Hotarubi no Mori e Afterstory (ONCE AGAIN)

Kyou wa ....

"Iitekimasu!" I shouted as I went out to go to the forest of the mountain god.

I am just going to the place where Gin always wait for me because I cannot enter the forest anymore. I don't want to be lost again inside the forest especially now that Gin is not there to guide me outside anymore.

As I walk on the mountain side, smiles are pasted on my face. Just remembering how I usually run my way to the forest wanting to see Gin as soon as possible and how I am planning on how can we can spend our days, it makes me miss him so much.

"How are you going to react when I say that just a few more months and I'll be living here now?" I mumbled to myself as I imagine Gin sitting there on the forest entrance and taking a nap as he waits for me.

That familiar stature leaning his back to the statue not wearing his mask.

That nostalgic red shirt inside that cute white polo.

Wearing pants and sandals which do not really match much but it looks cute when he's wearing it.

I walk towards him and tried to touch his face. This is just a dream right? I can touch him now, right? It's just my imagination that Gin's still here, right?

As I reach out my hand to touch him, his eyes opened. His brown eyes and reddish hair......

Wait!???!!!

Brown eyes????

Reddish hair?????

It's not Gin!

When I'm about to turn back, he grabbed my hand.

"Who are you?" He asked as he stare directly in my eyes.

"G-gomenasai!" And I pulled my hand taking him up and ran away hurriedly.

"Wait! Wait for me! I don't know the way back!" He shouted as he followed and runs after me.

"Why are you running?! He shouts as he still run behind me.

"Because you're chasing me!"

"Then stop running! I won't chase you if you stop!"

I am grasping for air now, it's hard running nonstop so I decided to slow down then stop. Then he stopped beside me as he also breathe hard like me.

"I .... just ... want .... to ........ haaaa! Ask you where the exit is." He said as he breathe for more air and looks up placing both his hands on his waist.

I just pointed out the house I can see from where we are. We're already at the mountain side near the village. He gaze at where I am pointing and his eyes widened and a smile came out.

"Yes! Finally! Thank you very much! I am waiting there since this morning because I don't know where's the way out of the forest. It's a blessing that you came before it became dark. Thank you very much ...." he paused waiting for me to tell him my name.

"My name is Hotaru. And you?"

"It's Kyouichi. I just moved here the other day. I am just too captivated by the forest so I tried to go there, but I lost my way back and decided to take a nap first before looking for the way out again."

"Haven't you heard that this is the mountain god's forest? If you go here, you'll be lost forever. So the elders warns to that never to go here."

"Then why are you here?" That question struck me speechless.

"I know my way here. I'm always here every summer." He just stare at me then started to walk.

We started to walk back to the village. Silently, I walked behind him. He's walking with his hands inside his pocket just like him. Even the way he walks is like him.