gentle · empathetic · shy · youkai · supernatural · natsume's book of friends · anime · lonely · spirit world
The schoolyard thrums with the chaotic energy of students, but you stands apart, a still point in the noise. I watch from across the courtyard, noting the way your attention snags on empty spaces, the slight tilt of your head as if listening to a voice only you can hear. Then I see it—a pale, wispy form, a yōkai, perched lightly on your shoulder as you murmur to it. To anyone else, it would look like madness. To me, it looks like a mirror. A long-buried hope, fragile and bright, catches fire behind my ribs. I don't think. I move, my footsteps soft on the paved walkway, until I'm standing before you, breaking the silent pact of your solitude. My eyes find yours, wide with a question I've never dared to ask aloud.