Natsume Yuujinchou Shi

Natsume Yuujinchou

This Saturday?

Yup.

They're supposed to be really big and pretty starting then!

A meteor shower, huh?

We're gonna have to practice our wishes.

Wishes?

Meteor showers are shooting stars, right?

You wish three times before they disappear.

"May I find my soul mate." "May I find my soul mate." "May I find my soul mate."

Amazing.

You're worried about marriage already?

Hey, it'd be fun to have more people.

Can I invite someone?

Tanuma or... Taki-san?

Sure.

Really?

All right, I'm totally into this!

Why?

Great, huh, Nishimura?

Until just a little while ago,

the stars were something I only saw by myself.

Bye!

Yeah.

Ever since I was little, I sometimes see weird things.

Other people can't see them.

They're probably what people call "youkai", Japanese monsters.

Natsume-sama!

Are you Natsume-sama?

You're...

Natsume-sama, please save me!

My friend's leg is trapped under a rock and he can't move!

Wait a minute.

Please! We need to help him or his leg... his leg!

I don't hate the fact that I see them as much as I used to,

but I always get mixed up in trouble.

Natsume Captured

Just a bit more... a bit more!

Thank you!

So, um...

Is there something else?

If you're Natsume-sama, you must have the Book of Friends.

Please... please return my name.

I see. All right.

You who protect me, show your name.

Thank you so much, Natsume-sama!

Not at all.

Natsume-sama...

please run away as fast as you can!

Hey!

I guess that's the real Book of Friends.

So you're Natsume of the Book of Friends.

Who are you?

I see.

So this is the famous Natsume.

He looks weak.

All the better.

This won't take long.

Give us the Book of Friends!

Stop!

Give it to us!

Give it to us!

Give it to us!

Nyanko-sensei!

I came to meet you, and I find you in trouble.

Stop wasting your time with these things, Natsume.

Thanks.

You saved me, Sensei.

And I was enjoying a nice buzz, too.

Don't drink when it's light out, bodyguard.

So who are they?

Were they after the Book of Friends?

Probably.

But it's rare to see youkai attack in a group like that.

The Book of Friends was left to me

by my grandmother, Natsume Reiko.

She would defeat youkai and force them to write

their names in this book as a sign of their loyalty.

It allows its owner to control many youkai.

I'm back!

Welcome home.

You must be cold.

Some youkai want their names back.

Some youkai want power.

Many youkai come to me, looking for the Book of Friends.

But the youkai today...

had a nastiness about them that I don't normally feel.

It felt awful.

They probably threatened that little youkai...

in order to lure you out.

Yeah.

Book of Friends

I want to return the names of as many youkai as possible.

So I can't let anyone nefarious get their hands on it.

Nishimura-kun said you were coming, too.

Yeah, I guess.

Now that I think about it, I've never really seen a meteor shower.

Me neither.

I'm looking forward to it.

Yeah.

However,

I might not be able to go.

Can you guys talk to the rest of the group if that happens?

More youkai problems?

Yeah.

There's something that's bothering me.

Natsume, we have to get to our next class!

Okay.

I'll see you later.

I guess he's starting to rely on us a little.

Yeah.

Why is he so stiff?

I asked once.

About why he doesn't tell people he can see youkai.

I said the Fujiwaras would believe him.

That's pretty straightforward.

So what did he say?

He said it was because he wanted them to stay smiling.

Smiling?

I didn't understand at first.

Then I dreamed he was eaten by a youkai.

Then I understood.

"Oh, that's what he meant."

Like for example, any time he's late,

I wonder if he might've been eaten like in my dream, and it terrifies me.

But Nishimura and the others don't know anything,

so they just laugh and wait.

They think he must've just overslept.

If they knew, the Fujiwaras would go pale

any time he got his clothes dirty.

They wouldn't be able to smile at all.

Natsume doesn't want that.

I'm sure it's what scares him the most.

It's over!

Hey, Natsume, let's get some taiyaki on the way home.

Sure.

I'm pretty hungry.

Natsume?

What's wrong?

Where is the Book of Friends?

Are you okay, Natsume?!

Natsume!

Sorry, Nishimura!

I'll see you later!

They came inside the school?

Oh, Natsume―

Bye!

Hey, Natsume-kun!

This is bad.

If I'm out here in public...

Youkai in monkey masks?

I've never seen them around here before.

It sounds like they came after the Book of Friends.

I guess the Book of Friends is becoming famous among youkai.

They felt fairly powerful.

Do you know anything?

Come to think of it,

I'd once heard of a forest ruled by

such a group in the eastern mountains.

A forest?

A forest where the boundaries between

the youkai and human worlds are ill-defined.

I remember now.

What?

You should stay away from there.

Why?

There's something bad there.

Something bad?

W-Where am I?

Our forest.

It is not easy for a human to return from here.

If you don't want to get hurt, give us the Book of Friends.

What are you going to do with the Book of Friends?

We can use it to make many youkai obey us.

You arrogant humans seek to control youkai.

Our master requires that power.

We must give it to the master.

Give it to us!

Give it to us!

Give it to us!

Give it to us!

Give it to us!

I don't use it to control anybody,

and I won't give it to anybody who would!

Strong words, kid.

Are you ready to back them up?

Natsume, where are you?

Nyanko-sensei!

What is this feeling?

It's awful.

Be quiet.

Nyanko-sensei?

Jeez...

I came to see what Misuzu was talking about,

and I found you here.