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Spring
“Did you get all that?”
The girl looks up at the redhead, defiantly crossing her arms in front of her. “Yeah? It’s not that hard, Odasaku,” she grumbles.
He’d been teaching her how to care for the camellia tree growing in the shrine’s sanctuary. Caring for it seemed straightforward enough, for the most part. It was just the typical upkeep and maintenance that came with any plant, with a couple of added steps. Still, her willful attitude towards the lesson seemed to exasperate the boy in front of her.
“I’m going to go get the fertilizer. Just… stay here,” Oda sighed, standing up and brushing the dirt off his clothes before walking away.
The girl shrugs, then leans back on her hands, looking up at the sky. It was a cloudless day, warm, and the cool breeze carried the aroma of blooming flowers. Winter had ended over a month ago, and the world had finally caught up to the changing seasons.
She was half-tempted to doze off while basking in the afternoon sunlight, but the thought leaves her mind when she hears the leaves of the camellia tree rustling behind her. Sitting up, she twists around to look at the plant, only to find another girl peeking out at her from the branches. She had red hair and eyes to match, with camellia blossoms adorning the traditional bun pinned at the back of her hair. Her kimono ran from white at her shoulders, to pink and then red towards the end of the fabric, camellia petals fluttering throughout the pattern along the way.
“Um… Good afternoon…” she says, her voice soft. “I’m Kouyou…”
“The tree’s spirit, huh?” the other drawls out, slowly standing and brushing herself off. “That’s cool, I guess.”
“... You’re different from the normal caretakers,” Kouyou remarks, looking over the other girl. “So, what’s your name?”
She sweeps black hair out of her face, then puts her hands on her hips with a confident smile. “The name’s Yosano Akiko.”
When Oda returns, he’s surprised to see the pair animatedly talking together. Kouyou usually didn’t appear to new caretakers, let alone talk to them. Yosano had been so stubborn about already knowing how to take care of plants, but when he asked if she was ready to learn how to bless the fertilizer before spreading it, she enthusiastically agreed.
Kouyou even helped, moving the lowest branches up so they’d be able to reach the base of the tree more easily.
Much less to his surprise, the pair are often seen together, being careful not to stray too far from the evergreen. Kouyou would grow a bunch of blossoms for Yosano, who would then fashion them into flower crowns for the two of them. Sometimes they’d share tea times together, and he’d catch them whispering to each other and laughing to themselves when they caught him watching.
And Yosano took great care of the tree, with or without help. In fact, it looked better than ever. It had already grown a fair amount over the spring, and it was starting to show with Kouyou as well. She was able to go farther from her tree with each passing week, and she had even grown a few centimeters taller.
Akiko herself seemed to grow more sociable, less likely to fight with the other shrine keepers, which was always a plus, so…
Yeah. They were good for each other.
Summer
“Oi, Kouyou, what’s with you lately?”
The cicadas sing into the evening heat. Summer was in full swing, and the only person that seemed to not enjoy the weather and all that came with it was the tree spirit. She had been sulking all day, and Yosano really couldn’t figure out why, so she figured that at this point she had to just ask.
Kouyou turned her head to look up at the caretaker from where she sat on the ground, then sighed, turning away to stare out into the forest surrounding the sanctuary.
“I suppose I’m just tired of being tethered to this place so closely.”
Yosano raises an eyebrow at that, arms crossed and her lips quirking into a small frown. It’s not that she didn’t understand the feeling, because it’s been seven years since she first started tending to the camellia tree, and the tree spirit was still unable to leave the shrine grounds. And , Akiko was nineteen, so she understood the frustration of not being able to go where you please. But what she didn’t get was why this was a sudden development. It didn’t seem to bother Kouyou at all until just recently.
“Alright, so… If you could leave the shrine, what would you want to do?” she asks, sitting beside the spirit.
The redhead looks up for a moment in thought, then nods to herself. “I suppose… I’d go to one of those festivals I hear the other caretakers speak about. They sound lively.”
Yosano lets out a small huff of amusement. “Really, that’s what this is about?”
“Don’t make fun of me, Kiko, you know I can’t go out…” Kouyou muttered.
The caretaker lightly slaps a hand on the other’s back, beaming with confidence. “Well, if I say it’s for your health and happiness, they’ll probably let it slide. Just leave it to me, ‘kay?”
The tree spirit wondered what that was supposed to mean, but… Yosano being willing to do something to help was a touching gesture, so how couldn’t she agree?
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A week of waiting brings the event Yosano had prepared for her spirit friend. Kouyou was excited to see what exactly had been done at the shrine for it, since she was never allowed to get a good look for the sake of keeping it a surprise. The only thing that couldn’t be hidden was the murmur of a sizable crowd gathered at the temple tonight, and it held so much of her focus that she almost didn’t hear the footsteps of Akiko when she entered.
She stood, turning to look at the caretaker and surprised to see her in casual clothing for once. She was wearing jean shorts with a graphic tee tucked into it, and she had chosen to wear sneakers rather than sandals.
Honestly? It was different , but she looked great.
“I thought you were supposed to dress up for these things.”
Yosano shrugs, a hand to her hip as she extends the other to the tree spirit. “Guess I’ve always had a rebellious streak. Anyways, ready to go?”
Kouyou nods with a lopsided smile, taking the other’s hand and entwining their fingers together. Akiko’s hand squeezes around hers, and then she’s being tugged away from the sanctuary and out into the main temple, and the sight waiting for her is unlike one she had ever seen.
Temporary stalls create rows of attractions for attendees to stop at, and there’s such a variety of things to do that the tree spirit has a hard time wrapping her head around it. All sorts of delicious aromas of street foods fill the air, and she can see several stands selling candies, toys, and other trinkets. She even recognizes another shrine caretaker tending to a stall selling charms and protective accessories commonly made here.
And then there were so many people, the crowd just as big as it gets on some major holidays. There were a lot of parents guiding children around, and thanks to Oda’s height, Kouyou is able to spot him in the distance, guiding around a group of small children. She smiles to herself at the sight, then looks to Yosano, who’s watching the tree spirit with a carefully guarded expression.
“So, is it anything like you expected?”
“... Actually,” the redhead pauses, lightly squeezing the other’s hand, “it’s even better.”
“Yeah?” Akiko smirks at the remark. “Well, guess I better make sure you enjoy it all. Come on, let’s go!”
With that, Kouyou is whisked away into the crowd as she clings onto her companion’s hand like a lifeline, praying that they don’t end up separated. The pair wind their way through the stalls, Yosano letting the spirit try whatever catches her attention, and ends up buying a folding fan that she became captivated by, and the redhead looks so pleased that she can’t help but smile when she looks at her.
They spent a long time walking together, and by the time they had seen everything the shrine’s festival had to offer, both women seemed tired from all the activity. Kouyou is about to suggest that they head back to the sanctuary to rest and wind down for the night but—
“Hey, want to get away from this crowd?” The question startles the spirit for a moment, and when she looks at Yosano, she’s wearing an expectant look.
“Actually, I was thinking the same. Let’s be off,” the tree spirit replies, smiling.
The woman grins, and leads her companion to the main building on the temple grounds. The noise of the crowd diminishes as they make their way around to the back, where a ladder has been propped against the edge of the roof.
Kouyou looks it over with a questioning look, giving Yosano enough time to climb up the first two rungs before stopping to turn to the spirit. “Don’t worry, it’s safe! Come on up!” she says, inviting, before continuing her climb up. Once she reaches the top, she crawls onto the roof, then turns to hold onto the side rails.
The tree spirit presses her lips together, looking up at her companion before tentatively climbing up after her. The ladder is sturdy beneath her, and Yosano’s added support makes her feel safer being up so high. When she reaches the top, the other pulls her into her lap, confidently grinning. “Hey, told you it’d be fine!” she chuckled.
Kouyou smiles at her companion, then takes a moment to look around at the scenery. The glow of the festival lights barely illuminated their surroundings, the silhouettes of all the trees standing black against the night sky. And when she lifted her eyes to gaze into the twinkling constellations mapped out against the deep dark blue.
“Pretty up here, isn’t it?” Akiko asks, leaning her head back and turning her gaze skyward.
The tree spirit nods, her lips tipping into a smile.
“Thanks.” She’s aware of the other looking at her now, so she twists to face her as well. “For doing all of this for me. I’m sure it was a lot of trouble,” she explains.
Yosano snickers a bit. “Those old bags were against it until they found out they could get some spare change out of it.”
“Kiko, that’s terrible!” Kouyou chuckled.
“Hah? That’s really what happened! Honest!”
“That’s very convincing.”
“Kouyou, really!”
The spirit laughs, rocking back into her companion. Thin arms find their way around her middle, and Yosano rests her chin on the other’s shoulder.
“You always smell like flowers… It’s nice,” she mutters, letting out a soft sigh.
“I couldn’t imagine why that would be…”
Yosano lets out a small huff. “If you’re going to keep being snarky with me…”
“What will you do?” Kouyou asks, turning her face towards her. Their proximity was so close that she was sure that she could see the light on her own face reflected in the other’s magenta eyes.
Akiko smiles softly, tilting her head forward and keeping her voice just above a whisper. “Wanna find out?”
A pop! in the air couples with blooming colors in the sky above them, and when their lips touched, everything was washed with gold.
Fall
“Can you believe he’s leaving in a week?”
Yosano and Kouyou were sitting together at the front of the shrine, watching as leaves of various warm colors flutter to the ground. Someone would have to sweep them up later, and the caretaker had half a mind to make the new kid do it, though she couldn’t quite remember their name. Some little redhead that had taken a liking to the tree spirit.
Said spirit lets out a sigh, her eyes forlorn as she stares out over the treetops. “I’m used to people leaving this place after so long. I’m surprised he didn’t leave during the summer.”
Akiko lets out a low hum, leaning back on her hands. “I get it, though. I’ve been wanting to at least go to university, you know?” she murmured.
Kouyou looks at her, expression guarded. “... You’re leaving, too?” she asks.
The other sighs, shaking her head. “I don’t know… Maybe. It’d be sometime next year, if I did, but…” She looks at the spirit, frowning to herself. “I’d rather not leave you alone, you know?”
The redhead turns away, silent for a long moment. “... Don’t hold yourself back because of me, okay? I’ll be fine. There will still be people here,” she murmurs, her voice steady.
“Are you sure..? I mean, I don’t want to—”
“Akiko.” Kouyou stands, smiling down at her companion. “Go do what makes you happy.” With that, she turns and walks up the steps toward her tree’s sanctuary. Yosano watches her with a worried expression, because her response was concerning at best, but also…
That smile didn’t reach her eyes.
Winter
The sigh she lets out condenses into a little cloud that floats up and away before dissipating. She digs in her purse for her phone, still on silent from when she took her final exam for the semester just a few minutes ago. She was heading back to her dorms, heels clicking against the pavement, until she stopped, staring at a voicemail left by one of the caretakers at the shrine. She opens the message, holding her phone to her ear.
“Yosano!” The worry in Haruno’s voice is clear, even through the lower quality of the recording, making a bubble of concern in the pit of her stomach. “It’s about Kouyou, she— Well, we don’t know what’s wrong with her. The camellia tree is withering, nobody knows why! A-Anyways, I know you’ve been busy with your classes, but if you could stop by… we’d really appreciate it. I know you two are close, so… Sorry you had to find out this way. I’ll let you know if anything happens, okay? Um, bye-bye.”
The recording ends with a soft click, and Yosano’s left standing in the cold in silence. Slowly, she lowers her hand, the screen going dark without any input. She takes a deep breath, then stuffs the phone back into her purse before running down the sidewalk to her dorms.
She was not going to leave Kouyou alone like this.
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The train ride to the shrine felt unbearably long, and every passing second tightened a knot in her chest. She struggled to ignore it, but it didn’t start lessening until she saw the familiar gates of the temple. Yosano rushed up the steps, barely sparing any of the attendants a second glance as she rushed to Kouyou’s sanctuary.
When she finally gets inside, she has to stop before she can stumble, her heart stilling in her chest when she sees what state the camellia tree is in.
A number of dry, dead leaves were laying on the ground, and the ones that were still attached to their branches were slowly beginning to turn black in sporadic clumps. Kouyou herself is nowhere to be found, meaning she must be too weak to manifest. The sight of it all made her feel sick, but her determination wouldn’t be shaken just yet. Throwing her coat to the side and rolling up her sleeves, she kneels on the ground and gets to work.
It’s a long process of pushing away drooping branches to reach the roots. Tiny black vines are sprawled across the ground around the tree that definitely shouldn’t be there, so she starts by extracting those first, being careful not to disturb the tree. When she’s just about to pluck the last vine out of the ground, it gets caught on something under the soil. Yosano scrapes away at the dirt, until she’s able to pull the vine free along with some thing that it’s entangled with. The object is dark in color and gives off an unnerving feeling that makes rage boil in her stomach, so it gets thrown out of the sanctuary to be brought to a priest.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Yosano calls over a few other caretakers to help her fertilize, bless, and water the tree now that the cursed object was removed from its roots. The mention of one being there in the first place makes one’s face pale, while another looked just as angry as Akiko felt.
The sun sets and rises again before they’re through with tending to Kouyou’s tree. By the time they had done everything they could, each caretaker was exhausted from lack of sleep. Yosano doesn’t want to leave the tree unattended, but one of the priests assures her that they would watch over Kouyou until she was rested, so… she returned to her old room.
It was a strange feeling to still call the room her own, considering that most of her belongings were still in her dorm room at the university. She tossed her belongings onto the dresser, before letting out a long sigh and sinking into a bed that was much comfier than she recalled. Yosano took a long look around the room, remembering where everything used to be and the last time she had been in here, with Kouyou, before packing it all away.
It was all she could do now to pray she’d have moments like that again, and as she lay there, hoping and wishing, it was all that was on her mind when she drifted off to sleep.
Spring, Emergence
While the camellia tree survived the curse, it’s recovery went slowly until the beginning of spring. During that time, Yosano had moved back to the shrine to be closer to Kouyou, making sure she was tended to. The spirit had been severely weakened, but she was slowly regaining her energy.
When Yosano enters the sanctuary today, she finds Kouyou sitting under her tree, observing the branches, and the other doesn’t look up until she’s walked over and standing beside her, leaning down enough to place her hands on the spirit’s shoulders.
“How are you today?” she asks, smiling softly at her companion.
“I think… I’ll be fine, after a few more weeks,” the redhead murmurs. The other nods, then sits beside her, looking up into the tree’s branches.
“I’m glad… You’re already looking a lot better than before.”
Kouyou is silent for a moment, and then she leans up, gently plucking a stem from one of the branches. She settles back down, then turns to Yosano, placing it in her hands.
“For you.”
“Eh? What’s this all of a sudden?”
“You can grow it… at your dorm, when you go back. That way I’m still with you, in a way,” the spirit says, her voice quiet.
Yosano stares at her, then looks at the little cutting. “... You’re such a sap.”
“Excuse me? Do I need to take it back?”
“ No! I’m keeping it!”
Kouyou smiles, chuckling at the quick response. “Then take good care of it.”
“Yeah. I will, you don’t have to ask,” Akiko mutters.
When she
does
return to her dorm, it’s with a pot of soil, a small sapling just barely beginning to grow. It makes for a little reminder of home, bringing her just a bit closer.