MORIKO

Moriko

The crisp heat of the summer gave way to the mild warmth of autumn. Kokuro was quickly developing, but by the date of his first birthday he didn't walk yet. On that day Bunsa had him at his house. They sat together in the backyard, Bunsa showing his son the butterflies, the flowers and the birds, and the boy delighting his father with his laughter.  

It happened when Bunsa went into the house for a minute and was just coming back with a blanket for a baby. He stepped out the door and froze: a fox was crawling toward Kokuro! It came close to the boy and then lay there, it's  head on the front legs, the whole body trembling with the suppressed need. Kokuro crawled to the fox and gingerly touched it's fur. The animal licked the boy's hand, then went all around Kokuro, sniffing. rubbing  the boy with it's body and licking him. Kokuro was laughing, but when the air shimmered and a lady suddenly appeared, where there was none a second before, he started bawling. Bunsa was torn by conflicting emotions: he wanted to run to comfort and protect his son, but he couldn't move, because, for the first time in months, he saw his wife, and she was more beautiful than ever. He forced himself to walk out into the backyard slowly. At first, she was startled and looked like she was about to make a run for it, but Bunsa talked to her softly, putting all his heart in his words: "My dear, I missed you so much! You don't need to worry, I will do my best to understand your nature and won't hold it against you! Please, stay with Kokuro and myself, don't run!" Moriko slumped to the ground and Bunsa put the blanket over her naked body. He held her for a long time, and, after awhile, she also put her hands around him. Kokuro stopped crying and was now sucking his thumb and dozing in the dying sunlight. 


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