Beautiful Monster
Keep It Yourself

Yujiro looked at the fish that had been pierced by sharp twigs and had to be eaten after being roasted on a small bonfire made by an old man named Obara Sen.

Seeing the fish made Yujiro remember himself when he became an angled fish and then became a hungry man's meal like he is today.

"How did you know about the flower and hunt it down until now?" ask Miho who is still curious.

Sen chewed on his fish before answering the question.

"The flower has been hunted from ancient times. They use it for immortality because the flower is opposite to the red Higanbana that stops life. Blue higanbana can make you live forever. You'll have great power over that flower and my family will hunt it down until I come straight down and search for it today."

"Ah, so you're saying that the flower can make you never feel death because you can live forever?"

"Higanbana is a curse. I think the blue flower also has a curse in addition to its power for life" Sen said.

"That's why I'm still hunting, because I'm curious and want to instantly see the curse caused by the flower."

Miho looked at the blaze in front of her softly.

"My father died while working. He found a red higanbana flower there and suddenly a disaster came that killed several people to himself. I think the curse of flower death is true. Maybe if red higanbana is a form of death, then the blue one could be more terrible than that" Miho said.

"You're right. Things that are difficult to find can be a big risk," Sen added then turned his attention to Yujiro who had been relaxing chewing his food.

"Why didn't your girlfriend talk from earlier?" tanyanya.

Miho turned towards Yujiro. "She rarely speaks."

"I've never seen such sparkling blue eyes. It reminded me of the shadow in my head about the blue higanbana flower. He said the flower blooms during the day and shines at night" he said. "You can imagine how beautiful a flower would be if we saw it?"

"Yes," Miho replied, shrugging her shoulders casually.

"Where are you going after this?" tanya Sen continued.

"We need to find a place to stay. My house was burned down by someone, so there's no place we can stop by for now."

"Ah, I have a friend in Noda Village. It's not far from here. He lives near the village's water center. Maybe he can give you a place to stay" Sen suggested making Miho review a happy smile.

"You just tell me that I, Obara Sen, told you to go to him."

"Thank you, Grandpa Sen."

"I still have to hunt in this forest. If it's done, I'll be there too" continued Sen.

Eventually, Sen parted ways with Miho and Yujiro as he had to continue his journey to conduct the search.

Miho went to Noda Village that Sen was talking about. A village with clear and clear waters. Even when he got there, Miho felt so beautiful to see the lives of his people. There were many small children running around with laughter and adults greeting each other when they met.

"Excuse me," call Miho to one of the residents there. "Do you know Tominaga Kawa?"

"Grandmother Kawa?" The man pointed in the direction behind him. "He lives at the end of this road. You go straight, you'll find a house by the river."

Miho and Yujiro went there. They went through several farms and ranches. They both found a house that the residents had intended.

"EXCUSE ME!" call Miho.

Brakk!

Miho was surprised instead of playing when the door was opened hard enough by an old woman who was sitting while moving a fan to her face.

"What are you... Grandma Kawa?" ask Miho carefully.

The old woman's sharp eyes scanned Miho and Yujiro. "Are you eloping?"

"What?" Miho blinked in surprise hearing that. "No! I meani... No. gabe. We're just looking for a place to stay. Grandfather Obara Sen proposed us to come here."

"Based on the old man!" granny Kawa then tried to get up to get out of the house. His gaze was immediately fixed on Yujiro's blue eyeballs.

...****************...

Miho stared at the unfamiliar surroundings. The old woman's house was taken care of so neatly and cleanly compared to Miho's.

"So you guys met Sen in the woods?" ask Grandma Kawa while serving warm tea to Yujiro and Miho.

"Yes. He said he still had to continue the hunt for blue higanbana" Miho replied.

"He's just looking to die," muttered Grandma Kawa sighing harshly. "I've told him dozens of times that the flower is not here. He's still stubborn enough to find the curse flower."

"I heard the flowers can keep you alive" added Miho who began sipping tea made by Grandma Kawa.

"You only hear the beauty, Miss. The flower remains a curse. Although blue higanbana can make you immortal, it can give you a more bitter death than red higanbana has to offer. Man hunts him for just wanting his life, without ever wanting to figure out the curse of the flower."

"No human wants death" added Miho nodding in understanding.

"What's your name?" ask Grandma Kawa to Yujiro who was silent earlier. When asked, Yujiro just looked at her without even bothering to say a word.

"His name is Ushioda Yujiro. My name is Kurata Miho," Lontar Miho helped her.

"You have a lot to say, sir. How do you express your feelings to this woman if you don't want to talk?"

Yujiro's gaze turned unfriendly towards Grandma Kawa. Her heart said that Grandma Kawa should not have to take care of her feelings with Miho because she can show them without speaking.

Meanwhile, Sen continued walking through the forest. He passed by a river and found a small cave. His body bent in there in search of higanbana flowers.

But instead of the blue higanbana he found, Sen was now staring at the red higanbana that was burning in the darkness of the cave.

Death will come.

Sen immediately thought about it even more he was faced with the death curse flower. Sen plucked it and then came out of the cave.

Woof! Woof! Woof!

Suddenly a black dog came towards him while barking. Jo walks after his loud barking dog. At the sight, Arai was barking towards a Sen who was just standing without a fight.

"Where are they?" ask Jo to Sen.

"They're who? I don't understand what you mean" he replied.

"Don't fool me. The smell of my dog could not be fooled by anyone" he said, reaching for a weapon he pointed at Sen.

"You must have met them. The blue-eyed monster... You must've met him, so my dog could've barked at you."

Ah, Sen realized that what the fierce man in front of him was Miho and Yujiro. Only Yujiro had blue eyes and had the chance to meet him.

"I don't know" Sen said.

Jo suddenly whistled which made Arai jump straight at Sen then bite his foot fiercely. Sen fell over, screaming in pain while trying to release the dog's bite.

Quickly, he inserted the red higanbana flower he had picked into Arai's mouth. The dog bite was gone.

Jo sees Arai shaking his head violently while retreating and falling with his body slowly turning stiff.

"Damn it! How dare you kill my dog" jo growled.

Sen grimaced while pulling his hard-earned body away from there.

The dorrr! The dorrr! The dorrr!

The shot managed to make Sen stiff, lying helpless. He really met his death.