I AM NOT DEAD!

I place my hands to my cheeks, immediately feeling the heat rush to them. Is this a crush? I have a crush on Rikuo?

I spare a glance up at him, his back turned to me as he surveys the backstreet we've stopped at. In the distance the blare of city lights and noise peeks out from around the houses, signalling the start of Ukiyoe's nightlife.

With his attention momentarily not on me, I dare a cheeky look at his face, just to confirm my emotions.

His eyebrows are scrunched cutely together, his hazel eyes hard and focused on something I can't see. I imagine those eyes without the gleam of his glasses, and my heart flips. Oh my god, Rikuo really is attractive. Have I just been blind all this time? I've been so caught up with adjusting to this new life and sorting out my feelings concerning the cherry-eyed yokai that I've basically side-lined Rikuo to the friend zone. Maybe I should-

A hand grabs my upper arm and yanks me back, making my eyes fly wide. I almost yell before realizing it was Rikuo pulling me behind the curve of his back.

"Rikuo-" I bite my tongue, feeling a chill travel up my spine. A very familiar chill. No way, not here.

"Well look what we have here," a croaky voice coos from the end of the street. From around the corner a long reptilian body slinks into view. It's huge, with the face of a human, and long white tusks sticking up from its top and bottom lip. I clutch onto Rikuo's school shirt, feeling his muscles tense beneath me.

"We've caught the little master all alone," another voice cackles right by my ear.

I flinch, stumbling into Rikuo and knocking us both forward as I attempt to get away from the other yokai that had crept up behind us.

This yokai is more humanoid, yet wears the demonic mask over an oni over its features.

Rikuo grits his teeth, pulling me with him against the brick wall of the street as both yokai advance with malicious grins. Both exits are blocked. We're trapped. They're here for Rikuo.

"Umi-san," I turn to Rikuo, his features serious in the light of the street lamps as he darts his eyes between both yokai, "when I say, I want you to run."

"What?!" I can't help but raise my voice, fear swelling in my chest. "You are not-"

"Umi." I snap my mouth shut as he turns his eyes on me, their gleam sending an odd feeling of intimidation through me. He's never said my name like that before. 

Reluctantly, I nod, squeezing my hands into fists.

Content with my cooperation, Rikuo turns back to the oni-wearing yokai, the closer of the two.

"Who sent you?" He demands, inching further into the centre of the street, leaving me still pressed against the wall. "Was it him?"

Both yokai follow him, moving away from me and acting as if I'm completely invisible. Following Rikuo's wishes, I begin to inch along the wall, towards one end of the street. I need to go get help; how long will it take me to run to the Nura household? Am I even doing the right thing by leaving Rikuo alone here? It should be me protecting him, not the other way around.

I move a little closer to the end of the street, and catch Rikuo's eye from behind the oni. He nods, and I swallow thickly.

I should start running.

But...

Casting one last look behind me, my eyes grow in horror, my chest clenching painfully tight.

A shadow is slinking its way across the pavement with long, slender movements. A third yokai?!

No. I can't. Sorry Rikuo but I just can't leave. I just hope that you can accept me for what I truly am.

The world around me blurs as I dash forward, my body tingling and crackling with power as I embrace my other side. White markings etch their way across the left side of my body, as my clothes fall away, turning to mist to be replaced with a silken-red kimono. It's like seeing through new eyes, the world suddenly much clearer.

My skeletal arm makes contact with the swipe of the shadow creature, directly where Rikuo's head had just been.

I grunt, using all my power to push back the yokai. From my position I can't see Rikuo, or the other two yokai for that matter. But for some reason there's an odd scent of sakura coming from his direction. Did someone from his household come to the rescue?

"Rikuo?" I ask, taking a step back.

My back bumps into his, at least I think it's his. Was he always this tall?

Confused, I cast a glance up to him, and come face-to-face with a cherry-eyed yokai.

My look of utter disbelief must match his, as we both stare at each other with mouths agape and eyes wider than saucers.

"Rikuo?"

"Umi?"

"But you're- but-" I flounder for words, vaguely aware that he has a sword raised and lodged through the middle of both yokai that had simultaneously pounced.

"And you're-" he swipes his blade down, not even sparing them a glance as the two yokai disintegrate with shrieks.

I also reach out and plunge my skeletal fingers into the shadows middle, producing much the same ending.

With the threat gone, we turn to each other, looking the other up and down. Of course I've seen him before, just not like...this. His sharp eyes are puzzled as they glaze over me, his eyebrows knitting together. He still grips his katana in a hand tightly, and my phalanges clutch at my skirt.

Rikuo is a yokai? Rikuo is this yokai? Oh my god, I've been crushing on him all along without even realizing!

I put my face in my hands, releasing a muffled yell right in front of him.

This was apparently not the reaction he'd been expecting, as he takes an uneasy step back. "Umi, are you okay? I mean- you are Umi, right? Katsumi?"

"That's me..." I reply feebly through my palms, wishing I could be swallowed up by the ground right now.

All this time. All this time we've been together, and it turns out I've been befriending the one yokai I wanted to meet the most without even realizing it.

Wait...

"Wait a minute!" I practically jump up, jabbing a bony digit into his chest with such suddenness he actually stumbles back. "You're a yokai! Why do you parade around as a human? Wait-" a look of horror washes over my features, "do you- do you like picking up school girls for fun? How old are you really Rikuo?! Why do you-"

He clamps a hand over my mouth, an irk mark appearing on his forehead as I struggle to move his hand away. Instead he sheathes his blade and just wraps his other arm around my back to pull me tightly into his chest.

Immediately I go rigid. I can... Feel his heartbeat. What is he doing?!

"I feel like I should be allowed a few words as well you know," he states calmly, though I can hear the tiredness in his voice. "You're a yokai too? You hid it well."

I don't respond, simply listen to his words. A pit of guilt begins to form in my stomach. He's right, I hid it too. Are we just as guilty as each other? Should I apologize? I'm so confused.

"Hey, you still there?"

"Yeah..." I mutter into his clothes, growing more uncomfortable by the second. "Sorry, I guess."

"Young Master!"

Me and Rikuo both look over, and my heart flips. Despite myself and the current situation, I still smile, "Kubinahi-san!"

Both males stare at me.

Oh...

Um...

Well shit.