Etude of the Frog Taking Shelter From the Rain | Chapter 3

[healingbonds]

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We arrive at the courtyard and find Owen holding the sheep with both arms.
My gut response is fear: is he going to put the sheep on the dinner table? But something seems strange.

Owen: Fluffy, fluffy. You’re so warm.

He’s awkwardly grooming the sheep’s wool. His expression looks uncharacteristically childish.

Akira: (Don’t tell me.... This is.....)

Lennox: Owen. That sheep is very precious to me. Could you return him?

Owen looks surprised when Lennox speaks to him. He slowly stands up, the sheep still in his arms.

(Rustle)

And hides behind a tree.

Lennox: Owen....?

Owen, who is usually so bold and fearless, is gazing at us timidly. Lennox furrows his brows in confusion.

Akira: (He’s probably a completely different person now because of his bizarre injury.....)
(How should I explain this to Leno....? Owen doesn’t want other people knowing about his injury.....)

Lennox: Could you please return my sheep?

Owen: ....Don’t wanna......

Lennox: Please don’t be mean. You like sweets more than meat, right?

Owen: Sweets......

Lennox: Yes.

Owen: Um.... Do you have sweets on you?

Lennox: No.... I don’t, but......


Owen: ..........


Lennox: ...........

This strange eye-to-eye exchange goes on for a while. Lennox is the first to realize that something is off.

Lennox: ....Isn’t Owen acting a bit strange?

Akira: Ah... Um.... Maybe he ate something weird. Like a strange magic fruit, or something.....

Lennox: Ah, I see......

Lennox pushes up his glasses and lets out a short sigh. He bends down, as if speaking to a child.

Lennox: Owen. I want to take that sheep somewhere. He’ll be with his comrades, too.

Owen levels his heterochromatic gaze at Lennox from the shadow of the tree.

Lennox: I would feel bad leaving him behind. Please return him to me.

Owen: What about me....?

Lennox: Huh?

Owen: You’re fine with leaving me behind?

Suddenly, a drop of rain lands on the ground.
The wind whisks the damp air our way, and a gentle rain begins to fall. The silver sky is quiet and gloomy.
Lennox thinks for a moment, and offers Owen the following proposal.

Lennox: If you want to come along, we’ll take you too. Mithra and the others are coming anyway. What do you want to do?

Owen: ..........

Akira: Are you sure, Lennox....?

Lennox: It might not be a good idea, but.... The twins and Dr. Figaro will be with us. I understand how lonely it feels to be left behind.

I look at Lennox. He hasn’t taken his eyes off of Owen. The next words that come out of his mouth sound like a lonely raindrop.

Lennox: You feel like you’re at a loss.

The gentle rain that soaks us doesn’t make me feel cold or chilly. The only thing that slowly changes is the color of the ground.
Owen blinks over and over again. Eventually, he reluctantly steps out of the shadows with the sheep in his arms.

(Footsteps)

He silently hands the sheep over to Lennox.
Lennox accepts the sheep and smiles.

Lennox: Thank you.

Owen: ...........

(Rustle) (Footsteps)

Owen spins around and sprints away in the other direction; it’s as if he’s running away. Lennox raises his voice ever-so-slightly to call out to Owen.

Lennox: Aren’t you coming with us?

Owen: I’m not going.

He sounds scared, but he also sounds like he’s throwing away a favorite toy. I can also hear an echo of cold laughter, akin to a sneer.
He shoots us a glance over his shoulder: it’s cold and sharp. I can’t tell if it’s the whim of a child, or a sign that he’s returned to his usual personality.
The sheep that has come home to Lennox’s arms narrows his eyes happily.

Lennox: He reminds me of Rutile.

Akira: The sheep...?

Lennox: No, I mean Owen. Back when he was a child, he was scared of my glasses and.... He was always on guard, the same way Owen just was.

Lennox holds his sheep the same way someone would cradle a child.
I recall the many precious memories Lennox shares with the Southern brothers.
While simultaneously thinking of the words he exchanged with Mithra the other day.
"Are you saying that I can’t protect Rutile and Mitile?"
Lennox gazes at the courtyard from which Owen has fled, and mumbles.

Lennox: ....I hope he doesn’t get drenched in the rain.

Chapter 2 << | index | >> Chapter 4