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madmarchhare · 1 year ago

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The Monk and the Traveller Ch.3

Cherry woke up late, groaning as he felt as if his head had been bound to the floor, twisting under the cover of the futon he had pulled over himself. The exhausted taste of alcohol reminding him of last evening, pressing his eyes shut, hoping that if he shut them hard enough he could sober himself up. He practically could hear the chiding voice of his father, saying how this was recompense for going against the word of Buddha. How, no pious monk would drink, while still smothered in the perfume of geishas[1]. He opened his eyes, feeling them strain at the thin light that bled into the room from outside. He felt that he was still in his kāṣāya, having slept in it.

He threw off the covers, dragging himself to his feet, rubbing his face with a hand as he did, feeling his eyes rock I their sockets from the inertia. He attempted to adjust his robe to look more sensible, then wandered out of his room to wash his face, hoping to resuscitate his senses. He barely registered his unlocked door as he wandered down the hall until he found a large tub of cold water and dumped his entire face in. He held it under for a couple of seconds then whipped his head back, shaking his head and flexing his face. He turned over to look at Surogasu’s daughter, not that he knew that, who looked at him with perplexed and unnerved expression before handing him a small towel she had been clutching to her chest. He took it with an appreciative nod and draped it over his wet hair, not doing much else as he went back to his room, water soaking the collar of his robes. She watched him go, torn whether to be concerned or confused.

As he came to his door, he locked eyes with Surogasu himself, the older man looked at him for a moment, studying him up and down as he carried a few boxes in his arms then nodded knowingly, a solemn look on his face. Cherry went into his room, finally able to keep his feet firmly beneath him, and attempted a serious effort to get dressed. He pulled off the outer cloak of his robes, laying it on the floor to straighten it, the smell of sake and herbs wafting off it as he did. He cursed Collier under his breath, swearing how he had taken him and tempted him, conveniently forgetting how many drinks he had poured for himself, or how much he had enjoyed the evening and the food he had been given. He stood over his overcloak in a white kimono[2], one he wore under the garment, a purple hakama[3] below it, which was often obscured. He moved over to a chair at one side of the room and sat down, resting his head in his hand, his palm to his brow, sighing slightly as an O-juzo[4] rattled on his wrist.

Some time later, Surogasu’s daughter opened the door carrying a tray of food and tea, wearing a blue-white wave patterned yukata and white obi. Cherry looked up at her bewildered, not having asked for anything and opened his mouth to say something, but she simply smiled at him. “Don’t worry, it’s a gift from my father. On the house for, ‘someone who fought a great battle he was familiar with’,” she replied, smiling cheekily at him as she placed the tray on a table near the man, who wore an exasperated expression in response hiding his face.

“I see,” he groaned, pulling his palm down his face as he looked up at the young woman with a sour expression. “Thank you, for bringing it to me then. Blessings be upon you,” he replied, offering a prayer.

“I’m not sure what a prayer from a hungover priest is worth,” she replied cheekily, smirking at the man as she sat down opposite him.

Cherry looked at her haughtily, “I see you have your fathers crassness,” he replied innocuously, taking up a pair of chopsticks in his hand and picking up a boiled egg.

“More quickness to honesty than crassness, as I see it,” she replied in an off handed manner, turning to look at the rising sun, “may I?” she asked, looking down at the platter she had just brought him. He looked between her and it for a moment.

“You brought it to me, it is only fair I suppose… ‘Give, even if you only have a little’ as it is said,” Cherry replied, taking the tea in his hands and smelling the brew, before taking a sip, relishing the drink as it soothed his head. The daughter and the monk continued with their meal, the girl snatching up the choice bits of meat while the monk was chewing, much to his silent chagrin and her visible amusement. “By the way, how did I get to my room? I can’t exactly remember what happened after…” he asked, trailing off as he expected she knew the rest of his sentence.

“Oh, the other man, Collier-Sama took you back. I saw him practically dragging you from the room,” she replied, biting down on a piece of sushi just after. Cherry made a noise of ascent, slightly upset that he owed the man yet another favour, but appreciated the help on some level.

“I suppose I should go and thank him for his kindness,” he declared, shifting from where he was sat to stand upright.

“There’s not much point in going now, he won’t be back from hunting yet,” she replied simply, taking a sip of tea, holding it slightly in front of her with both hands, looking down at the table.

Cherry stopped, shifting back down to sit, “he’s out hunting again?” he asked bewildered.

“Yes, I saw him early this mourning, I think he’s hunting deer today. He was discussing it with father a day or two ago,” she responded, turning to look at him, light smile on her face. Cherry’s face settled back into its half sour expression, resting his forehead on the bottom of his palm.

“Well, thank you for bringing me a meal Surogasu-San,” Cherry muttered after a moment, turning away slightly.

“call me Suro,” she replied simply but firmly, Cherry looking at her slightly surprised, “Surogasu always sounds like people are talking about father[],” smiling sternly at the monk.

“Ah, uh, right…” he replied, having been caught off guard, taking a long draught of tea after as Suro looked at him warmly, snatching up one last piece of food on the tray. They heard a someone knocking on the door a second later in a quick, rapping pace.

“Chitose! Are you in there still? After you’re done go fetch some wood for the kamado[5], Collier-Sama asked to use it to boil down a skull of something he shot!” Surogasu called to his daughter through the thin door, his footsteps being heard as he walked away shortly after. Chitose shifted and rose to her feet, Cherry looking up at her as she moved, straightening her light blue yukata as she did.

“Well, it seems I am needed elsewhere,” she replied, collecting up the tray and placing her cup onto it, leaving Cherry with his tea.

“Right… thank you, Suro-San. May you be well,” Cherry replied, bowing to her slightly. She smiled down at him, a slight cockiness in her eyes.

“Thank you, I appreciate it. And, when you go to thank Collier-Sama, tell him I hope he enjoyed his hunt,” moving to the door as she spoke, “he should be in the parlour. He likes playing games and chatting when he comes back,” she finished, ducking through the threshold then closing the door behind them. Cherry stayed sitting down for a while, slowly draining his tea, before taking a deep breath and standing up and walking over to the door. The hall was lit by the sun that hung outside, tatami mats feeling soft under his feet as he walked down them. He mostly guessed where the parlour was, turning left as he came into the reception, a wide open door at the end opposite from the entrance. He saw Collier at a table with a set of playing cards spread out in front of him, along with a stack in his off hand. He was still dressed in his hunting garb, his hat absent from his head, with both of his revolvers still in their holsters, though sans everything else.

He noticed Cherry as he approached, turning his head slightly to look at the approaching footsteps, his face lighting up like the rising sun as he saw him. “Ah, there you are good chap! How are you? You drank rather heavily last night,” he called, turning in his chair to look at the approaching man, who then moved over to the seat across from him.

“I am as well as one would expect, considering the negative karma that is now afflicting me,” he responded, attempting to be grandiose as he grunted slightly, rubbing his head.

“Is that what you call a hangover then?” Collier quipped, smiling cheekily at him as he placed down a card, then quickly moving a few onto the ace piles above them. Cherry looked at him with a slight pout, grumbling to himself.

“In any case, thank you for yesterday. Both for the meal and taking me to my room,” he said, turning away slightly, Collier smiling at him in response.

“Think nothing of it,” he replied, waiving it off as he placed down another card, sifting through the pack in his other hand, “food always tastes better with company. Besides, is It not good virtue to help holy men? ‘If you light a lamp for someone else, it will also brighten your own path,’ as the Buddha says,” he finished in a slight sing-song tone, manoeuvring the cards in front of him onto the various piles for the aces until they were all stacked. “There we are,” he declared, stacking them all together again, the monk looking at the rectangular cards curiously.

“Care for a game?” Collier asked the man, shuffling the cards in his hands deftly. Cherry looked slightly confused, then sharpened his expression.

“No, it is wrong to gamble,” he replied, managing to sound respectable in his response, the foreigner smiling contently at him.

“I did not mean to gamble, just a friendly game of cards. To pass the time more than anything,” he replied innocently, flipping a card in his fingers before inserting it back into the pack. Cherry looked at him critically, before giving a tired sigh and leaning closer to his benefactor. He did owe his room to the man, and he didn’t have anywhere for tonight either.

“Fine, what are we playing?” he asked, exasperated, looking up at the ceiling as he asked.

“What do you know how to play?” Collier asked, smiling at his competitor.

“I know the basics of Rummy, but I’m not too familiar with European card games,” Cherry replied honestly, though coldly.

“Rummy it is then,” Collier replied, swiftly dealing out two hands of seven cards and moving one towards Cherry, facedown. He placed the stack of remaining cards down on the table, over turning one to start off the discard pile, a seven of diamonds. Cherry picked up the cards, the pattern on the back being a deep blue, covered with white liveries, along with two cherubs riding bicycles towards the back face of the cards, surrounded in a circle. “Standard rules, though I do let runs wrap around… You go first,” he stated, gesturing with his hand for Cherry to begin.

They continued on, calmly playing the game as Cherry tried to keep track of the Arabic numerals on the cards, not quite familiar with them. After a while, Collier having three sets out, and cherry only having one and a card laid on his opponent’s, Cherry asked a bored question, hoping for some conversation to distract him from his poor performance. “By the way, why do you still have your revolvers on you? There’s not exactly much you can hunt in here. Unless you plan to shoot someone’s main course,” he asked drolly, leaning his face in his hand, letting his other hand flop down across his chest as it gripped his cards.

Collier looked up from his cards to his companion, then down to his holster, “Oh, well I didn’t see much reason to take them off. And, I was worried they might get lost. They are much smaller than my rifle or the like,” his voice matter-o-fact as he responded.

“Mhmm,” Cherry murmured, not saying much more as he looked at the holster. It was an odd design, made of one piece of tannish leather, the top revolver, the Merwin and Hulbert, being pointed down near a 45o angle, the grip pointing up wards and the barrel down. The revolver in the lower slot in the piece, the Webley, however, was nearly horizontal, the barrel being only slightly pointed down behind him. Both revolvers seemed to cross each other, though the top revolver was slightly further from Collier’s side, the holster being hung from the belt around his waist. “Where did you buy that holster then?” Cherry asked as he laid down a set of three, hoping to distract the man.

“Oh, I had it custom made. I wanted something to hold both revolvers on the same side, so I can keep the expense pouch, and not have to remember which revolver is which side,” Collier replied pleasantly, picking up the card Cherry had discarded and laying down his entire hand, ending the game. “It’s quite nice looking, isn’t it?” Collier put to the monk, who balked at his near instant loss, not even having to count up his score to know he had lost.

“Yes…” Cherry replied, slightly irritably, though a note of bewilderment entwined within it. The cards were re-shuffled and the began again, idle conversation occurring throughout. After Cherry’s third consecutive loss he fumed silently, staring down at the cards with a determined expression, pressing his lips together.

Collier removed a cigar from a case in his jacket, glancing around for a second before setting it down and moving to leave his seat. “One moment please… I just need to find and ash tray,” he declared, his voice dragging out as he searched around.

“Of course,” Cherry snapped brusquely, not looking up from the mediocre hand he had dealt himself. Collier rose up and walked away from the game in search of an ash tray, leaving the inflamed monk to himself. As he left earshot, Cherry began muttering a mantra under his breath, praying to himself. As he did, he heard a light chuckle from behind him. He spun his head around to find the origin and saw Suro holding an emptied tray of food behind him, an amused expression on her face.

“Is it right for a monk to pray for luck when gambling?” she asked cheekily, covering her smile slightly with her free hand as she balanced the tray on the other.

“… I’m not gambling, it’s just a friendly game,” Cherry huffed, slightly deflated as he turned back to look at his cards.

“And that makes all the difference then?” she chided, amused as she leant down to him, still stood behind him.

“Don’t you have work to do?” he growled back, slouching into his own shoulders.

“Yes I do, but this was more fun,” she replied mischievously, then moving away from the grumbling monk.

“…Do you know where the ashtray’s are?” he called out after a moment, a sour tone still clear in his voice.

“Father will have some with him at the counter, or in the kitchen. He only puts them out when people ask for them, or late in the evening. Stops people from pinching them easily then,” she called back as she walked towards the kitchen, stopping near the door to finish the conversation. As she turned back to continue she saw Collier walking back holding a cast-iron ash tray, smiling warmly at her. She returned the smile and continued on her way. Collier walked back over to the table, the monk glancing up a him as he approached before he snapped his eyes back to his cards, pressing a hand to his chin.

“Found one then?” he remarked, moving some cards around in his hand as the taller man sat down in the chair he had been. Collier flashed a smile at him, placing the cast-iron disk on the table and picking up the cigar. He checked his hands from the table, bending them up to look at them before taking a card from the stack and tossing one away, getting out and striking a match. He puffed the cigar while he held the flame against its end, sending up plumes of pinkish smoke like a furious dragon, waving the flame out before dropping the burnt out match in the ash tray. Cherry reached for a card from the stack as the other man leant back in his chair, pinching his cigar between two finger as he pulled it away from his mouth. Cherry smiled smugly as he took the card, prising out the run of cards he had just got and laying them down. He wore a proud expression on his face, tipping his head back slightly as he crossed his arms, the other man wearing a bemused expression in response. The game continued, the fragrant smell of tobacco smoke hanging over the game. After a number of turns, Cherry triumphantly placed down the remainder of his hand, winning the game by a good margin.

Collier looked at him with a cheeky expression, “congratulations,” smiling at him as he nocked away his ash into the tray on the table. Cherry looked at him with a slightly insulted expression, thinking he was being made fun of, though to some extent he was. Collier collected up the cards again as the monk looked at him sourly, a toothy grimace on his face as he rested his face on his palm, his elbow on his knee as he slouched forward. He began shuffling them, puffing lightly on his shortened cigar, when he heard the sound of someone entering the parlour with them, turning his head to look at them. As he did, he smiled widely, “Ando-San! How are you?” he called out, keeping his cigar in the corner of his mouth as he spoke. Cherry looked up to see the man his opponent had seen and shivered slightly as he recognised the veteran from the day before.

He was reasonably short, with close cropped hair featuring flashes of grey around the ears, which were pressed against his head, and resembled cauliflowers. He still wore the tightly bound glasses on his long face, a his nose long and flat, the two twine handles that held the lenses to his face being a greenish colour, likely woven from some natural plant in the region. A long scar ran from the top of his crown to just under the bend of his cheek bone. He was wearing a very casual yukata, dark grey and blue in colour, a medal pinned on his left chest. Specifically, ‘The Order of The Golden Kite’, a blue ‘X’ cross, petals at the tope arms, on top of a red enamelled sun with thin rays pushing past the arms.[6] Two spears were on top of the ‘X’, red banners either side of the ‘X’s centre, a twisting ribbon going up it’s centre crested with a gold eagle. It was held by a light blue ribbon square at the top, then becoming triangular as it came down to the star.

He turned his head over to Collier, curious who had called him as he was chatting to Suro, then let a smile break across his face. “Collier-San! I’m well, how was your hunt?” he asked, walking over to the pair as Suro walked over to one of the other tables.

“It went quite well, they should be serving some of it today,” Collier replied warmly, looking up at the man.

“That sounds splendid,” Ando replied, sitting down at the Englishman gestured them to do so.

“By the way, are you willing to sell me your rifle? The Type 35?”[7] Collier asked, placing the stack of cards down on the table, Cherry looking down at them dismally, before pushing the expression off his face. Ando looked at him slightly confused.

“Why’d you want it?” he asked, shifting in the chair.

“I like to do some shooting with rifles from the country I’m in sometimes, aside from that, yours is a beautiful thing, and it’s easier to get ammunition for it that for my Lee Speed,” Collier explained, taking a quick puff on his cigar as he finished then pulling it away. Ando seemed to consider it for a moment, pressing his lips together as he squinted up at the ceiling.

After a moment he put up one finger, “alright, beat me in a game and I’ll give it too you!” he declared confidently, crossing one leg as he leaned back in his chair.

“No, I’ll pay you for it, I don’t mind,” Collier replied, Cherry watching the conversation with relative disinterest, though looking nervously at the scarred man.

“Come on, let’s have a game! It’ll be fun!” Ando pleaded, smiling at him as he leaned forward.

“Alright, let’s do this. If you win against me three times, I will add, hmm, let’s say add thirty yen to whatever price you want for the rifle,” Collier replied, slightly exasperated, though smiling at the man.

“Done!” Ando cried, the other man shaking his head slightly as he lightly chuckled.

“What do you want to play then?” Collier asked curiously, cocking his head slightly.

“As you’ve been playing something you’re familiar with,” referring to the European card deck by the other man’s hand, “this time, let’s play a Japanese game. Hana-Awase,” he said grandly.

“…Alright then,” Collier replied after a moment. Ando smiled confidently, standing up to grab a pack of Hanafuda[8] cards. When he came back he opened the deck and began dealing them out, including Cherry in the game.

As he dealt, Collier made a noise of discontent, “it feels odd with just three people…” he muttered, then noticed Suro walking by, “ah, Suro-San! Come join us! We need a fourth player,” he called catching the girls attention.

She looked over at the trio with slight confusion, glancing around as she opened her mouth to say something. “Don’t worry, the place isn’t too busy and if Surogasu-San kicks up a fuss I’ll explain,” he called to her, Ando nodding in agreement.

She huffed to herself, sighing slightly as she walked over, occupying the one open seat.

“I presume you know the rules?” Collier remarked cheekily.

“You presume correctly,” she chided, flashing a witty smile at the older man. She had her straight black hair let down, trimmed somewhat shortish-hanging just about jaw level. Still in her light blue kimono, a bracelet on her left hand and slippers on her feet. She was a rather thin woman, yet she seemed strong in presence when she was close, taking after her father in that way, along with his sharp tongue.

“But do you know the rules?” Cherry asked plainly to Collier, speaking for the first time in a while.

“I know the basics. I’ll pick it up as I go,” he replied dismissively, smiling at the other three. Ando smiled evilly at the Englishman, confident in a victory. He dealt each player five cards, then laid eight cards face up on the field, placing the remainder of the stack near them. In some ways, it was a more complicated version of Snap!, or Koi-Koi as it was called in Japanese. Ando, as the dealer, went first. He laid down a card from his hand in the field, matching one of the cards laid down then picked up a card from the stack and laid it face down, this one unfortunately not matching so he left it. The turns rotated counter-clockwise, meaning Collier went next. He considered his hand for a moment, Cherry trying to suppress his enjoyment of the sight, then place a card neatly on the field and one form the stack, neither being a match. He placed his hand up to his face, resting it just under his lip as he watched the cards, Ando glancing at him with a slightly cheeky but friendly smile. Suro went next, her first card matching one Collier had placed down and the other matching nothing. And so on and so fourth until the game had finished. In the end, Ando won, Cherry coming in second, and Collier in last.

“Don’t worry my friend,” Ando began smarmily, smirking at the other man, “I wont ask too much for it anyway,” he continued, already presuming his victory.

“Thank you for your concern my good chap, but I think I’ve got the hang of it now,” Collier explained calmly, smiling at the other man as he then put out his cigar in the ash tray. Ando wore an expression of mock agreement, while Cherry grinned at him with his Cheshire cat smile. Cherry dealt this time, then took the first go. In the end, Cherry won that round, smiling proudly, to himself, getting amused looks from both Suro and Collier. But, Collier had come second, Suro remaining in third. After that they continued, Collier winning the next, then again. After the second win, Ando grimaced slightly at the cards, reaching in his clothes for a packet of cigarettes and pulling one out before he shuffled the cards.

Suro looked up at him, “your daughter doesn’t like you smoking you know,” she chided, startling the veteran and making him stiffen.

“It’s just one, to help me concentrate on the game,” he replied nervously, flapping his hand in Suro’s direction, hoping to dissuade her from telling his daughter. She looked at him flatly for a moment before sighing slightly and rolling her head.

“Fine, just make sure you don’t smell to strongly of smoke or she’ll come after me as well,” she replied half exasperated, though sounding serious. Ando smiled at the young woman as he gripped the cigarette in his teeth, Collier handing him a box of matches. After he had lit the cigarette, pulling the ash tray over to himself, he shuffled and dealt out the cards. After a while, Suro won the game by a large margin, smiling plainly at the men. Then when Cherry had dealt she won again. By the end, it morphed into a competition between Collier and Suro, Cherry carving out one more win, as Ando looked down dismally at his cards.

In the end, Suro won the most, smiling contently at the other three, Collier smiling widely at her. “Well done,” he said simply, not surprised in the least. Ando sighed slightly then let a small smile on his face. “Well, as I lost, I shall buy us all dinner,” Collier declared, standing up to order from the kitchen, “we’ll discuss the rifle after we’ve finished,” he added, turning back to Ando who nodded slightly, waiving his hand in acknowledgement. The shopkeeper sighed slightly, having hoped to win, more for the simple sake of it than the extra money. Though it wasn’t as if he had disliked the idea of it. Suro smiled to herself, pleased to have won, looking arrogantly at Cherry who eyed her with his standard, sour expression. She shifted slightly in her seat, unsure whether she should stay any longer, in case her father needed her help. She darted a glance to the entrance hall, seeing if she could spot him while not moving her head too much, bringing her curled fingers up to her mouth in worry.

She saw him sweeping in the hall, rhythmically moving the broom to direct the admittedly minute amount of dust on the ground into a pan. The man seemed to sense his daughters eyes on him and lifted his head to look at her, still gripping the broom. He waived his hand at her, as if to encourage her to take a break. There wasn’t much to do at the moment, and she did enough anyway. She flashed him a wider smile than the one that often decorated her face, then turned back to the table. Ando had collected the hanafuda cards back up, leaving Colliers in a stack on the table for the other man to retrieve. Cherry leered out at some middle space ahead of him with a tired face, still in the waning throws of his hangover, despite his activity. Collier came back in the room a moment later, carrying a tray flanked by a fanfare of two of the chefs, Suro presuming the third was still in the kitchen. He smiled widely as he placed his tray on the table, pressing it near to the centre as he moved out of the way of the other two chefs, young men who were training under the man who had stayed behind. He sat down as the other three gazed at the meal, turning up to thank the chefs who had come with him. They returned his thanks and walked off, the older man picking up his cards, placing them in the packet they came in, then into a silver cards case he pulled from one of the pockets on his jacket.

It wasn’t the largest meal, but it was not modest either. Covered with fresh meat and fish, sushi and various pastries, a number of dumplings and other sweets at one side meant for later. The other three began, pulling their respective cups of tea closer as well. Ando smiled at the meal, moving to the edge of his seat as the other two began, Suro and Cherry instantly reaching for the meat and giving each other challenging stares. Ando smiled over the meal, but seemed to be searching for something, a key component of the meal. Collier reached into the inside of his jacket and pulled out a silver flask grabbing a small cup with the other hand, then pouring brandy into it, the veteran smiling widely as the hunter handed it to him, raising the glass to him. “Thank you, Collier-San,” he said, the other man nodding in return, selecting a piece of seasoned pheasant in front of him, neither of the younger two noticing as they battled between themselves over the food.

“I’ll go get the rifle, then we can talk about it after we finish,” Ango declared, standing up after he took a long draught of his drink and stuffed a dumpling into his mouth. Collier glanced up at him with a questioning look, but decided the man knew what he was doing, and nodded to him in temporary farewell, the other giving a snappy waive before bustling out of the parlour then out the door into the darkening night. Collier turned back to the meal, taking an egg roll in his chopsticks and plopping it in his mouth as he looked at the other two. Cherry wore a sour countenance, grumbling at Sugo, who chuckled at him, amused by his reactions as she snapped up food. They calmed down after a moment, idly chatting, chewing the fat as they chewed their food.

Ando came back shortly after, slightly pale from only just avoiding a chewing out by his daughter, Collier pouring him a heavy drink to help him recover from the trauma of it. They discussed the price of the rifle over their meals, Suro leaving part way through, thanking Collier for the meal, and the three of them for the game. The two older man returned the appreciation enthusiastically, while the monk muttered something resembling it as he looked away. She smiled at them all then marched off. The two men resumed their talk, Cherry feeling lethargic from the food, perking up when the pair finally settled on a price of about two hundred yen. Ando gave him the rifle, along with some accessories that came with it such as its bayonet. He left shortly after that, receiving a send off like he was going off to war as he returned to his angered daughter, now smelling of booze as well as smoke.

After a while, collier himself got up from his seat, collecting his newly acquired rifle and its extras in his hands. “Well, thank you for the game my friend, I truly enjoyed it,” he declared boisterously to the smaller man, catching his attention as he looked up at Collier with a shocked expression.

“Ah, sure, no problem… thank you very much for the food. It was greatly appreciated,” he responded, slightly flustered to start with then, settling into his usual confidence as he offered the man a prayer.

“I am glad you enjoyed it my good fellow,” Collier declared, rocking on the balls of his feet, “I hope to see you in the future, but, until then I wish you a good evening,” he called as he walked away. Cherry watched him go, the man swiftly disappearing from sight. The monk remembered only then that he hadn’t a room for the night and disliked owing the man any more favours. He got up and walked to his room, ducking in quickly to snatch up the clothes he had left in there, pulling them on, though leaving his sandals off, holding them in his hands as he walked back to the entrance. He saw Surogasu near the entrance, where he had seen him the day before, reading the same book, though noticeably further through it.

He looked up the monk who had been his guest and bowed to him, “thank you for your patronage, we hope you’ll visit us again,” he droned in a practised tone, though not without some sincerity, despite his blank face.

“… May you receive the Buddha’s blessing,” Cherry replied, levelly with his usual half-displeased expression, nodding to the man and tipping his hat as he slid on his wooden sandals and walked out the door, the chill of an approaching rain nipping at his exposed neck, shutting the door behind him with his free hand. He looked out into the black night, taking a moment for his eyes to adjust before striding forward, using his staff like a walking stick. The town was near pitch black as he walked, one or two buildings still allowing light to trickle through their thin windows, the night winding itself down. He walked out into the other side of the wood that surrounded the town, hearing the night-time chatter of animals as he went.

After about an hour of walking, the lethargy of a long day and a large meal tugging at him, he found a section of trees that sloped nicely, branches and other vegetation having clumped up between two trees at the peak of a small hill. He went over to it, piling a few dry ferns nearby on the ground to act like a mat then laid down. He felt his eyelids hang low, hearing the departing sounds of oncoming rain as he dropped off to sleep.

He woke up to a feeling of damp around his neck and the top of his back. He pulled his eyes open, finally rid of his hungover as his head felt cool. He shifted on the makeshift mat so that he was sat upright, pulling a hand over his face then resting it over his thin moustache, as he looked out ahead of him. Rain tumbled out of the sky in great cascading tears, smacking hard into the face of the ground, heartily embraced by the soil and the trees. The world was dimly lit, the sun hidden by storm clouds, leaving the world a cold yet comforting of blue-grey. A great glob of water smacked onto Cherry’s head, making him wince as he felt the chill on his scalp, running down the strands of short black hair on his head. He looked up at the natural cover above him and saw great beads of water collecting on it, a section at its base near where his head had been having washed away completely, a flow of water dribbling down it. He grimaced at the water as if it had said something unpleasant then huffed tiredly, grabbing his paddy hat and shoving it on, grabbing his staff as he moved to stand, just barely avoiding clonking his head on the cover. He instantly heard the rain quickly rapping on his hat, like a cat desperately wanting to come in, his hands quickly becoming sodden with chilly water. He kept walking, doubting the downpour would relent any time soon. He didn’t dislike the rain, it was far too common to keep up a dislike such as that.

He kept walking for a long while, making slow progress as the ground became marshy and unstable underneath him. Then, at the edge of a disused and forgotten path he noticed a small covered shrine, the wood stripped of paint by age and nature. He crept closer to the place, noticing the toppled remains of a torii[9]gate half subsumed by tall grass. As he come up to it, he respectfully opened the door, bowing as he did. He removed his sandals before he ventured further in, kowtowing to a small effigy in the centre of the small room, an even smaller plate below it for offerings, long disused. The effigy in the centre was of a wolf, it’s name written in faded and illegible kanji just below it. Cherry reached into the sleeve of his keysa[10] and pulled out a small self wrapped parcel and unwrapped it, releasing two meat buns. He placed one on the offering table and bowed to it, muttering a request to stay in the shrine to wait for the rain, bowing in silence until he then moved to the statue’s side and began eating the other bun.

The rain smacked against the roof overhead, visible through the holes in the walls, rushing past like a horde or charging cavalrymen. There was no real light in the structure, a few ancient candles stuck nearby taunting the matchless monk with their unburning wicks. He sat, meditating as he let his thoughts turn blank in his head, surrounded by the white noise of rain. After a while, the rain eased off, leaving a light breeze that brough cold air into the abandoned shrine, one of its two occupants shivering slightly as the cold crept down his back. He broke his position, sprawling himself in a more relaxed fashion on the floor as he looked grumpily through the age eaten walls at the outside that had given him chills. He grumbled slightly, but decided it was a sign he should move on. He bowed again to the statue and the Kami[11] that it represented, then opened the door and left. The ground was sodden, rain having soaked the forest around him as small insects moved around in the now humid air. The ground sank slightly under his sandals, but not enough that it was a concern. Birds began to flit about overhead, racing to snatch up the worms now emerging due to the rain.

The wind snapped and buckled around him, playing with the forest as well as his robes like a dancing child, echoing gusts ringing like innocent laughter. The natural world continued on around him, watching him with a mix of curiosity and fear. It was about late morning-early afternoon when he stopped. He found a pleasant clearing, lit by a few opalescent rays of light that had broken through the blockade of cloud and branch above. He pulled himself onto a large rock in the centre of it, subsumed by moss on one side, cold to the touch. He sat down on it, adjusting himself into a sitting position and placing his hands together, deciding to meditate as he rested.

He sat, surrounded by the pleasant orchestra of nature and lit by warm rays of light. He remained still and relaxed, smirking to himself as he reached a perfect position. Though it was to be expected, he was a highly skilled priest after all, he thought, a wide smirking breaking across his face. Then, quite suddenly, as if a suspension wire had snapped, rain slammed down in a monsoon. Cherry grimaced, instantly soaked, the water winding its way through the seams on his hat simply by virtue of its weight and soaking him top to toe. He scrambled to his feet, muttering curses as he dashed for some form of cover from the rain.

Pride always comes before the fall, well, rainfall in this case.

[1] A Geisha is a female class of Japanese preforming artists and entertainers trained in traditional Japanese arts of entertainment, as well as being good conversationalists and hosts. They are not prostitutes, the idea coming from a Western misunderstanding, conflating them with other extant professions.

[2] A Japanese wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and rectangular body, and is worn wrapped left side over right unless the owner is deceased.

[3] A style of Japanese loose fitting trousers, often pleated. Some may be undivided and more resemble a skirt.

[4] O-Juzo: Juzo is the name in Japanese for a Buddhist bracelet, with ‘O’ being a common honorific for objects.

[5] Kamado: A type of traditional Japanese stove, fired through a hole in the front where the tender is placed, the top having holes where pots were hung by the rims in the flames. Some, following the Edo period, were raised so they could be used while standing.

[6] The Order of the Golden Kite [金鵄勲章: Kinshi Kunshō] An order of the Empire of Japan established on 12 February 1890 by Emperor Meiji “in commemoration of Jimmu Tennō, the Romulus of Japan”. It was solely a military award, conferred for bravery, leadership or command in battle.

[7] The Japanese naming convention for rifles and general military equipment is ‘Type’ followed by the year of its adoption in the reign of the Emperor. In this case, the 35th year of Emperor Meji’s reign, roughly 1903.

[8] Japanese playing cards. The are arranged in sets of months, with various images on their obverse faces varying in colour but usually featuring flowers, fruits or birds each with differing points.

[9] A traditional Japanese gate found at the entrance to, or within the borders of a Shinto shrine. They are typically used to mark the transition from the mundane to the sacred.

[10] The name for the outer robe of Japanese Buddhist Garments.

[11] Kami: Spirits of Nature and the surrounding region, central to Shinto beliefs, but also viewed by Japanese Buddhist sects to be incarnations of the Buddha himself.

#original writing #creative writing #writing #historical fiction #fiction #HMAD

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ashiiixoxo · 5 years ago

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| Match made in Heaven | Lucifer x Demigod! reader

a/n- I hope y'all like this one even tho its 11.24 pm here and my 4 braincells keep thinking about the festivals event WITH SATAN AND LUCIFER IN A FUCKING YUKATA. enjoy~

summary- for the sake of your own safety you were send to Devildom, where Lord Diavolo would take you under his wing, being well aware of the abilities you possessed. you, being okay with going to Devildom, never expected to meet former angels. neither did you expect to fall in love down there.

masterlist

part 3 - nosey brothers

you were showed around the House of Lamentation and tried to memorize everyones rooms and where to go and where not to go. everyone goes to their respective rooms, leaving you alone with Lucifer, whose room is next to yours. the awkward silence was broken when Lucifer opened your room door and said “go rest, dinner will be served shortly.” he turned around and left to his own room.

walking into your room, you admired how much it looked like your old one, except, the pictures with your friends and mom weren't there. you looked in the mirror of your closet. you looked like a mess, felt like one too but your hair and clothes looked slightly disheveled. opening the closet, hoping to find some comfortable clothes to put on, you found multiple uniforms.

your phone buzzed, signing that you got a text message. Diavolo: This is my account. Diavolo: Feel free to send me a message any time. Diavolo: I forgot to mention that you will be attending to RAD with the brothers.

you opened the messages and checked his profile before responding.

Y/n: Thanks for letting me know! Y/n: I saw the uniforms in my closet already.

you locked your D.D.D and felt too tired to change clothes. in the human world it would be early in the morning already while here, it’s not even dinner time. the time in Devildom goes way slower than in the human world and its effects started to show.

you yawned and laid down on your bed. ‘it feels much softer than my own’ you sighed. you couldn't bring yourself to lay on the bed with the clothes you had worn the whole day. you remembered that Asmodeus had told you that each room has its own bathroom. sighing in relief you decided to check the two doors in your room.

the first one you opened was a storage room, filled with, what looked like some of your belongings and herbs. deciding that you had no business in that room to check anything you closed the door and headed to the other door. ‘this should be the bathroom then?’ the door creaked.

looking inside, there was a large marble floored bathroom, slightly beige and (fave colour). you smiled at the sight of the bathtub and the shower cabin. you checked the cabinets for any type of skincare products and towels.

you sighed when you found nothing to clear your face with, but you did find the towels. taking some clothes from your closet and some underwear, you headed into the shower.

while you were showering some of the brothers decided that they wanted to chat with you a bit, only to find your room empty. they heard the water running and realized you were showering.

They let themselves inside your room and admired the way your room looked. Satan found himself in front of your bookshelf. Looking at the numerous books going from fiction to non-fiction, spiritual books, books about witchcraft, as well as science and anatomy books. He noticed books that he had himself, bought in the human world. On the other hand, Asmodeus found himself standing in front of your mirror and looking through your clothes. Admiring pieces he thought were cute or pretty.

Asmodeus beamed whenever he came across a revealing top or a dress. Going, “this is so cute!” or “pretyyy” while looking at all the clothes in your closet. Meanwhile Belphegor made himself comfortable of your soft bed. As soon as his head rested on your pillow he was fast asleep.

While Mammon was looking around your room, being awfully quiet. He looked at your belongings, thinking to himself how much Grimm he can make of your furniture, accessoires and instruments (if you play any).

Satan took one of your books that seemed interesting, it was one of your notebooks where your mother wrote about your blood. You never really looked at it but it caught Satan’s eye. When he decided to open the book, he saw a sigil carving on it, a sigil used by witches to keep away demons.

He took note of the sigil and placed the notebook back. ‘Whatever was written in there shouldn’t be read by demons. And whoever wrote it, wields some real strong magic.’ Satan thought to himself.

You opened the bathroom door and saw the four demons looking through your stuff. Being too amused by their reactions, you quietly stood at the doorframe, observing them.

“I could sell these things for a whole lot of Grimm.” Mammon grinned, holding some of your traditional fans. You furrowed your eyebrows and looked at the fans. ‘why would you sell something as old as that?’

You saw Belphegor asleep and Asmodeus looking through your clothes. You held back a smile. Looking at Satan, who was quietly nodding while reading “the Resurrectionist”. He must like anatomy of mythical creatures. He seemed way too into it.

“sweatpants, really?” Asmodeus looked at the few sweatpants in your closet. “tsk tsk, why wear sweatpants when you have cute clothes like these.” You put your dirty clothes in the laundry basket and wrapped the towel around your hair.

“they’re really comfortable and easy to wear.” You grinned. You felt at ease. Even though they were demons, you didn’t feel threatened. It made you feel save even though they were looking through your stuff.

The demons snapped their heads into the directions your voice came from. They backed away from what they were touching, Mammon tripping over his own leg. You shook your head and dried your hair. “sorry, we didn’t mean to go through your belongings like that.” Satan was the first to apologize.

You gave him a reassuring smile. “what brings all of you to my room?” you asked while drying your hair. Asmodeus grabbed your hand and the towel and started to dry your hair. “don’t rub your hair, it will break. If you pat it, it will stay healthy and it will untangle easier.” He adviced. You nodded your head and thanked him. You felt your whole body relax as Asmodeus raked his fingers through your hair, eyes half shutting at the feeling.

“we came to talk to you.” Mammon answered your previous question. “about?” you inhaled when you felt Asmodeus fingers trailing down the back of your neck to your spine. You immediately moved away from him. ‘What the hell was he doing?!’ you thought.

You shook your head ‘demons’. Asmodeus got startled because of your sudden action and immediately moved his hands up. “was that too much?” he asked. Your eyes were wide and you felt the stinging pain on your back again. ‘Did he do that on purpose?’ you shook your head and muttered a sorry.

There should be no way he would know unless Diavolo had told him. “again, what did you guys want to talk about?” you asked, you were tense. Mammon shrugged at your action and answered “just talking.”

You nodded you head. They made themselves comfortable on the floor, bed and chair in your room. You joined on the floor with Satan. “so what is there you guys want to know?” you asked.

Mammon was the first one to speak up. “why are you not scared of us?” he was annoyed by the fact that you did not fear him the way he wanted to be feared. You shrugged. “this place is supposed to keep me safe, you guys are supposed to keep me safe. I guess I don’t feel that scared here.” Mammon wasn’t satisfied with your answered and shook his head.

“I’m THE great Mammon, Avatar of Greed, how can you, a mere, fragile human being, not be scared of me.” You shook your head. “so apparently the human world isn’t safe for you anymore, that’s why you’re here right?” you nodded your head, confirming.

“everyone will think you’re another exchange student.” Asmodeus sighed. “maybe that’s for the better, if the other demons think she’s an exchange student, they won’t bother her.”

“why is everyone talking so much.” The sleepy demon sat up and rubbed his eyes after being woken up from his slumber. His eyes landed on you, and he remembered why he fell asleep on your bed in the first place. “did you sleep well?” you asked. “hm? Yeah I did.” Belphegor yawned. “your bed is very soft.” He smiled slightly.

While we were talking, a glaring Leviathan stopped in front of the door. “Lucifer is calling for all of you, dinner is ready.” He muttered and walked away. “we need to go before Bee eats everything!” Mammon sprinted out of the room.

Asmodeus, Satan, Belphegor and you walked towards the dining area and took a seat. Satan sat next to you, he sighed softly. He never got to ask you what he wanted to ask you. He now, had to wait until he could talk to you alone.

Taglist (ask to be added)- @cheesey-fox @inlustris-arts @izzieg3987 @salty-hearts

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impracticaldemon · 6 years ago

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The Benefits of Long Hair

Hakuouki fanfiction by impracticaldemon for this prompt:

Words: ~ 2100 [coming to FFnet and now on AO3] Rating: T+ for implied (very mild, but very implied) sexual context

***UPDATED ON 2020-03-13 to be consistent with newly posted Ch. 6***

A/Note: This was originally going to be a stand-alone SaiChi ficlet, but my good intentions went out the window with the very first sentence. Consequently, this is instead a follow-up to the story The Ghost, which itself was supposed to be a short one-shot that became a 3500-word first chapter to an entire SaiChi semi-AU: Reassurance (Ch.2), The Road to Tokyo (Ch.3), Interactions (Ch.4).

I’d like to thank both @nollatooru and @cleomigadon for adding art to this story: both serious, But You’re Dead!; and less serious, Yes Please (sketch added in reblog).

@fierce-little-miana Thank you for this request! (and congratulations for being a reader-of-tags!)

The Benefits of Long Hair (The Ghost, Chapter 5)

After two weeks of travel, Saitō and Chizuru were relieved to find an affordable inn with a bathhouse reserved for guests. It was tiny, having simply been partitioned off from the family bathhouse, but that was nothing to a young couple who had travelled during the worst of the war, and survived innumerable hardships. That said, there was one unforeseen complication: the size was not well-suited to washing long hair, and Chizuru’s former pony-tail had grown out considerably over the past two years. Not that it bothered Chizuru.

“It will be fine,” she assured her betrothed. “I’ve had to manage with my hair many, many times—you must know that.”

Saitō remained in the doorway, his lips compressed in the way that told Chizuru that he wasn’t satisfied with the situation, and was contemplating alternatives. She waited patiently, kneeling by the side of the bath. She’d been testing the warmth and cleanliness of the water, although Saitō would bathe first, of course.

“…Would it not be easier if I were to wash your hair for you?”

Chizuru couldn’t help staring up at him in surprise, and felt heat touch her cheeks. It was too dim to see whether Saitō was blushing as well; his tone had been neutral.

“ Saitō-san?” Chizuru couldn’t bring herself to voice her thoughts—that they’d never shared a bath, and had yet to share a bed, although they fell asleep each night holding hands now. She knew that Saitō was waiting for her to be comfortable with him, since they had reunited less than three weeks ago, and she had thought him dead for two years.

“I apologize if I ask too much, but I would be pleased to—it would be pleasant…” Saitō trailed off, his voice becoming uncertain as Chizuru’s silence lengthened.

Chizuru made up her mind almost at once. What was convention and modesty between them at this point? She’d spent almost four years pretending to be a boy living among men, and she’d worked as a nurse for the two years after Saitō had left her for his unwinnable war in Aizu.

“Oh no—it is not asking too much! Please don’t apologize, Saitō-san! I’m truly grateful for your consideration.” She bowed politely, but strong fingers immediately raised her head, and she discovered that Saitō had silently dropped to the floor beside her.

“Don’t bow your head to me, Chizuru. Please.”

They stared at each other for a moment, and then Chizuru couldn’t repress a smile. This close, she could make out Saitō’s slight smile in return.

“The others would laugh at us—at me,” she conceded wryly, thinking of Hijikata-san, and Okita-san, and Harada-san. The pang of sadness at the thought of their friends was less pronounced today than usual, and not just because Saitō had said that Nagakura-san was most likely alive.

“If you would be more comfortable, then you could retain your under-clothing?”

“ Saitō-san… it is fine. But in return—” she gathered up her courage, and ignored her hot cheeks and dry mouth—“I would like you to let me wash your hair afterwards.”

Saitō looked startled, and then flustered—it was rather adorable!—and then calm again. He studied her, his deep blue eyes fixed on hers, and then the hand still holding her chin gently stroked her cheek.

“If that is what you wish, then of course… Although my hair isn’t very long anymore.”

“It will still be easier for you,” Chizuru insisted.

“…That is true. But”—he smiled faintly again—“I doubt I’ll be thinking about my hair.” He leaned forward, and kissed her lightly on the lips. She let her eyes close, still savouring every contact after so long apart. They had kissed many times in the past several days, and it warmed her each time. Her mind was still adapting to the fact that he wasn’t ‘missing in action—presumed dead.’

“You will go first, though—in the bath—so—"

“No, you will go first.” Saitō raised a hand at her protest. “I doubt my ability to wash your hair properly once you’ve helped me bathe.”

Something in his voice made Chizuru acutely aware of how close they were, and how much closer they could be. Desire heated her body in a way the warm steam around them couldn’t.

“…Alright, Saitō-san.”

She stood up, and started to remove her clothing, moving quickly so that she didn’t become paralyzed with embarrassment. Saitō turned his back, which made it easier, no matter how pointless a gesture it was, in the circumstances. It wasn’t easy—she’d always been so very careful when she was a guest-prisoner of the Shinsengumi, and she was modest by nature—but she managed to strip down to her skin before stepping carefully into the bath and pulling her knees into her chest. The water and dim light could only conceal so much, but… so be it. For some reason, it helped if she closed her eyes.

“Do you have the soap?”

“Yes, Saitō-san, I have everything ready.”

She didn’t hear him walk around behind her, but she could sense movement and feel his presence. When one of his hands dropped to her bare shoulder, she twitched, but forced herself calm again.

“Please lean forward, Chizuru.”

She bent her head forward, as instructed, and felt warm water cascade over her hair and back. After another jug of water, Saitō picked up the soap and lathered it between his hands—or so she assumed. A moment later, his hand awkwardly caressed the top of her head. It took some getting used to—letting Saitō—Saitō!—wash and rinse her hair as though she was a child again. But once she relaxed, it became very pleasant, as he gently washed off the dust of the road, and then scrubbed more vigorously at the hair that lay closest to the scalp. His movements were a little hesitant at first, but quickly became deft and sure. Every section of hair was cleaned; along with every part of her scalp and neck. If his fingers sometimes lingered longer than necessary on her skin, she didn’t object.

By the time he began to rinse each long section of hair in turn, before twisting it into a knot and pinning it so that it didn’t trail back into the bath, Chizuru was almost too content to feel embarrassment over the way he was spoiling her. Almost. The more tradition-oriented part of her felt guilty that she had bathed before him, and as for the way he had washed her hair—!

Saitō-san?”

“Yes, Chizuru?”

“You’re very good at this—and you’re being much to kind to me…”

“I am pleased that you are pleased, but I assure you that I am… very happy to be doing this for you.”

At last, all of Chizuru’s hair was loosely pinned up on top of her head. She was about to rise, but Saitō forestalled her.

“Wash first. I’ll fetch clean water for the jug.”

“Oh, but—”

“It’s not far. I requested water be drawn and heated. When I return, we can switch places. Or I can manage on my own if you are feeling overheated from the bath.”

“No! I mean, no, I’m fine. I’ll wash up quickly, and be ready to do your hair when you return.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Chizuru spoke as firmly as she could. She refused to let embarrassment prevent her from sharing this special time with Saitō. She would just have to get used to letting him see her unclothed. And… obviously… she would see him… At least she could ascribe any flush in her skin to the heat in the small bath chamber.

She did scrub quickly, but did not get out of the bath right away. If Saitō was surprised that she hadn’t taken advantage of his tacit offer to let her slip into her under-kimono while he was away, it only showed briefly. He set down the hot water jug, and picked up Chizuru’s yukata, holding it out for her so that she could remove most of the excess water with a towel, and then slip into her sleep-wear without difficulty.

It took more courage to step out of the bath than Chizuru had expected, but she managed. She kept her eyes lowered, so that she didn’t know if Saitō was watching her or not, although she had a feeling that he was.

As soon as she had slipped her arms into the yukata, Saitō turned her around—carefully, in case she was dizzy from sitting in the bath—and wrapped his arms around her. He’d set aside his own yukata, and the embrace pulled them skin-to-skin, causing Chizuru to draw in a sharp breath of surprise and something else—arousal? When Saitō immediately released her, she clung to him instead, savouring the warmth of his skin against hers.

“I’ll—I’ll wash your hair now, Saitō-san,” she managed, eventually.

The arms about her loosened again reluctantly, and she stepped back, so that he could finish stripping and enter the bath. She kept her eyes—mostly!—on the floor, but… he was very handsome, and his arousal was somewhat obvious.

Kneeling in the small space beside the bath, Chizuru focussed on rinsing, and then washing, Saitō’s indigo hair. It was a great deal shorter than it had once been, but it was long enough for her to enjoy the way the strands softened and became more clingy as she carefully lathered the whole, and then rinsed each section in turn. When she was done, she patted the lightly curling locks to near-dry with a towel. He would no doubt wet the lower ends again while he washed, but she combed her fingers through it anyway, ostensibly to remove any persistent tangles, but mostly because it felt good and made this peaceful moment last a bit longer.

“Chizuru?”

“Mm?”

There was silence, for long enough that Chizuru looked up, studying the back of Saitō’s head, and trying not to trace the line of his jaw, and neck, and shoulders with her eyes. It wasn’t possible, so she gave in to inclination.

“Would you… could we…” Saitō drew a deep breath, then started again. Were his ears red? It was difficult to tell in the faint light. “Could we—tonight—share a bed? That is—will you consider it?”

Chizuru looked down at the damp towel in her hands, and then up at the muscled—though still too-thin—shoulders she could see above the edge of the bath. She didn’t feel the need to think about it at all. A kind of ache had settled into her lower body as she’d been washing Saitō’s hair, but not a bad one. It was more of a want, a need, to be touched, and to touch in return.

“Um, yes. Yes we could, I mean—if that’s what you want?” That didn’t sound very convincing, so she added: “I would like that too.” She thought she saw some of the tension go out of Saitō’s neck and shoulders.

“Ah… well then.” He cleared his throat. “I think you know this, but… I desire you.”

There was a great deal of longing in the simple words, and Chizuru felt a swooping sensation in her stomach. She suspected she was blushing from head to toe, but who wouldn’t?

“Well then, um, I sh-should let you finish here, and I’ll just go—go get ready for bed. That is—I’ll go brush my hair.”

Saitō craned his head around.

“Thank you for washing my hair, Chizuru.”

“Oh-oh yes! Of course. Thank you for washing mine. I know it was a lot of trouble”

“It was no trouble.”

He’d said those words to her many times, over the years. She reached out and smoothed his damp hair back from his forehead one more time. A strong hand caught her wrist, though carefully, so as not to overbalance her.

“ Saitō-san?”

“It will be better if we go in together. Wait just a minute longer.”

Chizuru hesitated—she didn’t want him to rush on her account—but she could tell he was serious about wanting her to wait. “I’ll wait. And, um, there is no hurry.” She turned away to fetch a dry towel, and Saitō’s yukata, just to give herself something to do.

From behind her, she heard a huff of amusement, soft and unexpected. She couldn’t perfectly make out the accompanying murmur, but the sense of it was very clear: there was every reason to hurry.

[END]

@ahodesune @shell-senji @sabinasanfanfic @nalufever @soujthings @canadiangaap @eliz1369 @hidetheremote @eheartangel @moon-faced-pear-shaped @hakuyamazakisensei @kondo-hijikata

#hakuouki #hakuoki #haku fanfiction #saichi #saitou hajime #impracticaldemon #imp writes #the ghost #my drabbles weren't too bad at about 1000 ish words #but 2100 is starting to push the envelope again #plus #now i'm thinking about this story again #hmm

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osakaso5 · 6 years ago

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Riku Nanase Snowy Trip Rabbit Chat Part 3: Bit By Bit...

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 | Part 5

Riku: Manager, look! I got a towel from Momo-san! It's in his colors, and really cute!

Tsumugi: Ooh, thank you for the picture! It's very cute. I was watching your little award ceremony on the monitors earlier, lol

Riku: Duun duun, dun duun duun du du du dun dun duuun. Right!?

Riku: Momo-san even sang a little background tune for it! lol

Tsumugi: Come to think of it, Kujo-san was also there..!

Tenn: You called, Takanashi-san?

Tsumugi: Waagh!? Kujo-san..!

Riku: Ehehe! I told him I wanted to chat, and he said he'd do it if you were also here! Sorry for startling you.

Tsumugi: N-no, I'm honored!

Tenn: I'm not always against this kind of stuff. I need to let my hair down sometimes, too.

Tenn: We don't get to talk face to face very often, after all.

Tsumugi: That's great, Riku-san!

Riku: Yeah!

Riku: Hey, Tenn-nii, didn't you want a towel?

Tenn: I'm good. You gave me that fan.

Riku: You're using that thing!?

Tenn: I am. Since it was a gift from you.

Riku: Tenn-nii..!

Tsumugi: Are you talking about the fan you got at the gift shop earlier?

Riku: Yeah, that's the one! As soon as I saw it, I pictured Tenn-nii holding it. So I bought it on impulse!

Riku: The fact that he'd use something I got for him makes me so happy..!

Tenn: You have a good sense of style, Riku. Thank you

Choices/outcomes:

1. Nothing beats a yukata and a fan!

Riku: It's a pretty nice combination, isn't it! I feel like a fan suits Tenn-nii better than a towel. I'm glad I gave it to him..!

2. Maybe I should get one of those towels to remember this by..!

Riku: You definitely should! They brought a whole box of them! lol Apparently they were made just for today!

3. I hope you two get to take a picture together, away from the cameras.

Riku: Y-you think we'll be able to do that? Tenn-nii..!

Riku: I'm really happy we got to have another group chat after so long!

Riku: What about you, Tenn-nii? Are you happy?

Tenn: Of course I am.

Riku: Really really?

Tenn: Really really. Are you feeling anxious?

Riku: It's just been so long...

Tenn: It has.

Tenn: What are you planning to do tomorrow?

Riku: I'm going to make snowmen! I don't want to be a bother to everyone.

Tsumugi: You're not a bother! Kujo-san, if Riku-san wants to get on the slope at any point, then...

Tenn: I know.

Tenn: I thought I'd make snowmen tomorrow, too.

Riku: Really!?

Riku: We get to hang out together! Ah, but I guess we shouldn't talk to each other too much.

Riku: I just hope I can act normal when you're right there...

Tenn: Got it. I won't get too close. But there's only one space here for just playing in the snow, we'll probably end up being pretty close anyway.

Riku: Yay!!! Tomorrow's going to be so exciting, Tenn-nii!

Tenn: Yeah.

#idolish7 #riku nanase #snowy trip #translation #i7 #rabbit chat

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thekitchensnk · 6 years ago

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and the spider lilies bloomed in the fall (chapter 15)

Rating: T Warnings: Sexual themes, violence Pairing: Gin/Ran Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15

“They say that lovers doomed never to see each other again still see the higanbana growing along their path, even to this day.”

A girl collapses on a dusty road one day. A boy takes her home.

The girl lives.

—

(The boy doesn’t.)

As the youngest girls working at the Floating Moon, it was Rangiku, Sayaka and Ayame’s job to wash the dishes after the first meal of the day. They had perfected a routine, with Ayame, ever-meticulous, doing the washing, her arms plunged to the elbow in hot, soapy water, Rangiku drying, and Sayaka dashing around to put away the bowls.

When the second gong sounded, however, they would dart off to the room to get washed, dressed and made-up for the evening’s work, leaving Rangiku to finish washing up. It was one of the few times of the day where she would ever have time to herself, and it felt unnatural. She would stand alone, in the centre of the room, listening to the whir of voices and rushed footsteps around her, and her heart would sink. The brothel was like a heart, with all its segmented valves and chambers, and left to herself, alone, Rangiku felt aimless and lost. She had never done well on her own.

She would quickly finish up whatever washing was left, and trudge up the stairs to the tub where everyone took their baths. She was always the last, and least essential, to get bathed, and so the water was often second or third-hand by the time she got washed, though it was still thick with the jammy, indolic jasmine smell that they used to scent the water, and it could be smelled from several feet away from the tub.

In times to come, when she smelled the scent of jasmine on a noblewoman, she could never help but smile to herself. Jasmine on noblewomen; jasmine on whores. No woman was so different from one another, not deep down.

The tub was small, and she needed to scrunch her knees up almost to her chest to fit in it now, but she could submerge her head entirely, and the water was warm. She dreamed of the day when she could soak there to her heart’s content, knowing that it would never come.

She slipped the ring from her finger. She did not know what metal it was, but she did not want it to rust.

A warm bath had been a revelation after so many years spent bathing in the river. A river-bath had not been so bad in the summer, when the sweat trickled down her back and behind her knees. Their small house had offered little ventilation, and so they had sweltered together in the heat.

His hands had always been cold, but in the night, when the cicadas had sung their night-chorus, they had both roasted. Never one to be shy, he would have no compunctions about stripping off his yukata, letting his bare chest cool in the summer air. She had grown more circumspect, the roaming eyes of men in town teaching her to be shy about her body, and the sight of his bare torso in those months just before he left would have her heart hammering in her chest and her blood pooling in her cheeks, though she had not been able to say why. After that, the cool embrace of the river had been like a balm.

In the present, mind years and miles away, she sank beneath the water, sank until it covered her face. She shut her eyes and felt her heart beat in her chest. With her eyes closed, in the stillness of the warm water, it boomed thickly in her ears.

In winter, they’d had to boil water and leave it outside in the freezing air until it became cool enough to touch. They would wipe themselves down then with whatever rags they had that were still clean. There had been no soap, and certainly no jasmine. The chill of the air on her damp skin had set her hair on end, and she had shivered and breathed heavily with the cruel bite of the cold on her skin. It had seeped into her bones and her teeth had chattered.

They had clung to each other, back then, because there had been no other choice. It had been lie close, or freeze.

(But that was a lie, she knew. It had never been about the cold. Not for her.)

He had always felt the cold worse than she did. Of course he had. He had been so slender, so thin- she could see his jutting collar bones and his sharp shoulders even with his yukata on, and he had always been so pale that he was almost luminous. He had sought her warmth like a snake sought the sun. The cold put him to sleep; it filled him with such a heavy lethargy that he would lie there, half-dozing.

She would always watch him secretly then, bashfully even, and watch his beautiful, drowsing face.

Under the water, her heart constricted in her chest. She wanted to shout, to smash something, to cry. To see him again and kill him; to see him again and kiss him, as she had done once before, in that moment which she held secretly wrapped around her heart.

Why? Why did you leave me?

She screwed up her small hands into fists. She bit at her lip. She screamed through her nose, and a thousand tiny bubbles rose and broke on the surface. But no one could hear her.

She surfaced when she ran out of air, and felt suddenly dizzy with the steam and the heat and the lack of oxygen. She allowed her head to tilt backwards, and her lungs to breathe. The air was thick with the smell of jasmine.

No more thoughts of him tonight, she vowed to herself calmly.

Somewhere down below her, the third gong was ringing. She would have twenty minutes to get ready, and then it would be show time. There would be no chance to think- just the electric beat of music, the liquid joy of sake, the hope of a fist fight and the thrill of a dance. The thought lifted her spirits, and she rose from her bath, still dizzy, but eager to get to work.

She towelled herself down quickly, and threw on the clothes she had been wearing earlier, though she had already done a full afternoon’s work in them, and she set off for her room with determination.

She took the stairs two at a time, pressingly aware that the sun was beginning to set in the sky, and her shift would be starting soon, whether she was ready for it or not. Stampeding down the corridor, she slammed open the paper doors, and they rattled in their frames for several seconds afterwards as she strode into the room.

Ayame, almost unrecognisable with her face painted white and her hair elaborately pinned up, turned her head to her.

"An elephant would make less noise than you," she sniffed. Customary scathing remarks delivered, she turned back to Sayaka, whose hair she had been in the midst of pinning back with a beautiful, fake jade comb, a frown of concentration between her darkened brows.

There was something magical about this- this time, this small and separate space, where clever-handed women worked mysterious wonders on each other's bodies and faces, painting and tucking and working until they were transformed into the stuff of dreams. It was a small zone of hush amidst the tumult of the brothel, a place where, even if only for an hour, quiet reigned as the women readied themselves.

The work of metamorphosis was a team effort. It could not be done alone. For big names like Rin, who were to be dressed in elaborate, layered kimono, the simple effort of putting on her clothes required a band of assistants. Everyone worked as a well-oiled unit, like clockwork, waxing hair, painting faces, burning charcoal for kohl with which to line their hidden eyebrows. The smell of burning lingered in the air, mixing with the heady jasmine which radiated from their bodies.

Ayame cupped Sayaka's jaw gently in her hand, careful beyond measure not to smudge the painstaking work done on her base. Sayaka, rendered immobile, caught Rangiku's eye and grinned helplessly.

"No, no," Ayame chided softly, a thin, crimson-laden brush in her hand. "Don't let up now. You're almost done."

Sayaka gave Rangiku a weak shrug, and her sharp eyes snapped back to Ayame.

"Come here, you," Yuki beckoned, gesturing to a cushion in front of her with a comb. "Stop pestering Ayame-chan."

Rangiku padded gently across the tatami and knelt obediently in front of her. Yuki sighed a long-suffering sigh and raised her arms to the ceiling.

"Come on, Rangiku-chan!" she groaned. "Your hair is still soaked! Ayame-chan, pass me that towel."

Ayame, her eyes still focused on the painstaking task of painting Sayaka's lips, reached down next to her. Her eyes never once leaving Sayaka, she tossed the towel to Yuki, and it soared straight into her open hand.

"Nice one!" Rangiku called appreciatively, only to be disrupted when Yuki vigorously towel dried her hair. Her head shook with the force. She rubbed at her head, and shot Yuki a scowl.

"That's a bit better," Yuki said warmly, running her comb through the tangled at the bottom of Rangiku's hair. "You'd have caught a cold otherwise, working with wet hair."

Rangiku had slept through winter nights so cold that her hair had almost frozen, but she said nothing. She could not help but lean into her touch. No one had ever brushed her hair for her before Yuki, and she relished the sensation; it was so soothing, so comforting to have someone look after her. The sensation put her half to sleep, and she always became pliant and biddable as Yuki brushed through her hair.

It was tangled after a long afternoon of scrubbing, even though she’d remembered to tie it back. It was fortunate for her that Yuki’s hands were so quick and so skilled, obviously well-practiced at the job, and long since used to doing it.

"You're so good at this, Yuki-san," Rangiku mumbled. "You should give up the game and become a hairdresser."

Yuki hummed tunelessly under her breath as she worked, but she let out a soft, warm laugh at Rangiku's words. "It's one of the few ways of getting you to be quiet, you." She paused, eying up a tangle. "I used to do this for Kanae back in the day, and I’ve done it for most girls here since. I'm an old hand at it." She took the comb to the tangle, but held the hair so that it wouldn't tug on Rangiku's scalp as she fought with it. That was part of Yuki's skill- it never hurt when she brushed hair. "She had the most beautiful hair," Yuki said pensively. "So long and sleek and silver. Like starlight. Or the moon." She looked out, unseeing, seemingly spirited away by some memory. "It's a shame what happened to her."

Rangiku laughed sleepily, scarcely able to think of Kanae, the whore whom she had known back when she’d lived with Gin. "That's silly, Yuki-san," she informed her. "Kanae-san has black hair. She's going gray, but her hair's not silver."

Yuki tapped her gently on the nose with the comb. "That shows what you know. Kanae has silver hair and always has done. She dyes it. Started doing it when she was here, because she got tired of all the unpleasant attention she got from it. People were scared of her. They used to shout at her." Yuki paused, and a wistful note entered her voice. "She used to shout right back."

Rangiku fell quiet. She had promised herself not to think of him, but-

"My friend had hair like that," she confessed to Yuki bravely. "I don't think anyone shouted at him though-" She paused, remembering how many times he had infuriated shop keepers, strangers, passers-by, and pretty much everyone else whom he had ever met in town, as if it was a personal challenge he had set himself to piss everyone off as quickly and thoroughly as possible. “Well,” she amended with a small smile, “at least if they did, it wasn’t because of his hair.”

They were both quiet for a moment, Yuki’s hands brushing through her hair rhythmically. Inwardly, Rangiku burned with curiosity, always insatiable for gossip. “What happened to Kanae-san, Yuki-san?” she asked tentatively, biting at her lower lip.

Yuki’s hands slowed.

Rangiku could not see her face, but when she spoke, there was a tight quality to her voice which spoke of years of pain and regret and decisions not taken.

“She was thrown out,” Yuki said simply.

Rangiku tried to turn her neck to see her expression, but it was futile. “Why would Chiyo-san do that?” she asked in confusion.

“Kanae-“ Yuki started, but had to pause. She swallowed, and Rangiku could hear the tremble in her voice.

“Kanae was never easy to live with, you know? She was a spitfire and she spat venom like a snake. Didn’t matter whether you were her best friend or her worst enemy. Even when she first came here, she was all fire and poison. She was only fifteen.” Yuki’s voice was weighty and melancholic. She paused again, and her voice took on an urgent tone. She spoke quickly. “I’m not sure how much of this it is right for me to say. I don’t want to infringe on what little privacy she has left.”

Rangiku was discomfited, and she nodded uncertainly.

“She had already had a child by then. I don’t know whether she gave birth here, or whether it died with her in her first life, and I never asked about it, not once, but that’s why she came here, I think. I never asked. To make enough money to send back to the people who watched after the child she left behind.”

Rangiku felt her breath grow shallow, and she hung on Yuki’s every word. A realisation hung in the air, but she refused to dwell on it even for a moment. It was important, she suddenly felt in her bones, to hear this sorry tale to its conclusion.

“How did you find out about it?” Rangiku asked, sickening dread coiling in her belly.

Yuki’s voice grew distant, and Rangiku was suddenly glad that she couldn’t see the woman’s face.

“She was my best friend. I loved her. I loved her more than I’ve ever loved anything in my life, and I regret to this day that I didn’t run through those doors after her when she left. Of course she told me.” Yuki paused, and Rangiku heard her sigh quietly. “She would have told me anything.”

“Why did she leave?” Rangiku asked gently.

Yuki’s breath hitched. “She got pregnant.”

Rangiku did turn this time. Yuki wasn’t even looking at her anymore; her eyes were dim and distant, as if staring out into the past.

“Yuki-san?” Rangiku asked tremulously.

Yuki looked down at her then, and she smiled a smile as thin and fragile as an egg shell. She cupped her cheek softly, her fingers brushing against Rangiku’s golden hair.

“Rangiku-chan,” she sighed. “The party, the red lanterns, the sake, the music- it’s all beautiful, eh? It’s easy to forget when you’ve got the beat of the music in your bones and you’re making easy money and you’re dressing up in beautiful silks and you get a fine meal every day and everything’s going perfect, perfect, perfect,. But it doesn’t always go perfect. We’re here to work, Rangiku-chan. That’s all. We can stay while we can work, and when we can’t? Out on the streets we go, cold and hungry, nowhere to go. Chiyo is better than almost all of them, but in the end, that’s not saying much, is it? This is a brothel, not a nursery. That’s what happened to Kanae. Pregnant, kicked out, and forced to work on the streets.”

Rangiku’s eyes were wide.

Down below, the final gong rang out, and its vibrations shuddered through the old timber building, sending dust flying from the ceiling. It was time to get to work, but all of a sudden, Rangiku’s heart was not in it.

Yuki pressed her to her chest quickly, and stroked her hair. “I’m sorry,” she said gently. “That was a very serious conversation.” She paused. “I’m grateful to you, you know? Because you came here, I know she’s out there. I know she’s alive.” Yuki smiled suddenly. “I know that she still spits fire and that she still dyes her hair, that Kanae is out there, cursing god’s name and who knows who else’s. Love involves so much unhappiness, Rangiku-chan, but I’m not unhappy right now.”

Suddenly, Rangiku got the sense that Yuki hadn’t been entirely truthful when she had said that her policy on love was to wait and see.

Huh, she thought.

Yuki rose. Across the room, Sayaka and Ayame were arm in arm, looking resplendent in emerald green and hibiscus purple cottons. They waved absent-mindedly as they left, their heads together in conversation. Echoing down the corridor, Rangiku could hear Ayame shriek “Sayaka!” in shock, and Sayaka give one of her patented belly laughs.

For the first time in a long time, Rangiku’s chest constricted with worry, with a sudden fear of the ever-shifting and uncertain future. Nothing here was stable; nothing here was safe.

It was inevitable, she realised. Change would come, whether she liked it or not, and it always would, sweeping over her and turning her world on its head again and again and again. There could be no security anywhere, just this- the constant, unending effort of building her life up, like a sandcastle on the seashore. She clenched her fists fiercely.

“Rangiku-chan?” Yuki asked, her voice tender. “I’ll see you down there, alright?”

Rangiku looked up at her quickly, but there was no sign of the pain that had marred Yuki’s face before. It was smooth, still, gentle- her expression as blank as the makeup she had painted on to it.

"Yeah," she said, her voice thin and distracted. "I'll be down in a moment."

It was not until Yuki had slipped down the corridor that she allowed herself to think, to dwell on the ramifications of what she had learned.

Her chest tightened with anxiety at her newly-gained knowledge, and the shock made her dizzy. She had to take several deep breaths to calm herself.

Kanae, the whore who had lived in the town she and Gin had walked to so many times, had silver hair. Hair like moonlight. Hair as beautiful as his.

Silver hair and an abandoned baby.

It had to be.

It made too much sense not to be.

Some part of her had noticed it even the very first time they had met. She had looked at Kanae's high cheekbones and narrow eyes and thought, there's a word for good looks like those- and there had been. Kitsune-gao; fox-featured, for the strange, beautiful face she shared with her son.

"I'll do you one favour," the whore had said, and even after Gin had left, Kanae had refused to tell her why. Rangiku had been too frightened to ask about it the first time round, and too distraught and distracted the second.

Was it because she had been Gin's friend?

But the woman had warned her about him, warned her that he was dangerous- had warned her about her son.

The world was spinning around her head. If she didn't sit for a moment, she would fall. She stumbled. Her mind was filled with a cacophony of questions.

Why would she abandon him? She had been there the whole time, in plain sight. Why? If she was his mother-

Had he even known?

He had never said anything about it, but then- would he have? His secrecy was pathological. He’d never once told her where it was that he went. He was a natural-born liar. Why would he have told her anything?

Deep down, her heart sinking, Rangiku suspected miserably that he had not known.

He had treated Kanae with the same idle curiosity and mocking cruelty with which he’d treated everyone, and she thought (she had to, to think him a full human being) he would not treat his own family like that. Even if it had been hatred, he would have to have felt something for her if he'd known.

(Wouldn’t he?)

The notion that she might have uncovered something about him, that some elusive and fragmentary part of his past belonged to her now, unbeknownst to him, sat like a lead weight in her stomach.

It was simultaneously thrilling and deeply, deeply shameful. She revelled quietly in the fact that something of his was hers now, and he didn't even know it. It was a kind of power, to know someone else's secrets, and she had never known any kind of power over him. It filled her with a kind of giddy thrill. She wanted to gather his secret up and wrap it around her heart where she kept all the secrets of her own, to keep it safe, to keep it warm, to keep it for him. But she felt incredibly guilty too, that it had come into her possession without his consent, and that he could be going about his life unaware that the knowledge even existed. Her throat tightened with anxiety.

He had always been so private. She could not predict how he would feel.

If she were to find him, and if she were to tell him- if she were to say “I’ve discovered something about you, something which you don’t even know yourself” and if she were to divulge the truth, would he be grateful? Would he look at her with appreciation? With thanks? Would his eyes shine with gratitude; would they soften to look at her? Would he care about her again?

Her heart was full and aching with the fantasy. Please, she whispered childishly to herself. Please.

Or-

Would he just hate her more?

She felt suddenly dispirited, and she exhaled shakily.

What did it matter anyway?

He was gone.

He had abandoned her.

He would never see her again.

She was a fool to think otherwise, and a fool twice over to dwell like this on the past of the boy who had left her behind. Her heart trembled.

She was aware that she was sat on the ground.

She picked herself up, her limbs leaden, and she neatened up her yukata numbly, dusting dirt from its skirt.

Down below, music was beginning to play. She could hear the intricate and winding patterns of the shamisen. The sounds of voices in rapt conversation were beginning to murmur through the brothel.

She picked herself up because if she had learnt anything in her small life, it was that no one else was going to do it for it her. She was on her own.

She gave herself a fierce glare.

“Come on, you,” she said aggressively, and she slapped her own cheeks to bring herself back from the edge.

She was late for work, mysteries and secrets be damned, and so she went, arms swinging by her sides in determination.

An uncharitable person might have said that she was just running from her problems.

But another bright night of music was just about to begin, the stirrings and the promise of its abandon hanging tantalisingly ahead of her. Who cared if it was shallow? Who cared if it was an empty, futile attempt to beat back the dark? Who cared if those who gave themselves to the music most fervently were the runaways and fugitives who had decided that reality was too much, too frightening, too lonely? Down below, there would be joy and dancing and sake and fun- blessed, distracting fun.

Fun enough maybe to chase away the image of a teenaged girl cast out onto the streets, like so much rubbish, alone.

Fun enough to chase away the memory of a boy with hair like moonlight, who haunted Rangiku every time she was alone.

#bleach #gin ichimaru #rangiku matsumoto #ginran #ichimaru gin #spider lilies #angst #get your angst from this here angst merchant #ginran fans dine only on the highest grade pain and suffering #will the revelations that lie herein be controversial? idk fam #and the sight of his bare torso in those months just before he left would have her heart hammering in her chest #and her blood pooling in her cheeks #though she had not been able to say why.#👀#now why could that possibly be I wonder...#srsly Ran

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nagatsukinura119 · 6 years ago

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Day 3 at Japan Expo Malaysia (28th July 2019)

Today was the last day. The day that I would last see the KiREI members. Cue gonna be a cry baby and go through Post Concert Depression (look it up hahah). Since I wanted to make the most of it, I wore the KiREI T-shirt I bought the first day I met them, which is gorgeous by the way (albeit it was a stock from their concert in Bangkok), especially the back side and I really love it!

As I said in the part one in Day 2’s report, I promised Hanapii that I was gonna draw an illustration for them. But here’s the thing, I initially thought to just post it on Twitter, but then my father said, “You should show them tomorrow” and that was exactly what I did! Now, the previous night’s adrenaline rush and fatigue was no joke, I was so exhausted, and my mind was so jumbled since I was still processing what happened at AKB48’s concert and at the airport (toldya it was VERY overwhelming). Thankfully I brought my drawing tablet in this trip (I don’t know why I did, but thank God I did). I barely finished sketching until I succumbed to exhaustion and went to sleep. The next morning I literally finished breakfast within 10 minutes and went back to our room and stayed there to finish the illustration. Since their last concert started at 2, and I had like 3 hours left to finish it (I wanted to be there by 1). Thankfully I finished on time and I quickly made my way to Pavilion.

When I arrived, once again I was surprised with the lack of people waiting at the stage (outdoor by the way), and this time I didn’t care what people thought and I just stood at the front row under the blazing sun, all in black clothes, and texting to my Discord fellas (lol). So first Austin and another host went up the stage and gave a quick introduction about KiREI and apparently KiREI was made up of 3 disbanded idol groups named “Tokyo Clear’s Smile” (this is the group where Hanapii originally came from, which I found out a couple nights ago lol), “Spring Chubit” and “Astarisk”. The girls were called in and dear gosh! Today they wore yukata again, but different designs than the first day! I just really like it when J-idols wear yukatas or any form of traditional clothing. It’s even more amazing that these girls were not just dancing, but also jumping in them! You have to admire their abilities, if not, impressed, cuz here’s the thing some of their dances were pretty vigorous, and after seeing their performances 3 times now, I could tell that Chori-chan is the ‘genki’ girl as she tended to jump the highest, dance with the most energy and also the one to rile up the audience. Miayan has the best and brightest smile that would capture anyone’s hearts (which explained why she has a fan account). Meanwhile Hanapii has the best balance in terms of her dance, her movements weren’t too extreme, and the fluidity and precision made her dance moves better, hence for me she’s the best dancer among the trio.

For this performance, Mianyan noticed me the most and as I said, her smiles were SO BLINDING! I could feel myself getting overcome by it that I had to look through my camera lens instead of my own eyes lmaoooo. Since I’m heavily biased for Hanapii I tended to look at her the most, and I couldn’t help but realized that she seemed a bit down today. I guess it wasn’t surprising since 3 days straight of performing and doing meet-and-greets could tire anyone. However, when she made eye contacts, she made sure to smile as much as she could (God I love her). Meanwhile, Chori-chan climbed in my Oshimen radar because of her bright and energetic interactions with the audience, including myself, especially whenever she invited the audience to chant with her. She’s really like the Takamina in this trio (that’s what I call ‘charisma’!)

Before they started the fifth song, Chori-chan told us that it would be their last song (cue the “Eeeeehhh~” by the audience), and I started to sob and felt my heart twinge a bit. Emotions from the previous night in the airport kind of resurfaced and once again I told myself to not cry or that would make them feel bad if they noticed. Their last song was ‘Dame Otoko’ and I’d say this was my most favorite after ‘Say Yeah! Away!’ (which I kept humming and singing to when I was at the airport the night before) and ending it with this song just made it twice the impact. The performance went splendidly but there was one point again the tears just started to leak, and I had to use my camera to hide my face. Again, I was like “NO. Don’t ruin this for them!”

After they were done, they girls professed their love for being in Malaysia, wanting to come back again (OH HECK YAS, please come back again! And I will too!) Then everyone was called for the obligatory group picture, and now me being in the first row finally paid off!

After the photo session the girls needed some time to freshen up for the last greet-and-meet session. And being the excited fan I was, I waited nearby at their booth, trying not to stand out as much as I could lol. When the booth opened, I immediately lined up behind some prepared fans. This time the man who was selling the merch definitely remembered me as he was like “Welcome back!” This time I was gonna be greedy and bought two Cheki tickets for each member and a towel. He was counting the total cost and I told him “Sanbyaku ringgit (300 ringgit)” which impressed him, and he was like “Oh! Your Japanese is good!” While I was telling him that wasn’t true, he noticed the KiREI T-shirt I was wearing and smiled even more. Honestly I really wanted to shake his hand right then and there, to thank him for his great work, but we just ended up chatting a bit more hahahah.

Before I was about to join the line, Hanapii saw me and she thought I was gonna immediately take pictures with her (oh you sweet darling). But I told her that today I was going to take pictures with everyone, and that I would start from Mianyan, then Chori-chan and finally her. When I went to the line Chori-chan spotted me and immediately assumed that I was gonna take pics with Hanapii as she asked “With Hanapii, right?” I told her I was gonna take pictures with everyone this time, and she was VERY happy, as in she started hopping (ADORABLE).

So I took a picture with Mianyan first. She kept saying I was cute and ‘comel’ (Malay for ‘cute’) and she wrote that on the polaroid frame. I told her where I was from, and since she had a confused look (cuuuuuteee) so I explained the location. I also thanked her for following me on Twitter (she was the first one who followed me). For the first round she and I took a pic with the freshly bought towel hahaha (she was really impressed that I wore their T-shirt too). I was gonna take another picture with her since I bought 2 tickets for each of them but she needed to assist to take pictures for other people, so being the social awkward I was, I stood back awkwardly and ended up going back in line since I wasn’t sure if I should’ve stayed and wait for Hanapii and Chori-chan to be free so I could take pictures with them.

While I was lining up in the very long line I realized Hanapii ran past me to the end of the line to give the last guy a sign that says ‘the end of line’ ah so adorable, at the same time I guiltily thought “Ah crap, I bought 6 tickets which meant I basically took 4 to 5 people’s chance to interact with the girls…!” When I reached them, I made sure to use two of my Cheki tickets in one go so that I didn’t have to go back in line as I specifically said, “Two tickets”. Chori-chan was so happy when I said I was using two tickets (can she get more adorable??). The first round she and I did a heart pose and when she was signing it poor girl thought my main name was “Nagatsuki” she actually remembered me on Twitter (gasp!) and she double confirmed my name with Hanapii like “‘Nura-chan’ dakke? (Was it ‘Nura-chan’?” And Hanapii was like, “Un! Nura-chan!” LOOOL! Before taking a picture for the second round, I told her on my Twitter I post my art and showed her an illustration of them that I made. She went “Amazing!” so many times I thought she was going fangirling as she started hopping on the spot (SO KYOOT). For the second round she held me close with one hand while her other hand was patting my head (I find this a bit endearing since she and I are about the same height while the other two are taller). While waiting for the polaroid to print and while she was signing them she kept saying I was cute and all, then asked if I was travelling so I told her that I came here in order to visit the event, that I was willing to fly over. She then asked me to come and see them again in Japan and before I could even respond she pulled my pinky with hers and made a pinky promise looooooooool. I remember I was so shocked that I stuttered, “Ahhh yeah yeah I’ll definitely try”.

Since Mianyan was busy I had to take pictures with Hanapii first in order to let the line go smoothly. I don’t care how many times she has greeted me with the cutesy “Nura-chan~~~” my heart still fluttered so much! Before we could take a picture, I mentioned about the previous day’s promise that I’d draw something for them and showed my illustration to her. She was like “Eh?!?! No way!” as I told her that I finished it earlier that day. She was so shocked that she was speechless and Chori came over to us and was like “Amazing right! She even drew my red ribbon!” while pointing at my phone. They traded a couple of words together and I just stood there smiling like an idiot. So we ended up taking a picture with that illustration lol.

For the second round, Hanapii was so happy with my visits, my support and the illustration that she was thanking me so many times and she literally hugged me so closely for the picture (I’m not joking, even I was like “Is hugging okay???” and she was like “Yes its completely okay!”). I thought that I still needed to put some distance between our faces, just as precaution, but nope, Hanapii pulled me so close that our cheeks were touching each other! IM SO GLAD IM A GIRL cuz so far I’d seen when they hugged guys (I was the only girl who lined up for the meet-and-greet), they still put some distance. So yeah, I was SO HAPPY with how Hanapii treated me. I then told her that I teared up a bit during their last song since it was their last day and she was like “Eehh don’t cry~” and started patting my head. She then said, “Let’s meet again in Japan, I’ll wait for you.” I thought I’ve died enough. But this comment, THIS COMMENT. I remember I blanked out for a second or two and just nodded (I couldn’t make that promise since I needed to consider my circumstances but MAN I WANTED TO PROMISE HER SO BAD). I was very reluctant to leave and this may sound pretentious but it seemed like she didn’t want me to go either cuz when she held my hands it was firmer than the last 3 times she shook my hands. Before leaving she asked me if I was gonna attend the closing ceremony later that night. Sweetheart you know I won’t miss it for the world so I promised her that I would.

For the last handshake I told Mianyan that I cried during their last performance and she was like “Ehhh~ don’t cry~ were they happy tears?” I took a second or two to rethink my words and spewed “It was both happy and grieving tears since this is the last day” hence we both ended up laughing. I was gonna show her the illustration on my phone, she ended up commenting my Murayama Yuiri lockscreen “Ooh~ cute!” and I almost had to bite my tongue to stop myself from saying “Ah that’s another idol (who happens to be my waifu)” so I just giggled a thanks. Thankfully she was also very happy with the illustration that she took the phone from me (she also added I must post it on Twitter). She then asked me if I just started liking idols (girl if only you knew hahah) so I told her I’ve always loved idols. After taking the picture, Chori-chan told us I was good at winking (I didn’t realize I winked to be honest) so Mianyan went “Ehh seriously??” and quickly checked the polaroid frame and was like “Oh yeah!” while I was fluttering, going “oh nononono, I didn’t mean to do that”. Then she asked something I did not see coming, “Can you do it to me?” and I was like “Eh?” then she said SO CUTELY “A wink”. I laughed embarrassingly at first, but I did it anyway and she was soooo happy. I knew Mianyan is the boldest among this trio but guuurrrrllll you’re climbing on my Oshimen radar too strong! And that’s how I ended my last meet-and-greet session with KiREI members in Malaysia.

Day 2 reports are here (KiREI) and here (AKB48)! To be continued in Closing Ceremony!

Bonus pictures:

#Japan Expo Malaysia 2019 #KiREI

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frenchcirce · 7 years ago

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Possession- chapter 4

Read on ffnet and AO3

Fair warning, buckle your belts ;)

3 days prior- 7 AM

She leaned languidly in the water, the hot liquid licking the nape of her neck in a deliciously soothing motion. Only the water lapping, soft and lulling, disturbed the silence of the pool. She closed her eyes contentedly, letting her taut muscles uncoil.

Her respite, however, was short-lived since footsteps echoed in the quietness, signaling the arrival of another customer. She sighed in disappointment and stood to leave. She had planned to enjoy the onsen alone, there was no point staying.

A strangled gasp startled her, and she turned to see who was coming.

She nearly choked.

Naru was standing there, bewildered eyes glued on her, only covered by a small towel hanging low on his lips. Tiny droplets of water were dripping from his hair, forming rivulets sliding down his torso, where the skin was still a bit rosy from the scrubbing.

He was mesmerizing.

They stared at each other for a few moments in an awkward silence, before she finally found her voice.

"I- I am sorry," she stammered, feeling suddenly suffocated by the hot water. "I thought it was the women's turn. I- I must be confused about the bath times, I will leave immediately and-"

"Stay."

She froze. His voice was deep and soft, almost a whisper, but in the quiet of the place it rang loudly in her ears. She levelled her eyes hesitantly to look at him, expecting him to turn back and leave.

He didn't move an inch.

He was standing still, a blush spread on his usually pale cheeks, his stance indecisive. Their gazes met and suddenly his his eyes darkened and his jaw tightened in resolve. She watched him with trepidation drop his towel and enter the water with slow, deliberate movements, his eyes never leaving hers.

She could feel the ripples of the water disturbed by his movements sloshing against her heated skin, her blood thrumming underneath.

He was coming closer.

Closer.

She didn't try to avoid him, feeling strangely calm. Her heart was still pounding erratically in her chest, but she wasn't scared. She didn't recoil when his nose brushed hers a he leant forward. It only felt natural how their heavy breaths were mingling together in the mist, their lips only inches apart.

So close.

Just a little closer and-

Slam

Mai awoke with a start to the sound of the shoji door of her room slamming shut and open repeatedly.

"Wha-" she slurred before she realized the furniture around her was shaking. Mai got up in a panic, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Masako? Ayako?"

Their futons were empty.

She scrambled for the door, frightened by the ominous rattling of the walls. But as she reached it the wooden panel slammed shut brutally. She recoiled with a cry, only to find the scroll hanged in the tokonoma flying across the room toward her. She screamed, protecting her head with her arms reflexively as the scroll got smashed on the wall behind.

"Mai!"

The door stood open for a few seconds and without thinking she plunged to reach the hallway, her hand brushing the hot wood as she finally escaped. Next thing she knew two hands gripped her upper arms to lift her up and her view was blocked by a navy blue yukata.

Naru.

She closed her eyes in relief. She would be safe now.

"Are you alright?"

She opened her eyes to find Naru peering down at her, searching for any sign of injury.

"Yes," she exhaled, trying to control her shaking limbs as the adrenaline's effects started to wear down. "I'm okay."

His gaze searched hers for confirmation, and after a fleeting second of hesitation his hands, which were still firmly clutching her arms, loosened their grip before releasing her completely. As she was mourning the warmth of his fingers and the odd sense of comfort it had been providing, he sighed curtly in mock exasperation. She frowned. Was it her imagination, or was he a little short of breath himself?

"We heard you screaming."

Mai almost jumped at the sound of Lin's stern voice, her nerves still frazzled. His statement sounded like an accusation, but the subtle arch of his visible eyebrow was speaking of concern more than irritation.

"I got scared by the hanging scroll flying right above my head," she explained. "But it didn't hit me," she reassured hastily.

"Tell me what happened."

Naru was now leaning against the wall, arms crossed and mouth closed in a straight line, his gaze holding an unmistakable gleam. Mai knew that expression very well. It was the one he used to sport when he was focused on solving a case or a particularly difficult crossword. She hid her disappointment. So it was all-business again...

"I have no idea," she shook her head, genuinely at a loss. "I was sleeping and…"

She bit her tongue, a fierce blush creeping on her features as vivid memories of her dream unfurled in her mind.

She had been dreaming about her boss. In a very compromising situation. Almost kissing her. In the nude.

In the nude!

Mai let out a strangled whimper, wishing for the ground to open and swallow her whole. Regretfully the pandemonium in the bedroom had subsided, offering no distraction from her debauched thoughts. It didn't help at all that Naru was looking absolutely dashing in his yukata, that his relaxed posture was making him look different and strangely masculine and that she could see the base of his neck and...

Alright, she was officially even more a pervert than Yasuhara. She forced herself to look elsewhere. Like her feet. Or the wall. Yes, the wall was an acceptable option.

She then realized both men were staring at her curiously, probably wondering why she was acting like a lunatic. A glimmer of interest was sparkling in Naru's eyes, putting her on her guard immediately.

"You were sleeping… Did you dream about anything significant?" he asked.

"No!"

Her answer had come out too strongly and too quickly to sound natural. She bit her tongue. "Nothing relevant," she amended more calmly.

This wasn't exactly a lie, she figured. While it was true the dream had felt different than usual, she was almost certain it had nothing to do with the furniture shaking and flying around. And if it was not related to the case she had no obligation to share its content. She would be incapable of doing so anyway, she would probably self-combust from embarrassment if she tried.

"By the way, where are Ayako and Masako?" she asked to steer the conversation away from the dreaded subject of her nightly fantasies.

"They're working, I sent them touring the onsen."

"But I was supposed to do it with them! Why didn't they wake me up?"

Naru stiffened imperceptibly, his apparent nonchalance faltering. "I told them not too."

Mai's eyes widen in surprise before narrowing in suspicion. This again! Why did Naru seem so adamant that she was left out of the investigation?

"What! But why?"

This time Mai was determined to get answers. Was he dismissing her from the investigation because he didn't have enough faith in her competences as an investigator? Or did he have an ulterior motive, following his hidden agenda to solve the case? That wouldn't be the first time he left her in the dark while he had the solution already figured out...

"Because I wanted you to sleep."

"To sleep? But -"

Naru suddenly went pale and stumbled, barely catching himself against the wall. Mai rushed to his side, her irritation forgotten .

"Naru! Are you feeling unwell?"

His breathing was a little heavier than it should be, and now that she could see it up close she realized his skin was covered by a thin sheen of sweat.

"That's enough Noll. Go back to your room."

Mai was startled by Lin's intervention. The onmyouji had stayed silent during their exchange but he commanding quality of his tone left little doubt about his determination to put an end to it.

Naru glared at him in annoyance, but Lin insisted, unfazed.

"It is over. We have all the data already. And you're unwell."

The young man scowled but complied nonetheless, to Mai's utter astonishment. Since when was Naru so obedient?

He pushed himself from the wall and made to leave, but turned to Mai one last time.

"Mai. You and the others can have the day free. And I suggest you get dressed before you go and tell them." he added with a slight smirk.

"Get dressed?" Mai wondered before the sleeves of her ugly, worn pajamas came into view. She groaned, realizing she was just out of bed, her hair probably a mess and wearing the most unattractive clothes. She discreetly wiped her cheek, praying there wasn't any drool on it.

How come she always managed to make a fool of herself in front of Naru, of all people?

Thankfully he didn't stay long enough to witness her embarrassment. Both men wasted no time to disappear into their room.

Mai headed toward her own, picking up the tokonoma still lying on the floor.

She had experienced the haunting firsthand, under Naru's nose, nonetheless her boss hadn't seemed concerned. He had offered no explanation, gave no sign of planning an exorcism and had even given the team a day off.

Something wasn't right.

That was when the first seeds of suspicion were planted into her mind. But it would take her some time to understand where the root of the problem lay.

AN: Huehuehuehuehue. I regret nothing. I hope you enjoyed :D

#GH #fanfiction #Possession #Possession 4

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trendinbuzz · 6 years ago

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The best hot spring destinations in Japan - The Complete Guide

Image source: concreteplayground.com Hot spring baths or popularly known as Onsen are a staple of Japanese culture. The tectonic plates in Japan have resulted in forming thousands of natural hot springs and some of them have even time-honored healing qualities. The presence of these onsen has become a bona fide tourist attraction that creates a sightseeing experience in the towns situated around the geothermal baths. As of now, almost all the premium onsen resorts are easily accessible to foreign travellers. We have listed some of the most popular hot spring destinations in Japan and you can check out the same. 1. Hakone- The Mountainous Town

Hakone is one of the finest hot spring destination and also the Popular Onsen Town in Japan. It is just a day trip away from Tokyo. The breathtaking views of Mount Fiji can be experienced from this small mountain town. It also has the beautiful Lake Ashinoko. If you are travelling to Hakone and cannot stay overnight then the place also offers daytime passes that shall grant you day-long access to the baths, showers and other facilities in the vicinity. The day-trippers are catered by Hakone Yuryo where you buy towels. 2. Kusatsu- The Center of Spring’s Source

Image source: tripsavvy.com Kusatsu is situated in scenic Gunma region and is just 3 hours away from Tokyo. It has an actual hot water field located in the town center. Kusatsu is one of the tops recommended Onsen to visit in Japan. The place is the country’s most dominant source of geothermal waters, with 100 hot springs gushing a total of 34000 liters of water each minute. The water is reported to heal many human ailments like arthritis, indigestion and poor circulation. 3. Beppu- Home of Hot Springs

Image source: travel.gaijinpot.com Beppu is Japan’s one of the most well-known hot travel destination which is located in eastern Kyushu. The hot springs here either soothe or titillate. It is quite a strange sight with a collection of blood-red pools, pond with mud bubbles, boiling blue lagoons in addition to the waters where now crocodiles live. All of these are just meant for viewing and are not for bathing. If your sole purpose is to relax then skip these attractions and head straight to the spa and open-air baths at Suginoi Hotel. To experience the regular hot baths, milky sulfurous and the ‘bedrock bath’, head to Ebisu Ryokan. 4. Noboribetsu- Most Famous for Natural Hot Springs

Image Source: zekkeijapan.com Noboribetsu is a small town situated at Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido and one of the tops recommended Onsen to visit in Japan. Travellers are advised to hike around the sublime Jigokudani where there is a steaming river that runs hot, forested areas for foot bathing, and the Oyunuma pond which is sulfurous. The amazing thing about Noboribetsu’s onsen is that it produces water naturally infused with at least seven different elements and minerals. Needless to say that each of these elements has its own healing qualities. 5. Shibu- The Spa Town

Image Source: his.com.sg Situated in a snowy valley in Japan’s Nagano location, this onsen town is famous for its bathing snow monkeys. They roam the area freely and don’t really care to bathe alongside their human counterparts. Visit Jigokudani Monkey Park to see the snow monkeys enjoying the hot spring baths. The picturesque little town, Shibu, is cozy and quaint in the months of winters and got some of the Best Hot Springs in Japan. 6. Ibusuki- The Natural Steam Sand Baths

Image Source: kagoshima-kankou.com Ibusuki is in Kyushu’s Kagoshima region and is situated at the tip of one of the southernmost peninsulas of the island. The entire area is popular for its excellent hot springs, as well as its delicious satsumaimo (sweet potatoes) that grow in Kagoshima’s rich volcanic soil. When you go to Ibusuki’s famous beachside sand baths, you need to wear a yukata and an attendant would cover your entire body in warm, black sand. 7. Kinosaki- Picturesque village on the Japan Sea Coast

Image Source: tripsavvy.com The Kinosaki onsen village is accessible by train from both Kyoto and Osaka. Also, one of the Popular Onsen Towns in Japan. It is located on the Sea of Japan and this town has been a hot spring destination for over a thousand years. The strange thing is that only a few people outside of Japan know about this hidden gem. Kinosaki’s seven-bath stroll is very famous as people wearing a yukata, walk around the town center from bath to bath. They stop to eat sweets and seafood along the way. 8. Minakami- The Outdoor Adventure Capital of Japan

Image Source: tripsavvy.com This exotic travel destination, Minakami is just a few hours away from Tokyo but the place feels like worlds away from the high energy capital of Japan. Guests can chill in the outdoor baths while enjoying the scenery around in one of the Best Hot Springs in Japan. The Takaragawa onsen is highly recommended which has both shared gender facilities as well as only women arrangement too. So, wait no more and book cheap flight tickets to these fantastic Hot spring destinations in Japan. #Japan #JapanTravelGuide #TravelDestination #HotSpringDestinations #Onsen #TravelJapan #HotSprings #JapanTemples #JapanPhotography Read the full article

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kenyakoforlife · 8 years ago

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Drabble of the Day returns!!

Easy read, glimpses of moments as the 02 kids move forward and are grown up. Cute adorable fluffiness. Some Takari and Kenyako. Rated PG for some suggested themes. R&R, Enjoy! Title: Summer Playlist 1: You Were Meant For Me Miyako rolled over and slapped the buzzing alarm. She turned and rubbed her eyes. The day was barely starting. She scratched her head through the tangle of knots in her hair and pushed up from the bed and slowly crossed the room, pausing only a moment to catch a glimpse of herself in the mirror. A grimace pulled on her face at the sight of the mess she’d become. Her eyes lowered and she picked up the phone from her vanity. There was a list of texts. At some point she would have to respond, she couldn't keep ignoring everyone. Miyako sighed and continued on her way to the bathroom, phone in hand and scrolling through the texts. Her friends were checking in again. They were worried about her, that much was evident. She stopped outside the bathroom door and hung her head. Her barefeet were warm and pink from her bed. The dream was over. All that was left was the hangover from deep sleep. She was sure it was the real thing and yet, he was gone. He was gone and not coming back. Miyako’s eyes shut as she winced with pain from the stinging tears that pooled in her eyes. She sucked in a shaking breath. It was time to let go. There was no use in mourning and grieving any longer. She held up her phone as a new text came in, making it vibrate in her hand. “Still on for coffee?...-Ken” It showed in the preview box. There was more than that. The message continued but she felt no point in reading it. A weak smile turned up her lips and she clicked the reply button. 2: Mess Is Mine Words were his speciality. A rose was a thousand words or more. Love was volumes of books, entire libraries hardly touched the concept. His mind could spin together the most poetic telling of dullest moments. Yet when he opened his mouth, only gibberish fell out. He was hopeless at times when it came to just speaking. Takeru sat on the bench, legs crossed and busy pondering the right words to pen down before they escaped his mind--heart--words that echoed in his head but never crossed his lips. Across the street, Hikari tried on a hat with a large gaudy sunflower. She smiled and laughed with her friend as the breeze whirled through the market. Takeru’s attention turned to her as if caught in the magnetic force of her joy. She was always so happy and he felt as though it kept her distant and unreachable. She was radiant and pure, a diamond among the rough. His gaze lingered too long. She looked over. Her overflowing joy melted away and she gave a smaller, more shy, reserved smile and clasped her hands in front of her dress. The breeze came through again rustling the skirt bottom and caught the hat. Her hand jumped up and clapped it down on her head before it escaped. Her attention was back on her friend. She smiled the way she had before. Playfully. Takeru’s heart skipped. Did she know? 3: Stone Daisuke’s finger gripped the plastic wrapped stems tighter than he’d ever held anything before. He’d never been so nervous. Looking skyward, his heart raced and he was sure he couldn’t catch his breath. How was this so hard? They’d been good friends for so long, these feelings had built up slowly. He’d fallen for her gradually and leg work itself up into an undeniable burning desire and yet he kept enough nerve to ask her on a date. She had said yes, she’d been delighted, beaming with happiness. So what was so hard now? Daisuke breathed out fast and hard, blowing through his lips. He was determined to get this right. She was the world to him. And this was where they began. 4: Photograph Smoke rose in curls in front of the picture. The sun had bleached the image and the colors were fading. People shuffled behind him. The bells in the distance jingled and rang melodically. Iori bowed one last time. It had been years, too many worth counting, since he’d heard the sound of his father’s voice. The memory of it had faded but something inside said that it sounded much like his own. He’d grown into the man his father had once been. The girl beside him rested her head on his shoulder, hand gently set upon his arm. She seemed as solemn as Iori in her quiet stillness, though she’d never met his father. The way her hair fell around her face with such beauty and the way she would push it away with lithe fingers, he was sure his father would have loved her as much as he did. Bringing her along during the festival made it feel less sad. Her colorful yukata and kind disposition made the weight of the world feel lighter. Iori looked to her with a small pleased smile. It was important to him to hold on to his father, to not forget him, especially now. He’d missed so much of Iori. And Iori missed him. And she knew it. 5: White Iverson The water rushed over Hikari’s hair. Her hands combed through, pulling free the loose strands. It was a moment of freedom. Of solitude. The world washed away. There was nothing but the sweet smell of the water and soap. It purified her. The stink of cigarette smoke ran off and disappeared down the drain. The tacky sweat from the hot humid day disappeared. She breathed in the steam. Droplets caught on her eyelashes. If only it would last. Hikari reached back and switched off the water. The air prickled against her wet skin. She reached for her towel, grabbed it, and wrapped herself tightly. Her lips felt so swollen and yet in the mirror’s reflection, they were no different than usual. Maybe it was guilt that she felt for having lost her self control, for that weak intimate moment with someone who wasn’t her boyfriend. With a friend, the blonde boy she’d known for so long and hadn’t given much more than a second thought about. Hikari dried her hair with a towel and sighed. It wasn't fair. She couldn't keep the boyfriend she had betrayed any more than she could keep her friend as simply a friend. She couldn't unring the bell. And so it rang on in her ears. 6: The Worst He ran his hand through his hair for probably the hundredth time. It was a lot to listen to her go on and on the way she did about...him, the man with a name and no face. A man who didn’t matter and had abandoned her with little regard the moment he was bored. Her whole body shook and trembled from time to time and she would look away, stare down the street as if he would suddenly appear and ease the ache of the hole he left in her heart. She hadn’t touched her drink. Not even once. Ken looked down at his lap, eyebrows furrowed. He’d taken a chance, went out on a limb, and now her found himself second guessing. He turned his eyes up to her. She was at it again, choking back tears. Ken’s lips pressed into a line. He didn’t know what she was saying, he wasn’t listening to the words anymore. Just the sound of her voice was enough. She had cared about him more than anything else and had fully thrown herself into the broken mess of a relationship they had right up to the end. Ken pushed back on his chair, sighing loudly. This caught her attention at last. Miyako stopped. Her eyes locked on his, round and wide. Ken sat still, pressed hard against the chair. He didn’t need this, but for whatever reason he was sure he wanted it. He wanted the misery and a recklessness. He wanted the worst she had to offer. He was a glutton for it. 7: It Won’t Stop Takeru woke up. His arm was numb. He looked over. She was still asleep. Her breathing was slow. Rhythmic. Her chest rose. It fell. Slow. Steady. He pulled his arm. She shifted. He wriggled it free. She rolled over. The blanket rustled. Her shoulder slipped under the cover. Takeru smiled. He leaned closer. Her hair smelled sweet. Her skin was warm. The scent of honey drifted off. He’d loved her for years. It was a single moment. A second when he took a chance. He risked it all. It was dangerous. She could have said no. She could have rejected him. But she didn’t. She leaned in. Just like him, she took the chance. Blind in an excited fervor. And now she was there beside him. She was asleep in his bed. Her hair spread out on the pillow. Takeru slid his arm around her waist. He snuggled against her and kissed her neck. If this was a dream, he didn’t want it to end. Hikari hummed and rolled over again. She smiled and placed a hand on his cheek. This was a mistake, but well worth making. 8: Great American Novel Flashing lights and neon signs have a way of distracting people. The chaotic streets with rushing bumper to bumper cars and thick throngs of people busily hurrying somewhere was too much. It was suffocating. He felt claustrophobic. Steam rose from the manhole covers. It was so loud and yet static. Daisuke looked around slowly turning his head and trying to take in as much as he could. He’d never been in New York City before and it was awesome. It was magnificent and terrible all at once. Had he breathed once since he’d found his way to Time Square? Maybe not. The buildings reached to the sky. They seemed so impossibly tall. He felt tiny. He’d grown up in a city and knew skyscrapers but it was nothing like this, and he chuckled with delight. This was the Big City. It was everything. If he could make it here, he could make it anywhere. Not long ago, he was filled with doubt and uncertainty about leaving everything he knew behind to chase a dream. But as horns honked and voices blended into noise around him, he knew he was right. A bus rolled by and diesel exhaust engulfed him, people shoved bt. It was filthy and dense and not at all as picturesque as in brochures and magazines, but that made it all the better. Daisuke spun around slowly, staring skyward, and took in the city a little more while he had the chance. Next, he would have to finding the apartment he would stay in and meet the roommate waiting there. 9: Last Request Iori set the flowers down on the side table. His grandfather was asleep. The monitors beeped steadily. Iori knew his time was ending. His teeth clenched. There wasn’t a single thing he could do. He was dying. He reached out and touched his grandfather’s hand. He was the man who had always been there for him. His grandfather had been the father figure after his own father had died in the line of duty. When he thought back to every moment growing up, his grandfather was there. The way they laughed together, practiced Kendo, and stared into the afternoon clouds musing about their dreams. The little boy back then couldn’t ever imagine the man he would become or the day he’d have to come to terms with his grandfather leaving him. His eyes peeled own. Iori smiled and greeted him in hushed voice. The old man, looking smaller than usual, gave a sleepy grin. He knew his time was ending and yet seemed unfazed by it. Iori looked to the window, “I just wanted to stop by and see you since I might not be able to tomorrow.” “Iori, a word of advice,” He sounded dry, weak, “for as busy as you are, you should marry that girl before you don't have the time.” 10: Lights It was a beautiful night, one of those not easily forgotten where the air is thick and muggy but the breeze is cool and fresh. There was the slight scent of rain in the air. It’s not far off, looming in clouds just behind the horizon. The sun was nearly set, falling down low behind the buildings and only a faint hue of orange and gold lingered while the rest of the sky turned dark. Streetlights crackled and flickered as they switched on in the deep twilight hour. An amber glow took over the city, illuminating the sidewalks and brightening the impending night. His touch was familiar, but now it lingered and crept and wandered with little restraint. His hand slid so effortlessly along her back and down her side while she absently leaned against the balcony wall staring across the cityscape. It felt simple. It felt normal, the way he wrapped around her, drew her back against his steady chest and rested his chin on her shoulder. His warm breath swept along her cheek. He was watching her with that soft and gentle gaze that lured her in. Her arms folded over his, and her fingers raced along the back of his hands. “What are you looking at?” Ken spoke quietly, innocent and kind. “Just the lights.” Miyako breathed. The edge of his nose lightly brushed along her cheek, and from his lips came a soft kiss and a lingering smell of coffee. Miyako smiled, knowing he could tell and was truly glad for it.

#ken ichijouji #miyako inoue #daisuke motomiya #iori hida #takeru takaishi #hikari kamiya #drabble #fanfic

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