Hotarubi no Mori e - The Novel

Chapter 1

"There we go..." I gasped as I set my school bag down near the entrance to the house.

"Make sure you listen to your Uncle," I hear a voice behind me. Turning around, I saw my mother holding a hat. She had on a plain brown dress, covered mostly by an apron she wore over it. Her short, brown hair looked alright and her glasses were in fine condition. "Yeah," I replied. "Do you have your handkerchief?" She continued, "Your ticket? A nice pair of shoes?" I reappeared back from the room I had just gone into to get my other black bag, quickly setting it next to my first blue one. "Wait, don't tell me that's everything!" My mother said worriedly. "It's fine," I sighed. "I made sure I packed the black ones," Slipping on my pink colored shoes with a plain bow for decoration. Today, I would be going back to the forest, a place that was my sanctuary, a place that was just like home--or even better.

"Make sure you don't forget your luggage on the bullet train, okay?" Mother continued worriedly, "Don't zone out and miss your stop." "Yeah, I got it!" I said slightly annoyed, "Jeez, I've been going there every year, so I'll be alright!" Heading for the door, my mother held out the hat that she had prepared for me, "Hey, put on a hat, you'll get a heat stroke." I smiled brightly at her, shaking my head in a polite decline, "It's alright, I'm fine!" I placed my hand on the knob of the door and turned, opening it. Bright sunlight shone through as I picked up my bags and hurried out of the house, closing the door as I left. Mother peered back out just to see me go. "See you!" I yelled back as I ran quickly a little way from the house to the middle of the road and slowed to a stop, where I looked out into the long road ahead with houses lining the streets and greenery branching out in every corner, including the bright blue sky with puffs of white.

I quickly got to the bus stop and set my bags down, waiting for my ride.

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The first time I met him...My dark blue eyes gazed up at the bright sky above...was when I was six.

On a hot summer day, I got lost in the forest of the mountain god, which was said to be where spirits lived. After running around searching for an exit, I became so tired that I couldn't move. When I started crying from fear and loneliness, he appeared before me.

"Hey! Shorty!" I immediately stopped crying and looked up. "Huh?" I said in a soft tone. There was green brush around me with a mixture of trees scattered around. My eyes were still wet as I looked around cautiously. A teenage boy looked at me, half of his body hidden behind one of the trees. He wore a mask on his face and had white, messy hair. His attire was a red shirt and plain black pants, with an additional loose, white button-up shirt on top. "Why are you crying?" He asked, his voice friendly and calm. I gasped and immediately got up to the feet, "It's a person!" I smiled as I ran to him, "I'm saved!" Just as I was about to collide into him, the boy moved himself out of the way. In shock, I tried to stop, but fell on the grass below. Groaning, I slowly raised my head and shook off the fallen leaves and grass blades the got stuck in my short, brown hair. He stared blankly at me as I stared back blankly at him. "S-Sorry..." He said in a softer tone of voice. "You're a human child, right?" His voice returned to it's normal state. "Hmm?" I made a questioning noise. The white haired boy continued, "If a human touches me, I'll disappear." "If a human...?" I muttered, "You're not a human?" "I'm..." He paused, "Something that lives in this forest." "What?" I asked, unsure of what the man meant. Suddenly, my eyes lit up in admiration, "Then...you're one of the spirits?" My hands were clutched together as I paused, then continued in a saddened expression, "But...what do you mean by disappear?"

I blinked once or twice as we stared at each other for a long time. I outstretched my hand and tried to touch him, but the boy swiftly moved out of the way. I quickly got back up and ran at him, only to run into a tree instead. But, I never gave up...until a hard chunk of wood hit my head.

"Oww!!" I yelled as I clutched the top of my head, "Y-You're really not human after all..." I groaned again, "N-No human would hit a child like that!" Tears flowed from my eyes as I clutched my head even harder. "To disappear means to be obliterated." The boy said as he stared up into the sky. I slowly sat back up and watched him. "That's the spell that the mountain god placed upon me." I still gazed at him in amazement as he continued, "If I get touched by a human, that's the end." His voice lowered even more that before. I cast a sad look and closed my eyes tightly, "I-I'm sorry..."

"Here, shorty." I opened my eyes as a stick was offered to me, " Grab the other end." The boy lost his seriousness once again, "You're lost, aren't you? I'll lead you out of the forest." A smile appeared on my face as I sighed in relief. "Thank you!" I cam running at him once more...which resulted in another whack on the head. I rolled around on the ground as I cried again in pain once more. "Didn't I just tell you?" The boy was more flustered than ever as he put his hand on his knees to prop himself up as he took a breath. "Sorry...I just..." I moaned, slightly annoyed.

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As the boy let me out of the forest by the stick we were both holding, I looked around and saw ceremonial figures and lampposts scattered about. They seemed quite old and chipped, as if this forest had been alive since the beginning of time. I giggled as the two of us walked down a carved stone path, "It's just like going on a date!" "Not a very romantic one..." The boy sighed as we continued. My bright red shoes made light tapping sounds on the floor below. "You..." He said curiously, "Are not afraid..." I glanced up at him and smiled, "Of what?" "Nevermind."

We finally came to a large stone torii with rope wrapped around it. The were strands of paper attached to it, along with moss. "If you go straight, you'll hit the mountain path" The boy looked at me once more, "Bye" "Are you always going to be here?" I turned and asked him, staring into his white fox spirit mask, "If I come back here, can we meet again?" "This is the forest where the mountain god and spirits live. Set foot within and you'll lose your way and be lost forever." He paused, "You shouldn't come here." A breeze passed by and blew back his white hair, "That's what the villagers say, right?" I stared for a moment then smiled, "I'm Takegawa Hotaru. You?"

The boy remained silent as I stared at him once more. "Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow with a thank-you present!"

"Bye!" I dashed off, down the path.

"It's Gin." I turned around trying to look for him, but he was nowhere to be found.