Chapter Text
6.
Tengu and weretiger live peacefully together for a period, and they become familiar with each other. Perhaps influenced by the talkative and noisy weretiger, Akutagawa would occasionally say a word or two about himself.
The story is pieced together bit by bit to form a complete picture.
Akutagawa Ryuunosuke is a Tengu who has been regarded as a bad omen by humans since ancient times. He is an evil god, and killing and bloodthirsty are the nature of evil gods. The uncontrollable murderous desire and hatred for human beings are innately engraved in Akutagawa's bones. Hundreds of years ago, to prevent him from doing evil again, a powerful exorcists came to subdue him. The fight between Tengu and the exorcist lasted for three days. In the end, Akutagawa was sealed on the sacred tree by a spell in the forest during a torrential rain. The cautious exorcist was still worried and casted an additional enchantment to prevent humans from approaching the tree.
As time goes by, the power of the spell is gradually weakening. After sleeping for nearly a hundred years, Ryuunosuke Akutagawa finally woke up. But the recovery of consciousness is not the end, but the beginning of punishment. First from the eyelids to the hands, feet, and then to the wings, his body could slowly start to move. But what followed was the humiliation and anger of being defeated by a human, as well as endless loneliness.
It is like Akutagawa is wearing a transparent anklet, and the other end of the chain was connected to the Goshinboku. Whenever he tried to leave the Goshiboku, a thunderbolt would hit him. In the beginning, he was like a moth to a flame, trying to break through the spell over and over again even though he was bleeding and self-destructing. It was not merely unleashing the anger and embarrassment but also an act of self-emancipation. Gradually, he found that it was all in vain. The formerly powerful evil god was forced to accept such a down-and-out fate. His ominous crow-colored wings and black hair also lost their luster from that moment on.
Another two hundred years later, he is still imprisoned here.
No wonder he never left this place, Atsushi Nakajima thinks, and feels unfair for him. Judging from the time he has spent with Akutagawa, Atsushi knows he is no longer the fierce and violent evil god he used to be.
Akutagawa also has a gentle side that nobody notices. He will rescue the chicks that almost fall to the ground; he has never been ferocious to Atsushi or ever hurt him. From time-to-time Akutagawa would put some berries under the tree for the weretiger to eat. One morning, Atsushi went to gather some dew to drink, and he saw Tengu-sama standing in the daylight that passed through layers of branches and leaves.
How rare. The weretiger thought, hiding in a bush and observing without a word. Then he saw Tengu-sama turned around to stroke a doe resting under the sacred tree. Atsushi rubbed his eyes thinking he was dreaming. It was the first time he saw Akutagawa without the beak mask. The white tiger thought blankly: Akutagawa's has neither fangs nor the weird long red nose as told in the folklore under the mask. Not only that, he is actually quite good-looking.
It becomes Atsushi Nakajima's secret, and he doesn't intend to share it with anyone.
7.
Atsushi Nakajima has been thinking about how to help Akutagawa to break the spell ever since he knew that Akutagawa was sealed on the Goshinboku. He wants to set Akutagawa free. Two hundred years of solitude and three hundred years of imprisonment were enough punishment. But Tengu-sama said that he already tried every way he could be still couldn’t get rid of the spell. It was impossible and it didn't matter. He was used to such a life long ago. Atsushi doesn't want to give up yet. He thinks about this every day, forgetting his plan to move to another village and start a new life like a human.
The truth is that Akutagawa feels the power of the seal gets weakened faster during the few months that the weretiger stays. He can gradually move from one meter around the sacred tree to two or five meters without getting any punishment. The range for his movement is expanding. Now, he can visit Atsushi's cave and eat roasted rabbit with him.
Although the reason remains unknown, Atsushi is very happy for Akutagawa. He can't wait and starts to imagine what they will do together when the spell breaks and the seal is lifted.
"Akutagawa, do you think we can live together in a human village for a while when you are free?"
"I've said it many times, I don't like humans."
Killing and bloodthirsty are the nature of evil gods, and it's hard to violate their nature. What's more, he was punished and imprisoned by a human. There is no way Tengu can live peacefully with them.
"Then we can still go to the lantern festival and temple fair in summer. That would be fun!" Atsushi compromises, and his two tiger ears flick. "But we need to occasionally eat their dishes." It is like he already decided that they will stick together afterwards.
In the forest where there is no one else but only the two of them, Atsushi no longer need to maintain his human form. Although the Tengu reminds him, he should still practice metamorphose. If he doesn’t, when he goes to another village, he will be exposed again. Atsushi lets go of all his worries and defenses when he is with Akutagawa. It becomes natural for him to stay comfortable as who he is.
There is a strong fragrance of flowers and the singing of nightingales in the spring air. The crackling of the firewood that used to roast rabbits makes Atsushi Nakajima feels sleepiness. When he closes his eyes, he feels that Akutagawa put a cloth on him, which still carries the body temperature.
Akutagawa is really gentle. He thinks in a daze, and soon falls asleep.
Not long after sleeping, Nakajima Atsushi is awakened by the sound outside the cave. Akutagawa hasn't left yet. He is sitting cross-legged beside him. The two exchange a look and go to check the situation outside without words.
It turns out that several humans are walking towards the sacred tree, with torches in hands. The night in the dense forest is quiet and silent, even if they are far away, the conversations of those few people can be heard clearly.
"Has the tiger monster really come here?"
"I doubt it has been killed by the evil god."
"That would be great, saving us from doing it ourselves."
"How much do you think his white tiger skin is worth?"
"At least a few boxes of gold!"
Right before Atsushi Nakajima can stop him, the Tengu spreads his huge wings and flies towards the group of greedy and shameless humans. Just as Akutagawa thinks, the weakening of the spell also means that the enchantment around the tree is disappearing. His demon power has also recovered by a few, killing a few humans is just a piece of cake.
However, he hesitates before making the move, and even he himself doesn't know the reason. Just when he is hesitating, several villagers who react quickly has already raised their hunting bows. Several flaming arrows shot towards Akutagawa.
A powerful roar breaks the sky. A white figure leaps out like lightning, and the sharp claws knock down all the arrows. For the first time, the tiger monster shows his true face in front of human beings—his body is frighteningly large, its raised tiger back is like a tall mountain ridge, and its pair of tiger pupils look like two dazzling moons in the dark night.
The white tiger lets out a warning growl, which makes the villagers tremble with fright, and they do not dare to act rashly. Atsushi doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but he hates to see Akutagawa get hurt. In desperation, he uses his tiger demon power. In a panic, one of them throw his torch onto a nearby bush. The flames spring up with a bang, growing fiercely, and soon the blazing fire begins to devour the surrounding bushes.
As the fire gets stronger, the villagers take advantage of the chaos and flee in fear. They shake, cry and scream, and soon disappear in the woods.
8.
The raging blaze lights up the entire night sky. Atsushi Nakajima transform to the human form, wearing the black cloak that Akutagawa had put on him earlier. Fuels by the wind, the fire spreads, and it will soon reach the sacred tree. Atsushi knows that the imprisoned Tengu can’t escape the fire, but he doesn't want to leave Akutagawa alone. He wants to go to temple fairs with Akutagawa, eat Ochazuke and red bean soup with him, and see many different sceneries together. In fact, it doesn't matter if they stay in this forest and under this ancient tree all the time ---- as long as they are together.
Akutagawa raises his head. The sacred tree that he has inhabited for more than 300 years is engulfed in billowing smoke. He had stood on the tree in many sleepless nights and looked up at the brightest morning star in the vast sky. But lately, he seemed to have forgotten the existence of that star. Instead, he starts to stare at the cave where the weretiger lives. He stares at the cave from a distance many times, and occasionally put down a few flowers and plants in front of it. Even he himself has no way to explain these actions, just like he can’t explain why he failed to attack the humans he hates.
"Weretiger, you should go. This is my retribution. You don't have to endure the fire with me."
" I really have no other place to go." Atsushi smiles and says what he said when he first met Akutagawa. He said that to gain sympathy, but this time he is no longer as helpless as he was back then. His heart has found somewhere to belong.
"As long as I am with Akutagawa, I don’t need to be with humans or live like them."
The Tengu doesn't say a word, he steps forward to hug Atsushi gently. This is the first time they touch each other. Akutagawa's soft side hair caresses Atsushi's cheek, and he whispers, "You moron weretiger."
The fire won't kill them, but being burned and roasted is still a cruel torture.
"Thank you, Akutagawa, you didn't reject me back then." Atsushi stretches his arms around Akutagawa's neck, feeling a little sour in his eyes. Akutagawa is the only person who treats him well other than Keiko Obasan, but he understands that his feelings for Akutagawa are completely different from those for Obasan. The distinction is simple to understand even for tigers.
Atsushi feels like he still has a lot to say to Akutagawa, but ironically, he can't say a word at the moment. After a long while, he suddenly opens his mouth, "Akutagawa, you must have put those irises and dogtail grass that appeared at the entrance of the cave out of nowhere."
"Yes." At this point, Tengu-sama is more honest than ever. “The irises remind me of your eyes."
The two don't speak any more, and the black and white figures quietly embraced each other in the sea of flames. But the ruthless fire will not stop because of this moment of tenderness. Just when it is about to burn them unscrupulously, Akutagawa spreads his wings. The huge crow-colored wings tightly wrap the two of them, like a wall built on the ground, blocking the violent attack of the flames.
"Akutagawa, what are you doing?!" Atsushi Nakajima's eyes widens.
Akutagawa hold Atsushi who is trembling in his arms tightly: "Just wait, weretiger."
The two are sweating profusely in the burning fire. The hot air rushes into Atsushi's lungs, and he smells something is burning. It must be Akutagawa’s wings.
In the end, I still trouble Akutagawa. If it isn't for me, he wouldn't have to endure the torment and pain of being roasted.
Atsushi clenches his fists remorsefully to keep himself from crying. He hates himself for being helpless, not only failed to share the pain for Akutagawa, but also became a burden that needed his protection. Seeing Akutagawa frowning and enduring the pain, Atsushi's tears finally fall.
What falls with the tears is the first spring thunder since the beginning of the year.
The thunder seems to be the clarion call to break the curse. Akutagawa suddenly feels the demon power pouring into his body continuously. The spring rain come up densely, dousing the blazing flames little by little. The flames surrounding them are instantly extinguished by the demon power, and Akutagawa's wings return to their original strong and powerful appearance. Even the grayish white of the tips disappears, turning back to a color darker than the night. An enchantment covers the two of them, isolating the heat wave and thick smoke.
Regaining strength and freedom, the once-again-powerful Tengu spreads his wings. The leaves of the ancient wood trembles in the wind, and he flies into the air with Atsushi in his arms. The forest fire that is still burning quietly in the rain is quickly left behind, with the cage that has trapped him for three hundred years. The wind comes with the rain. Amidst the clouds and mist, Atsushi and Akutagawa hold each other tight in the sky. They have a bird's-eye view of the fishing village bathes in the rain and the fishing boats going out to sea in the morning light.
"Weretiger, why are you crying? Did you get hurt?"
"No, I, I am crying because I feel sorry for you." Atsushi Nakajima twitches, wiping his eyes with a tiger's paw. "How come the restriction spell is lifted?"
"Well, it should be automatically cracked when the time limit of the curse is over."
Tengu takes the tiger monster and flies towards the morning star in the east. That star is still out of reach, looking at the joys and sorrows of the world with a stern face. But Akutagawa can feel the warmth from the person in his arms, who is hugging him tightly. It is the warmth that belongs only to him.
The sun is rising and in somewhere they will start a new life together. They both believe so.
9.
Akutagawa Ryuunosuke lied. He knows that the spell was broken because of Atsushi. However he has no intention of confessing the truth.
Three hundred years ago, during the heavy rain, the exorcist named Osamu Dazai said to Akutagawa before he lost consciousness: "Humans, no, all creatures are worthless to you, right?"
The man with the spell-painted bandage around his arm squatted in front of the Tengu who was lying on the ground, and grabbed his collar so that he could look at him. "When you can control the killing intent in your heart and stop murdering people, the curse will be broken and that’s when you can be free again."
"One day, someone will teach you how to defy your own nature," Dazai smiled, with sadness in his eyes. "Just like me."
His prophecy was fulfilled. Three hundred years later, a tiger recklessly broke into the enchantment and met Akutagawa Ryuunosuke who was imprisoned there.
But the exorcist probably didn't expect the arrogant Tengu to fall in love with a weretiger.
And love is the beginning of redemption.
10.
Bloodthirsty and killing are the nature of evil gods, and their nature cannot be changed.
But Ryuunosuke Akutagawa was indeed changed by Atsushi Nakajima.
End.