Natsume is possessed by a swallow spirit, who wishes to meet a human who once helped her. Natsume agrees to help her and the two grow attached. When Swallow finds the human, Natsume feels bad that she can't actually meet him, but when he hears of a kimono that can turn a spirit into a human for a day, he looks for it.

Natsume goes to a hot spring for a school trip, with an errand from Shigeru to pick up teacups from a near by pottery. While there he meets and helps a little fox spirit, who quickly grows attached to him.

Natsume is cursed by an evil spirit which is sealed to a tree. Not wanting to trouble his adoptive family, he decided to run away from home.