Tenhimi: Before The Game

Chapter Three

It's been a few weeks since my near death experience, and Tenko and I have been spending every day after school with each other. I can't say I'm not still, well, suicidal, but she distracts me from thinking darkly.

She's unlike any person I had ever met. She doesn't push too much when asking if I'm okay- and respects me when I don't tell her things, like why I collapsed on her that one day in exhaustion. She listens to me as well, truly interested in what I'm saying. Tenko even likes listening to me ramble on about the occult and magic, which I didn't even dream of another person listening to me talk about. We even started eating lunch together, and she protects me and the others at my table when Kaede and Kaito try to bother us.

Today the cafeteria is serving sakura mochi along with the normal food, since Hinamatsuri is tomorrow and we have school off. Tenko comes over to my table holding her tray, and I notice she brought two of the pink mochi on her plate. She sits down next to me and slides both onto my paper plate on which I only had some oyster crackers and rice- some food I had bought from the market near my house.

"Nyeh," for some reason, I couldn't stop saying that now, "Thanks, but don't you want one?" I ask her, carefully peeling off the plastic on the mochi.

"Nah!" She waves her hand dismissively. "I never really liked sakura mochi, hishi mochi is wayyy better!"

"Really?" Kokichi interrupts out of nowhere. "Sakura is totally better. Hishi mochi is so sticky and gross." Shuichi nudges him and signs something angrily.

"Shuichi agrees." Shuichi hits him lightly, signaling that he definitely doesn't agree.

"You're all wrong. Shiro-zaki is the best girl's day treat." This girl Miu says. She's usually a quiet, nerdy girl who only talks with her friend Keebo, and this is the first time she has actually talked to us.

"Shiro-zaki?"

"Are you crazy?"

"Shira-zaki is good, but it's nothing compared to the mochis." I finally say, breaking the argument.

"Hm. Well can we all agree that the treats on Hinamatsuri are way better than the treats on Tango no Sekku?" Kokichi retorts.

There's a pause as everyone thinks for a second.

"True, true." We all mutter. 

Chewing on the sweet pink dessert, I sweep my eyes around the lunchroom. I'm constantly on the alert for Kaede and Kaito. I lock eye contact with Shuichi for a split second and realize he's doing the same thing. 

I'm not terrified of them or anything, I just don't want Tenko or the others to get hurt. I realized after Kaito hit me that the worst thing they can do is physical pain, which I have a fairly high tolerance of. Well, maybe not, but I am used to it.

I'm finishing my second sakura mochi when the bell rings, so I stuff the rest into my mouth and grab my bag.

"So, Himiko, are you doing anything tomorrow for Hinamatsuri?" Tenko says timidly. She's fiddling with the strap of her bag as we walk.

"I was planning on going to the doll floating, and then going to the festival to get free stuff."

"You're not spending it with your family?" She asks. She tends to tilt her head to the side when she talks, like a puppy. Oh, right, answer her question Himiko.

"No." I snap. She looks taken aback.

"Sorry. Um, what are you doing?"

"Well my parents are out of town for work, so I was wondering if maybe we could go to the doll floating and the festival together?" She asks, smiling sweetly.

"Yes! I mean... if you want to. That's what friends do right?" Her face drops.

"Right... friends. I'll meet you at the park after school." She heads off quickly into her next class. 

What did I say wrong...?

Hinamatsuri- Girl's Day, it's a holiday in Japan

Tango no Sekku- Boy's Day, another holiday in Japan