The apartment was still bare. No posters, no paintings, not even curtains. Just plain white walls. Seri had brought this up with Shouko, but she didn’t seem to mind.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg33BeNm9d4
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfOEV0hTZH
Because there was no clock, Seri had to look at her dainty golden watch. She sighed, nervously twirling a strand of her long purplish-brown hair. It was getting late.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNSR4Sx89I
Kneeling by the low table like a proper lady, she returned her attention to the magazine in her hand. She used to read expensive foreign fashion magazines her mother had lying around the mansion, but she much preferred local magazines such as this.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxkLBIOSjq
Her heart leapt as she heard the door swing open. Shouko’s blonde hair, usually buoyant in its messiness, was drooping. She took a few moments to breathe before entering the apartment properly. Her head was down and her shoulders were low. She swayed towards her futon, also plain.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWf3kt3FXbB
Seri stood up, almost jumping. ‘You’re home! I brought some nikuman so we can have that with our-’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCYLMtI0fz
Instead of answering, Shouko smiled weakly and flopped onto the futon.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDwxZdIxBc
‘Shouko?’ Seri asked, her voice as weak as Shouko’s smile. She leaned over the futon and heard snoring. With a gentle smile, she pulled the quilt over Shouko and brushed her fingers over her cheek.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XRTni7NWO
As she left the apartment to head home, Seri’s smile dropped.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9HvmnCRcj
And so the pattern began.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwV5rwVPFX
‘Shouko, I discovered this new flavour of ice cream! I thought we could have it for des-’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8okm97Ujd
Snore.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhhaAZCinw
‘Sakurako-senpai helped me make these chocolates-’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50Ae1Sj4ic
Snore.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrqYn1whrS
‘I thought I’d cheer you up with a nice hot meal-’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlGDSA5jHc
Snore.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVJMldDTGE
Seri sat by Shouko’s futon, a wistful frown on her face. This time she decided to stay in the apartment until Shouko woke up. Dinner, as it turned out, did a terrible job of cheering people up. Or perhaps that was because Seri was eating alone.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLcD7gQeU5
After dinner, Seri settled next to Shouko, reading the magazine. She was desperate enough for mental stimulation that she even began reading the advertisements.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIcvqEl6eC
Finally, she heard the snoring stop. She turned her head and saw Shouko jerk upwards.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qMuLrWxx4
‘Huh? What I miss?’ Shouko’s voice was a little rough and gravelly, but Seri loved it.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWFd66kJ9s
Seri giggled. ‘Have a nice dream, Sleeping Beauty?’ She took the time to appreciate how Shouko looked in her suit, as messy as it was in the futon.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfdTDOT4oh
Shouko lied back down and stretched her arms. ‘Ha! As if! I dreamed I could actually finish a shift on time instead of having to do overtime.’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2OXrb7fAio
‘That sounds like a nice dream to me,’ Seri muttered, her eyes downcast. ‘We need some time to ourselves, you know.’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3Mlm2xLDV
Shouko turned her body and rested her head on her hand, her elbow digging into the futon. She nodded.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVYlCl1vFD
‘I’m open to suggestions.’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjwccf2nDM
Seri turned the page backwards in her magazine until she reached a page with a big photo of a November illumination festival. The lights were spellbinding and the photograph managed to transport Seri to a beautiful place she knew she had to go.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3JmzMVGis
Shouko looked at the details of this advertisement, scooting closer to Seri. The other girl’s cheeks grew hot. Despite them having been together for so long, Seri was still not used to the sensation of Shouko being close to her. It was warm and comforting, but it also set her nerves aflame and she became ever-aware of both girls’ breathing.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevG1inisIe
‘Tomorrow?’ Shouko asked.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbexcKpbtBt
Seri gleefully held her hands up in little fists. ‘Yes! It’s perfect! It’s at a local park and it’s supposed to be quite the spectacle!’ She clasped her hands together and rubbed her cheek against them. Shouko could practically see the hearts rising from Seri’s body. ‘There’ll be lights, the view of the park lit up a night, hot food to eat and fun performances! All things we can enjoy together!’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwh1llHNAN
Shouko sat up, her arm dangling over her raised knee. ‘Wow, sounds like you really wanna do this thing. All right, then. No sweat! Let’s go together. How about we meet at the park at 6?’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtKbtz3ygw
Seri crossed her arms and pouted. ‘Promise?’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnQx6lOqax
Shouko grinned and kissed her on the cheek.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEJGceikus
‘Promise.’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwEJlDLKnS
At 5 PM at the TV studio, Shouko wiped the sweat off her forehead. ‘Phew! Finally! All done.’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqfRFJonbe
She was heading to the exit when she heard a nasal shout. ‘Akashi-san! Where do you think you’re going?’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbz8Pb1Tqt
Shouko gingerly turned her head. ‘Uh...’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vnIl1sVPz
The voice belonged to a tall, skinny middle-aged woman with a tight bun and jumbo glasses. ‘Trying to sneak off again? How lazy!’ She yelled, pointing her clipboard at Shouko.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wgmTOMQb7
Shouko rubbed the back of her neck. ‘Well, my shift is over.’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLCdRcwfFy
‘Like hell it is! You still have that Noh mask to locate for tomorrow’s show!’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5F48y8TID
‘Oh, come on!’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcpaDs9RFS
‘You better find that Noh mask before 5 AM tomorrow, and all the shops close at 6 tonight! You did track, didn’t you? Run!’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINCSP9u75G
Shouko bowed her head. ‘Yes, ma’am.’ She pulled out her phone and began her search for costume stores. ‘Yes? Hello? I know it’s last-minute, but do- Yes, I know business hours end soon. I’m with a TV station and our costume department badly needs a Noh mask. Yes! A Noh Mask! You know, those- Seriously? Not even one?’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluSX8c6MKB
Eventually, Shouko decided that making phone calls was a waste of time. She sprinted to every store she could find, muttering curse words to a boss who wouldn’t head them. She would have enjoyed the feeling of cold air racing through her suit and the memories of the high school track team they brought with them, but she was too distracted by the task and the stress it brought with it.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuPWpx9bVlq
Every store was either already closed or sold old out of their Noh masks. 5 PM became 5:20, then 5:32, 5:58 and finally 6:15, with no Noh masks in sight.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgHQ8w5mad
Shouko dropped to the ground, her hands scraping against the concrete. She did everything she could not to cry in public, but passersby in the busy street glared at her for getting in their way.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJzcRlEHNo
‘It’s over. It’s all over.’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsp7JOa79J9
She considered lying down in a ball on the concrete when she heard a beep in her pocket that woke her out of her funk. She took it out and saw the time and battery at 2 per cent, screaming internally but answering the call.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdL5xt4R12n
‘Seri? Seri? Listen, I-’ The phone was quiet. ‘Oh, she hung up.’ Seri didn’t hang up. Shouko’s phone screen was completely black.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡalN3yfsOUn
Meanwhile, at the festival, Seri could barely enjoy the bright lily-shaped lights floating on the pond in front of her. Shouko’s sudden hanging-up set a flame behind Seri’s eyes, but she tried to reason with herself. Maybe Shouko’s phone reception went kaput.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHvS13NtlN
She wondered if Shouko was already there but couldn’t find her. She walked up to an old couple with their arms linked together.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnx7Dd89Acv
‘Um, excuse me, sir?’ she asked the man. ‘Have you seen a woman around my age with bright blonde hair?’ The man shook his head. Seri bowed. ‘Sorry to disturb you. Good evening.’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Or7d6p6ui
When Shouko reached the park, she ran past the trees with fairy lights as fast as she could with all the people around. She had to push through some people and felt a twinge of guilt, but Seri’s smile was her main priority.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXc9vIJkMv
She caught a glimpse of purplish-brown hair and rushed to the girl. ‘Seri?’ No response. ‘Seri!’ She tapped her on the shoulder.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GxYySJCfL
The girl jumped in shock and turned her head. It was an elderly woman with dyed hair. Shouko bowed. ‘Sorry, wrong person.’ She heard a familiar voice and followed it.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiRxATlMkx
Seri shivered at the cold wind that whirled red leaves around her. Her hands were shaking, but not from the cold. Her shoulders drooped under the weight of her struggle not to cry. She began her walk out of the park.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPe1GAeTCX
‘You said you were looking for someone? Young woman? Blonde? Gorgeous?’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYn7BjhHD3
The weight on Seri’s shoulders disappeared like magic. She beamed and turned her head. Shouko was huffing and puffing like she had just finished one of her races. ‘Yo,’ She said with a breathy voice and a big, goofy grin.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTDqQzy1bu
Seri leapt into a bear hug. ‘You came!’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX31aAxq0s5
As she replied, Shouko petted the other girl’s hair. ‘Of course! You’d think I’d miss the chance to see you, babe?’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ78dkHUrZc
‘But you were-’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzyV3IAD1t
Shouko began her long explanation about what happened. Seri’s eyes were wide. ‘Huh? Noh mask?’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gjVTCoDQz
She covered her mouth and looked down, her shoulders shaking. A jolt of fear dashed through Shouko’s body.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0l1b6yD71
‘It doesn’t matter, Seri,’ she said. ‘I couldn’t find it anyway, so...’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZr185fEMow
She shut up when she heard the delectable sound of melodic laughter. She went through a range of emotions, starting with attraction, then confusion and finally annoyance.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ652KQXZFoi
She narrowed her eyes at Seri. ‘Am I a joke to you?’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKOIn7nbW8
Seri turned until she and Shouko were facing the same direction before grabbing her arm and resting her head on her shoulder.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EWSruuQSx
‘I’m just so happy to be here with you.’
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDiLUdhfIr
The two strolled through the bright lights in vivid colours and various shapes. The air was cool but their bodies were warm. Despite the cacophony of chatter, laughter and sizzling food surrounding them, they could still hear each other’s slow, calm breaths.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagxTS2Pnsp
At one point, Shouko found a stall that sold a range of Noh masks.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdseqfGPRAN
