Tokyo Ravens - Volume 7 - Chapter 5.4

Part 4 
That night, as she was returning home, Kyouko didn't speak with her grandmother who had frantically rushed over after hearing the news. She took a shower to wash off her sweat and walked straight into her bedroom without eating. 
An extremely hectic day. Her body and soul were exhausted, and she wanted to rest as soon as possible, even if just for a moment. Those thoughts were understandable. 
But actually, Kyouko just wanted to escape the reality before her as soon as possible. 
She lay on the bed, closing her eyes. She drove all her thoughts out of her mind. The moment Eto had been killed, the spiritual disasters that happened one after another, fleeing in disorder as they chased. Shaver. The battle against Shaver. 
Kyouko closed her stiff eyelids, desperately clearing her mind. 
But. 
Two things wouldn't go away, no matter what. 
Natsume, who had been spat out by the whirlwind of magical energy and had collapsed on the ground. The scattered black hair and snow-white skin. 
Also, there was something else...... 
"......" 
Kyouko closed her stiff eyelids, desperately clearing her mind. [37] 
But the more she didn't want to think, the more the scene emerged before her like a curse. Those words at the end were branded onto Kyouko's heart. 
Kyouko closed her stiff eyelids. 
That scene wouldn't go away, as Kyouko was well aware. The words she said couldn't be taken back. In ancient times, people even called them 'curses'. 
Cursing another was cursing oneself. That was what it meant. 
After Shaver left Higekiri and vanished, cheers had resounded after a momentary pause. 
The surrounding Exorcists loudly praised Harutora's feat. Touji had made a 'guts pose', Suzuka had happily jumped up with her hands raised, and Tenma had been moved to tears. 
The three of them hadn't paid any heed to the exorcists telling them to stop and had energetically run to the courtyard, whose safety hadn't been verified yet. Kyouko had also pursued the three of them, walking out as if possessed. 
Harutora had already been exhausted to his limits, but he still staggered to his feet and walked next to the collapsed Natsume. 
He held Natsume's shoulder and helped her up. 
Touji and Suzuka had called out to the two of them. Though she couldn't clearly hear what they said, their voices were full of excitement and joy. But when they arrived next to the two of them, they seemed to stop as if thinking of something and looked over. 
I see. Kyouko understood. 
The two of them had already known. 
But Tenma, who looked at Harutora and Natsume, showed similar confusion in his joy. Of course, an awkward expression had emerged amidst the happiness of escaping danger on Harutora and Natsume as they faced Tenma and Kyouko. 
Tenma muttered a few words. 
Harutora and Natsume's bodies shivered. 
Harutora put his hands on Natsume's shoulders, and Natsume pulled on Harutora's uniform [38] , as if to wrap her arms around herself - or to cross her arms over her chest as if to hide something. With this, she couldn't help but feel that it was inconceivable that she had never realized anything. 
A beautiful, cute girl. 

Also, Harutora as he protected her. The selfless posture of a 'boy'. 
...I see. 
The ribbon that vanished at that time. Her childhood memories. 
It hadn't been Natsume who forgot. 
She hadn't known anything from the beginning. 
The one who forgot about the promise-- 
Tenma said something, having trouble concealing his confusion and shock, but still approached Harutora and the others. Harutora showed an expression they had never seen on him before. Natsume lowered her head and kept repeating the same words. 
"Sorry." 
...Ah. 
Natsume also had it tough, Kyouko thought. Of course it would be difficult for a young girl to keep concealing her gender and live till now posing as a male. It was by no means unusual that she had accumulated much pain unbeknownst to anyone. 
Also, it was Natsume. She definitely felt pained that she hid a secret from her companions. Kyouko didn't know why she would do this, but she undoubtedly had some reason for doing so. The reason Natsume kept a distance from others was probably because of that secret. Natsume herself had definitely believed it would be more relaxing to be alone. 
But. 
Harutora and Touji had appeared. She had gotten closer and closer to Tenma and Kyouko. Her relationship with their classmates had also become a bit smoother. 
Even if she still concealed that secret now, it would definitely make Natsume feel more pain and become a burden to her soul. After all, she was a friend, and Kyouko could guess this much. 
Kyouko took a step forward. 
Tenma closed his mouth. Touji and Suzuka went silent. 
Harutora's whole body went stiff. 
Natsume raised her head. 
"......Kurahashi-san." 
Kyouko was breathless. Sympathy and compassion poured out like from a damaged faucet. 
It's alright. In this kind of time, she could definitely act 'properly'. It was the same when she approached Suzuka. She hadn't acted, but had 'properly' done what she wanted to do. She had a personality that prioritized the feelings of others in crucial times, and possessed the strength to alleviate the surrounding atmosphere with a joke. She could put her feelings to the side for now and smile. 
So. 
...Listen, don't you dare forget this, it's a promise. 
"Liar." 
She spat out that word. 
Natsume's expression twisted. Harutora's body shuddered. Right afterwards, Kyouko began crying, as if her heart was hurting. 
"...Liar!" 
In ancient times, people called this a 'curse'. 
Cursing another was cursing oneself. That was what it meant.