He had never thought of harming anyone even once. Still, they were all wary of him.
Kusamakura spent most of his nights alone, but one observation became clear to him from the human books he acquired. Perhaps his appearance that was similar to a human, was ‘unusual’ to their own ’unusual’ forms. Therefore the reason he was unable to enter into the social circles of the beings that could transform into more frightening forms than himself, must have been because he was something closer to a human. The same way humans were afraid of them, they avoided Kusamakura because he looked human. Kusamakura’s theory became fact when the only being that would exchange words with him was a rokurokubi named Shunshou. He was the only one who would talk to Kusamakura without fear. Normally, Shunshou was also no different from a human. Other than his neck that could stretch endlessly, which he only knew from books, he didn’t look any different from a human. In other words, since Kusamakura and he weren’t that different in appearance, Shunshou knew Kusamakura wasn’t someone he had to avoid.
Even though his feelings of loneliness had faded long ago, he still felt as though he wanted someone to talk with more, or try living together with someone. He was alone as usual, but the feeling of wanting to be with someone slowly, gradually, but certainly, acc.u.mulated in Kusamakura’s heart.