[DISCLAIMER: This is purely fiction.

Okayu meets Korone and they have a talk – the fallout of Korone's Inugami has begun. (This is a slightly longer chapter.)

Did you all catch OkaKoro's 3D show? When Korone punched Okayu and she went into her Judo roll? That was pretty awesome. Happy two-year Anniversary for OkaKoro!

Enjoy your weekend and thank you for the faves, follows, and reviews!]

Chapter 29

Canine View

When Okayu walked into my room I didn't move. I'd been sitting in the same spot staring out my bedroom window for an hour or so. She stood in the doorway, unspeaking. I hadn't turned away from the window.

I'd been considering so many things. I spoke only briefly to Manager Shien. He had a sling on his arm because I broke it. His head was bandaged, having been split open at the back, but it was no permanent damage. He needed stitches.

I'd hurt Okayu too, when she went flying from his grip because I hit him with such force. She had been, for all intents and purposes, in the path of an explosion.

My anger did that.

I hated that my anger hurt two people.

He looked to me; his eyes seemed distant. He then told me something I didn't expect.

"I can forget all this and say I fell if you date me."

I couldn't do that. But he persisted in asking me out as if we could work out a deal for me to lie.

He then told me he'd tell them that he saw me go into my Inugami form and attack him brutally, and turned on my girlfriend, Okayu. I couldn't have him call Okayu my girlfriend.

He said he would tell Granny he saw us together.

I was tossed with what to say. But there is something in me that doesn't like to be told what to do, or lie, and so….

I finally told him that would be fine. It was his decision. But I couldn't change what was true by agreeing to date someone I had no interest in whatsoever. I told him I would never be interested in him.

My words… I wasn't sure if he was upset or considering what I'd told him. I had always had trouble trying to figure people out in my life. My parents told me I was different. I never truly understood that. When they died and my Granny took me in, she said I was always different – too different.

I never understood what that meant. Isn't everyone different than others? No two people are the same, which means we are "all" different.

There was a light drizzle outside, and it always made everything look brighter, the rustic leaves being washed clean by the gods. That's what Granny used to tell me.

"Hey Koro-san. Yo, I'm here."

"Hey." I turned to face her. "I know. I was thinking."

"Thinking, eh? Yeah," she strolled over with her hands in her pockets, "I noticed. You want to go for a walk?"

I always wanted to laugh when someone asked a doggo like me if they wanted to go for a walk. But there was a natural response, and my tail did wag when she asked. I realized this was an automatic response because of our ancestry.

"Sure."

I got up and stopped in place to look over Okayu. Her eyes were still so bright and purple, and smiling. She almost seemed too happy. She wore her usual outfit, hands in her pockets. She did that when she was nervous and trying to make me feel better by over-acting her own relaxation.

I didn't say much, but left to grab our shoes and coats, and she followed. We were both pretty quiet.

We bundled up with our coats, hoodies, and then both grabbed an umbrella, as we headed outside. Walking the grounds at my Granny's mansion, everything looked refreshed with the light rain.

"Are you okay?" I asked Okayu, glancing slightly to her.

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Oh yeah, clean bill of health." She then flexed her arms. "I always bounce back – you know me."

I giggled my affirmation, as she hopped on one foot and then the other, looking like a boxer.

"Koro-san, I wanted to talk to you about some stuff that happened with Holo…"

"…I know." I cut her off, "They called. Three-week suspension. Now I know why you seem unrealistically happy."

"Ehhhhh? I'm always like this."

I wasn't about to sour her good mood but I wanted to tell her, "Anyway, I have to meet later with some board for our government."

"What?" She stopped walking, "What do you mean?"

"It's okay. Granny will come with me and it's just the usual stuff for Inugami. I have to apologize to Manager Shien – the full dogeza. I've already written out the apology. And…"

"What?!"

"It's okay. I'm prepared for the punishment."

Okayu looked angrier than I'd ever seen her. The rain picked up, splashing off her nose.

"Okayu, it's really okay."

"HUH? They're going to make you grovel on the ground like some dog? He should be the one apologizing. What punishment? You're already apologizing!"

"It's only proper, whether I grovel like a dog or not." I giggled, "…and I am a doggo, and I did attack him."

"You did not."

The rain was picking up, so I pointed to the gazebo. And we both ran over, as I yelled, "What else would you call hitting someone so hard they crumple a dumpster?"

"An awesome doggo."

"Okayu, I went Super Saiyan."

"I don't think there's a term for that, Goku-san."

We both snickered, running up the steps and finally inside the gazebo. Both pulled down our umbrellas, laying them to dry on the ground.

"Want to sit?" I asked. "You should take it easy."

"I'm seriously okay. Just cause I'm not an Inugami doesn't mean I can't take a hit."

"Then I'll sit."

I walked over and sat at the bench, wanting Okayu to sit and take it easy.

The rain plopped loudly onto the roof of the gazebo. She joined, as I knew she would, sitting closely beside me.

"I like the rain," I said.

"It's okay – not my fave."

"I know." I giggled again, "You never liked getting wet."

"It's a cat thing."

We both quietly sat, giggling for a bit, until it subsided, the rain a constant in the background.

"Okayu," I turned to her, she still looked upset at the apology I had to give. "Why should this bother you so much? I knew I wasn't supposed to use my god powers and it's only what is deserved because I abused my powers." I grew sad. "What if he was hurt worse? I… I couldn't have lived with myself if I… if I… killed someone."

"But you didn't."

"But I could have." The lump grew in my throat at the thought. "…And you were hurt."

I realized it wasn't the rain that made my cheek wet, and I felt Okayu lift her hand to wipe off my tears.

"You were just trying to protect me."

"I could have protected you simply with my words. Everyone was just too emotional. Granny always used to tell me, 'stop and think, don't let your emotions get the best of you.' All my life…"

She didn't speak, only staring at me, her hand settling on my cheek. We were both so quiet, and the rain was a steady, beautiful rhythm.

She gently kissed me, and I kissed her back slowly, until pulling away.

"There's something…" I began… "something I've wanted to ask you. When we were at your Granny's place, she said she was given you and the shop by someone. Do you know who that was? What happened to your parents, Okayu?"

Okayu pulled back looking dumbfounded.

"Why are you asking about that now?"

"It's just… Granny said something and it made me more curious."

"What did your Granny say?"

"She said that I could never be with you. It would not end well."

"Why did she say that?"

"Because of what happened, she got very upset. I think it was the most upset I'd ever seen her."

"Does she just want you to date the Shien guy? I mean, isn't that your decision?"

"It didn't seem to be about Manager Shien, and I will never date him. It almost seemed like something more. She said your past will always precede any future with me."

"That's oddly ambidextrous."

"It's ambiguous."

"What is?"

"The word… the word you used. I think you meant to say 'ambiguous' not 'ambidextrous."

"OH," she laughed loudly, "oh yeah, I knew that." She quickly fluffed through her wet shaggy head of hair, clearing her throat.

"Between that, and Shien and all of this, I think maybe… we should just be a little distant."

"Distant? What do you mean?"

"Meaning, I think you should work and I have a lot of thinking to do."

Okayu lifted angrily. "Again?! You going to ghost me again?!" She paced back from me, lifting her hands for emphasis, "and what? Go to the shrine and hide away again?!"

"No."

"Yes. Yes, you are. You run away as if that makes it all better, but it doesn't make anything better. Running away doesn't do anything but make big holes."

"Big holes?"

"Big holes, like… like the kind you fall in and then you can't crawl out."

I didn't always understand Okayu's metaphor, but I think I understood her this time.

"Well, I don't want to make any problems that I won't be able to recover. I just want everything to work out for everyone."

"That doesn't work out for me. And Koro-san, how many times do I have to tell you that you can't please everyone? Since you were just a crazy little pup that visited my Granny's shop, I always told you that."

Okayu crossed her arms, staring me down with those dark purple eyes. Her lashes were so long, and she was squinting for emphasis.

"Just like when you'd come in with bruises and told me that the cats beat you up, remember?"

I nodded, recalling always hiding the pain from my Granny but opening to Okayu when we were young.

"You can't just let others walk all over you, Koro-san. This jackal guy and the government and they all think they can just decide who you are and who you can hang out with and who…" She stopped, her eyes meeting mine, "…and who you can love." She grabbed around my shoulders, staring into my eyes, "and I'm going to go to the hearing today."

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to make sure it all goes well and that jerky jackal doesn't make trouble for you. And I'll be there…" she wrapped her arms around me, "to be there for you – like I always will be, Koro-san."

We embraced, as the rain continued to fall. Her smell was a warm fragrance of soap and flowers. Everything about her was warmth and kindness. It's why I'd fallen in love with Okayu since the first time I met her in a lonely little onigiri shop.

[END NOTE: Thanks for reading and the reviews! Next, we have a court date from Okayu's POV]