/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45765828
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It was gratifying seeing the wonder that took over the blush, her breath hitching and body—slightly—relaxing. I looked at the 'hot springs', my smile small. “I don't know much about her; she died when I was six and Yukari wiped my memories of her, that bitch… But, sheesh, I forgot how lazy of a woman she was: dying and so leaving an entire shrine for a kid to take care of?” Hana furrowed her brows, knots in her hands whitening. I didn't pay her much attention while walking this particularly painful memory lane, focusing on keeping my feelings in check. “Though it was for a good cause, so it's okay. Dying for something you love,” I gaze at Hana. “… It's a good kind of death.” I nod to myself, turning back to the pond. “Oh, yes—her powers. I don't know about her first power-up, though, just the second: It's kinda weird to explain, but the darkness inside of her heart powered her massively… 'It was the perfect tool for the job', I remember Ran telling me.”

“R-Ran? Yukari's shikigami?” She asked, her shocked intonation telling a story. “You are friends with her…?” I nod. “S-Since when? I don't remember you and her…” It was obvious why she had cut herself short: whatever memory flashed into her mind included me, and if Ran was in the photo, Yukari was as well. A painful memory, no matter how you look at it.

“… A few months ago,” a sort of love followed my words, heart growing with the painful yet rewarding memories. “She came to me when everyone—even myself—had lost hope on me… I think I'd have died otherwise.” Hana freezes, brows lowering, though all I send her is a caring smile. “It'd have been deserved, no matter what I, Ran, or my sweet Chen…” With a big smile, I gently hold my scarf. Hana watches with an impossible-to-discern look. “May have thought. But… I didn't want to leave without giving back whatever I could from what I took from you.

“W-What does that mean…?”

“It means…” An ember of scarlet rises from inside and, unlike the owl, their true power comes too; Hana cannot comprehend it, but she can feel the godly might in the very air. The flame dances on my skin, slowly consuming energy from the Muladhara before vanishing beneath my arm. “… that these flames are the perfect tool for the job.”

Hana stops, mouth open, clearly wanting to ask more questions, but something holds her off… Our eyes descend to the Yakumo uniform, bitterness lading my tongue, but also a tinge of joy makes my heart shake. She's concerned about what could happen if she knew the flames' real power. If Yukari manages to peek inside her head and get info about them, I doubt I could use them effectively against her.

… I raised a very smart girl~

Humming, I walk towards the kotatsu and express, “You should go take your bath, Hana—just 55 minutes of hot water left.”

It takes a second for her to sober up from her thoughts and, still conflicted, to mutter, “O-Okay.”

I wait for her footsteps to be far enough…

Then I fall on my butt, breathing hard and heart trying its best to explode in my chest, tears welling, an oppressing feeling of happiness overwhelming me entirely…

Because I spoke to my daughter. I thought it'd never happen again. But it did.

I spoke to my Hana…

… Giggling and blushing, I clench a fist over my thundering heart, thinking of her face of pure wonder as she pats the owl of crimson fire—the curiosity of her questions, the desire to know more about the roots of her family, from where all the qualms in her life spawn.

It was a riveting feeling, my tears thickened.

I talked to my daughter again…

I TALKED TO MY DAUGHTER AGAIN!!

To contain the sheer might of my laughter was an arduous process, but I managed anyway, weakly getting up from the floor before Hana could come back and see my sorry state. Flames wiped the heavy tears away, and sheer determination burned around the beautiful gift the Hakurei God had given me. It was an impossible second chance that I had to struggle, bleed for, and spend uncountable hours trudging through the swamp of sin and death that was my soul to clean it… I’ll not let this chance go to waste.

Taking Hana's things to her room, which had been renovated but, unlike the rest of the shrine, had all of its original furniture—I couldn't bear to throw anything away… Especially her drawings. I looked longly at the drawer where they were all contained, a smile billowing, and left the room with a silent step, as if trying to not wake up a sleeping child.

Though I made sure to take something on the way out…

Outside, Hana had set up the wooden barricade in the middle of the pond, sounds of water splashing around echoing. Is she playing with the water…?

What is she, 7?

… I'd love to dream that, even once~

With a bucket and soap, I wash the clothing in the pond and dry them with my flames…

… Leaving the Yakumo uniform and an old but well-treated Hakurei miko uniform—both squeaky clean and neatly folded—for her on the shore.

I’ll never take a choice from my daughter again.