"COME BACK HERE!"

'Stay away...'

He ran as fast as how his legs could take him. He was being chased yet again. And the fact that he was in the so called 'Enchanted Forest' didn't help either. His vision became blurry, his head is now having something called a migraine. The summer heat is catching up to him, and the Oni is catching up to him. Why of all places, must their school trip be held in the rumored 'Enchanted Forest'? What has gotten into his teachers' minds? Well, pushing his thoughts aside, Kuroko ran as fast as he could. Completely ignoring the fact that the forest ground is not so smooth and that other students are also having their tour.

"STOP RIGHT THERE YOU BRAT!"

Kuroko kept on running, the Oni kept on chasing him. He needs to seek refuge and fast. Unlike humans, yokai senses are sharper and clearer and that is the reason why Kuroko couldn't just 'disappear' from their field of view, they would still sense him no matter what.

"Hey Umi did you know that-"

"Excuse me!"

"Whoa! Hey! Watch it!"

"Sorry!"

"If you're finding the exit, it's over there"

He wants to look back to know where the girl was pointing, but unfortunately he's in a hot pursuit by an oni. There it is once again. Those students would probably think that he is becoming crazy. Why must he have this gift of seeing the unseen? None of his parents has it so why? This curse that he is born with, he can't count all the misfortunes it had cause him. Good thing he knows how to use misdirection, at least by that no one would actually see him acting like a wild bull out of it's cage running away from something it cannot see.

'I'm so tired of this'

Kuroko was losing hope inside the vast forest. He couldn't find any end to it. Something, anything to help him guide his way out is what he desperately needed right now.

"KUROKO!?"

'Kagami-kun!'

Kuroko hurriedly went to the source of the voice as fast as he can, not minding the twigs, uprooted roots, low branches, logs and whatnot that could hinder him in his escape route and end up being the Oni's dinner. Kuroko jumped, leaped, ducked and evaded every possible obstacle and finally, he finally get to be at the end of all his suffering.

"GIH!"

Upon the sight of his friends, the monster chasing him backed away and went back inside the forest. His friends has that effect on those ghouls. That is why he is so grateful to all of them. Kuroko stopped his running and then that's when he noticed that his legs were so numb it starts to move like jelly.

"Where have you been Kuroko? We've been searching for you inside the forest all this time. And why were you running like you're being chased?"

Hyuuga said. He's being on captain mode but the concern for Kuroko as his friend is of course, still there. Kagami approached Kuroko and supported him with his large body frame. To which the smaller is thankful for, he couldn't think that he could walk anymore. Kuroko cannot manage to speak for he was panting harshly, his breath coming in deep, sharp inhales and exhales.

"Ah! Maybe he's seen one of those rumored Onis living inside the forest?!"

Koganei concluded. Kuroko flinched trying not to remember the hungry look the ugly purple Oni gave him. The others of course thinks that it is a ridiculous idea and there are no ghouls or lost spirits inside the forest. If Kuroko could speak right now he would out right correct them all.

"Well much for today's trip, maybe we should head back to the lodge now. We'll be exploring more of this rural place tomorrow. We need to conserve our strengths!"

Teppei said. Despite being tired and worn out himself, he managed to let out an enthusiastic tone of voice. They've been inside the forest for the whole day, meaning Kuroko was freaking out for the whole day. Of course he didn't show it in front of his friends, he doesn't want them to think that he's not feeling well. It was only late in the afternoon that Kuroko somehow managed to get separated from the group and then the chase-after-the-delicious-looking-kid started. Oh the horror. As much as possible, he wants to stay inside the lodge the whole day tomorrow but then again he would be alone, meaning he will be more vulnerable to monster attacks.

Upon entering the lodge, Kuroko detached himself from Kagami and went straight to the shared room of the first year players of the basketball club. Kuroko didn't even bother changing or even eating. He just wants his rest for a whole day spent on worrying over those yokais and running. He wants to forget yet another misfortune brought up about to him by his gift. Kuroko closed his eyes and hoped that he would actually get a goodnight's rest.

Which is not gonna happen.

Wild rustling and soft curses can be heard around their room which bothered Kuroko that made him wake up. Kuroko sat up and rubbed his eyes, there he saw in his part of the room, Kagami, rummaging through his things and he was in great panic. Kagami seemed to notice someone woke up in their group, so he turned around and found Kuroko staring at him with an irritated face. Kagami gulped, although the other is quite harmless but then again his dog wasn't.

"Sorry for waking you up Kuroko. I'll try to quite down a little."

Kagami apologized in a whisper which Kuroko barely heard but he managed to catch up to what Kagami said. Kuroko shakes his head to tell Kagami that it is okay.

"What are you even doing, Kagami-kun?"

Kuroko asked, also in a whisper. He doesn't want to disturb the others so he tried to be as silent as possible, as if his default voice is not silent enough. Kagami hummed and looked at Kuroko,

"It's the ring."

Kagami said simply and resumed on completely flipping his bag inside out just to find it.

"Ring? The one you and Himuro-kun shared?"

That made Kagami flinch and stop everything that he's been doing till then. Kagami hung his head low and sighed.

"Yeah that one. I think it fell of somewhere in that damn forest. You know how those people told us to not wear accessories? I put it in my pocket and then, when I went searching for it in my pocket a few hours ago it was gone."

Kagami said in a sad tone. Kuroko knew that there is a high chance that it'll be in the forest and if they don't hurry, silver stricken yokais would undoubtedly get it. Though that would mean, Kuroko would have to face his greatest fear that he has learnt to not be bothered with, but of course he's still scared.

Kuroko tried voicing out his suggestion but suddenly his throat felt dry, then again he wants to help his friend out for that ring is one of the most important things in his life.

"Um, Kagami-kun. What do you say if I told you that I would help you search for it in the forest? it is not far from the lodge right? No one will know that we snuck out of camp. We'll be back by sunrise"

Upon hearing his friend's suggestion, Kagami's eyes widen with excitement and happiness. Kagami went to Kuroko's side of the room and looked at him in the eyes.

"Are you sure about that Kuroko!?"

Kuroko clasped Kagami's mouth shut for he yelled out quite loudly, good thing none of the other first years actually woke up. Kurko nodded and stood up from his futon and straight to the door, Kagami, not soon after was hot on his heels.

'What has gotten to me again?'

Kuroko was now standing somewhere inside the forest, alone. Kagami oh so conveniently suggested that they should separate so that it would be easier to find the ring. That's so easy for Kagami to say.

Kuroko hugged himself. Although he was in his comfy day clothes, the cold still crept up his spine, and it isn't just the wind that is causing the cold, it is also something else Kuroko was so familiar to. Kuroko closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

'I'll be able to find it and then we'll be back in the lodge not soon after.'

Kuroko repeated in his head like a mantra of protection. Instead of just standing in one place, Kuroko decided to roam around and find the ring. The air grew thicker as the time pass, it's making him nauseous. Kuroko covered his mouth and nose with his left hand and the other was still hugging around himself, providing him even just a little warmth. Not long after that, as if luck was in his side, Kuroko found the ring ,but it seems like he was not the first to find and pick it up.

"Oh~ what a pretty silver! I must take it home!"

"Um, excuse me!"

What has gotten to him now? As far as he knows, he will do anything just so that he could not make contact with yokais. The white yokai turned its head at a 360 angle which creeped Kuroko out, but of course he saw something worse than that, he just couldn't shake off the image afterwards. The yokai at first had a frown drawn on it's face but upon the sight of Kuroko the frown abruptly turn into one creepy smile.

"My, my what do we have here? Something better than this ring of course!"

The yokai carelessly threw the ring somewhere far and at a blink of an eye, it is face to face with Kuroko. If Kuroko could be paler than when he first encountered that oni, then he was sure that he was already the color of porcelain. Kuroko gulped and took a cautious step back. The yokai noticed the retreat Kuroko is planning to which the yokai's face twisted into something of disgust.

"You look tasty you know that? So, DON'T TRY TO RUN AWAY!"

The yokai charged itself towards Kuroko. Kuroko tried to run away but he unfortunately, tripped and fell to the ground. Kuroko found out that he couldn't do anything, except to block the incoming attack. If he can.

Kuroko closed his eyes and prepared his mind and body for the attack. He heard a scream and it was not his. He didn't even felt pain. Was this how death was supposed to be? Wasn't it painful?

Kuroko open one of his eyes to peek at the scene and what he saw surprised him.

"Hmn. You know it is against our rules to attack humans, is it not? Well, at least there is now one less trouble maker"

The yokai in front of Kuroko was not the white yokai who was trying to devour him, in fact the white yokai evaporated in thin air as raging hot fire engulfed it. The new yokai looked like one of the major ones, what was that called? A Kitsune. It's tails already at a wise number of 7. It's hair as red and as fiery as the fire that engulfed the white yokai. Kuroko couldn't help but stare. He was mesmerized by the yokai that he was surprised when the yokai turned to look at him, then Kuroko felt once again the thick air around him, now it was thicker than before. The yokai's burning red eyes stared into his frightened blue ones. The red kitsune yokai seemed to be interested for it has a smirk on it's face as he completely face Kuroko who was still sprawled on the ground.

"Well aren't you a rare one? You could see us, right?"

Kuroko couldn't even answer, his mouth refused to open and his throat is as dry as the Sahara desert. The yokai calmly approached Kuroko as the flames of punishment behind him subsides. It's tail was swinging along the movements of the yokai. As soon as it was within a feet from Kuroko, it crouched down and once again stared at Kuroko with an obvious smile on it's face.

"Just what I needed."

A/N so I just had this idea recently and I finally decided to use it and do a full fledge story abt it. I hope you guys like it! Oh and it is based off of Natsume Yuujinchou~ Gosh I love that anime!~ well then guys! R&R it's already 12 midnight haha!~ have a nice day~