The Book of Grandchildren ( Natsume Yuujinchou X Nurarihyon no Mago)

Bystander

Just when the young guy want to ring the doorbell on the main gate with Nura family plate name nailed on it, suddenly a silhouette of black robe and straw hat stand before him as the gate opened one-sidedly.

" Excuse me..."
Natsume murmured still not recognizing the form. But slowly he got the identity of the man. It's the man that can be said-- closest to Natsume after Nura and Zen.

" Natsume-dono, you have come. "
Said the man calmly, smiling at the awaited guest.

" Kurotabo, it's nice to see you again. "
Replied Natsume, smiling back at him.

Then Kurotabo immediately stepped aside as in inviting Natsume to enter. Actually Natsume didn't have to wait for Kurotabo to show him the direction if it's only had to go to the main hall or into Rikuo's room. Natsume had come to the place several times and memorized every turn and room around him - though of course there seemed to be many places and rooms he had not seen yet. But he would wait for Kurotabo until he was finished by closing the gates and walk by Kurotabo's side.

" How's your feeling, Natsume-dono? You came from afar while carrying that luggage and at summer to add up. Though it's true that summer will end soon, but are you alright? You're not getting sun heat? "

Somehow after Kurotabo and everyone knew about Natsume being weaker physically than their master--which obvious enough since he has 1/4 of youkai's blood in him--they began to uncosciounsly think about Natsume's health whenever he visits the Nura main house.

" I'm perfectly fine, Kurotabo. You don't have to be worry so much. "
Natsume wheezes a little bit.

Kurotabo's flustered to what he should respond.
" Eh?! N-no, I mean! It's just that... After Rikuo-sama and Zen-dono told us about the accident which hurt your knee... Somehow all of us felt so sad about it and we just want to give our best hospitality when you came here again. "

Truthfully, Kurotabo shows a complicated hurtful expression as he keep cursing himself internally to what kind of embarrassment did he just said. He didn't want to hurt his master's friend and respectful guest to see him in this state. Thus he just lowered his hat a little until Natsume can't catch a glimpse of his expression.

But to Kurotabo's surprise,  Natsume instead bend down a little so he can see Natsume's face. A calming and grateful face.

" Thank you, Kurotabo. I'll look forward to it. "
He smiled and started leaving Kurotabo alone with Nyanko-sensei who's tailing behind them when Natsume heard his name called by Rikuo.

" Natsume-san! "
Rikuo called out from the garden as he's showering the kappa in the pond.

" Good morning, Rikuo-kun. "
He jogged towards him.

Now what's left behind before the main door are only the subordinate Kurotabo, with Natsume's self-procalimed body guard, Nyanko-sensei.

Kurotabo still in shock as his lips parted making a small gap. In the other hand, Nyanko-sensei seems to know what was just going on and he doesn't need to put so much effort to know what Natsume's thinking about their conversation before.

Nyanko-sensei stares at the tall man with budhist-monk black robe with his usual provoking eyes. But there's always more than the eys to meet.

" That foolish Natsume, always act like that. Keep approaching what's bad for him, open his heart to them too much, and one day he will get badly hurt. Hmph, as if this has never happened before."
Nyanko-sensei sneered. Always commenting Natsume's bad habit. 

" Were you not by his side at that time, Madara-sama? "
Still looking at his master and Natsume's direction, Kurotabo asked.

"... I was. And I warned him many times too. But aren't all human are just like that? Unthinkable, so bothersome. "

" What's...bad for him? "
Kurotabo still staying the same, repeating what Naynko-sensei said before.

While Nyaanko-sensei looking back at him. But this time not just to his figure alone, but to his face also.

"... I see, you lot have forgotten one of the most important rule between youkai and human. To think that the youkai in here being so careless about it after Nurarihyon and Rihan able to married a human woman. "
Perhaps it sounds as if Nyanko-sensei mocking the Nura family which triggered Kurotabo to flinched at his words.

" I would appreciate it if you not bring Youhime-sama and Rihan-sama's wifes [1] to this matter. It's completely irrelevant. "
Finally Kurotabo moved his gaze to Nyanko-sensei. But it's not a kind gaze like what he did to Natsume before.

" Irrelevant? Fool, just what do you think Natsume is? He's completly a human too, like them. Want me to snap your head back to reality, young one? "

Kurotabo fully faced Nyanko-sensei who's standing in front of the door steps away from him. His eyes only, already emitting provocation to those around him, but Nyanko-sensei just have to put more annoyance to his words toward others.

" Lots of youkai are bad for human, in fact, almost all of them are. Even without you wanting to do so, the fate is just there, act as the boundary and to open your eyes. "
And with that said, Nyanko-sensei just casually turn around and opened the front door with his leg.

Before he came inside, Kurotabo, once again, stopping his step for one more question.

" Well then, just what's your point out of all this, Madara-sama? "

Nyanko-sensei didn't turn back his head to him, but if only he did, he will see the grim inside Kurotabo's eyes.

" My point is... I'm not that kid's babysitter, I'm here just because what we've promised. So when he died, I'll be done with his life and matter. "

With that all being said and done, Nyanko-sensei gone for good.

And now, it's only Kurotabo alone in front of the front door. Suddenly feeling so heavy to take a step forward. He grit his teeth on whatever reason he has, he feels agony in his heart and nothing comes to light.

" You're also a coward aren't you... Madara-sama? We both are. Too afraid on getting close to them, aren't we? Human... sure are bothersome, but... Are we better than them? "

Kurotabo snickered before he entered the house, carrying his next task.

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[1] Rihan Nura, the son of Nurarihyon and Youhime, as well as Rikuo's father, had two wife. The first wife was long long ago in Edo Era, and her name was Yamabuki Otome. She left/died earlier than Rihan without any child. Many many years later, Rihan married with Kana, and she gave birth to Rikuo.