/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>46817702
(3/3—p1)
—
Some days I can't help but think things are wrong.

It's a weird feeling that comes from really down below and tickles my spine, and not in a fun way. I asked Ms. Keine about it, Marisa-sensei and even Kasen-nee, but none could tell me what the feeling could've been—others dismissed, saying I was just having stomachache, which is a lie… well, not always; Marisa-sensei's ‘shroom soup is delicious, but the aftermath is unfun—, I thought about asking either mum or dad on multiple occasions, but the weird feeling would just stir…

Perhaps I'm just weird?

The kids at the playground say I'm as weird as my parents, especially when I told them they don't sleep in the same room; don't smack their mouths together or are all cuddly-cuddly—apparently, you must do all that to be parents…

… Meh, what do those idiots know? They aren't even parents!

Laughing by myself, I finish collecting the flowers—hanas~—, humming and placing them in the basket me and mum made together last week. Dad must be working right now—I wonder if he'll get any cool commissions; it's so nice to watch him knit things for clients—and mum left to visit Aunt Remi… I don't like Aunt Remi. She's younger than I in appearance but she acts so high and mighty, always talking with difficult words and expressions; not even mum can understand half of what she says! Aunt Suika is much cooler~still; if they're both out, it means it's just me and Aunn in the shrine, the perfect opportunity to employ our plan!

Lifting flight, I go towards the shrine, humming this weird lullaby mum often sings to me, my eyes growing with fondness as I see the shrine in the distance, clean and nice—the way mum and dad like it. Aunn waves to me as I descend; some visitors—a family—wave too before dropping donations, to which I thank them a lot. They then request a little tour of the shrine and, as a maiden in training, I deliver. They leave with smiles~ “Guh… Their kid pulled my tail, and I almost bit him…” Aunn sulks, letting her 'visitor face'—as mum and Aunt Sanae call it—fade into a pout.

I huff, petting her head. “We'll ask gran Suwako to curse him for that later!” Aunn perks up, tail swinging and eyes screaming 'really?!', too cute to not hug close, my basket of hanas swaying a little.

Noticing it, Aunn moves to sniff the wild flowers. “Oh, what a nice haul~are we making them now?” She asks, almost jumping in place from excitement.

“Yup! Do you remember Aunt Yuuka's instructions?” We rush to the stairs by the donation box and, as we sit, I put the basket in between us.

“Ugh… K-Kinda?” She picks up a flower and tries to bend it a little, her sharp claws getting in the way. She seems vexed when the flower just jumps out of her grasp.

I pout, “It's not so hard, Aunn!” Picking up a flower, I start to—

… Oh, it jumped off my hands…

W-what?!

Aunn stares, and my cheeks go all red.

W-Well, at least we have the entire afternoon to figure it out!

—

“Is Remi still in, uh, 'war' with Mystia?” I ask, a calm smile on my face as I carry two bags, the one in my back containing my knitting materials—full of white and black hairs… It seems Chen, my knitting apprentice, fell asleep on top of it again, ugh—and the other I hold containing some food I got at Mokou's.

Reimu sighs, scratching her head with the bandaged right arm. “Bullseye—two Youkai, hundreds of years old… Feuding like two children. I think I'll go insane sooner or later and throw this to Marisa.” I chuckle, Reimu giving me the side-eye but snickering anyway. “That aside, the day wasn't as tough. Paid a visit to Yukari, Yuyuko and Ran to see how they're doing; nodded along as Yukari explained her new boundary tech or whatever, cuddled some with Ran; and then slept the day away after eating with Yuyuko… I wonder why my job is so demanding~”

“Some of us aren't that lucky.” We laugh together, finally reaching the Torii gates—

—and are immediately met by two giggling missiles. “Mum! Dad!” Oh, cannot forget the highlight of the day~

I hugged Hana back as Reimu did the same with Aunn, petting violently on Komainu's head before we switched. “How are you two doing? Had any fun?” I ask, gently lifting Aunn in my arms—she may be a statue, but that doesn't matter to the power of love!

“Yeah!” They yell together, throwing their arms up; they look at their wits end, as if they'd just spent hours focused on something and barely made it through, and as we reach the donation box, I ponder if that comparison is not so far off: littering the ground, hundreds of petals…

… But on top of the donation box, lay four flower crowns.

“We made these for you!” Aunn explains, hopping off my arms together with Hana and collecting the things. “C'mon, kneel down—you're tall!” I share a gaze with Reimu, who doesn't even hesitate before kneeling to receive her flower crown, the things amateurishly made and kept together by hopes and dreams—the colors match, though—, yet instilling a pride so intense inside it surprised me…