video for always;

[friendcontracts]

That party was pretty crowded.

[Like usual, Reiko is outside--the basic surroundings looks like some kind of meadow. She's looking somewhat thoughtful. The fact that there's cut on her cheek that looks like it just stopped bleeding doesn't seem to bother her at all.]

That's not what I wanted to talk about today, though. Just half an hour ago I met this strange old woman. Her eyesight was pretty bad--she must have tripped because I heard her yelling that she couldn't find her walking stick. Of course I gave it back to her.

The weirdest part was after I helped her up...she wanted my cosmetic mirror! She said it was important that she needed a mirror. Didn't say why only that it was very important. Even after I told her that there was a shop just down the road that sold mirrors.

[She pauses for a moment before shrugging.]

Obaa-san got her mirror in the end. I didn't need it anymore.

[Reiko briefly touches her injured cheek.] She really was such a strange old woman...

Comments

[friendcontracts]

You're just as spiritually strong as me--I can tell.

[If he returned any names, then he'd have to be.]

You also seem to get along with humans more easily.

[spiritually]

I can't even tell the difference between humans and youkai if the look similar.

[ There's a brief pause. ] I just lie a lot more.

[friendcontracts]

That can be tricky for anyone.

[This post is proof of that...]

If they want to think I'm crazy I don't see any reason to try to hide it.

[spiritually]

I've lived with a lot of families. I didn't want any of them to worry about me or be inconvenienced.

[ Now it's.. a little different. He understands that sometimes relying on others can show that you accept their care and that you want to be with them, now. ]

[friendcontracts]

It's too late for someone like to start lying.

[She didn't want those people to be inconvenienced. They...deserved better than her. Really, they did.]

I guess I never saw the point in pretending they weren't there. ['They' being youkai, of course.] Even if they weren't seen they can still influence things.

[spiritually]

I learned a little late too but... I guess I got a lot of do-overs.

[ Natsume agrees with that, he just... he didn't know what else to do. He didn't want to be outcast. He didn't want to be alone and hated and he didn't want to inconvenience those people who were kind enough to put him up until they couldn't stand him anymore. ]

[friendcontracts]

Guess we really are different, huh?

[Maybe Reiko's more stubborn than him. When she had been younger and the adults said they didn't see anything Reiko felt angry towards them. They weren't only calling her a liar but were also ignoring the things around them. Back then she couldn't describe how it made her feel. Youkai are real. There is no shame in knowing this and if everyone wants to think she's crazy then so be it.]

[spiritually]

If we were the same person it'd be strange, wouldn't it? We've got similarities but.. I'm glad for both the similarities and the differences.

[ And glad that she made the Book of Friends or he never would've been able to make these friends he has now. ]

[friendcontracts]

It'd really be strange, yeah. It's weird, though, knowing someone I'm related to.

[Stealing my book, Natsume...stealing my friends...what are you doing... Okay, not really. The shrine is just up ahead.]

[spiritually]

[ Wow they're still your friends, they're just your friends by choice instead of by contract now Grandma.

It looks like they're finally there, so Natsume heads for the steps to help her sit down. ]

Are you feeling a little better?

[friendcontracts]

Yeah. I need a few more minutes, though.

[She manages to sit herself down on the ground with a sigh.] I still feel like an old woman.

[spiritually]

[ He sits down next to her. ]

Are you even older than me at all right now?

[ He was never 100% sure how old she was in his memories, just sometime around high school.. ]

[friendcontracts]

No idea.

[She looks up at the sky for a while. It's a good question. She never did ask how old he was...]

I'm seventeen.

[spiritually]

A little then. It'd be weirder if you were older than me though.

[friendcontracts]

I mean, what's a few months when you're fifty years ahead of me?