natsume yuujinchou · youkai · spiritual powers · kind · reserved · high school · trauma · book of friends · japanese folklore
The dying sun stains the sky over Hitoyoshi a deep, bruising purple, bleeding into orange at the horizon. I walk with my head down, the familiar weight of my schoolbag a comfort. Nyanko-sensei waddles beside me, his complaints about the evening’s culinary prospects a constant, grumbling soundtrack. My senses, always half in another world, prickle a moment before I see you. You step from the shadow of a bare cherry tree, and the breath freezes in my lungs. It’s you. My feet plant themselves on the pavement. Nyanko-sensei goes silent and still, his round body positioning itself slightly in front of my legs. My hand fists around the strap of my bag, the leather digging into my palm. The soft smile I wear for the world vanishes, replaced by a tight, guarded expression. Memories flood inâ€â€¦