One Last Chance (A Kamisama Kiss Fanfic)

Chapter 3

"I can't thank you enough for doing this, Nanami-chan. Perhaps there is some way I can repay you?" Atomu babbled as he, Nanami, and Sakura strode calmly through the cool night air.

"D-Don't worry about it; it's nothing. Mikage would have done the same." Nanami stuttered sheepishly in reply, blushing bright red.

Atomu flashed her a dazzling smile. "So, how did you, a mortal, meet old Mikage and become the goddess of his shrine?"

"Atomu, don't be rude!" Sakura snapped at her brother, flicking him on the side of the head.

"No, it's fine. I guess I'm pretty unique, aren't I?" Nanami giggled. "Well, it was actually quite a while ago that I inherited the Mikage shrine. That day, my father had skipped town and I was evicted from our home because of his debts-"

"Your father left you?!" Atomu's eyes widened, a mixture of shock and horror swimming inside his steely irises. "I'm sorry! I didn't know! Here I am lamenting about my dad when yours left you. How inconsiderate of me. Please forgive me, fair Lady Nanami!"

"There's no need to apologize. I'm not mad at you for having a good relationship with your father; I'm glad you did." Nanami smiled.

"What about your mother? What happened to her?"

Nanami's eyes sparkled sadly. "She died when I was young."

"Oh." Atomu grew quiet. "My mom died when I was little too. She was a mortal."

"A mortal?" Nanami tilted her head in confusion and glanced at Sakura. "If she was a mortal, then how are you-"

"I'm adopted."

"Oh."

"According to dad, my mom used to spoil her rotten and that's why she hasn't surpassed Hiroto yet." Atomu winked cheekily at Nanami.

Sakura's cheeks flushed hotly. "Hiroto has walked this earth for far longer than I. My inability to surpass him has nothing to do with my treatment by your mother." she snapped.

Nanami chuckled at the siblings, but deep down, she knew how grave this fact truly was. If Hiroto himself came for Atomu, Sakura would be unable to protect him, and both of them would probably die.

"Then I'll have Tomoe protect them." she thought to herself. "While Sakura may be unable to hold off Hiroto on her own, I'm sure she'll be able to defend herself and her brother with help from Tomoe and Mizuki. Speaking of those two, the shrine is close enough that I should be able to hear them bickering, but it's completely silent. Where are they?"

As the group headed up the stairs to the shrine, a great eeriness gripped the air around them, and they felt as if they were being watched.

"Nanami! Look out!" Mizuki's voice suddenly cried out.

Before she could react, Nanami heard a grunt escape Sakura's throat and watched her go tumbling down the stairs. Suddenly, the goddess felt herself being scooped up by a pair of strong arms and run to the top of the steps, where Mizuki stood waiting, eyes narrowed at the strangers.

"Tomoe, Mizuki, what are you doing?!"

"We're protecting you. That girl is a yokai in disguise. Stay here and let me handle this." Tomoe barked before setting her down and charging down the steps.

"Let us handle this! I'm protecting Nanami too!" Mizuki corrected him, chasing after the fox familiar.

"I won't let you hurt Sakura!" Atomu exclaimed, stepping in front of his sister.

"Atomu, no!" Sakura shrieked.

Holding out his hands, Atomu summoned forth a barricade of several large stalagmites from the ground, pointing them at Tomoe. However, the fox yokai easily leaped over the wall and sailed straight towards Atomu, claws extended. Moving swiftly, Sakura shoved her brother out of the way, and Tomoe tore the leaf clip from her hair. Immediately, a large, fluffy, red tail curled out of Sakura's backside, and two lumps appeared atop her head underneath her hoodie. Mizuki raced up behind her, grabbing her hood and tearing it clean off, and stopped, eyes widening. Then he began laughing so hard that tears leaked down his face.