The Crane

I don't understand the girls.

Now I had another thing that confused my mind, right before the war. The whole situation was such an enigma. Even though the priorities were clear in my mind, my heart was declaring its own independence, separated from it. What if it comes to a point where I...I...

No.

I can't let my instincts take over me. I know what needs to be done. All I have to do is do the right thing, as always.

As always?

Killing your own father must have been the right thing, huh?

It has nothing to do with it... It was different.

You don't deserve to be loved.

You are a goddamn murderer.

Your only purpose is to kill people.

And you started by killing your very own father.

You are destined to suffer.

You are ordered to kill.

You are weak, however.

You couldn't protect your mother.

You couldn't see your never-born sister.

Your father cursed after your name.

And even your beloved brother left you behind.

JUST SHUT IT!

A whistle of a ghost. It's a phenomenon from the folk tales. I'm calling it madness these days. The same thing happened before; it was like my mother ordering me to kill my father to avenge her. It makes you blind, it breaks your mind... But then, once you have done your purpose, it becomes all clear. The reality hits you with all its strength, and you wake up to another nightmare. After that point, you start to doubt your own thoughts. You start to be afraid of yourself. Ugh, what a pain.

I wonder what the trigger was just now.

"Is everything alright, young man?"

Same park, same bench, same time. The old man sat beside me once again, without me even realising it.

"Your mind seemed to be somewhere else entirely," said the old man calmly.

"Oh, sorry."

"Ahh, don't worry about it. Too much stress is not good for your health, just you to know."

"Yeah, you're totally right. I must have been more careful."

Just like the last time, he had some seeds to feed birds with him.

"Would you like to try it?" the old man asked.

His voice was kind and inviting. Of course, I accepted his kind offer, and then we began to feed the birds together. As the sun slowly rose, a flock of birds fluttered around us. Honestly, it brought a small but comforting sense of peace to both of my heart and mind.

"Do you know why I like the birds, young man?"

"Because they are the symbol of freedom?"

The old man laughed heartily.

"Yes, they are free. But it's not only that. It actually varies in different cultures and even in mythologies. Most of the birds symbolize freedom and the soul due to their ability to fly. They also symbolize rebirth due to their natural processes, like molting and the growth of new feathers. The Phoenix, in particular, symbolizes both rebirth and immortality across various cultures. Owls symbolize wisdom, and ravens were known as the messengers of Odin, yet they also symbolize death and despair beside the crows. In Japan, cranes symbolize loyalty and love, and in Anatolia, storks were considered sacred, as well as protective spirits."

"It's more complicated than I expected. But in the end, it's still freedom for most of the people, right?"

"Perhaps it is. However, not everyone sees the doves and crows as equals. Especially crows and ravens were always dedicated as bad luck, moreover a bad omen.

Maybe he was right. Nobody would have thought of freedom or something else by looking at a crow. Even I knew that they were often seen as harbingers of bad events in many folk tales. Ravens are luckier, though. They are loyal servants of the Odin, and as far as I know, they also symbolize wisdom in Norse mythology.

"Now tell me, young man. Which bird do you see flying in your destiny?"

That was an unexpected question. It came so suddenly, and I had no idea about how to answer it. What was that supposed to mean? Why was he asking such a question to me? No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find a proper answer to give. After a short while, the old man stood up and turned his back before leaving.

"You don't know yet, then. I see. Well, there's no harm. You'll eventually find the answer by yourself."

At the moment the old man began to walk away, I felt like his answer to his own question might help me find my own answer. I decided to ask him before he left.

"What would be the answer for you, then?"

"Hmm. Nice question. I'd be a crane, probably."

At that moment, I didn't understand it very well. It didn't seem like a regular question that someone would ask someone just because they wondered about their answer. That old man was expecting me to give a definitive answer. Later that day, I decided to do some research about cranes. I wasn't sure what kind of answer I should expect. But still, there was something bothering me about this, and I couldn't resist my urge to learn. However, I reached an answer faster than I expected. In some cultures, they were also symbolizing dignity, grace, and, furthermore, authority.

Now that made a few things clear.

Normally, eagles and falcons are the symbols of authority besides power and strength. But in their situation, the authority comes from their power. The eagle was a symbol of the Roman legions and represented the strength and authority of Rome. In Ancient Egypt, there was a falcon-headed god named Horus that represented kingship and the sky. Pharaohs were often depicted as falcons as well, signifying their divine right to rule. However, the cranes were different. As I already said, the crane represented authority, dignity, and grace in various cultures. Unlike the eagles and falcons, the crane's symbolism focused more on its dignified presence and the respect it commanded, rather than physical power or strength.

So I came to a conclusion.

I didn't have anything to prove in my hands, to be honest. I felt like people would have already noticed it way before me. However, I couldn't think of any other reason. It'd have been easier if it was all just a funny coincidence. Nothing would have changed, and it'd be just a random lecture by an old man. But until I proved it wrong, I had no other choice but to accept it as it was.

It'd all make sense if he really is that very known Yakuza leader, Yamakawa Danno.