Lanterns Rise as Petals Fall

I: Fireworks

It was the night of the fireworks festival. Ayaka was getting ready in an empty room of the tea house, but she dressed differently than she normally did. She didn't know what came over her, or prompted her, but she dressed in a cute blue dress adorned with small frills and a blue bow adorning her back. It was a warm night, so she braided her hair differently, into tight little twin buns, and placed a small woven hat on her head. Her normal bells were attached to both ends of her blue bow.

She wasn't one to wear any jewelry on her hands, more of a glove person, but one stood out in her jewelry box.

"Milady, it suits you." Thoma and her both were shopping in the market. They were looking for ingredients for Taroumaru to make his signature tea, but they had stumbled near the jewelry stalls. She had perhaps admired one particular ring for far too long, and the store clerk had suggested she try it on. Thoma agreed, and she was not one to say no to him.

"I'm not sure..." She replied, but her eyes glimmered. Despite her always being quiet with her words, Thoma always knew when she wasn't being forthcoming. And the ring was a perfect fit.

"I'll buy it for you."

"That's unnecessary Thoma- you know I have plenty of mora-"

"I insist, Milady. Allow me-" He gently slipped the ring off of her finger. His hands were gentle and soft. She hadn't been so focused on them before..

"We also have these hair clips that match!" The store-clerk then said.

The ring and hair clips weren't cheap, as they were made of blue crystal chunks, which aren't found in Inazuma, but he still managed to have enough mora. She had forgotten how large his salary from her family was.

She reached into her jewelry box. Most of what was in there was pins and ribbons for her hair and a few small necklaces to adorn her outfits, as she had to be dressed for every occasion. She chose the blue butterfly ring to adorn this outfit, though. She also placed the clips in her hair to frame her face as ribbon normally would. She felt her face burn slightly, as she remembered the interaction in the market. He cared for her, but was it just in an assistant sort of way? She then she remembered an interaction with her brother a few weeks prior.

Ayaka had been brushing up on her reading, while her brother was home. She kept getting distracted, but it was only because she was awaiting Thoma to bring her tea. The times were difficult, with the Vision Hunt Decree, and she feared that one day he wouldn't walk through those doors. If he was caught running an errand..

"You seem distracted." Ayato placed his hand on her shoulder and she jumped slightly.

"I'm.. not distracted."

"You've been staring at that page for the last ten minutes."

"I'm just..." She paused for a moment, before hearing the door open.

"Should I come back in a few minutes?" Thoma said, noticing the slight tension in the air as soon as he walked in.

"No, come in." Ayaka said, rather quickly. She glanced at her brother and he let out a small "hmm" and he went to sit back in the chair adjacent to her.

"I've brought Taroumaru's special green tea, along with some Sakura Mochi that I made." He placed a pot of green tea in the middle of the small table between Ayaka and Ayato, and then placed two small cups next to each of them. He had a tray to deliver the tea and drinks. He then placed the Sakura Mochi next to the cups, and tucked the tray that held all of them underneath one of his arms.

He then began to pour the tea, and when he finished, Ayato cleared his throat, and Thoma began to leave the room.

"Thoma- don't run any errands today in town, okay?" Ayaka said, just before he was out of the door.