An Empty Shell

Chapter 5: I Have Found You

Disclaimer: Art photo edited to depict the characters

"Don't just stand there? Come in please." The old woman invited Shuichi in the temple. Shuichi didn't hesitate to follow her, although he's still trying to discern what was really going on.
"Who are you? And how did you know me?" with a serious expression on his face and heightened alert, he asked the old woman. He was referring to his other self.. a kitsune or a demon fox.
"Do you even remember me young man?" the old lady asked him back instead. She turned to him and looked with a devious smile. Shuichi soon recalled the past.
"You were that old lady back at the store." he replied with amusement.
"So why are you doing this? Where is Miss Miyazaki?" he questioned the old woman with a suspicious tone.
"Don't rush young man. All will come..Do you still have the red paper?" Once again the old lady did not directly reply to his questions instead kept surprising him of what she knew.
"You mean the red paper with a written script saying 'raito'? What is that for? Did you make that talisman?" Shuichi was growing a little impatient not being answered directly and wanted to know everything right away.
"Have a little patience my child, I only asked you if you still have that paper. I know you have a lot of questions but please don't let those cloud your judgement." The old lady pointed out to him. He was utterly dumbfounded by her words. She was right, I don't know why but I don't sense any danger at all. But whatever this is, I will not let my guard down. He told to himself.
Shuichi was escorted to an empty room, it was the receiving area for guests.
"Please make yourself comfortable. I will be right back." the old lady excused herself in a moment leaving Shuichi by himself.
There is absolutely a connection of the red paper to the old woman and Miss Miyazaki. This place doesn't seem to exist in the human world that was maybe the reason why the residents couldn't locate me where that address was. This is neither the spirit nor the demon world though. It looks like I've been pulled into a different dimension. The moment I found that piece of paper, I have this strange feeling every time and I think that's the presence of Miss Miyazaki. At the store, I think she was there because I heard her voice when she came to get that old lady. But she wasn't there when I felt it in my room. At the school, she was definitely there when I felt it for several occasions; in the classroom just before she came in; at the office when she was talking to Miss Himura; and on the roof top. But why is this happening? We just met but she acted like she already knew me. She was terrified of me. Could it be that she knew my true identity? Could it be that she can see me through my physical appearance? But when I found her on the roof top, she was completely different. The feeling was rather strange, not in the sense to tell me that there was danger. Even this place, I don't sense anything evil at all. Shuichi's having a recollection of everything, trying to connect all the dots.
"Have you come to your realization yet?" The old woman just got back bringing snacks and drinks, smiling. Shuichi was surprised with her sudden remarks.
"Here, I've got you some inari sushi and hot tea. I know this is your favorite." She was referring to the food she offered. Shuichi just blinked looking perplexed with the sudden friendliness of the old lady.
"You have to eat since you came from a long trip to get here and I know you're exhausted. I asked you to please regain your strength first, my child." She calmly directed him as she handed the tray. Shuichi obligately took the tray, he felt a little timid with the old lady's kind gestures. "Thank you." His short respond.
Shuichi took a bite and later took a sip on the cup.
"So, are you the maiden of this shrine?" Shuichi unexpectedly asked the old lady. And she just smiled.
"My name is Taisha Fushimi and yes I am the maiden of this shrine for hundreds of years. My remains stayed upon this temple's ruins. This is the Kamo Oiwa shrine and I have come to find you, Youko Kurama." The old lady bowed in front of him. Shuichi couldn't believe what he just heard. His eyes grew in astonishment knowing someone in this world already knew about him, apart from his friends and the people he knew from another world.
"How...how did you know me?" He asked with a stern voice and furrowed brows, he was shaken.
"Please don't be afraid. All will come." Fushimi stood up to lead Shuichi somewhere.
There they stood another room with a person in bed, sleeping. Shuichi's eyes widened when he realized who was lying in bed. It was Hayami Miyazaki. He quickly checked up on her thinking she's badly ill.
"She would be okay. Don't worry." Fushimi assured him.
"What happened to her? Please tell me everything." Shuichi asked the old lady with an agonized look on his face.
"Hayami is very exhausted right now. I took her here so I could protect her." Fushimi began with concern on her face.
"She's just an ordinary person but unordinary at the same time. Hayami belongs to a family of known shamans in the town where she was born. She possesses a gift and at the same time a curse. This was passed down from generation to generation, but Hayami is the most unique of them all." Fushimi looked down on Hayami and put her hand on her head. Shuichi just attentively listened to her without saying any words to let her continue.
"She has the ability to communicate to the wandering spirits and engage with them to be able to purify and guide them to where they needed to go. And the most terrifying of all, she has the ability to contain any kind of spirit using her own body. And when I say any kind, that includes even the most evil of all.. she's like an open portal to them, she's their refuge, and the worse is that, she can conceal their youki that no one even knows their presence." Fushimi's voice became deeper and coarse as fear trembled upon her.
"What does these have to do with me?" Shuichi asked without hesitation. Hearing the story from Fushimi triggered something from within.
The old woman gave him a small smile and turned to him.
"You woke her up, Youko Kurama.." she replied looking at him, connecting something to him. Shuichi just starred at her in disbelief for a moment then it suddenly stroke him.
"That was when I first met her, wasn't it? When our eyes first met that day, I saw fear and grief through them. She was trembling in horror whenever she sees me." Shuichi finally connected something.
"Hayami was like in her deep sleep. When I first found her years ago, she was covered with blood, on her way to nowhere. Not a hint of emotion could be seen in her eyes. She was all consumed in darkness. And as soon as I saw her that day, I acted as quick as I can. I knew that there was a yokai inside of her and from those looks of hers, she may have already taken many lives that time. I took her in and purified her, but in order for me to do that, I have to suppress her memories of that particular incident. I always knew that my spell will not last long, that something or someone someday will have to break it. So I made sure that before that happens, she needs to be concealed." Fushimi continued revealing Hayami's background.
"You said that I woke her up, how was that even possible? And if you said she's already awakened, how are you going to conceal her?" He's showing a little agitated, dying to satisfy his gratifications.
"I already knew that you would wake her up because you have the demon fox spirit, the same kind of yokai who possessed her that day when I found her. That is also the reason why I dropped that talisman when I found you. She sensed your youki that day that's why she came running to come find me. But when you met her, it did not take long after her portal reopened. That is why when you found her on the roof top, you saw a completely different person. " Fushimi was looking at him directly to his eyes. Shuichi was totally disturbed, the revelation about Hayami's past and his connections could hardly be believed in. Another demon fox like me? Is that even possible? He was trying to digest everything that he heard.
"Don't be frightened my child. I know you're not the same kitsune you were before. That is the reason why I entrusted that gift to you and in just a short period of time, it had already attached to you. You might have woken her up, but you might be the key to conceal her as well." Fushimi approached Shuichi and held his hands to let him know there was no need to be terrified of what's happening that moment.
"That gift you say. Is that what the talisman was for? What does it do exactly and how am I supposed to use it?" Shuichi still quiet unsure as he thinks this situation was getting more complicated.
"I am sure you still have a lot of questions in mind. But like I said, all will come.." Fushimi brought Shuichi closer to Hayami.
"Call out for her." she instructed him. Shuichi still couldn't quiet understand what she meant so he hesitated at first.
"Go on, call out for her." once again she asked.
"H-Hayami can you hear me?" Shuichi called her name almost like a whisper in her ear. He waited for response but she didn't even move a needle.
"Hayami.. it's me Shuichi. Can you hear me?" he held her hand this time. She began to flinch a little as she tried to move her fingers in his hand. She groaned a little as she slowly opened her eyes.
"I can hear you...it's you..! It's you..!" she trembled in utmost terror once again to have found who's beside him.
"It's alright, I am not going to hurt you." Shuichi tried to calm her down as soon as he saw her eyes in the verge of tears... completely terrified.
"Please, stay away from me.. stay away!" Hayami quickly got up and scurried in the corner, screaming.
"Now now child.. please calm yourself.." Fushimi came to her and wrapped her in embrace.
"Obachan.. why?...why is he here?.." Hayami was frantically crying and hid herself in Fushimi's bosoms ...trembling.
Shuichi was just watching, he couldn't even blink in disbelief for what he just witnessed. Something stung him inside.
This is the very first time ever in my human life to have seen someone in grave fear of me.
Shuichi Minamino has been living his life without failing people's attention. He was always as perfect as whatever a person could ever dreamed of. He was born in an upper class family, providing him almost anything he could asked. But despite the fact that he could live in a rather more convenient life, he chose to stay humble not letting materialistic things spoil him and preferred to  live as a regular person. He's always surrounded by people who looked up to him because of his beauty and intelligence. He has always been chased to and everyone he met wanted to be close to him. Although he never really bothered about them because they were not in his interests, he has gotten used to them eventually. But with Hayami's case, it was different. He was being pushed away and he felt disgusted to himself. Sure Hayami knew who he really was and that maybe was the only reason she hated him, but something deep in his chest felt like piercing.
"Hayami, please calm yourself dear. I am here so you shouldn't be frightened. I won't let anything or anyone hurt you and you know that right?" Fushimi took Hayami's face in her hands and looked into her eyes, giving her assurance for her safety.
"You remember everything now don't you?" and Hayami just nodded.
"My family...Obachan.. my family..." she couldn't contain herself and cried in despair. Shuichi couldn't help but wonder what she meant. Whatever could've happened to her family? Then he recalled the old woman's story from earlier. Shuichi's eyes grew, he looked down and clenched his fist. He was shaking with rage. They waited for a few moments to let Hayami calm down a little bit.
"Hayami, I know it's going to be hard, but I need you to stay strong. Can you trust me if I tell you, it will be alright?" the old lady started to explain everything to Hayami.
"Now, Shuichi here came worried for you because you haven't gone back to your school for a week now. And he obligately came all the way here to find you and hand you your notes so you can catch up with everything you missed at school. Am I right, Shuichi? Or should we call you by your real name?" Fushimi gave a smile to lighten up the atmosphere a little bit.
"My name is Youko Kurama, but I am also called by Shuichi Minamino in my human form. You may call me either of my names but I would prefer " Shuichi" so you can get used to it when we will be back to school. May I have this pleasure to meet you this time, Miss Miyazaki?" Shuichi smiled, handing his hand to her once more to get into formalities this time.
"Hayami... you can call me Hayami. It's a pleasure to meet you too, Shuichi." she took his hand with a little hesitation, then gave him a small smile.
"Now that's settled it, I'm so happy! Oh well, it's time for you two to go back to your real world. Good luck to you both!" Fushimi with a happier expression sent the two off.
"But wait Obachan!" Called Hayami to her but Fushimi put her hands together then the entire shrine disappeared.
The two were transported back to the bamboo forest park. They looked at each other in amusement of what just happened. Then suddenly Hayami realized she was too close to Shuichi and she flinched.
"Please don't get too close to me. I just can't get comfortable being with you at least for now.." Hayami requested with nervousness.
"That's okay, I understand. Now that we are out here, do you really live around here?" Shuichi asked her recollecting what happened in his search for her.
"No, not really. I live in an apartment in Kyoto City, a train stop to my part time job and the university. I couldn't afford long trips from here going to the city." Hayami explained.
"That makes sense. We should go together back to the city now then, so I can send you home." Shuichi offered.
"You don't have to. I can take care of myself." Hayami stubbornly declined.
Shuichi's brow twitched not believing she's this difficult after everything that had happened.
"Alright, can you at least give me your phone number and your right address so I can make sure you're safe when you get home?" Shuichi requested.
"I don't give my personal information to people I just met." she irritatingly replied.
Shuichi couldn't believe her. Is she really Hayami or did she get possessed again? Shuichi silently thought to himself. They just continued as they walk in the bamboo park.
"By the way, thank you for bringing these notes for me. And I am very sorry for all the troubles you have to encounter back there. I know Obachan chose you as my spirit guide. But I don't want you or anyone else to get involve." Hayami broke the silence between the two and spoke really low this time which then Shuichi felt something similar from what she just said.
I'm her Spirit guide huh? What does she know about that? Why'd she even call me that? Although Shuichi wanted to get these questions answered, he preferred to let it go for now.
They have to get to the same bus and train going back to the city but they were seated separately. They never bothered to utter a word to each other.
"Well here's my stop. Thank you! Um..Goodbye!" Hayami got off the train on the first stop. Shuichi just bowed to her and bid as he followed her with his eyes.
But before the train started to move again, he hurriedly went through the closing doors and attempted to follow her.
He decided to come after her to know where she lives to make sure she can check up on her when needed. For a moment, Hayami felt someone was following her as she entered an alley. She turned and found no one since Shuichi hid himself quickly. He lowered his youki so his presence wouldn't be felt. Then finally, she went in a 3-story building where she took the exterior exit stairs and went on the 3rd floor. Shuichi observed her to find out which door she was gonna take going to her apartment.
There, I have found you. He softly spoke to himself.