A/N: Hey, everyone! :D :D I hope that you are all having a fantastic day/night!
In case any of you are curious, a couple of days ago was my birthday and I received "Wolf Children" as a present.
I've known about the movie for about a year now, but I watched it for the first time ever as soon as I got it. I truly did enjoy it! :)
So, due to my new admiration for "Wolf Children," I've decided to write this one-shot that tells how different everything would've been on the day of the accident if the roles were switched between Ookami and Hana.
This might turn into a series, but I'm not entirely sure yet. If any of you have a specific scene of the movie in mind that you would like to see written by me—with Hana and Ookami's roles switched—just tell me in the reviews and I'll consider writing it. Like I said, I'm not one hundred percent certain yet. I wouldn't mind turning this into a series, but I'm currently working on another project and I don't know how often I would be able to post for this specific fandom.
Nonetheless, as of now, this is a one-shot/possible starter to a series with Ookami and Hana's roles switched.
Let me know what you think in the reviews, please! I always look forward to feedback and I appreciate it very much! Don't hold back on sharing your thoughts! :D :D
Summary: What if Ookami wasn't the one to have died? What if it was Hana who had perished on that day instead? (Currently a one-shot, but might change to a series).
Happy reading, everyone! Don't forget to review!
Wolf Children: Roles Switched Series (1) ~ The Accident
"The following spring, my little brother was born. It was raining that day. Mom stepped out, but the day wore on and she didn't return." ~ Yuki
"Mama?"
Ookami glanced down, seeing his one-year-old daughter—Yuki—grabbing at the back of his shirt in order to pick herself up from the floor. She had lost interest in the few chew toys and ABC blocks that were spewed all throughout the room. Now, Yuki was staring up at her father, batting her lashes at him in a mixture of confusion and innocence. The sight of his daughter giving him a look like that—as well as asking for her mother—automatically had Ookami forcing himself to put on the best smile that he could muster. However, there was genuine worry in his eyes ... and it never faltered.
"Yeah, I know, sweetheart. I'm wondering where Mama is, too." Ookami softly spoke, using one of his large hands to gently rub the top of his small daughter's head. "But don't worry ... I'm sure that she'll be back any minute."
Yuki cooed, still looking like she was questioning where her mother was. Meanwhile, as she kept gripping her father's shirt in her little fists like she was making attempts to climb up his back, Ookami glanced down at the small newborn that was resting in his arms. It was his and Hana's son, who they had given the name "Ame" since it had been raining all throughout that day. Thankfully, he had been born healthy and the delivery had been successful, even with the lack of a hospital, drugs, or even a midwife—just like when Yuki had been brought into the world.
Wrapped up in a pastel blue blanket, Ame breathed as peacefully as a newborn possibly could. Ookami held him close to his chest, wanting to ensure that he was warm enough, and he carefully used his thumb to wipe a stray tear away from the newborn's chubby cheek. He couldn't get over how much Ame looked like Hana, despite how he had been born with a full head of hair that was much closer to his color rather than hers. Although, aside from that, the rest of Ame's features seemed to match his mother's almost perfectly. Yuki was actually the same way, possessing Hana's dark brown irises, ivory complexion, and blackish/brunette hair that was tinted with the faintest shade of rust-like red. It looked more auburn than anything. The two of them really were mirror images of their mom ... and at some point in the future, Ookami would've actually loved to have another child with Hana.
For the briefest moment, as Hana's face filled his mind, a soft smile that was much more genuine than his previous one twisted across Ookami's lips. He had never thought that he would ever be so fortunate as to find such a fantastic woman, much less one that would accept him for the half human, half wolf being that he was and not to mention bear his children. Hana was a diamond in the rough of Ookami's life ... and he really did love her more than words could possibly describe. Ever since the day in which they first met—back when Hana had willingly chased him down in the halls of the university in order to prevent him from being marked as absent—she had been there for him in more ways that anybody would ever be able to understand.
Ookami continued to delicately stroke Ame's cheek, this time with his index finger, and he raised his head to look out the window again. It was still pouring down rain and the opposite side of the glass was completely splattered with water. Yet, despite how distorted the view from that tiny apartment was, Ookami could still make out that Hana was still nowhere in sight. It made his smile crumble away in less than a second, the worry in his dark blue eyes increasing as he felt something in the pit of his stomach beginning to grow a little tight. He couldn't tell whether it was his wolf instinct or his human instinct, but there was something inside of him that was telling him that something wasn't right.
Hana was a very strong woman. Despite how she had just recently given birth for the second time, she had been the one to insist on going out to get groceries. Ookami had tried convincing her to let him go instead, courtesy of how it was part of his nature as a Wolf Man to go out and hunt for fresh meat to bring back to his mate and offspring. After all, that's what he had done for Hana when she had given birth to Yuki; but Hana was persistent about being the one to go out this time. She sounded so cheerful, promising Ookami with a smile that she would be back before he knew it. He found her words to be reassuring and he couldn't resist smiling back as he finally agreed to stay back and watch over his pack. After that, the two shared a kiss and Hana was out the door ... but the hours had dragged on since then and she still hadn't returned.
At first, Ookami figured that she had just run into some friends—as she was much more of a social butterfly, at least compared to him—and had gotten caught up in talking. Nonetheless, as the clock kept ticking, it didn't take long before the Wolf Man no longer felt confident in that possibility. It wouldn't be like Hana at all to choose socializing over getting work done for her family, especially with a newborn now in the picture.
The next possibility that came to Ookami's mind was that Hana had forgotten that she had a shift at the dry cleaners and had no choice but to go there instead of going to get the groceries. However, that couldn't have been it either and the Wolf Man knew that. Hana knew her shifts like the back of her hand and she had just delivered a baby, meaning that going to work was out of the question for the time being. Plus, even if she did go to work, she would've called to have let Ookami know. His brain was just grasping at one possibility after another, trying to come up with one that would've lessened his worry over Hana's whereabouts. Unfortunately, that was much easier said than done.
Ookami's shoulders sunk as he then dropped his gaze down to one of the four jars that were lined up perfectly along the windowsill. It was the one that was filled with little white flowers—the same flowers that Hana had picked during their final walk before Ame was born. Ookami remembered every little detail of that day like it was yesterday. Yuki was sitting on top of his shoulders and tugging at his hair, while Hana was at his side with one hand on her bloated stomach and her other hand in his own. She had noticed the flowers first and her eyes practically sparkled like shooting stars, considering how the Wolf Man seemed to have gotten her into the habit of decorating the apartment with all sorts of simple, colorful, sweet-smelling flowers.
"These look like they would be perfect in the apartment!" Hana had said, pointing at the large group of tiny, cream-colored flowers with the breeze whistling through her hair and the sun beaming down against her up-beat face. "What do you think?"
Ookami cringed, feeling Yuki pulling at his hair again. Nonetheless, at the sound of Hana giggling at the sight, the Wolf Man offered her a warm grin and gave his response in his usual, cool, calm voice.
"I think that you're right. They're beautiful—an excellent choice and a great way for us to continue our tradition of picking flowers for our home."
Ookami could still remember the delightful smile that had been decorating Hana's face on that day. Even when he closed his eyes—just as he did in that moment—the Wolf Man could see her as clear as crystal. He remembered the sweet scents of lavender, honeysuckle, and fresh dew, as well as the lukewarm air and the feeling of Hana's fingers gently brushing along the back of his ear in order to place one of the flowers there. It was just one of the hundreds of memories that he would never get.
However, the longer that Ookami kept his eyes shut, the more that he was beginning to realize that he was actually quite tired. His head was slowly starting to droop and no matter how many times he tried cracking his eyes back open, he would only be able to get his eyelids halfway before they ended up falling again. Even for an individual that was part wolf, Ookami had been the one to have gotten up all throughout the previous night in order to soothe Yuki whenever she woke up in need of a bottle, a fresh diaper, or just someone to hold her. Plus, when Hana was in labor with Ame, Ookami refused to go to sleep and was there to help her through every last contraction and push. Now, to top it all off, the Wolf Man had been keeping an eye on his newborn and his one-year-old daughter while trying to wait for his mate to return from the grocery store. It wasn't like the dreary weather helped at all either. Quite frankly, it was a miracle that Ookami didn't have any bags or dark circles around his eyes.
The Wolf Man really had fallen asleep, but only for a moment. Just as a snore began to creep its way up his throat, Ookami ended up shooting his head back up and popping his eyes back open.
Out of complete reflex, he let out a half-aware yelp, "Huh...?!"
It turns out, he had been woken up by Ame, who had suddenly started to fill the apartment with the sound of his cries again. He wiggled around as much as he could in his blanket cocoon, shedding tears as he screamed like the helpless infant that he was.
Ookami blinked repeatedly, trying to rid his eyes of any grogginess. Then, while lightly rocking and bouncing his son around in one arm, the Wolf Man reached his other arm out in order to retrieve the bottle of breast milk that was placed across from where he was sitting cross-legged on the floor. Fortunately, Hana had pumped some earlier and prepared a few bottles in case Ame got fussy and refused to nurse properly.
"Sh, sh, sh ... it's okay, son. Don't cry, don't cry. Shh..." Ookami shushed, readying the bottle by tilting it downwards. "Here you go. Drink up."
Almost immediately, as if it was by some miracle, Ame stopped crying and, without opening his tearful eyes, began to suck the milk delicately from the bottle.
Ookami let out a sigh of relief, right before he took a glance over his shoulder to check on Yuki since he no longer felt her squeezing and tugging at the back of his shirt. The one-year-old had actually fallen asleep, now curled up on the mass of warm blankets that were lying on the floor. She had her thumb in her mouth and her little, red and white, wolf-like doll was tucked close to her chest.
As soon as his eyes landed on that doll, Ookami thought back to when Hana had first made it. It was just a month or two prior to Yuki's birth and she had sewn that wolf-like doll with her own two hands. She had even made another one for Ame and it matched Yuki's doll perfectly, excluding the fact that Hana had made Ame's to be blue and white instead. The Wolf Man had always thought that his mate had a talent for looking beautiful, even when she was engaging in the most simplest tasks. Whether she was sewing, folding the laundry, washing the dishes, or even just eating ... he couldn't take his eyes off of her. To him, she was the most beautiful angel that had been sent down to earth—his godsend, to be exact.
"Oh, Hana..." Ookami sighed, just as he redirected his attention back over to the window and continued to watch as raindrops trickled down on the opposite side of the glass. "...Where are you?"
With every passing second, it felt like another century had went by since Hana had departed from the apartment. Ookami was still trying to make excuses for what was taking her so long, but all of the possibilities that his mind had to offer failed to either satisfy or reassure him.
Suddenly, the Wolf Man felt a small jerk in his arms. He looked down, only to realize that his infant son had turned his head away from the bottle in order to let out what was like a mix between a cough and a hiccup. Upon noticing this, Ookami sat the bottle of breast milk aside, used his finger to wipe away some leftover drops from Ame's lips, and then carefully lifted him up so his body could be lined up with his shoulder.
"Ah, there you go, Ame. Give Daddy a burp now." Ookami whispered, right before he started using one of his strong hands to gently pat his son's back. While doing this, the Wolf Man also began to quietly hum a relaxing tune in the hopes of preventing Ame from bursting out into another fit of sobs. Luckily, it seemed to work.
Ame made small, innocent, babyish sounds that could melt even the hardest person's heart. Then, after about twenty seconds, his little shoulders shook as he let out an adorable burp. Following that, the infant released a soft yawn and the Wolf Man could feel him resting his little head down against his shoulder. At last, as Ame started to draw in one delicate breath after another, it was easy for Ookami to declare that he had fallen asleep also.
The dark-haired man couldn't help but let out another breath, feeling glad that he had been able to get his son to rest. Now, with both of his children asleep, Ookami was finally able to get some sleep as well ... but that was the furthest thing from his mind. As exhausted as he was, his worry for Hana and his determination to get to the bottom of her whereabouts completely trumped his desire to get some shut-eye.
The Wolf Man stared out the window for about another minute, beginning to wonder if his mate really had brought the groceries back to the apartment and just left them outside by the door before heading off elsewhere—all without him noticing. After all, he had the habit of doing that whenever he felt the call of the wild luring him out to go find fresh meat. Plus, he had been rather occupied with Yuki and Ame for a majority of the day. He was the one to have prepared lunch for the one-year-old, as well as given her a bath, changed a couple of diapers, and gotten a head start on the laundry. He hadn't been sitting by the window for all of the hours that had went by since Hana's departure, which meant that she really could've returned without him noticing in order to drop off the groceries. However, despite how this theory provided more comfort to the dark-haired man compared to all of the other ones ... there was still something in his gut that made him feel uncertain.
"Hmm..."
Ookami narrowed his eyes in thought, continuing to look out the window and watch droplets of rain race down the glass for a couple of more seconds. Then, through the reflection in the glass, he was able to flick his attention back and forth from his son to his daughter. He didn't like the thought of either of them waking up, only to be told that their mom was still out there somewhere. So, in that moment, the Wolf Man had made up his mind on what he was going to do.
"Okay, you two..." Ookami's voice remained soft as he stood up from the floor, being careful as to not disturb Ame or Yuki's slumber. "Let's go find Mommy and bring her back home."
Fortunately, both children turned out to be heavy sleepers. So, the Wolf Man was able to get the two of them bundled up in their shoes and raincoats without waking either of them up. After that, despite having on his usual attire—dark blue sweatpants with his white, long-sleeved, stretched-out shirt—Ookami proceeded to slip on his sandals and his old, black, fur-trimmed coat. There was no time to put on more layers, courtesy of how he wanted nothing more than to track Hana down and bring her back to the apartment safe and sound. So, upon getting himself ready, the dark-haired man delicately placed Yuki in her maroon harness and secured it around himself so she would be sleeping against his back. Then, thinking fast, Ookami made a smart decision by using a white sheet to quickly create a second sling for Ame, as he and Hana only had the one harness. Finally, the Wolf Man placed the newborn safely in the sheet and kept him swaddled on the front of his chest. The entire time, Ookami also made sure that both of their hoods were up. With that, they were ready to go.
Ookami opened the door and stepped out onto the outside hall of the apartment building, immediately being greeted by the spring breeze. It was so chilly on this wet day, sending a shiver almost instantly through the Wolf Man's bones. However, when he looked down to check and see if there were any bags or other items lying beside the door, Ookami ended up feeling his heart take a startled leap in his chest. It came to his realization that there were no groceries or any signs at all of Hana previously returning, which meant that his theory of her coming back for at least a moment—the only theory that he truly felt at least somewhat comfortable with—had been proven to be impossible. She really hadn't come back, even after all of these hours.
The dark-haired man bit down on his bottom lip, feeling the worry inside of him beginning to spike all over again. He let out a breath of disappointment, right before he turned his head and also noticed that Hana hadn't taken the umbrella with her. It was still hanging in its usual spot on the opposite side of the door, not having a single drop of water on it. As soon as he saw that, the thought of his mate falling ill filled Ookami's brain and he let out a huff that was both nervous and disappointed.
"Hana ... why would you leave this behind in such awful weather?"
Upon asking that question under his breath, the Wolf Man reached a hand out, grabbed the umbrella, and opened it. He might've not had any problems with getting soaked, especially since he had hunted for fresh meat on multiple occasions in the rain; but this time, he had Yuki and Ame with him. As the head of his pack, he needed to keep them dry and prevent them from getting sick. So, even though Ookami hated the mental picture of Hana getting drenched from head to toe while carrying multiple bags of groceries all the way back to the apartment on her own, he was at least grateful to have a way to keep his children protected from the rainfall.
With the umbrella now positioned over his head, Ookami quickly closed the front door to the apartment and hurried off into the rain. He took long, hasty strides down the sidewalk, keeping his unoccupied arm wrapped underneath Ame's sling while also feeling Yuki's sleeping form bouncing against his back with every step that he took. His dark blue orbs glanced around in all sorts of directions, taking in all of the details that were around him as puddles splashed beneath his sandals. The freezing water completely drenched his feet and soaked the hems of his sweatpants, making the Wolf Man grit his teeth and shudder. Nevertheless, no matter how cold it was—even for an individual like him—he refused to falter and kept pursuing on his journey to find his partner.
Ookami had absolutely no idea whether or not he was going in circles, but he didn't care. If searching every last inch of Tokyo was what it took to locate Hana, then that's exactly what he was willing to do. He had lost count of the amount of chain-link fences that he had passed, as well as the number of vehicles that had nearly doused him as they sped too close for his liking down the wet roads. Fortunately, whether it was the result of his sixth sense or just pure luck, the Wolf Man was able to save himself—and his offspring—from getting splashed by quickly stepping aside or jumping away from the curbs. All the while, Ookami never stopped twisting and turning himself in every which way, making sure to observe every store, restaurant, and any other building that was in sight. Hell was going to have to freeze over before he decided to give up and go back to the apartment without Hana.
Eventually, after about an additional thirty minutes of walking around aimlessly, the dark-haired man found himself standing at a crosswalk that was surrounded by dozens of apartment complexes and tall business buildings with flashing lights. He frowned, waiting for the orange hand on the signal to flicker over to the blue silhouette of a pedestrian in order to inform him that he was able to walk across the road. As he did this, he watched as a yellow van cautiously entered the intersection, followed closely by a blue and white truck. In reality, Ookami was trying to look through all of the vehicles in order to examine the few people that were standing on the opposite end of the crosswalk, also holding umbrellas and waiting for the signal to change. The Wolf Man had been hoping that he would be able to spot his mate somewhere in the small crowd ... but he failed to do so.
Ookami hung his head and shut his eyes, letting out a heavy sigh of discouragement. He then brought his free hand up to his face, rubbing it in an attempt to get rid of the tiredness that was in the process of gradually returning to his system. He was also beginning to develop a minor headache from the weather and small rumbles were starting to erupt from the pit of his stomach, due to how Hana hadn't returned with the groceries and he hadn't been able to put together a proper meal for the two of them. Not only that, but the Wolf Man's feet felt as if they were seconds away from being frozen into two blocks of ice and the worry that he had for his missing partner was only growing stronger with every passing minute—if not every second.
"Come on, Ookami ... you can do this ... hell, you have to do this." Ookami murmured to himself, just as he lifted his head back up, opened his eyes again, and pushed some of his hair out of his face. "She just has to be somewhere nearby. You'll find her ... just stay calm and keep moving. You'll be escorting her back home and having dinner with her before you know it."
Suddenly, just as he finished that final sentence, the dark-haired man ended up lowering his gaze in concern when he felt a small cough against his chest. He noticed that his newborn was beginning to stir a little, almost looking like he was going to begin crying again at any possible moment. As the result of this, Ookami thought on his feet and quickly lowered his unoccupied hand back down to Ame, sticking the tip of his index finger into his mouth to act as a pacifier.
"Sh, sh, sh! It's okay, son ... don't cry, don't cry..."
The Wolf Man couldn't help but sound a little desperate as he whispered those words to the infant, due to the fact that they were at least forty-five minutes away from their home—nowhere near any bottles, toys, or fresh diapers—and not to mention in the middle of searching for Hana in the downpour. A weeping baby would only make the whole scenario even more difficult to handle. Nonetheless, not long after he had placed his finger in the infant's mouth, Ame began to suck on it like he had never been stirring in the first place.
Ookami puffed his cheeks out, exhaling in relief. Then, while still waiting for the signal to change, he glanced back at his one-year-old daughter to see how she was doing. Fortunately, she was still fast asleep, head tilted back with her lashes meeting her cheeks and mouth hanging open. The dark-haired man could feel her breathing tranquilly against his back, causing the faintest shred of a grin to appear on his face. After that, as he turned back around to keep looking at the signal, he witnessed it switch over to the pedestrian symbol. At last, the Wolf Man was able to step out into the road and continue on with his task. The whole time, his finger stayed in Ame's mouth in order to keep him soothed.
Another fifteen minutes went by, consisting of Ookami searching up and down the streets of multiple neighborhoods. Now, he was walking down a bike lane on a single road that had smaller homes and alleyways placed on both sides of it. Due to the weather conditions, there weren't many other people that were out at this time. However, despite how the dark-haired man was the type of person who preferred keeping to himself, he was willing—strictly for Hana's sake—to reach out and ask questions.
Ookami stopped walking and turned his body in the direction of the opposite side of the road. There were only two other civilians in sight at this time—a bespectacled man that was wearing an entirely brown suit and a woman that had on a dull purple hoodie with a pair of black dress pants. They were in the other bike lane, heading in opposite directions with their own umbrellas being held over their heads.
"Excuse me!" Ookami called out over the sound of the rain, watching as the man and the woman both froze in their tracks in order to turn their heads in his direction. "Have either of you seen a young woman with mid-length, brownish/black hair and dark brown eyes? She's around here with her height, wearing a pastel yellow skirt with a pink blouse, a dark blue coat, white leggings, and brown shoes!"
While referring to Hana's height, the Wolf Man used his free hand—as Ame was no longer sucking on his finger—in order to gesture to the bottom of his neck.
The man in the brown suit raised a hand up to his chin, appearing to be thinking heavily about all of the information that had just been given. Then, with an apologetic expression forming on his face, the bespectacled gentleman gave his response.
"No, I'm afraid that I don't recall seeing someone that fits that description!"
The woman shook her head in regret, speaking up afterwards. "It's not ringing any bells for me either! I'm sorry!"
The Wolf Man wished that he could've gotten himself to believe that he hadn't revealed just how disappointed he was in their responses, but he knew that he couldn't. His shoulders had noticeably sunk and the look on his face easily showed just how uneasy and fatigued he was. Nonetheless, that didn't stop the dark-haired man from forcing the most realistic grin that he possibly could across his lips. It was a habit that he had picked up from his mate—to try to smile no matter what is going on. However, Hana was much better at it than he was.
"No, it's okay...! I appreciate you both taking the time to listen...!"
Even with the smile, Ookami's discontent was definitely noticeable in his tone. He bowed, right before he straightened himself back up, turned back in the direction that he needed to go, and made a move to continue on his way.
The bespectacled man waved. "I'll be sure to keep my eyes peeled!"
"I will as well! Good luck with your search!" declared the woman, who had also bowed. "Cute kids, by the way!"
Ookami gave a nod to let the two of them know that he had heard their comments, calling back, "Thanks!"
However, as soon as he turned away and started striding down the bike lane again, the dark-haired man's smile fell back into a frown. By this point, his worry had reached a whole new level. He was convinced that a new word just had to be created in order to describe it, but he was still far from willing to go back to the apartment. The air was noticeably getting colder and the storm was slowly beginning to escalate. Nevertheless, none of that changed how determined Ookami was to find Hana and ensure her well-being.
There still weren't many people out on the streets at this time, but whenever the Wolf Man did manage to stumble across someone, he would give the same description of his mate in the hopes of finding somebody that would confirm that they've seen her and knew where she was. Unfortunately, no matter how many times Ookami tried asking about Hana, he always received the same answer. Nobody was able to provide him with any information, which only made his disappointment increase even more with every passing second. He didn't even think that such a thing like that was possible by this point in his search, but he was wrong. It was ... and it was absolute hell to put up with.
Eventually, Ookami had given up on trying to ask other people about Hana and decided to go back to depending on just himself. He started calling out for her, making sure that he was raising his voice in order to have it heard over the rainfall while also making sure that he wasn't being too loud. He didn't want to risk drawing too much attention, especially with Yuki and Ame in his presence.
"Hana! ... Hana, where are you? ... Hana, can you hear me? ... Hana!"
This process carried on for about five or ten minutes. For all that Ookami knew, it could've actually been fifteen or twenty. Once again, he had lost track of time and it didn't matter to him. Regardless of how long it had been, it felt like centuries since he had last seen his partner. Not only that, but no matter how many times he tried calling out for Hana, the Wolf Man wasn't given any response from her.
At some point, Ookami found himself walking through a small passageway that was below a bridge and ascending up a concrete platform. It was lined with thick bushes that were held back by more chain-link fences, along with iron railings that prevented civilians from possibly falling into the road that was also provided beneath the bridge. Another concrete platform with similar fences and railings was constructed on the opposite side of the road as well.
With every step that the dark-haired man took, he never stopped taking in all of the details that were around him. When he made it to the middle of the platform, he ceased in his tracks and looked off in the direction of the other platform, hoping to see Hana walking along it. Unfortunately, just as he suspected—but had also been afraid of—he didn't see her anywhere. The entire time, multiple vehicles were driving up and down on both sides of the road that was nothing more than just a couple of feet below.
"Hana!" Ookami called out for what felt like the billionth time, still refusing to give up. "Hana, are you around here somewhere? ... Hana!"
He still received no answer, not even knowing by this point if he actually expected for something different or not. On the contrary, he was only hoping.
The Wolf Man softly shook his head, as if needing to break the news to himself that his mate was still nowhere to be found. Then, within seconds after that, he found himself becoming alert when he detected the sound of a long, soft yawn. If he had been in his wolf form, Ookami knew that his ear would've twitched.
A small, groggy voice spoke up, "...Daddy?"
Ookami didn't think twice before redirecting his attention over his shoulder, only to notice that Yuki's eyes were half open. She didn't look the slightest bit aware as to what was going on and was noticeably still tired. The hood of her bright yellow raincoat also looked like it was on the verge of falling down and the breeze was whistling through the few strands of her auburn hair that were exposed.
"Oh, Yuki ... do Daddy a favor and go back to sleep, okay?" Ookami instructed softly, once again forcing himself to put on the best grin that he could muster in that moment. "Everything's alright. Daddy has everything under control."
Yuki replied just as quietly and a little slowly, "Okay, Daddy..."
With that, her innocent eyes drooped shut and—much to Ookami's relief—she ended up drifting back off to sleep almost instantly. He then pinched a hold of her raincoat's hood and proceeded to fix it so it would be back over her head completely. Afterwards, despite how his smile didn't hesitate to fade away again, the Wolf Man positioned his arm underneath Ame's sling again and continued his walk. Occasionally, the wind would cause some of the raindrops to fly underneath the umbrella and smack him in the face, but Ookami kept refusing to allow himself to falter. Hana was worth going through anything.
The dark-haired muttered under his breath, "Come on, Ookami ... think. Where are some places that she would go?"
Upon making that comment to himself, Ookami settled on a plan. It might've not been an extremely specific one, but it was still something that provided him with at least some reassurance. He was going to head to the bridge that he and Hana crossed on almost a full daily basis—the bridge that he had almost confessed his secret on back when they had first started dating. The Wolf Man was convinced that if he went there, surely he would find out where his mate was.
Not even a split second after the bridge came to Ookami's mind, he rolled his eyes to himself and mentally asked why he didn't think of that destination sooner. Then, without allowing another moment to go to waste, he began to hastily jog in the direction that he needed to go. His grip on the umbrella remained firm, preventing it from getting taken away in the wind, and he paid no mind to the puddles as they continued to soak his feet and splash against his sweatpants with every step that he took.
Ookami might've had an impressive amount of stamina, but by this point, he had been searching all over the place for Hana for a little over an hour. He could feel strain beginning to build up in almost all of the muscles of his legs and his stomach felt like it was just moments away from caving in on itself. As much as the Wolf Man hated to admit it, all of this running around was really starting to take a toll on him. It also didn't help that he had already been hungry and mentally drained since the beginning, even hours before he had left the apartment. Being a father—particularly one that was part wolf and one to such young offspring—was nowhere near simple. Of course, Ookami wouldn't trade his pack for anything in the entire world; but that didn't change how he understood that he was going to need to get some rest very soon.
With a grunt, the dark-haired man couldn't help but come to a stop. He had been jogging in order to get to the bridge for at least ten-to-fifteen minutes straight, now standing on a sidewalk that was surrounded by hundreds of different small, cute, homey-looking shops. Ookami was really pushing his limits, having no choice but to take a moment to catch his breath. While doing so, he leaned himself forward, kept his one arm wrapped underneath the sling that was cradling his son, and rested his eyes shut. All the while, both of his children continued to sleep peacefully.
"Ugh ... dammit..." Ookami swore, wincing a little as he felt the chilly breeze torment his lungs with every deep breath that he drew in. "You've come all this way, Ookami. Don't give up now ... come on, this is for Hana..."
The Wolf Man continued to refill his lungs with oxygen for another five-to-ten seconds, giving each breath the chance to circulate before he let it out. Then, as he straightened himself back up and began to use the fur-trimmed portion of his jacket to wipe a couple of raindrops away from his face, Ookami caught something out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to look at it entirely ... and that's when his gaze locked on Hakujūji—the pastry shop that turned out to be the prime location where he and Hana had always decided to meet up at before they agreed to live together in the apartment. That place held plenty of great memories. Ookami's most favorite one—though it was difficult to choose—was back when he had ran up to his mate, swept her off her feet, and began twirling her around after finding out that she was pregnant with Yuki.
As soon as that memory came back to the dark-haired man's mind, there was a piece of him that could've sworn that saw it beginning to play out right in front of him as clear as day. He remembered the sound of him and Hana laughing together, as well as the tears that began to pour down both of their faces from their overwhelming amount of joy. That day was one of the most beautiful ones that Ookami could recall from his entire life ... and despite how it had only been on his mind for less than fifteen seconds, it managed to give him a whole new burst of energy. As if his stamina had never been running low, the Wolf Man withdrew his attention from Hakujūji and began to jog at a much quicker pace down the sidewalk again. This time, there was a soft, much more genuine grin on his face—all because of that wonderful memory, which was still playing in his head like a scene from a movie.
Finally, after about another five minutes of jogging, the bridge came into view and Ookami was able to slow himself down to a normal walk. His faint smile was still molded across his lips, regardless of how his muscles were still screaming for him to let them rest and his feet were practically begging him to find a way to dry them off. As cliche as it might've sounded, just the thought of his partner made the Wolf Man feel like he was floating on cloud nine—and since he had made it to the area where the two of them walked almost everyday, he was beginning to feel much more confident in locating her.
Ookami began to approach the bridge, taking another glance over his shoulder to check on Yuki. It was easy to confirm that she was still fast asleep, drool trickling down from one of the corners of her mouth. Ookami almost chuckled at the sight, right before he lowered his attention on Ame to check on him as well. Like his sister, the newborn was also still slumbering. For the first time in what felt like years, the Wolf Man felt like he had absolutely everything under control.
"Ah, here we are..." Ookami whispered as he began to walk across the bridge, sticking close to the railing. "This bridge is actually very special to Daddy. One day, I hope that the two of you will be able to understand that. After all ... this is the place where I almost told your mother about how—"
Before he could finish that sentence, the dark-haired man ended up cutting himself off when he picked up the sound of someone—definitely a woman—letting out a small scream that sounded scared, sympathetic, and emotional all in one.
Confusion appeared on Ookami's face, making him look like a small child that was trying to understand a difficult Algebra problem. He didn't think twice before freezing in his tracks and turning his body in the direction of the abrupt shriek, batting his lashes in even more uncertainty.
"Huh? What the..."
The Wolf Man's attention automatically locked on a startling scene. There was an ambulance stationed on the road that intersected with the bridge, its red lights flashing in the rain and reflecting off the wet pavement. The back doors were opened and a gurney was rolled out, surrounded by three paramedics who looked absolutely crestfallen. Not only that, but from where he was standing, Ookami was also able to make out two things. One, there was what looked like tire marks spewed across the road, as if somebody had been driving in a reckless manner. And two ... the fence that prevented people from falling into the shallow canal below had noticeably been broken in a specific area—like something large and heavy had slammed into it. There were even some tire tracks that led up to it, despite there not being any other vehicle in sight.
There were a couple of bystanders that were observing everything from beneath their own umbrellas. One of them was the woman that had screamed, who had one of her hands placed over her mouth in shock. Whether she was trying to hold back the urge to throw up or let out another shriek, it was difficult to tell. Not only that, but beside the woman, there was the same bespectacled gentleman that Ookami had come across earlier. He looked absolutely horrified, keeping an arm wrapped around the woman's back in order to prevent her from collapsing to the ground in her skirt and heels.
Other bystanders looked just as appalled and disturbed by what was going on right in front of them. There was even another man that had removed his hat and placed it over his heart, followed by him frowning and bowing his head.
"Oh no..." Ookami muttered, feeling pity beginning to bubble up inside of him as he continued to stare particularly at the ambulance. "Looks like an accident happened..."
Shortly after those words left his mouth, the Wolf Man witnessed a fourth paramedic step out from the back of the ambulance. His shoulders were slumped and he looked absolutely ashamed, holding a black item in his arms. It was unmistakably a body bag. He handed it off to the three other paramedics, who immediately started preparing it on the gurney. The fourth paramedic, on the other hand, approached the gate that was built into the fence and opened it.
Ookami blinked, witnessing the fourth paramedic proceed to turn himself around and begin to carefully climb down the ladder that was built into the wall of the canal. He had never pictured himself in this situation before—stumbling across an incident while having Yuki and Ame with him—but if he had, one of the last things that the Wolf Man ever imagined him doing was remaining near the area in which the accident had occurred. After all, he wouldn't want to risk having either of his children scarred for the rest of their lives ... but in that moment, Ookami couldn't fight his curiosity. It was almost like he was being compelled to remain where he was on that bridge, despite not knowing why.
With confusion and sympathy still flowing through his veins, the dark-haired man lowered his gaze even more into the canal to see what was going on. He cocked an eyebrow, feeling his confusion take an even sharper increase as soon as he saw a certain item floating in the water. It was a plastic bag that contained a loaf of bread; but it didn't take long for the Wolf Man to realize that that wasn't the only thing that was down there. On the contrary, the loaf of bread was surrounded by various cans, boxes, and bags of vegetables that were being soaked to the point where none of the contents would be able to be eaten. There were even some containers of baby formula and a couple of the boxes just so happened to contain Yuki's most favorite type of graham crackers.
"Is that ... groceries down there?" Ookami inquired under his breath, narrowing his eyes in thought. "Why would there be—"
He dragged his gaze over each of the drenched items in a mixture of concern and uncertainty. However, before the Wolf Man could try finishing his next question ... his eyes ended up crossing over something else that was also lying in the shallow water of the canal. It took less than a second for Ookami to figure out what it was ... and almost immediately after his eyes landed on it, he felt them grow so much to the point where a piece of him could've sworn that they were on the verge of popping out of their sockets. At the same time, Ookami's jaw practically fell to the ground and he felt his fingers go limp, causing him to lose his grip entirely on the umbrella. Nonetheless, even when the umbrella fell to the ground and exposed the Wolf Man, along with his children, entirely to the cold rain ... Ookami's traumatized gaze never broke away from what had caused him to shut up.
Amongst the different foods that were in the process of being ruined by the shallow water ... there was the body of a woman in the canal—but not just any woman.
"It was her. We'll never know what Mom was thinking that day. Maybe she was excited to return home, excited to come back to her offspring and her mate after her motherly instinct had driven her out into the rain to stock up on food for her newborn. She wouldn't have even cared about her lack of an umbrella. She would've been too busy smiling, coming back home to feed her family ... only to have her life taken from her in an accident." ~ Yuki
... It was Hana that was lying in the canal, completely soaked from head to toe. She was positioned on her back, but her head was turned in Ookami's direction. Half of her face was almost entirely submerged, causing her hair to drift around in the freezing water. Her eyes were closed and there was blood gushing down from a massive wound on her forehead, completely clashing with her pale skin. There was also blood leaking down the side of her neck and trickling along one of the corners of her mouth. Not only that, but her clothes had been ripped and splattered with even more blood. The amount of bruises and lacerations that she had made it look as if she had been attacked by a wild animal. To top it all off, one of Hana's shoes were floating around, revealing a nasty gash on her foot, and the water was tinted with an unnerving shade of crimson. Needless to say, the scene was positively gruesome and petrifying.
Yet another paramedic—a fifth one—was down on one knee beside Hana's motionless body, shaking his head softly in regret. Two other men—garbage workers, judging by their uniforms—were in the middle of cleaning up the discarded groceries with utter disappointment decorating their features.
As soon as the Wolf Man had been able to confirm that it was his mate's body that was lying as still as a statue in the waterway, multiple things had happened. First, all of the noises that were around him—particularly the heavy rainfall and the wind that was blowing through a variety of nearby trees—literally faded away on deaf ears, as if the entire universe had stopped. Second, as Ookami continued to stare down into the dreary canal, he let out what sounded like a mixture between a small cry and a mortified gasp. His eyes were still the size of two plates and they were already beginning to fill with hot tears, which were the third thing to have been triggered by the sight of Hana's bloodied body. Lastly, the fourth and final thing to have happened with the dark-haired man was his brain beginning to replay every single memory that contained his partner's presence.
To Ookami, it literally felt like somebody had just kicked him with full force in the stomach. Then, they went ahead and proceeded to pop his chest open, reach their hand in, grab his heart, and yank it out without even the tiniest shred of remorse. He was overcome with a tsunami of emotions—terror, pain, sorrow, denial, and the list could go on for miles. In fact, it was so overwhelming to the point where the Wolf Man had to snatch a hold of the railing that was in front of him in order to prevent him from collapsing to the ground in shock.
This was the woman that had changed his entire life, the treasure that he knew deep down inside that nobody on the whole planet would ever be good enough to have. Hana had chased him down in the halls of the university, all because she wanted to make sure that he didn't get marked as absent. Then, despite his defensive and mysterious demeanor, she was still willing to follow him and offer to help him with the class that they were in by sharing her textbook. She had even snuck him into the library, not once ever faltering from the thought of being caught, and proceeded to pick out more books with him.
This was the woman that never stopped smiling, the woman that was constantly being fueled by the goodness in her heart. She had given Ookami a home, a place where he belonged—just like he had always dreamed of. She accepted him for who he was, not once ever being shaken by his wolf half; and on the night in which Ookami revealed his secret to her, the two of them made love for the first time. Hana had always been gentle, understanding, optimistic, and generous—even when the Wolf Man didn't believe that he deserved to receive such behavior. Overall, she was the love of his life and the mother of his children. They had been building a great life together ... and now, after spending not nearly enough years as a couple, this was how the dark-haired man had to find his partner.
Ookami drew in one shaky breath after another, his lungs literally feeling like they had been deflated. He could feel dozens of tears already beginning to escape from his eyes and trickle uncontrollably down his cheeks—not that it was one hundred percent noticeable, courtesy of the raindrops that were also in the process of drenching the Wolf Man from head to toe.
Suddenly, upon squeezing his eyes shut and popping them back open in the hopes of this just being one hell of a nightmare, Ookami noticed the paramedic that had been climbing down the ladder come to a stop. He was now in the middle of the ladder, continuing to hold onto one of the bars with one hand as he twisted himself around at the waist. Then, with his other hand, the paramedic motioned for his fellow coworker—the one that was knelt down beside Hana's body—to do something. Due to his enhanced hearing, Ookami was able to hear the paramedic on the ladder say, "Come on ... let's move her."
The Wolf Man clenched his eyes shut again, this time even harder than before. However, when he opened them for the second time, not only did it hurt to see this whole scenario still playing out right in front of him ... but Ookami also saw the fifth paramedic reach down towards Hana. He slipped one arm carefully underneath her legs and wrapped his other arm just as delicately around her back, right before he stood up and proceeded to hold her close to his chest like a bride. Yet, with all of her injuries and the fact that each of her limbs continued to dangle in a lifeless manner, it was the sad truth that Hana held a much stronger resemblance to a battered doll.
"N-no ... no, no, no...!" Ookami kept muttering that word to himself in a panic, as if it would somehow alter the events that were occurring right before his eyes.
With his hands trembling and knees on the verge of buckling, the dark-haired man watched as the fifth paramedic trudged sadly through the canal. Then, when he made it over to the ladder, he lifted Hana up for the next paramedic to take. As the paramedic that was on the ladder did just that, the paramedic that had been kneeling down beside Hana's body in the first place took the time to retrieve her other shoe from the water.
One of the other paramedics—who noticeably must've been the one in charge—remained by the head of the gurney with his head hanging. The final two paramedics, on the other hand, didn't think twice before jogging over to the gate. They waited for their coworker to climb up a little, right before they reached their hands down and took Hana's corpse. One of them supported everything from above her waist, while the other supported everything from beneath her thighs. Then, as the fourth and fifth paramedic continued to climb up the canal's ladder, leaving the garbage workers alone to continue cleaning up the useless groceries, the two other paramedics proceeded to carry Hana's body over to the gurney. When they made it, they placed her down like she was made out of glass ... and the body bag had already been prepared beneath her. It was evident that the paramedics were just moments away from zipping it shut.
That's when Ookami reacted. Just as he saw one of the paramedics beginning to reach their hand out towards the zipper, he broke out of the trance-like state that he was in, tore his hand away from the railing, and sprinted. His legs were moving faster than they ever have before, making it seem like he was bolting away from the devil himself.
Upon rounding the corner of the bridge and stepping back out onto the road that intersected with it, the Wolf Man began charging towards the ambulance. Everything felt like it was playing in slow motion and he almost tripped over his own feet on multiple occasions; but that didn't stop Ookami from continuing to run. All the while, he paid no mind to any of the bystanders—as he was positive that he was catching all of their attention by this point—and he kept his eyes locked on his mate's still body.
Ookami's voice tore through the rainfall, calling out at the tops of his lungs, "H-HANA!"
Almost immediately, all five of the paramedics lifted their heads in order to see what was happening. As soon as they noticed Ookami, who had already began to reach his arms out in order to indicate that he wanted to run up to Hana's corpse, the one that was in charge quickly stepped around to the front of the gurney and used his own arms to block the dark-haired man's path.
Ookami skidded to a rough halt, breathing hard with a mixture of tears and raindrops continuing to pour down his face. Nonetheless, he still made an attempt to reach over the head paramedic's shoulder in order to grab a hold of Hana's hand. However, the head paramedic had stopped him, snatching a firm hold of his wrist and forcing him to pull his arm back.
"Let me through! Let me through!" Ookami barked, sounding just as frantic as he looked. He kept pushing his body as much as he could against the body of the head paramedic, only to keep getting blocked.
"Sir! Sir, you need to stay back!"
"Like hell I do!" The Wolf Man's attention never broke away from his partner's corpse, eyes still overflowing with tears and face contorted in a blend of pain, terror, and anger. "Get the hell out of my way! Hana! Hana!"
The paramedic that was in charge refused to budge, his face expressing concern as he continued to remain between the Wolf Man and the gurney.
"Sir, please! You can't come any closer!"
Ookami protested almost immediately. "Don't you dare tell me that! That's my mate!"
As soon as that final sentence left the dark-haired man's mouth, the four other paramedics noticeably became tense. They straightened themselves up, looking down at Hana's body before they began exchanging wide-eyed glances. They looked as if they had just seen a ghost, all four of them becoming paler than sheets in the blink of an eye.
The head paramedic, on the other hand, looked like a deer that had been caught in headlights. He literally looked as if he had forgotten how to breathe for a moment, the concern automatically beginning to melt away. Within seconds, it was replaced by a look of utter sympathy and regret.
One of the other four paramedics had no choice but to turn away, covering his mouth with his gloved hand as he shakily muttered, "O-oh my God..." He couldn't even get himself to keep looking at Ookami, especially after realizing that he had two young children strapped to his body.
The head paramedic slowly repeated the Wolf Man's final two words, still standing his ground between the dark-haired man and the gurney.
"Your mate...?"
"Yes, my mate! She's my mate!" Ookami confirmed, finally agreeing to make eye contact with the paramedic that was in charge. "What the hell happened?! Is she okay?!"
The head paramedic frowned, studying the frenetic look that was on the Wolf Man's face with the pitiful glow in his eyes growing brighter. His shoulders sunk and he exhaled through his nose, right before he placed a hand against Ookami's shoulder. Then, the head paramedic had no choice but to deliver the worst news that nobody on the entire planet ever deserved to hear.
"Sir ... I'm sorry that I have to tell you this, but ... she was the victim of a hit-and-run. She was struck with the vehicle and thrown all the way down into the canal, where she likely suffered shattered bones and internal bleeding. Although, it's safe to assume that her death was more than likely instantaneous ... because by the time that we arrived, it was clear to us that ... we were unable to do anything to bring her back. You have our deepest, most sincere condolences."
Right then and there, Ookami could've sworn that he felt three things—an invisible rock slamming him in the chest, his stomach beginning to sink all the way down to his feet, and especially his heart shattering. He was starting to visibly shake, staring directly into the eyes of the head paramedic like he was waiting desperately for it to be revealed that this was just some type of sick joke.
"N-no! ... No, that's not possible! S-she's not dead! S-she can't be!" Ookami bellowed, clenching his teeth as sobs began to rip through his throat. "T-t-this just has to be s-some type of mistake! S-s-she's not freaking dead!"
The head paramedic squeezed his shoulder, evidently trying to calm him down and provide him with at least a sprinkle of comfort. Although, it was obvious that he had grimaced by how the volume of the Wolf Man's voice had increased.
"Sir, I know that this must be extremely difficult for you ... but I'm afraid that considering the circumstances, her chances of survival would've been nonexistent. She ... really is gone..."
Ookami shook his head in denial, causing his wet hair to flop around like the mane of a lion. At the same time, he squeezed his eyes shut and forced hundreds of more tears to spill rapidly down his cheeks.
"N-no...! No, no, s-shit no! I-I watched her leave with my own eyes just a couple of hours ago! S-she was fine!" Ookami had to stop, letting himself sniffle and continue to sob for a couple of seconds before going on. "S-s-she was just going out to get groceries! T-that's all! She ... s-she was going to come back to me! To us! ... C-Christ, this can't be happening!"
By this point, the three other paramedics looked like they were seconds away from allowing their emotions to get the better of them. In fact, the fourth paramedic that had turned away just a moment or two before was trembling with his hand still placed firmly over his mouth. It was safe to assume that he hadn't been able to fight the urge anymore, and he had also started crying.
The head paramedic slowly withdrew his hand from the Wolf Man's shoulder and bowed his head, giving another apology like that would somehow make the pain go away.
"I'm very sorry, sir—"
"Stop saying that! I-I keep telling you, dammit...! S-she's not dead...!"
Ookami squeezed his hands into fists, feeling his heart picking up the pace more and more with every passing second. His mind was spinning, still replaying hundreds of memories that revolved around Hana. However, at the same time, it was trying to process all of the information that had just been given him. All it took was one look at Hana's body on the gurney to know that she was dead ... but after everything that the two of them had been through together, Ookami wasn't willing to accept it—especially not right off the bat, all while Yuki and Ame were strapped to his body.
The Wolf Man pushed the head paramedic aside, letting out a tearful grunt. Then, he practically threw himself at the gurney, tossing one arm carefully across Hana's chest and using his opposite hand to begin stroking her drenched hair. He lowered his face so the tips of their noses were almost touching, perfectly able to smell the blood and see every little detail that was incorporated into all of her wounds. As this happened, tears continued to trickle down Ookami's cheeks like individual waterfalls and he tried to cling to the hope that all of this really was just a mistake. Hana just couldn't have been dead.
The other paramedics—despite their sympathy—made moves to remove the distraught man from the gurney. However, before they could, they froze in their tracks when the one that was in charge lifted his hand up and said with disappointment, "It's okay ... give him a minute."
Ookami rested his forehead against Hana's hairline, shoulders shaking and distress literally flowing through every last one of his veins. He was a noticeable wreck, crying harder than he ever had in his entire life. He was trying his hardest to remember the smells of her shampoo and perfume, obviously preferring those scents over the sharp aromas of blood and dirty water. All the while, he refused to look away from her closed eyes, just wanting them to open more than words could possibly describe.
"H-Hana, come on ... you have to be in there. You can't be gone. P-please ... sweetheart, please open your eyes ... a-and show me one of those gorgeous smiles that I love so much. Please, Hana ... s-show us all that you're not ... n-not ... dead..." A whimper escaped from Ookami's lips as he said that last word, his mouth quivering as it fell into an even heavier and more heart-wrenching frown. "W-we've been through so much, Hana. T-this just can't be the end...! I-I love you too damn much to lose you...! We have two kids together! H-Hana, please ... I-I can't do this on my own. I need you ... s-so, please ... just please ... open your eyes, baby ... I-I swear, I'll do anything...!"
With every passing second, the Wolf Man could literally feel the pain inside of him growing more and more unbearable—especially when he noticed that his mate hadn't moved or somehow reacted to anything that he had just said. In that moment, as much as Ookami absolutely despised having to admit it ... he knew that this really was one of his worst nightmares come true. Hana—the love of his life and the mother of his children—was dead. What he was holding, smelling, caressing, and talking to ... was nothing more than just her empty body. Her cheerful soul was gone, taking her vibrant smile and her up-beat eyes with it.
"Oh, God ... oh my God...! Hana...! Hana, no!" Ookami wailed, unable to stop some of his tears as they dripped off of his face like they would from a broken faucet and landed on his partner's cheeks. "Oh, God! Please, Hana...! God, not her...! W-why couldn't it have been me instead?! Why did it have to be her?! ... I-I-I loved her so much...! Oh, my poor Hana...! No...!"
With that, the Wolf Man buried his face in Hana's chest, feeling how cold, damp, and still it was. It was impossible to describe how badly he wanted to scream, especially when he didn't hear the sound of her heartbeat. Nonetheless, all Ookami did was continue to sob against the bloodied fabric of Hana's blouse, wanting nothing more than to feel her arms wrap around him and fingers begin to brush through his soaked hair. Unfortunately, no matter how long the dark-haired man remained where he was—and it sure as hell felt like centuries—his mate didn't move a muscle.
Suddenly, after about a minute of sobbing into Hana's chest, Ookami felt somebody place a hand against the back of his shoulder. Sniffling, he lifted his head up and glanced back, only to end up seeing the head paramedic staring back at him with regretful eyes.
"Sir? I'm sorry, but ... we need to take her away now."
Hearing those words made the Wolf Man feel like he had just been stabbed with the sharpest knife in all of existence. It was more than evident that he wanted to keep holding onto Hana's body and not let the gurney go anywhere ... but at the same time, he knew deep down inside that doing that would change nothing.
Ookami glanced back down at Hana, watching as more of his tears fell from his face and plopped against her own. Then, with his fingers trembling, the Wolf Man delicately pushed a few strands of his partner's hair out of her face. Finally, while choking on another cry, he leaned down close to her face again; and this time, he allowed the tip of his nose to touch hers.
"Hana ... I-I'm so, so sorry ... I-I promise, our children and I ... will always love you..." Ookami whispered, feeling his lips trembling and eyes stinging as he placed a kiss against his mate's bruised cheek. "O-oh, Hana...!"
Just like that, the dark-haired man broke down into a fit of tearful wails all over again. He had never experienced such an intense amount of pain before, not even when he was left to raise himself on the street for a majority of his life. In fact, the pain was so strong to the point where Ookami almost found himself clinging to the gurney after all. In the end, the only reason why he ended up backing away from Hana's corpse was because of the head paramedic, who had approached the gurney again and proceeded to untangle the Wolf Man's arms himself. Meanwhile, two of the other paramedics positioned themselves at opposite ends of the gurney and the final paramedic—the one that had turned away in order to hide the fact that they were crying—grabbed the zipper of the body bag.
Ookami flew his hands up to his mouth, forcing himself to choke on another loud sob. His vision flickered back and forth from blurry to clear, watching as the body bag was slowly zipped up until Hana's entire corpse was no longer visible. He had made sure to stare at her face until he could no longer see it, still feeling the rough cries ripping through his entire body. At last, after the body bag was strapped down, Ookami witnessed the gurney get rolled into the back of the ambulance. Out of instinct, he had tried taking a step forward to go after his mate; but he stopped as soon as the head paramedic held out a hand and shook his head at him. Even without exchanging any words, the Wolf Man knew that he was being told that he was unable to go with them.
Three of the paramedics stayed in the back of the ambulance, letting Ookami get one final look at the body bag that contained his mate's deceased body before they slammed the doors shut. The fourth paramedic then ran around to the passenger's side of the emergency vehicle, hopping in without looking back. He just couldn't bear to see the Wolf Man's devastation for another second. That just left the head paramedic, who had made sure that the back doors were secured before he gave the dark-haired man one last apologetic glance. After that, he ran around to the driver's side of the ambulance and jumped in. The vehicle sped off down the street just moments after that, leaving Ookami in the street to watch it go.
The Wolf Man took a couple of more distraught steps, as if he were debating on whether or not he should chase after the ambulance. Nonetheless, as soon as he saw it disappear around the corner at the far opposite end of the road, Ookami found his legs quivering beneath him like they had suddenly transformed into two spaghetti noodles. He ended up falling to his knees, hiding his face behind his hands as he filled the air with the sound of him weeping like tomorrow didn't exist. In fact, his cries were so loud and heartbreaking to the point where they almost perfectly matched the volume of the rainfall. Yet, the entire time, Ame and Yuki continued to remain fast asleep.
One of the bystanders—the bespectacled man in the brown suit from earlier—slowly approached the Wolf Man with this look in his eyes that made it as clear as day that his heart was filled with compassion. Then, after making it over to the part of the road where Ookami was, the bespectacled man didn't think twice before holding his umbrella out. He positioned it over Ookami, Yuki, and Ame, protecting them from the rain and allowing himself to get drenched—all without saying a word. Although, it wasn't necessary since his actions spoke for him.
In that moment, as the Wolf Man continued to sob into his hands, he knew that he had no choice but to accept the heartbreaking reality.
Hana was dead.
She wasn't going to be coming home for dinner that night, nor was she going to be walking through the door of that apartment ever again.
No more dreams of her raising Yuki and Ame with him, or of the two of them moving to the countryside to take the next step in building their life together. They wouldn't be getting married or having another kid, nor would they be growing old at each other's sides.
Now, all of these things were nothing more than just fantasies ... because fate had declared in the form of a hit-and-run that Hana was never coming back.
Ame and Yuki no longer had their mother in the picture. Now, the only person that they had to truly depend on was their father ... and Ookami knew this.
Raising his half-human, half-wolf children ... was entirely up to him now.