For her entire life the Kaguya only knows the bamboo forest, not quite because she was imprisoned but because she doesn’t see any reason to go anywhere else. Humans would sometimes come to the temple where they offer food, other times it’s animals that visited her, and sometimes it’s the strange man always shrouded by darkness known as Nurarihyon who always bicker with the Tengu clan head, Ootengu. Because of that she doesn’t lack food, safety, nor does she lack friends but it does get a little bit lonely sometimes with the temple being so empty.

That was until she heard the sound of a flute that tickled her ears to no end. It was peaceful, beautiful, a melody that made her heart tremble. Wanting to hear it more clearly she bravely ventured to the outside of the forest where she had lived all her life and met Mannendake for the first time, a youkai who loves to play the flute.

Their first encounter was not a good one with Kaguya accidentally startling Mannendake forcing him to stop playing his flute. Unwished to be distrubed Mannendake flee, and regardless how much she search for the youkai Kaguya could never find him.

Thus for the first time Kaguya cried, attracting the attention of Nurarihyon. He asked her why she cried, she answered, and no soon after Nurarihyon gave her a piggy ride in search of the flute youkai.

Kaguya was sceptical with their odds, for she had searched for a long time and never found her target. Nurarihyon just laughed when she told her of her worries as if her worries are trivials. Before she got mad however, the two came to Mannendake, sitting on top of a bamboo tree playing his flute.

She was joyful, for finding the man she’s been looking for, and afraid that he’ll run away once again. Nurarihyon however had none of those worries and just decided to sneak behind the man and catch him before he managed to retreat.

Caught off guard, Mannendake struck at Nurarihyon with the blade hidden beneath his bamboo flute. Yet contrary to her and Mannendake's expectation the attack simply passes through Nurarihyon, who just smirks before giving the man a kick.

From then the three of them began their game of cat and mouse with Mannendake fleeing, and Nurarihyon, who carries Kaguya, chased after him. Kaguya didn’t know how long the chase was, but it was definitely a long time as she slept in the middle of the chase and only woke up with them sitting underneath the tree hearing Mannendake’s flute.

She let out a sound in surprise but unlike last time Mannendake didn’t go away and instead played another song. It was a great day for Kaguya, and it became greater when Nurarihyon told her that Mannendake will play near her temple from now on.

She thanked the youkai with a hug and in return he said that’s what families do, they help each other. Kaguya never had a family but she does know what they are, so he asked why they are a family when they are not related. What she got was a confusing answer, an answer that makes Mannendake slap his head in annoyance just as Ootengu did when he argued with Nurarihyon.

“It’s because I want to, that’s why!”

From that day Kaguya’s world just keeps on expanding, with Mannendake coming to play the flute, Nurarihyon visiting her as he pleases, and soon after more youkai visit her temple making it more crowded.

Never again did her temple feel as empty as it once did.