Secrets of The Family

Chapter 2 : The Transfer Student

"Natsume-kun!"

The blonde looks behind him as Taki and Tanuma chase after him. Well, Taki is chasing him while Tanuma is walking leisurely behind her. Tanuma waves at Natsume as a form of a greeting.

"Ah, Taki, Tanuma..."

"Ne, where did you go off to yesterday? You didn't turn up for school! Was it the ayakashi again?"

"Yeah, Natsume. You and Ponta disappeared."

"Oh, well, it's something like that. I fell through the bushes and rolled down the hill..."

"Eh?"

Tanuma snickers at Taki's bewildered response at the thought of their friend falling through bushes and rolling down a hill. It's not uncommon for their friend to fall over and through things for no reason. Natsume smiles sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as they continue on their walk to school.

A breeze blows by, catching the trio by surprise. A shiver runs down Natsume's spine as he quickly looks back. Stray strands of peach-colored hair and the hem of a skirt disappear into the forest, disappearing from Natsume's view.

"What's wrong, Natsume?"

"Did you see anything over there?"

Natsume points to the spot where he saw the hem of a skirt. However, Taki and Tanuma are confused.

"Um, sorry, Natsume. We didn't see anything. It must be an ayakashi asking for its name back, neh?"

"I guess so..."

However, Natsume can't ignore the foreboding feeling in him as they continue on their way to school.

~ ( O w O ) ~

"My name is Tomo Chizuru. I hope we can be friends..."

"U-um, Tomo-san, please sit beside Touru-san. Touru-san, please raise your hand."

Taki raises her hand as asked, smiling kindly at the new transfer student. Her hair is a shade of pale blonde, complimenting her fair skin and hazel eyes. Although she seems to be a normal girl, Natsume can't help but feel that something is off about her.

With Taki sitting behind him, a row to his left, the transfer student has to walk by him. Her eerily blank hazel eyes stare holes into him, sending him chills down his spine. Her eyes are clouded and her movements are slightly off.

These signs are somewhat familiar to the blonde teen, but he cannot think of anything. As she passes the boy, there is a faint scent of sakura and freshly cut grass. His eyebrows furrow, the crease his forehead deepening as he thinks back of anything familiar.

However, he is thrown out of his thoughts, literally, as his chair suddenly gives way under him. He is sent crashing onto the floor, unable to react quick enough from the shock of having his chair pulled from under him. There are twin gasps from Taki and Tanuma as they watch their friend fall, but Natsume is quick and manages to save himself from dramatically face-planting onto the floor.

"Tomo-san! What has gotten into you?"

The girl says nothing, walking quietly towards her seat. Natsume and the rest of the class stare at her in shock, not expecting such behavior from such a gentle-looking girl. Her hazel eyes stare holes into her desk while everyone stares holes into her, trying to decipher her reasons for pulling Natsume's chair from under him.

Does she know him? Did he do anything bad to her? Many questions run through the classroom's occupants' minds. However, none of them gets the answers they want as Natsume groans, picking himself up. He rubs the palms of his hands gently, wincing as the slight contact sends stinging pain running up his arms.

"Tanuma-san, please accompany Natsume-san to the school clinic. Please get the nurse to check on his hands."

"Hai, sensei."

Natsume frowns when he is escorted out of the class by Tanuma. His hands aren't that hurt to the extent to have to go to the clinic. He looks back towards Tomo Chizuru, feeling uneasy as her blank stare meets his eyes once more.

He'll need to watch out for her.

~ ( O w O ) ~

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