"You are Tsurara…right?"

A shade of pink then appeared on the Yuki-Onna's cheeks and beamed, "YES!"

He smiled back at her, it was her. He looked up the sky, thankful to have remembered her, his long lost memory...


Walking back to the Nura mansion, they were welcomed by the whole Nura clan, "WELCOME BACK! TSURARA!"

"Welcome back," Kejorou echoed in a blessed tone, "we've been waiting for you!"

Tsurara looked at them, wide-eyed as she stopped and looked at the ground, Rikuo looked at her, "is something wrong?"

She shook her head silently hiding her face, "it's just that…"

Rikuo looked at her quizzically.

The girl looked up to Rikuo, tear-eyed, "I was scared that they would…" she said unable to continue. She turned to them and ran, hugging Kejorou, "I'm back!"

Everyone rejoiced, "So for tonight, a celebration will be made!" everyone yelled, "Tsurara is back to the Nura clan!"

Rikuo watched them as they all go back inside with Tsurara smiling happily. He took a deep breath...

"Rikuo-sama!" Tsurara called him, peeking through the gates, she grinned at him widely, "I'm back!"

Rikuo smirked at her excited expression and shrugged, "welcome back,"

A huge celebration was made in honor of Tsurara's return. Everyone was enjoying the moment and going all out having fun.

While that was going on, Tsurara was standing by the gates looking at the Nura house from outside, she smiled gently, "I'm really back," she closed her eyes and let out a cold breath, "I really missed this place!"

"So you were here," Kejorou said walking towards her, "you really should be inside you know, there's no point in celebrating if you aren't even inside,"

Tsurara forced a laugh, "I just think that my returning here isn't worth celebrating," she looked at the door and listened to the yokais laughing, "it's fine if it was just intended for the whole Nura clan to have fun,"

Kejorou smiled, "you never change do you?"

She chuckled, "yes, but I can see that the Nura house changed quite a lot, especially regarding Rikuo-sama,"

Kejorou nodded in response, "he's become a fine man,"

Tsurara's smile disappeared as she looks at the direction of the Sakura tree, "it saddens me that I wasn't able to be by his side as he grew,"

"Tsurara…"

The Yuki-Onna then turned to her, "it's fine though, it can't be helped after all," she began to walk back, "you came here because the Supreme Commander calls for me right?"

Kejorou flinched, seems like she forgot about that, she nodded her head, "y-yeah…"

"Thank you, Kejorou!" Tsurara flashed a smile at her before going back.

"KEJOROU!" Natto Kozo cried, "Kubinash is drunk!" running towards her as Kubinashi followed him out yelling…

"KI~NO!"

The woman sighed, asking what will he do with the guy…

...

Rikuo was sitting silently at the sakura tree, his mind elsewhere as he recalls his actions earlier on…

'…Tsurara,'

It puzzled him greatly. For the past year since he started having those dreams, not once had he known the name of the yokai who found him, but then, at that moment, just seeing her face…

'You are Tsurara…right?'

It wasn't even a question to him; he knew that it was her name as if someone whispered it to him, as if he's known that name all his life. He looked at the sky and wondered who that girl to him was?

"Rikuo-sama?"

He turned and saw Kurotabo walking down the hall, "what are you doing here when everyone's enjoying themselves?"

"Speak for yourself," he said glancing at the black clothed monk's direction, "I just have a lot on my mind,"

Kurotabo sat on the wooden floor joining his master, "then I'll join the master,"

Rikuo glanced at his direction and turned back to the stars

The night passed by slowly as both of them just watched the stars and hear the echoes of the other yokai's crazy laughter. Both gathering their thoughts

"Hey Kuro," Rikuo said, breaking the silence, "who is Tsurara in this household?"

"Tsurara?" he asked, "Well, she cooks the food and help with the laundry," he recalled always seeing her running around the household doing chores and such, "she was also your caretaker at home,"

Rikuo raised a brow, "is that all?"

Kurotabo nodded, a questioning look on his face, "is something wrong?"

"No, it's just that... I think there's more…" he cut himself off

Kurotabo just stared at Rikuo as his mind drifts somewhere else…

...

..

Tsurara opened the door and was greeted with the Supreme Commander's serious face, "go on,"

The Yuki-Onna knelt down across Nura Rihyon and turned to the commander with the same seriousness as she starts…

.

Rikuo woke up the next morning by the sound of footsteps walking back and forth outside his room. He yawned as he got up, lazily opened his door and found Tsurara with a nervous expression on her face. She flinched at the sight of Rikuo, "W-Waka! Good morning!"

"What's wrong so early in the morning?" he asked, rubbing his eye.

Tsurara stuttered, "well, it's been a long time since I went to Rikuo-sama's room so I was thinking on how to wake master up," she timidly looked down, "whether I should slid the door open loudly, but that would surprise waka… or I call the master from outside, but that would be too informal on my part, or maybe just gently shake Rikuo-sama till he awakens…" she lists on her hands. It was obvious she was having a hard time deciding on what method to take.

Rikuo chuckled, "it's fine now since I'm already awake."

Tsurara paused and stared at her master and in no time, began laughing with him as well.

"Waka, breakfast will be ready in a moment, until then please get ready!" she informed Rikuo and went back to the kitchen. Rikuo glanced at her before going back inside his room.

After eating, "thanks for the food," Rikuo said turning to his mother who was washing the dishes.

Wakana shook her head, "I didn't make it today," she replied turning to Tsurara who was hanging the clothes to dry, "Tsurara made them,"

Rikuo turned to her, he was still not used to her. He wanted to thank her but he doesn't have to courage to even call her name, and he doesn't even know why.

He grabbed his bag and head out to the front door, but as he walks down the halls, "Rikuo-sama!" Tsurara called.

He turned her, "what is it?"

She smiled at him, "take care!"

Seeing her act that way made him nostalgic and remembered that this girl would always be like this whenever he would go to school even back then. He nodded in response, smiling as he walked out to the door.

.

"A FESTIVAL!" Kiyotsugu beamed that made Kana jump to her seat. She glanced at Kiyotsugu , sighed and ignored him.

As their regular early morning meetings go on, she kept thinking what happened last night. Thinking about, it's kinda hard to believe, those monsters attacking them, their friend Yura revealing herself to be an onmyouji and that man…

"How did he know my name?"She asked herself. Though that man, he seems very familiar… like she's seen him somewhere before.

"Good morning Kana!" Rikuo greeted her with a warm smile as he takes a seat across her.

Noticing something odd about the boy, she asked, "did something happen?"

"Huh?"

"You look happy today," Kana pointed out.

"Really?" Rikuo asked, he doesn't feel all that happy, "it's nothing much,"

Kana looked at him suspiciously.

"Rikuo, you're here at last!" Kiyotsugu said, "There will be a festival in the temple near the mountains," he informed, "everyone's presence is a must! We'll be hunting some yokai!"

"Eh?" Maki frowned, "don't wanna, after what happened last night, I dare not walk the streets at night!"

Torii nodded in agreement, "absolutely!"

Rikuo stayed frozen to his seat as Kiyotsugu and Shima ask what happened. Kana turned her eyes away, avoiding the subject while Yura just got to the room.

"WHAT!" Kiyotsugu shouted, "YOU ENCOUNTERED A YOKAI AND DIDN'T EVEN CALL ME?"

"That sounds scary," Shima commented, "what do those yokais look like?"

Rikuo sweat dropped.

Maki was about to describe the monsters when the bell rang and the teacher came in, "go back to your seats!"

Kiyotsugu turned to the teacher and back to them, "we'll continue this later!" he said as he stomps his feet back to his seat. His co-members could only watch the guy with awkward looks on their faces. They all sighed in unison.

As the lessons dragged on, Kana couldn't help but recall what happened after the traumatizing incident…

'This should be far enough," Yura said looking back, panting hard.

'Will that man be alright?' Kana asks as they slowly stopped running, worried for their savior's safety,

'He'll be fine,' Maki said as she holds a pole for safety, 'he's a yokai after all,'

'But why did he save us?' Torii asks

'And why does he know me?' Kana adds

'Not just you,' Yura said turning to them, 'he knows all of you!'

The three were puzzled and surprised at what the young onmyouji said,

'H-how?' Maki asked

'That's the question!' Yura clenched her fists, 'and a yokai protecting humans is just…' she cut herself off, 'anyway, I should take you guys home before those yokais catch up to us,'

This made Kana wonder, does it really look wrong for a yokai to help humans… because that yokai, doesn't seem bad at all, in her eyes at least…

She glanced at Yura who was also obviously thinking the same and turned back, she noticed Rikuo who was deep in thought, "Rikuo?"

...

It was lunch at the roof and Kiyotsugu immediately urged Maki and Torii to continue, the two reluctantly continued much to Rikuo's dismay.

"Yura," Kana called as she sits beside her, smiling.

Yura smiled back at her then turned to Kiyotsugu and the others.

"Yeah! And if Yura weren't there, we don't know what would've happened!" Torii said gesturing towards Yura, "thanks for saving us back there!" she flashed a grateful smile at her.

Yura smiled shyly at her, "I really didn't do anything…"

Maki patted her back, "what are you saying? You were awesome back there!"

As the squad continued talking, the roof door then opened and a girl peeked from inside. At the sight of Rikuo, she beamed, "Rikuo-sama!"

Rikuo flinched, he knew the voice very well, he turned to the girl his face growing paler, "ts-Tsurara?"

Everyone stared oddly as Rikuo panics taking the smiling Tsurara with him to a corner, "w-what? You?"

"I came to deliver Waka's lunch!" she answered his incomprehensible question taking out her master's lunch and giving it to him, "you left the house immediately, I couldn't give it to you,"

Rikuo looked at his neatly prepared lunch. Well, he was feeling a bit hungry…

Tsurara, who was by the way wearing their school uniform, then excused herself and walked back, noticing her master's friends looking at her. She gave them a friendly smile, "thank you for taking care of Rikuo-sama!"

The squad members nodded as she opens the door.

"Tsurara!" Rikuo called her back

Tsurara turned to him, an innocent look on her face

"th-thanks for the lunch,"

She smiled at him, "you're always welcome, Rikuo-sama!" and slowly closed the door behind her.

Rikuo looking at the door she just closed and looked down at his lunch.

"Rikuo!" Kana glared as she walks towards the lucky guy, "who was that girl?"

Shima came up from behind him and patted Rikuo's back, "you have got to introduce me to her!"

Rikuo slowly walk back from them, dodging their questions one after the other. He sighed, "she's just a…" he paused, searching for an appropriate word, "friend?"

Kana shot Rikuo a suspicious look, hiding her newly found jealousy. Then she wondered, is she the reason Rikuo looks happy today? She pouted, a bit annoyed at the thought.

AFTER SCHOOL~

DING…DONG…

"Rikuo-sama has really gotten used to his life of being a human during the day and a yokai at night," Tsurara said looking at Rikuo from below with his friends, "isn't that great?"

Aotabo looked down at his master, "yeah, I guess," then turned to Tsurara, "he used to always look for you, you know,"

Tsurara smiled at Rikuo as he smiles at his friends, "really, now?"

Aotabo sighed, "You really didn't have to do it alone you know,"

Tsurara smiled at Aotabo, "thank you, Ao,"

...

"Rikuo, isn't that your friend?" Yura pointed out from the roof, "looks like he's with a guy,"

"WHAT?" Shima yelled looking from above.

"Ao?" Rikuo whispered as he watches them. Seeing Tsurara talk casually to Ao, made him think that he hadn't talked to Tsurara much, he doesn't even know himself but he…avoids her.

Kana looked at the two at the roof, "so she wasn't Rikuo's girlfriend after all,"

Then Tsurara flashed a sad smile at Aotabo, that made Rikuo feel uneasy. Did something happen?

THAT NIGHT…

Rikuo headed to his grandfather ready to get things straight, "Gramps! "

His grandfather, who was busy eating sweets turned to him, "what ish it?"

Rikuo seated across his grandfather, a serious expression was fixed on his yokai face, "tell me…"

"What?" Nura Rihyon bluntly asked, curious as to what would make his grandson show a face as serious as that…


Okay, so maybe this chapter was a bit slow since the two are still trying to get used to each other, well, Rikuo is anyway. I also decided to add a little dept to Tsurara's personality since she's been away from Rikuo and the Nura house for quite a while now to do God-knows-what... it will be revealed as the story progresses. So i try to be patient. truthfully, I'm scared that i might accidentally reveal it a bit too early. =_="

All in all, tell me what you guys think of the chapter, i'll try to add a little excitement between the two in the next chapter so please bear with me...

THANK YOU to the readers who took the time to read the story and this author's note as well as those who leaves a review! once again, thank you very much! *bows

i apologize for any errors in the story. *bows

Just a bonus question, can i ask WHY IS(ALMOST) EVERYONE HATING ON KANA?

not that i care but just wondering... anyway...

A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to everyone!