Disclaimer: I do not own the characters involved in the story, the credit belongs to the creator of Hotarubi no Mori E, Yuki Mindorikawa

Chapter 1 Returning

It was once again summer, and so Hotaru got on the bus to her Grandfather's house. It had been exactly three years since Gin had vanished into thin air. Gin still filled Hotaru's

thoughts, after all she loved him; part of her believed that he was still alive and would be waiting for her if she returned to the shrine in the forest. "We're approaching our next

stop." The driver said. Hotaru stopped day dreaming, and looked out the bus window. Soon she was at her stop, the bus' wheels screeched to a stop and she got off. "Hotaru, it's

good to see you again." Her Grandfather greeted her. Hotaru hugged him, and they went in the house. She lied on the floor, and looked up at the ceiling. "Gin." She said softly to

herself. She remembered vividly Gin slowly disappearing in bursts of light almost like firefly ' s. Gin had made Hotaru so happy that night that she let her guard down, and so

had Gin. His kindness had been his downfall. She wondered if they had never meet if he would still be alive, she quickly pushed the thought away. Gin would have never wanted

it that way. "I'm going off to town." Her Grandfather said while he closed the door behind him. "Maybe I should go to the forest.." Hotaru said to herself quietly. Her heart was still

in pain.

She sat up and looked outside for a moment. He's not their she kept telling herself, but she couldn't convince herself. Hotaru got in bed, maybe after a good night's sleep she

could move on, at least a little. But her dreams took her to the forest, and the memories of seeing Gin again. Hotaru looked at her alarm clock, it read 1:00 a.m. She went in the

kitchen and opened the fridge. Grabbing a carbonated water bottle she took a sip then got back in bed. He heart was pounding. After several minutes of tossing, and turning she

managed to get to sleep. RING RING RING. Hotaru pushed the off button, and got up. "Your up early, did you sleep well?" Grandpa asked. "Ya." She said not being completely

truthful. "I'm going to town." She said walking out the door before a response could be made. People everywhere were making preparations for the Summer festival. Hotaru

walked by a store where a man was putting out masks. She looked away and walked faster. In the end she really didn't have a destination, but she wanted to clear her mind.

Everywhere Hotaru looked she was surrounded by things that reminded her of Gin. She wanted to run back to the forest to embrace Gin, to be with him forever. "Why...why did

he have to disappear." Hotaru said in a not so quiet tone. She looked around and noticed all the people staring, so she quickly walked home. Embarrassed and exhausted. She

walked into the house with melancholy. "Is everything alright?" " Ya, it was just a bad day in town." She said not willing to admit her actual sadness or the fact she fell in love

with a spirit. Hotaru walked to the back door and opened it, she looked up at the sky. "Gin, if your out their I want to see you again. " Hotaru said softly. As she said that a

shooting star flashed by, and vanished as soon as it had appeared. "Huh." Hotaru wiped a tear off her face. After that her mind was oddly at ease. She felt strange, she hadn't

been so peaceful since three years ago, something in her decided that tomorrow she would head to the forest. "Grandpa I'm going to bed." She said happily getting under the

covers. That night peaceful sleep came upon her quickly.

When Hotaru got up in the morning she got ready with speed. " Grandpa I'll be going out for a while." "Okay, be back by dinner." She ran in the direction of the forest, and soon came upon the shrine.

She looked around hopefully but it was the same result as the last three years. She sighed sadly, and turned around walking slowly. "Looking for me?" Said a familiar voice. "Gin." Hotaru began to cry

as she looked at the boy who stood in front of her, it was Gin. "I thought you were gone forever." She walked up to Gin, but he took a step back. " I'm sorry, but humans still can't touch me." He said

sadly. "What...why?" "I was able to be saved with the little bit of my presence that remained, but I shouldn't be alive." Hotaru looked down at her feet for a moment. " I promise..." " What did you say

Hotaru?" Hotaru raised her voice. "I promise that I'll find a way to save you. I can't bear the though of losing you again Gin." Surprise was evident in Gin s' eyes. " Hotaru..." Tears rolled down Hotaru's

cheeks. " I have missed you so much Gin, it's been three years since I last saw you." " Three years? Has it really been that long?" Hotaru continued to cry. "I promise not to leave your side again,

Hotaru I love you." "I love you too Gin!" The rest of the day Hotaru and Gin looked up at the clouds. Hotaru began thinking about how she could save Gin, she wasn't sure it was even possible, but she

had hope, if Gin still existed their had to be a way to save him.

Soon the sky began to darken. " I have to go home for today, but I'll be back tomorrow. " She said with uneasiness as if Gin would be gone once again tomorrow. "Don't worry, I'll be waiting." Hotaru

said one last goodbye, and headed out of the forest. When she returned home her Grandpa flicked her nose. " Your late, dinners already cold, where have you been all day? That's not important just

eat up." She folded her hands, said thank you, and then began to eat. "Tomorrow we're going to go visit your aunt." Hotaru dropped her fork. " What do you already have plans?" She nodded, and said

nothing. " Listen Hotaru, your aunt is dying and we might not get another chance to see her again, so hate very you had planned can wait, okay?" "Yes, Grandpa. " Hotaru looked down at her feet for a

second. She began to think about her promise. "I'll be back tomorrow. " "Don't worry, I'll be here." Gin had said. What would Gin think when she didn't come back? Would he wait for her. Her heart

ached at the thought of breaking her promise, but she had no other choice. "I'm not hungry. Hotaru got up from the table, and took her plate to the garbage, scrapping off the food before putting it in

the sink. "Wait for me Gin." She whispered. Hotaru got in bed, a tear rolled down her face, and she fell asleep. She woke up late that morning. "Hotaru, are you ready yet?" Hotaru walked out of the

room in her pajamas. "No." " Well get ready fast, we'll be leaving soon." Her Grandpa remarked. "Okay." She said sadly and drowsily." To be continued in chapter 2...