Tokyo Ravens - Volume 8 - Chapter 4.2

Part 2 
She hadn't worn a yukata since she was a child. Kyouko let her mother, who was rarely at home, help put hers on while looking at herself in the mirror a bit bashfully. 
Kyouko's mother wasn't an Onmyouji, but she had to support her husband and family in many areas as a Kurahashi family member. Moreover, she herself was quite cultured, with hobbies of tea ceremonies and flower arrangement, and often wore kimonos. Of course, helping another put on a yukata was quite trivial for her. With that, maybe she would complain 'you have to do this kind of thing yourself' contrary to their original agreement, but since she had already agreed to help put it on, there wasn't anything else she could say. 
Once the preparation work was finished, she sighed and checked the time. They would meet in the evening, and there was still a lot of time. But once she became idle, she couldn't help but think about what she could forget when she was preparing. 
The conversation with Natsume yesterday after school. 
Also, she was going to see Harutora soon. 
She inadvertently smiled wryly. 
"......I went a bit overboard yesterday." 
She hadn't professed her emotions like that for a long time. Her face inadvertently reddened when she recalled it. 
Of course, she wouldn't regret. It was extremely relieving to let out the feelings she had always hidden. It was great that she had been able to do her best and talk seriously. She truly thought so. Though her relationship with Natsume hadn't returned to what it was before, they could at least start anew. 
But, although she could end the business with Natsume with minimal embarrassment, the problem was Harutora. Unfortunately, the problem there was still extremely complex. Moreover, it might become even more embarrassing after her relationship with Natsume was successfully restored. 
...Uh oh. I should've kept quiet about the past if this things were going to turn out like this...... 
But at the time, she had said it because she had to, and there was no helping it now. She could only face Harutora directly like how she had dealt with Natsume yesterday. Even if the relationship between the two of them became even more complicated because of it, it definitely wouldn't 'break'. Yesterday's experience had given Kyouko this confidence. 
"......Well, but, it's really embarrassing......" 
She couldn't calm down no matter what she did. What was Harutora feeling right now? She at least hoped that he was as nervous as she was. 
Her mother who had helped her put on her yukata returned as she was inadvertently grimacing into the mirror. 
An Onmyou Academy student had called her home. Kyouko unconsciously asked back "For me?". After all, someone she knew would directly call her cell phone. She couldn't think of a student who would call her home phone. 
"Is it really a student?" 
"Who knows. But her voice sounds like a young girl's. But her manner of speech is like a boy's." 
She instantly thought of Natsume when she heard that, but she knew Kyouko's phone number. Even if her cell phone was broken, she could borrow Harutora's or Touji's, so she wouldn't have to deliberately call her home's landline. 
Kyouko walked out of the room in wonder, coming to the room that the phone was in. 
She lifted the earpiece out of its cradle: 
"......H-Hello?" 
She greeted. 
Then, 
"Kyouko? Sorry for bothering you so suddenly. I'm Souma Takiko, we talked yesterday." 
"Ah." 
In her surprise, Kyouko replied that she still remembered her. Come to think of it, Takiko had once said that she had connections to her father. Even if she didn't know Kyouko's cell phone number, it wouldn't be strange for her to know their family's number. 
But, 
"What is it? Do you need something?" 
She had first met Takiko yesterday in the corridor and brought her to the classroom, talking about classes the whole way. They had introduced themselves to each other too. But they had just stated their names. She seemed to know about Kyouko from her father, but Kyouko knew nothing about her origins. 
Doubts that she couldn't banish arose in Kyouko. "Actually......" Takiko spoke as if she had something difficult to say. 
"I had a bit of a disagreement with Natsume and the others yesterday...... Well...... We fought in the end. I didn't mean to originally. But for various reasons, and because it was a bad time...... I became pretty emotional. I'm already regretting it." 
"A fight......" 
Kyouko's eyes widened. 
Now that she mentioned yesterday, Kyouko and Natsume had had a bickering that could be called a fight. In other words, if what Takiko said was true, then Natsume had clashed with Takiko as well as Kyouko. 
Moreover, unlike Kyouko, Takiko's fight with Natsume hadn't gone smoothly. 
"What happened?" 

"Sorry. I can't say any details. I think I was responsible. But, it's wrong that we're quarrelling like this. I...... I want to be friends with Natsume and the others. I was hoping we could talk calmly again." 
"......" 
Could it be - Kyouko tried imagining Takiko's situation. 
Maybe she was the same as her. She had learned that Natsume was actually a 'girl' and hence fought with her. Takiko seemed to have known Natsume from before, but it was most likely the 'male' Natsume. Because she wasn't a student, she didn't know about Natsume's identity being exposed at the Meguro branch. Then, she had learned about that fact while observing the Onmyou Academy studies yesterday...... and hence had clashed with Natsume. If that were true, then Kyouko could understand her ambiguous attitude. 
"Kyouko. I'm really sorry for asking this after just meeting you yesterday...... You're very close with Natsume and the others, right? I heard that you were a bit out of sorts with them yesterday, but even so you've been friends longer than I have. So, please. Could you help mediate between me and Natsume?" 
"......Me?" 
Takiko replied "nn" to Kyouko's question, as meek as a child. 
"I don't want to trouble you. I just want to borrow your strength and make an opportunity for us to talk. That's why I called so selfishly. ......Is that okay? Am I asking for too much?" 
Takiko asked anxiously. 
She didn't know what Takiko had heard from her father, but to Kyouko, who had just met her yesterday, this was indeed quite a brazen request. Judging from Takiko's words and tone, she herself seemed to be aware of this. In other words, she had to request this even if it she would shame herself for it. 
To be honest, the origins of the girl Takiko were unclear, so she didn't have a good impression of her. Though Kyouko didn't believe she was a bad person, she felt that Takiko had a kind of a dangerous, troublemaking aura. 
But it was a bit mean for her to rashly make such a conclusion. After all, she had experienced Takiko's current predicament herself yesterday. Thinking that way, she couldn't just freely refuse her. As for her origins, she must have already obtained some degree of trust from her father if he had already told her about Kyouko. She ought to help her with whatever she could do. 
"......Then Takiko-san, are you free tonight?" 
"Eh? Today? I don't have any plans." 
"Oh. ......Actually, there's a fireworks festival tonight at the Sumida River. I, Natsume, and the others will be going together to watch." 
"Eh!?" 
Takiko responded in surprise. 
"R, Really? But, Kyouko, weren't you still fighting with Natsume......" 
"Don't worry, we already made up yesterday. ......Also, if possible, do you want to go with me? It might be a bit embarrassing to be invited to watch fireworks so suddenly by someone else, but the later it gets, the harder it is to decide. I can help you out a bit too, if it's today." 
After hearing Kyouko's proposal, Takiko seemed to have inadvertently shut her mouth on the other end of the phone because of how sudden things were. 
It was commonplace for people to hesitate because things developed too quickly. If she said no, then she probably wouldn't ask Kyouko to help her anymore. Kyouko had conveyed her sincerity, and everything else was a question of Takiko. 
But, 
"......I understand. No, that's a great proposal. Please let me join you." 
Takiko accepted the proposal faster than Kyouko had anticipated. 
"Though I'm still a bit nervous, it gets harder to get along as time goes on, just like you say. Thanks. I'll talk with Natsume again there." 
Kyouko's impression of Takiko changed a bit again after hearing her thank her so sincerely and stiffly. She wasn't a bad person, but more like a clumsy yet serious-natured good kid. In that case, as long as she talked calmly, she would probably successfully make up with Natsume. Moreover, Takiko would be calmer than her, who had been affected by several overlapping issues. 
After Kyouko returned an "Okay" to Takiko, she informed Takiko about her own plans for today. Just in case, she also gave Takiko her phone number. Takiko thanked her profusely while writing it down on the other end of the phone. 
"I might get there a bit late, but I'll definitely meet up with you guys afterwards. Thank you Kyouko, you really helped me out. I'm extremely thankful." 
Her voice revealed an exaggerated feeling of relief. Kyouko felt a bit strange. 
So, inadvertently: 
"So? Takiko-san, was it because of Natsume's 'family tradition' that you fought with her?" 
She asked. 
But, 
"Eh? 'Family tradition'? What's that?" 
Takiko asked back, extremely strangely. Uh oh. Kyouko regretted it. She shouldn't have asked that extraneous question just now. 
But it was her duty to let Takiko make up with Natsume. It would also be embarrassing to ask that and dodge Takiko's question. The most important thing was that recklessly concealing it would leave trouble for the future. As things were, although it was 'family tradition', it was just a matter of time until Natsume's true identity reached Takiko's ears. Then, it would be a smaller shock if she told Takiko as early as possible. 
"Sorry. I thought that was the reason you fought with Natsume-kun. ......Well, please listen calmly. Although I only learned this recently......" 
Then, Kyouko seemed to be very talkative as she carefully picked her words while cautiously explaining Natsume's 'family tradition' and her true gender to Takiko. 
After hearing Kyouko's explanation and understanding the meaning of her words-- 
Takiko was dumbfounded on the other side of the line.