...oh. That experience was something she could relate with - being made fun of. Though, maybe Ryusei's stopped before he reached his age now, whereas hers still continued on up to the present.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I don't understand it, myself, why some people need to make fun of others--" But then Ryusei said this topic embarrassed him, so she'd oblige him.

"When I was very little, I stayed in the library - which was where I found this large book." Actually Tomoko was hiding from her classmates then, and she'd ventured deeper and deeper into the library until she literally stumbled upon it. "It was a history book, but it had a section that dealt with the occult - so I... took it home and read it. Interestingly enough, some of the pages have notes scribbled on them, and I realized they were ingredients for--" Here she cast a look his way, then, "--spells. I asked my mother where I can get some of them, but she didn't know, so I asked one of my aunts and she was the one who brought me to the first store - the one owned by the woman."

Tomoko paused, remembering that day. She was about eight, then. "The shop owner took an interest in me since she said she never saw anyone that young walk into her store willingly. I like her. She's very nice."