The breeze, the sound of waves crashing into the cliffs of Araumi, and the smell of Yumemiru wood. A perfect harmony for a warm and calm day like this. "Sit here Aether, this is the place I told you about before. This is my favourite place to sleep in summer. Do you like it?" I loved it, I could see myself getting addicted to this feeling.
She put her head on my lap. I gently brushed her silky silver hair. She complains about it but is too sleepy to do anything.
"I'm not a pet, y'know! Hmm, but since it's you... Okay, you can pat my head and I promise not to bite your hand. Just a little, though! If you pat someone's head too much, it stunts their growth."
I giggled, it does not matter does it? She is still the cutest ninja I know, tall or not.
She grumbled. Under the canopy, she closed her eyes but before she fell asleep, she murmured to me:
"About the festival that will be here tonight..." Hmm yes what about it?
"Do you want to go with me?" I thought she hated festivals.
"If you don't want to, it's okay, I don't really want to go either." That is not what I meant. Of course I would love to go to the festival with her.
"Then see you at the festival." She quickly rolled away before I could say anything.
I cannot describe it, but as I slept, my hunch says that something is going to go awry tonight.
That evening, the sun already set, I looked at her from a distance, she was gorgeous.
"How do I look? Do I look more mature? Achoo!" Not when she sneezes like that. I giggled and she covered herself in embarrassment. But I told her that she looks lovely in that Kimono.
"Hehe, thank you, the shrine maiden lent it to me. Achoo!" She sneezed again.
She offered her hand to me, "Shall we go?"
I took her hand and we walked hand-in-hand to the festival. At the festival, a large crowd of people starts pouring in.
I looked at her and she looked dead inside, it was easy to tell that she really hates it here. There are a lot of people from other nations. After the storm that blocked Inazuma to the rest of Teyvat disappeared, the number of tourists increased everyday. It was especially prevalent during festivals.
It is okay if we go somewhere else to enjoy the fireworks. However, she shook her head, insisting that we stay here, explaining that the fireworks looked best from here.
I grab her hands tightly, in this sea of people all it takes is one loose grip and it would be difficult to find each other again. I heard some voices from the crowds that recognized me.
"Traveler, over here!" It was Yoimiya calling us over.
"Good evening Traveler, it's been a while,'' Ayaka greets me. It is a rare occasion to see both of them together.
After some talk, apparently, both of them had decided to open a snack stand for the festival this year.
"Well well, look who finally decided to come to the festival." Yoimiya looks at Sayu who tried to hide behind me.
"Here Traveler and Sayu, they are on the house." Ayaka served up some dumplings for us.
Sayu sat next to me, but she remained silent. I asked her if she was enjoying the food and she nodded, but she still remained silent. After we ate, I realized that something was wrong with her. I asked her if she was okay and she nodded again, but her silence was worrying me. Her eyes are blank and her face pale.
She coughed a few times but she still held my hand, eagerly bringing me around the festival. After walking past a few vendors, she fell down to the ground.
"No, don't worry, I just stumbled into some rocks." And that was the straw that broke the camel's back.
I touched her forehead and it was really warm.
"Aether, let's go over there, the fireworks will start soon." She tried pretending that she was okay, that everything was fine, but I did not buy into her lies.
I drag her away from the crowd. "Aether, where are you going? the festival is not over yet."
She tries to pull me back to the festival. But I stopped walking. I held her hands. I put them on my forehead, and then I put them on hers. That made her realize how bad her condition is right now.
She looked miserable as we left the festival grounds. She really looks forward to the festival. I tried consoling her that it is fine, we can just go again next year. But she does not look any better.
I carried her on my back when she passed out on the way back to the city. I remembered that there are no shops open on the night of the festival. The road to the city and the road to the shrine is just as crowded as the site of the festival and Sayu is getting worse by the minute.
In desperation, I ran to Konda village. However, most of the villagers had gone to the festival as no one had answered when I knocked on their door asking for help.
I keep chanting, 'Hang in there Sayu'. "Aether.." she whimpered and I hugged her. On the last door, someone finally opened. Old Tejima took a look at Sayu and in pity, he called us inside.
I cannot thank him enough as he prepared some traditional herbs and brewed them for Sayu. I asked him if there is anything I can help with, instead, he ordered me, "You sit here. I need you to be next to her when she wakes up."
I grab her little hand tightly, this is all my fault. Why did I not realise it? After Sayu drank the medicine, she coughed and finally opened her eyes.
"Aether?" she spoke softly. I told her to stay quiet, she needed to focus to heal.
From the city we heard the fireworks going off, but none could be seen under the straw roof. Tears start to leak from her eyes.
I thought that she did not care that much about the loud fireworks. I held her hands and begged her that we could talk about everything in the morning, but now she needed to sleep. She nodded in agreement and closed her eyes.
As Sayu slept, Tejima initiated a conversation with me. "Your sister?" I shook my head. My sister is... somewhere far away, and my journey ends when I bring her home.
"So that girl is not your sister? You seem to care about her a lot."
I nodded, she always gives her all for the sake of others yet she pretends to be uncaring about everything. And before I knew it, she had filled all but one empty hole I had in my heart. So yes, I do care about her a lot.
"Hmph, You should tell her that." Shocked, I looked at him. "Before you regret it, just like me," he explained, looking sad.
But what if she- "Do you love her." He interrupted me with a blank face, I nodded. "Then as payment for helping you, promise me to tell her that as soon as she wakes up."
I nodded, there is no way I can refuse that, he takes that as payment for taking care of Sayu.
"Traveller, you need to sleep, let me take care of her." I appreciate his offer to help but I already promised to be by her side until she wakes up.
For the whole night I change her ice packs and it seems that she is gradually getting better.
The morning sun started to leak from the door, but she has yet to awaken. All I can do is focus on staying awake as I sit beside her.
I must not sleep. I must not. I must-
"Aether?" She called my name as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
She was finally awake and I hugged her as strongly as I could. I cannot hold it back. She does not know how relieved I am right now. I asked her if she was fine.
"Yeah I'm fine Aether, but you are hurting me." I do not care what she said and instead hug her tighter. I can feel all of my body is losing its adrenaline. I do not have enough energy to cry, I have not eaten, nor have I slept. I just wanted to hug her.
"What are you doing Aether? Where are we?"
"Cut the boy some slack, you passed out that night during the festival and he brought you here. He has been waiting for you to wake up since last night. He even refused the food I cooked for him."
"Last night? But the sun outside is already gone."
"Yeah it seems so"
She gasped in disbelief and hugged me back with her tiny hands.
"I don't care anymore. Not about the fireworks, not about being taller. I don't care about how you see me anymore, I just want to see you a little happier."
Happy? My heart filled with joy whenever she was next to me.
"Now I know that, I am not ready to go out alone, why did sensei and the others leave me? I am not a grown up as I perceive myself to be."
With the little awareness I have left, I speak clearly to her, and I would say it again and again if I needed to. Be it short or tall, mature or not. She will always be the cutest ninja I know.
Right to her ears, I whispered. "I will never ever give up on you Sayu nor will I desert you."
"Um... Hmm? Y—You'll keep my company? Really? Promise you won't leave me? But why do you have to go that far just for me?" I smiled at her.
"That is because I love you Sayu. You don't have to grow any taller. In my eyes you are already a perfect lady."
"T-that's not fair Aether, I promise the shrine maidens that I will be the one that says it to you first. I love you Aether."
I am too tired to feel a little surprised. But I hugged her one more time. I am glad she feels the same way as me.
I forced myself to stand up with my shaking legs. I thanked Tejima, explaining that we should be on our way.
Tejima stood in front of me however, blocking my path. "You should take a look at yourself, you are in no condition to go anywhere. Might as well sleep here for another night."
We could not, we are already too much of a bother.
"Do I look like a busy fellow to you? Here sleep here, this is a different futon. Using the same futons as the girl will only do you no good. Girl, your name is Sayu? Your kimono is worn down, change your clothes and come back tomorrow morning."
I thanked him once again. He is a really kind fellow.
I slept soundly until the next morning and found Sayu sleeping next to me.
"About everything you said yesterday, Aether, it feels surreal. Was it only a fever dream?"
I hug her like a pillow and kiss her on the forehead. Does this feel like a fever dream? I asked and she smiled. We fell asleep in that position and woke up a few hours later, however, in the meantime, the old man started to complain.
"These youngsters are getting all flirty in my house! Hmph! It's not like I don't enjoy their company. That boy kind of vaguely reminded me of my past self. Oh dear whom I have forgotten, where are you and when will you come back? Sigh, I have already waited this long, may as well keep waiting."
**Author's regard**
Bracer, Your words filled me with sheer determination and happiness. Francomfulleti, thanks you for your prayer, Yoimiya came home. Moonfinger, it was for me too. the reason might be because personally, I myself love yoimiya. I write like 12 prototypes for the story. You guys might not believe it but one of the prototypes, I get jealous by thoma in my own writing. How is that even possible? I don't know. Onii-chan 69, I am afraid I cannot do that, if the year skip too much, then too much events will be left out, I don't want it to go too far out of the original lore, but I appreciate it.
Thank you so much guys for the wonderful comments. See you in the next chapter