A place where not even sunlight can pass through the thick canopy, where flowers turn to glow and lamps light the road earnestly. What a gentle and subtle scenery, unlike Inazuma city, where the city was crowded with people. I can hear the voice of the cold flowing river, the tanukis playing around and the smell of trapped dew, sweet but humid.
I can hear humming far away from the distance. Her voice is as beautiful and her face is just as pretty as the first time I met her. In the nation where the thunder's rage knows no bounds and war seemed to go on forever. She was the calm in the eye of the storm.
She is the Shiragasi No Himegimi of Inazuma. Loved and adored by all her people. She lived above the clouds, trying to understand what it felt like under the same sky as the people around her. Everybody loves her as much as they respect her.
That respect turns her into an untouchable idol, forgetting that she is but a young lady. Everyone keep their distance from her. Leaving her lonely. Tough and lovely like a carmellia in the winter, lovely is her petal, and delicate is her leaves.
Care for lives, gentle and dove might she be, but her power is not to be underestimated. But even so, in battles she shows mercy and forgiveness. Elegance in her every move, is this how the Kamisato always is, or is it her own compassion?
The more I fight by her side the deeper I fall in love with her. But entangling this pointless love is not something she would have wanted. Friend. A word more than enough for me to stay by her side.
She closed her eyes and gracefully twirled around. I sit on the rock nearby and watch her till the end. There were countless things I wanted to tell her, however, I decided not to. She unsheathed her sword out and swung it in the water, slowly turning the splashes into glittering snowflakes. This is the first time I saw her new moves. She moved faster, and with the same rhythm, she jumped around in the river. Swinging herself with the sword and somehow still looks graceful as ever. No, even more bewitching than before.
She ended her performance with hyouka. I am still astonished and could not bring myself to clap.
"Kamisato Ayaka, at your service." She smiled and bowed. that was very epic. She felt a little embarrassed, "you are too kind Aether." She covers her face with her fan. I do not understand why, but every time I see you I always think that good things will happen today.
She put her fan away and offered me her hand with a smile. "Shall we take a walk?"
I could feel my face boiling to the point I could not hold it. But she kept smiling and looked straight into my eyes. Does she not feel a thing? If so, then I must not take this too seriously as well. She held my hand as we walked. Cold, her hands feel really cold, and none of us say anything until she started the conversation again.
"A lovely breeze don't you think?" I nodded. After a while, I noticed that all we did was to walk around in circles slowly. I asked her about our destination. And she looked surprised in return.
I wonder if she wants to go shopping again like last time. "No that's not it." Hmm what is it then? She finally tried pulling her hand and I released my grip off her.
She put both of her hands in her chest, her cold hands warming each other.
"What I want to say next is perhaps not befitting of a member of the Inazuma Shogunate, Yashiro Commission, Kamisato Clan, but... unless I am mistaken, I trust that you will not take issue with this slight departure from convention on my part..."
I will not be tricked by her words again. All this time I was the only one who blushed. This time, I held my breath and with a straight face, I told her what I have always promised her since the beginning. That I am her friend, her joy is my joy and her tears are also mine. I will carry her burden with her.
As her friend, I emphasized.
"You are very kind but," She stopped. "I am sorry Aether, forget what I just said."
She evaded my eyes.
"Our time together has been so pleasant that I am fearful of losing what I have gained. I'm sorry but I must compose myself."
Such a sorrowful face from her. I do not understand what she meant at all. But I could not hold my feeling any longer.
"Let's just go home," she said as she turned her back away from me. I held her from the back, she sounded surprised, but did not ask me a single thing nor did she try to fight back. Slowly, I whispered to her ear.
I am as afraid of you are, to sever our bond after all our time together. It would be unthinkable of me. But
"I love you Kamisato Ayaka. I really do."
"Is it okay for me? as the exemplary conduct of all times? Should it really be okay for me to tell you that I love you too? Is it really okay to let myself off this time, forget about my responsibilities as the daughter of the Kamisato Clan and tell you that I also want to be with you forever?"
She turned her body around and let herself fall into my embrace. With tears in her eyes, our heartbeat joined into one.
"Close your eyes." I should be the one to say that, but I close my eyes.
She placed her cold hand on my cheek and our lips met. I could not feel anything but joy, I really love her a lot, her dignity, her elegance, her smile, her innocence. If it was not for her encouraging me all the time, I would have given up searching for my sister. For her to be in my embrace would be my dream. She pulled her lips away from mine and we smiled at each other.
"Did you know that, you are the first person to call me by my first name without any honorific. Maybe that is one of the many reasons I came to love you. It is truly my honor to be by your side. But" But what?
"Can you promise me one last thing?" She avoid my eyes once more and put her head facing down in my shoulder and she whispered.
"I cannot be by your side, at least not right now." I raise her face and smile at her. Telling her with my smile that, I understand very much your condition and responsibility, though it hurt me a bit.
"So please wait until I figure something out, promise me to wait for me, to always love me, send me letters from time to time, and don't put your eyes on another girl. I am just scared of losing you." She grabbed my clothes.
I hold her hands, and ask her to promise me the same. I am just as scared of losing her as she is afraid of losing me. But now I feel something clinging to my chest is now flew away. Because know I now that, She love me, as much as I love her and that is more than enough. We kissed one more time before returning to the Kamisato estate.
The journey ahead is long, I still need to find my sister, she is still has her responsibility. We promise each other not to tell others about our relationship except for Thoma. He is rather calm. he seems to expect it and genuinely happy for us, he also promise me to protect her while I was gone.
I wonder how can a girl as soft as her can be so strong. Carried such a responsibility from a very early age, and still comes out caring and lovely. In the forest after we kissed the second time. She wiped out my tears and smile at me, and my heart filled with a resolve that, I will never ever let that smile fade away from your face.