Chapter 118 - Special Chapter: A Day in Okita Village (Sam's Rampage)
This is the middle part of the special chapter.
After hearing Lily's side of the story, Fam and Sam headed for Cicci's place, though they were already at a loss as to what they should do.
"Do you want to go to the city, Fam?"
Fam shook her head at Sam's question. The thought was preposterous. She wanted to stay here in the village with everyone.
"But the dog-ear fortune-telling we did the other day said you'd be a 'city dog,' right?"
Dog-ear fortune-telling was a popular trend among the youth of the dog-eared race. It predicted one's future based on the shape of their ears. Its accuracy was unproven, but it was rumored to have been left behind for the dog-eared people by the legendary hero Okita Soji, and was said to be remarkably accurate. Sam and Nick's fortunes had come out as 'village dogs.' But Fam had a feeling that Nick was the one who actually hoped to be a 'city dog.' Nick loved playing explorer around the village, making Fam and Sam his 'squad members.' He would drag them out on some adventure at every opportunity.
"What about you, Sam? What will you do if Nick says he's going to the city?"
"Huh? I don't think Nick would ever go to the city," Sam replied. Neither of them seemed aware of it, but Fam had noticed that Sam and Nick were drawn to each other. She thought it was a wonderful thing, but there were times she felt like a third wheel, which made her lonely. For Fam, the very idea of falling in love with someone was a mystery. The fairy tales her father told her at her bedside every night included stories of grand romances. She understood that people in love got married. But she could never grasp why people fell in love. It was the same with Sam and Nick. She could vaguely sense they were attracted to each other, but she didn't understand why.
As they neared Cicci's house, they saw him practicing swings with a wooden stick. When he noticed Fam and the others, he stopped and gave them a one-handed wave in greeting. He had the same white-furred dog ears as Lily. She and Cicci were distant relatives. Children of the dog-eared race inherited their mother's ears. However, there were rare exceptions where a child was born with features from both parents. They were called a 'Mix' and were held in extremely high regard. The elder of Shun's village was a Mix, and people came from as far as the western kingdoms beyond the empire just to see him. Cicci already knew that Fam had been appointed Arbiter. A village official had already informed him. Since there was no one else around, they began their inquiry right there.
"When are you going to the city, Cicci?" Sam asked.
"Winter is coming. I'll spend the winter in the village. I plan to leave for the city in the spring."
"Even if Lily says she's not going?"
Cicci's expression hardened as he nodded.
"Even if we have to live apart, I'll live in the city for a year. If it works out, I'll come back for Lily."
"But Lily says she's going to marry Shun?"
Cicci bit his lip, his face twisting in pain.
"Just as Lily can't stop me from doing what I've decided, I can't stop her from…"
He trailed off. He's just being stubborn, Fam thought. Why couldn't they just be honest with each other?
"Out of curiosity, what are you going to do when you get to the city?"
"…Become an adventurer. I actually got the Dog Swordsman job at the church during my temple service."
Fam and Sam exchanged a look at Cicci's words.
"Doesn't that mean… even if Lily went to the city with you, you couldn't live together?"
Fam felt she now understood why Lily was hesitating. Even if she followed Cicci to the city, Lily would be all alone whenever he was out on an adventure. For Fam and Sam, who had only ever known life within the village, the thought of being alone was nothing short of terrifying. But Cicci was willing to put Lily through that because he wanted to go to the city that badly. As a side note, relationships in the village were based on free love, and couples decided for themselves whom to marry. Parents often got carried away and impulsively arranged engagements for their children, but no child ever followed through. The parents didn't mind either, since it was usually decided on a whim, and many kids ended up with more fiancés than they could remember anyway.
"Please show me the bracelet. The light-blue one."
It was the first time Fam had spoken to Cicci directly. He nodded and rolled up his sleeve. It was a simple metal bracelet, set with a small, light-blue stone. Fam and Sam gasped when they saw it. A jeweler had visited the village over the summer and shown them brilliant gems, and the glow of this little stone couldn't compare. But to Fam and the others, it seemed more dazzlingly beautiful than any jewel. Fam understood then. Cicci had made his decision. He had already started walking in the direction indicated by that light-blue glow. Nothing anyone could say would stop him. She realized she had goosebumps and rubbed her arms. Cicci smiled sheepishly and hid the bracelet.
"One last question. Is that okay?"
Cicci nodded at Sam's words.
"When you and Lily were… you know… did you show her that bracelet?"
The emotion vanished from Cicci's face at her question.
"Did Lily… did she tell you that?" he asked in a quiet tone.
"I have a duty of con-fi-den-tiality? I can't talk about Lily's secrets."
"No, we never—" "Eek! Cicci's being dirty!"
Before Cicci could finish, Sam covered her ears, shrieked, and ran away. Fam let out a similar shriek and chased after her.
The journey to Shun's village took long enough for the sun's position to shift noticeably. The path wasn't wide enough for a carriage; they had to follow a narrow trail that was more like an animal track. Fam and Sam walked quickly. They were surrounded by trees, and it felt as if a monster or a wild beast could appear at any moment. Walking as a pair was unnerving. She wished Nick were here, but he was in a cell.
"We just ran off… I hope that was okay," Fam murmured.
"Well, he was about to say something dirty!" Sam puffed out her cheeks and pouted. There was no one there to point out that she was the one who had prompted him.
"I think he was probably going to say that he and Lily didn't do anything."
At Fam's words, Sam stopped dead in her tracks.
"What do you mean? You think Lily lied to us?"
"Either that, or Cicci was about to lie. But he didn't seem like he was going to lie."
Sam peered into Fam's face.
"If you say so, then it must be true. Probably. But that means Lily was the one who lied. Why would she?"
Sam placed a finger on her chin and tilted her head. It didn't seem like there was any reason for Lily to lie. Fam tilted her head in the same way, but no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't understand Lily's feelings.
"Anyway, we're almost at Shun's village. Let's hurry."
Like Fam's home, Shun's village was surrounded by a wooden fence. It was about the same size, too. Two muscular men stood at the village entrance. They looked like identical twins and were dressed the same: shaved heads with sharp, pointed ears standing at attention, skin-tight trousers that clung to their dark leather-like skin, and vests with the sleeves crudely ripped off. Weren't they cold? They also wore spiked shoulder pads and carried wooden clubs studded with iron nails.
"Hyaaaahahahaha! Look what the cat dragged in, you little runts! We saw you shits comin' from a mile away!"
One of the men trembled as he flipped them the middle finger. Sam's eyes welled with tears as she ducked behind Fam, whimpering. Fam wanted to hide too, but she summoned her courage and spread her arms to shield Sam.
"So? What the hell're you here for today, huh?!"
The man's voice was a harsh roar. Fam fought the urge to run, forcing herself to stand her ground.
"I-I'm the Arbiter. I've come to speak with Shun."
"Huuuh? Oh, that business. Yeah, we heard. Welcome! Alright, boys, get the fire ready! Time for a roastin'!"
The man yelled, and the path was cleared. The two skinheads led them into the village. Fam and Sam felt like they were walking to their doom. Had Lily really visited a village filled with such terrifying people?
"Uh, um, if we're a bother, we'll leave right away. But please, just let us talk to Shun for a little bit."
Fam was on the verge of tears.
"What're ya talkin' about? Kids shouldn't be so reserved. Just come along now."
They were taken to a plaza, where a tall pyre of firewood was stacked in the center. Fam and the others trembled at the sight. They thought they were going to be thrown in and roasted alive. The two of them tried to bolt, but were immediately grabbed by the scruff of their necks.
"And where d'you think you're goin', huh?!"
"Hieeee!"
As they struggled desperately, the commotion attracted a crowd of villagers. They were dressed much like the people from Fam's village. An elderly man walked over and smacked both of the skinheads on their heads.
"Don't you go scaring the children!" the man said.
"Ah, heh, sorry about that. Their reactions were just too funny…"
The two skinheads bowed their heads to Fam and the others.
"Our bad. We're gonna roast some meat to welcome you. We're having spare ribs today. We sent someone to your village to let 'em know you're here. We'll take you home even if it gets late, so don't you worry. Gyahahahaha!"
Fam felt even more anxious at the offer to escort them home, but she nodded in response.
"I'm gonna throw a flying disc off a cliff and make them go fetch it," Sam muttered from behind Fam, too quietly for anyone else to hear.
Night fell. A bonfire blazed in the plaza, its crackling sending sparks dancing up into the night sky. Fam and Sam received a grand welcome from the people of Shun's village. A feast was held, and they were treated to spare ribs. The sweet and savory flavor and the deliciousness of the meat were addictive; they devoured them until their mouths were greasy. They were also served "Tamago Fuwafuwa." It was a dish said to have been taught to the dog-eared race by the legendary hero Okita Soji, who supposedly loved it himself. It was made by whipping eggs and baking them in an earthenware pot, with each household having its own slight variations in preparation and seasoning. It was a common dish in Fam's village as well, and for her, her mother's Tamago Fuwafuwa was the best. In the past, a dispute over which family made the best Tamago Fuwafuwa had led to a tasting competition. The entire village voted, but everyone just voted for their own family's recipe. In the end, the family with thirteen members won. It remains on record as the only conflict to have ever occurred in Fam's village. By the time the feast was in full swing, they had become fast friends with the two skinheads. The men were just boorish, with foul mouths and bad attitudes, but nothing more. Fam noticed them pouring something into the Ayran they were drinking.
"This here's mead. Addin' it like this makes it damn good."
The skinhead proudly drained his mead-laced Ayran, then let out a satisfied, "Haaaah!" that made Fam curious about the taste.
"I'd like to try a sip, please."
"Hya-ha! Got a taste for it, do ya? But you're a kid, so just a little, alright?"
The skinhead poured a small amount of mead into Fam's Ayran. Fam took a drink.
"Th-This is… very… how do I put it… it makes me feel all fluffy."
Her face grew hot, and a pleasant warmth spread through her body.
"No fair, Fam! Me too, me too!"
Sam snatched the bottle of mead from the skinhead and poured it liberally into her own Ayran. Then, before he could stop her, she gulped it all down.
"My throat's on fire… hic!"
Sam's face turned beet red as she hiccupped. Her eyes were glazed over. Then, with a loud thud, she collapsed face-first onto the table. The two skinheads gave her a worried look. Fam, also concerned, gently patted her back. Suddenly, Sam shot to her feet.
"HYAAAAAARGH! Alright, you scumbags! I feel fuckin' fantastic!"
When she yelled, all the villagers let out a collective howl. Fam and Sam, swept up in the excitement, joined in. Just then, Sam collapsed onto the table again and fell asleep. As Fam wondered how they would get her back to the village, a young man approached. He had the same pure-white, fluffy ears as Lily, and a gentle, androgynous look in his eyes.
"Um…"
Is he going to help me wake Sam up? Just as Fam was thinking this, the young man smiled wryly.
"I'm Shun…"
Fam had completely forgotten why they had come to this village in the first place.
They walked the night road back to Fam's village. Flanked by the skinhead men, they moved forward by the faint light of a lantern. Sam slept peacefully on Shun's back. The warmth of the day had given way to a biting chill. A strong wind was blowing. The cold air was sharp and clear, and the stars scattered across the night sky twinkled brightly. Fam looked up and saw one particular star. Compared to the others, its light was dim and faint. But this star shone with a light-blue glow. It overlapped with the sparkle of the stone on Cicci's bracelet from earlier that day. She couldn't forget that glow. Will the day come when I meet someone I feel that strongly about? Will the day come when I leave the village and journey far away? Her white breath fogged the air, hiding the star. She couldn't find the light-blue star again.
"Might snow tomorrow," the skinhead walking in front of them muttered. Winter was about to begin.
"You had a question for me, I believe," Shun said. Even if she was a child, carrying Sam must have been tiring. White puffs of air escaped his lips, too.
"Shun, are you in love with Lily?"
Fam's head was spinning from the day's events, and she wasn't sure what she should be asking. She decided to ask what she felt was most important. It took Shun a moment to answer the question.
"I am in love with Lily."
His expression was lost in the darkness, but his tone was firm and decisive. She had no other questions. Fam was at a loss. Why did Sam have to be asleep at a time like this?
"How can I fall in love with someone?"
After much thought, she ended up asking about herself.
"…That's a difficult question. I don't know you well… I mean, Fam."
"Didn't you also not know Lily well at first?"
"That's true… This is tough…"
Shun fell silent. Just then, the skinhead in the lead turned around.
"That's easy. You love your mom and dad, don't ya?"
Fam nodded at his words.
"Since when? Spit it out."
Fam couldn't answer his question. She loved them dearly, but she couldn't recall a definite beginning. At that moment, Sam stirred on Shun's back.
"Nngh…"
She seemed to still be sound asleep. Come to think of it, it was the same with Sam. Fam thought about her. She had played with her a lot, and they had fought a little. In that, there was a lot of 'like' and a little 'dislike.' There was no beginning to those feelings, and no end. There was just the feeling that she loved her. No matter what happened from now on, that would never change. Sam would always be her dearest, number one friend. And then that same Sam muttered in her sleep from Shun's back.
"Shun… did you… did you and Lily… do it…?"
After that, her breathing returned to a steady rhythm.
"Dirty little brat," the skinhead said.
"Yes," Shun answered in a small voice, almost lost in the skinhead's remark.
Thank you for reading. To those who have liked, bookmarked, and rated this story, your support is a great encouragement. Thank you for pointing out typos. I'm truly grateful.