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Ch. 47: Final Day
It was a cool, crisp morning. Light, pleasant earthy smells came wafting in on a gentle stream of autumn air, the curtains about the open windows billowing slowly and lazily. The sky was a clear yet foggy blue, content yet reluctant as it sleepily ushered in the new day. Outside, people could be heard strolling amongst the trees in the woods, boots crunching against the frosty ground, a pleasing sound.
Hoshiguma Yuugi was wearing a large, long sleeved cotton shirt and shorts and her blonde hair was wildly messy about her in an attractively casual manner. Well, it usually was like that… but still it did not make it any less nice looking. Her bed behind her too was a mess, her blankets strewn and the bed covers forming a caldera outlining where the solidly built Oni had rested.
"Aa~hhh!" Yuugi yawned generously as she stretched her arms to the sky, her shirt riding up her toned midsection. "Gooooood morning, Suika!" she turned and beamed a pearly white smile.
"Mmmm…! Yawn~ Morning…" Ibuki Suika rubbed her eyes sleepily as sluggishly sat up from her bed.
"…? Oi, did you hear me? I said 'Gooooood morning, Suika!' " Yuugi repeated herself no less loudly, but this time with a tinge of annoyance reverberating in her voice.
"… What? And I replied 'Morning' didn't I?" Suika dragged her legs off the edge of the bed and onto the floor.
Yuugi narrowed her eyes. Something was not right… "Welp~! We better get washed up quickly! I want to finish my packing as soon as possible because after that, I still want to enjoy the rest of the day before we head back home tomorrow…" Yuugi said as casually as she could. And you know that when you try that, the words come out a tad bit over-emphasized.
"Ah... Is that so? Well, you'd better make sure you double check your packing. You'll likely to miss out an important item or two, you know how you are…" Suika grabbed her right arm with her left as she stretched the former high above her head.
"A-Ah…! Yeah, well, I'll be care- H-Hey! I don't want to hear that coming from such a sloppy chibi!" Yuugi rounded on Suika who was headed towards the bathroom with a toothbrush in hand. "And besides… Hmmm…" Yuugi scratched her head. Something about Suika was just irritating her… "Hey!" she barked at Suika.
"… What now?" Suika looked annoyed.
"It's our last day here," Yuugi stated.
"… I know that," Suika disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Yuugi standing there feeling stupid.
"… T'ch! Ahhhh! ! !" Why was Suika soooo irritatingly blasé? Yuugi paced about the room, a hand furiously rubbing the back of her head.
"Oi!" Yuugi slammed her back against the wall next to the bathroom door. Perhaps a more direct approach would be better… "Sigh… Hey, Suika…" Yuugi crossed her arms with her eyes closed.
"What?" came Suika's voice from the bathroom.
"Kogasa's not coming back with us," Yuugi said sombrely.
"That's the idea, isn't it?" Suika's rhetorical question floated calmly through the bathroom door.
Yuugi's eyeballs popped out of their sockets. Th-This Suika- "Yeah, well, aren't you the least bit bothered about it? !" Yuugi demanded, "Shouldn't you at least shed a tear, or cry, or break down into a sobering mess or even run up to her and yell something along the lines of 'Please don't leave me, I need you!' or something like that? !"
The door to the bathroom slammed open and out came Suika, teeth brushed, looking at Yuugi queerly, "Why would I do something like that? And why are your examples increasingly dramatic?" she said as she walked past Yuugi towards her bed area.
"Wha-? Well, I don't know, maybe because you-" so obviously love her! Yuugi, with a surprising demonstration of consideration and discipline, managed to silence her yelling, but that did nothing to hide her frustration on her face at Suika's attitude.
"…" Suika stopped in her tracks and sighed, "… Yuugi, we were supposed to help Kogasa find a place to stay in, remember?" Suika looked back towards Yuugi, her face far from distraught, "I mean, I do hate the idea of having to part with her… She's become a very good friend to me. And…" she started opening her luggage, "… it's for that reason that she has to stay here. We promised her- no, I promised her that we would find her a home," Suika said casually as she began packing her things.
Yuugi's jaw dropped. What… the hell was with that reaction? ! she screamed mentally some more.
But…! Just then it dawned upon the one-horned Oni. This might all be a brave front…! There was no way Suika could not not be upset… Hmmm, and come to think of it… that pensive look upon her face when she is packing her things… that blank stare in her eyes… the way her twin horns look heavier than usual…
Guilty realisation hit Yuugi, and she clutched at her bosom with a hurt expression. S-Suika is in pain… how could I not tell? ! And I dare call myself her best friend? ! Casting her eyes to the side with shame, Yuugi berated herself mentally for not realising that all this time… All this time, her best friend was trying to stay calm, trying not to upset her, and Parsee and all the others.
And most of all… Kogasa-
"Suika!" Yuugi called out to desperately.
"What?" Suika asked flatly, her arms moving robotically, mechanically arranging her belongings within her bag.
"… No, Suika," Yuugi calmed herself down. Suika was trying her best, so she should too…! "Look," the taller Oni approached her shorter kin and placed both hands on her shoulders, "You're right, we made Kogasa a promise," she said.
Suika sweat-dropped. She could sense something weird coming from Yuugi, but thought best of it to say nothing.
"I'm sure Kogasa will be really happy here," Yuugi kept up her consolation.
"Eh…? Ah…" Suika determinedly kept her mind at the task and tried to ignore the one-horned oaf behind her.
"I just want you to know that I'll support whatever decision you make."
"Th-Thanks… I guess-"
"And that I'll always be there when you need someone to talk to."
"Er… Okay-"
"So please!" Yuugi spun Suika around by the shoulders so suddenly that Suika blushed out of reflex, "If you need someone's shoulder to cry into-"
Whack! Yuugi felt herself soaring through the air and flying towards the other end of the room before the sensation of getting punched in the chin had even settled in and crash landed at the main door.
"... Y-You… IDIOT! ! !" Suika shouted at a bruised Yuugi, thoroughly unsettled, "What the hell are you on about? ! You delusional Oni! Who's needing your shoulder to cry into? !"
"A-Ah…" Yuugi sat up wincingly as she nursed her chin. Suika was taking this rather hard, as suspected, she thought as she observed Suika continue to pack her luggage, her face flushed. Flushed out of anger, that is. Yuugi grinned like someone who has just achieved success. Haha… Suika, Suika… She really must be taking the thought of parting with Kogasa really hard…
Just then, there came a knock on the door. "Yuugi, Suika, are you two already awake?" came Parsee's voice from the other side.
"Ah, yeah, just open it, it's not locked," Yuugi said, "Just let me get out of the way firs-"
"Alright, I'm coming in-" Whack!
"Oof! Ow… W-Wait! I said-"
"Eh? There's something in the way…" Closes shut. Opens again and- Whack!
"Argh! P-Parsee! Hang on! I said-"
Suika stopped and gawked as Parsee proceeded to shut and open the door several more times against Yuugi's skull.
"Oof! Ouch! Argh… Ack!"
"… Eh? ! Y-Yuugi you idiot, you're in the way!" Parsee said impatiently, closed the door for a moment, then proceeded to slam the door open hard.
Pichu~n! Yuugi fell flat, eyes spiraling as Parsee dusted her hands and walked in with a satisfied look on her face. "Always wanted to do that," she said, smiling devilishly.
"G-Glad you're happy, my bridge princess…" Yuugi muttered blood onto the floor.
"Hehe… Oh? Good morning, Suika," Parsee greeted gently.
"Ah, morning Parsee…" Suika replied and returned to her silent packing as soon as she got her head over Parsee's manslaughter.
Parsee sat at the edge of Suika's bed and observed Suika casually for awhile as Suika continued to purposefully pile things into her luggage, her face an unmoving picture of hidden wonder and conflicted feelings.
"… Fine day huh?" she finally broke the silence after awhile.
"I guess," Suika shrugged and answered without looking up.
"… It would be a waste if we let our last day here go to waste…" Parsee mused upwards at the ceiling, her legs kicking aimlessly off the edge of the bed.
Suika paused. She knew where this was going.
"You know… Kogasa's not coming with-"
"I know that, it was your idea in the first place, wasn't it?"
"Eh?" Parsee looked down guiltily, "Ah, right… I had forgotten about that…"
Suika had finished piling her things in by now (and considering how little she had brought, she had taken quite the long time to do so). Annoyance creeping into her face, Suika then began to rearrange her things in different orientations. An impromptu challenge to see if she could get everything to fit in the space of an ice cube…
"…" Parsee stared at Suika's hands as they seemingly, aimlessly kept themselves busy, her lips curling downwards sadly.
"Hey Suika-"
"You know, since I'm done packing…" Suika stopped and admitted with a sigh, "I… I guess I'd better go enjoy the rest of the day outside, huh?" she looked at Parsee for opinion.
"Huh? O-Of course!" Parsee smiled, "And maybe we'll uh… we'll go see if Kogasa and make sure that she's fine, right?"
"… Definitely!" Suika grinned, "I don't think I can take it easy leaving her under Orin's care…" she and Parsee chuckled.
"Hey! Who's insulting Orin!"
All three turned to the doorway only to be greeted with a rare sight: Okuu, above ground. She was however enrobed in the staff yukata instead of her usual clothes, her massive, glossy black wings trailing behind her and swishing about her ankles like a cloak. Her yukata, like Orin's, was green instead of the standard blue. Featuring prominently from in between her collar was a large, eye-like gem that glowed a soft orange.
"O-Okuu…?" Suika and Parsee said with some uncertainty. The last time they had met, Okuu was maniacal with uncontrollable power.
"Okuu… Are they all there…? Ah! They are here after all!" Orin's head popped up from around the door frame. Okuu, glancing to her left at Orin's arrival, lifted up her wing out of the way as Orin dashed into the room from beneath Okuu's feathers.
"Hi hi, everyone!" Orin gave salutations in all directions, "Okuu and I heard it was to be your last day here, so we came to personally make sure that you'll especially enjoy this day! Oh! And we came to check up on Suika as well!" she sided up to Suika with a cheerful smile.
"Wh-What…?" Suika leaned away from Orin uncomfortably as Okuu gingerly made her way into the room, her majestic wings floating and swaying behind and above her to avoid the furniture.
"Hmmm? That's strange… H-Hey…!" Orin turned to Yuugi with an utter look of disappointment, "Why isn't Suika up in tears and all? !" she demanded as she pointed at the two-horned Oni.
"H-Huh? ! Why would I be-"
"Sigh… She's just trying to… sob… trying to be brave…!" Yuugi's eyes watered at admiration for her friend's courage.
"What? ! Yuugi! It looks like I haven't punched you hard enough-"
"Ah…! I see… How insensitive of me!" Orin jerked a tear, "Suika… I had always thought of you to be as emotionally complex as a stone but now… Hah… I thought it was weird that she seemed so… normal… Suika, what a brave, brave person you are!" Orin wrapped her arms around a fuming Suika and cried.
"Argh! ! ! Get off me!" Suika tore Orin off, her breathing ragged, "Why do all of you keep insisting that I'm upset? !" she shouted.
"But you are… aren't you… Look at you shaking…" Orin cupped a hand over her mouth in anxiety.
"I'm not upset, I'mANGRY! ! !" Suika was close to exploding.
Orin and Yuugi exchanged glances and sniggered.
"Ack! ! ! You are doing this on purpose just to irritate me, aren't you? !" Suika started chasing Orin and Yuugi around the room, arms swinging, but Orin and Yuugi managed to stay out of reach, laughing and dancing all the way. Parsee and Okuu simply stood at the side, watching with awkward amusement.
"W-Wait a minute… Aren't they being too carefree?" Okuu asked, which Parsee agreed to with an uneasy smile.
"Well, it's not like this is bad for Suika," a soft yet sharp voice sounded behind them.
Okuu and Parsee spun around. Gently pushing aside Okuu's wing feathers like a veil, one Komeiji Satori emerged, smiling.
"Satori-san," Parsee greeted pleasantly, while Okuu enthusiastically chanted "Satori-sama! Satori-sama! !"
"Hello Parsee. Hello my dear Okuu…" Satori tiptoed and reached up to stroke Okuu's raven black hair while Okuu bent down and crooned with delight.
"So Satori… How's Kogasa?" Parsee asked the mind reader as Suika's fists kept connecting with taunts, laughter and thin air, "She got up extra early today. She said she wanted to start her job properly starting today, but it seems as if-"
"Oh no, no, no… Kogasa would never think of avoiding a farewell with Suika," Satori answered the yet to be asked question.
"O-Oh…?"
"I would imagine she got up extra early precisely because today would mean farewell…" Satori stared ahead at Suika's impotent attempts at murdering Yuugi and Orin.
"Kogasa-chan kept talking to herself, and she got really red-faced when I caught her doing so," Okuu recounted, "But she kept doing it anyway."
"… Heh… A proper 'goodbye' huh? She must have been rehearsing for that…" Parsee glanced down sadly.
"Well, it's not really goodbye, is it?" Satori remarked, "I mean, my resort's not going to be vaporised overnight or something, so if the two want to see each other, they can, can't they?"
"… I'm not… too sure about that…" Parsee eyed Okuu with a funny look.
Okuu glanced from Parsee to Satori, puzzled for answers.
Satori looked on Okuu kindly, then stared at Parsee with pursed lips.
Parsee eyed Satori back with a joking expression.
"Anyways, as I was saying-"
"You sure your resort won't be vaporised overnight?"
"Parsee-san," Satori began shortly, "The baths you've enjoyed over the last few days were heated exclusively by our dear Okuu."
"Terribly sorry, Satori-san. I'm feeling a little carefree myself for some stupid reason," Parsee watched on as Yuugi and Orin were dancing circles around a fuming Suika.
"… Well, I forgive you. Although your sense of humour could be a little less cruel," Satori turned her gaze to the racket before them as well.
"… I don't want to hear that coming from you."
"Heh."
The three spectators continued to watch the three youkai hard at their game of "Would you please just stand still so I can punch the lights out of you?" Suika was actually starting to breathe hard, and had resorted to hurling pillows and blankets towards Yuugi and Orin, still laughing their head s off.
"Yuugi and Orin sure have a weird way of trying to cheer Suika up, huh?" Okuu remarked after awhile.
"Huh… Even you can tell," Parsee complimented Okuu.
"Those two mischief makers can be rather reliable, can't they?" Satori smiled.
"… About Suika… she doesn't actually want to leave Kogasa behind, does she…?" Parsee asked the mind-reader.
"Well…" Satori contemplated for a moment, "She is upset, but surprisingly she does… want to leave Kogasa," she admitted. "Oni don't lie, after all, right?" Satori said sadly.
"E-Eh? ! Why-"
"I've already peeked once to confirm her true feelings, but I'm afraid as to the reasons why, I have no right to force them out of her heart," Satori said considerately, "Or rather, her head. The heart's the domain of my younger sister…"
Parsee looked from Satori back to Suika. Suika had sunken to her knees in defeat, completely outmatched by the karakasha and the Oni. Yuugi on her own would have been a tough adversary but… Ah! Just my luck that there's the two of them- Huh?
Yuugi was bending downwards towards her, an outstretched hand held before her face. Her great frame blocked out most of the light form above so that her features were cast in shadow, but here was no hiding the white, toothy grin and smiling eyes.
"Come one, Suika. You've wasted enough time here!" she said.
"Wh-What? ! That's your fault-"
"Wasn't someone on their way to go see Kogasa?"
"… I know that, idiot…" Suika reluctantly but firmly grasped Yuugi's proffered hand, and Yuugi hauled her long time buddy up.
"Now, now, geeet… GOING! !" Yuugi gave Suika a hard push towards the door.
"I'm going! I'm going! I don't need you to tell me that!" Suika barked back at Yuugi.
"Good luck!" Orin waved spiritedly.
"What are you wishing her luck for? It's just a normal chat, right?" Parsee winked.
"If you make Kogasa-chan cry, I'll fry you!" Okuu said encouragingly.
"… You guys…" Suika deadpanned before her gaze fell on Satori.
"… If you don't hurry, I'll spill your secrets to Kogasa before you can," she said with a serious tone, "And I'll do so unreservedly."
Suika jumped, thoroughly frightened, and rushed out of the door before the situation got any more out of her hands, leaving behind an odd, smiling bunch of youkai.