Fireworks ~ TodoMomo

||Chapter 11||

It was almost eight. The fireworks would be starting soon.

Momo's hands tightened around her knees as she sat perched on the window ledge and stared despairingly out over the busy Aoyama streets. Outside, the sky had become an inky midnight blue accentuated by the blinking, multi-colored lights of the city.

Down below, ant-sized people and cars were packed along the roads and sidewalks. The designer store, Hermes, across the street was open, and she could see carefree shoppers browsing about through the floor-length windows.

It seemed everyone in Tokyo was out tonight — except her.

Momo leaned her head against the glass of the window. She needed to stop feeling sorry for herself. Her mother had a valid point. Ever since starting high school, Momo hadn't had a chance to visit her father abroad like she'd done regularly back in middle school.

And to be honest, Momo couldn't even remember the last time she had seen him... Christmas? That was over six months ago.

Was she really so selfish that she'd prefer to spend time with her friends over her family? Hadn't her mother taught her better? Blood was thicker than water. Family was the most important.

Her toes curled. Honestly, she should be excited to get to see her father. Momo wanted to be excited to see him. But all she felt was a resounding hollowness in her chest.

What a spoiled child.

Momo sighed and stood up and went to lay on her bed. Her hair fanned out around her on the silken sheets. She had taken it out of the intricate bun her maid had helped her with earlier. There was no point in keeping it up if she wasn't going to see her friends. And part of her argued she should summon the energy to get up and change out of her crimson yukata. But she couldn't quite bring herself to take it off yet. He had chosen it for her.

Her phone buzzed on her nightstand.

Momo sighed and closed her eyes but didn't move. It was probably the group chat, everyone posting pictures, forming new bonds, and making memories while she was locked up like some princess in a tower.

She frowned. Even for her, that thought was a bit dramatic. It wasn't like her parents had actually locked her door or even forbade her from going. It was only a request to spend time together as a family.

Besides, even if that were the case, and she were locked away, this wasn't the kind of situation a hero could save her from. If Momo wanted to be saved, she would have to–

Her eyes snapped open, and Momo sat up as realization struck her. She wasn't a princess; she was a knight, a hero in training. If she wanted to be saved, she'd have to stand up for herself.

But would her mother hate her if she didn't go to dinner with her family?

Momo's stomach clenched, and she felt her nerves start to aggrandize. She shook her head and brought a hand up to clench over her heart.

Even if this made her a bad daughter, Momo had done everything to make her parents proud; surely she could make one selfish request? They couldn't hate her for asking, could they?

And it wasn't as if she was going to spend time with people she wasn't close to. These were her comrades, her precious classmates. They weren't related by blood, but in a way, they were just as much her family as her parents were.

Momo cut off her thoughts as she slid to the edge of her bed. She drew in a deep breath and stood. Nothing was gained in life without taking a chance. Surely, Momo could summon enough courage to at least try.