New year's eve had finally come and the streets of Tokyo were ready for it. Locals and tourists explore the city on their final night of the year. Disneyland Tokyo, Shibuya, Kasai Seaside Park to watch the countdown on the Ferris Wheel to name a few.

While thousands flock to the local hotspots of the city, Kiyoni thought she was going to accompany Shuuichi to church. Despite the scar on her face, she was dressed for it at least. Just a sweater top over a pair of insulated leggings and a pair of Ugg boots.

"Wait. We're not going?"

"No," Shuuichi answered, "Change of plans. Let's go to the Inari shrine instead."

"Ahhhh. I get it. Because you're a fox...sort of."

"That and…it's a neutral spot. I remember how uncomfortable attending services here makes you feel so I figured we'd do something a bit more cultural. Here." Shuuichi handed Kiyoni a surprise box, pink with red question marks on it.

"Ohhhhh. I haven't gotten one of these in so long."

The box contained a porcelain white fox mask complete with small bells, decorative apple red stripes, and matching red tassels.

Kiyoni immediately fell in love, "This is the cutest thing ever!"

"Try it on."

"Eeeeee," Kiyoni gave the mask a go, "How do I look?"

Shuuichi chuckled, "Like the cutest thing everrrrr."

"Hey!"

"I'm serious. You look perfect."

"Thank you. Are you wearing one?"

"I don't know. You think I should?"

"Honestly...no. You have ears."

"True. I'll paint my face and grab a mask just in case but that's about it. And before you even suggest anything, I already know what I'm going to wear and no, I'm not going to argue with you about it."

"Okay, fine. I think I have a spare kimono somewhere at home. Haven't worn one since going to a cherry blossom festival."

"So, will you go with me?"

"Of course, I will. I told you. I have the night off and I want to spend it with you. I really don't care what we do. Then again, I don't think I've ever been to a fox parade before."

"Really? For as long as you've been on Japanese soil-"

"Either my family would visit Shibuya or attend a new year's party hosted by one of my mom's military buddies. We'd go shrine hopping the next day. That was the angle of my family. We'd do something to honor our Japanese side, then do something American and vice-versa."

"You know, hearing about your family interests me. Would you mind telling me more?"

"Really? I didn't think it would be...appropriate considering…"

"Really, I don't mind it at all. I think I'm aware of the touchy points but…"

"But…?"

"Kiyoni, while I fancy the outgoing side of you, it's your other side that I'm more interested in."

"Meaning…"

Shuuichi sighed, "I'm interested in getting to know the human side of you. The Kiyoni that was before she became a succubus. The Kiyoni...that's outside of the red light district. You know what I mean?"

"Is that why we're going to the fox festival?"

"Well...yes. It's also why I suggested that train date and the movie night. You know, simplicity."

Kiyoni thought Shuuichi to be absolutely adorable and had forgotten about slowing things down for him. The fox festival is definitely on the slow side.

"Okay. You've convinced me. I'll tell you what you want to know."

"Perfect."

Dressed up and ready to go, the pair hopped on the trains out to Kita City just in time to witness the area filling up with festival attendees. Kiyoni spent no time pulling out her phone and recording what she could for her social media including her outfit and mask and her date.

"Smile, Suu'chi."

Her face was painted as best it could given the scar on her cheek. Reddish-orange streaks lined her face exactly the way she would contour it along her nose and cheekbones. Even her eyes were lined like a fox. Fortunately, the mask she had did a good job covering that scar. Her kimono wasn't traditionally decorated with either flowers, cherry blossoms, or fancy designs. The actual kimono robe was made of silk but its design was that of an Ankara or African-style print. Golden yellow in color, the pattern displayed shades of red, purple, and black in a peacock's tail-like design along the lower lining and sode or sleeves of the robe. Her obi was black in color and patterned in purple orchids to bring out the purple and black of her kimono robe and was all tied together by a red koshihimo or hip ribbon. The tabi socks she wore were insulated for extra warmth and comfort and because of all the walking she may do, Kiyoni wore a pair of zori sandals where the thong portion matched her robe.

"Hm? Oh, hello," Shuuichi waved to the camera.

His face was decorated with a white base and red streaks along the sides of his nose and eyebrows. Black face paint covered the nose and did well as whiskers. A small fox mask from his childhood hung on top of his head. Shuuichi's outfit was in between formal and informal and fitting for both the event and the culture. His tsumugi or woven-fabric kimono was mostly cherry red only to shift to white in an ombre pattern towards the bottom hem and was all tied together by a dark green obi. To keep warm, Shuuichi wore an insulated matching red haori or jacket. He also went the same route as Kiyoni in terms of footwear.

Kiyoni giggled, "He's so cute."

"Did you just say I was cute?"

"Yes, I did."

Shuuichi blushed, "She said I'm cute."

Kiyoni giggled again, panning the camera all over her companion, "He is cute. Look at him. He's just…"

"Okay, that's enough. Let's look for a good spot."

Kiyoni ended the video, "Okay, okay."

While waiting for the parade to begin, crowds were already gathered along the route. Pop-up shops serving warm food and drink were about five minutes apart with offerings of warm sake, noodles, and dumplings. There were also shops selling more fox masks, special charms, last-minute face painting, and souvenirs for tourists and first-timers. Sites like TikTok and Instagram were busy tonight as people were uploading pictures and videos.

Shuuichi decided to start a conversation in the meantime, "So, you attended an international high school?"

"Yep. Both of my parents insisted that I applied for it. They were right to do so."

"How so?"

"I had spent most of my academic career either being the only darker-skinned hafu in my class or one of a few. So going to a high school where there were more diversified students than I could count was mind-blowing. It was a culture shock everywhere I went with every student I met."

"Like what?"

"As far as countries go, there was Brazil, China, Korea, The Philippines, England, Germany, Uganda, Ghana, and, of course, America. I got close with those from Korea, Uganda, and Ghana. We talked about music and what anime and manga we were interested in. The latter two showed me how to do my hair which was a breath of fresh air to my mom."

"So that hairstyle was inspired by your friendship?"

Half of Kiyoni's hair is styled in a triangularly-parted pattern and into mini buns known as bantu knots and the rest is down in its natural, coily state.

"Actually, yeah. It's one of my favorites."

"Cool. What about clubs or activities?"

"Okay. Why don't you tell me about your high school life?"

"I already told you. There's not much to talk about. I was a bright student, a member of the school's botany club…"

"Naturally."

"Participated in an academic decathlon during my final year."

"Nerd alert!"

"Excuse me? Okay, I'm going to leave it there. You tell me about your years."

"Okay. Got in trouble for wearing colored braids to school during year two. Was a member of the Black Student Union…"

"Black Student Union?"

"Remember? Uganda, Ghana? Yeah. Me, them, and a few other black students created our own club. Someone got the idea from an elder sibling who went to college in the states. We didn't do much except talk about fashion, dancing, and music. We did each other's hair at one point. If there was something related to a member's culture that was going on, we all participated. My mom actually invited the club over for dinner one time. That was a mess."

"Sounds like fun. What about your dad?"

"Dad is a hematologist. Been at for nearly thirty years. Is a real introvert. The only times he was comfortable were when he's completely to himself or with his family. So imagine how he felt when he saw about ten high school students in his home all there to hang out with his daughter and wife."

Shuuichi giggled, "I can't imagine it was good."

Kiyoni followed suit, "No. The man ran to his office faster than a mouse to a hole in the wall."

"Oh, no. Poor guy. So is it safe to say that your interest in dancing was from that club?"

"No, no. It started when my mom listened to...Beyoncé. You know the one. Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, oh no no…"

Shuuichi laughed at Kiyoni's dancing, "I think that slipped my mind."

"It's okay. Go ahead and laugh. I'm willing to bet that if my mom was here and that song played, she would do the dance right now...and I'd join her. Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, oh no no." Speaking of, Kiyoni received a text from her mother at that moment. "Hey, it's my mom! Good timing."

"Oh, yeah? Wishing you a happy new year?"

"Yep. It's like...six in the morning back in Chicago so she's just now waking up."

"That much of a time difference?"

"Yep."

"So…" Shuuichi tried to figure it out, "When they celebrate the new year…"

"It'll be afternoon here by then."

"Wow… Have you ever been there?"

"Where? Chicago? No. I've been invited but never had the chance to get my money right for it. I wish I could though. I miss my mom."

"I'm sure she misses you just as much."

By the time the pair got into the thick of the crowd, the parade had already begun. Participants of all shapes, sizes, and costume designs stroll down the designated path to honor Inari, a fortune god commonly associated with foxes. Two parade participants led the way, carrying a life-size fox mask as if they were spotters assisting a bodybuilder with a heavy weightlifting bar. They also were rocking face paint and decorative festival kimonos.

"Still praying for good fortune," Kiyoni noticed.

"Aren't you? It would kinda be silly for anyone not to wish for a better year than the past or current year," Shuuichi noticed an opportunity and wanted Kiyoni to take it with him, "Hey, Kiyoni. Walk with me."

"Where?"

"There. The parade."

"Are you nuts? No way am I doing that. Plus, we didn't sign up ahead of time."

"True but we can easily sneak our way in. It's just a short walk. We'll be out of it before you know it. Come join me."

"I thought you wanted a simple outing tonight."

"Yes but there can be fun in simplicity."

Kiyoni analyzed the situation. The crowd seemed to be entranced in the parade highlighted by the amount of cameras recording. The parade seemed to be moving at a steady pace with so many people, both residential and non-residential, in costume. Kiyoni was in costume. Shuuichi was in costume.

Ugh. What the hell…?

There they were. Shuuichi and Kiyoni walking hand-in-hand down the parade route in seemingless fashion without anyone saying a word about the sudden entry. Even in her costume, Kiyoni felt like she stood out. By the looks of the crowd, anyone could probably count on one hand how many of those who looked like her.

"You're nervous," Shuuichi stated.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious."

"I can tell. Better yet, I can smell."

"Smell?"

"Smell. My senses are picking up again. I guess I can smell emotions now."

"So...what does nervousness smell like?"

"It smells like...the atmosphere that develops when a storm is coming. Particularly a summer or autumn storm. Especially if said storm is a big one. However, if the weather calls for a gentle rain, then the atmosphere is like anxiety. Anxiety due to overthinking. Like…you know it's coming judging by the way the clouds look in the sky but you'll begin to feel better about it once that shower falls."

"Which one am I?"

"The latter," Shuuichi smiled warmly, "You were so apprehensive about taking this chance with me and yet, you took it anyway. Even now, as I look at you, you're calming down...like that gentle rain."

Shuuichi was right. The comfort brought on by his smile did settle Kiyoni's nerves and she squeezed his hand because of it. He, in turn, squeezed her hand ensuring Kiyoni's safety in their friendship.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Kiyoni said as she escorted Shuuichi inside her home.

Just beyond the bathroom and closet area was the main area of the apartment where a corner kitchen sat across the floor from Kiyoni's cushioned, queen-size bed that came with a headboard filled with a few textbooks on Kemetism, Kemetic research, and physiology as well as a Mickey Mouse plush toy and a sizable piece of amethyst for sleep and decoration. The kitchen came with all the necessities such as a refurbished chrome refrigerator and a surrounding countertop for extra storage and cooking space. Near the balcony sat a three-seater couch with a small table sitting over a plush rug on one side and a desk with a fully functional computer and all the equipment needed to make her videos on the other.

"Wow," Shuuichi observed, "Nice place."

"Thank you. Took me a little over two hours to clean everything."

"Wait," Shuuichi looked around, "How do you watch TV?"

"Oh, I use that," Kiyoni pointed to a projector that sat underneath her table, "I use the opposite wall as my screen."

"Oh, nice. Very nice."

"So, eh…"

"Right. Kiyoni, we can call it a night if it's too uncomfortable for you. I know that–"

Kiyoni rushed to embrace Shuuichi, "No! I invited you here. I want you to stay here. We haven't even started our movie marathon yet."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I trust you."

Shuuichi tightened his hold on Kiyoni for extra comfort, "Alright. I'll stay. Only because you asked me to."

He admired the look in Kiyoni's eyes as they shifted from anxiety to comfort. She didn't look too bad in her kimono either. Yellow suits her just as much as red. In fact, primary colors may just be her strong suit.

"Okay. I'm gonna…get out of all this. Feel free to make yourself at home," Kiyoni headed to the bathroom.

"Sure."

As soon as Kiyoni disappeared, Shuuichi looked around some more, noticing more details. A vase filled with the flowers Kurama gave Kiyoni was discovered on the kitchen counter. That was a bit disheartening. He also found an altar alongside the outer wall of Kiyoni's kitchen. On the double-level shelf altar stood four mini statues with what could be assumed were sacrificial offerings such as a feather, tumbled stones, some empty shot glasses, and an incense holder that displayed a woman in a meditative position. Shuuichi also found a rolled-up mat sitting on the bottom shelf. It was rainbow in color and seemed appealing.

She's really dedicated to her faith. I can respect that.

Removing his festival clothing revealed a dark tank top and a pair of comfortable pajama pants. When Shuuichi had organized his outfit on the couch, he caught a quick reflection of himself in the balcony window. However, things turned scary when the reflection was not of Shuuichi but of Kurama.

What the…he gasped.

There he stood, face-to-face with his inner self for the first time in his life, "Who are you?"

Kurama, being the petty yokai that he was, cracked a smile and said, "I'm you."

"Ahh," frightened, Shuuichi heaved a short scream only to tumble over the small table that came up to the middle of his calves.

"Suu'chi," Kiyoni called, running out of her bathroom, pulling down her shirt, "Suu'chi, are you okay? What happened?"

Shuuichi was found lying on his back with his legs dangling on the table and him cradling his head, "Ow. Yeah...I'm okay."

Kiyoni knelt next to Shuuichi in an attempt to assist him in any way, "What happened?"

Shuuichi opened his eyes to find Kiyoni wearing a simple t-shirt and a pair of yellow pajama shorts. She was braless and even though her shirt was dark blue in color, it failed in holding her nipples down. The bantu knots were taken down leaving Kiyoni with thick, curled, dreadlock-like locks of hair.

"I...I thought I saw something out there."

"Where? The balcony," Kiyoni peeked outside, "You saw who? Was it Kurama?"

Kurama's words echoed in Shuuichi's head. Saying yes would strike fear in Kiyoni. Saying no would calm her down and she was already developing traces of fear, scent-wise.

"It's...it's fine. Just a figment of my imagination. That's all."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. You might want to cover that window though."

"Good idea."

Curtains slid to cover the window as Shuuichi stood up on his own.

"Well, it looks like we have about ninety minutes of the year left," he determined by looking at his phone, "What shall we do?"

"Eh...how about we watch some TV until then? We can start the marathon afterwards."

"Very well. As soon as I get this paint off my face."

Shifting the projector to face the open wall next to Kiyoni's bed, the couch became the perfect place to end the year as the pair got comfortable watching local entertainment including a live music concert and the countdown to the new year. They managed to make it through one movie only to tapout two-thirds of the way into the second. One year is over. What will be the situation going into the next one?