Natsume's Book of Friends (夏目友人帳)

- -

A meteor shower?

Dontcha think it'd be fun?

I heard they'll be massive!

And something that big 'n' beautiful

is surely worth seeing!

It's on Saturday?

We're all gonna have to practice

getting our wishes out quick.

What do you mean?

Meteor showers are made up of shooting stars.

So wish fast and furiously.

May I find the soul mate of my dreams!

May I find the soul mate of my dreams!

May I find the soul mate of my dreams!

You are something else.

Is marriage that much of a concern for you?

You know what?

An outing like this would be a whole lot better

with more friends in tow, right?

Can I invite Tanuma?

Or maybe Taki?

-Go for it. -Wow, really?

Yes! This Saturday is gonna rock!

You like making wishes, huh?

Wishes can come true anytime.

Stargazing used to be something I only did by myself.

-Later days! -Hope not too much later!

Because ever since I was little,

I've been able to see weird things.

Things people refer to as yokai,

or supernatural entities from Japanese folklore.

Huh.

- Lord Natsume! -

Huh.

You're the Lord Natsume, are you not?

Who's asking?

My friend's leg got trapped under a colossal rock,

and we're incapable of freeing him,

but you with your mighty spiritual power

-could save him, I just know it! -Stop!

Please, find it within your vast human heart

to lend us your aid!

My sixth sense doesn't bother me

nearly as much as it used to,

but it still gets me mixed up in one thing after another.

Just a bit more. Almost there!

Thank you for lending us your strength!

-And, um...since you're here... -What?

Think of another favor?

If you truly are Lord Natsume,

then you must have the Book of Friends, yes?

Hm.

Will you...please return my name?

Ahh. I see.

Gimme a sec.

Spirit that acts as my guardian,

reveal thy name unto me.

Aah!

And now we're doubly grateful for you!

-You're too kind! -It's fine.

-One last thing. -Huh?

Run away as fast as you can!

Hey! Wait!

That book you used

-seems authentic enough to me. -Huh.

So you're the notorious Natsume.

And you are?

This is the Book of Friend's keeper?

Looks rather delicate.

All the better.

We'll best him in seconds.

Give us the book!

It's of yokai nature, not yours!

- -Stop!

- Surrender! -Just let me go!

- -Pam para pam!

Huh?

Master Kittycat!

Can't even walk home from school

without knocking on trouble's door.

Quit monkeying around and do away with them!

Nice timing.

Excellent, in fact.

Maybe for you.

I was enjoying a good buzz and now it's completely gone.

Why are you drinking when it's still light out?

Huh, bodyguard?

Anyway, just who were those fools?

They assault you because of the book?

They did.

What's strange is all seven of 'em struck at once.

The Book of Friends was left to me by my grandma,

Reiko Natsume.

She would defeat yokai

in battles of strength and wits,

then force them to write their names down

as a show of loyalty,

and whoever owns those names,

can command the corresponding yokai.

I'm back!

Welcome home. You must be cold.

Now that I own the book,

lots of yokai seek me out.

Some want their names back while others want the power

to control the beings listed within.

But those masked yokai that jumped me this afternoon

had an abnormally sinister aura about them.

-It felt terrible. -

Okay, so the two weaker yokai clearly lured you out.

And something tells me they were threatened

-by those masked oafs. - Yeah.

- Hmm? - I want to free

as many yokai as possible.

Which is why I can't let the Book of Friends

fall into the wrong hands.

Nishimura said you were coming to watch

the meteor shower, too?

I said I might.

It's gonna be a first for me.

I've never seen a meteor shower in real life before.

I'm in the same boat, but our ship is about to sail.

As much as I'd like to go...

Huh?

...I don't know if I can,

so if I have to duck out at the last minute,

will you two help think of a cover story for me?

Uh-oh, trouble with yokai?

Uh... Hm.

It's minor but I'd rather play it safe.

Natsume! Hurry up

or class will start without you!

Oh, um, 'kay!

Bye.

He's still pretty secretive,

but at least he's relying on us a little more.

Guess he is.

Do you think he'll ever break down all those walls?

I know he built 'em for a good reason,

because I once asked him a similar question.

Thought it was about trust

since he won't tell the Fujiwaras a thing.

You mean it's not?

What's the reason, then?

He hides it from them so they won't worry.

That's it?

In all honesty, I thought it was silly, too.

But then, I started having nightmares

about yokai gobbling him up.

It makes me really anxious,

so I get why he keeps it quiet.

Huh.

Like, any time he shows up late,

I wonder if my nightmares were actually premonitions

and Natsume really was eaten by a yokai,

and it terrifies me.

Everyone else in our friend group

will joke about it, thinking he overslept,

and just wait till he gets there.

But me?

A chill goes up my spine.

If the Fujiwaras knew,

the sight of his dirty clothes alone

would make the color fade from their faces

right along with their happiness.

Which is the last thing that he wants.

In fact, I'm sure it's what scares him most of all.

Huh.

All done!

Hey, let's grab some taiyaki on the way home, okay?

Yeah, why not?

I could go for a nice pastry.

-Huh. -You and your theories.

Hmm.

Dude. What's wrong?

Need some iron?

Where is the Book of Friends?

Hey, you're freakin' me out.

Talk to me, Natsume.

-Natsume! - Gotta bounce!

Rain check, though!

They followed me to school?

Huh?

-Oh. What a surpri... -Can't talk!

Hey! What's the rush, Natsume?

This is bad.

I can't deal with them in public.

- -

- -

Yokai in monkey masks?

They're new to these parts as far as I know,