Satoru rubs his eyes hard enough to see stars, trying to wake himself up as he steps through the Fujiwara's front gate. He might have to cave and ask Taki or Tanuma for help getting rid of the spirit in his house. It's harmless, but he can't sleep with that thing staring at him from its corner of the ceiling.
Touko is in the yard, hauling a basket of laundry out to hang up on the line, and she brightens when she spots him.
"Satoru-kun," she says, setting the basket down before he can offer to help with it, "how nice to see you!"
He smiles back at her, like a knee-jerk reaction. Touko kind of has that effect on people. "Sorry for intruding! Is Natsume home? We were supposed to do some of this homework together."
He pats his bag. Touko promptly covers her mouth, aghast.
"Oh, no, I sent him out to get groceries while I finished the laundry! That boy, he should have said he was expecting a guest!"
Satoru grins, and folds his arms behind his head. "I don't mind waiting. Do you need any help out here?"
"I couldn't ask you to do that, Satoru-kun. But if you'd like, I could run back inside and make you something to eat. Would you like…"
Movement catches his eye and he turns his head just slightly to follow it. There's something about half Satoru's height, with one too many eyes and long double-jointed arms, climbing the side of the house. It doesn't notice Satoru watching as it disappears out of sight over the roof.
A light touch on his arm brings him back to the conversation, and he flushes at the considering look Touko is giving him. "Sorry! Sorry, Touko-san, there was a - bug. Over there. It's gone now, though. Uh, what did you say?"
Touko smiles again, slowly, and says, "Would you like to meet someone?"
She beckons him closer and Satoru comes to stand at her shoulder, following her hand when she points up into a tree.
"We have crows around here, you know," Touko informs him. "They're old friends of mine. Do you see them?"
He spots the first one right away. It's preening, digging through some crooked feathers on its wing. It takes another moment of careful scrutiny through tired eyes to catch the flash of white past the leaves and branches, and he lights up when he finally finds it.
"I see them! Wow," he says, shading his eyes to get a better look. "I've never seen a white crow before! That's so cool!"
When he turns to her, Touko is giving him a long, measuring look he can't make sense of, but her eyes are warm and fond.
"Yes," she says knowingly. "It's very special."