Something with the forest was affecting Malachai. It was dredging up memories he had pushed into the depths of his psyche wearing cement shoes. It didn’t seem like he could function properly if I wasn’t in his eyesight at all times, fearful that I may be subjected to the same fate the forest had given to him. He would sit in his kimono apart from us on the engawa, watching me with such rigidity I was scared he’d never move again. I could tell he wanted to keep his hands on me, to keep me from talking with Ietake or his son, Mototomo. The forest had taken his trust.

I wasn’t quite sure what Ietake’s plan was when he asked Mototomo to practice his English with Malachai. Maybe it was to give him something to focus on rather than worrying over me. I watched Mototomo sit next to him, Malachai giving him the briefest of looks before setting his gaze squarely on me again. He answered Mototomo’s questions, however.

“Why does he worry so?” Ietake asked, gazing out at the trees. He scratched his chin, red eyes never wavering. It was difficult for me to answer. The obvious was that I was his food, no predator would want his prey to fall sick or be taken from him. There had to be more to it, though. I took the bracelet, I was his. We had never really talked about what we were. Were we dating, or was I just an object he now owned? I decided to respond with what I knew for certain, besides I didn’t want him to revoke his help if he found out my inclinations. I told him I was Malachai’s food. “Tabemono ka?” He looked at me in surprise. “Food? What do you mean?”

“He’s a vampire,” I said.

Ietake moved his focus to Malachai. Him and Mototomo were now writing things on a piece of paper with a piece of charcoal. “No wonder,” he let out a small laugh. “I see now, how you got into this predicament.” I asked what it was he meant exactly. “Look at Mototomo.” I did as I was told, watching the joy on his face as he said something to Malachai. He already had small red horns poking out of his black hair. “Oni born to two oni parents will get their horns as they start teething. You, Oshia-san…How much do you know about your family? About oni?”

I told him my mother always told me her family had lived in the mountains, later being forced to the coast by the government. “My father’s family have always lived on the coast,” I said. “I know almost nothing about oni…besides folklore and that we have regenerative abilities.”

“Un, as I thought,” Ietake said. “Oni born to one oni parent develop quite differently.” He turned his body slightly, then told me something quite similar to what Dr. Hristov had theorized. Malachai’s bite had caused the changes to start. “I know of oni who could live as humans, die as humans, but never of their horns or fangs growing in.” He placed a hand on my shoulder, “I will help you, Oshia-san, I promised you I would.” Ietake stood, and I began to stand up after him, but he waved me down. He called over Mototomo, and while he gathered his things and said goodbye to Malachai, Ietake told me, “Calm your friend, if he worries so much it will make this hard. I will be back soon, please relax here in the meantime.” Mototomo and him bowed, I returned their bow before they left.

I went to sit next to Malachai, his eyes never wavering on my moving form as his hands fiddled with something. He rested his head on my shoulder the moment I was settled, his hands didn’t settled, however. Finally, he handed it to me; it was a very beat up origami bird. I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at the thought of him trying to make this with Mototomo’s help. “It was a first attempt,” he said as a defense. “What…what were you two talking about?”

I turned the bird over in my hands. “Oni things.” I felt his head move slightly on my shoulder. “Malachai, what did you mean last night?” It had been bothering me since he said it. Since he went quiet and curled up on the floor with his head covered. I had tried to get him to at least in a futon. He hadn’t budged, but in the morning he was sleeping soundly next to me.

He balled his hands into fists, lifting his head from my shoulder. “I’m…confused.” He readjusted his glasses. “I always…hated forests without knowing why…but…but it’s…it’s coming back in bits and pieces and I…I…” He looked down, glasses slipping down his nose. “The bats came to find me…Or maybe I went to find them.” He lifted his head, now looking at me. “Only terrible things happen in forests, August.” He held my arm as if to never let me go.

I placed my hand over his on my arm. “I’m…I’m sorry I’ve led you into a place that dredges up such unpleasant memories,” I said. “You said I have your trust…so, please trust me that I-I won’t let anything bad happen in this forest—to you or to myself.”

Malachai placed his forehead on my shoulder, grip loosening slightly. “Okay,” he let out a breath, “I’ll trust you, dragă.”

He begun to appear a lot less tense after our conversation, his constant need to be on edge dissipating just a bit. He wasn’t as overprotective of me as before, giving me more space to talk with Ietake. It was clear he was still worried, if not for my own safety, then for me breaking my promise and letting whatever he thought was going to happen, happen. I never did get to ask him what exactly our relationship was, though.

Malachai still took to following Ietake and me somewhat at a distance. He reminded me of a young child, and he might very well have placed himself back in that room for whatever reason. I wish I knew the right words to pull him back to his present self. Mototomo and him were becoming fast friends, however, one less thing either Ietake or I had to worry about. Ietake had apologized after a few days of us being there for Mototomo’s almost constant presence; his wife had died in childbirth, and his daughter was in the process of getting married. He had nothing to apologize for.

The longer we stayed in Kisankoku, the more worried I got for Shii’s wellbeing. There was no Wi-Fi and spotty reception at best, I was almost certain she was convinced we had become sacrifices. I couldn’t leave yet, not when Ietake and other villagers were willing to help me. “Ietake-san, is there a way to hide my horns and fangs?” I asked him while we were walking through a small market. Mototomo had dragged Malachai ahead of us, pointing to things to tell him the names of them. “Boku wa…I can’t live like this, Ietake-san. And…And I don’t think I could live out the rest of my life here.”

Ietake stopped in front of a stall filled with elegant wedding kimono and accessories, as well as fabrics. “Oshia-san, I am unsure.” A woman walked out from the back of the stall dressed in a full shiromuku kimono, her blue mask still on under her wataboshi. “Chirizukakaiou-sama may have an answer. You look lovely, Gen.”

Fear gripped my throat as he turned his attention to his daughter. There wasn’t anything particularly fearful about Chirizukakaiou, it was everything around him. Ietake’s daughter followed the stall attendant, returning to the back and Ietake moved his focus to me. “Please,” I said, “please, anything but him.”

“He may be your only choice, Oshia-san.” He begun fingering different fabrics, judging each one with a careful eye. “There is a house he frequents west of the village where the trees look to be inhabited by the kamigami.”

“You can’t be serious, Ietake-san.” I gripped my kimono sleeves.

“I will make provisions and draw a map for you and your friend if you wish to go,” he said.

I ran my hands through my hair, over my face. “Is that my only other option?” I asked. “Stay here for the rest of my life or talk to Chirizukakaiou-sama?” Ietake told me that was correct as he began inspecting kanzaki pins. “I…I need some time to think about this. And-And if I do go…I can’t bring Malachai with me. Please take care of him here in my absence, Ietake-san.” I bowed as deeply as I could without getting on my knees.

“I will, Oshia-san.” I stood up straight. “Think about it and tell me if you wish to go. But, your friend is a vampire, yes? Will he try to drink our blood while you're away?” I shook my head, telling him I would make sure Malachai wouldn’t. “Thank you. I will be here for a while, but you are free to explore the market and village with Mototomo.”

At the sound of his own name, Mototomo came running over, full of energy, dragging Malachai by the hand. He stood straight, a soldier ready for his orders. Ietake handed him two coins with the instructions to show Malachai and I all of his favorite spots. Ietake made it quite clear to Mototomo that he was allowed to one sweet of his choosing. He led us down the street, holding onto Malachai’s hand. I walked next to Malachai, ruminating on the prospect of seeking out Chirizukakaiou, at everything else he would be presiding over within that house.

Mototomo kept getting distracted by toys and treats, his decisions weighing heavy in his hand. He was in the process of staring at a small box of dorayaki cakes when Malachai asked me what was on my mind. I hadn’t realized my worry was so clearly shown on my face. I was planning on telling him it wasn’t anything to be concerned over, but that would only make him all the more concerned over what it was I was worried about. I tried my best to explain to him what it was Ietake had proposed, and what it would mean for him I decided to take his offer.

He bit his bottom lip, blinking fast and hard. “You promised.”

All my fear washed out of me as it was replaced with something that made me feel absolutely awful. “I know,” he pushed his glasses to the top of his head, “but…but…there are things said to roam these forests that can be…tricky to handle.”

He grabbed my upper arms, all but baring his fangs at me. “What if something happens and I can’t protect you?”

“Malachai,” my voice was low, to calm him and to keep a scene from forming, “I grew up here. I can…I can handle the youkai—I know how handle the youkai.” I took his hands from my arms, holding them in mine. “I know everything that lives in this forest, on this mountain. Both the good and the bad. You said you’d trust me, so trust that I know how to stay away from the bad and appeal to the good.”

Before he could respond, Mototomo came running over, box of dorayaki and tea leaves in hand. “Iie! No fighting! No fighting!” He pushed us apart. “Bad nii-chan don’t get dorayaki and ocha. Tell pinku no nii-chan, oni no nii-chan.” I couldn’t say no to Mototomo, and as Mototomo’s oni “older brother”, I repeated his words in English to Malachai. He then tugged on the bottom of my kimono and I squatted down to eye level. He placed a small red daruma in my hand, then whispered in my ear, cupping his mouth to make it even more secretive. “Otou-san, Daddy, said you might need some luck.”

I thanked him and we continued to walk around the market. Malachai grabbed my wrist, “You are mine,” he practically growled. “You gave yourself to me, August,” he tightened his grip around my wrist, “and I like breaking my own possessions. If there’s a chance you could be hurt—even the tiniest of a chance—I won’t let you take it.”

I shook his hand from my wrist. “You can’t come with.”