Shukudai

pt. 1

Natsume's POV:

"Takashi-kun, I've made food worth of two days. There's enough for Nyankichi kun too. There's Gratin and Katsucurry. Heat it up before eating. Theres snacks in the cabinet too. Dont hold back and eat if youre hungry", Touko san said.

"Don't worry. We'll be back tomorrow. Stay in the house. Don't go out much and don't forget to lock the doors and windows", Shiegru san said. I nod to their every command. He then looked at Nyanko sensei and said, "You too Nyangoro. Don't wander around too much amd protect Takashi."  "Nyaaa~" sensei replied to him.

"Well, we'll be leaving now. Take care" Touko san hugged me and Shigeru San ruffled my hair. Than they left for Tokyo.

Touko san and Shigeru san had to go to Tokyo to visit one of their sick relative. They said they'll be back by tomorrow evening. And I'm staying back to watch over the house, all alone. Well, I have Nyanko sensei with me...but I can never trust that fat fortune cat. Who knows when he'll be gone for a drinking party. I see my foster parents get into the taxi and leave. I let out a sigh and go back inside. Today is weekday. So I get to stay at home. Maybe I'll go out and hang out with Taki and Tanuma later.

I enter the dining room only to see Nyanko sensei scavenging at the fridge. He already ate half of the gratin and finished a bottle of sake. I feel my anger boil as I walk over to him. I grab him by the collar and pick him up. I ask him while shaking him, "What do you think you're doing, you stupid fortune cat?!" "Well can't you see? I'm helping you by finishing this tasty food Touko made. We can't just let it go to waste", Nyanko sensei said.

"That was our dinner, you stupid kitty cat", I smack him on the head and drop him on the floor.
"Why you skinny little-! I'm leaving! I hope a yokai eats you, you stupid skinny asparagus", Nyanko sensei said and walked away with a bump on his head from the beating earlier. I watch him jump out of the balcony and dissappear behind the walls. I shake my head and let out a sigh  I go to my room and get ready to go out. Now I have to go and shop dinner, all because of that stupid cats gluttony. I lock the doors and recheck it before heading out.

It's a nice sunny day. There's fluffy white cloud and a nice breeze. As I was walking to the store, I heared some rustling noise in the thickets near me. I stop and look around, I reach for the book of friends and hold it tight. Is that a yokai! Damn it! Nyanko sensei isn't with me!

I hear the rustling get louder and footsteps getting closer to me. All of a sudden two yokai pops out of the bush with hands in the air. "Natsume samaaa". I let out a scream and hit them hard on the head. "Wh- what the! Mid ranks!!"

I look at the two mid rank yokais that lay flat on the ground massaging their heads. "I thought you were some nasty yokai. What are you doing here?" I ask them.

"Ow ow ow...Natsune sama, you really need to think before hitting someone. Your fists really hurts", the one-eyed yokai said. "Hurts, hurts", the bull yokai chimed in.

"Well, we were having a drinking party and thought we would invite you. Afterall, you're always so ignorant about our yokai culture", the one-eyed said with the bull yokai nodding in the back. "I told you I'm  not old enough to drink", I tell them.

"Man, how ignorant. Well anyways, come join us", the one eyed said and picked me off the ground. "What the! Hey! Put me down! Nyanko senseiiii!!!!"

The two yokais carried me all the way to Yatsuhara while throwing me in the air and catching me. They dropped on the ground once they reached the destination.

I sit up and look around. I see the dog circle, Benio, Misuzu and other lower yokais sitting in a half circle gossiping and drinking. And Nyanko sensei too. He was drunk as hell.
"Hello there Natsume! Did you come here to join us for the drinking party?", Hinoe said as she scooted closer to me. Gah! She reeks of sake...

"Well, unwillingly yeah", I say and give the mid ranks a side eye.
"So will you drink?", Hinoe asked me trying to hand over a cup of sake.
"Nah..I'll pass. I'm not old enough yet", I reject politely.
"I wander if Natsume-dono will ever be able to drink with us", Misuzu said.
"Hahaha",

"You yokais seem to have a lot of drinking parties, so what is this party for?", I ask them and pick up Nyanko sensei and put him on my lap. He's already passed out.

"As always ignorant Natsume", Hinoe said. She took puff from her pipe and started, "Tonight there'll be half lunar eclipse. And the lakes nearby will turn into sake. So we're celebrating".
"It's not even evening yet", I say.
"Starting the party a little earlier won't hurt anyone, Natsume sama", Benio san said.
"I guess you're right", I say and look at the sky. The sun is starting to move in the west. I didn't realise it had gotten this late.
I stand up hurriedly and sensei fall down from my lap. He woke up from the impact.

"I better head home now, its getting late. Sensei, are you coming?"
"Nahh. I'll spend the night drinking. Don't eat all the food at home", he said
"I don't want to hear that from you"
I bid them farewell and started making my way to the supermarket. I bought some veggies and eggs and started heading home.

On my way home I saw a familiar figure. It was Natori san and Hiiragi.
"Natori san? Hiiragi?"
"Natsume"? They say in unison.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came here for a mission but it seems like my sparkling aura has brought you to me", he said.
"Hehehe..yeah..so, are you done with the work?" I ask him.
"Yes. It's done. I was just about to go home." He said. "Oh that reminds me, why not come over to my place. We can spend some time togather. Its been a while", he said and pulled me closer by the waist.
I blush at his behaviour, eventhough it's been months we've been dating.

"U-um...T-Touko san and Shigeru san are not home...s-so, I was wandering if you could come over to my place this time", I stammer out.
"Your place..won't they be back by evening?", he asked.
"No, they're visiting a sick relative in Tokyo. They won't be back until tomorrow night."
"Well then, it'd be nice. Let's get going. Hiiragi"
"Yes, master", she replied
"You're dismissed. You can go now", he commanded.
"Yes, sir. Take care Natsume", she bid us farewell and disappeared in thin air.

'Thank goodness he dismissed her. I was feeling so embarrassed with her watching us' I think to myself.
"What kind of work was it? If you don't mind me asking", I ask Natori san as we start walking home.

"Oh! not at all. I was here to seal some nasty yokais' who could potentially have attacked humans tonight", he said.
"Tonight?"
"Tonight's the half lunar eclipse. And the yokais become restless during this time. So I was sealing away bad ones. Of course I didn't seal each and every yokai, cuz I knew you'd be mad at me later if you found out later. So I let them off with a warning. I also did this to keep you safe, since you seem to attract yokais too much", he said and looked at me.
"Thanks. I appreciate that", I smile at him.
He returns my smile with one of his flowery dazzling smiles and take my hand in his hand. I blush at his gesture and let him hold my hand. We walk home hand in hand.

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• Shukudai : schoolwork that a student is required to do at home.

~smut in next part~