Hi there :) Just wanted to say I'm very pleased that this story is going down so well with you guys, and that the weekly updates aren't too painstaking. If you have any advice or critique I'd love to hear it, so hope you continue to enjoy the story ~.^

"Hello?" I call cautiously over the gate, having found no alternative method to communicate with the residence. In my right hand I grip a shopping bag holding only one item of clothing; a black scarf. While my left arm is shaking slightly, brought on by my nervous system kicking back in and letting pain wash over my limb every now and then. It seriously sucks and I'm beginning to wish I'd just put it in a sling.

The door creaks open without any warning, and I snap my gaze to the person that appears behind it, resembling a kind faced woman with shoulder length brown hair and dark eyes. Her eyes lighten after flicking over my appearance briefly, apparently pleased by my presence.

"Oh, you must be Rikuo's new friend, Katsumi-chan right?" She asks with a closed eye smile, opening the gate wide enough for me to step in. "Please, do come in. I'm sure he'll be thrilled to have a visitor."

Confused, I walk into the front garden and then turn to her, pausing before I ask, "how's Rikuo-san...doing?"

She closes the gate and leads me to the front door, still beaming, "I'm sure he'll be up and healthy by tomorrow, the fever already seems to be going down."

Ah, so Rikuo has a fever, that'd explain why he isn't at school like I'd anticipated. But doesn't that also mean I have to pretend like the house is normal? Hmm.

"I'll show you to his room seeing as this is only your second time in the house." She offers as she begins to lead me around the veranda, toward one of the multiple screen doors.

"Excuse me for asking, but you are his mother, aren't you?" I ask awkwardly.

She stops and then turns to face me slightly flustered, "oh yes, I am sorry I should've mentioned it before. I'm Rikuo's mother, Nura Wakana."

I nod with a soft smile, liking Rikuo's mother very much. "In that case, do you think you could give this to Kubinashi-san for me? I'm not supposed to know about the yokai in the house and seeing as you're Rikuo-san's mother I'm guessing I can trust you, right?"

She looks at me in complete surprise for a moment as I hold up the shopping bag, but then attempts to hold back a girlish giggle that makes her seem years younger.

"You know," she says, "I always wondered what would happen if any of Rikuo's friend discovered our secret. But even so I never imagined it to turn out quite like this." I return her smile with a tilt of my head, and she takes the bag from my hand happily. "Rikuo's room is just up ahead on the right, I believe he's alone right now so go on in. I'll deliver this to Kubinashi-san right away."

She gives me another pleasant smile and then walks off along the veranda and in through a different screen door, closing it shut behind her.

I turn to focus my attention on the doors just up ahead to my right, which must be the ones leading to Rikuo's room. I wonder if it's just as big as the room we were in before? And does he sleep on a normal bed or a futon? I should really learn these sorts of things.

I walk quietly to the screen doors trying to make as little noise as possible, but then falter as I raise a hand to knock. How am I...supposed to knock on a paper door...?

"Whoever's out there can you get me some water?" A voice asks from inside, making me jump. How did Rikuo hear me?!

Taking this as an invitation, I slide open the door and shut it gently behind me, then turn to take in the room. It's not as big as I'd thought it to be, but has a desk and a bookshelf against one wall, and a small coffee table in the middle of the room just next to a futon laid neatly out. Resting under the covers of said futon with his eyes closed and a bag of ice on his head is Rikuo, he looks very different without his glasses on, and it suits him.

"The water's behind me." He continues to say, not opening his eyes to even see who the visitor is. I'm guessing he thinks I'm one of the yokai servants? And how a human like himself is even served by yokai I have no idea, the same goes for his mother.

Slipping off my daps by the door I pad over to the round tray on the floor, just beside his head for easy access, and kneel down before proceeding to pour some water from its jug and into the glass provided. While I'm not usually one for tricks or messing around, I'm curious to see just how long it will take him to realize it's me.

I shuffle around on my knees to the side of his futon, "here's your water," I say softly, and he sits up slowly in bed. The ice pack slides from his forehead as he finally opens his eyes sleepily, taking the glass in both hands and gulping it down.

I remain sat in a kneeling position with my legs tucked under me as I watch him, and from over the rim of his glass he spares me a glance.

Immediately he chokes, and rips the glass from his lips as he continues to have a coughing fit while trying to ask me when and how I even got here.

"R-Rikuo, calm down. You're gonna drown yourself." I sweat drop, taking the glass from him before he drops and smashes it.

"But, *cough* what are you doing here?! *cough* I thought you'd be at school."

"I'm taking sick leave," I shrug, setting the glass on the coffee table beside me, "and I'm sure Kana-san wouldn't forgive me if I went to school in my present state anyway. So I decided to come keep you company, if that's alright?"

Rikuo absorbs this information, tilting his head slightly as he gazes at me with large chocolate brown eyes. Wow, he really does look like a different person without his glasses on.

"Your present state? Did those yokai who captured you hurt you?!" His eyes grow wide and serious, and he leans forward in bed.

"It was just a bite mark. And I'm guessing Yura-san told you what happened?"

He doesn't answer my question, and instead lets his eyes travel across my body looking for wounds, finally landing on the cotton bandages poking out from under my left sleeve.

His expression immediately darkens as he gazes at the bandages, and I brush my arm uneasily, concerned with the way his attitude has suddenly changed. "Does it hurt?"

I shake my head, "not if I don't move it much."

"I'm sorry." He suddenly sinks his face into his palms, surprising me.

"There's nothing to be sorry for Rikuo, really. You weren't there, so it's not like you could've done anything about it." I comfort him, touched by how bad he feels considering this has nothing to do with him. "It'll heal in no time."

We both look up as a door on the other side of the room slides open, and a young man wearing a purple kimono and what I remember my mum taught me is a haori draped over his shoulders, steps in. His expression gives the impression that he is irked about something.

"Rikuo, I forgot to-" He stops when he notices me, watching him with curious powder blue eyes. The pale skin across his face slowly heats up to reveal a very obvious blush as his dark red eyes widen. "Ah, I didn't realise you had a guest, I'll come back later." He quickly turns to leave.

"Ah! Zen, wait!" Rikuo suddenly bursts out, making me and Zen start with surprise and turn to look at Rikuo curiously. "You make medicines, so do you think you could heal Katsumi-san's arm?!"

I gape at him, "Rikuo, er, san. Really there's no need." I try to protest, taken aback. This Zen person doesn't even know me, and I have no idea what his relationship with Rikuo is that would make him even want to help me.

"You want me to help one of your friends?" Zen asks, raising an eyebrow and glancing at me.

"Yes! Think of it is an order."

Zen's attitude immediately changes as he looks at Rikuo in disbelief, and then sighs. I look between the two of them in bewilderment. Just what on earth is their relationship?!

"Very well Rikuo, I will do what I can." He says without even an argument, and moves across the floor bare foot around to the side of the futon I'm on, sitting down cross legged next to me and crossing his arms. "Show me the wound so I know what treatment it needs," he says with a carefully straight face, nodding at me.

I stare at him a second still in shock, and he looks away with another blush creeping across his cheeks under my gaze. This is enough to get my brain on track, and I carefully shrug off my grey cardigan to the floor before rolling up the portion of my blue shirt sleeve that semi covers the bandages.

Rikuo remains sat up in bed and watching intently as the scene unfolds, his eyes unwavering as Zen reaches his hands out to hold my arm.

"I'm going to take the bandages off," he informs me before unravelling the bandages in a swift movement, one hand holding my arm up while the other removes the cotton material. I can tell by the way he moves that he must be used to wrapping bandages as his hands are nimble, and it's kinda incredible to watch as well. This guy seems worthy of some respect, he must help people all the time.

The bandages fall away and he grimaces, with Rikuo taking a sharp intake of breath. I look down at the wound awkwardly, it looks like a baby crocodile has tried to have a munch on my flesh with its jagged teeth.

"The puncture wounds don't look too deep," Zen states more to himself as he raises my arm to get a better view of it, "and nothing major has been hit. A simple paste should seal the flesh closed." He lowers my arm back down, done with his inspection.

"See Rikuo, I said it was nothing serious." I beam at the brunette as he sighs, and then turn to Zen who's currently re-bandaging my arm, "thank you for taking a look at it Zen-sama, I hope I haven't caused any trouble."

Zen looks up from his work to see me smiling, and immediately turns a beetroot red. He drops my arm and shoots up from his seat, almost running out of the room, "come back tomorrow." He says with a hand over his mouth, and slams the screen door shut behind him. Me and Rikuo both remain silent as we stare at the door in shocked confusion, and then turn to look at each other with the same questioning look.

"Is he usually like that?"

Rikuo shakes his head, turning to look back at the door, "no, I've never seen Zen so flustered before..."

I give a glance down at my arm, and realise that the bandages have been wrapped carefully back around my wound, with the ends tied into a cute little bow. Heh, Rikuo sure has some interesting friends.

"I'm going out to get some fresh air, you should probably lie back down again." I tell him as I straighten up and unfurl my legs, pushing myself up to my feet.

"I guess..." he slides back down under the covers reluctantly, and I pick up the ice pack that had previously been discarded and prop it back on his forehead.

"Be back in a minute." I tell him with a closed eye smile, and slip my daps back on at the door before stepping out onto the veranda.

The sun is high in the sky and makes me grateful that I left my cardigan in Rikuo's room, as I'd probably be overheating by now. Casting my blue gaze across the grass running around the outside of the house, I spot with delight a huge weeping cherry blossom tree, draping its branches over the surface of a large glassy pond.

I don't even need to think twice about it before I step down off the wooden walkway and almost jog over to the pond, encircled by decorative smooth grey stones. I kneel down next to it and trail my fingertips across the cold surface, loving the feel of its caress against my skin.

I love water so much, I love how weightless it makes me feel and how it can both give and take away life. My mum even used to joke that I was a water baby, which is a character from an old cartoon movie I binge watched as a child.

A huge smile creeps across my face as I splash about a little bit, being careful not to get the bandages wet on my other arm. Oh right, I still need to roll down my sleeve. I move my hand away from the waters surface to pull down my sleeve, and in that split second of distraction I catch a glint of two large eyes staring at me from beneath the water, like a cat watching a mouse.