Taichi groggily cracked open one eye, immediately blinded by the sunlight flooding the room. Nope, definitely too early for this. He shut his eye, tempted to slip back into the bliss of sleep. Almost.

A soft surface beneath him didn't let him fall back asleep, reminding him he wasn't in his own bed. Where was he? His arm felt like it had turned to stone, and stray hairs tickled his nose. His throat felt parched, and a chilly breeze from the window only made him colder—

Strawberries and soap.

The familiar scent hit him like a ton of bricks, and Taichi's eyes snapped open. Chihaya.

They must have fallen asleep while cleaning the room before graduation.

She lay nearby, her back to him, her breathing barely audible. Taichi marveled at how effortlessly she could navigate the world in silence, a skill he had never mastered. For a fleeting moment, he felt a glimpse of what it was like to be her.

But his own heart quickly drowned out her quiet breaths, pounding so loudly he was sure she could hear it. Not now, he pleaded silently, feeling his face flush crimson. Please, don't ruin this moment—

Before he could stop himself, his hand moved of its own accord toward her head, as if guided by some unseen force. Truth be told, that force had been at work since they were children. Everything he did, every achievement was ultimately in pursuit of her approval. Karuta wasn't his dream —

She was.

Taichi held his breath as his fingers brushed against her soft locks. He knew he should pull away, that she could wake up at any moment. She was so close, yet so far away.

I'm sorry, Taichi, I—

The memory of her rejection a year prior flooded his mind, searing like an open wound. No matter how hard he had tried to forget, the pain lingered, haunting him at every turn. Running away, throwing himself into Karuta under Master Sou's tutelage—nothing could erase the sting of her words.

I'm sorry, Taichi, I—

He shook his head, banishing the hurtful thoughts. Snap out of it, Taichi! She's not yours to—

Before he could finish the thought, Chihaya stirred in her sleep, emitting a low groan. Shit, had he just woken her up?

As he started to retreat his hand, she turned toward him, her face closer than ever. Taichi felt as if all the air had been sucked from the room, his face surely as red as—

Impassionate gods

have never seen crimson that lies

in the Tatsuta River.

His gaze widened as he recalled the lines of the poem, the very essence of Chihaya encapsulated within her favorite card. It was her passion that fueled his own existence, driving him to persist despite the crushing weight of doubt.

The urge to surrender gnawed at him, tempting him to abandon Karuta, the club, the dream of nationals, and even the pursuit of the master title. He felt like a weary leaf, ready to drift from the tree of ambition, resigned to its fate. The tree, of course, was none other than Chihaya herself, the towering force that bound them all together within the Karuta club.

"Taichi..."

Her voice, soft and dreamlike, stirred him from his reverie. Could it be that she was dreaming of him? Chihaya, the unrivaled queen of Karuta, whose dedication and prowess knew no bounds, dreaming of him seemed improbable, yet tantalizingly real.

But he knew better. She would thrive with or without him, her love for the game eclipsing all else. It was his own cowardice, his fear of losing her to Karuta, or worse—to Arata—that plagued him.

Despite his ability to read her like an open book, there remained a veil shrouding her true feelings for Arata. Did she reject him out of loyalty to their shared passion, or was she secretly yearning for their crowning moment as master and queen?

In Chihaya's world, Karuta reigned supreme, leaving little room for thoughts of love. And yet, beneath her unwavering dedication, Taichi couldn't help but wonder if there was a glimmer of something more, something that even Chihaya herself had yet to uncover.

Note that though we may be apart,

if I am to hear that you pine for me as the Inaba mountain pines,

I shall return to you.

Taichi's pulse quickened as he relived those words over and over in his mind. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, he couldn't deny the truth any longer. Chihaya was meant to be by his side, not Arata's.

With unwavering resolve, he vowed to fight for her, to show her that he was the one who truly understood her. She wasn't just a friend or a teammate; she was his guiding light, his inspiration, the very beat of his heart.

Every game of Karuta they played together only deepened his love for her, strengthening the bond that tied them together. She was more than just a mentor or a clubmate—

she was his everything, the love that consumed his every thought and drove him to be better, for her sake.

Even in the age of almighty gods

unheard of, −

the waters of Tatsuta are flowing under layers of crimson.

In a sudden epiphany, Taichi understood that he wasn't just a passive observer, drifting like the falling leaves. Instead, he was the steady stream, the force beneath it all, quietly supporting Chihaya with his unwavering love. He wasn't the leaves that were falling. He was the water flowing beneath them. It was his undying love for Chihaya that he wanted to keep hidden. He wanted it to be his, and only his.

The revelation washed over him like a wave, and a faint smile graced his lips. His affection for Chihaya burned within him, a flame he had kept carefully hidden, reserved only for her.

As the weight of her words lingered in his mind, he found himself buoyed by a newfound sense of optimism. Perhaps, just perhaps, there was still a chance for him to try once more, to show Chihaya the depth of his devotion.

His gaze lingered on her, a surge of excitement coursing through him despite his efforts to quell it. She lay there, peacefully asleep, her weight resting on his hand.

Calm down, Taichi, he chided himself silently. Don't get carried away. She's already given you her answer. Right here, in this very spot, a year ago.

With a heavy heart, he finally extracted himself from the tatami. It was time to move on, to let go of the hope that had been clinging to him for so long. Kyoto beckoned, offering a chance for him to grow and find peace, even if her memory would always linger.

"Taichi."

Just as he was about to rise, a soft touch enveloped his wrist, delicate yet firm. His heart skipped a beat, his eyes widening in astonishment as he realized Chihaya was awake.

Feel love deepen -
widening into a river as it descends Mount Tsukuba.

"Taichi."