Hotaru no Mori ni Modoru

The sun beat down hard onto the ground, causing the air to be dry. No, it wasn't humid, for there was no body of water nearby. The bright light was blinding, but to some people it was a key item during summer. It made it...you know...summer! The hot weather, bright sun, and having fun was what I loved about the season. 

My name is Hotaru, and I am 19 years old. It has only been a couple of months since I started working at a supermarket near my uncle's house. I've always wanted to have a job here; this village is beautiful! And...another reason I wanted a job here is because... Well I wanted to stay here in this village...so I could always be see my dear friend Gin. 

I met Gin in the forest 13 years ago; I was 6. I had entered the forest and got myself lost...! Luckily, Gin found me, and we became close friends. I visited him every summer since I stayed at my uncle's house; even in this blazing weather. Oh! You see, I couldn't touch Gin. No human could. If he was touched, he would disappear! Both of us were quite cautious around each other, but still had fun.

Why can't people touch him you ask? Well, Gin was abandoned as a newborn in the forest. The spirits of the forest found him, and managed to make him smile. Actually, Gin was very weak, so it wasn't long before he would die. Then, the Mountain God placed a spell upon him that caused him to age a quarter slower than us humans. But the catch, was that no human could touch him. 

Gin and I spent time together for 10 years. I grew up quickly, and he watched me grow up from a little girl, to a young woman. I was 16 when it happened... We went to a festival of the spirits one night. The forest spirits disguised themselves as humans, so they wouldn't bring suspicion. Real people could sneak in too, and blend in. Such was the case that night. 

After it ended, Gin and I walked in silence. We came to a stop, and I looked at him with curiosity. He took off his kitsune mask, and put it on my face. Confused as I was, Gin leaned in and kissed the mask, and I stood there, frozen. Not too long after that, a little boy and his friend ran towards us. One of them tripped, son Gin grabbed his arm and caught him. The little boys left, but then... shimmering green lights flew up from Gin's skin. That child he had caught was a human.

I stood shock still, watching Gin fade away before my eyes. "Come here, Hotaru. I can finally touch you." Gin called out to me. I took off the mask, and ran into his arms, and he embraced me. It was only for a short time though...Gin disappeared right before me. I clutched his pale blue yukata, hoping he was still there. He wasn't, Gin was gone. The previous years I had always looked forward to summer to see Gin again. But at that moment, I hugged his kitsune mask close to my chest, throbbing with pain. Ever since then, summer had never been the same without Gin. 

*flashback*

...Even so, I still came to visit my uncle. But, I never visited the forest. And, I still got a job here, along with my close friend Kageyasu. We first met in middle school; I gazed out the window after class had ended. He got my attention, and since then we became quite close. Every year during the winter, he'd hold my hand to make sure I wouldn't slip. After Gin had disappeared, he noticed I wasn't my usual self and cheered me up. I haven't told him about Gin yet...maybe later on. 

"Ho-ta-ru!" I jumped. Kageyasu had been calling my name... Whoops! I must've spaced out again. "Every day, Hotaru. Every day we've been here you've spaced out. What's wrong? You can tell me." he said kindly.

"Oh...nothing," I replied. 

"Really? It just seems like there is something bothering you."