The Moon Illuminates a World of Fancy

Chapter Seven: and say hello

How nostalgic, thought Sasaki as she explored the sights of the festival.

It wasn't a particularly special holiday, as per Mori's request, but the Dragon Festival was one of the brightest and merriest celebrations in Yokohama. The funny thing about it is that it's meant to commemorate the Dragon's Head Conflict, the bloodiest event in history. If someone were to celebrate it, they would've chosen a stay-at-home holiday.

But Sasaki liked the fact that the festival wasn't commemorating the Conflict with all its tragedy, but the idea that even in times of danger we must always find joy and hope.

It was an ideal she adored. Partly because it was a reminder that she had hope even in the clutches of the Azure King.

Sasaki found a stall selling candied fruits and nuts and ordered a candied persimmon. The fruit came from the east lands to the west of Yokohama; even she had never been anywhere outside the kingdom before, but she heard enough stories to paint a picture in her head.

As she turned to leave, crunching down on the sweet candy, she almost bumped into the chest of...

"Kunikida-sama?" she gasped out, startled.

Kunikida Doppo wore a simple striped yukata colored a faded blue with blue-grey and white stripes. Sasaki internally giggled at his plain fashion sense, but all the same the man was quite the looker.

"S-Sasaki-san?" he stammered.

"Never fancied you to be the type to enjoy festivals," she teased. Kunikida scoffed and replied: "Fukuzawa made it absolutely clear that all offices are required to take a break."

"But all the same you like the festivities, no?"

He shrugged. "It's... Eventful. But I don't know where to start."

Time to give this man a bit of education, Sasaki thought mischievously as her free hand took his wrist and towed him behind her.

"If you don't know where to start in a festival, come with me. It's high time you learned to loosen up and have fun."

____________

Kunikida admitted he wasn't one who would relax and take a break so easily. His work kept him busy, very busy; it served as both a way to spend his time wisely and as a hobby to fill the empty hours.

For a man like him it was hard to loosen up and relax. He was accustomed to the tense hours and projects and schedules and deadlines in between--- too accustomed.

But with Sasaki around, he seemed... tempted to let go and frolic and make merry in the festival.

Maybe it's because I'm with her?

Kunikida was partly absorbed in his thoughts so he half-noticed himself winning Sasaki a plush iguana in a toss game, purchase a pair of matching amulets and engrave their names on them, and watch contestants struggle to reach the top of an obstacle course tower. He only managed to snap himself out of his ponderings when two fingers lightly tapped his shoulder. Sasaki pointed at something--- that made him sigh.

Fortune tellers were common in a lot of eastern kingdoms, Yokohama included. Here, they were the last remnants of real magic people knew only existed in stories, the only ones with the magic of foresight outside the royal family. Some were even descendants of ancient rulers them- selves.

Even in the face of sorcerers, even lowly fortune tellers, Kunikida was intimidated.

When he visibly hesitated, Sasaki said: "There isn't any harm in seeing for ourselves the magic of foresight firsthand, is there? And I'm quite curious to see what she has to say about the both of us."

Two emotions warred in their own conflict on his face before one of them emerged victorious.

As they sat down on the stools provided he instinctively offered to pay to have their fortune told, but the woman refused any payment, only that they find out what will happen to them in the future.

First they had to wash their hands down to their fingerprints, so as to let the fortune teller read their palms better. They offered their right hands to her when she requested it.

The woman spoke as she rested the tip of her finger on the head line of their palms. "You, sir," she said to Kunikida,  "don't consider yourself deserving of a day's worth of fun or the hand in marriage of a woman, and work extra hard to reach them as a worthy person."

Sasaki cocked her head to the side, baffled.

Turning to Sasaki, the fortune teller said: "Miss, your wisdom line is about the same length, only yours is in an arc. You must be very talented and seek to put them to good use for the benefit of others, a result of something from your past that you wish to escape."

The smile curling on Sasaki's lips told Kunikida that she was impressed.

"On the other hand, both of you have matching life and  love lines, the latter starting from the index finger. This indicates that you will have a happy love life in the end, even in a certain time of danger that I have seen in a revelation."

Kunikida blinked, eyes wide and owlishly round. Sasaki laughed and blushed, thanking the fortune teller for her services, bidding a still shell-shocked Kunikida to go with her.

Does that mean... I have a chance?

A chance to marry Sasaki-san?