Summer memories, summer sadness

 On their way to the village, Hotaru was quietly contemplating the horizons, starring at nature while enjoying the ac. Imagining herself taking that bus that just stopped in front of them. ."Four more stations" she thought 

."Thank god the AC is on and strong enough" she said thinking back at how weak the ac was in that bus 

."Well, another reason to admit that this car was a nice investment" Gotchiro responded 

."Well, I never said it wasn't, I just thought that you could have started with a smaller or a cheaper one" she added thinking of a smaller grey white "A Toyota Corolla from the 90's, isn't something you can run with in this day and age, at least it's not that practical"

."You are right the ac wouldn't be that powerful" she added smiling. 

Those small debates and conversations that they had were so pleasant that time flew by, and before they could even finish their next debate Goshiro stopped before announcing that they were finally there. It was a half traditional half modern two-floor Japanese house, the entry was as modern as any building in Tokyo, but the back that was leading to the green side of the property was featuring sliding shoji doors that allowed soft, diffused light to filter inside. with a big garden that was almost the size of the house. Hotaru wasn't so surprised to see all this space, she was used to her uncle and aunt's house in this same village, she even planned to visit them with her boyfriend there. After leaving the luggage in the room, the couple started noticing the absence of food and water, at least there was only two bottles left. 

."Alright time for some groceries" he said before taking the keys 

."Give me a sec, I'll be out in minutes" 

."No need, if I wait for you, we will end up starving to death" he jokingly said

. "haha, real funny" she responded spoutting

."Just stay there, it is a little too hot for you to go out, I'll be back in an hour" he responded as he closed the portal 

As soon as he started the car, the young miss with her white thin summary dress decided to explore the garden thinking of all the hot days she endured when she was younger and without any complaint. 

"What do you mean a little too hot to go out?" she murmured with her frowned eybrows "When I was younger, I was able to walk on hotter floors than those" she added after stepping on the grass of the garden. 

Guided by her ego and her desire to prove him wrong, she didn't think of other consequences that might come along walking barefoot. So as she was stepping into the depth of the greenery, a high pitch sound came out of the grass, surprised and unable to recognize the source of that sound, she just went ahead and made another step that caused a higher and stronger scream that sounded strangely like the first one. Taken aback by it she fell on the ground 

."What.... What was that?" She thought to herself. 

."Watch where you are going, this isn't your father's house" the voice said again 

."Alright maybe the sun got me this morning, Maybe I should head back inside"

She said as she placed her hand on her forehead after brushing her bangs aside, quite shocked by the situation. As she was about to stand up, the voice shouted again 

."Don't ignore me human", Startled she turned back her head and ended up facing a small white snake with beautiful blue eyes. Her eyes were drawn to his

."Don't you remember me?" he asked her, too stunned to react, the snake stared at her intensely and decided to take another form, the one of a small white fennec with the same blue eyes.

 No fennec could live in the forest, the only fennec that she ever saw was a friend spirit of Gin, who asked him to transform into one of those creatures because of how cute and interested Hotaru was about them when she was young.

."It is you, the little river spirit"

."Now, now you do remember me after all" he added in a husky voice

."What in the..." she said before being abruptly interrupted by the sound of a closing door, "Gotchiro" she added as she turned back her gaze toward the house.

."What are you doing there?" Gotchiro asked from the window

. "Well, the..." she responded after turning back again, searching for the spirit

. "The..." He added as he was walking toward her

."I fell after stepping on an insect" she sighed out of embarrassment, that answer made Gotchiro slightly laugh before taking Hotaru into his arms.

."Well why don't we take a clearer look into that bite you got on your feet miss Takegawa" he added as he slightly leaned his head toward her, which made her flustered.

."We still got all the evening for ourselves, don't we?" she responded with a seductive smile, which attracted the man's lips toward hers before being distracted by the growling of her stomach.

."We shall appease that appetite of yours before starting anything don't you think?" he asked gently smiling, which made Hotaru want to hide her face within his chest.

."Let's go," he said, the scene unfolding like something straight out of a movie. The small spirit couldn't take it any longer; annoyance was blazing in his eyes.

."It seems like you never cared about him to begin with," he thought, just before a huge gust of wind swept through, causing him to lose sight of the couple.

."What in the world is that?" he asked the wind "Aren't you even sad about what we just witnessed?" he added. The wind caressed him slightly as a response.

."Happy hein.... If you were here, she could be happy with you instead of some stranger" the river spirit almost felt because of a stronger wave of air that came his way, the wave was so strong that he found himself in another place. As he was opening his eyes, he started noticing that he was taken to another place, a river with the clearest water you could find dripping , from the heights of the mountains behind the forest spirit, surrounded by huge dry Rocks that were half covered with green molds and small trees, a place that no human or any other kind of creatures would want to get near "

.Taking me back home isn't going to stop me Gin, you are aware of that aren't you" the spirit said before taking his original form "Tell me river spirit" a gentle manly voice said 

."Do you like it when someone troubles your water?" he asked, as 2 droplets felt on what was one's clear water "You water is already troubled my dear Gin" the manly silhouette of a spirit responded as he was adjusting the upper part of his blue Kimono

."Mine are fine as long as the girl's waters remains untouched" he added, "and I have no desire to ruin the peace she found with whoever she is now with."

."Gin are you aware of the little time you have before truly vanishing? Are you aware that you'll Sease to exist and that no one will ever remember you after that?" a white-headed young man with foxy blue eyes responded 

."That's why" he said "That's why I can't ruin anything for her now, it is too late" he confirmed with a dry tone

. "It can't be too late if you never planned to tell her from the start"

."Tell her what?" 

."About your feelings you morron" 

."I never quiet understood what kind of play you have had in mind about me and Hotaru, but there wasn't a scene where my soul was met with the warmth of a lover's love. Hotaru was a dear memory of mine, an old acquaintance that turned into a cherished friend I admit"

."You were in love with her" the young man shouted "And it was a shared feeling that I am sure" "That's enough" Gin replied coldly after troubling the water even more

."if you even once interact with her, I'll cut ties with you way before I leave" that treat made the spirit sigh "What if I interact with her without bringing you as a subject, would that appease your worries my friend?" he asked as he was hiding his arm within his sleeves

."That's a deal" he added before leaving with the fresh breeze of summer

."My Gin" the spirit said as he started immersing himself into the water,

."My one and only companion, I'll risk even my own existence for you to comeback" he said thinking of the first time his dear friend asked him to transform into a Feneck to amuse a little human girl he found lost in the woods.