EDIT: Last part was rewritten, Natsume seemed out of character and someone pinpointed it. Thank you for the feed back. Hope this slightly better.

Questions I have received:

Are Natsume and Hotaru going to be something more?

No, they are not, it would be inappropriate. And I do not plan them to be. I know some age gaps are cool but since Hotaru is a teacher and Natsume is a student, that is frowned upon. Hotaru is about in her early twenties. Natsume is around 17 -18ish. Another side note is that I don't see Natsume in a romantic relationship with anyone since he's pretty much to himself. Hotaru on the other hand I don't see her being with anyone else but Gin, I think it's because she remains faithful to him.

Is the mountain Gin lived is in the same area as Fujiwara's village?

Yeeeeesss? Yes. When I was watching the show, the scenery and the forest reminded me a lot of the mountain Gin was at. And I remember I think Natsume went to part of a mountain that was like it or something around there. And as I was rewatching Hotarubi No Mori E, Hoatru's uncles home seemed like the village Natsume is living in. So I decided to combine together. To where Hotaru slightly lived a little farther just a bit since she is close to the mountain.

In the morning of my day, I wake up to go to the mountain to visit the family that raised Gin, they all loved it when I came to see them. I also paid my respects to him, as they built a small grave for him when he had disappeared. I would next to it, as if he were there, and I lay my head onto the stone as if it were his shoulder, gazing at the pond that we would use to fish at. I imagined all the possibilities that Gin and I could've done. To hold each other very carefully without skin touching, or wearing gloves so I could hold his hand on that night before he disappeared on our way back to my uncles home. Kissing him when I had the chance, I couldn't help but shed tears. They will always overflow my eyes for him, for him I would give anything to have those summer days with him, forever.

The giant hand from the tree spirit used its claw to prevent my tears from shedding, he spoke to me how they raised Gin, that it was like it's own child to them. They told me ever since he had met me when I was six, he was excited and looked forward to the days when I would return. They even admitted that while I was gone back to my hometown, Gin would patiently wait for me at our meeting point, sitting upon the steps throughout all autumn, winter, and spring. They even said, the scarf I gave him for the winter when I was fifth grader, he wore it as he waited for my return.

The hanging tree spirit gave me back the orange scarf, and placed it to my face, smelling the scent of him and the mountain he had been in. I wrapped the scarf around the gravestone, after all, I bought it for him.

If only I could meet him during those times, I asked my parents to let me transfer schools there to live with my uncle who wouldn't have minded, but they wouldn't have had it. They wanted me to grow up in a city that had many opportunities for me, but I had no interest in of the city. I only cared about the mountain, I cared about my best friend.

I would be guided back to the mountain path by one of the spirits so I wouldn't get lost like I did when I was a child. To them though, I still was, and that's okay.

I would then get ready for my work, saying goodbye to my uncle, and to the mask as I touched my fingertips to as I left, then walk to the school. I greeted my other students and answering their questions I gladly helped them with.

They were actually starting to love the subject I was teaching and wanted to know more. I was a bit hesitant, because I knew the school board wouldn't really like me teaching about spirits to the class all year. Even though, I did discover Natsume Takashi's secret like mine, he was able to see the unseen like myself.

"You sure know a lot about spirits," I heard his voice, Natsume, as I looked at the window, watching the spirits play in the schoolyard again.

"When I was younger," I spoke softly, "the mountain by my uncles home, I would play with them. They were my friends, I guess you can say I fell in love with one, though he really wasn't technically was one."

Silence.

We then walked our separate ways, even though I really wanted to ask if Natsume had ever met Gin. Even then when you think about it, he might be a new student that recently transferred into the summer he might have not met him, but I wouldn't know.

I couldn't help but think of Gin when I look at Natsume. Majority about him were so closely related to him, but I knew. I don't love Natsume, his attitude was completely different to his. Natsume seemed to dislike the spirits, which I can understand. The spirits I know, I could never hate, they were part of him and now a part of me. They will be forever be in my memory, for centuries.

I asked one of the advisors if Natsume was a new student, confusion came to his face. "I told you he was transferring into your class."

"Huh?"

"Ah, you must've been dozing off," he sighed, scratching the back of his head, "What I said was that he was misput in the wrong class so there wasn't a seat for him, so I put him in class 2 instead. Geez, Hotaru," he crossed his arms in a pouting matter,

"honestly, how can you be a teacher if you doze off all the time. Do you doze off in your lectures too?"

I laughed a bit nervously, because I have dozed off in a middle of a lecture. Not because I didn't want to teach, but one of the spirits was staring at me through the window, I couldn't help but stare back. Not until then one of my students made focus back on the lesson, I was the joke of the day. I didn't see the spirit after that, it was probably just poking it's head somewhere to pass time. I was told in the mountain that humans lives are very short to them, seeing me grow was about one year for them.

"Sorry," I apologized receiving my papers, "I'll be sure to be more attentive next time."

"Please, do." The advisor said, twirling back to continuing on with his work, mumbling to himself, "weird woman,".

That was embarrassing, so Natsume wasn't a new student, the class just became full because of the new year.

Click

If Natsume isn't a new student, he might've met Gin, there was a higher chance.

Click

I've only just began teaching at this school for barely a year, of course I don't know all of the students just yet, Natsume has probably been here longer than I have.

Click

What on earth was that clicking noise?

As I turned, there was a spirit with it's forehead and eyes showing, using it's claws to tap against the window. Surprised, I couldn't help but yell, alerting students into the classroom, "Sensei!" one of them called out for me, as I stared at the window.

"What's wrong!? Are you hurt?!" Panic was in their voice, slightly panting from their sprint. I looked back at my student, opening my mouth to explain, but as I looked back at the window, I closed my mouth, nothing was there. It vanished, though I knew I saw it.

"Sorry," I forced out a laugh, "it was just a bug!" the student dead-panned, telling me to be more careful. Of course, I keep forgetting that they can't see things that I can't. It was natural to see spirits to me, they were like my family, so seeing one out to the school surprises me. I wondered of why that one kept coming to window.

As the day ended, I went back to my home, tossing my things inside my room, quickly changing into my casual summer clothes, putting on my shoes and quickly running to the mountain.

I miss him, I miss him. I felt my eyes overflow as I ran with my might to his grave, I hate summer, I hate it. But yet.

I don't.

Because I won't forget. I will never forget the day I met him. I will never forget him. Especially those days we spent together.

As I ran, I brushed past the spirits that I knew when I was six. I ran across the bridge where the lily pad lake was when he took me when I was seven years old. I ran past the meadow where I picked flowers for him when he took me when I was eight. I ran past the forest when I startled him when I was nine. I ran past the giant tree we visited often when I was ten. I ran past the shrine where I told him he was my best friend the first time when I was eleven. I ran past the small field where we flew kites together when I was twelve. I ran past the balancing log when I was thirteen, even when I fell he would try to catch me but we both knew when he stopped himself, he would've disappeared. He couldn't protect me even he wanted to.

I ran faster, faster than I have ever before. Passing each section, each year he took my deeper and deeper inside the forest and the mountain. Each year, filled with memories of him. Each part I remembered clearly, each section, I remember every memory of him.

I ran past the fake christmas tree we made together for him before I left that summer when I was fourteen. I ran past the garden we tended together when I was fifteen. I ran past the festival grounds that we went together when I was sixteen, then I came across the lake. Where I last saw him. Where we fished together, then asked me to go to that festival.

I was panting too hard, sobbing as I ran to go see him, every single inch of this mountain reminded me of him. I threw myself onto the tombstone, crying hysterically, I was so pathetic. This wasn't fair!

There was no one else I wanted in this world but Gin. Someone who couldn't even touch even when I first met him, someone who I couldn't get too close physically. I wrapped my arms around it as I let my tears fall. Without him, life was just so boring. Without him fulfilling my summers, it was boring.

"Gin," I sobbed out, "please come back to me." Even when I wished for that, I knew it was a wish that could never come true. Not even all the gods combined could make this wish come true. I felt my chest hurting from all the running and sobbing I have been doing but I couldn't help it. No one is this world could replace him.

All the area was quiet, the spirits were even quiet, the only sounds were heard was my crying. They pitied the girl who was in love, they pitied the couple that it was unrequited.

Then a single bell rang. I knew this presence, I didn't have to look, so they didn't cover my eyes. It was the mountain god. I didn't bother say anything, but I felt him watching me mourn.

I felt a hand on my head, caressing my hair, the gentle touch I have longed for from Gin, that I was unable to have because I intended to keep a promise, and I didn't want to lose someone that I loved.

No words were spoken between us, only comforting and comforted. His fingers ran through my hair as he rubbed my head, my breathing slowing, my tears silently shedding then soon coming to a stop. I wished silently that Gin could do this, even though what I was hoping for would never come true.

But what I could do was picture him doing so, and I did. I imagined him taking off his mask, comforting me by feeling the warmth of his hand. I imagined him caressing my face to wipe my tears away, and hearing his voice saying he loved me.

When I finally opened my eyes, he was gone, so did the physical touch of his hand on my hand. And my imagination of Gin.

Soon then I found myself waking inside my room, being greeted by the dark wood of my uncles ceiling. I quickly raised myself up, trying to remember how I made it home.

I didn't.

I simply cried myself to sleep at Gins grave. I heard distant voices through my uncles home. I couldn't tell if there were spirits or my uncle himself. I heard a slight deep laughter and I pinpointed it was my uncle. I took my time to remember the touch from the mountain god that had placed onto my head, comforting me. As if he were saying, "It's okay,". The mountain god, I knew he is a kind god that liked humans, even when he didn't see them as often.

He pitied the human girl and fragile boy who could never be together.

I heard the pitter-patters of rain hit against the concrete outside my uncles home and the distant thunders I remembered counting with my uncle when I was afraid of them. I heard the sliding door, and footsteps entering in, my uncle bringing me tea. "Ah, so you're awake, how are you feeling?" he smiled, when he smiled he reminded me of a grandfather instead of an uncle.

"Tired." I replied as I sipped my the green tea, it's warmth surging through my hands from the cup, as I took it's warmth then surged into my body.

"I saw you resting, and I came to check on you!" So he didn't know I was gone, he was probably working on the field when I left. As I thought, I guessed the mountain god had taken me back. How kind that God is, I should give him present as a thank you and my respects.

"Hey, Uncle?"

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me the story of you and Iwa-chan again?" I asked pleadingly, blinking my eyes.

"You've heard it thousand times!" He protested, but I just begged him, and a deep laughter came up from him, patting my head and he sighed, going back into his memories.

"Alright let's see.." he paused briefly before beginning.

"I was about ten and Iwa-chan nine. This home here, is your grandfathers, he built it with your grandmother and the farm too. They loved doing things by themselves, so they thought living outside the village would be great. I was born first then years later your mother. Anyway, Iwa-chan was the closest neighbor who lived possibly a mile away.

"I would always roam around the the village, but Iwa-chan was more the adventurous than I was, so she had a great idea of going into the mountain. Now, you're grandparents were also both very superstitious people, they prevented me to go with Iwa-chan, but when dusk came, we snuck out together, meeting in between then took off into the forest together. We also gathered two more people that were staying at her place at the time and we wandered around.

"I was told there were spirits all around, so I was constantly on the look out to see something. I was pretty sure someone was watching me the whole time, but I was too distracted my Iwa-chan trying to climb a tree, yelling she saw a kitsune. As we progressed further into the forest, we found the festival we mentioned before. We all thought it was weird, but figured it was another village nearby and went in. I can tell you though it was a weird festival, a lot people wore masks more than usual but it was very interesting. When I think about it.." he paused, putting a hand to his chin,

"There was a person we met there. I can barely remember her name, but I'm pretty sure it was...Natsu...Natsu-something,"

"Natsume?" I asked curiously. This was odd, things were slowly piecing together, was Natsume Takashi with him? No, he couldn't be, Uncle said it was a girl, I looked back at him and continued, remembering his story.

"Natsume, yes!". She was an odd girl who also came to the festival wearing a mask, but she revealed herself to us. Iwa-chan was pretty fascinated by her, I know I was too, she was quite beautiful. She was the one who told us to get back quickly or the spirits would eat us! Us being kids we were frightened so we hurried back like she said! When I tried returning to the same spot of the festival grounds I couldn't find it and ended up being lost. Though that girl found me and guided me back. As I was leaving I could see her talking to herself, she was quite odd but I knew there was something special about her. But after I got lost, and tried searching for her again, I could never find her. I never went back to the forest. It sure does bring back memories! I don't know why you like hearing this story there's nothing special about it!"

"Well I like it, and that's all that matters!" I nodded to him, cheering my tea cup to his and we shared our laughs together. The story though, it was newer than before, him mentioning a woman named Natsume. I was curious, ever so curious even more. I couldn't ask Natsume though, maybe I can an assignment of ancestors… That could work, maybe…

Could she see spirits too? He did say he would catch her talking to herself. I wondered, I really wanted to know! But I can't just invade Natsume's private life! And I can't just go through his records! The assignment of ancestors will have to do for now… If only I were able to speak freely to him, but that would look odd to the school especially. Natsume Takashi, was quite the character though…