Chapter 3: Preparations and Reminiscence

I felt a soft sensation on my cheek and could hear words being whispered to me, but I couldn't make out what they were. My eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the light in the room coming from the morning sun's rays.

"Nyaaa...." I yawned, while sitting up in the futon, my tail gently swaying back and forth.

"Good morning, Hina-sama. That was a very cute yawn, you know," Eri greeted me with a teasing grin.

While looking at Eri, I immediately remembered the embarrassing way I asked her to sleep with me last night. My face immediately blushed bright red, and I forced my face back into my pillow, only stealing small glances at Eri, who was laughing and looking at me with warm eyes.

"Go...good morning, Eri. Did you sleep okay?" I replied and asked in an embarrassed and shy manner.

"I'm not sure," Eri answered with a flicker of mischief in her eyes, before continuing, "You are quite cute and cuddly in your sleep, after all, but you know I love that part of you as well."

"Lov...Love...?" I stammered, my face becoming even brighter than before.

"Of course, after all, you are my childhood friend," Eri replied, her smile deepening.

"Ah...mou..." I started pouting from Eri's teasing, my ears drooping slightly.

"Ara, did you maybe want me to answer in another way, perhaps?" Eri giggled.

"No..not at all, stop teasing me already," I cried, my face becoming red for the third time already after just waking up. That was when I felt her hand gently patting my head.

"I'm sorry for teasing you so much, but just remember this, that day will come, but I want us to get used to living together and being with each other again, I don't want to rush into anything if we already know the result. Will you please forgive me for teasing you?" Eri explained and asked with loving eyes that only showed me in their reflection, and a warm smile that made any stress I felt wash away.

"I understand." I pouted before continuing, "I will forgive you, if you do something for me..." I stated, with upturned eyes.

"Anything...just name your request," Eri replied.

"Give me a k...hug and brush my ears and tail again," I stated my desires, correcting myself after thinking about what Eri meant.

"Your wish is my command, Hina-sama, but are you sure that's all you want?" Eri asked with a knowing grin.

"I want to visit the temple and go to the forest where we first became close, and I want you to tell me about the school we are going to go to. That family just told me I had no choice but to go there and didn't explain anything else," I replied.

Eri gave me a stunned yet happy expression when I mentioned I wanted to go to the forest. "You remembered?" she asked.

"Of course, that was one of the biggest moments of my life. It was where we became friends, even when my memories were hazy, I could still remember the forest as a place that held a special meaning to me," I replied, while tilting my head in puzzlement.

Eri then proceeded to give me a big hug, with a few tears in her eyes. "We can do everything that you listed off today, and I will explain about the academy over breakfast. We should get dressed soon, though; otherwise, Sebas will come and check on us. I might get in trouble if I am caught sleeping in the same room as his precious 'granddaughter' after all."

Eri and I started laughing at the fact that it sounded like something Sebas would do. He had always been very protective and doting towards me.

We started getting dressed. Eri tried to help me change again, but I refused.

"Now, Hina-sama, I know you are shy, but you will have to get used to me helping you change. Someone in your position has things that they have to deal with," Eri stated in a stern yet gentle manner.

"I understand. I will try to work on it," I replied.

"Good, now let's head to the dining room," Eri spoke, while patting my head.

On our way, we met Grandpa Sebas, who seemed to be heading to my room to check on us.

"Good morning, Ojou-sama. Did you sleep well last night?" Sebas asked with a knowing look on his face.

"Mmh, I slept great, Grandpa Sebas," I replied, with a cheerful grin, feeling happy that Eri didn't get in trouble.

"That's good. Then it is time for breakfast. We didn't know what you would feel like eating, so I had the chef prepare a special treat that you loved as a kid," Sebas explained with a smile.

My heightened senses kicked in, and I could smell a nostalgic and sweet scent wafting in the air. "Pancakes with honey and syrup!" I excitedly exclaimed, my ears started twitching, my tail began swaying back and forth at an accelerated pace, much to Eri's and Sebas's amusement.

"I am glad we made the right choice; we have a lot of preparations for your first day at the academy, and I am sure there are places that you want to visit around the house today as well," Sebas replied with a slight laugh and a smile.

After we made it to the dining room and got seated, Eri brought the food out of the kitchen and placed the delicious-looking pancakes in front of me, before placing her own and sitting in front of me.

"Ojou-sama, this is fine at the moment, but please remember when we have guests, and the like, that when your mother isn't here, you will have to sit at the head of the table, and you won't be able to dine with Eri."

"Yes, Grandpa," I replied with a smile, recalling memories of times like that.

After my warning, we said our thanks for the food, and began eating the pancakes, which were soft and moist. They immediately brought me back to my childhood, where on special days I was allowed to have this meal. I remember laughing and enjoying myself eating with my mother; she would always make sure she was home on those days. I miss her; tears started flowing down my cheek.

"Ojou-sama, what's wrong?" Sebas asked with a worried look. While Eri came over to me and held my hand.

"Are you okay, Hina-sama?" Eri asked, worry evident in her voice.

"I want to see her; I want to see my mother..." I cried, knowing I shouldn't worry these two who have done everything they can to make me happy and comfortable, and that there most likely is a reason why she isn't here.

"Hina-sama..." Eri gently patted my head, letting me cry in her chest. After some time passed and I calmed down, we began eating again.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't worry you two; I know my mother is trying her best so that I can see her as soon as possible."

"Ojou-sama, it is quite natural for a child to miss their mother, and I promise you will see her soon," Sebas replied, giving me a gentle and nurturing gaze.

"That's right; how about we talk about the academy? I promise once we start, we will have a lot of fun, and time will fly by," Eri, who is now sitting beside me as we eat, states with a smile.

"You're right." I giggle. "What is the academy called again?" I asked.

"Cherry Blossom Academy. It is a private academy that believes in letting their students carve their own path and have freedom of expression. There are still school uniforms, but they are really cute. Do you want to try yours on later?" Eri explained, before asking me.

"Yeah, that sounds fun. It's a private academy, but why is it called Cherry Blossom Academy?" I asked, feeling puzzled by the naming sense.

"Because the road that leads up to the school is filled with cherry blossom trees," Eri answered with excitement.

"Really, I can't wait to see it." I replied, feeling excited for tomorrow.

"Ojou-sama, I hate to inform you, but for at least the first week, we will be dropping you off by car. It is your mother's wishes," Sebas stated.

My excitement went down slightly, but I understood there must be a reason for it if my mother requested it.

"Is there anything else I should know?" I asked.

"I do have a couple of friends from the middle school branch that will be entering, though I don't know what classes they will be in," Eri replied.

While listening, I could feel a slight tug at my heartstrings. "No, I shouldn't feel that way; it's good that Eri made friends when we were separated," I thought to myself.

"I have told them all about you, so they are really excited to meet you," Eri continued.

"You told them about me?" I asked, my ears perking up from the sudden statement.

"Of course I did, silly. I told them how sweet, caring, beautiful, shy, and cute you are," Eri replied while smiling brightly, causing my face to turn red in embarrassment, for what felt like the millionth time today.

"Eri, are you sure you didn't go overboard?" I asked, with a slight exasperation in my voice.

"Of course not; they stopped me when they became overwhelmed," Eri answered with a proud smile.

"I'm not sure if that is something to be proud about, though," I thought to myself. I can already see my school days are going to be quite eventful.

After we finished talking about the academy and eating, Sebas left to go finish preparing everything I would need for tomorrow, and Eri and I stepped out of the house after getting lunch prepared, to go visit the temple and forest.

"Where do you want to go first, Hina-sama?" Eri asked, the cold wind blowing through her long black hair, causing her to shiver slightly.

"Let's visit the temple first. I want us to take our time at the forest, but are you going to be okay? You look cold," I asked with worry. It is spring, but there is still a slight chill in the air.

"I'm fine, Hina-sama, but are you not cold?" Eri asked while looking at the clothes I was wearing.

I was in a tank top and shorts; however, I didn't even feel the slightest hint of a chill. "Not really; here, feel." I state while grabbing Eri's hand and enveloping hers with mine.

"You are so warm, Hina-sama; is it because you are a fox spirit, I wonder?" Eri contemplated.

"Come to think of it, I haven't ever really felt cold; in fact, I am more sensitive to heat. We can hold hands if it will help keep you warm, but let me know if you get cold, okay?" I tell Eri with a hint of worry in my voice.

"Thank you; you are so sweet, Hina-sama, and I promise." Eri answered with a bright smile, causing me to blush. "I really love seeing her smile," I thought to myself.

"Mmm...nya... Let's go." I found myself starting to purr from Eri's complement and tried to quickly start heading to the temple.

As we were making our way to the temple, Eri and I discussed what we were most excited about for school. I told her how I was nervous because for the last 8 years, I wasn't a very social person.

Then we arrived. What stood before us was one of the oldest temples in Japan, and it was run by my family.

"Do you want to go pray at the shrine?" I asked Eri, but she gave me a somewhat surprised look.

"Hina-sama, do you not know the deity that this shrine is dedicated to?"

"No, I remember asking my mother when I was younger, but she never told me." I replied with question marks appearing above my head, not understanding what Eri was trying to imply.

"Hina-sama, the shrine is dedicated to your great-great-grandmother, a woman known as the original Kitsune, and the Fox Goddess. In fact, where your mother and grandmother had red hair, it is said that she had white hair just like yours. Your mother told me that you look just like her." Eri explained, with a slight hesitation worrying if it was okay to tell me.

"I didn't know; does that mean it would be wrong for me to pray at the temple?" I ask, not fully understanding.

"It's not necessarily wrong, but instead of a prayer, how about we go and pay our respects and show her how much you have grown?"

"Okay, that sounds good." I answer, as we started making our way inside, being stopped every now and then by priestesses that worked in the temple. Some of them I recognized, and others I didn't.

We then paid our respects to my grandmother, who I later learned was named Kitsune Tachibana. I didn't really have memories of the temple, as I wasn't allowed to come as a child unless it was with my mother.

We left soon after and started making our way to the forest. It was becoming late in the afternoon when we arrived at the place in the forest where Eri and I first became friends, so we decided to eat a late lunch.

After eating, I sat on the rock that I would sit on as a child when I wanted to be alone.

"Eri, come here; it is just us here, so if there is any pain that you have been holding in these last 8 years, now is the time to release it. You don't have to be afraid; you don't have to worry about anyone finding out if you don't want them to. I promise I won't tell anyone." I state with my arms spread out wide, inviting Eri in.

"Hina-sama..." Eri ran into my arms like she did all those years ago.

"I missed you so much, Hina-sama, I was so scared that when you found out the truth that you would be hurt and not want anything to do with us. I was scared that I wouldn't get to be by your side again." Eri cried in my arms, releasing all the pain she had been holding in.

"I am here now, and I promise, I'm not going anywhere," I state while patting Eri's head.

"Hina-sama, will you sing for me again? I have wanted to hear your voice for so long." Eri asked, tears still flowing down her cheeks.

I wiped her tears away and started singing a melody that I remembered singing countless times as a child, a song that my mother sang for me.

We sat in the forest for a long time after, as I continued to sing other melodies. The forest animals came to watch and listen to my concert.

As it started to become late in the evening, we headed back to our home, hand in hand, feeling closer than ever.