Chapter 19 A Haven (1/2)

Day was easing into night around their tired, aching bodies as they continued the steep climb up the hazardous mountain steps. A glance backwards was more than enough to keep eyes forward and hearts pumping with fears of falling to death.

The air was lighter, causing breaths to fall short against chests and signs of delirium to show on faces. If they continued their pace, someone was bound to fall.

”Let's break.” Mei called out, feeling her shoulders strained from having to support her brother's body with her climb.

No one disagreed. They all found a dry, cool step to sit on and recuperate.

Fortunately, Aiyama-san had packed their dinner before they had left. Yuri and Mei had also stolen bread and cooked red beans from their shops. Kou's father had given him some dango for the trip.

”Here, ” Kou said as he extended his hand from his pockets, holding out green cloudy jellies.

He smiled when small hands politely accepted his offerings.

”Thank you,” said Kei respectfully. He split the sweet and gave it to the little girls.

Rei took his piece to share with the younger boys.

Shouta handed his piece to Hinata with an innocent smile on his face.

”Please take it.” He bowed low with both his hands offering the morsel to the man.

Hinata blinked with surprise and an expression of feeling touched on his face. The boy's gesture made Akira frown.

”I'd like you to enjoy it for me Shouta-kun. Seeing your enjoyment is more filling for me.” Hinata politely brushed off the offering, keen for the boy to enjoy it. Young children burned off food quicker than adults, he had come to realize.

His mind wandered back to a middle-school days memory of when he had offered a sweet (he had saved up to buy) to Eiji. Back then he wasn't aware that Eiji didn't fancy sweets. When Eiji had politely rejected the offer by saying that he'd rather watch his enjoyment of eating the sweet instead, Hinata took no offense. In fact, the gesture led to a sprint back to his room and Eiji eating something else on Hinata's body. They made love the entire night, the sweetness of both Eiji's kisses and the candy creating a blissful memory.

”Hinata,” Akira whispered with concern. He tenderly swept the stray tear from Hinata's cheek.

”Sorry, I found myself lost in thought.” Hinata apologized.

”You don't make Hina-tan cry, got it!” Shouta growled at Akira, misunderstanding the tear that Hinata had shed.

”Listen imp. If I make him cry, it's because he's feeling pleas...” Akira cursed at the painful jab Hinata gave his side.

”Don't you think we should push on. Tama-chan's getting too comfortable on the step.” Hinata forced through his teeth.

Tama-chan had been gingerly let of the rucksack. Hinata was sure the cat would've run off, but the cat sniffed the moss ground until it found a spot where he could curl-up in a ball to snooze near Akira's feet.

”Come on you fat cat,” Hinata lovely whispered to the ginger tabby as he scooped him up and returned him to his makeshift spot in the rucksack.

When everyone was set, they resumed the climb up the mountain, well into the heart of night. Torch light to guide their way.

Akira and Hinata lingered at the back to make sure they could catch someone if they saw they were about to slip and potentially fall.

The whole time they felt Yuri's tension and cursing about a being a defective man, and more a burden than help, especially when Mei was supporting him and carrying one of the kids.

”You don't have to hold up my arm. I can walk myself.” Yuri snapped.

”And watch you fall down the mountainside? No thanks. I'd rather you swallow that stupid pride of yours and take my shoulder.” Mei scolded him.

Kou chuckled, enjoying Aiyama-san's hand as she carefully led him up the path.

Aiyama-san noticed the glare the older Mei was giving her and clicked at what she would be seeing.

”Let me take Little Mei from you.” She hastily swapped her hand for the sleeping child Mei was carrying.

Mei sighed away the crankiness she had been feeling at the sight of her fiance being nice with other women. ”Don't you dare let go of my hand Kou-san.”

Kou blushed with understanding. ”Sorry Mei.”

They walked on with pensive, focused silence until they reached the top of the stairs, which was lit up by glowing Little Tengu boys on stone pedestals either side of the stairway.

In the formless distance was an outline of a modest Shinto shrine and building beyond a wide Torii. The subtle glow from the hanging lanterns around the shrine and building's eaves made their triangular roofs peak towards the glowing moon high in the sky. Sounds of gently swaying trees, nestling amongst dry leaves and hooting graced their ears. A soothing cool breeze stroked their tired skin.

Hinata's heart slowed with a settled feeling. Akira had led them to a mountain shrine and hopes of a haven.

Akira had them wait near the Temizuya basin. He entered the building's porch and disappeared through a shoji door. A short while later he returned with the shrine's priest.

Hinata was surprised to see a young man about his age and with a muscly body hinting virility beneath his navy-blue priest kimono. His eyes glossed over the priests features, which was a contrast to Akira's stoic and smooth looks. The priest's face was a true man's with high cheekbones, square jaw and heavy brows, which was the only set of hair on his bald head. He frowned at the over friendliness of the man's arm around Akira's shoulders. Who was this guy?

”Thank you Rocko. I can not express my gratitude enough for your aid, especially at such short notice.” Akira warmly thanked the man and yelped the man's heavy slap to his back.

”Aki! How many times I tell yah?! It's Kudo-sensei!” Rocko playfully reminded Akira.

”Millions of times. Millions of times I fail to take notice.” Akira joked.

Hinata's frowned deepened.

”Woah. Yah a looker ain't yah. Lemme guess, new man.” Rocko winked.

His attention flicked to the tired kids before Hinata could answer. He beamed a welcoming smile at them. ”Let's get yah little ones warm 'en cosy, eh?”

Everyone filed into the building and gratefully found a spot in the main room, which was clean tatami flooring with unadorned fusuma and white rice paper shoji panel walls. The wooden ranma had carvings of tengu-men flying about the heavens. Moonlight streamed through the ranma to cast the image onto the fusuma. Rocko lit a couple of lanterns in the corners to reveal more of the simple room.

Hinata noticed a corridor from slits of a partially opened shoji door one of the lanterns had revealed.

”Nya!” Tama-chan struggled in the rucksack, doing his best to squeeze his fat body through the narrow opening.

”It's okay. Let him out.” Rocko reassured Hinata.

Hinata unrestrained the cat, which jumped out of the sack and sniffed around the floors. He gasped when Tama-chan sniffed around Rocko's crossed legs and hopped onto the burly man's lap.

Rocko chuckled. One of his large, heavy hands gently stroked the cat's back. Tama-chan purred contently to the man's touches.

”Small creatures be dah best.” Rocko cooed to Tama-chan. He turned his gaze to Hinata, Kou, Yuri then back to Hinata finishing off his observation with a quick look up and down.

”Didn't think I see yah again Yuri.” Rocko teased the man.

”Shuddup. Like I had a choice Kudo-tan.” Yuri snarled.