Chapter IV
〜Unforeseen Friendship〜
Revised 6-22-16
A new day had finally come! Before Yuuko had the chance to nag her daughter awake, Chihiro was already up and getting dressed. Today would be an easy day for Chihiro, since all she had to do was water the garden like she had yesterday. No laundry, cleaning, or cooking for her to do.
"Good morning early bird," greeted Akio – Chihiro's father. The daughter smiled while tying a sash around her waist.
"Good morning dad." Chihiro sat on her knees next to her father and made herself a small breakfast. Looking around, Yuuko was nowhere to be found.
"She's outside," Akio informed as if he sensed Chihiro's wonder. The two ate silently enjoying their small breakfast, until Akio suddenly spoke up. "So"-he began-"I heard from your mother last night, that you plan to marry?"
Nearly choking on her food, Chihiro blushed without making eye contact. "Um... yea," she awkwardly mumbled out.
Akio stretched and rubbed his full belly. "That's my girl, all grown up now," he said ruffling her tangled hair. "Try to do something fun today!" Waving each other goodbye, Akio disappeared outside the house though you could hear him talking among a group of men.
Left alone in her home, Chihiro decided to get her chore done early so she could relax the rest of the day. Though first, she finished her breakfast and went to tie up her hair that she forgot to do when getting dressed. The tangles got in the way and looked tacky, so Chihiro ran her fingers through her hair until most were gone. Using her old faded pink ribbon, Chihiro tied the long strands against the base of her skull and out of her way.
"I'm off," she announced to no one. The two buckets outside her home were seized while Chihiro slipped on her sandals. Looking up to the sky, she noticed the sun was hidden behind fluffy cumulonimbus clouds which made today a lot cooler than yesterday, but the humidity was still dense. Either way, Chihiro enjoyed the weather so she took the path away from the forest down to the river.
Ame – the merchant from yesterday, saw Chihiro strolling by and waved with a gentle smile while her current customer was busy picking out produce. Raising one of her arms, she waved back with a bucket high in the air. Returning her arm back to her side, Chihiro almost bumped into a huge crowd of people! They were all huddling around the merchants and blocking her way to the river. "Excuse me," Chihiro breathed out as a few folks got out of her way.
It was hectic, Chihiro didn't know why everyone was out today. "I wonder what it'll be this year." Chihiro overheard two women chatting and stopped to look over in their direction. "I bet he'll ask for a human." One said with big eyes, obviously trying to scare the other. "We'll find out in a few days but I heard..." The girls stopped talking when they noticed Chihiro was eavesdropping and scowled at her. Scurrying away with her heart racing, Chihiro had to make sense of what they said.
Then she realized it was about time for the yearly sacrifice!
All the villagers bought food and accessories for the festival held on the day of the sacrifice. But even though it was called a sacrifice, for about seventy-five years now the God hasn't demanded anything living. The last being quite a few livestock that were presumably fatally ill... it angered many of the villagers when they found out. When Chihiro heard the story from her parents it bewildered her to know that people would leave their animals so sick and suffering and try to feed their meat to others for money. It was selfish of them, not to mention dangerous for the people who would eventually eat the meat. Though lately the God has asked for less and less, as if it was a nuisance, Chihiro wondered what it would be this year.
Before she realized it, the river was already in plain view. There was hardly anyone there except for some of the elderly folk who were too old for the fuss going on within the village. Dragging the buckets over to the river, Chihiro hastily scooped up some water and accidentally caught a bunch of pebbles and had to dump them all out. Going deeper into the water, she tried again and successfully got a bucket full of water and turned around to get the other—
"Augh!" Chihiro exclaimed almost falling on her bottom. "You again?"
With an amused look in his eyes, Masashi chuckled. Yesterday when they first met, the two talked for a long time until he suddenly had to return home, saying his little sister wasn't feeling well. "What do you do with that water every day?"
Sighing to calm her riled up nerves, Chihiro went back to work and filled the other bucket full with water. 'I don't do this every day...,' she thought and faced Masashi who was still waiting for an answer. Simply staring at him, Chihiro broke her gaze and picked the buckets up into her arms. "My family has a small garden we use instead of always buying and trading for food. I'm the one who takes care of it." Beginning her trek back to her house, Masashi stared after Chihiro until running into step behind her.
"If you ever need anything just ask me, I'd be glad t-"
"I don't need your help." Chihiro rebuked without looking at the boy whose footsteps she didn't hear anymore. During their conversation yesterday, Chihiro learned that Masashi was a farmer, one of the highest ranked peasants. It took forever for him to finally leave; Chihiro had talked so much her mouth was getting dry. Though she had to admit, it felt nice to talk to someone new.
Today she took the trail along the forest since so many people were in the other direction. With an uneasy feeling creeping up her spine, Chihiro looked over her shoulder and furrowed her brows. Masashi a few feet away, silently followed and kept his distance and eyes on her.
Exasperatedly sighing, Chihiro turned her head to the side and yelled. "Why are you following me?" When no reply came she stopped to turn around.
"Who me?" Masashi questioned pointing to himself. "I don't know what you're talking about, I'm just taking a stroll."
Ignoring his excuse she asked. "Don't you have any farming chores of your own to worry about?" Chihiro then turned her back to the boy and continued her journey home.
"I finished them all." Was his distant reply from a little ways behind a surprised Chihiro. He must have woken up extremely early to be done at this hour. Chihiro was impressed but that didn't mean bother her all day.
The rest of the way home Chihiro was followed by a second shadow. She dreaded the outcome when the shadow met her over dramatic parents, yet she did nothing to stop it from happening.
"I'm home," she announced.
"Welcome back—"
Yuuko slid the shoji open and froze while Chihiro was kicking off her sandals. Her mother stared just over her shoulder to the boy bowing politely from behind. "Oh, who's this?"
Introducing himself..., "My name is Masashi"-he bowed again-"It's nice to meet you, Yuuko-san." Both the girls stared at Masashi, wondering how he knew Yuuko's name. Pointing to the only silk on his body – a cream-colored sash was tied around his waist. "My mother loves your work, one of the best in the village." His smile showed his sincerity and Chihiro noticed how happy her mom was from the compliment.
The two talked for a while inside the house while Chihiro went around to the back and watered the 8-by-8 rowed garden. With a tired expression, she could hear laughter coming from inside her home as she poured out the water. What was it about that boy she found so irritating? Was it his worry free life as a farmer, or the cheery-all-the-time attitude? Maybe it was the fact he made her feel a little weird?
"Chihiro-chan," a voice called she wasn't used to hearing. Masashi held in his hand two cups of water and handed one over to Chihiro. "Here—drink this."
"Thanks," she said drinking all the water in just a few gulps. The boy laughed as he took the cup back and watched as she finished watering the garden. Ignoring his presence, Chihiro struggled to concentrate with his non-stop staring and her own burdening question. "Can I ask you something?" Rising with an empty bucket in hand, Chihiro stood and faced Masashi.
"Sure," he breathed out. Without smiling or doing anything stupid, he stood perfectly still; the wind whipped his short hair all around.
Frozen for a mere second, Chihiro looked distracted before blinking and coming back to reality. Opening her mouth she asked, "Why are you so interested in a girl like me?"
A little surprised his facial expression remained so serious, the two studied one another. "I find you"-pausing for a moment he continued-"unique." Not satisfied with his answer Chihiro waited for him to muster out something else. "From my house, I've seen you go to the river almost every day. No one in the village seems to know who you are but you have a cute face so I can't help but to be interested." The smile emerged on his face while Chihiro's turned a soft red. On top of her blushing cheeks, Chihiro's face reddened even more out of embarrassment.
"Chihiro," Yuuko called from inside the house ending the spreading silence. "Can you come here for a moment?"
Breaking their eye contact, Chihiro stepped from the mud and rinsed her feet off with the water she spared in the other bucket. Masashi was left standing in the grass while she made her way past him back to her home. Once there, she returned the two buckets where they always sat on the ground and walked inside to her waiting mother.
"Ah, there you are," Yuuko exclaimed and got up from her seiza position. "I made you two a treat, here you go!" One in each hand, Yuuko gave Chihiro two rice balls. Surprised they had the extra rice to make those, Chihiro nodded her head and thanked her mom. "Enjoy the rest of your day sweetie."
"I will." Smiling her appreciation, this was after all the first treat Yuuko ever had the chance making for her daughter and guest.
Chihiro slipped on her sandals and walked out the already open shoji into the summer's heat. Before she could even look for Masashi he found her and headed her way. Handing him the rice ball in her right hand, she traded him for the empty cups he was still holding.
"My mom made these for us."
Thinking this would be nothing compared to what he usually ate, Chihiro awed at the appreciation shining on his face. "Thank you very much." The two then ate the sweetened rice balls with small smiles on their faces. Before they finished, Chihiro placed the two cups just inside her home and was about to say something until Masashi blurted out, "wait," and reached out for her... His hand grew closer to her face, until she flinched from his touch. Two fingers brushed against her dimple sending spine tingling chills throughout her body. "Got it," Masashi laughed out as he let a single grain of rice fall from his hand. Chihiro stood dazed with a small blush on her cheeks, she didn't even notice when he said something else.
"What," Chihiro asked coming back to reality.
"Are you busy today?"
His eager smile was practically begging for a no so Chihiro decided to tell her mom she was going out for a bit. For most of the day, the two wandered around the village spending their time looking at the merchants' merchandise. They watched as everyone yelled out prices and offers as they gathered masses of food and trinkets for the festival. Craftsmen, such as Yuuko, who made silk were quite busy around this time of the year. Everyone wanted to look their best especially women who tended to buy a ton of accessories. Chihiro however, wore the same pink kimono every year that her mother made for her, but soon she would have to get a new one since it was worn out and faded.
After spending hours looking at everything available to buy or trade, the two grew hungry and headed over to Masashi's house. Chihiro sat down in between him and his mother with his little sister nowhere to be found. The three ate some of the exact things Chihiro would for lunch, even the portions were just about the same. Maybe Masashi wasn't as different as Chihiro thought he was.
Looking over at his mom, she looked graceful while just drinking from her bowl. Almost everything about her matched her son; from her dark brown colored hair, skin just a little lighter than Chihiro's, to her eyes a deep burgundy color. Chihiro otherwise took after her father, whereas Masashi obviously took after his mother. She was beautiful. After thanking Reimi – Masashi's mother, the two left without seeing the father who was also nowhere in sight.
Until it was late in the evening and almost time to eat again, Chihiro and Masashi stayed with the livestock he took care of on a daily basis. Never before had she been so close to touch farm animals like: cows, pigs, horses and chickens. Masashi had quite a few of each and although smelly she stayed and admired them. Next to the baby chicks, the horses were her favorite, all of them were a different shade of brown and Masashi even promised to let her ride one someday!
It was almost time for Chihiro to head home but before then the two rested on the riverbank. Playing with the loose dirt, Chihiro enjoyed the cool breeze that blew back her bangs. "I had fun today," she whispered just loud enough for him to hear. Her new friend smiled and agreed.
"So did I—my mother seems to really like you."
Chihiro laughed, "I already know my mom likes you!" Masashi smiled and looked over at the girl next to him who stared out past the river.
"I hope you like me someday too." The words mumbled out and the blissful expression on Chihiro's face faded away. She looked over at Masashi with lips parted and surprise reflected in her eyes.
"What?" she asked softly.
"Will you go with me to the festival?"
Her heart pounded in her chest, all these feelings were new to her. Chihiro kept staring at the boy trying to register his words and finally garbled out, "Yea." His smile showed his teeth and as he stood up, Chihiro never looked away. It wasn't until a hand appeared in her face that she blinked and took it with her own. Masashi helped Chihiro to her feet and guided her back home. They walked away from the sunset behind them and back to the village with rumbling stomachs.
The next few days Chihiro was busy doing her chores and helping her parents prepare for the festival. Only when she went to the river would she run into her new friend. It was only for a brief moment each time, since both were so busy doing what they could to help but always parted with smiles on their faces. Chihiro, since their day spent together not long ago, never thought badly of Masashi again. She looked forward to the next day, which was only hours away since the sun had just lowered past the horizon.
Tomorrow is the day of the sacrificial festival!
