𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝 [𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐅𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫]

Chapter V

"[𝐘/𝐍]?" The girl turned around to meet the figure, it was Hatsuharu, the Ox. He had shaggy, two-toned snowy white hair with black roots, and spikes sticking out from all angles. And had fairly sharp and somewhat droopy dark brown eyes.

"Hatsuharu! What are you doing here this late at night?" she asked the boy.

"I could ask you the same thing..." he replied.

"Oh! well...um. I'm not actually allowed to be out here, but I figured I'd sneak out when nobody's looking." she giggled.

"Sigh, but yet I was caught." she was about to stand up when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"It's ok...I won't tell." he said, taking a seat next to her.

"I didn't see you...and you didn't see me."

She smiled, "Deal!"

"..."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" he suddenly asks her.

"Hm? No! of course not!"

"But everyone thinks I'm stupid! The adults keep telling me since I'm the Ox! It's all that rat's fault! I hate him!" he yelled breaking down into tears, gripping the grass tightly.

His whole body froze once he felt the girl hugging him."H-huh? why are you hugging me?!" 

He was scared, scared that he'll transform into that stupid ox again, but after a few minutes - he realized he was still in his human form.

"W-what? how?" he asked the girl.

He then heard crying, more specifically the girl's crying.

"H-hey! why are you crying?!"

"I-it's just! You're all still so young! A-and you have to suffer all this! T-this pain, this s-sorrow..." she pulled away from him, put her hands still remained on his shoulders.

"Don't believe what the others tell you...but don't blame Yuki either."

"W-what?! why?! it's his fault-!"

"Shhhh...shhhh. It's not, Yuki never tricked you...and you were never tricked by Yuki. You and the Ox from the story aren't the same, you're you, Hatsuharu. You just happened to be possessed by that animal, but that doesn't mean it's bad."

" The Ox helped the rat, he was being nice...not stupid. If anything it's those adults and Akito's fault if they think you or the Ox is stupid. And I think...that Yuki doesn't think you're stupid either." Her last statement made the young boy flinch.

"But-!"

"If you want to confirm it...I can come with you while you two talk." she offered.

Suddenly she realized the time, Akito might throw a fit if he checked her room finding out she escaped. Standing up before quickly dusting her kimono, [y/n] turned one last time to Hatsuharu. 

"Well see you tomorrow Hatsuharu! Oh! and remember what I said! There's a difference between being Kind, and being stupid."

"W-wait!" he called out.

"I-I...thank you, for everything..."

she smiled, "No problem." and with that, she walked away.

When she was already out of sight, Hatsuharu sighed.

"So that was the Phoenix huh?" he asked no one.

"Cute..." he mumbled, and walked back home.