Fateful Encounter

A puff of icy breath, the soft crunch of snow beneath each step, and the scrunching sound every time the trekking poles were moved forward to break the mountain's silence.

Takahashi Daichi, a twenty-three-year-old journalist working for a lifestyle magazine for travel, continued to hike at Mt. Marumaya, Sapporo, Hokkaido, in the middle of winter.

Daichi had short black hair and green eyes, with a black mole on the left side of his collarbone.

He was not a professional hiker but a casual hiker because hiking was one of his hobbies.

All his winter gear was complete, and he wore sturdy waterproof hiking boots with crampons, a windproof jacket, a waterproof GORE-TEX shell, a fleece, merino wool socks, a beanie, gloves, a neck warmer, and trekking poles.

Behind his back, he had a hiking backpack filled with essentials such as a headlamp, bear bell, first-aid kit, sunscreen, high-energy snacks, a portable battery, a foldable umbrella, and a Hydro Flask.

He even had a tent and a campfire kit just in case because of a bad feeling he had back at his apartment in the city before he went out for a hike. Of course, he checked his zodiac sign to see if he had bad luck, and he realized that his luck for today was 'good luck.'

However, Daichi found his horoscope suspicious since his sixth sense never failed him as it helped him throughout his life.

As he continued to hike, he stopped, looking around his environment. The scenery was beautiful with a snow-covered landscape and densely leafless trees.

It was a peaceful and relaxing morning hike that he truly enjoyed, and he was happy that he took his paid leave to hike alone in this beautiful place.

Daichi continued to trek on the way until he heard a powerful wind outside of the mountain trail. Curious, he followed the source of the sound until he found a suspicious dark and red fissure in the air.

“Crap! "Daichi cursed as the wind suddenly grew stronger, pulling him toward that suspicious crack.

Instead of panicking, he used his head.

Daichi stabbed his two trekking poles in the snowy ground for support on each of his sides.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it! Someone, help me! "Daichi cried out for help in desperation. Unfortunately, there was no one around, and he had no choice but to accept his fate, but Daichi fought as best as he could to stay on the ground. He would rather fight until the bitter end, but all his efforts were futile.

The fissure ultimately pulled him in until he lost consciousness.

---

Daichi felt the left side of his cheek was cold due to the snow, and he was lying still on his stomach with his hiking backpack pressing on his back, feeling the added weight, so he slowly removed his bag as he sat cross-legged in the snow properly.

Fortunately, he was still wearing his winter gear, and nothing was missing. He felt over-prepared, but at the very least, he was not freezing to death.

In his peripheral vision, he saw someone moving quickly, and then he looked at who it was.

Daichi saw an odd child, around nine years old. She wore a white kimono, white socks, zori made with woven rice straw and a black thong strap, and a white scarf.

The most fascinating thing he saw was the child’s unique appearance. She had long white plumage hair with gradients of black and brown on the tips of her hair. Her eyes were black with long white eyelashes and brows, and she had light yellow rouge on her eyelids.

The young girl looked at him seriously, and she was hiding behind the leafless tree while peeking at him, either in shyness, cautiousness, or maybe both. Inside her eyes, there was both curiosity and concern over him.

“Human, you should not linger around here," she replied a bit softly, warning him.

“Why is that? "Daichi asked curiously, smiling kindly at her with a relaxed posture, and he wanted her to see that he wouldn’t harm her.

The young girl tilted her head, and she sensed that this human was harmless as she slowly and cautiously approached him.

Daichi assumed that this girl was a yokai. He might not know what type of yokai she was, but he sensed that she was safe.

“It is because… You don’t belong in this realm," the young girl replied softly, and she was finally in front of him.

Daichi was still sitting calmly on the snowy ground, not making a single move while he watched the young girl curiously.

“Realm? Can you tell me exactly where I am? "Daichi asked the young girl. The young girl sat beside Daichi, scooting closer to share his warmth, and Daichi let her, making her feel comfortable so that she wouldn’t feel awkward.

“Uhm… I don’t know… I forgot," she replied softly and shyly, avoiding his gaze.

“If I ask my mama, maybe she knows.” She glanced at him with a gentle smile.

“I could also help guide you home. That’s one of our duties as Shima Enaga Spirit," she said with determination, and both of her fists clenched in front of her passionately.

Daichi smiled at her because of how adorable she was, and he felt touched that she wanted to help a stranger like him.

“You mean the white cotton fluff bird with black, beady eyes? "Daichi described the bird to her playfully.

“Un! ” The young girl nodded in confirmation, and Daichi smiled at her warmly.

“My name is Takahashi Daichi. What’s your name? "Daichi introduced himself and asked her name simultaneously.

The young girl gasped loudly, and she quickly stood up, pressing her small hands against his mouth.

“Mphh! "Daichi groaned out in surprise, and his voice was muffled.

She glared at him with disapproval and a pout.

“You shouldn’t give your full name freely! That’s dangerous, and I don’t want to use your real name to be enslaved.” Her black eyes turned teary, and Daichi tried to talk to her, but his voice was inaudible because of her hands blocking his mouth.

Seeing that Daichi can’t speak well, she removed her hands.

“I’m sorry! "She bowed to him apologetically, with a blush on her cheeks in embarrassment.

Daichi chuckled in amusement. He gently patted the top of her head in assurance, surprised by her soft, plumage-white hair.

“That’s okay. If I remember correctly, that only applies to yokai, not humans," he replied in comfort.

“If it makes you feel comfortable, you can call me Daichi-nii," he amended.

"And…" he paused.

Feeling Daichi’s warm hand on top of her head, she peeked at him with a shy smile and a blush on her cheeks. She can’t help but lean on his warm touch.

“Seeing that you are kind and want to help me out, I trust you to keep my full name a secret," Daichi replied seriously, and his expression quickly changed, smiling kindly at her while removing his hand on top of her head.

She nodded at him eagerly, agreeing to keep his full name a secret, and she felt the responsibility of keeping his promise and trust.

“Umm… Daichi-nii-san? "She tested his name in hesitation, and Daichi nodded in approval while smiling at her in encouragement.

The young girl smiled brightly at his encouragement, and Daichi felt his heart was being pierced by an arrow after seeing her innocent and bright smile.

“Then, you can call me Yuki,” Yuki introduced herself.

“Yuki-chan. Will you allow me to call you that? "Daichi asked for her permission, and Yuki nodded at him in approval.

“Ah, we should go now, Daichi-nii-san," Yuki said urgently, checking the sky to read the time, and she held his hand, pulling him up.

“To go where? ” he asked her curiously, and he stood up properly with her help.

He dusted the snow off his clothes.

Daichi picked up his hiking backpack and wore it behind his back, and he found his trekking poles, so he picked up the items too.

“To my village. It’s a three-day walk from here, I think,” she replied hesitantly.

“And it will turn dark soon, so we need to keep on moving, and we will have to sleep in the trees if it gets dark.” Yuki made a plan for them, furrowing her brows while she looked at him seriously.

“That’s a good idea, Yuki-chan.” He praised her for good thinking.

Yuki’s face lightened up after hearing Daichi’s encouragement, nodding at him in acknowledgement.

“Okay! Let’s go! I’ll guide your way,” Yuki said enthusiastically as she held Daichi's hand and led him, while Daichi followed her without complaint.

---

As they walked further into the winter woodlands, the sky was starting to get dark, so Daichi and Yuki decided to camp near the frozen lake.

Daichi pitched a tent, made a campfire, and made a stew that came from canned foods for their dinner.

Daichi felt satisfied about his early preparations before going out on his hike.

Even though the hiking and campfire gear was heavy, it was worth bringing it over with him.

Meanwhile, Yuki felt happy providing branches for the campfire, and she even found some wild berries for them to eat as a snack.

After all, Yuki wanted to help Daichi-nii-san.

Yuki felt fascinated by Daichi's hiking and campfire gear, so she asked various questions about what kind of items they were and what they were used for, and Daichi was patient enough to answer most of her questions, so Yuki felt satisfied after hearing his answers.

The two of them were eating their stew peacefully, and they were sitting beside each other.

“Daichi-nii-san, human things are so cool. I wish I could bring some to the village, especially those 'seasonings.' I bet my mom would love that," she replied enviously.

Yuki's head was resting against the side of Daichi’s shoulder as she watched the embers dancing in the campfire.

Daichi chuckled lightly in amusement.

“How about if you guide me back to the human world safely, I’ll give some of my stuff to you as a reward. How about that? ” He glanced at her with a smile, and he was telling the truth.

Yuki’s head perked up, looking at Daichi with sparkles.

“Really? ” she asked him in confirmation and in enthusiasm.

“Un! "Daichi nodded in agreement, and then he gasped in surprise when Yuki abruptly embraced her in excitement.

“Thank you so much, Daichi-nii-san! I won’t fail you to guide you back home; that’s a promise," Yuki replied cheerfully and swore her promise to him in seriousness.

Daichi wrapped his arms around the small frame of the young girl, and he felt touched at her kindness and her generosity.

'Is this having a niece feels like? ’ Daichi thought in amusement.

Since he was an orphan, he didn’t have a family, and he was surviving by himself. He may have two friends in his life, but he still felt lonely at the same time. Maybe if he got a family on his own, would he find happiness?

Suddenly, there was a snapping of branches nearby.

Yuki and Daichi quickly looked where the source of the sound came from until he saw a tall man (187.96 cm) near the tree covered in snow.

The tall man has long, black plumage hair and dark brown eyes with red rouge over his eyelids and under his eyes.

He wore a simple navy blue traditional Japanese kimono, matching with a haori, hakama, and geta.

Behind his back, he had black wings; a katana sheathed with his scabbard attached on his left hip; and a demeanor with elegance and confidence.

Daichi and Yuki knew that this stranger was no ordinary yokai.

“My apologies. I got lost in the woods, and I saw smoke in the air and light. May I have your permission to share your shelter with me? "The young man looked at them apologetically, and he was polite at the same time.

As the ember’s shadow illuminated the mysterious stranger’s features, Daichi noticed that the stranger was handsome with high-cheek bones and fair skin, and Daichi got captivated by the stranger’s otherworldly beauty as he grew speechless.

Fortunately, Yuki spoke on Daichi’s behalf.

“You don’t look like you're from these woods, Onii-san.” Yuki observed him cautiously, and she was talking about the birds or the winter creatures of the woodlands.

“I’m not. I’m from the urban areas, but I decided to fly around Hokkaido until I landed here.” The stranger answered truthfully to the young bird spirit.

“Oh, okay. You can join in.” Yuki smiled at the stranger warmly. Since she sensed no danger toward the black bird, she decided to let him in.

Daichi stopped zoning out, and he looked at Yuki and the stranger in confusion after hearing the part of Yuki inviting the stranger in without his input.

“A human. How rare it is to see you here.” The young man sat on the left side of Daichi in fascination, and Yuki was sitting on Daichi’s right side.

“His name is Daichi-nii-san! I’m Yuki, by the way. What’s your name, Onii-san? "Yuki asked the young man curiously.

The young man glanced at Yuki with a friendly yet polite smile.

“My name is Yanagi. Pleasure to meet you, Yuki-san and Daichi-san.” Yanagi introduced himself formally.

Yuki and Daichi nodded at Yanagi in acknowledgement.

“The pleasure is all mine," Daichi replied, and then Yuki stood up. The two young men looked at Yuki in curiosity.

She dusted off the snow on her white kimono, and he faced them.

“Let me bring an extra bowl. We have stew for dinner. Don’t move, Yanagi-san and Daichi-nii-san.” She looked at them seriously, and the two young adult men nodded at her with an encouraging smile.

Seeing their agreement, Yuki-chan scurried off to prepare Yanagi’s food.

Daichi glanced at Yanagi curiously, and his inner journalism blood was raring to go as he was curious about this world that was different from his own.

Since Yuki couldn't provide his answer, Daichi felt that Yanagi could answer his questions because he assumed that Yanagi looked like he was from a highly educated and rich background family based on the way he behaved and spoke.

“I know that humans are rare in this realm. Yuki-chan told me that this is a different world. Do you know where exactly I am? "Daichi asked curiously, gathering information through Yanagi.

Yanagi looked at him calmly, not minding Daichi's question.

“Ah, yes. You are in the spirit world," Yanagi answered Daichi’s question.

“You see, the spirit world and the human world are different. Let's say they are mirrors of one another," Yanagi continued.

“Centuries ago, humans and yokai lived together in harmony until war broke out because of conspiracies, and none won at all, but many died as one of the casualties,” Yanagi began to summarize their history.

“Not only that, there were various signs of the evil god descending as the war continues, such as the evil miasma, the unexplainable behavior of yokai and humans not being themselves, and other disasters, so the humans and yokai decided to stop their war and joined forces to purify the nation until they succeeded," Yanagi continued.

“In the end, the gods' solution was to separate the yokai race from the humans after the war because of the different ideologies so that they wouldn't continue to fight. Hence, we are completely hidden from the public in the human world as one of our pacts, but we, as a yokai, could go in disguise and blend in with your society," Yanagi finished his explanation.

Daichi wanted to ask further about what kind of conspiracies the war broke out and what the evil god was all about, but Yuki returned with a bowl of steaming stew as she gave it to Yanagi, interrupting their conversation obliviously.

“Thank you," Yanagi replied gratefully to Yuki with a small smile.

Yuki smiled at Yanagi shyly.

“You’re welcome! ” she replied softly.

The three of them began to eat their dinner in peace, chatting about random topics until the three of them got to know one another; surprisingly, their personalities complemented each other in harmony.

While Daichi and Yuki were chatting together amicably, Yanagi glanced at Daichi subtly with a tender expression.

When it was getting late, the three of them decided to sleep.

Yuki transformed into her shima-enaga form. Surprisingly, Yanagi transformed into his crow form, and the three of them shared their sleeping arrangement inside the tent after putting the fire out.

Yanagi slept near the only entrance of the tent to stand guard while Yuki was nestling on top of Daichi’s head.

Meanwhile, Daichi was sleeping in his sleeping bag until the three of them were sleeping comfortably.

Yanagi woke up first as he transformed into his human form, going outside to do his kata and meditation early in the morning.

The next one to wake up was Daichi as he was careful not to wake Yuki.

Daichi knelt down while he folded the sleeping bag properly and put it on the corner.

After that, Daichi began to stretch his body to release his stiff muscles for a few minutes until he was done, and he dressed himself up with his wintery gear as he went out.

The fresh, cold air was crisp, and the sunshine lit fairly. It was a perfect day to hike or go outside.

Daichi saw Yanagi was meditating nearby with his legs crossed while the crow closed his eyes.

The journalist decided not to disturb him as he went to the nearby lake to freshen himself up by washing his face with cold water. After that, he went back to the camp as he prepared their breakfast.

Their breakfast consisted of the wild berries such as blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries that Yuki found yesterday, a packed onigiri, plum for Yuki, salmon for Yanagi, tuna flavor for Daichi, a beef jerky, coffee for the two males and a hot chocolate for Yuki.

Yanagi approached Daichi to help him wash the emptied dirty pot after he was done meditating.

“If you may, may I join you with your companion in your journey?” Yanagi asked his permission politely, picking up the dirty pot near the extinguished camp fire.

“Why do you want to join us?” Daichi asked him curiously as he pulled the food out of his hiking backpack.

“I’m worried about you and Yuki-san.” Answered Yanagi calmly, and he was genuine.

Daichi paused in his action, glancing at Yanagi behind him, and Yanagi noticed him looking at him, so he looked back.

“There are unknown dangers in the woods. Lately, I felt the fluctuation of the realm.” Yanagi informed him as a warning.

“Dangers? What kind of dangers?” Daichi asked in curiosity, and Yanagi’s expression turned serious.

“There is no evidence…but,” Yanagi paused, contemplating.

“It is based on my perspective, and I believe there is a sign of the resurrection of the evil god.” Yanagi revealed it to Daichi.

Daichi furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and disbelief, and he opened his mouth to speak, wanting to ask Yanagi about the evil deity further until he got interrupted when Yuki went out of the tent.

“Good morning.” Yuki covered her mouth with her hand, yawning groggily while she looked at them.

Daichi smiled softly at Yuki as a greeting while Yanagi nodded at Yuki in acknowledgement.

“Good morning.” Greeted Yanagi and Daichi in unison.

“We will be having breakfast soon.” Daichi informed Yuki, and Yuki nodded at him in acknowledgement.

So, Yanagi and Daichi’s conversation earlier was over, but Yanagi’s warning and information was not forgotten inside of Daichi’s mind.

Yanagi and Daichi quickly finish their respective chores until they begin to eat their breakfast out in the open.

“Ah, Yuki-chan. Yanagi-san will join us in our journey. I hope you won't mind.” Daichi informed Yuki, and Yuki glanced at the two of them, smiling shyly.

“Okay. I’m glad Yanagi-san will join us.” She replied softly and sincerely.

“I hope we get along together as well, Yuki-chan and Daichi-san.” Yanagi said politely, and he felt relieved that he would be joining along with them in their journey.

“May I ask where your destination is?” asked Yanagi in curiosity.

“We will be going to my village to ask for my parent's help. They might know the exact Daichi-nii-san’s realm.” She answered him, and she took a bite of her onigiri, humming in contentment of how delicious it was.

“Ah, I’m curious about something Yuki-chan. Why were you nearby with me out of the open field yesterday? Why are you alone?” Daichi asked her in curiosity and in concern, and he was worried why a child was alone after that fissure sucked him in.

Yuki blushed in embarrassment, avoiding their gaze shyly while she nibbled her onigiri. After she swallowed her food, she licked her lips nervously.

“I was lost yesterday until I felt the heavy air nearby. When I followed it, I saw the cracked black and red thingie in the air, spitting an unconscious Daichi-nii-san out.” Explained Yuki, and then she took the last bite of her onigiri, but she snacked on the berries next.

Since Yuki was lost, there was another question inside of Daichi, full of curiosity.

“Since Yuki-chan was lost yesterday, how do you know the exact location of your village?”

Yuki paused in her eating, still avoiding their gaze as she pouted with a blush on her cheeks, and she felt guilty for being a failure as Daichi’s guide, but Yanagi saved her by answering on her behalf.

“I know where her village is, but it is an estimation since the Shima Enaga village is elusive and covered with illusion. Only her kind would know the exact entrance and the exit of her village.”

Yuki nodded at Yanagi in agreement, and she looked at Daichi seriously.

“Un! Yanagi-san is correct. My kind could sense where our village is if we are nearby.” In a sense, Yuki felt not a failure as a guide anymore, and she felt happy that she could still help, but she wouldn’t mind that Yanagi and her sharing being a guide for Daichi.

Daichi nodded at them in understanding.

“Okay. We should finish our breakfast first. After that, we will continue our hiking.” Daichi replied. Yuki and Yanagi nodded in agreement.

It was a satisfying breakfast, and Yuki even felt happy drinking the hot chocolate for the first time. Meanwhile, with Yanagi, he seemed to have tasted coffee before in the human world.

After eating their breakfast, the two yokai helped Daichi to pack his things until it was securely done.

The three of them continued their hike until they stopped to take a short break for their lunch.

Yanagi and Daichi were sitting beside each other on the log while they watched Yuki, with her Shima Enaga form, hopping branches to branches to find a tree sap to snack on.

Yanagi and Daichi were eating their beef jerky peacefully until Daichi broke it by questioning him.

“Yanagi-san. Why did you fly to a far away place here? Who exactly are you?” Daichi asked him curiously.

Yanagi glanced at him with a mysterious and kind smile.

“When the time comes, I promise to answer you genuinely.” Yanagi answered him sincerely, and Daichi furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

Yanagi finished his beef jerky as he stood up, dusting the snow off of his clothes.

“Let’s go. It will get dark soon.” Yanagi replied calmly.

Daichi sighed deeply in defeat, and he decided not to ask further questions with Yanagi. He didn’t mind waiting for Yanagi's answer someday.

Daichi finished eating his lunch, and he called out to Yuki to prepare herself so that they could continue their journey.

Yuki heard him, and she flew and perched on top of Daichi’s shoulder.

“Piyo piyo!” Chirped Yuki, puffing up her fluffy feathers, and Daichi smiled softly.

‘How adorable!’ cooed Daichi inside of his mind.

“That means that Yuki-san wanted to stay in her Shima Enaga form longer since her spiritual energy was still depleted.” Yanagi translated for Daichi, and Daichi glanced at him and nodded.

After that they got all of Daichi's things until night fell.

Yanagi helped Daichi to pitch the tent while Yuki leaned closer to Daichi’s neck to warm herself up, and Daichi didn’t mind Yuki getting closer to him.

After the two males fixed their tent, Yanagi glanced at Daichi.

“I’ll scout the area.” Yanagi informed Daichi, and Daichi nodded at him.

“Be careful, okay?” Daichi smiled at him softly, and the crow nodded with a small smile.

Then, Yanagi was off, going to a certain tree a good distance away from Daichi and Yuki, out of sight and in solitude.

Yanagi leaned on the tree trunk, crossing his arms over his chest while he closed his eyes calmly.

“You know, you should tell him the truth for who you truly are, Yanagi-sama~” A mysterious feminine voice replied playfully.

“Tsukiko-san, I don’t know what you are talking about.” replied Yanagi placidly, feigning his obliviousness, and then there was a poofed sound until there were two legs hanging on top of the branch.

Tsukiko had darker grey-brown with contrasting whitish markings with a bun hairstyle, and she had black eyes with light orange rouge over her eyelids.

She wore a simple black and white kimono and geta, and she looked like in mid-twenties.

Tsukiko kicked playfully and repeatedly, not afraid that the branch might snap because of her weight, but she was light like a feather.

Her black eyes glanced at the human, but she was looking at Yuki specifically in fondness.

“Fine, fine. I won’t reveal who you are.” Tsukiko replied in disappointment.

Yanagi chuckled lightly, and he opened his eyes, glancing at Daichi fondly.

“It seems that you are interested in someone.” Yanagi said in amusement.

“Nah. I’m just worried about the little bird. Her parents seemed to be looking for her worriedly, so I decided to look for her until I found her here safely.” Tsukiko replied casually, not minding her rude manners.

“Are her parents nearby?” Yanagi asked her curiously.

“Yup! You’ll see them in the afternoon tomorrow.” Tsukiko informed him.

“Since my mission is complete, I have to go. Oh! before I go, could you tell Yuki-chan for me that Tsukiko-nee-san will eat her next time we see each other?” She glanced down at Yanagi with a teasing smile.

Yanagi glanced up at her with a small smile, nodding at him.

After seeing his nod, Tsukiko transformed into an Ural Owl, and then she flew up in the dark sky silently while Yanagi watched her go.

After that, Yanagi went back to the camp as the three of them ate their dinner together, and they fell asleep inside the tent. 

---

When morning came, the three of them ate their breakfast peacefully until they hit the road, continuing their journey.

Yuki was still in her shima enaga form as she perched on Daichi’s shoulder again to conserve her spiritual energy.

Since she was a young spirit, she couldn't hold on longer whenever she transformed into her human form, but Yanagi and Daichi were patient and understood her circumstances.

As they went ahead, Yanagi sensed something bad, and he quickly withdrew his sword cautiously.

With Yuki, she jumped out of Daichi’s shoulder and transformed into her human form.

“Mom! ” cried out Yuki as she sprinted quickly ahead.

“Yuki-chan/Yuki-san!” Daichi and Yanagi called her out as they followed after her.

As they ran further, they saw the small manifestation of the evil miasma. It was a small black mist, attacking Yuki's mother. Yuki's mother was busy dodging the attack by side-stepping. Unfortunately, her shoulder was already injured, dripping with red blood.

Yuki's mother had long white plumage hair with a white clip on the left side of her bangs, and she wore a white kimono and geta. She looked like an older version of Yuki, but there was a little difference in appearance, such as a mole or beauty mark under her right eye.

Yanagi quickly moved his body instinctively to slash his sword in the air, sending a wave of divine energy toward the enemy before Yuki went to her mother.

The small black mist shrieked in pain until it dissipated.

Seeing the miasma disappear slowly, Yanagi sheathed his katana.

"It is not over yet unless we cleanse the area," informed Yanagi.

"How do we cleanse the area?" asked Daichi curiously, and he glanced at Yuki, seeing her hovering over her injured mother worriedly while Yuki's mother assured her that she was fine.

"You will be the one who purifies the land," Yanagi replied seriously.

Surprised, Daichi quickly glanced at Yanagi in confusion, waiting for Yanagi's explanation.

"While I don't have the power to cleanse the land, only a Shinto priest, a human, could do it. How fascinating that you have that kind of power, Daichi-san, because I sensed the little divine energy around you," Yanagi said in interest, awe, and respect.

Daichi was confused at first until he was struck by realization. He remembered that his ancestors were Shinto priests in the Edo period, and maybe that was why he had a sixth sense.

"Seeing your expression, I assume that I'm correct." Yanagi smiled at him gently, and Daichi nodded at him in agreement.

The two males quickly noticed in their peripheral vision that Yuki was holding her mother's hand while they began to approach them.

"I'll let you borrow my divine energy, Daichi-san. Since you have the blood of the Shinto priest, you have the power to heal their wounds. Her injury is tainted with an evil energy. It may be small, but it will get worse as time passes by," informed Yanagi.

"How can I help her?" Daichi asked Yanagi curiously, and Daichi was eager to help whatever he could while he glanced at Yanagi.

Yanagi smiled in relief after seeing the determination of Daichi's green eyes.

"It is simple. The quickest way to borrow my divine energy is through close contact. If I may?" Yanagi offered his hand toward Daichi.

"A simple holding of hands would do the trick," Yanagi explained calmly.

Daichi's green eyes widened open in surprise, and then he avoided Yanagi's gaze, but Yanagi saw the tips of Daichi's ears were red, and Yanagi knew that Daichi was embarrassed, but he didn't comment.

Even though Daichi hesitated a bit, he took Yanagi's offered hand in the end, and Yanagi passed enough of his divine energy toward Daichi to heal Yuki's mother and to cleanse the area where the evil miasma was defeated.

After passing his energy to Daichi, Yanagi let Daichi's hand go, and Yanagi felt a little disappointed because he wanted to hold Daichi’s hand a little longer.

When Yuki and her mother were in front of Daichi, Daichi stepped forward, and he used his instinct to heal Yuki’s mother by hovering his hand on her injured shoulder.

Daichi’s hand glowed yellow softly, and the older woman’s injury quickly healed.

“Wow! Thank you, Daichi-nii-san! You healed my mother.” She smiled at Daichi gratefully, and Daichi smiled back while he nodded.

“You’re welcome," replied Daichi.

“Thank you for saving me." Yuki’s mother glanced at Daichi's back, where Yanagi was, and she had a grateful smile while she bowed at him respectfully.

Yuki's mother stood straight while she looked at Daichi next.

“And thank you for healing and finding one of my beloved children, Daichi-san.” Yuki’s mother bowed at Daichi gratefully.

After bowing to him, she stood up gracefully, pressing her free hand between her breasts.

“My name is Fuyumi. I am Yuki-chan’s mother, and I heard most of Yuki’s story on how she met the two of you and how you needed my guidance to find the doorway to the human world.” Fuyumi went straight to the point politely.

“Ah, yes. I accidentally went into the spirit world, and Yanagi mostly explained everything," replied Daichi awkwardly, scratching his cold cheek.

Fuyumi chucked lightly, smiling softly at him.

“I will gladly lead the way, and how fortunate you are since the gate is nearby! Did you know the gate randomly popped out of somewhere? A few yokai could sense where it is, but Shima Enaga’s senses are sharp when it comes to finding those gates," Fuyumi informed him.

“Ah, before we go, we should cleanse the land first," Yanagi reminded them calmly.

Fuyumi, Yuki, and Daichi glanced at Yanagi after the crow spoke.

“How do I purify the place? ” Daichi asked curiously.

“There are four options." Yanagi showed his four fingers at them to make a point.

“The first is through ceremonial dancing, the second is prayer, the third one is placing a talisman embedded with divine energy, and the last one is the drop of blood with the influence of divine energy," Yanagi explained.

Daichi sighed deeply, and he knew what to do, so he bit his thumb and shed a bit of his blood on the ground where the contamination was.

When Daichi’s blood landed on the ground, his red blood glowed yellow softly until the four of them felt the evil energy completely disappear alongside his blood.

Yanagi nodded in satisfaction.

“Let’s go quickly. We will not know when the gate’s location will change," said Yanagi.

Fuyumi, Yuki, and Daichi nodded in agreement, so the four of them went ahead while Fuyumi led the way toward the gate.

Yuki felt happy that she found her mother, so she held her mother’s hand while the two males were behind them.

“...You know, I’m glad that I met you, Yanagi-san. Even though it is a short while, I feel secure that you are with us," Daichi replied softly and sincerely.

“We are finally here. You can go ahead, Daichi-san. Touch the white glow hovering in the air; it's safe," assured Fuyumi, glancing back.

“Un! I’m going to miss you, Daichi-nii-san. Thank you for everything, and I hope to see you again.” Yuki glanced behind her back, smiling at Daichi sweetly, and Daichi smiled back while nodding.

Before Daichi walked toward the gate, Daichi gave the seasonings, his pot, and some other items from his hiking backpack to Yuki after he knelt down to talk to her easily.

“As promised, this is your reward, Yuki-chan.” Daichi smiled at Yuki. Yuki couldn't contain her excitement as she hugged him.

“Thank you, Daichi-nii-san!” Yuki replied gratefully until she let him go.

Daichi chuckled lightly.

“Be a good girl towards your parents and siblings, okay? ” Daichi told her seriously, and Yuki nodded eagerly with an "Un! ”

Daichi stood up as he stepped toward the glowing light, and he didn’t wait for Yanagi’s reply.

Before Daichi touched the white mysterious glow, Yanagi walked forward while he forced Daichi to turn around to face him.

Daichi felt soft lips against his while his green eyes were wide open in surprise, and then Daichi stepped back instinctively until his back touched the soft light.

Yanagi pulled back, smiling in affection at him.

“See you soon," Yanagi mouthed silently, and Daichi saw the three yokai figures disappear in front of his eyes until Daichi vanished in the spirit world.