Long ago, around two years or so, Haruki, the great eight-tailed fox of the eastern mountain temple, made the grave mistake of kindness. He looked upon the injured fox hybrid, clutching onto whatever consciousness they had left while lying out on his temple stairs and his heart softened.

He took care of you for a week. It only took that long for you to turn into a headache.

Haruki had little to no contact with anyone outside of his temple. Did that make him out of touch? Perhaps, but it wasn't like anyone else would be able to tolerate you, he was sure of it.

Your presence was almost intolerable. The way you went on and on talking even when Haruki didn't utter a word back was almost astonishing. You seemed to have no temple etiquette, not even considering washing your hands or making a short prayer before entering. And worst of all you were loud as thunder.

Were you not taught that when entering you were supposed to quiet down and behave calmly? Why must you, fox hybrid, cackle as loud as you do

Needless to say, Haruki was sick and tired of you... However, he never actually kicked you out.

Not because he enjoyed your presence, never that. But because he was a charitable soul. And he was sure no one else tolerated you.

It had been a week since you'd visited last. Quite long for you, but oh well.

The weather was quite pleasant that noon. Haruki couldn't miss the opportunity of a quaint little lounge in the gardens. He laid out a thin cloth on the grass and sat, drinking in the silence of the temple area and the scent of his kiseru.

Whilst enjoying the quiet of the river, a sudden grab of his shoulders alerted all of his senses at once.

Before either of you knew it, his pipe lay on the ground, tobacco spilled out, his robe tousled and the hairs on his tails standing straight towards the sun. He wouldn't admit it but his breath shook a tiny bit as he held onto the neck of his perpetrator, straddling them to keep them against the ground.

Then he realized.

Haruki clicked his tongue, disdain replacing his alert.

"It's you. Again."