Chapter 9: The Festival
The evening came around at the festival. Rides, games, food and happy families we're in the air tonight. Hana, Joaquin, Souhei and Yuki came just in time when the festivities were about to peak. Hana and Yuki were in their kimonos. Hana wore a pink kimono with a bonnet with a flower on it. Yuki wore her kimono she brought with her from school. Joaquin came with a polo shirt and jeans and Souhei went with his outfit for tradition. All were happy to come, and Yuki was now content with Joaquin and actually grew to like him. Hana was happy to see how well Joaquin and Yuki were getting along after an altercation. They decided to see the games and play around with them.
"Hey Yuki, want a prize?" Souhei said with confidence. Joaquin and Hana smiled as they ran off.
"Go get 'em tiger! Yuki go easy on him!" Joaquin said aloud. Yuki looked back and winked.
"No promises on that one!" Yuki yelled and ran off. Joaquin looked at Hana and realized how stunning she looked. She looked like she was in her twenties rather than thirties, even the fact that the thirties didn't bother him at all. He felt happiness and peace at the festival and with Hana's family. Hana looked at him and smiled.
"Like the festival Valero san?" Hana asked. Joaquin was content with the question.
"Yea, it's like the carnivals back in America. Rides, games, food, everything, just like home. Well, with one exception." Joaquin said.
"What's that?" Hana asked.
"Less fried foods and freak shows." Joaquin answered. Hana was interested of the last part of the sentence.
"What are freak shows?" Hana asked. Joaquin decided to answer.
"Well, they're part of the carnivals that show people with different deformities like the bearded lady, the lizard boy, and those kinds of things." Joaquin answered. Hana was kind of disgusted at the topic in which people exploit their pain.
"Wow, how can people want that job, let alone pay to go see it?" Hana asked.
"People will pay anything for cheap thrills and sometimes people will use what they got to get paid." Joaquin explained. Hana's disgust turned into intrigue.
"Have you been to any of them back in the states?" Hana asked.
"A couple of them when I was a kid, I was more there for the food and rides." Joaquin answered. "And let me tell you, the bearded lady wasn't that bad looking." Both Hana and Joaquin started laughing. As they were walking along, they ran into one of the mothers Hana met before. She greeted them with the children.
"Hana! It's so good to see you! Tell me, is Yuki here as well?" The mother said.
"Oh hello there, yes she's here with Souhei." Hana answered.
"Oh well it's been a while since I've seen her, I would like to say hello to her." The mother then looked at Joaquin. "Oh, I see you brought a friend as well." She saw the tall American and immediately thought the most of it.
"Hana, I never knew you were into foreigners, kinda explains a lot." The mother remarked. Hana blushed at the misunderstanding.
"WHAT? NO THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!" Hana said with an embarrassed face. Joaquin was at a lost at the situation, and then it occurred to him on what she meant and went to change the subject.
"Hey Hana, let's see if I still got that throwing arm from baseball." Joaquin requested. Hana jumped on the opportunity.
"Yes, let's do that. See ya, have fun!" Hana said.
"So long love birds!" The mother said. Hana got a little agitated but Joaquin calmed her down. They went to a booth with the ball toss. Joaquin looked at the booth with confidence because it was just like the ones back home. They went up to it and Joaquin got the balls and was ready. He threw three in a row and won with great accuracy with the bottles. The man handling the booth was amazed at his strength and precision of the throws. Joaquin won a stuffed frog and gave it to Hana.
"Hahaha, thank you Valero san, it's so cute!" Hana laughed and so did Joaquin.
"Well it's what people do on dates hahaha." Joaquin joked. Hana knew that he was only playing around but the thought charmed her a bit.
Yuki and Souhei were riding the small Ferris wheel. They could see the whole valley at night with the light of the moon. Yuki thought about how beautiful it was at night and to be with someone that was truly a friend. The whole night was nothing but fun, Souhei won a few prizes and even got to dance with Yuki. They both were having a great time. When the ride ended, they got off.
"Wow, tonight has been so great! The rides, games, food, everything is just more!" Yuki said.
"Yea me too. Hey the fireworks will begin soon, lets go see it." Souhei said. They ran off to the field were everyone was gathering for the firework display. Hana and Joaquin were there as well but couldn't see the two. Ten minutes have passed before the fireworks started. Yuki looked at Souhei with a new feeling. For two years she and Souhei have been with one another through the thick and thin, he knows her secret and makes her feel unashamed of her wolf side. In fact, there have been times when she changed in front of him and ran through the forest together and Souhei asked her to embrace it more. The fireworks began just in time, they looked with such amazement. Yuki took Souhei's hand, he looked at her and she looked different, rather a want for more than friendship. Souhei put of his hands around Yuki as their heads came closer together, their lips matched with one another. Yuki felt ecstasy and love and so did Souhei. Her form was taking place. Joaquin caught the two in their romance.
"Souhei, I think I love you." Yuki said.
"I love you too, even after the scratch." Both laughed and Yuki had tears in her eyes from the happiness she felt.
"Well hello their two lovebirds." Joaquin answered. Both Yuki and Souhei were red in the face from being caught. Joaquin looked at Yuki and pointed at his head to signal ears. She realized her ears were out and immediately formed back to a human. They then met with Hana and went together to get dinner. They found a table and sat next to one another. Souhei sat next to Yuki and Hana sat next to Joaquin. Joaquin got some lemonade for the group and raised his glass and gave a toast.
"Heres to new friends and new beginnings. May all of us continue to see them and encounter them for the rest of our days in this world and into the next." Everyone agreed and enjoyed the rest of the night.