"Hiyori?" The god's voice rang in over the phone.
"O-oh, Yato. Sorry, I was just sleeping," Hiyori laughed nervously, rubbing her eyes.
"Oh. D-don't you have school today, though?" Yato asked.
Hiyori was quiet for a long second. "Hai," her voice was soft.
"So... why're you not going? And you haven't visited Kofuku in a few days," Yato mumbled, seeming worried.
There was a slight moment of silence from Hiyori's end.
"Well," she sighed "I just haven't been feeling well. My parents seem to think I have the flu, or something…"
"O-oh." Yato seemed speechless for a second. "Well…" he lowered his voice, whispering into the phone "y'know, our first date is tomorrow."
Hiyori felt a pit in her stomach. He sounded upset somehow.
"I-I know. Don't worry - I'm fine. I'm feeling better, actually. I just need to rest a bit more," Hiyori explained.
The last thing she wanted to do was hurt his feelings and have to cancel their date. Yato was so excited about it, and she soon felt the anticipation as well.
"Are you sure?" Yato asked out of concern. "Maybe I can come over and care for you?"
Hiyori felt her heart flutter at his suggestion. However, she couldn't tell him. He couldn't find out. At least not yet.
"Ié! I-it's fine," Hiyori refused. "Besides, I-I don't want you to catch what I have. Gods can still get sick, right?"
Yato laughed a bit. "Yeah, but I don't care. If I get sick, then you can take care of me."
There it was again. He was being so incredibly sweet, but it would only make it more unbearable when the truth came out.
"I... I appreciate it, Yato - really. I just don't want to get you sick, alright?" Hiyori insisted.
Yato sighed. "Alright, alright. I'll let you rest, my dear."
Hiyori smiled to herself. "Arigato. I promise, I'll see you tomorrow."
Yato chuckled softly. "Okay. I hope you feel better. If there's anything you need, please let me know. Okay?"
"Mm."
. . . .
Hiyori hoped he couldn't tell. She still wasn't feeling like herself, and she was still so sick.
My head aches, and I feel a bit warmer than usual.
"Ah-ha! I found you!"
Hiyori felt someone tap on her shoulder just as she was entering the amusement park. She spun around to notice the god with his bright eyes and contagious smile.
"Oh no," Hiyori scratched her cheek nervously. "You got here before me? Don't tell me I'm late."
Yato chuckled and rubbed his arm bashfully. "N-no, you're fine. I just got so excited that I showed up early."
Hiyori's cheeks tinted pink. "Oh. Really?"
Yato rolled his eyes. "Well, yeah! Being at Capypa Land is so amazing!"
His face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning.
"But... half the fun is the fact that I'm here with you."
Hiyori blinked in surprise, averting his gaze. "Yato…"
"Oh!"
"Hm?" Hiyori looked up at him curiously.
"How're you feeling? Any better? You look a lil' pink," Yato said, and Hiyori could've sworn he saw right through her for a moment.
"Oh, I'm okay. Seriously. It's probably just the heat today getting to me," she excused it.
"If you need anything-"
Hiyori laughed a bit. "Yes, I know, I know. Please don't worry too much, Yato."
She held his hands to reassure him. It seemed to work, as his expression went from that of worried to one of joy and relief.
"Well then, what're we waitin' for? Let's go!"
Yato took Hiyori's hand and dragged her off, surprising her.
Hiyori chuckled as she watched him eagerly guide her somewhere. "Where are we going?"
Yato turned over his shoulder to look at her. "Anywhere we want! Maybe we can start on some slow rides and then make our way up to the faster ones?"
The girl giggled and grinned. "Mm! That's a good idea."
They passed crowds of families and couples before they finally got to ride the carousel and a relaxing boat ride before Hiyori decided it was time to eat.
"You're hungry? Already?" Yato asked in surprise.
"W-well, we don't have to eat just yet, but I-" the sound of her stomach growling interrupted her, to which Hiyori blushed.
Yato laughed a bit before he spoke. "Nice to see you still have an appetite. What're you hungry for? I'll pay."
Hiyori thought for a minute as she scanned the area for nearby food. "Maybe some rice balls, green tea and mochi?"
"All of those together?" Yato raised an eyebrow, then shook it off and laughed again. "Anything for my goddess, I suppose."
Just as they ordered and paid for their food, they went to go find a table near the lake by the park. Yato got up to get napkins, and to his shock, he returned to find Hiyori was nearly done with her food.
"Wow! You must've been starving," Yato smirked, then laughed weakly.
Oh, no. He's going to figure it out if I can't control myself.
Hiyori laughed nervously. "G-gomen. I... d-didn't have anything to eat this morning."
"Oh, well, I haven't even started yet," Yato said with a grin as he sat down again.
Hiyori giggled. "Don't worry, I'll wait for you."
However, Hiyori soon got up from her seat and nervously excused herself before she quickly headed toward the restrooms. Yato, left dumbfounded, decided to finish his food and wait for her to come back.
But nearly fifteen minutes later, she was still gone.
Yato got up, cleared his trash and headed to the bathrooms as well, waiting for her outside. Finally, worry for the best of him, and he tapped on a woman's shoulder just as she was leaving the women's restroom.
"Excuse me?" Yato said, and the lady turned around, noticing him immediately.
"Oh! Kon'nichiwa," she greeted.
"Hey." Yato replied. "Sorry, but... I'm waiting for a girl. She's been in there for a while now. Have you seen a brunette in there?"
"Hmm?" The woman thought for a second. "I-I'm not sure, but there is a girl in there right now. She sounds pretty sick."
Dammit!
"Oh…" Yato's expression fell. "Th-thanks…"
Yato sighed, and the woman left. He sat down on a nearby bench, continuing to wait. There was nothing he could do.
It was the women's restroom, after all.
Yato sighed and stared at the sky. He closed his eyes for a while.
Then, around ten minutes later, somewhere shook his shoulder. Yato jolted up, and his eyes landed on Hiyori.
She was slightly pale and seemed exhausted, but she was smiling.
"Sorry, the bathroom was crowded. Ready to go?" She said.
Yato blinked, regaining his senses again after his short nap.
"D-daijoubu…? You don't look so good."
Hiyori seemed suddenly anxious. "Oh. I told you not to worry. It's okay, I'm fine."
"But then-"
Yato stopped himself. There was silence as he decided to finally drop the topic.
The girl the woman mentioned couldn't have been Hiyori, right? But then, why did Hiyori look and seem off?
"Nevermind. We're here to enjoy our date." Yato sighed and gave in, holding Hiyori's hand.
Hiyori giggled and nodded. "Hai. What's next?"
. . . .
"I-I can't go on that one."
Yato furrowed his eyebrows. "What're you talking about? You've been on this ride before. With me n' Yukine, remember?"
Hiyori swallowed hard. "H-hai, but…"
"Is it because you're sick?" Yato asked, stopping in his tracks, which caused Hiyori to stop too.
Panic rose in her eyes, and she wondered if Yato could see it, too. "I-I'm not sick!"
At this point, the god was losing his patience, but he knew he shouldn't start a scene. Especially not here. Again.
"So, why won't you go on this one?"
"Listen, Yato." Hiyori sighed. "Let's not go on any twisty or spinny rides."
"Awww! Those are the fun ones, though!" Yato complained.
Now adjusting to those rules, the god looked around. When he spotted the roller coaster, he pointed at it eagerly.
"Over there! Let's try this one!"
Hiyori hesitantly followed him, but just as they got close enough to get in line, she tugged him back.
"Hiyori?" Yato turned to look at the girl, whose eyes were fixated on the caution sign beside the line entrance.
'Guests with the following conditions are prohibited from riding: recent surgery, heart trouble, neck injury, back problems, or pregnant.'
Yato followed her gaze, but glanced back at her once again. "Hiyori? Is something wrong?"
The girl seemed to snap back to reality, and she sighed at the god. "Yato, I'm fine. I'm not sick-"
"I didn't ask if you were sick."
Hiyori went quiet. "I don't want to go on any dangerous rides."
"They're not dangerous, Hiyori. They take precautions for each of them," Yato explained.
"I-I know, but-..." Hiyori pulled herself together. "C'mon, maybe we can find some games to play. And you can try to win me something. Alright?"
Yato huffed out a breath. "I-I guess so…"
Hiyori sighed in relief. She guided Yato to the arcade. After the god finally achieved at winning a teddy bear, he turned to Hiyori with a big grin and handed it to her.
"Only took you five tries," Hiyori teased and laughed, taking the teddy bear in return.
"Hey! I got it for you!" Yato crossed his arms.
"I know, I know!"
Hiyori suddenly looked over at something behind Yato and gasped. Yato followed her gaze.
"Cotton candy! Let's get some, Yato!"
Yato laughed nervously, knowing this date was costing him a lot already.
. . . .
"Oi! I think the parade is starting!" Yato exclaimed eagerly.
He grabbed Hiyori's hand, pulling her over to the mess of people standing beside the gates of the lake.
She loved seeing him get so enthused over every little thing, but it made her heart sting to know that she had caused more worry and disappointment that day for him.
"I think I can see the first float," Yato chuckled, pointing at the far right.
Suddenly, Yato felt Hiyori grab onto his sleeve. Rather tightly.
Yato's expression fell, and he turned to look at Hiyori, who was trying to catch her breath and hold herself up.
His instincts suddenly kicked in, and he held Hiyori up carefully.
"H-Hiyori?"
"I'm...o-okay. Just tired... n' a bit dizzy…" she said softly.
"S-stay here! I'm gonna go see if I can get you some water."
Hiyori grabbed onto the gate, trying to focus on her breathing. She nodded, and Yato disappeared around the corner.
When he finally came back, he handed the cold water bottle to her. She drank small sips before she exhaled harshly.
"Hiyori? What's goin' on with you?" Yato asked, his serious demeanor kicking in.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Hiyori denied it.
Just as she spoke, the crowd was beginning to get noisy as they all noticed the floats starting to move in the lake.
"Really?" Yato turned his gaze away from Hiyori, staring at the water reflecting the amusement park lights. "Then why have you been avoiding my questions? Why did you look so sick after you left the bathroom? Why didn't you want to go on any of those rides?"
"B-because, I told you; it's just not safe," Hiyori mumbled, and Yato turned his head to look at her just as Hiyori turned her head to avoid him.
"Hiyori, stop it." Yato spoke sharply. "You've been on all of these rides with me before. What's the problem?"
Hiyori swallowed hard, still trying to get rid of the slight buzzing in her head. "I-it's just different this time…"
"Different how? Why isn't it safe for you?" Anger rose in his voice as he tightened his fist.
"It's not necessarily me I'm worried about!" Hiyori snapped back, growing short with him.
"Then who - why? What's going on? What's preventing you from all of this?!"
"Because! It's not safe for the baby!" Hiyori cried.
There was complete silence. Anger soon slowly turned to realization.
"W-what…?" Yato whispered, his eyes resembling a terrified child's.
Hiyori breathed shakily, finally realizing she had to tell the truth.
"I'm-...sorry, Yato." She sucked in her breath, feeling tears build up in her eyes. "I was going to tell you. I just... w-wasn't ready."
She reached out to take Yato's hands, but Yato took a cautious step back, too shocked to speak.
"No…" he murmured. "Y-you can't be. That's not possible…"
"Yes, it is, Yato!" Hiyori insisted. "How else would you explain what's happening to me?"
Yato swallowed hard, his bangs darkening his eyes. "Alright then. Let's just go."
"What…?"
"You're not feeling well, right? I'm taking you home," Yato said in a monotone.
Hiyori was in no position to test his limits and argue with him.
The walk back was quiet and uncomfortable.
