relieved; he’d spent the night at a friend’s house in the interim, but hadn’t told her where, and she’d been more concerned about him coming home safely than anything else.

What if he hadn’t come home safely?

She remembered the shape she’d seen in the park. She didn’t even know what it was. She couldn’t see or hear it. How could she protect him from something like that? How could they ever make Takashi feel loved and safe if he could see and hear things that would hurt him – but they wouldn’t even know something was there?

She set the medical kit aside. “Takashi-kun –”

“I’m sorry.”

It was said so quietly she almost missed it. Her heart squeezed. She glanced up at Shigeru, who nodded and knelt to wrap his arm around Takashi’s shoulders. She slid down to kneel in front of him.

“Takashi-kun, we’re not angry with you. Well, a little,” she amended. “I’m upset that you don’t value your health enough to remember a raincoat. And this is the second time you’ve gone somewhere without telling us where you’ll be. Do you remember when you called me to say you were spending the night with a classmate, but didn’t tell me who?”

“I…”

“Takashi-kun,” she said gently. “You’re such a kind, thoughtful young man. I trust your judgment – most of the time, and I understand there may be things you don’t want to share with us. It’s only natural for someone your age, trying to navigate the world and find your place in it. I wish with all my heart that we could keep you safe while you do it. But we can’t. No parent can. And sometimes it makes us so worried for you, because you are so, so precious to us. You’ve brought so much joy and light into our lives. Every day Shigeru and I get to see you caring for Nyankuchi-kun, or helping Ms. Morita with her groceries, or helping me in the garden. You always support everyone around you.”

“You deserve that yourself, Takashi-kun,” Shigeru put in quietly. “You deserve to be happy and safe.”

Touko took his hand. “Even if you can’t tell us everything…even if there are some things you think we wouldn’t understand…do you think you could just tell us where you are? Please? That way, if anything ever does happen, we can come help you the moment you need us. Even if all you need is for us to be there with you. We want to do that for you, Takashi-kun. We want to be there for you.”

A small noise came from the back of Takashi’s throat. Shigeru gently rubbed circles on his upper back.

“I’m sorry,” Takashi whispered. “I’m sorry. I – I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry –”

Takashi slowly bent under the weight of his sobs, tears running down his face and dotting Shigeru’s robe. Shigeru turned and hugged him with both arms, murmuring into his hair, and Touko rubbed slow circles on the back of his hand. Tears were running down her own face by now, but they weren’t just tears of sadness. Because Takashi was slowly wrapping his fingers around her own.

Chapter Text

“It’s not too tight?”

“No, it fits really well.”

“Hmmm… You might still grow. If it does get too tight, just let me know and we’ll buy another one.”

“I…yes, thank you.”

“And you’re sure you’re warm enough? Don’t look at me like that, I thought you were going to get hypothermia!”

Takashi gave a weak laugh. She wanted to scowl, just a little, but she was too busy checking his face to make sure he really was warm. They were walking home from the vet, having scheduled a check up for Shiro Kuro, and it had only been a few days since that awful storm. Takashi had looked so pale the following day that they’d put off a shopping trip, but today was Saturday, and Touko had insisted on getting him a proper coat. Two proper coats. And a jacket.

He was wearing the jacket now – Nyankichi was currently riding in the hood – and Takashi’s face did indeed have color in it, so she let it go. Instead she looked down at Shiro Kuro.

“I wish I could make a little jacket for you, too,” she told him. The crow cawed softly.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Takashi said.

“You’re probably right, but I still feel uneasy about it. That storm was terrible… Do you think we should build some kind of – birdhouse, perhaps? Just in case?”

“We could,” Takashi said slowly. “But Ka- Shiro Kuro might not want to live in a birdhouse. We’d probably end up housing sparrows or something.”

“That’s true. Not that I’d mind sparrows.”

They reached their front gate. Nyankichi jumped out of the hood to sit on the wall – or he tried, but only his front paws made it and he had to scramble up. Touko smothered a laugh.

“I told you not to eat so many treats!” Takashi scolded.

“Ah, but he was being such a good cat!” Touko protested. “He never bothered Shiro Kuro even once. Don’t worry, I can just take him on walks while you’re at school until he looses some weight.”

Nyaow!

“To the danko shop?” Takashi suggests, and Nyankichi looks somewhat mollified. Touko hides a giggle behind her hand. Well, fine – even if cats can’t eat danko, maybe she can get some for Takashi and Shigeru. And hide a shrimp in her pocket for Nyankichi, because really, he did deserve a little treat now and then for helping Takashi sleep at night.

“Will you wait by the door for me?” she asked Takashi. “I know we could have released Shiro Kuro right there at the vet, but I have something special I want to get first.”

“I’m sure Shiro Kuro doesn’t mind,” Takashi said quietly.

“I’ll be quick, I promise!”

She fetched a small plate of apple slices and a handful of seeds for Shiro Kuro, then hurried upstairs to get her jewelry box. She already knew exactly what she was looking for. She put the box away, cupped the gift in her hands and was back downstairs only a few minutes later.

She reached the kitchen and paused. Takashi was still sitting on the back porch, Shiro Kuro to his right and Nyankichi on his left, and he seemed to be speaking in a low voice.

“…say that,” he murmured. A pause, and he lowered his head. “Yes. They are.”

Touko ducked out of view. When a few seconds went by and he didn’t speak again, she stepped back into the kitchen, intentionally bumping a chair on her way to the door. Takashi looked up when he heard the noise, and his eyes fell on her hands. He went very still.

“Touko-san…?”

She grinned sheepishly and held it out. It was a little gold ring, fit for a child’s hand, set with a single garnet.

“I know crows tend to prefer shiny objects. I’ve had this for ages – I think I got it as a birthday gift in middle school, but of course I can’t wear it now. I wondered if Shiro Kuro would like it.”

“A – a ring?” Takashi asked, sounding slightly anxious.

“I know it’s a bit extravagant,” she said with a laugh, “but I had the oddest dream last night, and – well I didn’t want to give him a fake ring, not after he’s been such a lovely guest.”

“Er…” Takashi glanced at Shiro Kuro, but the bird was turning very carefully to face Touko, leaning forward. It opened its mouth and cawed. Touko held the ring up to the bars. It opened its beak, delicately, and she gasped softly when he took the ring. It wasn’t just the special feeling of an animal trusting her so much. A kind of charge passed through the ring, something aching and sweet that almost brought tears to her eyes.

Kaw.

“I’m glad you like it,” Touko whispered.

Takashi leaned forward and opened the door to the cage. Shiro Kuro glanced at Touko, then at Takashi. Then –

“Oh!”

She’d expected him to hop to the door and then fly off from there, but instead he flew straight from his perch, spreading his wings the second he was through the opening, like a beam of pure light. He swept low over the garden, then straight up and through the wisteria branches (“Cheeky little thing!” Touko laughed, as the other crows startled) and then flew in circles, higher and higher above the garden, until he soared away with Touko’s childhood ring shining in his beak.

“Oh, oh that was beautiful! ” Touko exclaimed.

“Yeah.”

“Oh, I knew we should’ve waited for Shigeru to come home! I wish he hadn’t had to make up his work today, that was amazing. Well, he’ll hear all about it over dinner, and I’m so glad Shiro liked the ring. Would – Takashi-kun?”

“Ah, I’m okay,” he said, wiping his eyes.

“If you’re sure,” she said anxiously. “Well…why don’t we go inside for a bit? I was going to garden since the weather’s finally nice again, but –”

“May I garden with you?”

“It’s not too cold?”

“No, it’s not cold here,” he said, with a funny little smile. “And I have my wonderful new jacket.”

She smiled back warmly. “Alright. Then, let’s do some weeding and pick some things for a soup tonight. Whatever you feel like eating.”

“Thank you, Touko-san.”

Nyaow?

She laughed. “You can pick too, Nyankichi. Takashi-kun, finish your snack and I’ll get our gardening gloves.”

She found herself glancing through the kitchen window as she passed, already missing Shiro Kuro. Well, perhaps he would come back. And she’d like to be ready for him, so perhaps she should keep the cage handy just in case, although there might be things a spirit would need that she could get him for next time –

“Ah!”

That was it, of course! It would be perfectly reasonable to think that Shiro wasn’t an ordinary bird, what with his beautiful white feathers and the ice in his water dish. Yes, it would make perfect sense for her to do a little reading on spirits and local shrines. Just in case he ever decided to visit again, of course, and she was sure Shigeru would be interested, as well. If that knowledge ever let them help or protect Takashi, well, wouldn’t that be wonderfully convenient?

She was humming to herself, smiling, as she returned to the garden.