Even with the summer heat doing its best to irritate her, Reimu kept a cool head as she swept away the dirt along the path to her shrine. Any of her regular visitors would probably have told her that doing so was pointless, saying something like how the chances of any humans visiting were already slim on a good day, but nonexistent with this humidity.
But even if that's all true, Reimu was determined to keep the path to the shrine clean and presentable. ...Mostly because she had already gotten up and had nothing better to do today.
"The next time someone visits, they're going to be in utter awe of how tidy the path is." Reimu murmured under her breath, not the least bit bitter whatsoever. "And if not at that, then definitely at this …!"
Reimu walked to the front of her shrine, and standing between it and her was a plant that had been growing there for as long as Reimu could remember. It was looking more like a thin tree these days even.
"Look at how big you are. You've grown even taller than me!" Reimu beamed with something akin to pride.
She might not know exactly what kind of plant it was, nor could she be bothered to ever find out, but she had been watering and maintaining it for as long as she could remember, so she felt responsible for how magnificently it had grown.
"...Although, if you end up growing taller than the shrine, that could be a problem." And already, Reimu was afraid of one day having to cut down her own creation… She dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. "Ah whatever. You're still cute right now, so that's all that matters."
Reimu considered watering it some more while she was already outside, but those thoughts were interrupted when she heard distant footsteps. Despite all the hypothetical naysayers, a visitor had arrived at her shrine.
After setting the broom aside, Reimu headed down the path to greet the visitor, recalling the line she practiced with Aunn about how the Hakurei shrine is always willing to assist, the kind of words that really assures people, according to the komainu.
All of that went out the window when she saw exactly who the visitor was. The parasol, plaid clothes and green hair were all hard to mistake. Reimu did not even try to hide the disappointment on her face. "Oh. It's you."
"Your greeting is as warm as the summer rays." Kazami Yuuka greeted with actual warmth to her voice, compared to the shrine maiden.
"I was hoping that my first actual visitor today-" Or rather, first visitor in several days "-would be a human from the village instead of a youkai."
"From what I've heard about your shrine, that doesn't happen very often to begin with, right?" Yuuka remarked as she recounted said facts. "And during this strong heat, they'll be even less inclined to trek all the way-"
"Stop! I've heard enough of all that already." The words cut deeply enough to make Reimu actually wince. "What are you doing here, anyway? There's nothing going on right now."
"Now that summer is well underway, I thought I would come to check on how an old friend is doing."
"Huh, is that right? Well, as you can see, I'm doing just..." As Reimu spoke, Yuuka proceeded to walk past her and towards the shrine. "...fine? Hey, wha-"
Yuuka stopped in front of the tall plant growing in front of the shrine, and beamed brightly at it. "Wow, she's almost as tall as I am."
"Oh. Of course that's who you meant." Reimu moved beside Yuuka, and gestured proudly to the plant as well. "Of course, it's doing just fine too, thanks to me taking such good care of it."
"She does seem quite content. Although if I was the one maintaining her, I'm sure she would already be as tall as this shrine."
"Hey, don't even think about influencing my plant with any of your youkai trickery!" For good measure, Reimu positioned herself right between the plant and Yuuka, glaring sharply up at her.
Rather than threatened, Yuuka just looked amused. "If by 'trickery', you mean proper gardening knowledge… But I'm curious, do you know what kind of soil is most suitable for this type?"
"Sure I do! ...The soil surrounding the shrine has the Hakurei's blessing, which makes it ideal for growing healthy." Reimu remarked with complete confidence, and felt a little proud of herself for coming up with that one the spot.
"I see…" If Yuuka found Reimu's answer funny or regrettable, she did not show it on her face. "I'll just trust that you know plants better than you do people."
"You can count on-" As soon as the entire comment registered with Reimu, she shifted to an incredulous expression. "Wait, what do you mean by that?"
"Did I say something strange? I think most would agree you're not the type to mix well with others in general." Yuuka casually explained, like she was recounting a simple fact of life, though that only seemed to irritate Reimu further.
"Excuse you? I'm widely-known as a reputable and friendly shrine maiden, a real people-person."
"I recall it wasn't that long ago that you managed to forget my name." That memory was still amusing enough to Yuuka that she chuckled upon saying it. "Not exactly a good sign for a supposed people-person.
"What? Isn't it normal to forget someone's name if you haven't seen them in years?"
"...I don't think it is?" Yuuka was fairly certain that most other humans were probably better with names than Reimu.
"Whatever." Reimu bluntly dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "It's not like I need to remember any of you youkai's names, since you always show up around me sooner or later."
"If you say so." Yuuka wore an accommodating smile as she said that. However, Reimu didn't feel satisfied, feeling like she was coming out the 'loser' in this exchange so far.
"I don't know why you think you have any place to judge either. Aren't all your 'friends' flowers?"
"Do you consider that a bad thing?" Yuuka asked, genuinely curious..
"I… suppose not." Even though Reimu had meant her words to be cutting, she wasn't really the type to make judgements. "I guess it's fine to be close to nature."
"Now that you've brought it up, I think we're similar in that respect." Yuuka looked over Reimu with discerning eyes as she spoke. "We both find good company in nature, and the simple pleasures of the world, usually even preferring it to people."
"What, you think I prefer caring for this plant than talking with people?"
"Not exactly." Yuuka took a moment to consider how best to put her thoughts into her words. "I believe you and I are more connected to the world, its energies and its cycles, than most. Watching over and interacting with these energies is far more engaging to us than more 'complicated' beings like humans and youkai."
"Is that really what you think?" Reimu's irritation had passed, and now she was simply intrigued by what Yuuka was implying.
"It's something I have thought about myself a few times in the past. You and I feel a kinship to nature itself, and so any connections to other individuals feels… frivolous in comparison." With that, Yuuka let out a small, lighthearted laugh directed at herself. "I'm sure it all sounds like pretension from an old youkai, but I don't suppose any of it sounds like it rings true?"
After listening to that, Reimu had to conclude that she was unconvinced. "Unfortunately, you're way off. There are too many annoying folks who regularly show up in my life, so I can't claim to be a loner who only likes being friends with flowers."
Reimu was almost ready to leave it at that, but as she looked over Yuuka in turn, another thought occurred to her.
"And I'm pretty sure you're not that much of a loner either. You're one of those annoying folks I'm talking about, after all."
"Really? I wonder…" Yuuka looked like she was thinking deeply about whether she agreed or not. "My appreciation for the flowers of the world goes very deep. I don't know if the connection between, for example... the two of us, could truly compare to that."
"It does. I'm sure of it." Or rather, Reimu just didn't like the thought of admitting that Yuuka might have a point about either of them preferring nature to people.
"Are you sure you're not just saying that because you don't like the thought of being similar to me?" Yuuka asked with a wry smile.
"I'm saying neither of us are quite like that! Honestly..." Reimu felt the urge to arbitrarily 'prove' her point somehow. She glanced around, contemplating her options, before suddenly recalling something. "Wait just one moment, would you?"
She then headed inside the shrine, leaving a curious Yuuka waiting alongside the plant. When Reimu returned, she was holding an envelope of some kind.
"Here." Reimu candidly pushed the envelope towards Yuuka, who took it into her hand.
"Hmm?" Yuuka turned over the envelope in her hand, noting the heart-shaped stamp and the engraving along the side that said ' Only Open This When You Are Alone '. "...I give up. What is this?"
"I don't really have any other ways to make my point right now, but me giving that to you is physical proof that our connection isn't just 'frivolous', okay?" Once the initial impulse that drove her to hand over the letter had passed though, Reimu found herself feeling apprehensive. "Um… Just don't read too much into what it says, okay? There's… a bunch of different people I could have given it to, yeah."
"What is it, though?" Yuuka was tempted to open the letter right there and then in spite of the engraving, if only to see what Reimu's reaction might be. "Some kind of talisman?"
"Sort of, but I didn't create it. Ah, but you can find out on your own time!" Somehow, Reimu was starting to feel embarrassed about the whole thing, which started to show on her face, but she had come too far to simply take any of it back.
"Well, the shrine maiden would know strange papers better than anyone, so if you say this is proof somehow… I'll believe you."
Yuuka pocketed the envelope with a pleased expression, before turning back to Reimu.
"Perhaps I shall offer my own 'proof' of our connection by helping out that darling plant of yours after all." Yuuka cheerfully said as she took a step towards the plant.
"Hey, I said I didn't want that!" Reimu once again assumed a defensive position right between the plant and Yuuka. She was close enough to be sharing the shade from Yuuka's parasol. "I'm the one taking care of it!"
"Come on now, I've known her almost as long as you have!" Yuuka laughed as she tried to gently push Reimu aside with her free hand. "It's not nice to keep her all to yourself."
"I said no! You might turn it into a man-eating monster tree or something!" Reimu dug her feet into the ground while trying to push the tall youkai back, who was proving to be frustratingly difficult to move.
"Oh dear, are you perhaps feeling insecure? Worried she'll flourish much better under my care after all?" The undeterred Yuuka was practically leaning over Reimu as she outstretched a hand past the shrine maiden, wanting to feel the plants' leaves.
"As if!" Reimu, perceptive to her surroundings, shot out her hand and caught Yuuka's wrist, pulling it between them. With a determinedly stubborn glint in her eyes, she locked gazes with Yuuka's own playful expression. "Why don't you accept this is also something the shrine maiden knows better than you?"
"You have your expertise, I have mine." Yuuka didn't fight against Reimu's grip nor did she try to push forward anymore. At the same time, she wasn't in a hurry to pull or back away from their close proximity under her shade either. "I came all this way just to check on her, but if you're this adamant against nurturing her, then perhaps I'll see if I can't help you flourish instead."
When Yuuka said that, Reimu could feel her seized hand trying to hover closer to the shrine maiden's face. Perhaps to brush her fingers across Reimu's hair, or to rest her palm against her cheek, or something else entirely.
No matter the intention, Reimu kept a tight grip on Yuuka's wrist, both their hands trembling from the increasing amount of strength they were both applying against each other.
Reimu casually spoke during their odd stalemate. "There is even less of a chance I'll let that happen. Try not to forget your place."
"Try to remind me." Yuuka replied, just as casually, and they shared a tense yet friendly grin between them. Somehow, they were both aware that neither were interested in being the first to relent anytime soon.