Learning To Fly: A Saki Enomoto Pseudo-Route

Ignition :: Figli Delle Tenebre

AN: Chapter song is below!

-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-

It's a good thing Mitsuru and I are about the same size.

Standing in the bathroom, in front of the mirror, I smooth down the folds of the light gray yukata that he was gracious enough to let me borrow. The tie is a little shorter than I'm used to, but I'm still able to use it without any issues. I wet my hands at the sink and run my fingers through my hair, trying to make it a bit more manageable, and am met with limited success.

I'm grateful that I was able to sleep well the last few nights after exams. It's only going to be a few months until we have to do this whole song and dance again, but the respite - no matter how brief it may end up being - is a welcome one. Compared to the festival, it's good to know that we'll actually be able to enjoy Tanabata to the fullest since exams are already over. Just one more week to go before we get out for summer break and I head back home.

Well, maybe a little bit longer than a week for some of us. We do have the waterpark trip planned after all.

Content with my appearance, I leave the bathroom and briefly stop by my room to drop off my normal clothing. The plan was to meet Mitsuru down in the common room, then meet the girls on the stairway leading to both of the dorms. While Saki and I have become more comfortable escorting each other to our respective dormitories, it would still be pushing it slightly for one of us to enter the other's by ourselves.

When I finally get to the common area, I see a group of several people gathered around the television, armed with a variety of snacks, drinks, and verbose insults hurled at each other as they play a game console hooked up to it. Since none of them are dressed up, it's safe to assume they've already figured out how they're going to be spending Tanabata.

"Ah, there you are," I hear a familiar voice say. I turn to see Mitsuru walking up to me, his dark blue yukata making my own look drab in comparison. Oh well. Beggars can't be choosers.

"Hey Mitsuru," I reply, greeting him. "Do you know if the girls are ready to meet up yet?"

"Yeah," he says, running a hand through his hair to slick it back. "Chisato just called me a few minutes ago. The two of them should be heading down to the courtyard right now and will meet us there. Got everything you need?"

I pat down my sides, confirming I have my wallet, then give him the affirmative. The two of us walk the short distance to the front door and I hold it open for him.

The air is cool and refreshing, filled with all the scents of a summer evening. The western sky has taken on a beautiful orange hue as the receding sun lights up each scattered cloud with its own halo, and a few stars are just becoming visible on the opposite horizon. The courtyard itself is illuminated by both the dying sun and the artificial glow of the lamps encompassing it, each surrounded by a small cloud of insects dancing madly around them.

It's a beautiful evening. I've always found something romantic about days like this and the possibilities they offer.

A quick scan of the courtyard shows about two dozen people, more than half of which are dressed similarly to the two of us. A few groups cluster together while others are making their way off towards the entrance gate, doubtless choosing to head down into town to see the festivities.

"Found them," Mitsuru says to me, nodding his head towards a group of three girls gathered around under one of the lights, prompting us to make our way over to them. Chisato notices us first when we arrive, and after a few pleasantries, we all take a few seconds to evaluate each other.

Chisato's robe is sky blue, with starburst accents of pure white making their way down its flowing curves. The tie and bow around her waist is a dark black that seems to drink all the light that hits it, matching her hair. Mitsuru moves to her side, and the two of them complement each other perfectly.

Noriko's actually wearing a kimono instead of a yukata, the pink silk covered in a radiant floral pattern giving her an almost regal air. A white tie and gold cord holds it together, and her long hair is held up by a matching headpiece. She gives me a small bow when she sees me, a move that only has its elegance heightened by her appearance.

Saki hits the middle ground between the two of them. Her yukata is orange, with small red circles neatly dotting the fabric. The tie is pink, but with no cord - instead, the front of the tie has a few fabric flowers attached to it, with a pair of gold tassels hanging down off one of them. It matches the red flower she has pinned in her hair above her right ear...and the one attached to the handle of her cane.

When I see this, I start laughing. Saki notices immediately what I'm laughing at, and holds the cane up so I can inspect it further. Sure enough, the normal black loop of fabric that she runs her wrist through has been replaced with a flower and golden tassel identical to the ones hanging off her waist.

"What, a girl can't accessorize?"

"That's certainly one way of doing it."

"Hello to you too, by the way."

"You all look...beautiful," I say, and mean it. Noriko bows again, and Saki gives me a small smile and a blush. Chisato knows it and grins appropriately.

"You don't look half bad yourself," Saki says. "I thought that gray would look bland on you, but it works."

"Thanks, I think?"

Saki laughs and the fingers of her free hand easily fit in my own.

Mitsuru clears his throat and addresses Noriko. "I must admit I'm curious. Why a kimono?"

"I didn't get a chance to wear this during the winter," she answers. "I didn't want to wear the same thing I did last year to Tanabata, you know?"

"You certainly look stunning."

"Hey now, and you think I don't?" Chisato pouts, pulling gently at the front of Mitsuru's robe to get his attention.

"There's no right answer to that question, and as such, I refuse to answer it."

"You're going to pay for that later," Chisato growls under the sounds of the rest of us laughing at his lack-of-answer.

"You all ready to go into town?" Saki asks all of us.

"Shouldn't we check out what's here on the grounds?" I reply.

"We'll end up back here anyway, won't we? If we go into town we'll be able to check everything else out on the way back up. Then we'll be right by the dorms when we finish."

"That seems like as good an idea as any."

"Great! We're decided then?"

-~*~-~*~-~*~-~*~-

The town normally has its own sense of charm, but today, that's amplified tenfold. The sun has gone down completely in the time it took for us to walk down here, and now the only light that illuminates the streets comes from the moon and a variety of tissue paper lanterns with every color of the rainbow.

It's quite relaxing.

There are quite a number of booths here compared to the amount there were during the festival, with a huge selection of both games and food to choose from. The smells of sweets and fried food permeates the air, eliciting a primal response of hunger that won't go away until it's satiated.

"Where to first?" Noriko asks all of us. "We could play games, or get something to eat."

"I mean, I plan on doing both, but the order doesn't really matter to me," Chisato says, giving her input.

Mitsuru answers her. "I say we eat first. I didn't get a chance to have breakfast today."

"Who's fault is that?"

"Partially yours."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you were the one that turned off the alarm before we went to sleep last night."

"Well excuse me for wanting to get some beauty sleep. You could have woken up and got some food on your own, if you were that hungry."

"You know there's no way to do that without waking you up the way you sprawl out over me, right?"

"I don't think it would have mattered anyway," I interject, trying to calm down the argument between Chisato and Mitsuru, even if it is playful. "I woke up early today and there wasn't anyone in the cafeteria."

"They would have had the day off too," Noriko clarifies.

"I say food as well," Saki says, turning towards me. "Besides, yakitori is on you this time, remember?"

"How in the-"

"I bought you some during the festival, now it's your turn," she finishes, flashing a smile at me that preemptively strikes down any incredulousness I would start to feel at that statement.

Doesn't mean I'm still not going to make an effort.

"I thought you did that because I was helping you all that week."