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The Tanabata festival is a festival Oikawa has always loved to celebrate ever since he was ten. It was a celebration that took place every 7th of July, three days before Iwaizumi's birthday. During the festival, they would be wearing their yukatas and would run towards the river a kilometer away from their houses where their bamboo wish tree is planted. Then they would bring out their talismans and streamers, where they wrote their wishes.
Oikawa would always have an orizuru (folded cranes), which represented longevity. Iwaizumi wondered why Oikawa would always ask for the same thing each year, and when he asked Oikawa, the brunette answered with, "I want you to live a long life, Iwa-chan."
Iwaizumi couldn't understand why Oikawa would wish for something like that when they were just twelve, so he asked why, "so we can be together for a long time,"
"Then you should wish that for yourself too," Iwaizumi says. Oikawa shook his head and placed the crane on the bamboo tree.
"I take care of myself, Iwa-chan. But you always get hurt. You would trip and dive into random spots. You also protect me every time something happens, so I want them to protect you," Oikawa said as he looks up at the sky with a smile, "I want you to live forever, Hajime,"
Iwaizumi felt his heart melt at what Oikawa meant with every wish, so he decided to bring orizuru (folded cranes) the next time they celebrated the Tanabata Festival. Oikawa wondered why Iwaizumi didn't bring a talisman this time, and when he asked, Iwaizumi answered with, "I want them to protect you too, Tooru. I want you to live a long life and have them protect you when I'm not around,"
Oikawa cried the moment he heard Iwaizumi's answer. He wrapped his arms around his best friend and sobbed into his shoulder while the other teased him, calling him a cry-baby as he wraps his arms around the crying boy.
"How are we supposed to continue the celebration when you're crying?" Iwaizumi asks as he rubs Oikawa's back, "the next thing you're supposed to do is talk about the star constellations and the Milkyway, not cry,"
"Can't you talk about them just this once?" Oikawa asked and broke the hug. He looked at Iwaizumi with red eyes, snot falling from his nose, and pleading eyes.
Iwaizumi could never resist his best friend, so he sighs and sits on the rocks, patting the space beside him for Oikawa to sit on as he talks about the star constellations and Milkyway with his best friend's head leaning on his shoulder.
The tradition continued until their bamboo tree grew and surpassed them in height. Their origami's were still there, and so were the numbered talismans Iwaizumi placed before he chose to use folded origamis, similar to Oikawa.
They were ten when they first celebrated the Tanabata Festival with the knowledge of what it actually meant. They were twelve when Oikawa told Iwaizumi why he always chose to wish for longevity, and they were thirteen when Iwaizumi chose to wish for the same thing. Now, they're eighteen and holding a talisman, this time wishing for something different after five years of continually asking for the same thing.
This time, they were standing in front of their bamboo wish tree with purple rose-colored talismans hidden inside their yukata.
"Tooru, I want to start Tanabata differently this year," Iwaizumi says as he looks up at the sky.
"What? How?" Oikawa asked, his eyes looking at Iwaizumi, admiring his beauty under the moonlight.
Iwaizumi took a deep breath and turned to look at Oikawa with eyes that seemed so vulnerable.
"I love you, Tooru," Iwaizumi confessed and smiled at him. A small and gentle smile was offered to him as eyes that held so much love stares straight into his eyes.
Oikawa gulped and laughed before pulling out the talisman he kept inside his yukata, "I think my wish came true too early,"
Iwaizumi's eyes moved to read what was written on the purple rose talisman, "I wish I can go to Nationals with Iwa-chan so I can confess to him. I wish he loves me, too, though."
Iwaizumi laughed when he saw the talisman and brought out his, "I guess we thought the same, huh? Purple rose for majestic glory and eternal love,"
Oikawa nods and reads what was written on the talisman, "I'm going to confess to Oikawa today. Please don't make him reject me,"
Oikawa chuckled and walked closer to Iwaizumi to wrap his arms around the latter's neck, "how can I reject you when I love you?"
That night, two similar colored talismans that held somewhat the same wishes were hung simultaneously as two hearts unite under the stars Vega and Altair in the constellations Lyra and Aquila during Japan's most romantic festival.
They were eighteen when they confessed to each other in front of their bamboo wish three. They were nineteen when they asked for guidance as they go to different states, and now they're twenty-seven and have a silver and gold Olympic medal hanging on their neck. This time with a single pink talisman that held both of their wishes.
"Let me hang it. I'm taller," Oikawa says, making Iwaizumi roll his eyes and give the talisman to Oikawa.
"Isn't this too much?" Iwaizumi asks as he watches Oikawa hang their talisman.
"What is?" Oikawa asked after he was done. He stood beside Iwaizumi and watched their origamis and talismans swing in the air. Some were gone, probably melted by the rain or carried away by the winds or accepted by the Gods.
"Us asking for their blessing and guidance for our wedding," Iwaizumi answers. Oikawa chuckles and shakes his head.
"Nah, we celebrated this festival since we were kids, we've confessed here, we asked for their guidance when we decided to go to Cali and San Juan, and they never disappointed us by granting our wishes for longevity, love, and the medals we brought home. So they deserve to be asked for blessings for our wedding," Oikawa answers as he looks up at Vega and Altair.
"I guess you're right," Iwaizumi says as he watches the pink talisman that symbolized happiness, love, affection, and security during weddings sway in the air, with the wish "please let us live a happily wedded life" written on it.
They were twenty-seven when they asked for Vega and Altai's blessings for their wedding. They were thirty when they thanked the stars for their wedding and asking for a guided honeymoon, now they're sixty, both old and wrinkly but still standing in the cold night with their yukata, looking up at their bamboo wish tree that was a few years younger than them.
They stood in front of their wish tree, holding a single dark pink talisman that represents gratitude.
"This won't be a wish," Oikawa says as he places the talisman on the bamboo tree.
"It's our gratitude for your guidance," Iwaizumi added as he leans on Oikawa's shoulder.
"Thank you," They whispered together.
They talked about the stars for one last time before looking at each other with a smile and whispering another thank you for the winds to carry to the Gods. They took in the sight of their bamboo wish tree, with hands interlaced as they silently reminisce everything that happened in front of a single plant, before turning their back on the bamboo tree that held the last talisman they would ever leave, a dark pink talisman with the words, "thanks you" written on it.