Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery.
"You're here," said Kyoko in an excited voice, "Corn! You're really here."
Kyoko ran up to her most precious summer friend. Kuon looks back at Kyoko swaddled in a pink and peach yukata with ocean waves and sea creatures. Once again, the strange sensation strikes him and he tries to hide it. It makes him feels flushed every time Kyoko looks up at him and smile. Kyoko, illuminated by the paper star shaped lantern casting red colors on her face, was at that moment the most adorable thing Kuon had ever had to experience in his short little life.
"You look really beautiful, Kyoko-chan." said Kuon blushing even harder by the second.
"And, you look really nice, too, Corn." Kyoko answered back and smiled. That serves only to make Kuon even more flustered.
Kuon suddenly felt very uncomfortable in his light blue yukata and dark purple hakama. His yukata is also similarly embroidered in sea creature theme, which Kuon had insisted on getting. This, being the first time he had ever had to wear traditional clothes, and the first time attending a Tanabata festival. His traditional clothing makes him feels all too hot and stifled for such a breezy night.
Tanabata celebrates the reunion of Orihime and Kengyuu,* the two star lovers that was forced to stay apart on the opposite ends of the Amanogawa.** It's celebrated at night by the temple, Hououji***, as soon as the stars comes out. But, the celebration always starts the day before with the decoration of the streets with star shaped paper lanterns, bright streamers, and colorful paper squares strung up everywhere.
In the middle of the morning of the festival, there would be parade with a small float reenacting the meeting of the two celestial lovers over the magpie bridge. Two people, usually two young people that are engaged to be married that summer, would be dressed up to represent the celestial couple, Orihime and Kengyuu. One of the couple's male relatives or a selected village elder would play Tentei, the Heavenly Emperor, Orihime's father.
The inn that's owned by Fuwa-taisho would be very busy and usually extra workers from the village were hired for the occasion to meet the demands of the influx of tourists. The entire Kyoto region being famous for the temples and all the holiday festivals held there. The Okami insists though that Sho and Kyoko should run along and enjoy the festival as much as they can. Since, this is the only festival that the Fuwa couples could spare the children time to play unlike other holidays. Although secretly, the Okami just love to dress Kyoko up in all those clothes she imagined she would have dressed a daughter in.
Kuu had accompanied Kuon to Japan, but had to miss the festival due to having to spend the night in Tokyo, due to work. Kuu insisted that Kuon must go to the festival, since this time they came to Japan just in time for the celebration of Tanabata. Kuu had promised Kuon that when he gets back he would make up for it by taking him to the amusement park. The promise of the trip to the amusement park made Kuon felt better that his father wasn't able to be here.
Kyoko grabbed Kuon's hand, "Come on, I want you to see this." and started to drag him towards the temple festival stands with fried sugars, sweet almond jellies, popsicles, anko cakes, dorayaki, suamas, mochis and daifukus, sweet and sour dangos, takoyakis, fish cakes, roasted sweet potatoes, and even a vendor making sugar paste sculptures of colorful roosters, dragons, and kois.
Kyoko particularly loved the sugar sculptures, then again, judging from the crowd of children, so does everyone else. There were games like darts, fishing for goldfish, water ring toss, shoot the balloon for a prize, and fortune telling stands. Kyoko and Kuon ran around the festival grounds, stands after stands. By the end of the night, Kyoko and Kuon were bursting at the seams with food and laughter.
Then, the temple maidens, also known as mikos, ringed their hand chimes to signal the time for the annual tradition of releasing the paper boats. Everyone rushed towards the mountain stream that flows by the temple down towards the sea.
By the traditional spot there were several stands prepared with paper boats, candles and paper slips for the festival goers. Everyone grabbed a paper boat and a candle, after they filled out their wishes on the paper slips. One by one, the dark water with only the reflection of the moon is filled with flickers of the reflections of wishes waiting to be fulfilled. The villagers started to chant:
Sasa no ha sara-sara
One by one they single filed to stand next to the river.
Nokiba ni yureru
And one by one the boats were released with the wishes of both young and old.
Ohoshi-sama kira-kira
Many wishes for good husbands and wives, a good job, everlasting friendships floated down the river, along with many more wishes for a puppy or kitties, to grow taller, to have good grades, to catch the fancies of some classmates.
Kingin sunago
Kuon took in the splendorous sight of thousands of paper boats being carried down the stream, as he chant with the other villagers. Then, the festival goers started to follow the boat down the mountain to go towards their own homes. All the while, the Tanabata song**** filled the air.
Kuon turned to Kyoko, "Kyoko-chan, what did you wish for?" he asked.
Kyoko turned towards Kuon with a big smile, "I wished for many more memories like this." Kyoko said. "What about you?"
Kuon blushed, "I wished that we'll always be friends." he had said with his head turned away in embarrassment.
* Orihime and Kengyuu are also known as Orihime and Hikoboshi. They correspond to stars known as Vega and Altair. Tanabata is sometimes celebrated as a version of Valentine's Day, depending on the region. It is also known as the Star Festival, or Festival of Requirement ( pleading for a required skills such as better handwriting, sewing, and cooking), also depending on the region and countries.
** Milky Way, also known as star river, silver river, and sky river.
*** Phoenix Temple: real temple, not necessarily in the correct region or country.
**** Tanabata song: The bamboo leaves rustle, rustle, shaking away in the eaves. The stars go twinkle, twinkle; gold and silver grains of sand.
This chapter wasn't originally planned. But, as the way it was, it had to be written. Originally, the next chapter, also known as the cliff chapter was going to be in two sections. But, I decided to merge the two cliff chapters, so that it would still be one season per chapter and leave the in joke for another day. I have also decided to change the way the story is being told. Originally, the story ends in the next two chapters, as it follows the original legend pretty strictly. But, I have decided to merge the epilogue, the omake and the alternate ending into the main storytelling itself.