3
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It’s nighttime now.
The window that Sakurou cut has been covered with card paper by Dad as an e-mer-gen-cy-mea-sure. But when tomorrow comes, Sakurou will probably open it again. Sakurou will be leaving after that, so if I want to escape, I have to do it tomorrow. I need to decide before then.
I wonder what Sakurou meant when he said a place of my own… Is it different from where I want to be If it’s where I want to be, it’s by Natsume’s side, but since I’m still weak… I’ll become stronger and stronger… to do that, I can’t stay here, can I?
‘Big brother, I wonder if Chibita wants to return to the forest.’
– Eh?
'Why do you think that, Hana?’
'If Chibita broke the window, maybe he was trying to get out.’
'Dad said it wouldn’t be broken like that if it was him, right? But if Chibita said he wanted to go back to the forest… what would you do, Hana?’
'I… want to be with Chibita forever.’
'Right, me too.’
– Ah, Hana, Kenichi…
'Big brother, can I sleep with Chibita in my bed today too?’
'Yeah, that’s fine.’
'Here, Chibita. Let’s sleep together, OK?’
Don’t hug me so kindly, Hana. It hurts.
'I’ll tuck you in.’
Ah, it’s fluffy and warm. It smells nice, like Hana.
'Good night, Chibita.’
– Good night, Hana, Kenichi… Sorry, I’ll be leaving tomorrow.
'We’re heading out!’
'We’re going! It’s Saturday today so we’ll be able to come back soon, Chibita.’
They’re gone.
Ah, there was a crack sound just now. Sakurou broke through the paper covering the glass and made the hole even larger.
When I looked, Sakurou was already gone. He must have left for the next town.
Me too… Now, let’s go! Hey!
Ah, the town is lively in the day. There are a lot of cars.
The boxy buildings that all looked the same to me when I came actually all have different shapes, now that I look carefully. This is the road I was lost on when I first came here. If I just go forward… There, the road that goes straight to the next village. The forest I’m returning to is ahead.
Now, let’s go!
I’m walking one step at a time.
I’m heading for the forest one step at a time.
Why do my feet feel so heavy on the way back…
Ah, Mother, little foxes really are still crybabies.
After that, I stopped in the middle of the road and was drawn back to the town, but I couldn’t go back to the house, so I spent a night in an empty lot at the edge of town.
The reason why I didn’t return to the forest was that I remembered Sakurou’s words. That’s right. I haven’t returned the favour for a night’s lod-ging and meal yet. If I go back to the forest without returning the favour, I’ll sully the name of the fox.
Ah, but what should I do?
When I thanked Natsume, I brought him mushrooms and fish, but I can’t do that here, since it’s not a forest. How can I return the favour to Kenichi and Hana?
Just when I was thinking about that and wandering the town, mother, something like a miracle happened.
Eh? This smell…!
I smelt a human coming closer to me. A very familiar smell, the smell of a person I really wanted to see.
'Ah, here! Sensei! He’s here!’
– Natsume!? But there’s no way… Ah, it’s Natsume! It’s really Natsume!
'Natsume!? Natsume! Why are you here!?’
'I’m here too, shorty fox.’
'Ah, the ugly cat.’
'Can I eat him this time, Natsume?’
'Stop it, Nyanko-sensei. But I’m really glad. You got free, right? I came since I was worried after hearing that you got caught by humans.’
'Ah… Why do you know about that?’
'You probably know the kamaitachi named Sakurou. He went out of his way to come by when he was going to the next town and told Natsume.’
'Sakurou did…’
Then, we sat on a bench on the edge of town and ate the onigiri that Natsume bought together. As I ate, I explained why I was here. I don’t know how much got across since I spoke in a hurry, but Natsume listened until the end.
'I see, returning the favour for a night’s lodging and meal.’
'Sakurou’s a real proper guy. You don’t have to listen to what a guy like that says, shorty fox. If you want to go back to the forest, go back. But I think another good choice is to let those humans keep you, y'know?’
’…’
What should I do, Natsume?
'Hm… To be honest , I don’t know which is the right choice… but it’ll be difficult to return the favour.’
After thinking for a while, Natsume told me what he was thinking.
'Right… Do you remember when we first met?’
'Eh? Ah, yes.’
Of course I hadn’t forgotten.
'When I saved you from the other ayakashi, you gave me mushrooms, right? And you gave me an umbrella when it was raining. That was useful, but even if it wasn’t useful, I think I would’ve been happy.’
Happy even if I wasn’t useful?
'This answer might not be useful at all… but thanks are a way to convey your feelings, right? Though I can’t express it clearly.’
Oh, that’s right.
'Thank you, Natsume! You were really useful!’
'That so?’
Natsume smiled again.
'Natsume, I’ll definitely return the favour before going back to the forest, so when you come see me again, please come to the forest.’
'I see… I got it. But don’t do anything dangerous, OK?’
'Yes!’
I saw Natsume and the kitty off to the station and then said goodbye.
'See you, and take care.’
'You take care too, Natsume! Goodbye.’
I want to be with him forever, but this is goodbye for now. I still have things to do in this town. In order to do what I have to, I ran to the Inari shrine.
'Familiar of the god Inari! Are you here?’
'What is it, fox child?’
'I have a request. Could you teach me how to pretend to be a human?’
'Oh, the method to pretend to be a human? Why do you want to pretend to be a human?’
'I want to say thank you to some humans.’
'Thank you? From a fox to humans?’
'Yes, I want to say thank you in words that humans will understand.’
'Oh… I see.’
'I don’t have much experience, but I’ll do my best to learn!’
'But I don’t know the method to pretend to be a human either.’
'Eh? But your appearance.’
'This appearance does look human to humans as well, but that’s the power of this mask from the god Inari.’
'I see…’
'Those protected by the god Inari look like humans only when wearing this mask. There are many stories of foxes pretending to be humans, but there are probably some who have help. But actually, I was taken in by this shrine when I was still a child, so I don’t know how to pretend. I’m sorry.’
What should I do?
'But if you work for just one day at this shrine, I could lend you this mask.’
'Really!?’
'Hahaha, I’ll take a day off while you do that and go back to my old forest for the first time in a while. Then we’ll be even.’
'Thank you very much!’
The day after, I did work for the god Inari, just as promised.
I did things like sweeping the garden and helping an old lady who became tired on the stone steps.
Then, the next day came.
I put on the mask from the god Inari… There. Now, I’ll look like a human child even to humans other than Natsume.
Now all I have to do is wait for Kenichi and Hana to come to this park.
The sun is setting. It’s almost time for school to end. They’ll go home, put down their bags, and… ah, they’re here.
'Hana, don’t keep crying forever.’
'But Chibita won’t come back…’
'We couldn’t find him. He must’ve gone back to the forest.’
'Did Chibita hate our house that much?’
– That’s not it, Hana.
'Oi, Kenichi, Hana-chan, let’s play tag.’
'OK! Let’s go, Hana.’
Kazuki and Sakiko and Tsubasa came too.
'Rock paper scissors! OK, Sakiko’s it.’
'OK! One, two, three, four, five…’
'Run!’
I saw everyone playing tag that day too… Ah, Hana, watch out. Behind you, behind you… Ah, she got touched. Chase them! Ah, she fell. Be careful!
'Time out, time out! Let’s take a break!’
'Ah, Kazuki that’s not fair. You’re just doing that because I almost caught you.’
'That’s not it… Look, there’s a strange kid over there.’
'Eh?’
Ah, everyone’s looking at me.
'What a strange kid. He’s wearing a fox mask.’
'I noticed too. He’s been looking this way since earlier, so he must want to play with us.’
'What should we do?’
'We’re fine with it. Right, Hana?’
'Yup.’
'Oi, masked kid over there! Do you want to play with us too?’
– I do.
'OK, then come over here.’
– Thank you, Kazuki.
'If you leave the park, you’re out. Got it?’
'Got it.’
'Then let’s start again. OK? Rock paper scissors!’
– Scissors! Ah, I lost.
'Then the masked kid is it, OK? Let’s run!’
'One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!’ OK, I’m coming! Ah, Sakiko’s a bit slow!
'Got you!’
'Ah!’
Now I have to run!
'Wait!’
Mother, tag is much more fun to play than to just watch.
The human children are smiling, and when I smile too, it’s like we’re all friends.
I want to do this forever, but the fun time passed in a flash, and soon the colour of the sky told me the day was ending…
There was a siren from the nearby town hall.
'That’s it! Kenichi was it at the end.’
'Argh.’
'Big brother, you’re weak.’
Ah, Hana laughed a little.
'Excuse me, everyone. I must return.’
'Ah, that so?’
'Hey, take off your mask and let us see your face. Let’s play again.’
'I can’t do that.’
'Oh…’
'I had a lot of fun today. Thank you very much.’
And, I have to say this at the end.
'Um… Don’t worry about Chibita.’
'Eh?’
'Do you know Chibita?’
'Yes, he’s doing well.’
'Ah, could you be his old owner? So Chibita really was a pet.’
'No, I think Chibita’s going to return to the forest. He said thank you to you all. Thank you very much.’
'Eh? You’re a liar. Foxes can’t speak.’
'It isn’t a lie. There will be proof when you return home. Please look at the place where you first found Chibita. Chibita’s thanks are there.’
'Where we first found him?’
'Now, I must leave.’
'Ah.. Wait!’
'Goodbye.’
Goodbye, Kenichi, Hana…
I ran without turning around. I climbed the steps to the Inari shrine, said thank you to the god Inari, placed the mask at the altar and went home.
Mother, I’ve finally returned to the forest.
It’s already autumn in the forest.
Ah, the thanks I left Kenichi and Hana is something I got from working at the Inari shrine . I hope they’ll like it.
I might never meet those two again, but… But if I become an adult that can pretend to be a human, I’d like to go see them in secret and play tag with them again.
Something that made me happy and something that made me sad – Sakamoto Hana, Class 1-2
Something that made me happy is that a little fox came to my house. When I woke up, he was in Shiro’s doghouse. Shiro is the dog I had before. My big brother said that the fox is somebody’s pet. I hope that’s not true. Dad said he’d ask the neighbours. After asking, nobody knew, so now we’re keeping him.
We all thought of a name together. I decided on Chibita. I called him Chibita because he’s still small. He’s small and cute.
But Chibita only stayed with us for six days. He broke the window and ran away. I cried. That’s what made me sad.
A while after that, a strange kid with a fox max said that Chibita returned to the forest and is doing well. Big brother said that was a lie, but the kid with the fox mask said there was proof. The kid with the fox mask had the same smell as Chibita.
When we went home, there were gingko leaves in Shiro’s doghouse. The large gingko leaves from the Inari shrine.
I’d be happy if Chibita’s doing well in the forest.
I still love Chibita now.