Demon's Reflection

My name is Katsune Ise, I'm just a regular girl. I live alone in an apartment, while my  parents and younger brother live at my old home. My uncle, Gyotoku Tsubaki, retired from running the Otsubaki shirine with his wife, my aunt. My mother, is the sister to Gyotoku. I sometimes get a visit from my cousins, Miko and Kamui, her son. Miko and her husband run the shrine now, I think. I really am just juggling a few jobs. Miko gave me her old job at Burger King, leaving me to chase after rent on my apartment. I don't really tell anyone my problems, because I don't need help, right? All I need to do is keep my head up, put on a brave face, and don't really show anyone what's truly inside.

I was cleaning up, and it was getting to be the end of the day, when Kanzaki, my manager told me to lock up before I left. I nodded, and he left. I sighed, and after finishing up, I put all of the supplies away. When I left, I locked up. As I walked down the side walk, it was completely abandoned, as usual at midnight. I made my way to my apartment, with the dim streetlights, when I saw someone near a fence. I recognized the place as a small, local hot springs. Pervert, I thought. I went over and tapped the man on the shoulder, he seemed about my age.
  
"Excuse me, what do you think you're doing?" I asked him.

He turned around, and I saw he was one of those 'oh so perfect' guys that girls just toss themselves at. He looked a little scared, when he saw me notice him.

"Huh? You can see me?" He asked.

Great, a demon I'm guessing, I thought. I sighed, recognizing this as maybe an incubus. I grabbed the sleeve of his kimono, and dragged him out of the shadow of the fence, and into he light of the street lamp. His hair was tied in a ponytail, he had dark hair and interestingly red eyes.

"Yeah, anyway, quit peeping, or I'll get the Tsubaki's over here. Got it?" I said.

I turned to leave, and he grabbed my  jacket sleeve. I turned around, and saw his eyes full of curiosity. He was much taller than me, but considering Miko was taller than me, and we were nearly the same age, everyone seems a little taller than me.

"Well, I'll quit peeping at them, if you let me get a peep at you. Sound like a deal?" He said.

Suddenly he pulled me close, and began touching my skin lightly. I shuddered, and pushed him away.

"Okay.....Back off. No thanks on your offer," I said, turning and walking away.

I made my way back to my apartment, and quickly shut the door. My heart was pounding, I hated situations like that. They always hurt my chest, and cause my breathing problems to stir up. My parents didn't know what to make of it, but when I was younger, every time I had adrenaline go through my, my heart would pound so bad that it would shake my whole body, and hurt my chest. I would only be able to breath slowly, and hope the effects wore off soon. It had gotten so bad, then when I was lying down, and I had adrenaline in me, that whatever I was laying on, shook with the force of my heartbeat.

I sighed, and dragged myself to my bed. I threw off my hat, my skirt and my skirt. I lazily slipped on shorts and a tank top, and collapsed onto my bed. I closed my eyes, and tried to go to sleep. When that wouldn't happen, I sat up, and looked around.

"Zashiki Warashi?" I called.

Suddenly he came out, with a smile on his face.

"Yes, Lady Ise?" He asked.

I smiled, and explained to him he didn't need to all me that. He smiled, and hovered in front of me, legs crossed.

"So, I can't get to sleep," I said.

"As usual. You should really just ask Miko if you could stay with her, since you can't handle your jobs and the demons. She'd be happy to let you stay. Kamui loves you, and it's about time you actually meet her husband, Kagura," Zashiki said.