One Last Chance (A Kamisama Kiss Fanfic)

Chapter 9

During the entire ride to the Yonomori shrine, Nanami remained unusually silent. As she she on the floor of the magical cart carrying the group, she stared intently at Sakura as the gears in her mind turned.

"Ugh, how can I make her care? How can I make her care?!"

"Nanami, there is smoke pouring out of your ears." Atomu joked as he sat down beside the goddess. "What are you thinking about?"

Nanami scowled at the boy and didn't answer. Following her eyes, he realized she who was staring at and let out a sigh.

"Nanami, I'm deeply touched by your concern for my sister, but you're wasting your efforts. You're trying to accomplish a task even my father couldn't achieve."

"I don't understand. How can she just not care anymore?" the goddess said.

"Hardship does things to people. It drives them to the limits of what they can stand and then pushes them even further. For some, going numb and hiding from the pain is easier than facing it head on."

"I guess that's true, but I just can't understand how she can be happy like that."

"She never said she was happy. She just isn't in pain anymore."

For a moment, Nanami grew silent once again.

"Atomu, I want to help your sister. I want to help her prove wrong everyone who cast her aside and left her to die. I just don't know how..." she sighed.

"You giving her the opportunity to improve is enough. Now all you can do is wait and pray that she'll come to her senses and accept your invitation."

"I heard that, Atomu."  Sakura growled from where she sat at the front of the cart.

Atomu immediately flinched, causing Nanami to chuckle.

"Even though she can't fight, Sakura's still pretty intimidating huh?"

"You have no idea. Once when I was really little, she had a headache and threatened to eat me if I made one more peep. I wound up not talking for almost three months after that."

Nanami laughed loudly. "Seriously?"

"Yep, although she felt back afterwards. As a way of apologizing, she took me for a walk through the woods and showed me some natural survival skills she had learned while living on her own. Unfortunately for her, that meant I kept begging father to let me go camping so I could use what I had learned, and guess who was forced to chaperone me?"

More giggles escaped Nanami's throat. "She really cares about you, huh?"

"She does, but she doesn't like to show it. She believes showing any sign of affection towards anyone or anything means you're weak and will lead to heartache.-"

"Gee, who does that remind me of?" Nanami thought, briefly glancing at Tomoe.

"-However, those people are actually the biggest softies, so they just say that to protect themselves. In reality, they desperately want to feel safe and loved but are just too scared to open up..."

Atomu's voice broke off when he was suddenly blanketed in a large shadow. Looking up, he found Sakura looming over him, her jade eyes glaring daggers at him.

"Atomu, if you say one more thing, I will actually eat you this time." she growled menacingly.

Tomoe gave Sakura a disapproving scowl. "A familiar does not threaten the life of its master-"

"Shut up, Tomoe! I didn't ask for your input!"

Eyes narrowing, Tomoe stepped between Sakura and Atomu.