/jp/ - Otaku Culture

This new years was quiet, the wind wasn't blowing more then a barely perceptible breeze and the snow didn't care to fall despite the heavy looking clouds that drifted lazily across Gensokyo in rolling gray sheets of varying shades. The sun was lazily spending its morning behind the clouds using them like a futon as its light was dimmed in the characteristic gray tinge of winter. For you and most of the residents it was a lazy morning and if it wasn't for you dragging yourself out of bed to get the living room warm and breakfast prepared you figured the girls would've become glued to their sheets. The only thing that roused them was you knocking on their doors making the sharp sound reverberate on the wooden frame and into the cold morning air of the chilling hallway, all except Reimu.
For today, as was tradition, Reimu was up and active even before you were able to drag yourself out of bed and you only belatedly realized she was gone by the loss of warmth coming from her half of the futon. It was no secret why she was excited, even in the worst parts of your marriage today was always a day marked by her high spirits as the masses flocked to her shrine for their new years visits. Of course your greedy miko wife couldn't care less about gathering faith or the traditions behind it, no. She wanted one thing and it was sick, cold hard coin!
Today she'd milk those peons for all their worth, selling hot sweet sake, distributing fortunes, and making sure the path to the offering box was nice and clear. By the time you called her in for breakfast and some hot tea she'd already had the stands set up, more then usual in fact as it became clear to you that she intended to use everyone in the shrine to sell whatever junk she had stored in her warehouse that she wasn't able to sell in previous years. You could practically see the money signs in her eyes as she irritated everyone with her upbeat attitude and chipper voice as you all partook in breakfast and hot tea in the now warm living room.
As per usual you were to man the sweet sake stand, while it seemed that a resigned Kasen, sleepy Aunn, and openly fussy Marissa manned the stands selling random nonsense merch Reimu was intent on turning a profit on despite that you've never seen a single person buy them for the years she's had them molding in storage. As always it secretly amazed you how many people would bother turning out to this shrine on the new years, mostly it was the older folk however as it seemed that most of the younger people were swayed by the Moriyan shrine's flash and liveliness but that didn't bother Reimu in the slightest as you were sure she saw nothing but walking purses. Soon enough the crowds died down in the time between the evening and midnight and after what seemed like too long you all were able to have a short break as you huddled together around a small brazier you set up after long experience in the tiring chaos of running shrines on new years, even the pink hermit seemed positively relieved by external heat despite her insistence to the contrary. For your break you had bentos you prepared the day before ready to go and it seemed after lunch and some hot sweet sake the lot of you were ready to handle the rest of the masses as they trickled in over the hours.
The night fell and with it the chill of winter intensified and the brazier moved closer to the stands and the amount of firewood in it increased as well providing some warmth to you three as you were huddled around it more then at the stands. It was close to midnight now and a bit of melancholy nipped away at your heart, once upon a time right around this time you could expect the first of the youkai and oni to show up for the end of the year party and it was a given that soon enough the shrine grounds and main hall would be filled with the sounds of music and merrymaking, but now only a deafening silence filled the air as only the light breeze filled the air along with some minor snowfall instead. It was clear that you weren't the only one thinking the same as a bit of bitterness filled the faces of the girls around you, "Hey Reimu, I think its about time to pack it up. I don't think anyones coming now that nights fallen...". Reimu gave in with sigh and an, "I guess so...". She put up a very optimistic sign board propped up by the box itself that read, "the miko is out, leave donations in the box".
You all relaxed in the living room shortly after and your moods improved somewhat with the warming heat and promise of new years food on the horizon, fortunately once again you prepared some staples the day before and had them sitting in cold storage just for this moment. After a short time reheating and plating the food you brought out the dinner on the best serving plates the shrine had and with a smile on your face you loudly announced, "happy new years!".