The hoe almost jumped out of Akari's hands when she struck the stone ground with it. Vibrating, it sent a sprawling numbness throughout her arms and alerted her that the mine's solid rock ground was NOT for digging around in.
How am I supposed to find herbs and roots this way? Akari wondered, hunching forward and huffing in exhaustion. Looking down, she noticed a red and white spotted toadstool sitting at her feet. Had it always been there? When she looked around the mine, she found even more growing between spaces in boulders and the walls. Those bright red caps looked awfully familiar...
"See what I mean?" Owen boasted, nodding his head. "Plenty of plants!"
Akari knew that toadstools weren't plants (being they were fungi) but she didn't want to put him down (since she thought he was simply wonderful). "Thank you," she said, quickly gathering them. "This is perfect..." She had a sudden, marvelous idea.
"It's a funny coincidence... how accurate his fables are," Irene said, pouring two teacups atop Jin's desk. "It's like that boy has an extra sense." Finishing, the old woman set the teapot down and arranged a spoon and honey jar beside it.
Jin took his tea plain, staring hesitantly into it––as if he suspected it of something. "Yes," he said at last. "This isn't the first time that Gill has written very amusing things."
"Hm. Very amusing." Irene stirred her tea with honey and then took a sip. "Just as amusing as the wizard's concerned warning to the prince about the kappa... That is, if it WAS a concerned warning. Wizards know a great deal about curses themselves, so it could've been a threat..."
Jin ignored her. He didn't care if his warning to Gill earlier was too subtle or not subtle enough; he had simply wanted him to stay out of Akari's business.
Afterwards, the boy appeared appropriately confused, but he was so stubborn that he declared that his 'story unfolds by itself.' As if he had no control over writing it. As if he didn't fabricate most of its details.
At least the boy didn't acknowledge that Akari was a kappa FOR REAL. If he had, however, he probably would've kicked Akari off the island instead of writing such silly drivel.
Jin scoffed crossly. The kappa, in love with the prince? That's just ridiculous, he thought. So ridiculous, that he didn't want to think about it anymore. Akari was far too awkward and naive for such things. And they'd barely spent any time together. Gill had clearly made a mistake.
Or did Gill only write that because he felt that way about her?
Jin chugged his teacup empty and slammed it down on his desk. "Where is she?" he asked emotionlessly. So emotionlessly, that he ended up sounding strained and somewhat angry––at least to Irene, who knew him all too well.
"You mean Akari?" the old woman asked. "Are you worried about her?"
"No. Of course not." Jin stood up and grabbed his clipboard. "I just want to see if a kappa really keeps its word. The promises they make are supposed to be 'magically unbreakable'. Absurd. How does that even work? I'm just curious."
Irene chortled lowly. "It's been years since I've seen you this curious about a girl."
Before Jin could protest, the clinic's front door scraped and creaked open. Smiling wisely, Irene took her tea and hurried off to tend the front register.
As soon as Jin heard Akari's voice, he apprehensively shoved his nose in his clipboard. He found a blank patient sheet (since he'd already put away Gill's) but he didn't want to appear as if he had been WAITING for Akari or anything. No good. I need to write something, he thought, taking out a pen and checking random boxes––filling in the sheet. He did this for some time, even after Akari entered to room and stood before him, holding her rucksack and frowning like a punished child.
Yes, the doctor continued to act VERY busy, just for the sake of being annoying.
At last, the girl decided to speak. "You wanted me to gather medicinal materials, right?" she asked, peeking furtively into her bag.
"I did," Jin said, bringing his clipboard down. He watched the girl pull out a horrendously red mushroom. Holding it, proud, she placed it atop his clipboard. She placed another. And then another. Soon, a small mountain of ugly mushrooms were stacked precariously before him.
"I picked a lot of them," Akari said with a forced, irritated smile; "so that YOU could have enough for yourself."
Jin observed the mushrooms with not a smile nor a scowl. "Thank you." He accepted them.
Akari watched him with gleaming eyes, but gritted her teeth when he took them to his desk without any signs of disturbance. He carefully put them away.
What... what is this? Akari wrung her hands, confused by Jin's neutral acceptance. These toadstools, or poisonous mushrooms as they were sometimes called, were infamous for being the most hateful and offensive gift to ever give or receive. Even though they had secret medicinal properties, they were incredibly difficult to prepare, making them practically useless.
No common doctor would ever be able to process such toadstools into medicine. It was a medicine her father taught her about. A medicine that could treat madness.
So why did you thank me? Akari wondered, frowning at Jin's back. I just insulted you! Did I make a mistake? Are customs different here on Waffle Island?
"You came here rather late," Jin said at last. "The clinic's about to close, so you should probably go home for the day."
"Huh?" Akari blinked. "That's all for today?" No electroshock therapy or pricking her with needles? He wasn't going to carry out some kind of REVENGE research?
"Yes," he said, still facing his desk––standing over it––apparently engrossed with writing something. "But please come earlier tomorrow. It's fine if you bring only one thing... so you don't take too long. Don't overwork yourself."
Akari left the clinic, wide-eyed and bewildered. What just happened? she wondered. The door locked shut behind her. This wasn't what she had been expecting at all.
After a few more moments of startled recollection, Akari was able to formulate her discomfort into words. "Why was he," she stammered; "why was he being so NICE?...!" Worrying intensely, she wobbled all the way back home. Had she misjudged his character?
At his desk, Jin sat, glaring down at the poisonous mushrooms knowingly.
"She really does hate you," Irene remarked, hovering over his shoulders. "It's kind of cute, actually. Such an old-fashioned ritual... Why, I gave toadstools to MY enemies when I was a young girl. It was the perfect way to say 'eat poison and die.' Ah, youth."
Holding his forehead, Jin snorted and choked––as if holding something back––until he exploded with amused laughter. Throwing back his head, he let out at the ceiling. "She got me," he said shortly, struggling to regain composure.
Irene, being surprised by his unexpected burst of mirth, beheld him steadily. "It's been a long time since I've seen you laugh like that," she said.
"Yes, well... That girl picked so many so I'd have some for myself. Do you know what these are used for?" Jin held up a toadstool. "In truth, I spend a lot of time making Gill's medication from these. A psychoactive drug."
Irene shook her head. "I don't think she knew THAT. You're reading into this too much."
"No. Any normal person would've brought me herbs," Jin said, standing up and yanking his cabinet open. "She knew exactly what she was doing. And if kappa lore is correct, she knows even more about medicine."
Not saying anything, Irene watched him work. Putting away supplies, Jin straightened up his desk and threw the scribbled-on patient sheet in the garbage. Somehow, he had acquired a great deal of energy, and for a moment, he was the hyperactive boy that he once was––the young man who had searched and found the desert flower. Full of hope. Rushing home under the belief that he could cure death. The young man who was tricked by his sister––to live a hundred years instead.
Her eyes dimmed. Any consolation that the doctor found was always short lived. But there was still hope for him to find happiness again...
Irene wondered: Is it foolish to believe in a kappa?
Where the heck is this story going? Who is Akari going to end up with?
(Probably EVERYBODY.)
