"Aaand here's the all ingredients" Val said putting a bag on kitchen ledge.
"Oh, you found them all?"
"Yup, that market we came passed by had everything" Val said checking the list.
"We just had lunch, do we need to make this right now?"
"Mhm... The steaming will take at least one hour.. so, yeah. Now my love,.. can you help me to prepare the dough?" Haru smiled in a teasing way giving her the flour bag.
*
The playlist turned from the Bluetooth from a corner gave a smooth rhythm to the smell of flour and cutting sound of knife.
"How's it, you need any help?"
Haru asked putting the mushroom, cabbage and other ingredients that are needing for the filling into a bawl.
Val raised her head giving a bitter look.
"I think I do..."
"It's not so hard" Haru placed her hands on Val's leading them to mix the dough.
"See, just fold it over like this and.. with a little strength push them away" she said mimicking her words into actions.
"See?"
She turned her face and caught blink of shine in blue eyes before Val bend slightly catching her lips into a kiss.
Haru naturally tilt her head deepening the kiss, giving herself more into Val.
"HEY!"
Haru jumped back wiping a brush of flour in her cheek. Val laughed loudly and stuck her tongue out. "Gotcha"
"You... little sneaky..." Haru gritted her teeth charging towards Val, only to result another toss of flour towards her covering her in white.
"Val!!!!.."
She screamed through the flour dusted air.
Val laughed pulling her hand and taking her into an embrace.
"You are so cute.."
She teased kissing her again.
"I hate you" Haru smiled into the kiss.
"I love you too" Val replied lifting her hand into a dancing pose.
"No.. we can't., The dough" Haru pushed turning back to kitchen ledge.
"It can wait.." Val pulled her back in, putting Haru's other hand on her shoulder swaying to the slow music.
Hazel eyes met deep on blue eyes.
Haru slowly brushed away a strand of hair, moving her fingers smoothly over Val's face. Val leaned more in to the touch.
"Pestilence..."
She murmured as a smile spreads on her face.
**
"Mm.. actually, Its pretty much edible"
Val was already having her second steamed bun. She was sitting on wooden veranda as her legs swings above the sand ground freely.
Haru laughed from inside the house. "I'm surprised and glad at the same time to hear that, We totally forgot about it for too long. And also... about the fact, that you like it!" She said coming outside.
"How do I look?"
Val's eyes widen as she gasped loud.
"Oh babe... You look soooooo beautiful.. Oh my god!!" Her dark blue eyes sparkled with excitement.
Haru rotated a circle showing off her yukata, while giggling to her lover's reaction.
Pale green flowers scattered Ivory white robe smoothly fell over her body, flowing smooth with the wind. Dark green sash gave a traditional neat to the dress wrapping tightly around her slim waist. Her sandy brown hair braided from both sides and collected up to a bun using a pearl decorated hair clip matching to the ivory of the robe.
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(Not every details are matched with the image. Just to take the idea of a yukata)
"Yup, it is pretty good huh" Haru took a bite of steamed bun from Val's hand, sitting next to her.
"Ah... I'm so excited for the summer festival!! It's been too long since the last time"
"How much more time we do have before the festival?"
"The sun is still in sky. It's enough to go when it starts to get little dark, It is easy cause our house is so close to the shrine. The festival holds in the ground next to it" Haru said leaning to Val, eyes focused on the sky.
"It will rain soon" She said with a small smile spreads between her lips.
"What! What rains in this period?" Val murmured questionably." Summer is over. Its already Autumn"
"Mmm..."Haru hummed eyes closed, taking a deep breath, hugging more into Val's embrace.
"There's always rain before a new start. Can't you feel it in the wind coming from the forest" It wasn't exactly a question as she murmured, unbothered by Val's confused face.
**
Twilight fell: The sky turned to a light, dusky purple littered with tiny silver stars
The torch held by Val, lit up the path paved by stone steps through the dark forest. She was wearing her usual casual outfit with a thick jacket to avoid cold breeze. She managed to force a jacket on Haru to put over her well dressed yukata.
"You sure there's a festival? I don't see anything except these fireflies" Val complained swishing her torch around.
"Leave them alone idiot, they are showing us the path" Haru laughed pulling Val back.
"No thanks. I got a better weapon" She waved the torch. "Also who believes such a fantasy theory. Are you a ki-" Val paused in the middle to give Haru an expression of disbelief.
"Don't tell me.. You had gone like this in dark just with these creatures..!!"
Haru showed her teeth smiling playfully.
"Just one time... I swear!" She begged shaking Val's both hands apologetically.
"What am I doing with you" Val looked spent up.
"Val... My cute pie" Haru pulled her hand making Val bend down to smooch a kiss on her cheek.
"It was the first time I went there actually. Fireflies are the one who took me there. One night I noticed them having a larger group than other days, so of course I get curious" She nodded protecting her own reasons. "So I ran after them and found the festival.. Then after that day I was careful to take a torch" She laughed. "Ah, we are here! This is our shrine" She quick her steps excitedly.
"You went there alone before?" Val said stopping at her feet.
Haru laughed. Her laugh sounded like a smooth ring of a bell that blends to wind.
