/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>46819149
(3/3—p2)
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Still, I can't help but wonder: It's no special day, just another chilly afternoon-almost-evening of another fall; no birthdays in sight, no important dates come to mind either. Total blank. “Thank you for it, Hana, Aunn; you two look very cute… But why did you make these crowns anyway, girls?” I ask, touching mine carefully as to not undo it—that'd be a massive blunder.

Hana and Aunn shared a glance as if saying, ‘is this guy for real?’, Reimu giggling to herself as if already on par with the answer, her crown slipping down a little off her hair. Unconsciously, I stepped in her direction and fixed it with my free hand, the shrine maiden whispering a faint ‘thank you’. “We just thought we'd all look nice wearing them, so we made it! You two look beautiful, too!” It's Hana who explains; Aunn nods along and pumps her fists a little at the compliments…

Huh. That's unexpected.

Life in Gensokyo always makes you expect the most convoluted and explosive responses to even the smallest things… And Hana and Aunn just decided they wanted to see us all wearing cutesy flowering crowns for no other reason than that it'd be nice.

… It's charming. Refreshing.

“You thought right, then. I'll be showing this off to everyone tomorrow~” Reimu says, the biggest smile on her face as, with each hand, she pinches one of Aunn's and Hana's cheeks, the girls grumbling in fake—not much, maybe, perhaps—pain.

… I can't really describe the feeling that rises inside as I watch, mind returning to that fateful night, the murderous blizzard of winter; how frantically I struggled to keep Reimu alive, the hours I spent watching over her sleeping so vulnerably…

The words we exchanged and how suddenly yet thoroughly my world changed after that day.

It's been years; no offense was committed and Hana's smile is a constant, her childhood proceeds and happiness gleams behind her eyes.

We built a life—a good life—together for our family.

… Reimu changed.

Finally, when Reimu tells them they'll be the ones doing the cleaning of all these sprawled petals, Hana and Aunn sprint away, begging for mercy and yelling about how boring a task it’d be. I chuckle to myself—we always say that, but we always end up cleaning things ourselves. “These two, I think we’ve spoiled them too much~” I say, pacing forward—

—A breeze buffets just as I am doing it; those hundreds of colored petals lift as Reimu turns to look at me.

It’s sudden, it’s impossible to stop and it just… happens.

Amidst this abrupt rainbow of fragrance and iridescent colors, our eyes meet, her red jewels impossibly deep yet ever focused, containing tales and mysteries uncharted; her hair pitch black, alluring, now ornamented by this beautiful crown of flowers; her skin fair; her smile this small yet remarkable little thing…

Her hand bears a wedding band twin to mine.

It's like I'm young again, and none of these hidden scars exist. But they do, and that I'll never forget; they're imprinted on my body and will never leave…

These scars will walk with me my whole life.

… Still, I am more than my scars; more than the fire and the chains that were burned on my skin—I am a father, and this woman is the mother of my only child. In the back, that child giggles lively as she talks to her proclaimed sister. “Excuse me, Ms. Shrine Maiden…” I utter, a weird levity taking over my lips as the breeze that sways her uniform and the hundreds of petals subsides, letting them remain still in the air for a moment. Reimu raises one eyebrow. “… Would you like to be my girlfriend?” The sense of déjà vu is as dizzying as the beating of my heart, and as Reimu's eyes first narrow before enlarging to the size of plates in realization, all I can do is burst out laughing.

“What are you saying so suddenly, idiot?” She huffs. “Stop joking and let's go fetch those two and set up the table; they must be hungry…” Reimu starts to walk inside, catching the pulling edge of the shoji door. “… Try asking over tea tomorrow.”

And so she enters, leaving the door open for me.

The Hakurei Shrine, home of the Hakurei miko: Reimu Hakurei, my ex-wife; Hana Hakurei, my only daughter; and Aunn, my precious and incredibly applied komainu…

Once walls that wept with memories so horrible, with crimes and mistakes committed. They'll never be forgotten, not while imprinted on this body… But today, after so many years and under the melody that is Hana's happiness, they're forgiven.

I enter with no hesitation, closing the doors.

… Home of Anon Hakurei, too.