Weee~ This is longer than the start, about my regular short length :) I'm trying to keep a consistent 3-page length instead of the 8-12 pages I did for another fic -,- It nearly killed me, typing such a long chapter! :P Anyway, hopefully this is satisfying! Enjoy~!
Edit : 30/6/2012 Thanks Guest/Anonymous for pointing out that Reiko is from his mother's side :) Though I'm not so convinced, since I assumed that Reiko's surname is Natsume, and usually females take after their father's/husband's surname :x So, I'm just changing a tiny bit at the bottom :)
Edit (2) : 20/7/2012 Thank you, Guest/Anonymous (2) for pointing out my mistake with the translations :)
Secrets of The Family
Chapter 1 : A Familiar Stranger
"NATSUUUMEEEE!"
"Guh..!"
A pudgy lucky cat comes flying onto a sleeping teen, successfully knocking the breath out of said teen. A smug smirk crawls onto said lucky cat's face at the pale face of his charge. However, a green corner of a precious book, that holds the balance of both worlds, peeking from a small opening of his bag sends the cat's mood downhill.
"OI! Natsume! What would you do if an ayakashi had come by and stolen the Book of Friends?"
The cat smacks his charge thoroughly with his fuzzy paws, earning grunts and protests from the roughly awakened Natsume. The cat glomps his head and promptly bites the crown of his head. Tick.
"NYANKO-SENSEEEEIIII!"
BONK!
~ ( O w O ) ~
"Muu~ Natsume, buy me some meat buns from Nanatsuji!"
"Why should I, Nyanko-sensei? It's not like you actually guard me."
"Nyaaa! MEAT BUNS! MEAT BUNS! I WANT MEAT BUNS! NANATSUJI MEAT BUNS!"
Natsume Takashi clamps both hands over his ears, trying his best to shut the horrible whining of his "guardian". The pudgy cat continues to wail for meat buns from the stall, called Nanatsuji, they frequently visit every other day. Just not today. After all, he'd already ditched school for a day without notifying his friends or the Fujiwaras, they must be worried sick!
…
The Fujiwaras!
Natsume curses before sprinting towards home. His heart warms from the thought of home waiting for him. He cringes, however, at the thought of disappointing the Fujiwaras and the worried glances of Touko-san and Shigeru-san.
"Natsume! Wait for me!"
~ ( O w O ) ~
"Ara, ara… What happened to you, Takashi-kun? Your uniform's all dirty! Ara, there's some paper in your hair! Quick, go and bathe!" Paper?
"A-ah, hai, Touko-san!"
Natsume quickly slips his shoes off of his feet and rushes up the stairs to his room. Touko watches him go with a concerned glance, hearing the muffled thumps of his footsteps on the second floor.
"Ara, he's growing up…"
Then, she returns once more to tending her laundry. As she is bringing in the last few pieces of clothing, someone calls from the front gate.
"Hello? Is anyone home?"
Touko looks up to see a girl standing by the front gate. Her face is shadowed by the sunhat and the evening light, and she is dressed in a light summer dress. Touko finds it odd that a girl would be wearing such light layers in mid-autumn, when winter is about to approach.
"Ara, how may I help you? Are you lost? Please, come in and warm yourself up! You must be cold in that summer dress!"
Touko turns away from the girl to pick out one of her thicker blouses for her. However, when she turns back, the girl is no longer there. Touko is puzzled by the girl's behavior. Ara, running off in such thin layers, when I could have borrowed her my old sweaters…
Touko frowns a little at the girl's behavior, but lets it go, since she hasn't her around before. However, she can't help but want to reach out to her. She reminds her of Takashi-kun when he first arrived…
"Tadaima (I'm home), Touko-san!"
"Ah, okaeri (welcome home), Shigeru-san!"
~ ( O w O ) ~
Natsume quickly dries his hair before sitting in front of the paper doll on the floor. It had been stuck in his hair, and he hadn't noticed it until Touko-san had pointed it out. Aren't these things only visible to people who can see ayakashi?
"Ne, sensei, how did Touko-san see this paper doll if she can neither sense nor see ayakashi?"
"Hmm, which side of your family is Reiko from?"
"Huh? My mum's side, but what does it have to do with Touko-san?"
"Ufu~ Well, your gift seems to also run in your father's side of the family. Meaning, Fujiwara Touko, who's a distant relative of your father's must have a slight gift for seeing ayakashi…"
"Eh? That's impossible, Nyanko-sensei! She's never said anything about the ayakashi happenings in this house! If she could sense ayakashi, wouldn't she have already caught the middle-classed spririts, Hinoe and the rest of them who've visited my room?"
"Mu~ Listen well, Natsume! I said she might have a slight gift for seeing ayakashi! Get your facts right!"
Nyanko proceeds to smack the heir of the Book of Friends with his pudgy paw. Then, an all-out cat fight between guardian and charge ensues. No pun intended though.