Yukari Yakumo, the gap youkai, awakes in the spring. Hibernating through the cold winters, the warm air wakes her from her slumber... Although, sometimes, not for very long. Even while she sleeps, she sees all that happens in Gensokyo. Wherever there's a gap, Yukari's eyes are watching.
Spiriting away is a term used when people, mostly human children, suddenly go missing. It's believed that mountain gods and tengu are often the culprits. One theory states that children who vanish from the outside world end up in Gensokyo. Not because of any god's doing, but because Yukari alters the boundary.
The spring sun shone into Yukari's room. Expecting her master to emerge at any moment, Ran was busy writing her report and preparing breakfast, but no matter how much time passed, Yukari showed no sign of waking...
Ran's worry had her venture into Yukari's room, where she found her sitting out on the engawa, gently stroking a stray cat that had wandered in. "Did the gaps confuse you?" Yukari said to the cat, smiling softly.
Ran looked on enviously until Yukari waved her over and began patting her head and giving her words of praise. "No fair. I want head pats too!" said Chen, when she returned and saw what was going on. With Chen now clinging to her tight, Yukari replied, "Heehee, don't worry. You're next." And so began another peaceful day at the Yakumo's.