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A solitary figure stood under the Sacred Sakura.
Yae Miko pretended to read the itinerary for upcoming ceremonies, but her eyes drooped down to the brown slip above the parchment. Sayu had given her a hastily scribbled and abridged description of the Shogun's walk through Inazuma with the traveler. The enemy of Eternity, as Ei said. Well, Ei said a lot of things. That she would come back, enjoy a cup of warm tea under the timeless scenery. But Yae knew better than to place her full trust in those hollow words.
Yae studied the excess grain of the paper, fascinated at how it stayed intact with such a fragile foundation. Then Yae ripped it apart in one slow motion, the scraps fluttered down like snow before settling in a small pile of dust in front of her. She bent down, scolded herself, and carried the torn remnants of the note to a proper resting place. Were there no onlookers, Yae would have used her Electro vision to conjure a spark to set them ablaze. That note was behind her now. She would never see it again.
But the image of it would be entangled in her flawless memory.
Still, she couldn't be too despondent. Tomorrow was the scheduled monthly visit from Kujou Sara. Yae did admit developing a liking to the girl, who chose to reach for her instead of shy away. Being the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine came with perks but it was accompanied by a prestige that hindered her from making friends.
"Fried Tofu. As per the Shogun's request."
Sara arrived quite late. With a bag of hot fried tofu in one hand, carrying as if it were some sort of breakable ornament. Yae sighed, low enough for Sara not to hear, and gestured to a nearby table. The tolerance she's built up over the years restained Yae from swatting the bag out of Sara's hands and hurling it at the ground. The Guuji refusing a gift from a Shogun, wouldn't that be unsightly? She could. Only a few (and trusted) Shrine maidens as well as the somewhat clueless general before her would witness the rage-incited outcry. But she did not give in and stared at Sara's disoriented state instead.
A few hairs were out of place and a generous amount of sweat was beading down her neck. Fried tofu was delicious, but so was-
"Are you alright?" Sara asked.
"Hm?" Yae's eyes traveled up to Sara's. She furrowed her brows as she found herself under a pitying gaze. "I'm fine. What made you think otherwise?" Sara tilted her head to the untouched bag of tofu. Sliding it close to Yae, mouthing a short prayer to the Sacred Sakura. "Fried tofu is your favorite food, is it not? I assumed you would have had at least a bite by now." Yae settled the bag on the floor, occupying the table with her stiffened hands instead. "I like fried tofu because it reminds me of a simpler time. A time where I wasn't shackled by any obligations and free to pursue the heart of a stubborn archon." Sara's stare softened, but it did not waver. It seemed like she expected Yae had more to say.
"Tell me, general. What made you stray from the path you so faithfully set for yourself?" Yae hummed a faint tune, offering Sara a toothless smile. The other woman knitted her brows together before replying in a low exhale. "I've heard in passing that empathy helps you connect with others." Yae noticed that Sara had been drumming along to her tune, amused, her hands eased flat onto the table.
"That was an adequate display of empathy. If you'd like, I can give you the more thorough answer." Yae replied. And it was Sara's turn to smile. Yae watched the subtle curve of her lips, her narrowed eyes, and the rising heartbeat that echoed across the air. She now understood why people spent fortunes buying kameras. The moment faded, and Sara met Yae's gaze again, silently urging her to continue.
Yae nodded. She would save that sight in the less wrangled part of her memory.
"If it's not too much trouble... I would also like a simple answer. After you explain, of course."
"Fried tofu is my favorite not because of its flavor. But because of its utility. I've used it to monopolize a stubborn deity's attention, making her believe that she could appease me with such a simple gesture." Ascend to the tallest height and experience the sensation of lightning. Yae reached that metaphorical peak, only to be pushed back down by the force she'd tried so desperately to control. "It has been a great tool. But with time, tools exhaust their uses."
A sakura petal fell on Yae's head, and Sara shook her gloved hand before she picked it out of Yae's hair. "The simple answer is that I guess I don't favor fried tofu all that much. I'd prefer if you brought me a meatier dish -- like grilled fish." Yae grabbed Sara's hand, removed the glove, and planted a small kiss, winking at Sara as she did. "Thank you for the tofu." Yae chuckled a little. "And the empathy," She added after she regained her composure.
Sara arrived much calmer during her next visit. She brought another bundle of food, and a familiar aroma tugged at Yae's heart.
"Grilled fish. As per the Guuji's request."