Fingers Crossed [Hiatus]

Inevitable

Ayato groans as he clawed his pillow to cover his head. The pain in his head intensifies instead of leaving him alone for a quiet sleep. He knew he had to wake up. His table clock will yell loudly in five minutes, but he still wants to enjoy another little sleep. Maybe he should take a day off and slack all day instead.

But he couldn't. Not when it's Monday and he already promised to meet Guuji Yae before sunrise.

He can't bring himself to rest because of that appointment, and when he finally wants to forget about it, his head starts messing around. Ayato yanks his pillow away as he stands and walk towards the bathroom. He mumbled "Fucking alcohol." while he turned off his alarm.

With the meeting inbound, Ayato can't help but to feel his insides being swirled into a vortex conjured by the Anemo Archon. Memories of his first meeting with the Guuji made him flush in embarrassment. He stare at his reflection from the bathroom mirror with a questioning glance.

"Why did I peek upon the bathing Guuji?"

His mind answered but Ayato refused to believed it. He washed his face near the bathroom basin and dried himself with a towel. He quickly finish his bathroom rituals without looking another glance to the mirror and left the room in haste. He doesn't want be late to the meeting, and he couldn't talk to his messed up self at the moment.

In a normal condition, Ayato can ask freely for help from the other residents in the mansion. The Commissioner has no one to assist him today since Thoma is still hiding in Komore Teahouse and everyone else is not that close with him. There is no one to bridge the Commissioner with other residents. They would panic if Ayato asked for herbal tea for headache, thinking that the young master is sick and the clan is damned when he is barely having a light hungover. It happened once when Ayato ate his own food and he had a stomach ache. Thoma was away and he asked Koharu for medicines. He would get the medicines with condolences letters and tons of fruit parcels instead.

Ayato would not like that to happen again.

The headache returns as he arrived at his cupboard where all the white coats and blue kimonos hanged for his daily wear. His hand quickly grabbed a pink glass bottle from a rack and he inhaled the sweet scent of sakura bloom. He knows his headache shouldn't be cured by this perfume, but somehow, he felt better. He took another inhale and he returned the bottle back to it's place, hidden amongst his clothes.

The Chief Retainer must be so confused when he saw that perfume bottle. Ayato doesn't know how far Thoma inspected the bottle, but he really hoped that Thoma doesn't see the broken seal of the perfume. Gifts are supposed to be sealed. But Ayato already found this bottle unsealed by the first time he found it in his clothes rack. He also found that the smell is rather soothing so he decided to keep it along with the prepared gift box. Good thing Thoma didn't ask too far yesterday or else Ayato might be in a deep trouble. Whoever unsealed the perfume at first time still remains mystery, but he is grateful for the person who did that. Ayato doesn't have to gift it to Yae Miko and he got himself a stress reliever.

With a clearer mind and lighter head, Ayato dressed in his usual attire and strapped his vision on his hip. He took his black loafers with two of his left fingers and locked his room from outside. The dango jar he put in front of his room still has some sticks. He took two of them and eat while walking outside. Who cares about culture when no one is watching?

❀

The indigo dawn skyline stretched across the horizon, exhibiting a marvelous panorama at the top of Mount Yougou. The Grand Narukami Shrine stands idle, only with the Sacred Sakura tree as it's eternal companion. The colors of dark purple sky and pastel pink blossoms coalesce into a magnificent scenery of dawn in Inazuma. If only Ayato brought a Kamera, he would've took a picture as a memento of his rare visit to the shrine.