A Dream for Tomorrow

3. The Origin

The normally empty patch of the town bustled with life a vibrant tapestry of colors, sounds, and smells woven together in a symphony of commerce. People surged through the crowded lanes like a river in full flow, their voices mingling with the cacophony of vendors hawking their wares, the air thick with the aroma of spices, sizzling street food, and the tantalizing scent of freshly baked bread.

The market was a chorus of myriad sounds, each note contributing to the lively melody of commerce. Voices melded together in a vibrant cacophony, merchants calling out their wares in a rhythmic cadence that echoed through the bustling lanes. The clinking of coins exchanging hands provided a steady percussion, punctuated by the occasional laughter of shoppers and the chatter of bargaining. Underlying it all was the symphony of life itself, a vibrant hum that resonated through the air, infusing the market with an undeniable energy that was as infectious as it was invigorating.

People from all over the country came to the remote town for the annual market, they all came as they celebrated the gods that blessed their crops for that year.

Among the sea of people, there were two distinct faces that stood out from the rest of the crowd. Ayumi Fujimoto and her father, their mother departed to the afterlife around a year ago, but they were going strong, because they would always have each other.

Ayumi was as happy as she could be, her body practically beamed with energy. Hope. It was something that her father had not seen from her in a long while and so he wished it would last forever.

Why does she do this to herself?

They ran through the crowd. Ayumi leads with her vibrant personality and her father running in an attempt to catch up. They pushed people out of the way and shouted to warn them, a high octave action scene.

"Come on, daddy! The fireworks are almost starting!" Ayumi looked back with pure hopefulness. She had been waiting for the fireworks for almost a year, and now finally. No one could blame her for her excitement.

"Wait!" Her dad huffed while running for dear life "Please wait up, Ayumi-chan!"

In the crowd there was another girl, watching the pair carefully. What expression did she have on her face? No one really knew, for the people didn't acknowledge her, her presence was ignored by everyone in the crowd. Like she was never really there.

"Come on!" She dragged her voice out and stopped for a second for a second for her father to catch up.

Her father finally caught up after a second or two. He huffed and almost buckled over from the sheer amount of energy he had to excerpt to catch up to his own daughter. He saw the hope in her eyes, a hope unique to the innocence of a child, untouched by the cynicism of the world at large. It flickered in her irises like the soft glow of a candle, illuminating even the darkest corners of uncertainty. With every laugh or giggle that came out of her mouth, hope weaved itself into every fiber of her being and bled onto other people as well.

From the shadows, the figure noticed it too. She noticed it all too well, Ayumi's glow was comparable to that of a star in the vast solar system. One that was so far away and yet it felt so near. She watched on, emotions were flaring up inside of her.

Why would she do this to herself?

"Daddy!" Ayumi shouted after a few seconds, getting impatient. "Daddy, you can do it!"

"Yeah..." Her dad huffed standing up straight again. "Yeah I can. Let's go Ayumi-chan!"

For Ayumi it was too fast for her to react, her dad began running towards the fireworks display site. Ayumi took this as a challenge and started running as fast as her short legs could muster. She couldn't let her dad win the competition they so suddenly set up! No way!