beneath tangerine skies | eishi tsukasa

― 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦 ;

CHAPTER TWELVE | DRIED LEAVES

Suddenly, my heart ached for who you used to be and I realized that what made me hurt the most was not your choice but the fact that you lost hope in me in the time I needed you to have it the most. ― Unsent Letters by Haku

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The past few days have been amusing. Rindou who hadn't bother to set up her own stall had dragged her around the festival and made her eat all sorts of food. Most of it was insubstantial, not really good but not that bad either. By the end of the second day, she resorted to denying any food that didn't appeal to her eye and that meant she had to starve for a while and ultimately visit Kuga for a bowl of his Mapo Tofu or go to Soma and see his menu. She also visited the Elite Ten's shops minus Eizan and Eishi. Those were probably her highlights since it's also just them who offered good food.

Either way, the days came to pass like the calm autumn winds and Sachiyo mused on the fact that it was the last day of the festival. It brought a small ache in her heart seeing as she was just starting to enjoy herself. Still, she decided that she would pretend to be a normal high school student and enjoy the festival in peace. Some visitors had set up their own stands that sold random souvenirs and games and she decided that she'd try it out.

"Not eating?" Sachiyo closed her eyes to stop the shiver that was going down her spine as a certain boy's voice rushed to her ears.

"Figured I'll try to do something different. How about you? Not cooking?"

Eishi matched her steps as they walked together in a slightly tense atmosphere, "My shop opens in the afternoon."

"I see," Sachiyo took a risk in giving a glance towards the male and immediately regretted it when his eyes clashed with hers. Smiling softly, he looked away and she had to be painfully reminded of her love in his ethereal glow. What an odd way to have a conversation after a fight she was sure neither of them can recover from.

"May I join you?" Sachiyo opened her mouth to say no but his eyes pleaded his case, "Please? For old times' sake?"

When he say it like that, she really has no room to disagree. Sachiyo sighed and nodded in defeat, ignoring the victorious smile of the manipulating boy. She didn't agree because he told her so. She agreed because given the situation, this will probably be the last time they'll be together without any problems.

"Have you ever been to a festival?"

"Now that I think about it, no. What made you ask?"

Eishi chuckled and Sachiyo fought to ignore the thumps in her chest, "You seem really lost."

Sachiyo's face flushed in embarrassment. She hated not knowing anything because it always made her feel helpless and more of a damsel in distress type of woman. To protect any bit of her pride, she crossed her arms and glared at Eishi who only smiled in amusement because she looked more like a pouting child than an intimidating businesswoman.

"There's a kingyo-sukui over there," Eishi held Sachiyo's hand lightly and pulled her towards a small stand lit up by lanterns. Her chest tightened and she forgot to breathe for a second. From any other angle, they would've looked like a normal couple enjoying their time together but she knew better. Their story was at the brink of falling apart and this was their final act.

"What..?" she mumbled unknowing of what to do as the man handed her a net like tool.

"That's a 'poi'. You use it to catch those goldfish and whatever you caught, you'll get to take home."