The rumble of the bus engine vibrated through the soles of my shoes. I leaned my head against the window, watching streaks of rain slide across the glass, mimicking the tears I refused to shed. Outside, the countryside passed in a dull blur of greens and browns. The other students laughed and chatted behind me, but their voices blended into an indistinct buzz, like flies circling something long dead.

Another school excursion. Another day of existing without really being seen.

"Hey, Meiko."

The voice cut through the noise behind me, and I turned my head slightly to see Kenji grinning like a Cheshire cat. He leaned across the aisle, one arm draped lazily over the seat in front of him.

Kenji's my Best (only) friend. He's the opposite of me in every way. He's positive, cheerful and lovable. I mean opposites attract. Right. He has golden blonde curly hair and golden brown eyes. His tie was loosened, his uniform shirt untucked, like he didn't care about rules-or anything, really.

"Why do you always look like someone just stole your lunch money?" he asked, smirking.

"Because someone usually does," I muttered.

Kenji let out a sharp laugh, loud enough to turn a few heads. I shrank into my seat, heat rising to my face.

"Relax," he said, dropping into the empty seat beside me. "If they even try, I'll take care of it. You know that."

I glanced at him, unsure how to respond. Kenji always acted like everything was a game, like none of it mattered. But I mattered to him for some reason. I didn't know why, and I didn't want to ask. Part of me was terrified he'd realize I wasn't worth the effort.

"Where are we going again?" I asked, more to change the subject than out of curiosity.

"Joren Falls," Kenji replied, resting his head against the back of the seat. "You know, the famous waterfall? Big tourist spot. Legends of yokai and all that."

Yokai. My pulse quickened at the word, though I kept my face neutral. Yokai were the one thing that lit a spark inside me, the only thing that made the world seem less... dull. They were everywhere in the stories I'd grown up with, shaping the world behind the veil of human understanding.

Kenji tilted his head, watching me with an amused expression. "Don't tell me you haven't heard of it. You're practically a walking encyclopedia of weird ghost stories."

"I know Joren Falls," I said, looking out the window again. "It's supposed to be where the jorogumo lives. You know, the spider woman who lures men to their deaths with her biwa music."

Kenji raised an eyebrow. "See? I knew you'd know. You probably have every detail memorized."

I shrugged, but inside, my chest tightened. I hated how easily he could read me, how he always seemed to know what I was thinking.

I've been reading about yokai since...well....my parents passed away because I swore a saw a ghost before the accident occurred. I've been reading about them so much. Kenji really calls it an obsession but helps me keep my mind away from the world.

The bus jolted to a stop, and the teacher at the front stood up, clapping her hands. "Alright, everyone, we're here! Stay with your groups and be mindful of the trails. It's slippery after the rain."

We shuffled out into the damp air, the scent of moss and wet earth clinging to everything. The sound of the falls roared faintly in the distance, growing louder as we approached.

The trail was narrow and winding, bordered by dense trees that seemed to close in around us. The laughter and chatter of my classmates faded the farther we walked, swallowed by the sounds of nature. I lagged behind the group, as always, Kenji sticking close despite my silence.

"You don't have to babysit me," I said after a while, my voice barely audible over the crunch of gravel beneath our feet.

"Yeah, I do," Kenji said, his tone light but firm. "Someone has to."

I didn't argue.

The falls came into view suddenly, a cascade of silver crashing into the pool below. The mist rose around us, clinging to our skin and filling the air with a cool dampness. For a moment, I felt a flicker of awe, the kind I hadn't felt in a long time.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Kenji said, stepping up beside me.

"Yeah," I admitted.

The group gathered at the edge of the viewing platform, snapping photos and posing for selfies. I hung back, letting the crowd move around me like water flowing around a rock. Kenji leaned against the railing, watching me instead of the falls.

Then, I heard it.

A sound, faint at first, like the plucking of strings. My ears strained to catch it over the roar of the water. It grew louder, clearer-a melody played on a biwa.

"Do you hear that?" I asked, turning to Kenji.

His expression shifted instantly, his usual grin replaced by something sharp and focused. "Stay close to me," he said, his voice low.

"What is it?"

Before he could answer, the music stopped. The air grew heavy, like the world was holding its breath. Then, she appeared.

A woman stepped out from the shadows of the trees, her kimono as vibrant as autumn leaves, her black hair flowing like a river down her back. She moved with an unnatural grace, her feet barely seeming to touch the ground.

"Children," she said, her voice smooth and melodic. "What a lovely day to visit the falls."

Something about her smile sent a chill down my spine. It was too wide, too perfect.

Kenji stepped in front of me, his posture tense. "Get back, Meiko," he muttered.

"What's going on?" I asked, my heart pounding.

The woman's eyes flicked to Kenji, and her smile widened.

I stared at Kenji, my mind reeling. But there was no time to process what just happened

Her form shifted suddenly, grotesquely. Long, spindly legs burst from her sides, her beautiful face twisting into something monstrous. The jorogumo.

Panic erupted as she lunged at the group, her claws slicing through the air. Students screamed and scattered, but I couldn't move. My legs felt like lead, my breath caught in my throat.

"Meiko!" Kenji shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.

I turned just as she struck, her claws raking across my side. Pain exploded, white-hot and blinding. I collapsed to the ground, my vision swimming.

Kenji's roar was unlike anything I'd ever heard. Through the haze of pain, I saw him leap at the jorogumo, his body glowing faintly, his eyes burning gold. Tails-four of them-flickered behind him, their movements fluid and deadly.

He fought with a ferocity that seemed impossible, his claws tearing into her with inhuman precision. The jorogumo screeched, her voice like nails on glass, but Kenji didn't relent.

"Stay with me, Meiko," he said, his voice distant but desperate. "Don't you dare die on me."

I felt a warmth spread through me, radiating from where his hand rested on my chest. His words blurred together, and the world went dark.

---

When I woke, the bus was moving again, the hum of the engine steady and unchanging. My head throbbed, and my side felt... strange. Numb, almost.

Kenji sat beside me, his expression unreadable.

"What happened?" I croaked, my throat dry.

"You fainted," he said casually, his usual grin back in place. "Guess all that hiking was too much for you."

"I don't faint," I said, frowning.

"Well, you did today."

Something about his tone felt off, but I couldn't place it. My memories of the falls were hazy, fragmented. I remembered the biwa, the woman, and... pain.

"Kenji, did something-"

"Nothing happened," he interrupted, his smile tightening. "Just get some rest, okay?"

I didn't believe him, but I was too tired to argue. Leaning back in my seat, I stared out the window, watching the rain-soaked landscape roll by.

But the unease inside me didn't fade. Something had happened back there-something I couldn't remember.

And I wasn't sure I wanted to.