June 5th
Oh my dear, dear, curious child.
I received your letter yesterday and could not decide how I should address it. It appears you are learning some things that I was unaware of. It would have never crossed my mind to put my tail in that hole behind my ear. I had assumed that was a genetic defect that I passed on to you.
This matchmaker you have heard of is Ms. Hajinai. She is not an easy woman to get in contact with. The cost of her services is steep but she can make exceptions for our kind. I was fortunate that she agreed to assist me in my efforts to have a child.
You were born, but as you have realized, not from my womb. We reproduce in the manner that is documented about our kind. We take a man's seed and alter it, placing it in a woman whom then gives birth to a succubus. It's a natural process so there's nothing difficult about it.
Through Ms. Hajinai, we met Ms. Garimasu, whom agreed to be our womb. You are the third succubus child she had carried under Ms. Hajinai. Being an Undine, the complications of having one of our kind is minimal for her. You were carried for only eighteen weeks, which is short for a succubus, since the average is twenty four. She took care of you for another five weeks before giving you to me. Your father gave you that ribbon as a welcome home.
It was through Ms. Hajinai that I first came to understand the dangers of having a sexual relationship and of impregnating another woman. Some of our bodily fluids are detrimental to another person's mental health. This was unfortunate because by the time I met Ms. Hajinai, the damage to your father was already done. I had assumed he had finally relaxed and was loving me to his fullest, without questioning the neediness he exhibited. I stubbornly tried to hold onto him. I wanted us to be a family. But when I realized that he was so far lost in his addiction, I worried that he might turn to you to sate his cravings. I had to send him away. For everyone's sake.
I'm sorry about making light of kissing that Takada boy. It's a game at times, dealing with a rebellious child. Sometimes telling you to do something would get you to not do it. I erred on this one and I am sorry. You are getting old enough that you are going to do what you want, regardless of what I say. Going forward, it may as well be the truth.
To be honest, I don't know how you would get in contact with Ms. Hajinai or Ms. Garimasu if you wanted to confirm your origins or any other questions you might have about being a succubus. I was given Ms. Hajinai by someone I still do not entirely trust. I did not think I would ever see her again, but she surprised me last week. I guess it is impossible to hide from Fairy Tale if you live in monster communities. They just look the other way when they don't need you.
As for this Ms. Kiyoshi, I have never heard of her. I imagine she has a job similar to the one that I refused to take. I would discourage meeting that one. I know you have never approved of my means of making a living. I assure you, hers are worse.
I don't know if you are expecting a more specific explanation over how our bodies create babies. I hope you don't want me to clarify such things in a letter. I can't imagine you not knowing how to have sex. I guess your question would be how do you pass that on to another woman? Baby, you're fifteen. You don't need to know that.
As for having sex, I hope you will be safe. I never worried about this when you were with that Tengu boy. I know you don't want to hear this, but I've been with enough Tengu men to assure you that our bodies don't process their seed. Sex with that boy would have been no different than masturbating in your room, which I am aware you did.
I can't say whom your body will respond to and whom it won't. For as whorish as you think I am, I haven't slept with that many different races. For that matter, it doesn't seem like our bodies respond to every male of a race anyways. With humans it was a coin flip. Sometimes they did but more often they didn't. I don't think it's something you can tell without trying.
I hope you don't think sex is some sort of milestone that you have to cross to validate progress in your relationship. Life is not a list of things that you cross off as you complete them. It's the journey between those landmarks that measure how close you are to another person. Cherish your small talks about nothing with him and your friends. And if having sex is the only way you can get back to feeling that level of comfort with him, than do so.
Now that I feel like I have addressed the heaviest subjects you asked about, I can breathe a sigh of relief. I do know how to fly. Remember that I was raised by a Tengu family, so they taught it to me. I would have been willing to teach you, but it was difficult finding an angle to squeeze in that harmless offer among the angry words you often threw at me. If you wish to fly with me this summer break, I would enjoy that.
I unfortunately do not recall my upperclassmen from the broadcasting club. I honestly don't even remember this Sasayaki whom was a friend to Shizuka. I was too focused on Tsurara and your father, paying no real attention to anyone else in the school. Our club never did anything special, which makes me realize how poorly I spent my high school years. Three years of fawning over a guy that was engaged and married to another girl. I'm glad you're not making the same mistake.
I am curious what happened that forced your homerooms and living arrangements to change. I know you are asking me not to worry, but it sounds odd for such huge changes to happen in your first term. I guess if you are happy with these changes, I can't complain, but I will continue to worry. Hospital trips are never reassuring to hear about.
I continue to be amazed at how many friends you are making. I know some of these girls are merely acquaintances but I was far too shy to be friends with so many. There were three others whom were Shizuka's friends. Two girls and a boy. Nyuuwa Taka, the young man of that group, shared my homeroom twice. He was a quiet, mujina from one of the southern Niigata districts. He had an older sister whom graduated after our first year. I wonder what happened to him.
I'd be hard pressed to give you the surnames of the two girls. It's been so long. Kaori was a pixie whom could talk about anything to anyone. She was never in any of our classes but she grew up with Mimi, a gyokuto whom was part of Shizuka's club. I imagine both of them are married with kids by now. Knowing Mimi, she probably has several. I have so much catching up to do with Shizuka.
I tried to schedule meeting her, but she is too busy with midterms and a field trip. You did not mention your club would be visiting the human world soon. I want you to be cautious when you're around the humans. They are much easier to influence than other races and have lower resistances to our toxins. Not that you would be kissing any of these humans, considering your boyfriend might object to that. Be safe and stick with your group.
It will take a couple more weeks to move all of our things to our new residence. I can only move so much at a time on my own and weekends seem to be the only days I can charm some help. I never realized how much stuff we owned till I tried moving it. I don't recall there having been this much back when we first moved to Kengamine. Sure, we left a lot of stuff behind, but I don't think we left that much.
I wish I had something more to say after two weeks, but I suppose I have said what matters. Be safe and remember that I always love you.
"What do you think of this one?"
Satsuki frowned at the blue two piece with stars Kurumu held up. The nekomusume wore a black cap backwards over her sienna locks. A black, short sleeved shirt with a faded gray cross on the front sporting the name Malice Mizer was drawn over her torso. The shirt was a little short due to her bosom, but the girl kept absently trying to tuck it in the hem of her black, corduroy jeans.
"I already said no lingerie."
"It's a swimsuit."
"It's a fucking bra and panties. I got what I got and I'm good with it."
Kurumu pouted at the stubborn girl. They would be checking out after Mizore redressed in the changing room. Nerume was hanging out next to the small alcove which was hidden from sight by a drawn curtain. Like Kurumu, the kirin was wearing some denim shorts, though without the tail modifications. Nerume wore a pink crew tee with short white sleeves. Though Kurumu was dressed to allow her true form, she only had her tail out to avoid the oddity of having that hole in the back of her shorts, since her green tank top was not long enough to stretch over it.
A one piece with a matching sarong was draped over Satsuki's arms. The pattern was a collection of leaves with slightly different shades of green. It had a low cut in the back, which Nerume said was similar to the dark purple one piece she owned. The biggest complaint Satsuki had about the suit was how it fit about the crotch. The back fabric was not wide enough to do anything but nestle between her ass cheeks. She would have picked a different suit if it did not have the matching sarong to conceal this unnecessary flaunting of her assets.
Despite being a nekomusume, Satsuki had no aversion to water like some of her kind. If she was in the mood, she would swim with them, but she was keeping the sarong on.
Change of Seasons was their first stop of the afternoon. Her black two piece swimsuit with the yellow floral design had arrived last Wednesday, so she had quickly tried it on to confirm the sizing was correct. It had happened before where despite having correct measurements, the ordered bra still came undersized. Kurumu was pleased with how snug it fit and had modeled it for the other girls.
Nerume had pouted about getting a two piece but there was not enough funds between them. Satsuki needed help to buy her suit and someone had to pay for whatever else they decided to do this day. Kurumu already felt a tinge of guilt forcing Mizore to buy a swimsuit with her own cash.
Finding these two swimsuits had taken more time than Kurumu expected. Satsuki was picky and Mizore was agonizingly apathetic. They basically decided as a group what Mizore would wear, which was difficult to get Satsuki to agree to anything with her conservative tastes. Reminding Satsuki that Mizore would wear a jacket over whatever they picked had helped so much. After selecting her suit and seeing Mizore's panties, Satsuki had brought up the idea of sticking with striped suits for the sake of comfort. That quickly narrowed down the store's modest selection to three suits, which they let Mizore pick from. She went with the purple and white striped tank top that had a matching purple short that was not striped. It looked more like an outfit for bed, but the fabric was swimsuit material.
The curtain drew back and Mizore stepped out with her selected swimsuit in hand. She was dressed no differently than what she wore for school. It was kind of sad that Mizore did not own a wider selection of clothes despite all those boxes of things Kurumu had seen in Mizore's room.
"Where are we going to get a jacket for her?"
Kurumu shrugged as Mizore came over to join them with Nerume on her heels.
"I suppose any clothing store would have some. It is the rainy season."
Satsuki smirked.
"You can't tell that in here. I don't think it's rained once in two months."
"That is strange. I've lived in barrier based villages but we still had weather."
"Don't look at me. I have no idea this works."
Mizore touched the end of her white stick.
"What next?"
"We buy these things and I guess we can hit Tokori's café. She might tell us of a good place to find a jacket for you."
Mizore nodded and started for the clerk counter. They all turned and meandered along with her. The portly clerk noted their approach and smiled broadly. The middle aged man had shaggy black hair and a black dress shirt with the store's crimson logo embroidered above the left breast pocket.
"Should we do a movie?"
"Is there anything worth watching?"
"I suppose we could swing by and see what the selection is."
"We could do karaoke for a couple hours."
"Ugh. I'd rather hang out at the arcade."
Kurumu shrugged at Satsuki as Mizore handed over her suit to the clerk. The man punched the buttons of the bulky register, the price flashing in green digital dashes on the display. The nice thing about being in a monster community was prices were exactly as shown. She remembered taxes being a thing humans did to deceive customers into thinking something was cheaper than it was. It paid for their government. Kurumu honestly had no idea how Fairy Tale was funded but it was not by taxing monsters for wanting to have things.
"That could get expensive though. At least karaoke is a fixed cost."
"So is a movie."
"We can't socialize during a movie. I want Mizore to be comfortable talking with us."
"I'm fine."
Mizore handed over a card which the clerk regarded for a moment. He placed the card down on a black device. He drew the top half over the bottom half back and forth a couple times. Handing back the card, he pulled out a piece of paper from beneath the black film. The paper had the numbers of Mizore's card displayed in black ink. He slipped the paper across the desk.
"I need you to sign this, miss."
"Do your parents give you much money, Ms. Shirayuki?"
"I have enough."
Mizore scrawled her name across the sheet, handing it back. The man tore off a yellow sheet that was stitched in behind the white and gave it to Mizore. The clerk bowed slightly.
"Thank you for your business."
"Um… sir? Do you know of a place that we could shop for a light jacket?"
The man's brow furrowed as he regarded Nerume.
"We don't have rain here, young miss."
Mizore wadded up the bag that contained her purchase, slipping it inside her pocket.
"A hoodie that zips up in the front. Something lightweight like this."
"I suppose any of our clothing shops might have that. Got You Covered and Keep it Casual tend to give our residents a wide enough selection. One of them is bound to have what you're looking for."
Kurumu smiled, aware that he left out the Clique, the boutique that Tora and Moka had bought a lot of fancy outfits from. It was obviously not a place to pick up a hoodie.
Satsuki set her suit down on the counter. She pulled her wallet out of her large pocket and gestured for Nerume to come close as the man rung her total up at the register. Emptying her wallet of cash, Satsuki stuffed her wallet back in her pocket and nodded for Nerume to add some to the total since she would be a couple hundred yen short.
"Have you thought of asking your parents to give you cash? It's much easier than having every place break out their card things."
"They won't. I tried running away last year on what little cash they did give me."
"Seriously? How did that work out?"
Nerume coughed up the yen needed to cover the transaction. The man folded the suit and sarong up and slipped it in a bag with the receipt. He handed it over to Satsuki and bowed once again.
"Thank you for your business."
Mizore started for the door, slightly ahead of them. Satsuki folded up the bag and squeezed it into one of the cargo pockets on her thigh. She made it fit, but she had this silly bulge on her leg. Mizore thrust her hands in her double sided pocket, using her shoulder to push open the door as they headed out into the afternoon sun. She did not seem interested answering Satsuki's inquiry.
"Are we still planning to pester Meirowasa at her workplace?"
"I guess not. We can try those places he mentioned. I think I've been in Keep it Casual and don't recall seeing any hoodies there."
"What other clothing shops are there?"
"There's Bows and Strings, though they specialize in lingerie and pajamas. They might have a pajama hoodie, if that's even a thing."
"It is but I don't think those zip up."
"Is that something you would be interested in, Mizore?"
Mizore shrugged. Kurumu sighed at her persistent indifference.
They had woken up this morning on Yukari's schedule. The witch had been making breakfast, but Kurumu had insisted on dragging Moka to the dining hall so that they could eat with Tsukune. After struggling to get the drowsy vampire out the front door, Kurumu had the bright idea to pound on Mizore's door and insist that she join them on this endeavor. The journey to the dining hall had been so awkward with Moka's insistence that Kurumu was a walking stick and Mizore being as silent as death.
Tsukune had just sat down with his breakfast when they arrived. For some reason he had decided to eat with Arashimideru. The reserved girl had planned to show up at school to wait and see if she would be able to take the chemistry lab exam today. She had not talked much during breakfast beyond expressing relief that she could take the exam right away.
Kurumu had no idea if the other Moka had talked with their Moka about the revelations of last night. When they had concluded things last night, their Moka was fast asleep and had to be carried to Yukari's bed. The vampire had not been coherent until the very end of breakfast by which point it was not worth posing questions that would only worry her.
One major thing that had come up after flexing her dream world powers was how Deshi might be more involved than they anticipated. When they had saved Yukari from the frustrated Wanibuchi and his friends, Deshi had spirited off with the rosary. Apparently the girl had tried to placate Moka by saying she was only acting under order of her sister.
At the time Moka had simply ignored the claim and thrashed the girl. On further reflection, Moka had realized the girl might be connected to Akua since her eldest sister had also come from China. Having little else to do in the morning, Tora had promised to look into it. Knowing the mischievous and secretive nature or that girl, Kurumu doubted they would learn anything soon.
After breakfast, Kurumu had headed to the dorms to rouse Nerume and Satsuki. After dressing, Kurumu had to sit through another round of breakfast, chatting with these two while they ate. She had no idea what they had talked about. It had been a little bit of everything from exams to boys and how much sleep they should be getting. She wondered what mother meant by cherishing these forgettable things. Maybe it was this comfortable, relaxed feeling of belonging.
Knowing that they would just get kicked out of the library again, Kurumu had encouraged the two to come over to Yukari's suite. They had swung by the commissary so Kurumu could check her mail. When they arrived at Yukari's suite, Tora and Kana were already off doing their own things while the witch was reading her teacher manga.
Kurumu had discussed the contents of the letter with Yukari and her friends. Neither girl pressed about Tsukune's true form. Both hoped she felt better about having parental permission to be intimate with Tsukune. They all agreed that this putting altered seed in another girl, while not explained, was likely something she had a measure of control over.
Yukari was particularly interested in Kurumu's birth mother. The witch theorized that an undine's ability to saturate the fluids from a succubus enabled them to safely carry and give birth to one. She wanted Kurumu to discuss this with Ms. Sasayaki tonight. Yukari had also suggested Kurumu consider dating an undine if this theory was correct, regarding such a relationship as potentially being more fulfilling.
Kurumu hated that girl at times. One moment she's all cool with her having sex with Tsukune and the next it was find another guy when things don't work out. She knew Yukari meant no harm and was looking at a long term picture, but she still wanted to strangle that brat. At least Satsuki had a good laugh about Kurumu swapping boyfriends with Mizore.
Needing to escape Yukari before she throttled her, Kurumu had rolled up her futon and Yukari's bedding to finally attend to the laundry she had been putting off all week. Realizing how tight she was on time, she had sent her friends to school to fetch Mizore and head out to Mononoke ahead of her. Luckily Nerume had misheard her instructions since the futon took much longer to dry than her clothes or Yukari's bedding. The trio had returned to the commissary and dragged her off to lunch with the dryer still running. They had not managed to get to Mononoke until after two thirty.
Mizore was hard stuck on this concept that she could not have any strong feelings. They had discussed in the commissary that getting this girl to laugh should be their primary goal of the day. So far they had been unsuccessful, but Mizore had cracked quite a few smiles and she was no longer trying to hide them the moment she was called out on it.
"What about getting her hair cut?"
Kurumu frowned. Satsuki gestured to a nearby salon they were about to pass called Kuri Kiru.
"Mizore! Care to have your hair shortened?"
The girl paused, glancing over her shoulder. She looked at the salon, lifting a finger to caress the end of the white stick.
"Yea."
Decisively she walked to the front door, though Satsuki arrived first. With a grin, the nekomusume held open the hickory framed glass door, gesturing for Mizore. The snow girl did not falter a step, walking through the opening as the sounds of mild chatter drifted out to them. Nerume grabbed Kurumu by the arm as they walked in next.
It had been almost a year since the last time Kurumu had been in a salon. Her mother would take her once a year before summer break to trim and thin her hair for the heat. Nothing like the drastic change Kurumu had suffered recently, though it was kind of nice not to sweat so heavily about her neck.
She supposed most hair salons were the same. The front entry was recessed. Simple chairs lined the walls and display stands of hair products took up much of the center space to prevent large standing gatherings. A woman watched a register next to the step up to the work floor.
The work floor consisted of two rows of reclining, black seats mounted to the floor that could spin about on a post. Mirrors lined the walls so customers could watch the process if they so desired. The stylists wandered the center aisle, either working on a customer or cleaning up the clippings with a broom. Three chairs were in use though there were only two stylists. Nobody was seated in the waiting area.
"Can I have my hair cut?"
The short haired brunette worked her jaw as if she was chewing gum. She cocked her head to the side as she looked Mizore over.
"You want to sit up there or wait here?"
"Wait here."
"Name?"
"Shirayuki."
"I'll call you up when we're ready for you."
They meandered over to a corner so that they could sit closer together. Mizore sat closest to the woman with Satsuki on her left. A magazine rack took up the corner so Kurumu sat on the side of it with Nerume on her left. Satsuki absently grabbed up a copy of ViVi, the fashion magazine Ms. Hitori commonly read while they cooked, and flipped through the pages.
"Do you know what sort of style you want, Ms. Shirayuki?"
"Shorter in the back and sides."
"Like Kurumu's?"
"That's shaved. I don't think I can do that."
"Yea, they told me the same thing."
"That's because you would look like a little boy, Nerume."
"I want it shorter so I don't sweat as much. I'll keep the front long but have them thin it out."
Kurumu smiled.
"When was the last time you had your hair cut?"
Shirayuki pondered for a long moment.
"Maybe three years ago. I was going to get it cut when I first came, but worried that would change Kotsubo's thoughts for me."
"Your hair must grow slowly. If I didn't cut my hair once a year, it'd be down to my ankles."
"Only because you're so short to begin with."
"Is it hot to have such long hair?"
Nerume shrugged, reaching up to tug out the band that held her ebony tresses in the offside tail. She fluffed it out so they could see it fell almost to the seat unbound on her left side. It was only down to her elbow on the other side.
"My hair is thin and fine so it's only a bother where I have it bound."
"Yea, mine can get really annoying on hot days if I keep my ears down. It's a bitch in the summer. It's why living in the human world can be hard on my kind, because there's a couple months there where you can't really be outside."
"Don't you plan to live in the human world?"
"Well, yea, but there's air conditioning. I'll be fine working in a shop."
"I also hear more and more people are working at home from computers."
"As if that will ever happen."
"I'm serious, Satsuki. My father said it would be more common by the time we graduate."
"Your father is not a reliable source of information. He's just making shit up to impress you."
Kurumu chuckled, shaking her head.
"I swear you two knew each other much longer than a few months before coming to Yokai."
Satsuki shrugged.
"We knew about each other because it's not that big of a community. There was only three classes in our Junior High."
"Satsuki kept to herself because there were only four nekomusume families in Kaigan. None of them had kids her age."
Kurumu nodded, aware that Kaigan was the community near Lake Tazawa which these girls came from. She knew it was a mixed community of many different monster races and that it was at least twice the size of Kengamine. It was not surprising that Shoudo Academy, Akita's prefectural school, was located within the same district as Kaigan.
"I had one class of about thirty and like all but four or five of them were Tengu."
"I guess you would know everybody in a town that small."
"What about you, Mizore? I know you have humans and yuki'onna, but are there other races in your snow village?"
"Yes."
Mizore glanced away, regarding the progress of those on the work floor. One of the large women was at the register, paying for her service. The freed stylist had moved over to work on the other portly woman that had been waiting, unattended.
"Was it Yukimora?"
"Yukimura."
"Right. How big is it?"
"Does that matter?"
"I'm just trying to know you, Mizore."
Mizore sighed.
"After reading my journal, you don't think you do?"
"It's small talk, Shirayuki. She'll probably forget anything you say."
"That's not true."
"Make something up and she'll be happy. She just wants you to talk."
"You don't have to lie, Ms. Shirayuki. If it bothers you to talk about this, we can find something else to talk about."
"We had four classes. But as a dying race we don't make up a whole class. There are twice as many human boys as there are us."
Satsuki nodded.
"You live up in the mountains and it sounds like half your grade was other species. Tengu, perhaps? I know Kurumu would like that."
"Not Tengu. We had a mix of guardian spirits and sylphs."
"The only guardian spirits I know of are shisa. What about you guys?"
Kurumu shrugged. She supposed a sphinx was a guardian spirit, but she doubted any of those would be living in a snow village. Nerume had an equally blank expression.
"What's a shisa?"
"A lion dog that guards temples. You see statues of them all the time. I suppose they could live up in the mountains."
"I don't know if they were shisa. I did not interact much with my classmates. I only know that they help protect our village in times of crisis."
"That could be anything. Even ogres could be guardian spirits if protecting the village is all they do."
"I thought ogres were a myth."
"Eh, ogres, giants… all the same. Basically big humans with lots of strength and a little bit of geomancy."
Nerume frowned, tilting her head.
"That includes trolls, right?"
"Yea, humans seem to think any slight variation is a different breed. They're kind of weird like that. Oh look, that guy has blue eyes and blond hair. He must be a different, superior race. I swear humans can be such fools."
A tall, thin man came in through the door and made his way to the woman at the register. He spoke a few words to the woman, whom jotted something down on the paper. She glanced up at their group and looked over to those seated at the workstations. Favoring the man with a smile, she gestured for him to take a seat in the waiting area.
"Did you have some giants in Kaigan?"
"We had more of them than my kind. They seem to be a race that don't give a fuck what they sleep with. They may as well be monstrels and it wouldn't surprise me if some of them do get classified as such. Pick up too many traits and Fairy Tale won't know what to call you."
"Ms. Shirayuki."
The short man whom had been among the original customers was at the register. The woman was beckoning for Mizore to take a seat in the work area.
"Good luck, Ms. Shirayuki."
"Don't let them butcher it."
A slight smile touched the corner of Mizore's lips as she got up and walked over to the register. She slipped off her shoes before stepping up on the raised floor. A young, busty woman with auburn curls gestured for Mizore to take a seat.
"They can't do worse than what you have."
"My hair is not that bad. And you complimented me when you first saw it."
"On reflex. With tits like yours, it doesn't really matter. You could be bald and you'd still be sexy."
"I doubt that."
Nerume tapped the purple lace ribbon tied about Kurumu's wrist.
"I want you to be able to wear this in your hair again."
Along with Yukari, these were the only girls that knew about the sentimental value of this ribbon. Kurumu sighed, leaning against Nerume, whom promptly scooted in to lean back. She could smell the flowery scent of her shampoo lingering in these ebony tresses.
"It might be a year before I can do that, but thank you."
"Can't you put that in anyways? It's not like it was used to hold your hair back."
"It sort of helped, but it's not the same. There's not enough hair to keep it put. I can tie it tighter, but it comes out so easy and looks pretty bad with my sides so short."
"Can't help if you feel that way about the look."
Kurumu smiled, draping an arm over Nerume's shoulder.
"So are you still thinking of finding yourself a disposable boyfriend?"
"I don't know. I feel like so many people know about my true form and it bugs me. I don't want to be with a guy that will treat me like a pet."
"Yea, but you said it would be temporary."
"That doesn't mean I should date anyone. Sure, I'm open to the idea of dating a guy that asks me out, but he's still got to be a good guy that I can be comfortable around. You can certainly rule out the idea of me dating any guy taller than that senior of yours."
Kurumu chuckled, rubbing her hand up Nerume's back.
"Don't worry there. Ginei has no intentions of asking any girl out."
"That flirt? He seems the sort to try getting hooked up with every girl he meets."
"He likes to flirt but he'll never commit to a relationship."
"I didn't say he would. He seems to be the one night stand type."
Kurumu smirked.
"No, that flirt's a virgin. He's all talk and no game. Are you interested in him?"
"I only mentioned him as an example of a height restriction. When I see you and Aono together, I often think you're too short for him."
"I don't know about that. I don't think someone Ginei's height would be difficult to date."
"Are you interested in him?"
Kurumu laughed, shaking her head.
"I'm thinking of Tora. She's not much taller than me and I think they're cute together."
"I haven't seen the two together enough to make that judgment but if you say so. I just can't imagine myself being with someone that tall. I don't want to feel like a child compared to my boyfriend."
"What about Tomisaki?"
"Okay, that's too short."
"He's taller than you."
"Not by that much. He might be fine for Nerume."
"No. Too flirty. I want my man to be mine alone."
Kurumu grinned.
"So somewhere between Tomisaki and Ginei. Like Tsukune's height."
"Definitely not shorter than him. Maybe a little taller."
Kurumu nodded, aware that there were several guys that would meet that height restriction.
"Any guys in mind? Maybe someone from class?"
"Fuck that. I'm not dating a guy that I have to deal with every minute of my school day."
"I was in Tsukune's class for months. You wouldn't have to deal with him."
Satsuki shook her head vehemently.
"I would end up looking at him all day long. It's got to be someone not in my class and you can forget about suggesting a guy from shop. I'm not dating any of those idiots."
The first boys coming to Kurumu's mind was the trio that hung out with Tsukune on his floor and Uchiyama from the film club. Chances were high they would be seeing them tomorrow at the pool party.
"There's going to be a handful of guys at Tsukune's birthday party tomorrow, so maybe you can mingle some and find someone that strikes your interest."
"I realize I'm too late in this race to have a hope at getting a guy before Tsukune takes your virginity. I'm in no hurry."
Kurumu smiled softly.
"You guys all act like this is a sure thing, but I don't know. Tsukune's backed out the last two times."
"Well third time's the charm."
"You should blindfold him, take his pants off and mount him."
Satsuki snickered.
"That would be a way to work around your charm."
"What happened to using condoms?"
"Well… it doesn't sound like you need them. Sis said it's much better raw."
"Of course it's better raw. If it was better with condoms, nobody would have kids."
Kurumu doubted that was right. Condoms cost money which could get expensive if you were really enjoying sex with your partner. She simply smiled, supposing Nerume was correct. It did sound like she did not need the extra protection. Condoms or not, she would try to give herself to Tsukune on his birthday. She hoped he would forgive her for trying.
"We're halfway through the first term. Are you really going to join the PSC if you test well?"
"Fuck yea. Those black jackets are pretty slick and I can invite Nerume along for lunches without the ridiculously long wait."
"I don't know how they would feel about you bringing along a permanent guest."
"She can join too."
"I don't know. I think I failed the English exam. It was so hard."
Kurumu cringed, recalling her final exam. That had been the worst. She had tried studying for it with Satsuki and Nerume after the hospital visit, but they were all too dumb to help each other.
"That sucked. The assessment questions and the English exam were entirely different. I'm going to be pissed if English ends up being the reason why I don't score more than four hundred on the exam."
Kurumu smiled, aware that the total possible cumulative score of the exam was five hundred. The PSC required an eighty percent overall, though the applicant did have to pass all their subjects. Anything below fifty percent was failing, though you could retest a score below sixty with teacher permission.
"I just hope that I squeak by with a fifty. I don't know if they would let me go on the field trip if I failed any of my subjects."
Nerume nuzzled against her shoulder.
"It's going to be boring not having you around a whole week."
"You'll be fine. You have to look after Mizore for me. I don't want her to get too sad about our whole club leaving right after she finally found a place to belong."
"She's a selfish jerk."
Kurumu frowned at Satsuki.
"That's not true."
"It's exactly true. She's only looking out for herself because she has it stuck in her head that nobody else cares. It's exhausting to deal with someone like that."
"I'll do what I can for her."
"She doesn't like you, Nerume. She puts up with you because of Kurumu. Anything you or I would do for her would be brushed off as some forced act. It was not even worth trying to talk to her before we got Kurumu involved this afternoon."
Kurumu sighed, recalling how Yukari fussed over Satsuki's mild attempts at civility weeks ago.
"Just be there for her, even if she doesn't want you there."
"I promise I'll stay awake in class every day and talk to her every class break."
"You should be doing the first part anyways, dork."
"Satsuki?"
"What?"
"You'll help Nerume, right?"
Satsuki grimaced, rubbing the cap on her head.
"Look, I got other things to worry about. If I get in the PSC, I can't be babysitting some girl that refuses to talk to me. I'd seriously prefer hanging out with the fashion club over dealing with Shirayuki."
"You could at least help Nerume during lunch."
"Nerume can handle Shirayuki on her own. She needs some practice in making friends."
Nerume pouted.
"But you were the one that was always alone in school."
"Oh please. I never cried in class about it like you did."
The small kirin tensed up against Kurumu.
"I had lots of friends."
"Lots of older friends that belonged to your sister. Not a single one of them hung out with you after graduation. The last two years it was just Ameuma."
"I also had Chisa."
"As if that was common knowledge. Besides, what good does a penpal do you? It's almost the same as having an imaginary friend."
"Satsuki."
"No, hear me out. Those two didn't even recognize each other when they met on campus. And Kakeru is so damn socially awkward that she can't talk on her own. Did you know these two idiots still write each other letters almost on a daily basis?"
"That's kind of cute."
"Chisa finds it easier to talk through writing. She can't think of anything to say while in person."
Kurumu resisted the impulse to suggest having Kakeru help with Shirayuki. Goto would be better suited for what she had in mind and she did not wish to impose on the girl.
"You've never mentioned this Ameuma before."
"She was a good friend I made when I first moved to Kaigan. I was depressed from being in a new school and she cheered me up."
"You stopped talking with her after summer break because she started dating Kagayaki."
"That's not true. We still talked."
"Yea. Sure you did."
"Kagayaki?"
"Some boy that was a good friend of her sister. He was crushed when she started dating that older guy."
"Can we not talk about this? It's not important."
Kurumu could tell this was stepping on a painful subject. In her first conversation with Nerume, the girl had mentioned an older guy that she had crushed on. If this was the boy in question and he had dated her friend instead, it was best not to say anything further. She could tell by the look in Satsuki's eye that the girl was not interested in twisting the knife.
"Sorry. I was deflecting the conversation off of me. Look. I'm fine with Shirayuki when I'm with you, Kurumu, just like I'm fine with that Sendou brat when I'm with you. But my personality clashes with these girls. Crazy as it sounds but I think we're all too damn similar. None of us really want friends."
Kurumu doubted that. Yukari was homeschooled, lacking any chances to have a friend prior to Yokai. Mizore was afraid to have friends due to her concerns about having strong emotions.
"We should talk about Mizore's mother."
"Why?"
"Because it might help her understand how to be a friend."
Satsuki sighed, slumping back in her seat. The girl glanced over at the work floor. The other man had been taken up and was being chatted amicably with. The blonde stylist draped a black cloth about his neck, tying it in the back as she fetched her tools. The other stylist was making tiny adjustments to what was left of Mizore's hair. It had been trimmed down considerably.
"That could backfire horribly."
"She has not shown any anger towards her parents."
"She barely mentioned them in her diary."
"The diary was her mother's idea."
Satsuki shrugged, turning her attention back to them.
"You need to do this on your own, Nerume. I'm not letting you hang out with me at all next week."
"What?"
"I'm serious. One way or another, I'm getting in the PSC and I can't have you hanging on my tail."
Kurumu frowned.
"That's a bit drastic. You could still hang out with her after school."
"Nope. If I allow that, she'll pester me for advice every night. I take it you approached her."
"For what?"
"To be her friend. That's how it worked for us. Came back from winter break and she was bawling at the end of class every day. After a week of that shit, I decided to knock some sense into her."
"I only cried because I knew you were watching."
"Well I can tell you now that crying every day is not going to get Shirayuki's attention."
"Did you seriously cry so that she would talk to you?"
Nerume pulled away to meekly bat her eyelashes up at Kurumu.
"Sis said it would work on boys."
"How can you fake crying?"
Nerume shrugged, scooting back in against Kurumu's side.
"I had to talk with her before I came to Yokai. It would have been weird for me to be here without her knowing about it."
"That's remarkably manipulative."
"It was genuine. She's too dumb to fake cry. It was a pain in the ass to calm her down."
Kurumu smiled, guessing what might have happened. Wanting to cry, Nerume had thought about all the sad things. Once started, it was not something easy to stop.
"Why do you want her to do this alone?"
"She's too passive. I don't think she's ever made a friend on her own."
"What about Kakeru?"
"Parents forced that. They might not be blood related, but Kakeru's practically a cousin."
Kurumu smirked, giving Nerume a quick squeeze.
"I don't think she's passive. She flirted with the soccer boys."
"They flirted with her and she enjoys the attention. There's no way she would have approached those boys if you had not instigated that."
"That just means she has trouble making the first move."
Satsuki snorted.
"Yea and it will be a lot of moves before she gets a response from Shirayuki."
Kurumu smiled as Mizore paid for her services at the register. The woman was breaking out the sliding machine to process Mizore's card. Patting Nerume's head, Kurumu got up from her seat. Nerume loosened her grip but did not let her go, standing up and promptly leaning into her shoulder. Taking the cue, Satsuki moved to join them.
The cut was a lot cleaner than Mizore's former look. It was still thick but she could now see every bit of Mizore's pale neck. She somehow looked more delicate and fragile than before. Now if only they could convince the girl to trim down on the clothing, she could truly blossom.
Mizore finished signing her name on the sheet and the woman tore off Mizore's receipt. She turned about, glancing them over before silently heading for the door. A young man happened to arrive at that moment, pausing at the sight of their group and allowing them to walk out while holding the door open. They got several paces out the door before any of them thought to say something.
"Your hair is nice, Ms. Shirayuki."
"Yea, that woman did a good job. You still look like a girl despite that baggy getup."
"Good."
"Hey, Mizore. Stand still for a moment."
Mizore paused, turning about. She cocked her head aside, touching the tip of her white stick. Kurumu gently freed her arm from Nerume as she sauntered up to Mizore. Mizore looked so much smaller now. Kurumu touched Mizore's shoulder and lifted the other hand to graze her fingers through the long bangs. Smiling she stepped in closer.
"Kurumu?"
There was worry in those sapphire eyes and she could feel the subtle dip in temperature.
"Stay calm."
Kurumu continued to caress Mizore's hair, stepping in close enough to press against the cool fabric of her special blouse. The girl's chest lifted with a soft sigh as she glanced aside.
"I could hear some of what you were saying. One week changes nothing."
"One week changed everything, Mizore. You can't honestly tell me you are exactly where you were one week ago."
"I meant being alone another week."
"Don't be. These are good girls that can be nice to you."
Mizore glanced over Kurumu's shoulder. She sighed again.
"What do you want from me?"
"If you could return them in the same condition would be nice."
A slight smile touched Mizore's lips as she glanced aside.
"But seriously. Just be you. Don't try so hard to be alone."
Kurumu lingered for a moment, pressed against Mizore with one arm draped over her shoulder. She glanced at the stick nestled in the crook of Mizore's mouth. Drawing her hand down Mizore's icy cheek, she tapped the end of the stick.
"Okay?"
Mizore's hands finally came up to touch her sides. Gently at first, but Mizore arched her head back and pushed firmly as she stepped back.
"Can we go? I have to buy that hoodie."
Kurumu giggled, letting Mizore break free of her lax grip. She crossed her arms below her bosom as the flush yuki'onna turned away and started down the path. Satsuki stalked by, backhanding her shoulder while smirking and shaking her head. Nerume came up on her other side, timidly taking her arm in hers to resume their earlier closeness. Favoring the kirin a grin, Kurumu followed after the nekomusume whom had thrust her hands in her cargo pockets.
"Do I have to do stuff like that to get close to her?"
"I don't think so. I guess you could touch her a little like you do Satsuki."
"Satsuki hates it when I touch her."
Kurumu smiled as she reached over to caress Nerume's ebony tresses. Walking with this girl could be so troublesome, but it felt nice. She hoped Satsuki would hold her tongue about them falling behind.
"So does Mizore. So don't go overboard with it."
Nerume sighed, resting her head on Kurumu's shoulder.
"I'll go for her hands. I bet they feel nice."
Kurumu paused, feeling stupid. She could not recall if she had ever tried something so simple.
Mononoke was not a large community. It only had two decent sized residential districts with maybe a hundred households at best. Most belonged to the locals but a few of those homes were occupied by the families of faculty, such as Mr. Nagamushi's. While Kurumu thought that was a lot of homes for there to only be five or six local kids per grade, Tokori had reminded her that half the homes did not even have children.
While several apartment buildings were randomly scattered throughout the town, such as the one in which Ms. Nekonome lived, there was a collection of eight similar buildings off a side street. These brick, single story structures were all identical with wrought iron fences dividing their small yards. A silver relief with protruding black letters was mounted at each gate, labeling the apartments.
Kurumu stopped at the address she had been given, smiling at the girls that had accompanied her. She pressed the small button on the white intercom mounted on the brick next to the relief.
They had found a black hoodie at Got You Covered. Mizore had it slung over her shoulder, not seeing the point to wear it over her long sleeved blouse. There had been other colors, but Mizore had refused to consider alternatives.
"Her hands are so cold."
"That's why she didn't want you to hold them."
Kurumu smiled, aware that Mizore often kept her hands in the sleeves of her blouse. They only had put her on dish duty twice and would never do it again. The more frustrated Mizore got, the harder it was for her to not freeze the dishwater.
The porch light turned on and a buzz sounded at the gate. Kurumu smiled, tugging the heavy bars open and gesturing for the girls to go ahead. As the others crossed the small yard, Kurumu let the gate swing shut behind her.
They had not done a whole lot after the hoodie purchase. They had swung by the theatre but nothing interesting was playing. They had burned the rest of the time at the arcade, which was a new experience for Mizore. She was bad at everything and thankfully held no grudge about this. It was hard not to feel like Mizore had tolerated the outing with how emotionless she had handled the whole thing.
"I think you worry too much, Mizore. Your hands are too cold to tell."
"Tell what?"
"That it would be miserable to have sex with her. That has to be warmer than her hands."
A flush Mizore yanked her hand away from the girl, stuffing it in her pocket.
"I'm sorry! It's just, my hands are colder too. It'll even ruin the mood sometimes."
Kurumu tried not to laugh as she shook her head. There was one entry that Mizore had written in such a dejected manner that questioned the sexual worth of her race. She respected her father for enduring a relationship with one of her kind.
"It would ruin my mood all the time. I wouldn't even try if my hands are cold."
"Satsuki, her hands are always cold. What else would she use when worked up?"
The front door opened and Ms. Sasayaki stepped out. She was wearing a dark green blouse with poofy, short sleeves which was tucked in a black pair of capris.
"I don't know. Maybe borrow one of your carrots."
"One time! It was one time. I wouldn't have told you if I had known you'd make such a deal about it."
"I knew I suggested bringing a friend, but I wasn't counting on this many."
Kurumu tugged on Nerume's shoulder. The girl pouted as she turned about.
"They're not staying. I didn't want to walk here alone."
Kurumu folded the smaller kirin up in a tight hug as Ms. Sasayaki regarded the group. Letting Nerume go, she reached over to give Mizore's shoulder a squeeze and nodded at Satsuki.
"You are Ms. Shirayuki."
"Yes."
"Interesting. I trust you girls will be safe on your way back to your dorms."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Kurumu smiled as the three girls walked back to the front gate. Naturally Satsuki was in the lead with Mizore slightly behind. Both girls had their hands in their pockets as Nerume wrung hers with dismay. The kirin sighed as they slipped out the front gate.
"Do you think it would be okay if we used our true forms?"
"What for?"
"I could give you guys a ride back. We could easily make it to the dining hall before it closes."
"It's only seven. We could make that anyways and I'm not about to encourage you to strip naked."
Amused, Kurumu shook her head as her friends' voices trailed off as they disappeared down the street.
"Come inside, Ms. Kurono. Dinner is already served."
Nodding, Kurumu stepped up on the porch and walked through the open door into the small foyer. It was much cooler across the threshold. As Ms. Sasayaki shut the door behind her, Kurumu slipped out of her shoes before stepping up and walking down the short hall.
The apartment opened up at the end of the hall into a spacious living room. On the left was an opening into a bedroom, which probably had a private bath and closet since there were no doors in the space. The full height hallway wall had served as the backing to the kitchen while a small dining area was tucked up in the far corner near the front window. Kurumu had failed to notice a window from outside.
Kagome was seated at the dining table in one of the four Ballantine chairs. The bespectacled teacher had her dark hair held up in a golden pin. She smiled upon seeing Kurumu, standing up and walking quickly across the room. Her black, gossamer dress had short sleeves but a plunging neckline that bared her creamy flesh. The dark band of a strapless bra was obvious through the sheer fabric that betrayed hints of Kagome's skin. This transparency continued down to the end of her dress at her thighs.
"My dear Kurumu."
Kurumu stiffened as the woman pulled her in for a hug. Politely she rested her hands on Kagome's waist, turning her head to look at the arrangement of the kitchen counters and appliances. Ms. Sasayaki kept a much tidier apartment than Ms. Nekonome. It was similar to Yukari's though the teacher was not above leaving the toaster out in plain sight.
"Ririko."
The woman sighed, relaxing her grip at the sound of Ms. Sasayaki's voice.
"Yes, I know. We should eat."
Moving her hand to Kurumu's shoulder, Kagome turned and gestured to the table. Kurumu dutifully walked over to the nearest chair, absently wrapping her tail about her ankle as she took a seat.
A large pot rested on a wooden mat in the center of the table. Four stacked bowls were placed next to one side while the other had a steaming pile of rice. As Kagome took her seat, the host walked around the table and removed the lid. Picking up a bowl, she doled out a healthy portion of meat, potatoes and vegetables. By the sweet smell of things, Ms. Sasayaki had her own way of preparing nikujaga compared to what they had been shown in home economics.
"None of her friends came to join us?"
Ms. Sasayaki smiled, setting down the bowl in front of Kurumu. Seizing another bowl, she started filling it in the same manner.
"I don't think we could have handled three more, Ririko."
"That's why I suggested to prepare for five."
"Ms. Akashiya was the only one we expected. There was no reason to prepare more."
"I noticed Ms. Akashiya was not among those girls out there. Any reason why she did not come?"
Kurumu shrugged as the next bowl was set before Kagome.
"Moka had three exams to make up today. She was too busy today."
"Too busy to make time for the girl that gave her boyfriend away?"
Kurumu looked away as Ms. Sasayaki filled up the third bowl.
"I noticed Ms. Shirayuki was one of the girls out there."
Ms. Sasayaki sat down after placing the bowl in front of her chair.
"Yes. Would anyone care for some rice?"
Kagome sighed, placing her hand near the chopsticks set out for Kurumu's use.
"Yes, please."
Ms. Sasayaki leaned up to start scooping rice with a wooden spoon from the large platter into one of the small bowls resting nearby.
"Ms. Kurono?"
Kurumu nodded upon meeting the woman's gaze.
"I regret to inform you that I have made no progress contacting either of those succubus women you mentioned. The Headmaster knows both, but sees no reason to bring these women inside Mononoke for your sake."
"Hardly a surprise. That man helps nobody unless it amuses him."
Ms. Sasayaki set aside a bowl for Kurumu. She then sat back in her chair, content without filling a bowl for herself.
"Shall we eat?"
After thanking for the meal, Kurumu snatched up her chopsticks before Kagome could react. Kurumu scooted closer to the table so she could easily pick a chunk of meat from her large bowl. She placed it in her mouth, chewing slowly to appreciate the subtle tastes simmered into the flesh. It was much better than what she had made in class.
They ate in silence for a solid ten minutes. It gave Kurumu time to empty her large bowl before she slowly picked away at the rice. The only comment Ms. Sasayaki had made was if she wanted another helping from the pot. The science teacher was remorseful when it was quickly apparent than nobody was going to force another bowl down, meaning she would have to pitch it or save it for later.
"I got a letter from my mother today. She mentioned meeting the matchmaker succubus and that this woman helped her find a birth mother for me."
"Birth mother? You mean a host? Like Ririko requires?"
Kurumu glanced at the quiet math teacher.
"Yes. I was born from an undine's womb. I guess they have less complications carrying a succubus."
"Complications?"
Kurumu shrugged at the woman's inquisitive look. She thought about rambling off Yukari's theory but doubted she could do it justice.
"I suppose carrying a succubus inside you could be dangerous to a mother not immune to opiates. It would make sense why an undine mother would be preferred."
"That is what Yukari concluded."
"Such a hassle, isn't it?"
Kagome smiled softly, picking at her rice with no intent.
"Needing to bring another body into your bed to have a family."
"I guess."
"I am sorry about forcing that upon you, Kurumu. I started hoping I could be happy again."
"Ririko, you weren't immune to her opiate."
"I don't have any trouble remembering what I did."
Ms. Sasayaki cleared her throat.
"Anyways, this is good news for Ms. Kurono. It clears up some questions about how she can have babies. Did your mother state if you pass an egg into the willing woman's womb?"
Kurumu frowned. She had been so bothered by Yukari's suggestions of finding an undine boyfriend that she had not bothered to discuss the second step of reproduction with the witch.
"She didn't mention anything about eggs. She said that our bodies alter a man's seed."
Ms. Sasayaki cupped her chin thoughtfully.
"That is an interesting thought. I wonder if that is the function of that organ we found. Perhaps it reconstructs male semen into semen that would yield a succubus."
She tapped her lip pensively.
"Yes, that could be all there is to it. We did see that it was porous and connected to your tail."
Kurumu snorted.
"Are you saying that I would use my tail for sexual things?"
"That is precisely what I'm thinking. Your tail has muscles that help it eject those reddish fluids when you slip that stigma in your ear. Those fluids and those muscles could be used to flood a woman's womb with succubus semen. The way your petals open could make a decent seal."
Kurumu blushed at the thought of putting her stigma inside another woman. Playing with it did feel crazy good but it was not something she could orgasm from. At least she didn't think she could.
"I feel sorry for you, Kurumu. Why has your mother waited so long to explain such an important thing?"
"Because I was very vocal about how much I hated being a succubus, so she only told me things when it was absolutely necessary."
"That's not a good reason. Your mother is your mother. She doesn't have to be your friend."
Kurumu shrugged, seeing no point to defend her mother.
"Did you want to break the news to her, or shall I?"
Kagome sighed, setting her chopsticks aside. She regarded Kurumu with a slight smile.
"I have been given the opportunity to take a part time instructor's job at Shinsui Technical starting next term. Depending on my performance, I might be given a full time position next year."
"Shinsui Technical?"
"The main school of Saitama Prefecture. It's not a position she should pass up."
Kurumu's eyes widened, aware that this was close to Tokyo. Kagome was being sent away.
"But I thought she was going to take over a third year math class."
"The Headmaster felt this was a better direction for Ririko to take. They won't be as tolerant of her experimental teaching methods, so she will need to be on her best behavior."
Kagome sighed again.
"I know this."
"But what about her class?"
"Mrs. Itou will be taking over indefinitely. We will be looking for a new staff member to teach the culture elective course for next term."
Kurumu floundered for something to say. She had always known it was possible that Ms. Kagome could be fired for her actions much like what had happened to Ms. Ishigami, but everyone had acted so certain that she would get to stay.
"Does Ms. Nekonome know?"
"She knew about it when we scheduled this dinner."
Kurumu shook her head with mixed feelings. The dynamic between these three had been so admirable. It was the sort of relationship she hoped she could still have with her friends a decade down the road. She felt responsible for tearing that apart.
"I didn't want this."
Kagome smiled, reaching over to caress Kurumu's cheek.
"I know you didn't. You're too nice. Even to girls that throw spears through your heart."
Kurumu laughed despite the sudden tightness in her throat.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I crossed some lines that shouldn't be crossed and I'm fortunate that this is all that I'm being asked to do."
"To be fair, Shinsui Technical is quite the improvement over Yokai. I'd be tempted to take an offer there myself if I wasn't so attached to my alma mater."
Kurumu took a deep breath and managed a smile.
"Will you be okay?"
Kagome chuckled, withdrawing her hand.
"Of course. My mother is thrilled to leave this countryside behind. She only stayed in Niigata all these years because I've worked here."
Kurumu smiled. That was right. Kagome did have family outside of Yokai.
"When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow. I have to help my mother prepare for a move. I know I don't need a whole three months for that, but Mrs. Itou is quite capable of handling the class without my help and there's not much reason to keep paying for an apartment here when I don't have anything to do."
"And you don't have an income."
Kagome smirked.
"That too."
"I'm so sorry."
"How was the dinner?"
"It was good."
"Gusuriko can take you home now, if you want. I'd offer but I'm not supposed to be alone with you."
Kurumu supposed there was not much point in staying. She had a feeling there would not be a public departure like some schools did when a teacher retired, which was why Kagome had felt the need to let her know. There was not much else to say.
"Don't look like that. I want you to be happy, Kurumu. Whatever it takes."
Kurumu nodded, closing her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek. She would try.