When they first got there, the shrine was packed with people. As the sun went down, the visitors had dwindled once the cherry blossoms blended into the night. An old man and a boy that looked about middle school age lit lanterns, settling them along the cobblestone pathways. Aomine watched absentmindedly as the old man attempted to call for people to stay to observe a firework show to little success. The middle school boy patted the defeated man on the back. Checking his phone for the time, Aomine sighed and turned to urge his companions to go back to the others.
Much to his surprise and chagrin, the two were nowhere to be seen. Kuroko could be expected to blend in anywhere, Momoi on the other hand stuck out like a bubblegum thumb with her vibrant hair and loud voice. Thoroughly annoyed, Aomine pulled out his phone and tapped a text to Momoi asking where the fuck they went.
"Waste of time…" Aomine grumbled, his mood souring with each step he took. Taking another look around, the tan male found himself standing near a massive tree closed in with a small fence. A perfect landmark for the two to find him at. He sent another text to Momoi and settled himself on the fence, closing his eyes while he waited. A rustle of footsteps had him peer through dark blue lashes. In front of him now was the middle school boy from earlier and an older woman, only the boy was dressed in festival finery. The boy was looking at him in awe, his phone grasped tentatively in his hand.
"A-are you Aomine Daiki?" The boy asked.
"The one and only." Aomine replied, his voice smug. The boy turned a shade of pink and held up his phone with a slight tremble.
"Can… Can I get a picture with you?" he asked. Aomine really didn't want to deal with this, he wanted to be home, but the pleading look from the boy made him relent.
"Sure, squirt." Aomine said, smirking. With a toothy grin, the boy handed the older woman his phone and they posed together for a picture. It was a comical scene, Aomine's frame towered over the boy, making the woman chuckle.
"Alright, Souta, Aomine-san, smile!" The woman said as she took a couple photos of them. The boy, Souta, looked up at the tall male.
"Thank you so much!" He exclaimed. "Seeing you play is the coolest. Ever since the Winter Cup, I've loved basketball. I hope one day I can play as good as you."
"Dedicate yourself and you'll go places, kid." Aomine said, patting Souta on the head. His words seemed to delight the boy as he puffed out his chest with confidence and affirmed he would work hard. Suddenly, an old man's voice called for him and Souta left with a wild wave of his hand.
"Thank you for your kind words, Aomine-san. Souta will probably dive even deeper into playing basketball I'm sure." The older woman thanked him with a genuine smile, the corners of her eyes crinkling.
"It was nothing, really, we need fired-up players in basketball, ma'am." Aomine said, smirking.
"No need to be so formal, my name is Higurashi Nodoka. I appreciate what you did for Souta. This festival is hard for us." The woman finally said after a moment. The woman smiled at him and looked behind him to the tree. Her countenance became sad as she gazed at the large tree. Aomine followed her gaze, eyes trained on a small notch in the otherwise smooth wood. Nodoka leaned down to gently place a white lily in a glass bottle. Next to the flower was a picture containing a girl with a big smile and the bluest eyes Aomine had ever seen.
"Today is his sister's, my daughter's, birthday. We celebrate the cherry blossoms a little later than others so we can also celebrate her."
"I'm sorry for your loss." Aomine said. Mentally groaning, he wanted to kick himself. He was unsure of anything else to say to the grieving mother. She chuckled, sensing his lack of assurance.
"I wouldn't say it's a loss, exactly. It helps to think of it as somewhere else gaining Kagome," she said. Aomine couldn't help a small smile listening to Nodoka's words which were soft and full of a mother's love. Suddenly, the Higurashi matron reached into her pocket and pulled out a small keychain with a purple bauble at the end of it. Taking Aomine's hand, she gently placed it in his palm.
"Thank you, enjoy the festival Aomine-san," Nodoka said with a bow, taking her leave.
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