Red knew that Gabby was at this house, but what he did not know was the reason of why Tanken was here as well. He waits for her to turn around, and all he gave her was a neutral look. Neither hatred nor admiration.
TANKEN: Here, already? So how's your friend?
RED: Care to tell me, why you're here?
TANKEN: I was making sure that no bad spirit is going to attack her out of the blue since you're gone. Why ask?
Red felt surprised by her generosity, for once Tanken hated Gabby, and now she's concerned for her safety? Such a fast change, and a very good one too, and he was somehow very much touched by the reason. He looks at her without furthermore suspicion since he owed her a lot for saving Gabby's friend. And Tanken felt very happy that Red was fooled.
Unfortunately, she wasn't as effective to manipulating the girls as she always thinks childish whenever they're near out of hatred. Red came closer to her, to which she felt tensed to. She doesn't understand, for she already have a lot of spouses on her lifetime but men just don't fail to make her red all over. It doesn't help to maintain her composure with the fact that she wanted to win Red over for him to be his last final spouse. To her eyes, he was perfect. And she so, so wanted to have an eternal partner for so long that she'd do any means to be with him. Even if she must throw away her past morals.
When they were beside one another, looking at the window of Tiwari's house. She expected him to hold her hand, or ask something about herself, but like always, Red's words were about that woman she learned to despise.
RED: So...how's the night with her?
Tanken crumpled her hands to stop herself from ranting just how much she failed to enjoy it, more so, she thought it was a bad decision. And after ranting it on her mind she replied calmly,
TANKEN: It was wonderful. She was the sweetest little thing.
Red smiled and covered his cheeks and mouth.
Tanken knew he was blushing, and she did not have to ask him to confirm it. His uncovered ears says everything she needs to know. The discovery made her hate Gabby more. Gaining Red's trust is one thing, but gaining his love is another. It was a task that her charm, poise and great ability can't do. She felt frustrated that even if she seems far capable and greater than that normal mortal, she was still on the losing end.
Just what is...so special about her? She might be thinking so hard about it that she unwillingly let her words slipped out of her mouth.
TANKEN: Just...why do you like her?
Red quickly looked at her, and when he did. He saw a sad face looking at the ground, eyes lifeless and full of insecurity.
He emphatized with her, because that's how he looks everytime Murasaki was trying to win Gabby over.
The fact that they were worlds apart felt like a heavy rock crushing his heart and he felt guilty that somehow, he was hurting someone who seems genuinely interested in him. But for him, having her have false hope would hurt her more.
RED: I...I just do.
TANKEN: She's clumsy, and weak and...
Red looks at her and smiles, waiting for her to finish her sentence.
TANKEN: ...and I guess this night, I also realized that she could be very sweet, caring and...thoughtful.
Tanken remembers the time when Gabby insisted to accompany Tiwari instead. She knows that Gabby was afraid of her, but that wasn't the only reason she stayed by Tiwari's side. Her eyes...big and beautiful says it all. She was so expressive, that anyone could read her like a book.
She was simply purely...
TANKEN: Enchanting.
Red smiles more, and decided to turn away from the house, sitting on the pile of snow as if it was his bed, but because he didn't spend much time on the mortal realm before as he was now, he immediately sinked at the snow and was to be buried if not for the hands of Tanken.
As she pulled him up, the two had enough time to gaze into one another's eyes.
Red, for the first time since Tanken met, was now blushing at the sight of her.
She felt victorious, although she knows that it's not the case.
Red however, was too shock to even respond to anything. Her hands were so soft, cold and smooth, but slightly bigger than Gabby's.
He doesn't understand it yet, but somehow looking into her eyes, he saw the love that had been waiting for him since he first met her.
He brushed it off however, as he still doesn't feel the same way, Tanken felt hurt but it doesn't matter. If he blushed at her presence, it must still mean something.
Red looked at the stars above them and was just admiring how beautiful they are, when be randomly had a flashback of his final moments as a mortal. Tanken saw the horror in his eyes and knew so well what inflicted it.
TANKEN: Your death, huh?
Red looked at her, unbelievably amazed as to how fast she guessed it.
TANKEN: Don't give me that look, I witnessed a lot of my loved ones make that expression before they die. I know it well.
RED: I'm sorry.
TANKEN: It's fine, it's fine...it's just...hard to love a mortal, huh? To have your heart broken because you know they can't they forever?
RED: Yeah...
TANKEN: I know that feeling. And I'm telling you, I do not enjoy it. But I needed company so, you know, I'll take every chance I could.
RED: Mm.
TANKEN: Hey, if you love her that's fine. Love don't fade away easily. Actually, I don't think you can even unlove her.
RED: You think so?
TANKEN: I had married a lot, ya know? But every one of them? I still keep in my heart. All of them are special. And love don't simply fade. Especially when you...you really think he's amazing.
RED: Ow.
TANKEN: I meant she!
RED: Well, thanks for the comfort. I just...feel sad because she's the first who made me want to be a human again. She's like the one who made me go like, "hey it seems that being a human this day seems like a good idea," or something like that... I'm not really good at expressing my thoughts but yeah. Something like that.
TANKEN: I...yeah. It's hard. When you know she can't be yours. But hey, look at the bright side, with your charming attitude and loyalty, any girl could fall for you.
RED: Mmm, you want me to choose you, right?
TANKEN: Finally! You're finally getting to what I want you to get to!
RED: I'm sorry, but as long as she's alive, she's still my true love and I will never get over her.
Tanken felt happy, rather than jealous or irritated by that sentence because it hints that if she was dead, he could move on and love her instead.
What she did not know however, that Red was implying that even if she was dead, he will never move on from her. Sadly Tanken believed what she wanted to believe, and so that semented her plan and intention of killing the woman he loves most.
Now that she confronted him with her feelings, and he denied it once again, she can't help but feel excited by the time she dies, and one day ask him again of what he thinks about her.
Ruthless move? She doesn't care much. Further more her obsession with getting him for herself had worsen. And nothing could stop her from having his heart.
Jinko, as a snow owl perched on one of the trees, looking down and observing Red and Tanken's activity. He felt impatient but somehow quite happy that atleast Tanken was making progress with her connection to them.
The spider woman, now as a small spider crawled near the branch Jinko was on and asked him how the plan is doing.
JINKO: Everything is running smoothly. Slow but smoothly. In time, I'm sure we'd win. Oh and one more thing...
The jorugumo looked at him, confused.
JINKO: Don't turn into a spider and not tell me. I almost try to eat you if it weren't for your voice.
The jorugumo felt shocked and was so creeped out by what he revealed. Having feared the possibility that Jinko might fail to resist his bird like urges, she crawls higher up the tree to observe the scene.
Meanwhile that saddens Jinko as she was nowhere near him now.
Jinko, still in the form of an owl looked at the branches to find her.
And the jorugumo felt even more afraid as she mistaken it as hungry looking eyes.
JINKO: Hey, don't move further away, spider lady.
He called out.
JORUGUMO: What do you want then?
JINKO: I've been thinking, we've been together for some time now and I still don't know your name. Or how would you like to be called instead?
JORUGUMO: I don't know.
JINKO: Oh, so you've never had a name before?
JORUGUMO: I use fake names so yeah, obviously I don't.
JINKO: How about Fia? I think it suits you.
JORUGUMO: What does that even stand for? I haven't heard of a name like that.
JINKO: Oh, so you don't like it? Sorry then.
JORUGUMO: I didn't said that I hated it...I was just...what does that name mean?
JINKO: Hm, well, when I was a mortal I had a book with a lot of names listed there, whereas their meanings were written. I think Fia means a lot of things. I just can't remember what language because it's a rather really...really long time. On some language it means flickering fire, on some others it means weaver, on some others it means deer. So yeah.
JORUGUMO: Okay, you can call me that.
JINKO: Really? I get to name you?
JORUGUMO: Yeah, do whatever you want. I think Fia sounds good.
And the two did not realized that they were the ones developing that night than those below them. Surely funny how love works.