The moon was shining brightly in the calm evening. Calm that had just started. A few minutes ago, the sky kept flashing of different colors and shapes of danmaku.
I looked at the time. It was way past the meeting time I had set with Alice. Will she still be waiting for me?
-Well looks like everything is settle. What do you say if we finish this evening with a nice drink like usual Marisa?
Reimu just finished scolding the incident-maker. I could have handled that case alone but as usual we ended up competing to see who would reach the source first.
-Sorry Reimu not tonight. Alice is waiting for me…
-Again? You always think and talk only about Alice. Show some care for your other friends once in a while.
Reimu kept on whining so much I ended up going back to the shrine with her. It was on my way too and I was already late, so a drink or two wouldn't hurt and it was true I hadn't passed any time with Reimu lately. Or anyone else in fact.
So I felt kind of obliged to stay a bit. We sat inside the always comfortable shrine. I dropped my hat on the floor and let out a big yawn. This incident had really worn me out. Reimu came back with two big glasses of sake. We drank and talked a lot. And then…
Time passed
Time passed
Time passed
The moon and significantly moved in the sky.
-Well then Reimu, I will take my leave now!
-Oh are you in that much hurry to get back to your lovely Alice~
-As much as your dear Yukari is waiting for me to leave in your room ze~
Reimu's face flushed a bit
-W-well then, good night
-Night ze!
-Oh and Marisa? Try to drop by more often…
-I will.
Is Alice still waiting for me? Did she return home already? Will she be angry? Will she be sad?
I had told her I would probably be back shortly after sun set but that was hours ago. Conflicting feelings were building up inside me… I didn't want her to have waited all this time after me, but at the same I wanted her to. I grew impatient, I wanted to get back as fast as possible but I still couldn't increase my flying speed with all the fatigue I carried.
Will she still be there?
Will she have left?
I finally arrived at my house. Everything was dark. It meant Alice had already left. Disappointment filled my heart but at the same time, I knew it was better for her not to have waited this long. Blocked by trees, the moon couldn't even give a little ray of light. An empty dark house where no light reaches is a pretty lonely sight.
I shook my head and told myself to wake up early and go apologize to Alice. I slowly opened the wooden door and got inside. It was so dark I couldn't see anything. But as this was my house, I knew exactly where everything was. Well not exactly everything, but where every pile of things were… so I wasn't scared of bumping into anything on the floor. I lit a small light and looked around the full yet somehow empty room. Putting my hat and broom away, I noticed by the corner of my eyes something unusual on the table.
It was a plate full of food with a little note right beside.
Dear Marisa,
I thought you would be hungry so I cooked something for you.
Good night
Alice xxx
She's always so thoughtful. Just seeing this small note made me very happy. I heated the food a bit, humming a little song to myself. Just a small note and I was smiling to no end. I swallowed the delicious meal rapidly. Back at the shrine, we only drank sake and didn't eat anything so I was very hungry. I savoured every delectable bite, and as it filled my stomach, it also filled my heart with warmth.
I joyfully thought about how I should thank her tomorrow morning.
I stretch myself and got upstairs to get some sleep. I entered my bedroom without lighting any light and without looking around. As I started changing, I heard a soft voice coming from behind me
-Already getting naked even before saying hi, aren't you in a hurry tonight Marisa?
-A-Alice?
-Guess you were also pretty hungry since you ate even before getting upstairs to see me
-Well since it was this late and no lights were on I thought you went back to your house… and….
Alice got up and hugged me from so I stopped talking.
-I told you I'd wait for you…
-But you didn't have to wait that long… I'm awfully late… sorry
I took her hand off my shoulder and kissed it softly
-It wasn't that long… plus I kept myself busy with some research and some cooking.
-The meal… it was really good. Thanks a lot ze!
- It got so late I thought I'd go ahead and sleep in your bed. I heard you arriving only a couple of minutes after.
Alice started whispering softly in my ear
-Were you lonely thinking I had left?
-Just a bit… But just seeing that little note on the table made me very happy.
I turned around and hug her tightly.
-Now, how about you get me undress?
-Ma-Marisa!
-That was just a joke ze
-I was kind of planning to do that…
We were surely both bright red but in the soft darkness of that night with no one to see it, we could keep getting as embarrassed and flustered as we want.
-I'll also help you get that night dress off…