by Lolah Runda
“Time in the human world seems to move fast; here I was waiting anxiously for your return and next we are through with dinner”
“One of these days I hope you would tell me what it feels to live in your world” she replied
“There is nothing to really talk about, just that it is very different from your world, do not concern yourself about it”
Miyako decided not to respond as she hoped that one day he’ll learn to open up to her, even if it meant not being able to visit where he lived in the other world.
“It is time for bed because I have an early start tomorrow”
Heading towards the bed she saw he followed her “What are you doing? You know I can’t share the same bed with you” as she said this the memory of what happened when she woke up caused her to feel funny inside, for she didn’t want to tell him that it was herself that she couldn’t trust to be on the same bed with him.
“You know that I would not touch you for no reason neither harm you”
“Tomorrow I’ll have to get a futon for you to sleep in, and then we could see some places together”
Pushing the bed cover aside she settled down for the night, Hikari wondered why the human was acting in such a strange way.
Giving his body as much distance as he could from hers, waiting until she finally slept for he knew that he could not sleep as she could unless he wanted to mimic her, for a yokai never had need of sleep as humans did especially one like him.
The next morning Miyako quietly left for work not knowing that Hikari knew the exact moment she woke but pretended to still be asleep.
Miyako received a call from her manager while on her lunch at the back of the store that she had a visitor “I have never had anyone come to see me at work, I wonder who it might be. It had better not be Hikari sneaking away from the house to visit” with that thought in mind she made her way to front of the store only for her to see a man she didn’t know.
“Good afternoon I was told you wanted to see me, I don’t mean to be rude but who are you?” as she said this she saw her manager cast a curious glance towards her and the stranger.
“If it is not a bother to you, can we step out so that we can talk in private?” he said not bothering to answer her question
Deciding to co-operate with him as they headed out of the store, not once did she turn to look at the manager for fear he may get the wrong impression that she was in a dangerous situation and call the police, within her she wondered why she agreed to follow the stranger in front of her. On getting outside he turned saying “I know you have a kitsune staying with you” as he said this she gasped in surprise
“How did you know I have someone staying with me?” she asked as her voice held a hint of fear.
“Let me warn you, if you decide to take sides with the kitsune you would not be spared this a message from my master, do well to heed the warning”
“Who are you and why are you threatening me?” she asked
“You do not need to know who I am, separate yourself from the kitsune if not you would not be showed mercy” he said as his voice held traces of menace
“I just need to know what he may have done to deserve such hatred”
“Hatred you say? This has nothing to do with you, so don’t involve yourself in the matter of us yokai”
With that said his body slowly became as the wind blending with the very air until she could no longer see his form, making her way back inside she hid what she witnessed from her manger.
“I’ll have to find a better time to tell Hikari, maybe after we come back from our sightseeing”
Forcing her mind not to think about the unusual event that occurred, as she continued the daily routine at her job for the good thing was that the next day was going to be day off so she made up her mind to spend it taking Hikari for some sightseeing.
“I wonder if it was because of what the man said that makes me wish for tomorrow to quickly come” she thought
The next day came as she and Hikari started by going to the theatre to watch some movies, after getting the ticket and seated “Why does this feel like am in a date?” she asked herself turning as she saw Hikari looking like a normal human being without ears or tail the only thing were his eyes and hair for which people could easily think that they were as a result of hair dye or contact even she was used to being stared at if it ever came to that “There seem to be a lot of people gathering here” he said
“Some are here on a date while some came to watch the movie”
“What do you mean when you said they are here on a date?” he asked
Chapter 10
For a moment Miyako hesitated to say what she meant, for she didn’t want him to think that it was the reason why she brought him with her
“Hmmm….meaning that when you bring a male or a female that you like with you”
“That means you like me?” he pointedly asked
“What? I don’t like you! Why would you say something like that?” as she panicked in response
“If you think that way then why am I here with you?” as he said this Miyako felt a pang of regret for the words she said to him, it was not her intention to say that instead she said “I’m sorry I only misunderstood what you said, I don’t hate you”
After she spoke Hikari didn’t speak a word to her all the while they were in the theatre, Miyako could feel the tension between them but she knew who was to blame, many times now she would respond aggressively whenever he spoke to her.
Feeling dejected and sad as she wished that the movie would come to an end so that she could quickly return to her room, not too long after everything came to an end as people began to file out of the theatre as the last ones out she didn’t know what to say to him, feeling the wrongness of her action as she said “I’m sorry for what I said”
“As long as you’re sorry that is all that matters” he said but she still felt that he had not accepted her apology, to make up for this she said to him “Let us go and see the amusement park”
For the park was just a train away, with that they boarded on the train heading for Osaka for which they stood all through since there was never a time when the train was not full of people with only seats to accommodate just a few.
Finally they got to their destination, getting off the train the distance to the park was so close to the train station she knew that when the time came for them to leave they’ll be able to make it even if it was the last train for the day.
On getting there they saw so many people both school students, children and adults all catching fun in various way, some were walking around just looking at the rides and other attractions of the place.
Pointing to one of the rides “I want to be in that one” said Hikari
“Which one?” she asked
“The one that moves really fast with screaming people in it”
“Oh….that!” she replied in a bored voice for deep inside she was terrified of the ride but she didn’t want him to know
“Take me to that place so that I can experience what those humans feel”
They had to queue to pay for the ride then another queue to take turns taking the ride but finally they were next to step into the ride with the safety belt firmly in place the ride was set into motion, at first it started out slow then later on it was moving really fast that Miyako didn’t know when she started screaming out wishing desperately for it to come an end, gradually the speed of the ride reduced it was then that she was able to notice that Hikari was laughing as though having the best time of his life as his hair was swept back by the wind, it was when he turned to her the expression in his eyes was what captivated her for even without words she could see the gratitude in them. At that moment she felt the thudding of her heart for his eyes made her melt inside, if he had asked anything she would have granted it to him, that was when she realized how much Hikari meant to her but with that came a sense of sadness for she knew he wasn’t human just as she wasn’t like him.
She didn’t know when tears gathered in her eyes until she heard him say “Why are you crying? Did I do something to upset you?” he asked in a voice filled with concern.
“No it is just me been emotional for that is a human thing, you didn’t upset me in any way” she lied so as to protect what she just discovered about herself
Still Hikari felt within him that she was hiding something but he told himself not to push the matter.
“Let’s come down for some ice cream” she said to him in order to divert his attention
Stepping out they made their way to the ice cream stand after having their order taken they sat on one of the benches that had some tree shade to enjoy their ice cream and to observe the scenery.
“I want to go through all the rides here” said Hikari in a serious tone
“You do know that those rides are not free and secondly we have to queue twice before getting the chance to enter each one, anyway let me rest a while so that I can have the energy to do what you want” she said tiredly
“I really appreciate you taking me out to see these, for I would have some memories to take with me when I leave” he said
“You’re leaving? When? But why?” she said as her voice rose in alarm
“I have to leave as soon as the season comes to an end for that was the pact I made before venturing to the human world”
“This does not make any sense, what pact did you make? When were you ever going to tell me that you were leaving” she said in a choked voice
“Weren’t you the same person that asked when I was going to leave where you stayed and now you’re getting worried when I said I was leaving, moreover I came here to fulfill my duties as guardian of the Inari shrine and once am done I’ll return to my world to take over as the supreme leader of the yokai world”
“Those are unrelated and you know that, I don’t want you to leave but if you have to then I’m not going to hold you back”
“Humans sure are very confusing creatures…” she interrupted him by saying “You don’t seem to get what I mean, that aside let us not argue and enjoy the moment”
Miyako wondered why she could not bring herself to tell him of the strange visitor that she had at work for she didn’t know how the man and Hikari were connected.
Leaning backward as she closed her eyes to rest not knowing when her body had succumbed to the strong pull of sleep as she leaned on his shoulder, as soon as Hikari saw she was soundly asleep he gathered her towards him allowing her head to rest on his chest as his fingers ran through the tendrils of her hair “She sure is strong willed for one so young” he muttered to himself as it struck him right then how a human could become so important to him in such a short time.
In that moment he felt a sharp pain pierce his heart at the thought of leaving the human he held in his arms, wishing that she could be by his side always.
Miyako woke with a start as she saw they were the only ones left in the park “Why didn’t you wake me up when you saw the people leaving?” for the last train left at 6pm while she woke up almost an hour after.
“I saw you were sleeping so soundly and I didn’t want to wake you”
“So how are we going to get back now that the last train has left?”
“We could travel back by air” as he spoke he carried her in his arm not waiting for her to resist as they floated in the air together from the unseeing eyes of the humans
Miyako decided not to bring up any arguments for she was partly to blame for their current situation, deciding that this could be the right time to let him know of the strange visitor she had at work
“Hikari there was someone that came to see me at work, threatening that his master would come after me if I choose to have you at my place; he neither told me his name nor the name of his master”
“Miyako I think it is time that you move with me to the shrine where you would have enough protection, if you stay where you are then the lives of your neighbors would be at great risk”
She thought about what Hikari said, for it would be selfish of her to stay at the apartment, because she didn’t want to put the lives of her neighbors at risk and also he had abandoned his duty at the shrine just to keep her safe.
“You’re right I will move out tomorrow for it is already too late in the night to begin moving”
With that said the two headed back to her place for the night which on getting there, Hikari opened the door only placing her down when they got into her room.
“Thank you for today” said Miyako
“It is I who has to thank you for showing me parts of your world, it is time for you to lay down and rest for there is much to do tomorrow” with that said they both made their way to the bed lying side by side, waiting until she was asleep before Hikari gathered her into his arms as he closed his eyes in rest.
