isntepic Archive

somewhere in the woods

"So what's all this about camping out in the woods all of a sudden?" Sunny mumbled from under his sleeping bag. "Some sort of Japanese culture to go camping in the almost dead winter?" It was a joke though. Sunny didn't actually mean his words for Leo to take it to heart.

"No, it's actually my American family's tradition." Leo stated as he sipped his thermos cup, the hot chocolate was still as warm as it was when he had first poured it into the flask back at their dorm room.

"Oh." Sunny shifted slightly under his covers. "So that's why the kids are here. Your cousins."

"Yeah, but that's only half of the reason." Leo blew at the liquid in his cup, causing his silver rimmed round glasses to fog up. "It's more of my aunt wanting to spend a day away from her kids. Anniversary night, you know?"

Sunny nodded under his blanket, Leo could see his movements as well as hear his younger cousins opening the zip of their tents. He silently prepared himself for their intrusion into his and Sunny's tent. Their footsteps approached, followed with cheerful chatter.

Hiromi unzipped the tent and poked his head in. "レオくん見て! (Leo, look!) This light does not need batteries to light up!" His cousin flicked the ON switch and wound up the crank. The light flickered to life. "魔法です! (It's magic!)"

Hiromi stepped into the tent and sat down at the foot of Leo's sleeping bag. Kaeri followed suit behind him. She held up another lantern with solar panels at the top. "Leo-kun! This light is powered by the sun. It doesn't need batteries at all to light up! The human race is smart."

Sunny laughed and popped his head out of his sleeping bag. Sunny, having stayed in Tokyo for 5 months now, would have picked up some of the things the children were saying. Leo was proud of him for diligently studying the language.

"そですか. (It is true / You are right.)" Sunny smiled at the two. "Hot chocolate?" He offered the thermos that was sitting beside Leo.

Kaeri nodded. "I wonder if mama and papa are having a good night. Do you think they miss us?" She asked with big, thoughtful eyes. Hiromi looked at his cousin.

"I'm sure they are having a great time. And of course they miss you both." Leo assured them, patting their heads in a brotherly manner. "Are you both hungry or anything?"

"Leo! It's almost time for bed, you can't be feeding them!" Sunny handed Kaeri a half filled thermos of hot chocolate. "Their parents would skin you alive if you feed them right before bedtime!"

Leo laughed. Then repeated Sunny's words in Japanese to his cousins. They laughed infectiously, agreeing with Sunny who laughed along with them. It was a blissful moment that wouldn't last forever.

"Alright. Alright. Say goodnight to Sunny. It's time for bed, go back to your tent and sleep."

They nodded. "お休みなさい!" (Goodnight!)