7:30 !! I knew I was already late for the bus I quickly sprint all my way to the bus stop and luckily I made it . My name is Hotaru ,I am 18 years old and "my life is pretty normal" I wish I could say that.......

It all started 14 years back , when I met him .....in summer when I went to visit grandpa I still remember  it was a hot day and I was lost in the forest . I was so exhausted and tired that I started crying its still kinda embarrassing to even remember .Thats when I heard someone reach out to me I was so happy to be found ,all my strength came back to me and I started running towards the person whoever called me.

but i was not even able to touch that person I still kept running behind him in search of a warm hug but he kept doging me and shouted "stay away human!!" I very easily ignored his words and jumped at him.....and got hit bad at head by a stick and started crying again, he then told me that he wasn't human and that I was not safe with him. I shouted back "who does even hit a kid , you really aren't a human after all!!" . He then explained that he was a spirit . Although he was a spirit i was never afraid of him......he was actually pretty kind and shy . "shorty I told you  stay away" he said "if you touch me I will disappear " 

After that both of us made a deal to not touch him in return of guiding me back home it was getting dark already and I knew that if I don't get to home before dusk I will surely get a scolding by grandpa."what are you doing shorty in this forest? don't you know its forbidden for humans to enter this place?"he asked , I told him "well its not like I wanted to get lost in this forest....I don't know this place and I don't think that this place is dangerous.....spirits don't exist"

"ha! sure say that when you get eaten by one" a laugh broke down between us I very happily told him "then at least I will be able to see the insides of a spirit and anyways I am very strong I wont lose to a spirit......"

My words seemed to amaze him he then replied to me that I was the first person not to get scared by spirits....even though I never in my whole life met another spirits at that age......I quickly ran off after thanking him for guiding me back .When I went home it was almost dark after that I did get a scolding from grandpa.At night while we were about to sleep I asked grandpa about the spirit forest...he did get mad for asking him such things and told me never to go that place ever again because that is where the monsters and spirits live.  

(THE NEXT  DAY) 

I quickly packed my stuff and went to the spirit forest. I noticed him sitting over there at the entry of the forest.I picked out the scarf and gave it to him. He seemed clueless about the scarf ,I then told him that it was for him.....He seemed so happy and told me that this was the first time he recieved a gift from a human. In return I also wanted something from him...."whats you're name? I asked

"Gin" ,"gin my name is hotaru" it is good to meet you....."hmm it's a little hot here lets go"he replies.Both of us entered the spirit forest "gin are there more spirits in the spirit forest?" I asked "huh!? spirit forest..? who told you its called spirit forest? this forest is actually called the forest of fireflies and yes there are many spirits living among in it but dont get scared i wont let them hurt you shorty" I told him that I can protect myself . we did saw many creatures along the way but they were not as the villages described them they were very kind and funny.

Time passed and I regularly started visiting Gin....he was my first friend and i was his we laughed ,we played ,we talked and had lots of fun but my summer vication ended and I had to go back home....I told gin"Hey I am going back home to Tokyo tomorrow" gin used to wear a mask but i could still see his emotions he was extremely sad to hear about it but I did assure him that I will come back soon the next summer and the next summer and the next one .

Never in my life the winters seemed so long i was very excited to see gin again and spend time with him. Gin felt the same way , the spirits can't feel anything but i was really worried about the harsh winters and the scarf i gave was too thin . Time passed and I was able to meet gin after a long time .There he was standing at the entry of the forest gate like the first time i went to visit him , gin asked a lot about me and i asked about him . He even asked about my school friends....it wasn't hard at all to tell him that no one wanted to be friends with me.

Gin tried to cheer me up by saying "hey you grew taller! that means I cant call you shorty anymore" we both laughed.I only needed gin in my life he knew how I felt 1 best friend in equal to tons of friends right. Well i was getting taller day by day due to the human growths but Gin didn't seem to change even a bit "Gin do you not age? i asked "nope i do age but not as fast as you . Spirits age slower than humans" he said.