Cow Thief: Chapter 5

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Ryoichiro kissed him three times, and on the third, he drew Tokuma’s tongue into his mouth. The body he held trembled, but there was no rejection—no attempt to push him away.

When their lips finally parted, Tokuma leaned back on his hands, retreating as though to escape. Yet he didn’t go far, never beyond the reach of Ryoichiro’s outstretched fingers.

His cheeks flushed slightly, and his reddened lips resembled camellia flowers. His modest, bashful downward gaze stirred something primal and untamed within Ryoichiro, urging it to frenzy. Without so much as a word, Ryoichiro began unbuttoning his damp uniform.

Tokuma’s gaze followed the movement of Ryoichiro’s fingers, transfixed. When the last button came undone, Ryoichiro slid his hand beneath the fabric without hesitation.

"I'm begging you, please stop..."

Though Tokuma protested, he didn’t push Ryoichiro’s hand away or try to pry it off. Instead, he watched with a near-tearful expression as the hand intruded through the open collar of his uniform.

Ryoichiro’s fingers glided slowly over the cool, smooth skin, from the top of Tokuma’s chest downward. When his palm encountered something small and firm, an irresistible curiosity compelled him to see more. Before he realized it, he had pulled the uniform open, baring Tokuma’s chest entirely.

What emerged was a chest gaunt with ribs that jutted sharply, wrapped in skin as pale and unblemished as snow. Against this backdrop, the faintly colored peaks and the delicate blush around them stood out in stark relief, exuding a quiet sensuality that was utterly intoxicating.

Drawn irresistibly to the sight, Ryoichiro leaned in, capturing one between his lips.

"Ah..."

A short cry escaped. Ryoichiro fervently sucked on Tokuma's small nipple, gently biting it before rolling it with the tip of his tongue. Above him, soft, sigh-like breaths spilled forth in quick succession. With his face buried against Tokuma’s chest, Ryoichiro reached for the uniform trousers.

The damp fabric clung stubbornly, and Ryoichiro, growing impatient, grasped the cuffs and yanked them off in one swift motion, pulling them clear from Tokuma's feet.

Without a fundoshi beneath, Tokuma’s lower half was left exposed. Though he had shown little resistance up until now, his face flushed bright red as he hurriedly covered himself, hands pressed tightly over his groin. The pressure of his grip prevented Ryoichiro from reaching him there, but instead of forcing the issue, Ryoichiro caressed the firm, supple curve of Tokuma's buttocks and gripped them firmly.

"Why aren't you wearing a fundoshi?"

When asked, Tokuma blushed all the way to his ears and mumbled softly, "I lost it..."

Ryoichiro slowly removed the makeshift "armor" that’s Tokuma’s hands, first the right, then the left. Once his hands were freed, Tokuma seemed to resign himself and stopped trying to cover his groin.

Sliding his body between Tokuma's slender hips, Ryoichiro placed his hands on Tokuma’s knees and gently pushed them apart, spreading his legs wide.

The flower’s core stood erect amidst the light undergrowth. Though modest in size, this only served to make it seem more delicate and reserved. The rounded tip glowed with a vivid crimson hue, while the fullness of the pouch beneath evoked the image of ripe fruit.

Wrapping his arms around Tokuma’s thighs, Ryoichiro buried his face in the intimate space between. He took the lotus-like flower into his mouth, savoring its resilient texture as he persistently licked and caressed it. Suppressed moans resonated in his ears, and eventually, a bitter nectar began to seep forth.

When Ryoichiro kneaded the pouch, the fruit within swayed as if floating in a gentle current. Taking the fruit into his lips, he drew forth soft, continuous gasps from Tokuma. Embracing the thoroughly heated body, Ryoichiro pressed the tip of his arousal against the depths of Tokuma's core, smearing his prelude there.

The tightness around even the slightest intrusion of his fingers gave him pause, worried that he might break something so delicate, yet he couldn’t bring himself to stop. As expected, the passage was exceedingly narrow. Tokuma shut his eyes with a pained expression, yet not once did he utter a word of protest—no "stop," no "it hurts."

Slowly, inch by inch, Ryoichiro pushed forward. At last, his entire length was sheathed within Tokuma's constricting warmth.

"Does it hurt?"

When Ryoichiro asked, Tokuma, teary-eyed, shook his head resolutely. Ryoichiro gently brushed back Tokuma's damp hair.

"I'll pull out as soon as it's over, so hang in there."

A faint voice murmured near his ear, "No."

"It must hurt while I'm here, doesn't it? You're making such a pained expression..."

Tokuma wrapped his arms around Ryoichiro's neck.

"I've been waiting all this time," Tokuma's tear-filled eyes gazed up at Ryoichiro.

"Ever since you first kissed me, my shameful, lowly self has been waiting, wondering when you might touch me again."

The unexpected confession brought back memories of that restless night when Ryoichiro had agonized over whether to slip into the neighboring futon.

"But you never showed any sign, not even a hint, acting as if nothing had happened," he accused.

Tokuma lowered his tear-drenched lashes.

"How could I approach someone who never even said they liked me? The best I could do was..."

He trailed off, then tightened his arms around Ryoichiro's neck.

"…was to wait without wearing anything underneath..."

The thought that Tokuma had lain next to him that night, beneath his clothes, bare and waiting, was utterly intoxicating.

"Did you want me?"

Whispering near Tokuma's ear, Ryoichiro thrust his hips upward. Tokuma clung to him tightly, letting out a small, desperate cry.

"So, you wanted me that much?"

Despite claiming to have waited without a fundoshi, Tokuma shook his head.

"Liar."

When Ryoichiro pressed further with sharp words, Tokuma finally broke down crying, leaving Ryoichiro no choice but to apologize.

"I... I always knew your partners were women, Ryoichiro-san. So I thought that... wearing one might ruin the mood for you," Tokuma confessed between sobs.

The tearful admission only served to ignite Ryoichiro’s desires further. The tenderness, the vulnerability—it was maddening.

Thrusting intensely, Ryoichiro kissed Tokuma deeply, over and over. The faint, breathless sounds in his ears eventually faded as Tokuma slipped into unconsciousness, but not before Ryoichiro, consumed by passion, had loved him countless times.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

Even after their desire had subsided, Ryoichiro did not let go of Tokuma, still holding him in his arms. He drew the bedding from the charcoal burner’s hut closer, and they curled up together. As he toyed with Tokuma’s damp hair, they shared a kiss—one of many, Ryoichiro couldn’t even remember how many. Tokuma’s eyes were glazed, his body relaxed, completely surrendered to whatever Ryoichiro did.

The lamp had somehow gone out, and the storm-like rain had passed over the mountain pass.

"When the morning comes, we’ll run."

Ryoichiro cupped Tokuma’s cheek with both hands.

"We’ll run, no matter how far. I don’t know where we’ll end up, but I’ll never let you go again. So you, too, don’t go anywhere."

Tokuma nodded faintly.

"I can’t give you a wedding, but you’re the only one for me. For my whole life, only you. Do you understand?"

Ryoichiro licked the tears at the corners of Tokuma’s eyes.

"Don’t hide anything from me anymore."

After pressing him once more, Ryoichiro asked:

"Why did you steal the cows?"

Tokuma’s body, drawn so close there was not a single gap between them, trembled violently.

"Why did you steal the cows for so many years? What promise did you make with that swamp god?"

"That... I beg for your forgiveness..."

Ryoichiro grabbed Tokuma’s hair.

"Is it something you can’t even tell me, the one who said I’d only have you for my whole life? Are you still hiding something?"

Tokuma buried his face and hunched his back, trembling like a stray cat. Ryoichiro, regretting his own impatience, gently stroked his shuddering back.

"I’m sorry. I won’t get angry anymore. I won’t, so tell me. No matter what you say, I’ll never hate you."

Tokuma, still trembling, slowly pressed his body against Ryoichiro. When Ryoichiro held him tightly, Tokuma finally, reluctantly, opened his heavy mouth.

"Twenty years ago, I saw your mother get eaten by the swamp god. I was right there, but I couldn’t do anything. So, at the very least, I begged to be given something of hers, a keepsake. Then the swamp god said that if, for the next twenty years, I sank one cow into the swamp as a sacrifice every year, he would give me something in return."

The word keepsake made Ryoichiro think back to the fingernail that Tokuma had offered in the prison.

"Could it have been… that fingernail?"

Tokuma nodded faintly.

"Are you an idiot?"

Ryoichiro shouted.

"Over a single fingernail, you stole cows for twenty years?"

"Please forgive me, please. I am a foolish man. My heart was devoured by oni, I am an animal..."

"I don’t see any oni in you!"

Ryoichiro yelled. The reason Tokuma had stolen the cows was because he had wanted his mother’s keepsake. But who was it for? For twenty years, without a word, he had kept that promise—who was it for? Why had he been terrified of the guilt from his theft fading away? Why had he had to say he wanted to die? Who was to blame for that?

A deep ache in his chest, Ryoichiro kissed Tokuma’s trembling lips with force each time he shouted.

"You’re an idiot."

He whispered into Tokuma’s trembling ear.

"You’re a damn fool. But even with a fool like you, possessed by oni, I won’t abandon you. ...I’ll drag you with me, no matter what."

Ryoichiro looked Tokuma straight in the eye.

"Everyone has oni in their heart. I’m sure I have filthy oni in mine too. But your oni... it just happened to be something you could use, like hands and feet."

Tokuma’s eyes widened.

"I don’t know if your oni is red or blue, but never use it for me again. ...Don’t belittle yourself by calling yourself an animal."

Tokuma cried again. His voice, hoarse, rose in his ear, and he clung to Ryoichiro’s neck, not willing to part for a long time.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

Before dawn, in the dim light, they left the charcoal burner’s hut. The rain and wind had stopped, but the ground was deeply muddy. Tokuma, usually steady on his feet, slipped several times, and seeing this, Ryoichiro took his hand.

Hand in hand, they climbed the mountain relentlessly. About an hour after leaving the hut, Ryoichiro thought he heard voices from afar.

He stopped and listened intently. It was unmistakably human voices, and not just one or two. Ryoichiro pulled Tokuma’s hand and hurried, but the voices grew steadily louder.

“There they are!”

They had been spotted. Ryoichiro gripped Tokuma’s hand tightly and ran. But then, suddenly, his hand was yanked, and when he looked back, Tokuma was kneeling on the ground.

“What’s wrong?”

“Leave me behind.”

Tokuma murmured, his head hanging low.

“What are you saying? Stand up.”

Even when Ryoichiro tried to pull him up, Tokuma wouldn’t move.

“I can’t stand. My knees are shaking…”

Ryoichiro, reluctant but resolute, lifted Tokuma onto his back and began walking. However, carrying someone made him slower. As he clenched his teeth and pressed on, the path split ahead. Ryoichiro chose the narrow left path. Weaving through trees, they emerged from a game trail, and suddenly the view opened up. In the small clearing was a pond, about three or four meters in diameter. Nearby stood a large willow tree and a small shrine at its base. The path ended abruptly at the pond.

From Tokuma’s back came a sharp gasp. “Hah!”

Then, Tokuma whispered, “We can’t go any further. Turn back.” It was then that they were surrounded by four officers.

“Thief Tokuma Tanaka, and the accomplice Ryoichiro Satake, who aided in his escape, correct?”

The officer in front shouted.

“If you surrender quietly, we won’t use force. Just come with us.”

Ryoichiro lowered Tokuma from his back.

“You run. I’ll handle this.”

He whispered, but Tokuma shook his head. “No.”

“Don’t be stubborn—run!”

“No.”

Tokuma clung to Ryoichiro’s arm.

“This is all because of my promise to the swamp god.”

Instead of running away, Tokuma tried to move forward, and Ryoichiro quickly stopped him.

“I planned the escape on my own. This man didn’t know anything. He’s innocent. Please, let him go.”

Tokuma shouted toward the officers. Ryoichiro hurriedly covered his mouth.

“No, I’m the one who brought this criminal out. The fault is mine.”

Tokuma bit down on Ryoichiro’s finger. In the moment of shock, he pulled his hand away, and Tokuma leapt in front of the officers, stumbling and falling forward. As he landed face down, the officers rushed to him, quickly binding him up. Even when Ryoichiro screamed, “Stop!” they didn’t relent. The bespectacled officer seized Ryoichiro’s right arm.

Despair washed over Ryoichiro. How had it come to this? Tokuma had been imprisoned for theft. He had stolen many cows, all to obtain his mother’s keepsake fingernail… And now, as he thought of it, he felt a hatred for that keepsake. He reached into his coat pocket, took out the fingernail, and threw it into the swamp behind him. At the same moment, Ryoichiro was shoved to the ground, and both of his arms were seized from behind.

The ground seemed to tremble. The movement of the bespectacled officer who was holding Ryoichiro stopped suddenly.

“A tremor?”

After murmuring this, strange bubbling sounds came from behind.

“What’s that?”

Ryoichiro turned his head to look at the officer holding him down.

From the surface of the pond, a disgusting, boiling-like bubbling began. Soon, with a great splash, a cow crawled out of the swamp. The wet cow shook its body, and with a splashing sound, it slowly approached the humans, dripping water as it moved.

“Ah, what is that?!”

The oldest officer among them shouted.

“Why are cows coming out of the swamp?!”

“I—I don’t know!”

The young officer screamed in panic. When the cow got close, the bespectacled officer who had been holding Ryoichiro down quickly jumped back, letting go of him. With another splash of water, another cow crawled out. A wet white cow lowed softly, and everyone present froze.

One after another, cows crawled from the swamp, three, four, then more. The sight of the drenched cows walking along the edge of the swamp, their bodies glistening, was nightmarish, like something straight out of a hellish painting. The bespectacled officer trembled and muttered, “A curse... It’s a curse...”

“A c-c-cursed cow... it’s the curse of the cows!”

They screamed and bolted. Even the officer with the terrible scars followed suit, fleeing in a panic.

“Hey! Are you abandoning your duties?!”

The older officer shouted, but the two young officers didn’t come back.

“Officer Ono, the cows are getting closer!”

The young officer who had been holding Tokuma down screamed in a high-pitched voice.

“Drive them away!”

“They won’t go away! They’re coming closer!”

Even as they spoke, more cows continued to crawl out of the swamp, emerging like a flood. One of the young officers, brushed by the cows, screamed and stumbled backward.

“Officer Ono... something’s... something’s wrong!”

“I know it’s wrong! I know that!”

The older officer shouted, raising his right hand.

“D-Don’t just stand there! Do something about these cows!”

“I... I don’t know what to do!”

As the older officer shouted, he tripped and staggered. When he turned around, he found a black cow behind him. The wet, shining nose of the cow slowly inched closer toward him.

“Ugh... nooo!”

The officer reached for the katana at his waist. The young officer stopped him.

“If you kill them recklessly, you’ll curse your ancestors! You’ll dishonor them!”

Though he had drawn his katana, the older officer was trembling too violently to strike the cow. Then, from behind, another cow pushed against him, and the officer fell forward. The tip of his katana pierced the rear leg of the cow in front of him. The cow let out a loud, shrill whinny and began thrashing wildly. The other cows, stirred by the commotion, grew agitated.

The older officer, his face pale with fear, could no longer endure and fled down the path in a panic. The remaining young officer, equally terrified, followed after him.

Ryoichiro watched all of this in stunned silence. When the officers’ retreating figures disappeared among the trees, he suddenly snapped back to his senses and ran to Tokuma, who was still bound face down, and began untying the ropes.

“Are you okay?”

He wiped Tokuma’s dirtied cheek with the sleeve of his jacket.

“Does it hurt?”

Tokuma nodded slightly.

“Did you cause these cows to appear?”

When Ryoichiro asked, Tokuma shook his head.

“I didn’t do anything. I asked the swamp god for help, but received no reply. However, these cows are the ones I offered as sacrifices to the swamp god, so... why have they come out now?”

It seemed Tokuma hadn’t seen Ryoichiro throw the keepsake into the swamp. Ryoichiro glanced behind him. The surface of the swamp, which had once been frothing with bubbles, was now completely still, not even a single bubble remaining.

“My mother died here, didn’t she?”

“I’m sorry... I’m so sorry,” Tokuma wept, pressing his forehead to the ground.

Ryoichiro folded his hands and bowed toward the swamp, then crouched down and helped Tokuma to his feet.

“Can your oni take these cows back to the village?”

Tokuma murmured, “Probably...”

“Then do it. Return all the stolen cows to their rightful owners.”

Ryoichiro hugged Tokuma tightly, who seemed perplexed.

“We’ll cross the mountain. We’ll run together, as far as we can, until we reach a place where we can truly be together.”

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