“Please, do not be angry, I just wanted to see you.”

Miyako felt that same warmth filtering through her, feeling choked with emotion; not remembering a time when anyone had waited for her return; instead, she said, “Don’t let me get used to this.”

Together, they made their way into the room as Miyako told him she would teach him how to make cucumber salad, grilled mackerel and potato stew.

“Let me take a bath and change. Then we’ll start preparing the food,” she said while taking a change of clothes with her.

“Go on, I’ll be waiting when you’re done,” he replied, watching her head for the bathroom.

“Humans sure are particular about their appearance,” saying to himself.

In the bathroom Miyako allowed the water to soothe her sore muscles wondering how long she could keep working this way.

“One of these days, I may have to return to the university to complete my education because I can’t keep on juggling jobs,” speaking aloud to herself.

Drying up then changing into the clothes she brought with her, she opened the door and headed for her room, noticing Hikari was laying on her bed.

“Are you asleep, already?”

“No, I didn’t know what to do with myself. That was why I decided to lie down.”

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“Okay, let’s make dinner.”

Standing up, he walked with her to the kitchen to start the preparation of their meal, this time it seemed to take longer than that of the morning food.

“Why is it taking so long?” he asked.

“Because, we are doing something different this time,” she replied.

After a while, the food was ready as they settled into a familiar routine of dining on the bed, then clearing up to wash the dishes.

“Time, in the human world seems to move fast; here I was waiting anxiously for your return and next, we are through with dinner.”

“One of these days, I hope you will tell me what it feels like to live in your world,” she replied.

“There is nothing to really talk about, just that it is very different from your world, do not concern yourself about it.”

Miyako decided not to respond, hoping for the day he’ll learn to open up to her, even if it meant not being able to visit where he lived in the other world.

“It is time for bed since I have an early start tomorrow.”

She headed to the bed and saw that he followed her, “What are you doing? You know I can’t share the same bed with you.”

As the memory of what happened when she woke up caused her to feel funny inside, for she didn’t want to tell him that it was herself, that she couldn’t trust to be on the same bed with him.

“You know, I will not touch nor harm you.”

“Tomorrow I’ll have to get a futon for you, one of these days we should go to some places together.”

Pushing the bed cover aside he settled down for the night, wondering why the human was acting in such a strange manner.

Giving his body as much distance from hers, he waited until she was fast asleep; knowing he could not sleep as she could, for a yokai never had need of sleep like humans did.

The next morning, Miyako quietly left for work, not knowing that Hikari knew the exact moment she woke; but pretended to still be asleep.