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“Come on!” Marisa said as she tugged hard on Reimu’s yukata sleeve. “It’ll be fun!”
“You know I hate fortune tellers…” Reimu said, grimacing. The concept of them had never sat right with her ever since that incident .
“It’s a festival!” Marisa protested as she tugged harder.
Indeed it was a festival. Celebrations had started in the human village in honor of the midsummer harvest. Down every street and at every corner were stalls for food, games, and gifts. The air was thick and warm, and filled with the laughter and conversations of the partygoers.
Above the streets hung glowing red lanterns, painted and decorated to accommodate the summertime aesthetic. They blew gently in the wind as warm sweet air glided in from the north. It foretold of colder weather, but, for now at least, the summer night was a perfect one for a festival.
Reimu, adorned in her favorite checkered red yukata was being tugged forwards by Marisa, who was dressed in a striped blue and white western style summer dress, complete with a wide brimmed and heavily damaged sunhat.
“Pleeeassee…” Marisa pleaded. “Come on, I’ll pay.”
“No you won’t.” Reimu said flatly, catching her in the obvious lie.
Marisa turned back to her and stuck out her tongue, “Well, I was going to pay with your money.”
“No!” Reimu protested again.
Marisa let go of Reimu’s sleeve and folded her arms, obviously annoyed.
“Last time I had to deal with a fortune teller I had to exterminate him.”
“I know, but this one will be different!” Marisa said, “I heard this one’s not some creepy old guy. This one’s a cute girl~!” Marisa said, grinning a scheming smile.
No doubt this evening would end with one of two options, Reimu assessed.
- Marisa would seduce the fortune teller into leaving her booth and persuade her into accompanying her to the festival as a date; thus leaving Reimu as the third wheel for the rest of the night.
- Marisa would strike out with the fortune teller, making her feel dejected; thus leaving her clingy. This would inevitably lead to Marisa clinging onto Reimu the entirety of the night.
The second option didn’t sound… too bad. Reimu noted with a nervous squirm in her stomach.
Recently, reluctantly, she had admitted to herself that she was indeed unconditionally and irrevocably in love with Marisa. This admittal had taken years, decades even, to come to light. Now that she had acknowledged it, it had become constantly the very forefront of her thoughts.
The idea of having Marisa so close… Well… It was a 50/50 shot. Might as well go for it.
“Fine…” Reimu said reluctantly.
Marisa literally jumped for joy, her wide sunhat bounced with the movement. She had to reach up to steady it before it fell off.
Marisa shot her hand forwards and took Reimu’s in her own. Reimu felt a flood of absolute delight fill her body. She tightened her grip on Marisa’s hand, wishing to never let go.
“Then let’s go!” Marisa said as she led them forward.
Somewhat reluctantly, Reimu followed. She tried not to think about the high likelihood Marisa would soon be flirting with another woman. Instead, she focused on their intertwined hands. Marisa’s hand was so calloused, yet so warm. Reimu felt the nearly uncontrollable urge to bring it to her lips and kiss it; finger after finger, knuckle after knuckle.
Reimu fell into a daze as she daydreamed about this. Her fantasies led her in another direction, this time, Marisa was kissing Reimu’s own hands. Would her lips be just as warm? Would they be chapped? Would they be soft? Probably a bit of all the above... Reimu had spent so much time staring at them recently, she had memorized every angle and curve; she could practically imagine exactly what they felt like if she tried hard enough. Still, Reimu’s heart yearned to feel her lips in reality, not just in her daydreaming.
She had no idea how long she had been lost in her daze, but before she knew it Marisa was calling her name. She was dragged violently out of her thoughts, and found herself blinking in the warm glow of the red festival lanterns once again.
“You doin’ ok?” Marisa asked, looking mildly worried.
“I’m… fine…” Reimu said shaking her head to chase away the lasting Marisa ridden clouds in her mind.
“We’re here.” Marisa said, nodding towards the large booth before them. It was draped in purple curtains, obscuring the inside, and the smell of sage and lavender incense was emanating from it. It stood out like a sore thumb next to the gift shop stalls flanking it on either sides. The vendors in these stalls seemed disgruntled to be set up next to it to say the least; they were obviously outshined by its grandiosity, and it seemed their business sales had tanked because of it.
“Come in…” Said a light voice from behind the purple curtain.
Marisa whistled in approval. “She’s already good. No way she could have known we were out here.”
“Or she just peeked out the curtain…” Reimu said under her breath.
They made their way inside of the booth, closing the curtain behind them. They were immediately swallowed up by near complete darkness. Their eyes had to adjust to the dim candle light which was the sole source of lighting in the entire booth.
The candles were black and were set on a large old wooden table just inside. A short young woman sat at that table, idly shuffling a deck of cards in her hands. She had shoulder length curly hair, and her face was unimpressive save for a pair of dark shadowed hollows under her eyes which were visible even in the darkness.
She looked up at them and smiled as she shuffled her deck one last time before setting it loudly on the table. The candles shook slightly with the impact. The wiggling light of the burning flames gave the tent a disorienting shake before settling back down once again.
“So, the miko and the witch have come for a reading. I’ve foreseen this.”
“Uh huh.” Reimu said, completely unamused. She had seen enough. The decore, the obvious makeup, this entire booth was fake. She was about to get ripped off by this actress just for the entertainment of Marisa. She sighed, annoyed.
“Please take a seat.” The fortune teller said as she motioned to the two seats sitting opposite her on Marisa and Reimu’s end of the table.
Strange, Reimu hadn’t noticed these chairs at first, but it was dark after all.
Reimu and Marisa did what they were told. Marisa leaned in eagerly towards the table. She eyed the fortune teller’s deck with wide greedy eyes. Reimu idly wondered if Marisa would attempt to swipe them.
“My name is Umihana.” The fortune teller said as she split the deck before her. “I’m a tarot reader, and my specialties revolve around predictions of the future.”
“Oooooh.” Marisa exclaimed slowly. She turned to Reimu in a hushed voice, “Reimu, that’s so cool.”
“Your names are Kirisame Marisa and Hakurei Reimu.” Umihana said confidently.
How typical, of course she would say that after Marisa had just said her name. As for how she knew Marisa’s name, she probably overheard them talking outside or something.
“Yeah.” Reimu said. She eyed the deck in Umihana’s hands. Umihana shuffled it once again. How annoying, could she be any more performative?
“You would like a reading?” Umihana asked.
“That’s why we’re here.” Reimu said bluntly as she folded her arms.
Umihana cast her eyes on Reimu and frowned, yet she cut the deck once again without looking down.
“What would you like to ask the cards? Your futures in fortune? Perhaps luck? Or,” Her eyes focused flatly on Reimu, “Would you like to ask about love?”
Reimu swallowed.
“Oh, oh,” Marisa was practically jumping up and down in her seat, “I want to ask about fortune! Will I get rich?!”
Umihana looked over at her and smiled a cryptic smile.
“So it’s fortune you seek… Hmm…” Umihana placed the cards on the table before spreading them out in a long fan shape. The card backs were purple with inlays of gold accents which glittered ominously in the candlelight. The shining gold details reflected greedily in Marisa’s eyes as she scanned over them impatiently.
“Draw just three.” Umihana said as she motioned to the cards.
Marisa’s hand shot out and she did just that. She grabbed the three closest to her as if she were afraid that Umihana would take the cards back.
Marisa flipped the cards over in her hand and looked at them questioningly.
“Place them flat on the table please.” Umihana said as she collected the remaining cards on the table and patted them neatly back into a deck once again.
Marisa did just that, flipping them over one at a time and placing them down before Umihana.
“Upright moon, reversed four of pentacles, reversed nine of cups.” Umihana said as she examined the cards before her.
Reimu looked at the cards as well. She couldn’t read the writing on them, it must have been in some foriegn language. She squinted at them, attempting to decipher them. One was obviously a moon. The other two seemed to just be random images of men. What was a four of pentacles? She asked herself. Probably made up. She decided.
Umihana frowned as she looked between the cards and Marisa.
“Hmm…” Umihana hummed as she placed her fingers together.
“Is that good!?” Marisa asked excitedly.
“How do I break this to you…?” Umihana asked lowly as if to herself.
Marisa frowned. She looked down at the cards worriedly, “Break what to me?”
Umihana breathed out her nose and shook her head. She tapped the cards one at a time muttering something to herself. The candlelight flickered as she did so.
“You, Marisa,” She began, “Are a greedy lying woman. You’re careless with your spendings. I see nothing but financial ruin in the future for you.”
“ARE YOU KIDDING!?” Marisa shouted.
The flames flickered, and Umihana shook her head sadly as she collected the three cards.
“And, unfortunately I don’t see your demeanor or financial luck changing anytime soon.”
“No way, no way!” Marisa said reaching for the deck. She took the very top card of the deck and slammed it hard on the table. “Read that one. Tell me your prediction is wrong. This one’s really lucky, right?” Marisa said desperately.
Everyone looked down at the card. It was an image of a tall building crumbling and burning.
“Is that good?!” Marisa asked.
Umihana shook her head and took the card back.
“The tower…” Umihana said lowly. “Unfortunately for you, Marisa, that’s widely agreed upon to be the worst card in the deck.”
“Damn.” Marisa said leaning back in her chair defeatedly.
Umihana shook her head and collected the singular card on the table.
“My advice for you.” Umihana said as she began shuffling the deck again, “Is to turn over a new leaf. Or, that would be my advice if I didn’t know that was completely impossible for you.”
At this Reimu laughed. The sound caught the attention of the fortune teller. She eyed Reimu up and down for a second before smiling a knowing smile.
“And for you?” She asked nonchalantly as she began shuffling her deck once more. “Reimu, what would you like to ask the deck?”
“Eh…” Reimu said, still smiling at Marisa who was deep in a depressive pout, “Surprise me.”
“Love it is.” Umihana said immediately as if she were expecting this answer.
As Reimu heard this decision, her head shot in the direction of Umihana. Umihana was smirking at her, her dark brown eyes glinted with something in the candlelight.
Marisa also perked up at Umihana’s words.
“Ooooh, love?” Marisa said as she elbowed Reimu in the side, “Who will the great Hakurei Reimu fall in love with?” Marisa joked.
Reimu huffed and shook her head. If Marisa only knew…
Umihana set the deck of cards down on the table and spread it out in a fan shape once again.
“Draw three cards please.” Umihana said.
Reimu leaned forwards begrudgingly and drew. She turned them over in her hand before placing them on the table. She once again couldn’t tell what two of them were, but she could see clearly one depicted two people holding hands. Was that good? Reimu thought as she felt a swirl of butterflies in her stomach.
Reimu placed the cards down on the table nervously. Marisa leaned forwards over her shoulder and examined them curiously.
“Hm…” Umihana said as she simply cast a glance at Reimu’s cards. She collected the deck once again and placed it aside as she looked Reimu directly in the eyes. Umihana hadn’t even looked at Reimu’s cards for more than 5 seconds. Reimu swallowed. Was that bad? Was it that bad? ”
“Upright knight of wands, upright four of wands, upright lovers…” Umihana said deliberately slowly.
Reimu swallowed again. Lovers?
“Reimu,” Umihana began, a smile spreading wider across her face, “I’m sure you can guess what the lovers card depicts.”
“Is that… good?”
Umihana laughed and nodded, “Yes, I’d say it’s good.” Umihana shook her head as she tapped the card depicting the two people holding hands before doing the same to the other two cards, “Yes, in fact, your whole hand is very good.”
Umihana sat back in her chair, it creaked under her weight.
“Reimu, it seems you’re to be very lucky in love. You will find happiness, and you will find it soon. In fact, as Marisa drew the worst card in the deck, you’ve drawn the best.” She said.
“Which is?”
“The four of wands. Ah, yes, and in a love reading too. My congratulations. I see a wedding close in your future.”
“A wedding!?” Reimu and Marisa said in unison. Reimu blushed beet red. She cast a glance over at Marisa and found… Marisa was also blushing, and hard too.
“It seems your love is requited. Again, congratulations.” Umihana said with a light laugh. The candles in the booth let out a small crackle as if they were laughing as well.
This is all just fake… Reimu tried to remind herself… But… what if…
“Requited love? A wedding? Wh-what?” Reimu asked quickly.
“With who!?” Marisa demanded.
Umihana laughed hard at this. She drew the very top card of the deck and slapped it down at the table.
The card depicted… a witch.
“The magician.” Umihana said without even looking down at the card.
Both Marisa and Reimu choked. Reimu couldn’t bear to look at Marisa, but she could feel Marisa’s eyes boring onto her face. Reimu was barely breathing. It felt as if her world was spinning.
“Now, the magician could mean a lot of things… It can mean a best friend, someone powerful, someone adept at taking action, someone confident and resourceful… Can you think of anyone like that?” Umihana asked, but she was shuffling her cards again as if she weren’t listening for a reply.
“Um…” Reimu swallowed. Her throat was so dry it hurt. If this wasn’t fake, if this was real… could it mean… Reimu finally found it in herself to look at Marisa.
Marisa was still staring at her, her face was set like stone. Her gold eyes glimmered questioningly in the candlelight as if she were trying to make herself ask something, but was unable to. Her lips, set in a firm straight line, parted as if she were going to say something, but instead closed once again.
Reimu realized she was staring for just a second too long and quickly looked away. Instead she focused her gaze on Umihana who had started whistling nonchalantly.
“Is that it?” Reimu asked. “Is that my reading?”
“Is it?” Umihana asked.
“Don’t be cryptic.” Reimu all but pleaded. She needed to know if this was real. She needed to know what to do, “What… what am I supposed to-”
“My suggestion.” Umihana said as she set down her deck of cards. “Is to embrace your feelings. Love will follow.”
“O-ok…” Reimu said quietly.
“Now…” Umihana said clearing her throat. “For two readings, that’ll be 4,000¥.”
“You’re kidding!!!” Reimu demanded.
Umihana shook her head dismissively. She tapped a sign which definitely wasn’t there two seconds ago.
Tarot Readings 2,000¥
“Ugh…” Reimu angrily took out her wallet from her pouch purse, momentarily forgetting the swarm of butterflies in her stomach. She slapped the money down onto the table. She was about to cast a dirty look at Marisa, blaming her for the expense, but she stopped when she saw Marisa was looking abashedly at the ground twiddling with her fingers. She glanced up at Reimu and quietly said,
“Thanks for paying.”
Did Marisa just seriously thank her? Reimu blinked.
Umihana chuckled to herself and collected her fee from the table. She nodded and offered the two women a smile. “Please come back anytime. I’ll be here the rest of the weekend. Oh, and tell your friends!” Umihana said.
With that, Reimu and Marisa, both still quietly blushing to themselves, stood and exited the small tent.
They were immediately assaulted with the bright lights of the red lanterns and the sounds of the crowd surrounding them. Only then did Reimu realize how quiet it had been inside the booth.
Reimu and Marisa stood there for a very long moment, neither of which saying anything.
Then Marisa cleared her throat. “Um, I’m hungry.” She said in her best attempt at her normal speaking voice.
“Ok.” Reimu said dumbly, not knowing exactly what else to say.
“Let’s go get some takoyaki or something.” Marisa said as she extended her hand for Reimu to take.
Reimu looked at it in disbelief for a long moment before taking it in her own.
Marisa interlaced her fingers with Reimu’s and gave her hand a squeeze.
Reimu felt her heart jolt. She squeezed Marisa’s hand back.
They made their way down the street away from the fortune teller’s tent hand in hand.