the owl's wish

chapter 4: an untouchable feast

"It's just not fair, Akaashi," Bokuto says for what is maybe the third time. "He knows I can't remember anything! I tried my best! Maybe he just doesn't want to help us."

"Does it bother you?" Akaashi says quietly.

"What? Kuroo?" Bokuto frowns. "Yeah, a little, I guess, but we're friends, so that's just-"

"No," Akaashi cuts him off neatly. "Does it bother you that you can't remember anything?"

"Oh. Um," Bokuto stops walking, mulling it over. "Not really. I mean, if it was important, I'd probably remember it!"

"Right," Akaashi nods slowly. "But what if you forgot something important?"

"Huh? No! Don't worry, Akaashi! It'll be okay! You heard what Kuroo said! It'll come back eventually."

"I see," He says, but does not sound comforted.

The temperature dips lower as they walk down the path in silence. Bokuto can feel the chill even through the thick cotton padding of his hanten jacket. Even as the trees grow closer together, leaves clustering lower to the ground, the cold air seeps in through the cracks.

Bokuto is about to complain when a smell drifts through the branches. It is absolutely heavenly, dripping with spices and the promise of savory treats. Bokuto's stomach rumbles. Newly determined, he blindly pushes through underbrush just to find the source.

Then, he steps into a clearing. The grass is a soft green and the forest a vibrant red. The snowy form of the North Mountain looms above them, swathed in blue shadow. Paper ofuda talismans rustle in the breeze, pale against the dark tree trunks they cling to.

In the center of the clearing is a large table, piled with plates and plates of all kinds of food. A thick steam puffs from the rice and glowing ashes are just visible underneath a sizzling array of meat. A tall, thin white candle stands in the center.

A blond fox spirit sits at the table. His long ears and white-tipped tail twitch at Bokuto's approach. When Akaashi pushes through the bushes, he grins with sharp, white teeth.

"There you are! Finally! We've been waiting for ya," The fox spirit leers at them. He taps the scroll in his hand against the side of the table. "Please, take a seat."

Bokuto can barely hear him. His focus is trained on the pastel mochi and thick udon noodles. He instinctively kneels at the table, mouth already watering. Shrimp tempura, sushi, miso soup. Bokuto doesn't even register Akaashi warily settling beside him.

Bokuto tears his eyes away from the food once another fox spirit enters through the leaves. This one with gray hair and holding plates heaping with more meals. The gray fox spirit pushes the other one out of the way with his foot and, ignoring the protests and attempted counterattacks, successfully maneuvers each plate onto the table, leaving the surface even more crowded than before. Then he wipes his hands on his apron and kneels at the table.

Bokuto blinks at them. The two foxes have the same face. The same black kimonos and red haoris. The same black string tied neatly around their necks. The only obvious difference is hair color. Bokuto's eyes dart from one to the other just to make sure. Twins? Identical twins?

"Bokuto Koutarou and..." The blond fox checks the scroll in his hand. "Akaashi Keiji. Welcome to the first trial. I'm Miya Atsumu, but you can just call me Atsumu, and this is Miya Osamu, but you can just call him Lesser Atsum- OW!"

Atsumu has toppled over, clutching his side in incredible pain, evidently seconds away from death. The table shakes from the impact, plates cluttering against each other. The culprit, Osamu Miya, looks unrepentant as he continues where his brother left off.