2 Chapter 2

As soon as the class was dismissed, Suzume rushed to Emiko's desk. She grinned at her eagerly causing the confused and surprised Emiko to lean away with a scowl. Suzume spoke quickly, "Some friends and I are going to Karaoke tonight. Would you like to join?"

Emiko frowned as she collected her things. She stood up and flipped her hair, "No thanks. I'm busy." Then, she proceeded to walk out of the room with her head held high.

Her friends gathered behind her with frowns on their faces. One crossed his arms, "Well, that was rude."

Another sighed, "Poor Suzume… She was just trying to be a good person and invite her."

Yuki rubbed her back, "You tried. Try not to look so sad… Eh?"

Yuki was surprised to see that Suzume was breathing heavily with a slightly flushed expression. Suzume licked her lips, "Delicious. Truly delicious."

Yuki's face paled, "S-Suzume… Are you… Alright?"

Suzume turned to her with a fluffy grin. Her previous crazed and terrifying look was gone as if it had never existed. She giggled, "I'm alright. Tomorrow is a new day after all."

The next day, Suzume asked again. "A group of us are studying together. Want to join?"

Emiko declined once more. "No. I don't study in groups."

Suzume kept trying, "Then we can do something else."

"I'm too busy."

Suzume asked again the next day… "Can I walk home with you today?"

Once again, she was rejected. "No. I'm busy."

No matter how many days passed, and how many days she was rejected, Suzume kept trying. Suzume soon discovered that Hamada Emiko was the total opposite of her. She didn't talk much during class and refused to participate in group study sessions. She was very diligent in her studies and always worked hard to get a perfect score on her tests. She was truly a beauty, but her personality was lacking. Due to this, not many attempted to speak to her. Only Suzume seemed brave enough to try.

Yuki gave Suzume a pat on the back, "Suzume… You need to stop asking. I think you are troubling her."

Suzume let out a disparaged sigh, "You think so? I can't help it. The more I see her scowl at me, the more I want to eat her up."

Yuki's face twitched, "What are you? Some kind of animal?"

Suzume shrugged, "Perhaps a demon. Who knows."

Yuki sighed, "Just stop asking. Maybe if you ask occasionally, she might agree. Being too pushy is probably scaring her away."

"Right… I will try."

Even though Suzume desperately wanted to see Emiko's characteristic scowl, she refrained. Even if it was driving her crazy, she refused to ask her to do something. Even if her consumption of red meat and peaches increased, she still wouldn't bother Emiko. The creature at Emiko's feet seemed to grow bigger and clingier these days. This worried her, however, she was trying to give the other girl her space.

Suzume went home feeling down. Her grandmother smiled at her as she held out a peach, "Hello, darling. You have had very low energy lately. Is something wrong?"

She took the peach and rubbed her face against it, "Grandmother. I want this girl to spend every day with me, but she keeps running away from me. Yuki says I'm scaring her off by coming on too strong."

Her grandmother chuckled, "Ah, I see. You are experiencing the woes of love." She patted her back, "You can take the day off. Go and relax. I bought you another basket of peaches you can eat."

She gave a toothy grin, "Thank you, Grandmother!"

Suzume gave her a peck on the cheek, grabbed the basket filled with peaches, and rushed off to her usual spot. Her grandparents owned a large shrine at the foot of Mount Fuji. Suzume's favorite spot was the small shrine deep in the forest. It was a shrine honoring the lost souls who came into the forest and never returned. It is said that if one makes a wish and leaves a gift at this shrine, then the lost souls of the forest would make their wish come true…

…That is, if you were even brave enough to wander down the ominous path to do so.

Suzume walked on the wooded path with the basket passing by the many lost souls wandering around inside. She found the shrine and placed the basket on her head as she climbed up the tree close to it. A soul floated up and landed next to her, "Suzume? Why aren't you doing your chores? Are you being lazy again?"

This was the soul of a younger woman who had hung herself to the tree after her child had died. She was one of the few spirits that talked to her and her motherly instincts were far too strong. Suzume bit into the juicy peach, "I am sad. Leave me be."

The spirit flicked her forehead, "Aw, you poor child. Is this about that girl again?"

Suzume let out a whine, "I haven't seen her scowl in almost a week! I am going crazy! Nothing seems to satiate me. Even raw meat won't quell my hunger. I want to taste her just a little…"

The spirit sighed, "Control that behavior of yours. Humans would be terrified of you if you showed it."

Suzume let out a sigh, "I know…"

The spirit opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. She frowned and looked into the distance, "Someone is coming."

Suzume closed her mouth and peered through the leaves. Her eyes lit up in excitement as she noticed a familiar girl.

Emiko walked down the path without expression. Her face still looked annoyed and irritated despite no one being around to bother her. The spirit noticed Suzume watching with a deranged look and lifted an eyebrow, "Is this the girl?"

Suzume shook her head so hard she nearly fell off the tree. Emiko approached the shrine and glanced around but didn't notice anyone. Suzume watched with intensity as Emiko clapped her hands, bowed, and gave a silent prayer. She put down a silver bracelet and let out a sigh. Then, she turned and left. Suzume and the spirit watched in curiosity. Once she was gone, Suzume threw the rest of the peaches aside and jumped down the tree. She ran to the shrine and looked at the bracelet. She began to punch the small shrine.

"Oi! Get out of there!"

A black shadow flew out of the shrine and materialized into a small rabbit child, "Oi! Stop yelling! What do you want?!"

Suzume grabbed the rabbit child by the ears and held him up, "What did she ask for?!"

The rabbit child shrieked, "AAAH! Put me down you monster!!! Stop this!"

"Not until you tell me what she asked for!!!"

Suzume shook the child some more before he cried out, "FINE! I will tell you!! Just stop pulling my ears!" Suzume grunted and dropped the child. He rubbed his ears with a pout, "Why are you always so violent?"

"Because you play too many games. Now tell me."

The rabbit child sniffed before speaking, "She made a wish."

"No duh. Now, what was the wish?"

"She said…" The rabbit's voice changed into Emiko's, "Please Mister god… If you really are real… Please make Suzume talk to me again… She hasn't spoken to me in a while…" The rabbit's voice changed back to normal, "There? Happy?!"

Suzume felt as if she was floating, "Happy is an understatement…." Suzume giggled and began to skip away. The god and the spirit watched her go with a look of concern.

The God spoke to the spirit, "That isn't good… Is it?"

The spirit shook her head, "With her it never is."