Episode VII - Accidental Crow!

November 9th - Ruruka POV
────────────⊰

Being an interior designer is fun because I get to talk with great people! To be frank, it was fun because I had some pretty interesting clients who had some ideas! I quickly helped them with my constructive feedback, giving advice and how to improve. One of them, who was it….oh right!

Junko Miki! She was one of my high school friends. She recently got married and asked me for help to design their house, given the fact that her honeymoon is in a few days and that they didn’t have enough time.

I used up my morning and afternoon to lay out the foundation and design with my tablet. And when they come back, I will surprise them! I then had more calls since I can’t just work on one task. Although I felt pretty overwhelmed, I asked my supervisor for a break later in the day because I was tired. It’s around dinner time.

As I got back home, I was greeted with silence.

“Hana-chan…?” I looked around for her, only to see her wobbling about from her room. Her foothold was shaky and she collapsed in my arms.

“Hana-?!” I held her gently and her face was extremely red. Her left eye was a little dilated.

“What did you eat…?” I looked at her desk and got distressed. Ara…liquor chocolate.

“Who knew you had weak tolerance….” I laughed at her carelessness. I carefully and gently guided her towards the couch and sat her down, her face, dazed and groggily.

“Just how many have you had..?” I asked her.

“W-wanted to try my tolerance…..I think….six is my limit…,” she weakly said. Six?! Wow! My tolerance to liquor is pretty weak, I think three at max, but Hana-chan? That’s amazing! Although she felt weak, her senses were still acute to her surroundings. I got a cup of water to help sober her up.

“Ruruka~ oide~” (“come here~”)

I tilted my head and I headed to her, placing the cup of water on the table, but she pulled me in for a kiss which startled me. Her savory chocolate-like taste melted into my kiss as I leaned in to return it. Suddenly, she let go and sneezed in front of me—her hands became cold and I felt a cloud of smoke around me. Poof!

I coughed as the white cloud vanished and somehow, I felt smaller in size. Wait…masaka…!! (don’t tell me….!!)

“Hanako!” I blurted out her name.

“W-what did you do to me?!” I looked down at my feet and I became a crow! By accident! Oh crap! How am I supposed to design Junko’s home in this state?!

Calling Hanako by her name got her startled as she saw me in a body of a bird, she grabbed the cup of water and drank it, which helped sober and calm her down.

“Shit..! I didn’t mean to…!” she apologized.

“D-don’t worry…it’s fine…,” I accepted her apology.

“Undo this, please….!”

“I’m going to be trouble if I don’t hurry and finish Junko’s design request…!”

“I’m sorry...but I barely remember how to undo it…,” she became hesitant, answering my worries.

“Y-you w-what?!” I got angry, I jumped and plucked at her hand, demanding her to turn me back.

“H-hey! Ow..!” she laughed, “there are some abilities that I don’t use often and I sometimes forget…..”

“Can you be patient with me..? As I try to figure out the ability?”

I stopped my tantrum to give her time to recollect her thoughts, but, even as she tried, her mind was already taking too much stress, not just from the chocolate.

“Okay okay…I’ll be patient….,” I eased in to comfort her. The countless times I’ve seen her in her bird form, made me realize that she sees the world a bit different, and this unique perspective was interesting, to say the least.

“So, this is how you are as a bird…” I jumped up and flew in the air, remembering how she flies and her wings flapping. I mimicked it perfectly as I flew around the room. I landed on her shoulder.

“Wow! Flying seems much easier!”

She laughed, “you got that in one try?! When I discovered my bird form, it took me ten tries, just by trying to copy the experts!”

“Well, I learn pretty quickly. I just remembered how you do it~” I told her, as I kept hovering around. It felt freeing, my wings flap as air helped support me.

“Then, do you want to go to the roof?” Hana asked me. I nodded eagerly and jumped onto her shoulder. Both of us went up to the rooftop of the apartment and we were back where she first took off flight. I launched myself off of her shoulder and flew in the air, it felt really freeing having the wind push against me as I flap my wings.

“This feels amazing….!” I sang as I flew around Hana, the wind gracefully guided me through the air.

“You look like a natural!” she watched me fly around with ease. I laughed happily as I flew around, making it seem easy until a huge gust of wind pushed me, unable for me to control my aerial path.

“H-Hana….!!” I yelled in fear for her as this huge gust made me lose my flight, my feathers and wings, disheveled. In a worried state, she jumped and transformed, catching me with her talons gently. She flew back to the ground and turned back into her human form and had me in her hands, patting me as I was scared from that huge surprise.

“A-are you okay…?” she said calmly. I looked up at her with distress because not only I was excited about flying like this, it made me realize my inexperience with such powerful gusts of wind.

“It scared me….,” I held my head down, tired.

“But that thrill…? It was exhilarating!!”

We both laughed at my little fallback, but, she explained more about her bird form and what she could do. She told me she can control that “gyroscope” ability that all avian animals have, stabilizing in the wind while their head acts like a ball, locked in place, targeting at smaller prey for food.

I mean, I’ve studied zoology and biology before, but this was still new to me. Acknowledging her powers are one thing, but her intelligence? It might be better than mine and I’m a little jealous! I do remember one thing about crows is that THEY know faces, clear as day! They’re different than ravens, but still! I’m glad she came into my life~

Wait, if that’s the case, I wonder if that’s why Hana confessed to me, after all those countless times of trying to get me to lower my heart for her (which worked by the way). Perhaps it was way too effective. Or is it me that’s the crow? coughs I’m a ninja! Not a crow…! But honestly? I’m Ruruka. Koa, Ruruka. That’s me and who I chose to be.

Being in the form of a crow is making me think bird like thoughts. Seeds. Peck. Heh.

“Hana…,” I gently pecked her hand. “pet me more…”

Even as I invite her intimately, she still stays by my side. I felt her big hands gently pat my head like a pet, which reminded me of my pet parrot back at the ninja clan.

“What’s wrong?” she asked me.

“Ehh~ nothing really. I’m just glad you came into my life, babe~” I teased her with romantic pet names. Suddenly, my little bird stomach rumbled and I felt famished.

“Do birds always get hungry?”

“What do you think?” she laughed and picked me up, heading back to our complex. Yeah. I haven’t eaten much today, just light meals.

“Wait, Hana~” I said. We had just entered back home.

“Birds follow the north magnetic strip for migration, right?”

“Yeah! It’s a compass!” she agreed.

“Why do you think birds do that?” I asked her.

“Well simply, its built into them. Birds follow the north magnetic fields to find warmth from different places, depending on the region,” she explained, “it helps them maintain direction, like a GPS system!”

Hearing her say that made me realize something. Whenever she’s going to appear in her bird form, she always have to think true north, due north, right? What if…she tries thinking true south?

“How do you know if you’ve changed into a bird?” I followed up with a question.

This time she said, “I think north. Warmth. Migration. Or you~”

I blushed when she mentioned me.

“Then, what do you do when you revert back?” I follow up again.

“I think south. To release. To let go,” she responded, “wait, are you implying that..?”

“You can do the same for me! When you sneezed accidently, you extended your form’s power of “north” onto me!” I deduced based on my observations, “crows remember, right?”

The moment she realized, she wonders if that was the case.

“Why don’t you try turning me back, this time, honing your south sense on me?” I told her. I watched her hands, her palms specifically, point at me. She tries to muster her ability but out came a smoke of unrefined dust.

“No can do… I think the chocolate is still messing with me,” she admitted, “can we eat something to flush it out of my system?”

“Of course!” I agreed. Hana can get this right, if she can focus. Although my stay as a bird might be short, it was fun, if I was being honest. This time, I watched her make dinner, without interrupting. She was talented! I guess working with Aoi-san really helped her confidence in her skills come back. Thanks, Aoi!

She gracefully cooked up a splendid meal: Miso Soup with Takoyaki and Sushi, which has enough grease, fat, and water to sober up from being drunk.

“Who knew birds can eat everything~” she fed me small pieces of the food, and it was delicious.

“That’s rich, coming from you~” I tease her. Mmmm….such a warm, tender meal made with love. I want more of that, I want more of her warmth.

My heart makes me want to lean on her and….give her words like, “good girl,” or, “you’ve done well.” I am proud of Hana, my beloved flower~

As soon as we finished eating, I felt completely bloated from the great food she served. She took a quick nap to sleep off that digestion period and after a while, she woke up refreshed. She drank some water again, and this time, she felt confident she could change me back.

“Alright! Let’s turn you back to normal!” She gestured to me with her hands. I happily waddled to her like a precarious wild bird, and with her hands pointing out, I felt something change in me. My bird senses started to disappear and a “poof!” sounded. The white dust of cloud disappeared and I was back! Back in human flesh!

“Yay!~” I became happy, all because I was patient with Hana’s powers. Had I not trusted her, I would’ve been stuck like this. I’ll say this again, but, Hana, I’m proud of you, being with me to every step of the way.

“Welcome back, Ruruka!~” she hugged me, missing my human form. I returned it , knowing that she trusted me too.

“Hana, don’t ever do that again without warning me, alright?” I reminded her, booping her nose slightly.

She laughed, “okay!~”

Today was pretty fun, and I got to experience something new, Hana’s viewpoint as a bird in disguise. It was intriguing and daring, for me at least, to see her through her eyes of her spirit animal.

─────⊰ ✦ ⊱─────

The 10th day came and I headed out to Junko’s house to order pictures and furniture, because I said this would be on the house (pun intended) as a celebratory gift for her when she comes back from her honeymoon. I had ordered what I thought would suit Junko’s taste: classy and minimal.

But before I could carry out my task, I asked my supervisor if I could focus on this, so I wouldn’t get any distracting calls, even if there were other clients requesting help. She gladly accepted. Now I can put the energy into delivering a great present for my friend! I will never get tired of designing homes.

It’s because each style is different, and how it feels different from usual familiarity, the sense of longing and home. Hana-chan tagged along because she wanted to help with moving furniture.

“I mean, I can do it alone…,” I told her.

“Wouldn’t it be better with two people?” she asked me, “we need to look out for each other, even if some furniture are heavy,”

“(unlike me who has unbridled strength…).”

I laughed at her joke and played it off cool all while she helped me out. Together, we first moved the heavy items before we worked smaller, because it would be easier to lay out the design afterwards.

We unboxed the bigger items first and assembled them with ease, because this was all done with Hana’s great learning speed. She followed through with the instructions quickly and I helped look over it just to make sure everything was okay.

Once the bigger furniture were in spots, it was time for the smaller items. The living space felt homey and comfortable, the kitchen felt nice, almost like a chef’s workspace, but cleaner.

“Hey, Ruruka…,” Hana called for me. I went towards her.

“Wouldn’t this plant be better near the entrance? It doesn’t really match the vibe of it being next to the television…”

“Y-you’re right…!” I stepped back to look at the design and what she said was true. It felt out of place since the TV had a very sleek frame and design.

“Let’s move them...,” she said, picking them up with ease and setting them down near the door. Coming back, the area around the TV felt bland. I wanted to fill something there but…what..?

“Hmmm…,” I thought out loud, observing the area.

“What about these? Aren’t these theatre speakers?” Hana pointed to the unboxed items. They were a bit tall and clunky, and I didn’t know if they would fit.

“Let’s try it!” I said as I unboxed them. Both of us casually took them out and paired them up with the TV, and when we were done, it felt like it fit.

“That looks much better than the plants!” I took notice of the design. I mean, heck, they’re appliances, technology, to be fair. It’s natural if they go side by side. As I looked around, the wall behind the area still felt blank. The semi-white tone of the walls felt like it was out of place, because next to the TV were wooden-like frames that were built into the house.

“Do you not have soundproofing boards?” Hana looked around the list of boxed items we had lying about.

“I didn’t really think of that…,” I wryly laughed.

“Wait, how do you know about those?”

“Ruruka, I’m not some kind of dummy! Idiot~” she teased me.

“Alright. If you say that these will fit, I’ll trust that!” I took out my phone to look some up online and ordered some. They were fairly cheap. The whole house was almost done, so, we cleaned up the area. Even as we do, a lot of torn boxes from unboxing kept piling up and up.

“Man, there’s so much….,” I was exhausted from standing and bending over, but Hana, she didn’t feel anything at all.

“How can you still move..?!”

I watch her go about, using her speed to pick up empty trash.

“I always hold back for a reason~” she told me.

“Unless….”

She picked up a box and crumpled it down using her strength. It became a cardboard ball, around the size of a soccer ball. I had a shocked look, surprised, looking at a ball that felt very smooth even though it was crumpled down.

“What the f-?!” I held it and it perfectly fit the shape of my hand.

“Can you do this for every single one? Please???”

I’m absolutely stunned!!! She shouldn’t be holding back her strength for this..! I mean, I know she’s powerful, but still, she should use her abilities whenever the situation seems fit!

“ii~yo~” she happily started. I sat down on a chair to take a breather while I watched her do what she did with the first box. And after a while, the whole place was clean, but with…soccer ball boxes!

“Phew~!” she got up with the last one in her hands.

“You really are amazing, aren’t you?~” I compliment her and she thanked me.

“Well…~” she smiled, scratching her head.

“I don’t like boasting about my abilities, but, if you’re really saying that, I’m happy~!”

I gestured her to come towards me, and I gave her a hug. We had a fun day, and a hug was a best way to calm down. Her softness and warmth made me melt into it, and I…want this moment to stay.

“You’ve done well, Ruruka~” she comes in and kisses me on my lips, I was startled at first, but, I returned it. Her touch, her warm and gentle embrace….I want more.

Is it wrong to crave for more affection…? My heart is feeling doki-doki and red, I don’t want this to end. I let go of the kiss and say, “let’s save this more for home, okay?”

“Of course,~” she smiled in response, and with such a cute and earnest smile, my heart screams out with love.

(⁄ ⁄>⁄ ▽ ⁄<⁄ ⁄)

The soundproofing boards won’t come in a few days so it should be alright. We still have enough time to wrap up with small things for Junko’s house before she comes back on the 13th. We packed up our things and headed back home, to make late dinner. It was already six in the evening and we were famished.

─────⊰ ✦ ⊱─────

When we arrived back home, I was greeted with familiarity again. My place and my comfort, now, with Hana in my life. I was still so tired from all the heavy lifting, my body felt sore.

“Hana~ I want to eat your cooking~” I told her.

“Something feels better about yours….”

“It’s like you make it…with love and passion!~”

“Well, that’s because I think of you now!~” she blurted out. Hearing her say that jabbed my heart. Auuegh~I love her so much!~

“What do you want to eat?” she asked me.

Hmmm, do I crave anything right now…? I want something that is delicious and fat…and round?

“What about…Takoyaki?~” I suggested.

“I know we ate some before, but….paper soccer balls…”

My mind kept drifting back to those boxes Hana had turned into those, and I just can’t help but stay in awe. You’ve grown so much, Hanako~!

(¯ ³¯)♡

“I can make those again~!” she started to take out ingredients from the fridge.

“Yatta!~” I got excited to eat her cooking again. My little flower bird is so full of life now! But not only that, her cooking skills are so much better than mine. I wonder where she took the time to learn.

“Say, how can you even cook?” I asked, curious about where she learnt these skills.

“I want to cook for you, Hana~”

“Aoi-san taught me after work!” she responded. Her again, huh? She’s like a mentor for Hana! I have to thank her properly the next time I see her.

“I can cook lots of different dishes now!~”

“Oh?” my ears perked up, “then, how about fried rice as the main dish?”

“Of course,~ anything for you m’lady~” she bowed down with the hem of her skirt lifted up slightly. What is she, my maid? I laughed as I watched her start cooking. The thought of having someone in my house never really crossed my mind before.

Before all this happened, taking her in, breaking down (emotionally), repairing that love and sacred bond… I was usually cold and harsh, even before I dated Haruhi Aoi.

But now that I’ve changed, I can see that having someone in my life changed my input about realizing each other’s flaws and mistakes. To point them out and change is what makes us human and flawed, not perfect or invincible.

I took Hanako in when I first encountered her in that park, wanting to protect and care, but, as time passed, my emotions changed, made me confused, until she was the one that broke me down, completely. It’s funny, considering that our histories are similar: the feeling of being lonely. I have to believe this is fate, or destiny. It’s like it was interwoven into our lives like a romantic love story.

She didn’t just come into my life and “fix” me out of spite, she allowed me to grow and to learn from these experience and moments, even if they were ups or downs. I had to learn to let my guard down, because that was all she ever cared for, even if I acted differently. If we hadn’t had met, I wonder what the future would be if we didn’t meet like that. But, right now? In this present? The gift of today?

It was worth it.

To see her smile like this.

I want it to last……foreeeevveeerr……

“I’m done!~” Hana said taking the dishes over to me. She sat them down on the coffee table and I slowly got up not to hurt my straining muscles. It smells nice.

“What a nice smell…” I took a pair of chopsticks and grabbed a mixture of takoyaki and fried rice. I chowed down into it and…..

It tastes like love….!! \(♡°▽°♡)/*

“What do you think?” she asked me. Tears of love stream down my face and I say, “it’s delicious, Hana…,”

“W-why are you crying over a meal?” she laughed at me playfully.

I wipe my tears away and say, “I’ve never had someone cook for me in my entire life…”

“I’m glad…,” she wiped some messy stains away from my mouth with a cloth. “I’m really glad you like my cooking.”

We chatted amongst ourselves as we ate our dinner, and when the time passed, we washed up the dishes, cleaned ourselves, and got ready for bed. But this time? Together. I had reverted the guestroom back to normal (where she used to sleep in) and now, she’s sleeping with me.

Her soft hair, her body, which clung to me, yet gentle, made me want more of her love and her passion. She was the one who saw me at my highest and lowest, and I will say this again: she really helped me overcome the fear of being over-bearing. And reflecting on my time with her made me realize something: that love through pain is the best kind of teacher.

Over the next few days, Junko came back to her house, newly redesigned. She was so excited to see it. It was like her home had welcomed her back with love. Seeing the love in her eyes and her new safe space made me think about my relationship with Hana—her love was always patient. No matter the difficulties we face.

Hanako Reina is my home.

Love....It's not always perfect.It’s messy - It hurts, but also learns.It’s also patient and kind.It’s all because ofHanako Reina.She’s always been patient,with me.

Σ>―(〃°ω°〃)♡→