/jp/ - Otaku Culture

She tenses with confusion, and I hear a mumbled "What…?" Before gently breaking the hug, her big, inquisitive eyes on me.

I turn, testing my balance, and deeming it good enough, walk up to an immense glass window on the wall, this one not leading to a view of the outside Bamboo Forest but instead vision to an area full of cradles where the most diverse newborns—from purely human to all sorts of youkai—were asleep or being fed.

My eyes focused only on two: pinkish hairs, small, cute wings folded, sharing one cradle.

Joy permeated my heart—they're safe…—, but I couldn't stop it from being tainted like an ink spill by the memories of that night of persecution—always a mistake away of death and demise; to have their melodic cries silenced forever… I hadn't noticed when my hand touched the glass, as if trying to reach them, but the white fury coursing my veins and making it clench brought me from the depths of my mind, Suzu by my side watching it all concerned, her hand drawing small circles on my back. "… Others tried to decide our fates: their mother, Mystia, threw them off her nest because they were born frail and tiny… Stoning my body; whispering lies; deciding I'd birth Akyuu; taking away my job for mere delusion…" The utter rage in my voice made Suzu wince. "… I fought an entire night to protect them, Suzu," I said after a small silence, her eyes tensing. "For their lives. For my life. I fought against thousands… and I won. I didn't stay on the ground. I didn't cry, plead." I stared into her eyes. "I fought."

'No one deserves to be an object.'

Those words of Anon ring truer now than ever. To have your life decided for you, have things out of your control to be used against you…

"Is this what you are planning to do, Keine? Fight…?" There was fear in her voice, features contorted, and I could understand what she might be thinking of right now—violence, blood, those same wounds plaguing my body… Suzu always had an imaginative mind, after all.

… I giggle, my eyes turning to the newborns cuddling with each other, free hand approaching my belly—

"I'll fight, Suzu…"

—my hand retracts before touching it, the other on the glass tightening and though its edge fades away, it gives space to something softer.

I've lost everything—my friend, my job, reputation…

… But I haven't lost what Anon and Suzu taught me. A teacher, after all, is just a big kid that keeps on learning.

My eyes soften, and that giggle becomes a full-fledged smile I throw towards Suzu; "I'll fight… to have my best friend by my side again; to earn her forgiveness. To recover my job… I'll fight for those misguided kids who stoned me; teach them to question what they're told, never superficially believing lies… Suzu, I'll fight to help change the village I call home into a better place. Violence may be needed; history shows you need the pen and the sword.” I turn away from the window and openly stare at Suzu, my eyes big and determinated, body tall, posture decided. I smile lightly, too. "But for me and those kids… I'll fight so we can have a better life."

Against all odds, I won that night.

All that I faced there, however, pales in comparison to people's minds, to lies, to changing a flawed community…

… But like that night, I won't fall.

I look at the kids again—a boy and a girl, sleeping so soundly, resting from the pain they were put through—and my blood courses with two things I can only better describe as: hope and responsibility.

My smile gets a tad mellower.

"… You are planning to adopt them?" Suzu whispers, smile soft. I glance at her, then back at them…

Hope to never give up.

Responsibility to keep on moving, despite everything.

Slowly, I nod.

"Hm, great. Minus two problems for me."

"H-Huh?!" Suzu yelps, hiding behind me, scared by the sudden voice that comes from our side. White-haired woman holding a clipboard, eyes tired, wearing a white coat.

Eirin raises an eyebrow at Kosuzu before turning to me. "Hello, my rogue patient. Already walking, good," she throws at me a bag I didn't even notice she was carrying, eyes glued to her clipboard. "All the medication you'll need for recovery, leaflet with their chronograms is inside. Be sure to rest a lot, drink a lot of water. Suggested diet is also inside; it's a suggestion only in name; follow it strictly," she stops her pen for a moment—when she began to write?—but soon resumes, a small, demure smile on her face. "… Adoption should be easy; they were rejected by their mother and thrown off the nest, after all. And I trust you. Appear whenever you feel like it. Here's the bill. Have a good day."

And the doctor was gone just as fast as she came… “She was observing us this entire time, wasn't she?” Suzu sigh as I nod and look at the hospital bill in my hands, feeling hollow with all the prices and—

I freeze, then I frown…

… And my eyes well with tears.

Confused, Suzu looks at it… Then looks at me, hiding her mouth. I smile. Suzu began crying, too.

'Payment due in X/X/2123'