MARRIED TO A KITSUNE

CHAPTER XXIX

For Takao, the shrine had never been the busiest like it is during the day before a new year. The customary symbols are seen on the streets so they also took time to decorate the shrine entrance and their house with kudomatsu just a week ago. The kudomatsu or gate pine includes traditional symbols like pine, bamboo and sometimes plum blossom. Pine because it symbolizes life, bamboo for it signifies honesty and rapid growth and plum blossom as steadfastness in adversity. Visitors come and go, praying for good fortune to the upcoming year.

Honoree's duties for the day includes making sure that the candles inside the honden never goes out and ushering the visitors, especially the foreign ones to the temple. She enjoys watching families with their little children pray at the offering hall and although the Japanese ways of celebrating New Year differs a lot from where she was raised, she believes that the sense of family love is not lessen wherever she may go.

She received a call from her mother earlier that morning. They talked mostly about Honoree's schooling status and her upcoming competition for which her father together with his new family will attend to.

"I wish you're there for me too, Mere."

"I would love to, lemiel. Do your best and take care." her mother said before hanging up.

Her classmates came to pay a visit at the shrine too. Ayame arrived with her family while Naoki had had her fully disguised mother along. Honoree took the opportunity to ask for an autograph to her newly brought CD of the movie featuring Naoki's mother. She became an instant fan when she watched her movie last week with Takao. Later that afternoon, Akira dropped by together with his girlfriend who refused Honoree's hand when she offered a handshake. Honoree snapped the awkwardness with a soft smile, much to his girlfriend's annoyance because he blushes in front of them at the mere sight of Honoree's pinkish cheeks. Strange, but its how things go with them. Akira never had a girlfriend who didn't embarrass Honoree, Ayame never like any of his girlfriends and Naoki never cares who Akira dates. They are perfectly fine with their arrangement considering that their views about love differ.

It's past sunset when Honoree walks inside the honden and replace the burned candles. There are only few visitors around and some of them start heading back home when Honoree finished her task. When she passed by the offering hall, she spotted a beautiful woman praying and realize that she haven't pray herself since that morning. She took out a coin on her pocket and tossed it in the box, joining the beautiful woman and asking the gods for a good year ahead.

I want to see you again, Yuuji-san.

"What is it that will make you happy young lady?"

For a moment, Honoree thought it was just her imagination talking to her but when she opened her eyes and turned to the woman beside her, she realize that she is referring to her with the question. She's beautiful, Honoree thought. With raven black eyes, searching eyes, fair skin and sweet smile, she was reminded of the models in Strasbourg, those she watched together with her friends at their local event center.

"When you pray, what is it that your heart seeks?"

The woman was asking her with such honesty that Honoree couldn't help but answer truthfully. "What I want is beyond what this world can offer."

She laughs softly and Honoree finds herself attracted to her. "I'm sorry. I find it funny that young girls like you still believe in ridiculous things."

"I've seen far ridiculous things before." Honoree flashes her a smile. Let's just say that its like Apollo and I met and go crazily inlove but when he introduced me to Zeus, Hera thought that her husband has fallen in love with me so she reduce me to a bull.