The Story of You and Me - Book 1

Lesson20: Otsukimi (prt4)

It's festival time. They decided to celebrate the festivity at the balcony of their small yet elegant house that serves as tsukimidai (moon-viewing deck) for the family for many years. It is decorated with rice dumplings known as tsukimi-dango, seasonal offerings such as edamame, chestnuts, and pumpkins, with taro bulbs and pampas grass to represent the rice harvest.

"Ayako you look so pretty" – Kyoko praises her daughter while wearing the same Japanese garment that Keisuke gave him for the said event "You should thank Keisuke for giving you such a wonderful gift" – she added.

"Yes, mother!" – she turns around to see Hideya and Keisuke both wearing traditional Japanese garments. Keisuke has his autumn-colored hair in braids by a dark red ribbon that matches the black and crimson clothing he is wearing "Wow! You look so pretty Keisuke-niichan!" – the child exclaimed with glittering eyes.

The ginger blushes as they both went out of the balcony to join them.

"She's right, you look more feminine" – Kyoko giggles "But I mean it in a good way, it suits you well my child" – she added.

"Thank you" – he sheepishly answered "You two also look great as well"

Meanwhile, the brunette has a white and blue Japanese garment complemented by his dark brown hair which on his left side he tucks portion of his hair behind his ear with bobby pins.

"You too big brother! You look so handsome!" – the young girl as she shifted her eyes to her elder brother who sits next to the ginger.

"And you look beautiful my little sister" – he smiled.

They celebrated the event. Kyoko offered Keisuke the mochi that he helped Hideya on making "My dear child, here" – she said.

Keisuke is so happy and proud at the same time while holding the piece of round rice cake in his hand as it is the first time that he made mochi and they are all going to share and eat it together. He almost never had such achievement in life, he thinks of it as one of his greatest honor which is far greater than what he receive in school for his academic prowess. He looks to the small family of Hideya, no, his small family as he is already part of them thanks to the male sitting next to him.

Hideya notices Keisuke being quiet as he held the mochi in his hand "Aren't you going to eat it?" – he asked.

The ginger looks at him with teary eyes which alerted everyone.

"What happened? Is it something that matters? Are you still not feeling well?" – he anxiously asked, both Kyoko and Ayako look at him with worry in their eyes.

The ginger gave them a sweet and bitter smile while tears are on the edge of his eyes then "I'm just happy, very very happy" – he said stifling as he contains the overflowing joy that made his eyes watery, for the first time he felt that he has a family "I never thought that I would be able to celebrate this festival which I've only known from books and stories from other people" – he said as tears start to roll down his cheeks.

Hideya understood him, he knows that Keisuke never had such experience in the past, never celebrated such occasions with his family "Hey" – he gently holds and lifts his face "From now on, all the festivals of the year you can celebrate with me—with us"

"Big brother is right" – Ayako barge in "We can celebrate everything with you all the time" – she added as she crawls from being seated towards the ginger.

Kyoko watches them with a warm smile, she may not say anything but when Keisuke looks at her he already understood that the woman who Hideya calls his mother is already considering him as her own child.

The festivity continues and everyone in the neighborhood of the small town honor the moon that night. Being a tight-knit community everyone knows each other and consider each people who are living there as their family.

"There will be fireworks at the small court at the center of the town, would you like to come?" – Kyoko asked Keisuke "We can also light those sparklers that you purchased this morning" – she added.

"That sounds great" – the ginger smiles.

They all prepare to go to the main square of the small town but when Keisuke is about to stand up from being situated on zaisu (Japanese chair with no legs but a normal chair back. They are often found in traditional rooms with tatami mats, and are often used for relaxing under heated kotatsu tables) he quickly falls to his knees.

"My legs, they just suddenly feel weak. What's happening?" – Keisuke exclaimed inside his head.

"Are you alright?!" – Hideya again with the most worried tone as he assist his partner.

"Y-yeah"

"Keisuke-niichan"

"I'm alright Ayako, don't worry"

Quickly Hideya puts his hand on his forehead "You're warm" – he said, it's not as hot as last night but sure the ginger has a fever "You still have a fever"

"I think you should stay here and rest" – Kyoko suggested.

"B-but-" – the ginger was about to protest but Kyoko had made her decision to leave them.

"Hideya, you stay here with Keisuke" – she ordered.

"What about the fireworks?"

"We can watch fireworks from the balcony" – Hideya answered Keisuke "And remember, this is not the last that you will be celebrating this with us so don't worry" – he smiles that made the ginger agrees to stay at home with him.

Kyoko and Ayako left the two of them on the balcony.

There is a moment of silence while Keisuke leaning against Hideya as they watch the moon from the balcony. The fireworks can be heard from afar, few of them can be seen in the sky from where they are seated.

"It's so beautiful" – Keisuke said with glittering eyes but with a weak voice "I wish we could stay like this forever"

Hideya looks down at him "Keisuke" – he called out, the ginger hummed in response while his eyes are preoccupied by the fireworks "Do you still plan on going to America?" – he finally asked.

For a moment the ginger didn't answer and the silence filled the atmosphere once more, only the fireworks can be heard from a distance.

"Keisuke?" – he called out to him again as it's been a minute or so.

"If ever..." – the ginger uttered in a small voice but still not looking at the brunette "If ever I will... will you come with me? I know it's selfish to ask such especially you have your own family but... I don't want to be separated from you"

At that moment, the brunette couldn't utter any words.

"If that ever happens, we can live in America together" – the ginger continues "I can speak to my family and ask them if we can take your mom and Ayako... I'll do anything just to keep you by my side" – he tightens his grip on the brunette's arm that he is been holding the entire time as he watches the fireworks dance in the dark sky.

"Keisuke" – the only thing he can say at that moment.

Quickly Keisuke looks up to him "We can live in America together and continue our studies there, and get married, and we can live happily ever after, and that's until both of us die!" – he exclaimed while trembling "I want you with me forever, until death do us part" – he added with a very shaky voice.

Hideya who is looking down at him with widened eyes has mix emotions of whatever that he can't identify but the most dominating one is pure joy after hearing that from the small male beside him.

"Hideya?" – Keisuke is waiting for his response.

The brunette said with his ever gentle voice and a warm smile "I want to be with you too forever so I will follow you where ever you go even if it is at the end of the world"

Hearing that from him made the male with autumn hair skip a beat, he felt that for a few minutes he didn't take any air as if he stops breathing.