Chapter 1: To Be Dyed Red
Forty-eight more seconds. I'll get up then.
…….
I am human, and temptation is too great. The sky is too beautiful. But this scarlet shade only lasts so long.
"Miko?"
I shift from my laying position to my side to face the girl kneeling next to me.
"The sky's real nice, Shizuka. Don't you think so?"
"Yes, it is."
I look up at her face to examine her expression.
"You know, it'd be just as nice if you smiled like that more often around people other than us."
This comment embarrassed her slightly. I would snort if that was my thing, but unfortunately, it's not.
"Ah, what I meant to come here for was that I wanted to tell you that your mother wants you home. The sky is completely black now."
"What? Ah…I'll stumble and fall in the dark again, just like last time!"
I got up and tripped on my kimono when it dragged on the grass. She giggled a bit. What could be funny about being clumsy at such a time?
"Miko, don't you remember what we played with Miyabi when we were children?"
"Shizuka, we played numerous amounts of games."
"We used to walk around the village with our eyes closed until we eventually could walk some places without running into things."
"Oh, I remember now. I remember that I cheated all the time in that game. But how is it that you'd think we could still be able to find our way without falling? We stopped playing that ages ago."
"…I still play it sometimes. Whenever I go to the market and when I have free time to be outside, I play it with myself. Do you think Miyabi still does?"
"Yeah, I bet. But he probably still falls down every time."
We took a moment to laugh a little. Shizuka led me home and my mother promptly scolded me. I didn't mind that so much. Mothers will be mothers. But, she invited Shizuka to spend the night, so I'm not complaining. I was laying prone on the futon while she brushed her hair.
"Say, Shizuka? How about going to have some fun tomorrow?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"I don't know. But we'll have fun; trust me!"