Kitsune

Gate

~Touma's POV~

My self-driving car made its way down the deserted road to my house, I lived a ways away from people, in other words, I pretty much lived in the middle of nowhere. The road split two ways at the end of the road, it turned left to enter my garage. I reached forward and pressed a button, the sound of the garage door opening reached my ears as we drove towards it.

My car parked its self and I got out with Jimin, locking it before walking to the back of the garage. Jimin walked beside me confused. "So where's your house?" I held up my hand, turning to my left. Punching in the code to the garage before pushing a button to close it.

I waited for the quite thud meaning the door was completely closed before opening a door to my left, there were two steps leading down to a glassed-in trail leading through the forest. Jimin walked behind me as I walked calmly down the trail. 

"I prefer not to walk on the dirt road, I think this is much more enjoyable." I could hear Jimin footsteps behind me, wandering to each side of the path. "Touma? Why is there a rope tied around that tree?"

"That rope is a shimenawa, a spirit lives in that tree, it's called a Kodama. As a Yōkai I like to honor fellow Yōkai." I continued walking, Jimin's footsteps followed me. "The more time you spend with us the more you will see." His pace sped up next to me. "Really?"

I nodded. "You'll see a few while you're here. Most of them will be nice but there is a few who might.. try things." 

~Jimin's POV~

We reached the end of the rail to be met with another, this one wasn't encased in the glass though. The trail leads to our right, I turned to go where it lead.

Touma started up the stairs, I started walking up the stairs but something caught my eye. My head snapped up. A blue four-legged creature sat on top of the gate. It stared at me with large eyes that were slightly obscured by long black hair, two long tusks came from its mouth and its claws wrapped around the gate. "...Tou-"

A claw wrapped around my shoulder. Touma slumped, turning his head lazily. I glanced over my shoulder, it's body reminding me of a cow, the face looked cow like too but mixed with a strange dragon-like animal. The body looked as if it was made of leafs the color of the sunset, it smiled at me. "Touma! Who is this?"

Touma let out a sigh. "Jimin, he's human. Try not to scare him." The blue creature on top of the gate laughed. "Don't worry Touma, he's not bad so he's good." Its voice was low and gravely compared to the creature behind me who's voice was higher pitched, more feminine. Touma fully turned around and walked under the gate, pointing his finger up. "That is Hansuke, he's an Otoroshi." He moved his hand forward and pointed at the creature behind me. "And that's Nozomi, she's a Waira. They both protect my house with a few others."

I slowly nodded as Nozomi moved in front of me, a smile like expression on her face. "Have a good day Mr. Jimin! Next time you come please bring food, small animals are most preferred to Hansuke and me." She dropped down on all fours and made her way into the woods. Touma turned back around and continued up the steps, I rushed after him, waving to Hansuke, he waved back with clawed hands.

Touma pushed up the door to his house and stepped inside, sliding off his shoes and slipping on a pair of slippers, I did the same and he lead me through the house to a library. It was huge, I wandered around the shelves, Touma grabbed a book off the shelf and sat in a used looking chair. 

~Touma's POV~

Jimin wandered around my books, trying to read the spines or the books using the Braille alphabet I had hanging on the wall. His footsteps echoed around me as I sat in my chair, head down with my fingers gliding over the pages. I'd read this book hundreds of times but I never got tired of it, Aika loved to write. 

I listened as Jimin struggled to read the Japanese Braille, I gently closed the book before standing up. I walked over the bookshelf, gliding my fingers over the spines of the old and new books till I found where it belonged. I felt slightly more empty as the leather left my fingertips, I dropped my hand down to my side.

"I don't have any books in Korean." I spoke as I turned in his direction. "Really? Why?" I placed my hands in my pockets and shrugged. "I was raised speaking Japanese, I find it easier to read and write in it. Although I can read and write in Korean as well as a few other languages."

He Jimin continued to try and read the books, I could hear his fingers gliding over the pages, the pattern of the bumps told me it was a book about weaponry. The page specifically was about the Naginata. "Are you interested in fighting Jimin?"

"O-oh... Yeah." He nervously laughed. "Naginata. I good weapon, my preferred one of choice, I can show you how to use it." 

"Can you?" I nodded, still reading. "Of course, but I won't go easy on you."