Nanami nervously reaches into her pocket and she puts large circular glasses on. "I had read, asking about colors was a common tactic to make friends with piers." Nanami explains.
Kaito smiles happily. "You wanna be my friend?" He asks. Nanami nods. "You are quite intriguing." She answers. Kaito doesnt know what that means but he smiles.
The two return back to Nanami's hut. All the while Kaito notices how she actually isn't all that tall either. So he can just see her ears dancing around. The way they move up and down when he walks and how the fur is blown in the wind makes him giddy.
Kaito can't help it and pets her ears again. She lets out a small noise before looking at him with a straight face.
Nanami opens up the door. She and Kaito both sit down. She's silent at first. As she sits silently Kaito looks around and notices all of her books scattered around everywhere. "You like reading?" Kaito asks her.
Nanami nods. I spend all my time here alone, so i tend to absorb myself in my studies." She explains. Kaito likes the way she talks. She uses a lot of word he doesn't understand.
"Are you hungry by chance?" Nanami asks. Kaito nods, he's always willing to eat. Nanami hands him a bowl of... whatever this is. But it isn't looks that make a meal it's the flavor.
Kaito watches as Nanami bites it first. Seeing her eat it meant it was edible at least. He also takes a bite, the grotesque taste that violated his taste buds caused him to immediately spit everything out.
Nanami looks saddened by this, "what is this stuff!" Kaito shouts.
Nanami's ears droop low. "It's a nutrientonal mass, I foraged it all myself, i'm sure it has all the necessary irons and vitamins you need for a healthy body." Nanami explains. "Perhaps I had mistaken something?" She mutters.
Kaito shakes his head. "This is no way to eat!" Kaito shouts. "Wait here." Kaito says as he gets up and walks away. Nanami continues eating her nutritional mass. "No taste the same as always." She mutters.
Kaito returns after twenty minutes with an orray of vegetables he had found around Nanami's camp. He goes to a random area in the kitchen. He cooks something up and the aroma causing Nanami's nose to twitch with anticipation.
It's an aroma she hadn't smelled in what seemed like forever and her stomach craved it. Kaito had finished and he brung her a bowl. "Here you go, Kaito's vegetable stew!" Kaito says as he passes her a bowl.
Nanami sips from the bowl and her mind is absolutely blown. Her ears dance happily betraying her calm demeanor. Her dancing ears tempt Kaito to pet them. Unable to contain it he pets her ears again. She look at him with a straight face.
After she finished, Nanami gently placed the bowl down with careful hands, as if honoring the meal itself.
"Thank you," she said softly, her smile fragile. "I haven't tasted food like that in... years. It brought back things I didn't even know I missed."
Kaito's eyes wandered around the small, cluttered shed — a mix of tools, books, herbs drying from the ceiling, and small trinkets from a life lived quietly.
"Are you really here all by yourself?" he asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.
Nanami tilted her head slightly, her long ears twitching.
"But of course. That's how it's always been for... well, I've lost count. A very long time." Her voice held no bitterness, only a matter-of-fact tone that somehow hurt more.
She gestured to the forest beyond the shed walls, her gaze distant.
"I have my friends here — the trees, the wind, FooFoo... I take care of everything here. It's peaceful."
Kaito frowned. There was something haunting in her calmness.
"And who takes care of you?" he asked, gently but firmly.
Nanami paused. The question settled over her like a weight. Her eyes lowered.
"I do," she replied quietly, the words slow and deliberate. As if saying them made her believe them again.
A silence bloomed between them.
Kaito's chest ached. He hadn't expected that answer — or maybe he had.
"That sounds... really lonely," he said.
Her ears drooped, a subtle but deeply expressive shift.
"It is," she admitted. "It's not just a feeling anymore. It's a part of the air here. It's in the floorboards. In every cup of tea I drink alone."
He looked at her then — really looked at her. The resilience in her posture, the quiet sorrow in her eyes. It was strength born from isolation, but strength didn't mean it didn't hurt.
Without thinking, Kaito stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.
Nanami stiffened immediately, alarm flaring in her chest. Her heart pounded against his, ears twitching at the contact. But then she heard his heartbeat — steady, human, warm. And she found herself grounding in it.
She hadn't realized how deeply the solitude had dug into her. Years of repeating the same gentle rituals: foraging, experimenting in her lab, reading until the words blurred. Always surrounded by silence, filled only by thoughts and the occasional chirp or rustle.
She had survived — even found comfort in the routine. But this... this was different.
This was connection. This was someone.
"I didn't know how much I missed having someone to talk to," she whispered, barely audible. "Not just someone who listens. Someone who... answers."
Kaito didn't say anything. He just held her a little tighter.
"What are you doing out in this forest anyways." Nanami asks him.
Releasing his hold on her he shows her his book. "I'm on a journey to find the unifates." Kaito answers. Nanami's ears dance. She imagines herself on a journey but wipes the memory, much too dangerous.
Kaito looks at her, wonder in his gaze. 'Do you dream of anything?" Kaito asks her. Nanami nods. "I do actually." She says. Before she can open up to him Rika springs up.
"That smells good!" She walks towards the stew. Dante wakes up after rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Kaito comes over with a bowl for him. "Morning." Dante says.
The two drink the stew together and they both notice Nanami together, who is now stiff as a board. "Hey." They greet. Then quickly return to the stew.
Kaito laughs. "This is Nanami she's the one who helped save you two." Kaito introduces her to his friends.
Nanami sits there, without a word, without a move, not even blinking.
Rika looks at her, slightly amused. "Is your friend aware she exists?" Rika asks Kaito.
Nanami begins shaking viciously. Her arm jittering upwards in quick succession. Robotic even. "Hello." She mutters, almost too silent to even hear. Nanami sweats so much a visible puddle forms under her.
Dante looks concerned. "Is she ok?" He asks.
After they finish and Nanami becomes slightly more comfortable with new people. Nanami tugs at Kaito's arm. "It may be time for you to go, your friends have returned to health, I wish you luck on your travels." Nanami says, a bit sad to say goodbye, though she doesn't show it.
"Aren't you coming with us? I don't want to leave you alone." Kaito offers.
Nanami looks around at her hut, remembering each and every day she would spend here. Tinkering in her lab. Everyday she would spend. Same routine, day in and day out.
But she looks at Kaito, Rika, and Dante. Their welcome faces and Kaito's smile, not just comforting but promising her a new tomorrow one where she isn't alone, but where she has someone she can rely on.
With a deep breath Nanami adjusts her glasses. "There should be more to study out there in the world, I feel as though it would be most logical to travel beside you all." Nanami explains.
Rika laughs. "You're making excuses, you could just say yes." Rika says.
Nanami also looks close at Kaito. "Also you're fighting skills are most impressive, I've always been interested in martial arts." Nanami says as she shows him a martial arts book.
Kaito smiles. "I'm already showing Dante some stuff with his sword, so I can help you too." Kaito says. Rika shoves him aside and stands in front. "I'm just happy to finally have another girl on the team!" Rika happily says.
Dante nods. "Right were a party of four now!" He says having a new member.
Nanami looks around at them looking quite unimpressed. "This party isn't well rounded for any rpg campaigns." She says.
"What do you mean?" Kaito asks. "Well from what I see, we have no healers nor vanguards, we are quite unbalanced." Nanami explains.
Rika rolls her eyes. "And you're the rare dork class, looks like you're not alone anymore Dante." Rika says snarky tone evident.
Dante thumps her. "Shut up Rika."
"You May go ahead of me. I'm going to change into proper attire." Nanami says.
Rika and Dante look at Kaito. "Dude you really just make friends everywhere." Dante says. Rika nods quickly agreeing. "Even in a cursed forest, you still made a friend." She says.
Kaito laughs. "I just like meeting new people."
Nanami comes outside with simple clothing on, she has her bag on her back. Tools on her belt, and a journal in hand. "Do you all have anywhere to put bags?" Nanami asks.
Rika shakes her head. "Nope, we carry them everywhere like barbarians!" She shouts.
Nanami frowns. "I see, we'll i'm not the most physically capable person." Nanami says trying to gain sympathy.
"We won't carry your bags for you, Rika tries that all the time." Dante says and Nanami snaps her fingers.
"At least the forest wasn't actually cursed." Kaito says. Nanami raises a brow. "No it is. I have my traps placed for something Afterall." She explains.
Dante looks around uncomfortable. "Lets get out of here." He says quickly.
Nanami leads them out of the forest and the party of four continue forwards for their adventure.