The moon to his light

Tsutako -1

Ever since she could remember, it had always been her and her big sister Tsutako, whom she loved very much. She often heard the villagers say, "When Giyuu grows up, she's gonna be a big beauty like her mother and sister," or "You look just like Tsutako." She never really paid them any mind, though she felt quite happy when they told her that she looked like her big sister, who was her role model for how she should be like when she grew up.

She didn't remember her parents well; it was mostly blurry as they died when she was merely five years old and her sister was fifteen. Recently, she and Tsutako had been talking about how things were going to change as they were going to live with her fiancé in just five days right after the wedding.

At the village river, Giyuu wore her usual light blue haori with her hair in a braid, while Tsutako wore her usual deep red haori with her hair in a neat braid. They were both cleaning their clothes since they were both going to move to her fiancé's house. When Giyuu was suddenly hit with a wave of thoughts.

'Will the new house arrangement work for me? Am I going to be a nuisance for her fiancé, since I almost always sleep with my Oneesan, especially when I have a nightmare?' She hoped nothing would change much, but she tried not to worry too much, as Oneesan was going to marry the love of her life, who she said was very kind and would protect them both forever. And she never lied, so it must be true.

As she was thinking, Tsutako broke her out of her thoughts. "Giyuu, what are you thinking about so much? You could get a headache if you do that too often, you know," she said with a small frown, stopping her scrubbing of the clothes to put all her attention on Giyuu.

"It's just... I'm worried I'm going to be a nuisance to you and your fiancé," Giyuu said, unable to hold back her tears any longer. Tsutako pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back in circles until she calmed down.

"You know, Giyuu, life changes constantly, just like our emotions. It might be different starting now, but we're still together, aren't we? There's nothing to worry about. This is just a new change in our lives."

"Yeah, I know, but I'm scared," she left unsaid that she was afraid Tsutako wouldn't spend as much time with her.

"Oh, what am I going to do with my cute baby sister?" Tsutako said, smiling a bit in the delicate way she always did.

"I'm not a baby or cute anymore; I'm eight, remember?" Giyuu said with a serious but cute face.

"Yes, I know, but even when you have gray hairs, you're still going to be my baby sister, and that's never going to change," Tsutako said while wiping Giyuu's face with her red sleeve.

"Your sleeve is dirty now."

"I know, but let's go back home, as we've finished with our clothes. You might want to rest a bit at home since you might be tired from all the crying you just did."

"Okay, but I'm going to walk, so don't carry me like last time."

"Fine, but only because of all the clothes we brought."

The Day Before the Wedding

They were both eating lunch when Giyuu, in honest curiosity, said, "Hey Oneesan, when I grow up, am I going to be able to cook a lot of yummy food like all the other girls in town?"

"Of course you are," Tsutako said, looking a bit shocked at first.

"But I'm not as good as you are, and I only know a few recipes you taught me for when I'm alone and hungry," she said in a doubtful tone.

"You think I was this good at cooking before? I only know how to cook because of our mother's special cooking book," Tsutako said softly.

"Is that why you almost always have that book with the river design drawing with you when you're cooking?" Giyuu asked.