Chapter Two
I gawked like a hungry fish, waiting for my owner to feed me more pellets. It’s just that I wasn’t looking for pellets. I was looking for an assurance that everything he just told me was just a joke to freak me out. Maybe I was too serious in my quest of looking for Hotaru that I might have overlooked his needs and he’s tugging me to face reality. What a desperate act, grandpa.
Or maybe I really don’t need the pellets. They’re too shocking to take in.
“What are you gaping at?” Ojii-san complained, before sipping his coffee from a broken old cup he always uses. I always coax him into changing cups because it was too old but he always answered me that it was what he was used to. I realized that I was like Oji-san even if we didn’t share even just a drop of blood. Not used to changes. Even with Hotaru’s disappearance, I can’t seem to get my whole life in track. I was not even through with the brooding over Hotaru and here was another change to come.
“Nothing... I see Grandpa, that change, changes everything.” I uttered with voice as low as I can get, almost wishful that I didn’t say it and should have let the silence kill the night and call the discussion a day. “Okay, I’m getting up. I’m.... I’m going to my room. I’m going to sleep because.... because I want to wake up already.” My words stammered, synced with my movements. Sighing, I was thankful he didn’t stop me to tell another nightmare.
I got to my room and laid my aching back on my not-so soft bed. And from the moment my eyes closed, every moment relived.
-----
“Because Mikan... It’s time.” I heard him say right after he found a comfortable mat. He sounded creepy.
I stayed put, waiting for whatever was to come. He handed the book to which I reluctantly accepted and let my eyes gaze on the cover of a hand-illustrated depiction of wolves and necklaces.
“Sensou no Sujou: Ookami to kixkyuuketseki no aida desu..” My realizations came to a halt feeling the adrenaline rush from yet another clue, cursing me right in the face. “This is the book Grandpa!” This is where the torn page came from. The page where Hotaru had written her message for me.
He nodded and coaxed me to open the book. I didn’t see anything shocking, but reminded myself that there wasn’t anything for now. There are only faded scriptures of old writings that I couldn’t understand at all. There were drawings of wolves grinning with teeth at bare. I don’t know what has happened to me, but normally I would have been scared. Instead, I found it odd that somehow there’s something pulling me to appreciate it. Like a gravity or a siphoning energy. However, I didn’t want to make this whole thing about me and my feelings again. I wanted to connect everything that can help me find Hotaru. I focused on the drawing again. So, these what Hotaru was busy for? I know my bestfriend had some share of her weird moments like being fanatic about history and such but to this extent? That was crazy, I believe.
“You may not understand them, but someday you will. That someday is drawing near Mikan. I gave you that book---“
“You knew?” I cut him off with the ideas surging on my mind. Anger was the last thing that I wanted to feel right now, but I can’t help it. I felt like I have been robbed, betrayed, and worst, like a piece of furniture. My tone came out as an accuse but I really didn’t mean it. He knew about Hotaru leaving and probably even knew why. Didn’t even tell me sooner, and now I feel stupid for acting like I’m an investigator trying to put scenes on my mind, trying to solve why Hotaru left.
“ I never knew Hotaru had a knack of leaving people who loved her, without a single excuse, only a letter of goodbye just to what? Look for wolves in history?” I muttered, letting my anger get past through me. I was angry because wolves and vampires in a hand made book was such a ridiculous idea to be reason for Hotaru leaving.
“I’m sorry Mikan... She needed to. For you.” Grandpa answered, obviously comforting me in a way. But the idea that Hotaru leaving for my sake, was not even comforting at all.
I scoffed. “For me? What, with wolves and vampires? What does that even have to do with me?!” I almost screamed my response. There was no way out, I’d rather save the last drop of my tears. I’ve been spending them a whole lot these past few days, grieving for someone who left me without a valid reason. Well, what my grandfather told me, was something I deemed invalid, still. And I feel bad that I had to vent it out on Grandpa. “I’m sorry Ji-san...” I added letting my gaze connect with his.
He just smiled though. A knowing smile like I’ve done something wrong and he knew. He shook his head as slowly as the speculations that enter my mind.
“I had just finsihed plucking fruits from my vegetable garden when I heard a rustle somewhere in the lake.” His voice came out broken. I just had to stay there and listen. Then he continued.
“Thinking it was nothing, I just let it off. I heard a piercing scream Mikan, and I knew right then that something was wrong and someone needed help.” My grandfather paused before he sighed. He shifted positions and shifted his gaze towards the moonlight.
“You see, it was the time when the moon was full. And I knew something was wrong... Like I had a feeling that I was about to let a horrible thing happen if I didn’t do something. And I ran to where the sound came from. What I saw was the most incredible thing that happend in my life... because I found a family. I found you.”
The tears that I have suppressed flowed down as graciously as my heart can pour out the feelings of pain, that I was not his real grandaughter, appreciation because despite that he accepted me like I was no other, and love; an unexplainable love for my grandfather.
“Your grandpa didn’t waste time and he lifted you up. But it was a magical and scary omoment at the same time, Mikan.”
My Grandfather’s gaze were still fixed on the moon as he told me the story. As if he was reliving the moment that he found me, from the light of the moon. It was fascinating to hear it from him and disapointing as well, that I was left behind and our bloods were not the same. Still, I kept my mouth shut and wiped what I doubted were dry traces of tears on my face
“Then a wolf came into view just when I was about to bring you home. It had the sharpest gaze, and the fiercest snarl, and bigger than any other wolves told in legends. It was as high as the ceiling of this house. With fur as brown as the mahogany, it rose up to show me that it was in authority. I can tell it was mad at me and I knew right there it wanted to attack me. But you were there in my arms, so I kept you closer, and covered you with the hem of my clothes.” He looked at me, while I was there still stunned from the story.
“It bowed it’s head and whimpered like an obedient creature Mikan. It changed, Mikan. It changed. Into the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The wolf was your mother.”
