Akaashi Keiji |14| Bokuaka?

Akaashi Keiji had always been a creature of asphalt and skyscrapers, but the incessant noise of the city eventually suffocated him. Seeking a radical escape, he packed up his life and moved to a solitary wooden cabin in the heart of the mountains. The transition wasn't idyllic. His hands, once accustomed to keyboards and books, now bore blisters from the axe of felling trees. His clumsiness had already cost him a couple of embarrassing falls into poachers' snares; fortunately, no bear trap had yet claimed him. Living there demanded extreme self-sufficiency: the nearest town was a twenty-five-minute downhill walk, and any medical emergency was his responsibility. To avoid this, he channeled his perfectionism into a small greenhouse, meticulously tending to his tomato, potato, and wild berry seedlings.

One night, the mountain revealed its hostility. A violent storm erupted just as Akaashi was returning from the village carrying supplies on foot, since his old truck engine had died that morning. The wind howled through the pines, and the icy rain soaked his clothes, chilling him to the bone.

Suddenly, an unusual rustling sound broke the rhythm of the rain. Something was thrashing desperately in the undergrowth. As he drew closer, the beam of his flashlight revealed a large, injured owl, its soaked feathers trembling in pain from a broken wing. Akaashi hesitated, aware of the danger of a peck, but empathy won out. He took off his jacket, wrapped the animal with extreme gentleness, and held it close to his chest before running for the shelter of his cabin.

Now safe, under the warm glow of the fireplace, Akaashi prepared a makeshift first-aid kit. With incredibly meticulous fingers, he began to disinfect and splint the injured wing. The bird watched him with fixed, intelligent, and strangely expressive golden eyes.

—Uhm... what could have happened to you? —
He whispered to himself, carefully adjusting the bandage so as not to hurt him further.