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2nd POV

You never thought that striding through the winding streets of the village would crack open distant memories.

The dampened scent of the grass from an earlier downpour and the aroma of the fresh, cooked loaf of bread resting atop a plate perched on a window pane; the warm wind caressing your face and the soft chirping of the birds resounding from the old, oak trees—you never knew that there was this part of you that missed the sweet ol' village hidden by the mountains; alpine mountains that were covered in a thick blanket of snow in the brewing winter.

A few brick and stone houses appeared to be worn out over the ageing years, but the ancient demeanor it emitted clung to the atmosphere.

There were a couple of stalls set up along the twisting and jerking roads, a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables ready to be sold to the passing women with their woven baskets and the hard-working men heaving hearty laughs as they enjoyed their brisk break from a good day of work—it was completely different from all the bustle and hustle in Musutafu, the sound of clanking and chugging machinery nowhere to be heard as fountain sprinklers gushed with sparkling water, a dulcet tune engulfing the village with a wide embrace.

Smiling, you trudged off, snapping Tamaki out of his admiration for the area in order to catch up with you.

"H-Hold on a second, [Surname]-san!"

You took note of the brick-red roofs of the buildings, the melodious chime of a jingling bell belonging to a petite flower boutique, the balmy fragrance of camellias wafting in the sweet-smelling air.

The village clock-tower, standing tall with its shiny stone texture, was affixed in the centre of the village; moss shaded in dark, forest green mounting onto the antiquated village treasure. It was half past 8 in the morning, read the clock, the sun hanging low above the horizon.

There was a swift shuffle beside you, hands being deeply tucked into pockets.

"This place is really peaceful." You had forgotten that Tamaki was trailing by your side, dark orbs absorbing the foreign milieu. "... You can hide here for the rest of your life..."

Chuckling, you nudged his forearm with a friendly poke, "Why the dark words?"

He jerked for a brief second, realising that he didn't say that in his mind like he intended to, "U-Uh..." A tad of red dusted his cheeks. "I-I didn't mean... to say that out loud."

"Hm, but you're right. It is peaceful," you commented, gliding off the pavement with a skid and extended your arm forward:

"We'll take this road; it'll lead us straight to my place." Beyond your protruding finger was a rocky, dirt path, patches of grass allocated along the stretch of land that led to a round hill further up. "It won't take us long. If nothing's changed then my place should be right after that hill along the way."

"A-Are you sure it's okay for me to come along?" Tamaki asked with a stutter, nervous of the transpiring situation. "W-What if your aunt doesn't like me? ... I'll have to add her to the list of people who hate me..." his soft-spoken voice trailed off, his anxious persona overcoming him in a giant swing.

"Amajiki-san, you've been asking me that over the whole time we've been here. I told you it's fine, Aunt won't mind you." The tinge of wariness in his belly did not succumb to slumber though. "Why would you have a list for that anyway?"

"But-"

"Amajiki-san," you called out his name in sweet tenderness, his tensed chiseled facial features softening at the sound of his name. "Trust me, Aunt Hana doesn't bite. You're the one who wanted to tag along in the first place."

Blue Butterfly | Amajiki TamakiWhere stories live. Discover now