Chapter 7: Family and New Friends

As the morning sun rose, painting the room with a soft golden hue, my eyes fluttered open. A flutter of nerves buzzed in my chest. 'Today is my first day back at school since I passed out on the first day. I just hope everything goes smoothly,' I mused, feeling a warm embrace envelop me, sending my heart racing in a mixture of affection and anxiety.

'Could it be Eri?' I wondered, my ears twitching conspicuously from my rising embarrassment.

"Hehe, that tickles, Hina-chan," a familiar voice chuckled, a tone I definitely recognized, and it wasn't Eri's.

As I looked up, my eyes met a playful pair belonging to a beautiful woman with cascading red and auburn hair, her face adorned with a teasing smile. A rush of nostalgia flowed through me, but before being carried away, I reminded myself of a pact I made on the first day of school.

With a tender smile, I grabbed one of the hands that held me and playfully chomped down on her arm.

"That smarts, Hina-chan. Attacking your aunt first thing in the morning?" she exclaimed, her voice echoing playful reproach.

That's right, the person who had sneaked into my room and embraced me in my sleep was none other than the principal of my school, my mischievous fox of an aunt, Tachibana Aiko.

I straightened up, meeting her eyes with a determined yet playful gaze. "I always fulfill my promises, even the ones I make to myself. That was retaliation for the prank you pulled during orientation. I am sorry, though," I added, my voice softening towards the end. A heartfelt hug followed my words. Memories of our playful pranks from my childhood filled my mind, a reminder of our close bond, characterized by our natural affinity for mischief, something inherent to us fox-spirits.

Aiko's laughter filled the room as she hugged me back. "How can I even get mad at you when you phrase it so adorably? Let's call it even, shall we?"

I agreed with a firm nod, but soon, curiosity took over. "But, aunty, why were you in my bed? And where is Eri?" I asked, my face portraying a playful exasperation.

"Oh, she's talking to Sebas. I took it upon myself to wake you up. And you just looked so peaceful, I couldn't resist cuddling my adorable niece whom I missed and was worried about dearly," Aiko responded, her eyes sparkling with love and a tinge of sadness.

Feeling a wave of empathy and gratitude, I assured her, "I'm really fine now, aunty. I'm sorry for scaring you. I missed you too." A display of twitching ears and happily swaying tails accompanied my words, a non-verbal expression of the joy I felt reconnecting with Aiko.

Aiko squeezed me tightly, her face radiating pure joy. "You are just too cute. What do you say we skip school and spend the day together?"

As we lay back down on the futon, engulfed in Aiko's overpowering embrace, I couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed, my face buried in two soft air bags, I felt as though I was going to suffocate. Even though she doesn't have the tail or ears, she is still very much a fox-spirit. We naturally crave affection from the people we deeply care about, especially if we haven't seen them for a while.

"Hmm, is that really something a Principal should say, Mistress Aiko?" My savior appeared, Eri pulled Aunt Aiko off of me causing her to release her grip, letting me finally breathe again.

'Fresh air, how I missed you, my sweet.' I thought to myself as I caught my breath and began watching the exchange between Eri and Aiko.

"But Hina-chan is just too cute." Oh, Eri seemed to get angrier.

I got up and held Eri's hand, "Eri, please don't be angry. Aunty was just worried about me and needed affection. Besides, I want to see you smiling first thing in the morning."

"Hina... you're right. I'm sorry. I am sorry to you as well, Mistress Aiko, I overreacted." Eri looked apologetic, and she bowed, apologizing.

"Don't worry about it, Eri. Though that protective side is quite cool, you know." Aiko responded by giving Eri a wink and continued, "Well, look at the time, I need to head to work. Have fun at school today, and Hina-chan, come by my office if you need a break and want to play anytime."

'Are you really a principal?' I retorted internally as I watched her walk away with a laugh.

"We need to get ready as well, Hina. I will help you get dressed." Eri sighed and informed me.

"O...okay." I answered, blushing profusely. 'I am still embarrassed at the thought, but I can't keep Eri from doing her job either, and in the future, we will see each other...' I thought to myself as my brain started imagining that future.

"Hina..." Eri spoke.

"Nyaa...yesh?" I squealed as Eri's voice broke up my fantasy.

"I'm done, let's hurry and eat breakfast, and head to school, are you okay?" She replied, looking at me with worry.

"Yes, I'm fine, let's go eat." I answered, trying to hide my embarrassment while pulling Eri's hand and making a beeline for the dining room.

"Okay, if you say so Hina, but tell me immediately if you feel ill at all." Eri replied while being dragged by me.

After we ate breakfast, we made our way to school, I really wanted to walk this time, but Sebas told me no since I had just recovered. He looked really perplexed with indecision, though.

When we stepped out of the car at the school's gate, I received stares and whispers once again, not as many as last time, I could manage it better.

"Good Morning, Eri, Tachibana-sama." Sakura greeted us with a smile, with Sayuri right beside her.

"Good Morning, Sakura-san, please call me Hina, I would like for us to be friends." I replied with a gentle smile. She is one of Eri's closest friends, and I want to be her friend too. My ears twitched nervously as I waited for Sakura, who seemed to be in a daze, to respond. My nervous twitching seemed to catch Sayuri's attention, as she started getting closer to me.

"Good morning, Sayuri, I hope we can be friends as well." I nervously state with a smile, while backing away slightly behind Eri. The look in Sayuri's eyes seemed to say, 'I must mofu-mofu,' as she responded, "Good morning, Eri, Hina-chan, are you feeling better?"

"Yes, I am, thank you. Um, Sayuri, you are getting a little close." I reply, looking at Eri for help.

Eri gave a playful pout, stepping a little closer to me as if protecting me. "Hina's ears and tail are exclusively mine to play with and mofu, at for now." she declared with pride in her voice.

I felt my face turn a bright shade of red, my internal voice screaming, 'Even if it is true, you don't have to look so proud and yell it out loud like that, Eri you baka!'

Sakura seemed to snap out of her daze, giving both Eri and Sayuri a stern look. "You two, can't you see you're making Hina blush? Calm down a bit."

Eri laughed, blushing slightly from being embarrassed, "I'm sorry, Hina, I got a bit carried away..." 'Yep, embarrassed Eri is a very rare but a very cute picture, I will need to mentally save this to my Eri folder, but don't think you are just getting out of trouble just for being cute.' I thought.

I pouted looking up at Eri, "That was really embarrassing, you know."

In response to my pouting, Eri patted my head, causing me to purr. "I'm really sorry, is there something I can do to make you feel better?"

"Share some of your desserts when we eat lunch, and I will forgive you," I say with a slightly teasing smile, letting her know I forgave her already.

"I'm sorry as well, Hina-chan, I just really love cute and fluffy things, I kinda lose myself and have to hug them." Sayuri apologized with an embarrassed smile.

"It's okay, I feel the same way, I love fluffy and cute things as well." I replied with a smile feeling happy I made two new friends.

"Thank you, Sakura for helping me, and calling me by my given name." I thank Sakura, my tails swinging excitedly at the fact that I made two new friends.

"So... cu..." Sakura started to say something, but I didn't quite understand.

"So?" I asked tilting my head in puzzlement.

"No... nothing, I'm glad we became friends too, should we head to class." Sakura replied with a slightly red face.

"Sure, let's all go together," I answered, instinctively grabbing Eri's hand.

"Let's go!" Sayuri cheered, as we made our way to the classroom.