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“That’s it, just a little more to the left! There you go!” A soldier walking in front instructed the others walking in front of the wooden carts to watch out for bumps in the road.
The main road on Watatsumi Island was yet to be properly renovated after the war and it was partly in poor condition. That made transporting incoming shipments difficult, especially since the road leading to the village was narrow and surrounded by cliffs.
After the war ended, the Watatsumi Island had gradually recovered, and the lives of the islanders had improved. Since the borders were open once more, the nation of Inazuma welcomed travelers again. Hence, Watatsumi Island as well had been experiencing a noticeable increase in visitors recently.
The merchants were eager to get their hands on the local specialities; the Sango Pearls especially were in high demand among the jewellers and blacksmiths. And right on their heels had the tourists arrived to admire the island’s nature which was unlike anywhere else. The dense variety of colours was almost otherworldly. While the shrine, as an entrance to Enkanomiya, was mainly off-limits for casual travelers, the view from the village was still breathtaking. The Pearlescent Palace was, in a way, the heart of Watatsumi Island.
The island welcomed these visitors – and the Mora they brought with them, with open arms.
Since the soil of the island was unsuitable for farming – despite the efforts and innovations of the local farmers – the people of Watatsumi relied heavily on trading with other islands.
The surrounding waters provided them plenty of fish and other delicacies of the sea – though that was true for the rest of Inazuma as well. But the island’s lack of natural resources made it essential to import other necessarily goods. Despite the fact that Watatsumi Island was still in the middle of healing the wounds of the past.
The latest shipment of rice, spices, wheat and other important ingredients had just arrived to the Bourou Village, the small village next to the Sangonomiya Shrine. Though the shrine was located in the center of the island, it wasn’t easy to get to.The supplies had to be unpacked in the village and delivered there by foot. It was hard work and required the help of several people.
The delivery consisted of multiple crates, sacks and packages, most of them were piled on top of each other on the wooden cart. The Adventurers' Guild of Inazuma had been recruiting people to aid in safely transporting the cargo to Watatsumi Island. Luckily for them, Traveler and their reliable companion had appeared and volunteered to help.
“Hhyoooh…!” Paimon shrieked when she managed to lift a small sack of powdered sugar.
“Look, look! Paimon is helping!” she beamed at Traveler, begging for compliments. Traveler simply nodded and proceeded to easily pick up two big crates, one in each hand. (“Show off!” Paimon pouted.)
“Woaah! You’re so strong!”
A group of children surrounded them in awe. The children had been following the working adults from the sidelines, but this new act of strength had lured them closer.
“Hey, hey, get out of the way!”
“Get out of there! You’re bothering them”, yelled Fumio, one of the elderly ladies of the village. She and a few others had grouped on the porch to divide spices into smaller portions. They wanted to make sure every family would get their share, and smaller portions were easier to store.
“No, we aren’t”, one of them tried, in vain.
“Listen to auntie, you’re better off there away from the cart”, one of the working adults joined, “you’ll just get in the way.”
“It’s all for your own good! I don’t want any of you to get hurt“, Gorou stepped in and everyone turned around to hear his words.
“General Gorou!”
“Aww, but we want to help out too!” A child named Risa insisted.
“I’m happy you want to help but right now the best way you can help is by staying out of the way.”
“But…!” Another child, Tomi joined the pouting.
“Let’s all have snacks after we’ve finished unpacking everything!”
“Okaaay…!” The promise sparked joyful glees and shouts and the children started scattering away from the cargo.
Traveler gave the army general a thankful nod and thought about how much weight Gorou’s words still carried amongst the people of Watatsumi.
“Wow, it looks like Gorou’s words still carry a lot of weight here on Watatsumi!” Paimon exclaimed.
The wooden cart shook and creaked as one of the helpers was trying to reach a package of medicine. He lost his balance and tumbled against the pile of crates. The packages began to fall down from the impact and the man fell to his back on the ground.
“Look out!”
A young girl Yui had been collecting leftover debrief from the packages. Now she was frozen on her tracks, eyes full of fear, as a heavy crate plummeted towards her. Just as it was about to hit, a blur of motion sprang into action. With certain movements Gorou reached her and wrapped his arms around her. He sprang to the side and the crate crashed to the ground with loud thud, narrowly missing them both.
The villagers rushed to their side, their hearts pounding with fear. Yui clung to the general, visibly shaking. The crowd let out gasps of relief once it realized the girl was unharmed.
“Whoa, that’s general Gorou for you!”
“So cool!”
“Are you alright?” Gorou’s voice was calm but full of concern as he gently held her in his arms.
The little girl nodded. “Y-Yes… thank you, General…” she whispered with a trembling voice as Gorou helped her to her feet and guided Yui to her mother who quickly held her tight.
“I’m s- so sorry! I just lost my balance and I- it’s all my fault“, the man trembled, his grasp tightening around the grass, but Gorou’s reassuring words stopped him.
“It was an accident. Nobody got hurt. Don’t blame yourself over it”, Gorou said, his ears wiggled as he tried to calm the man down.
“But- but…” the man tried but Gorou shook his head and helped him up.
“That was so cool!” Paimon shrieked when Gorou returned to the traveling duo.
“I’m just happy everyone is alright”, he said, “everyone’s safety is my top priority so…just be more careful from now on!”
“No, no, that was incredible! You were all SWOOSH and SWISH!” Paimon re-enacted excitedly.
“Haah… well, thank you. Okay, let’s get back to work!” the general sighed and clapped his hands.
“Everyone, be more careful from now on, in case there are more loose crates underneath!” he instructed.
As the afternoon sun dyed the entrance of the village in a warm, orange glow, the heavy work gradually got done. The last of the packages had been unloaded and while the tired workers celebrated their accomplishments, the children went around handing out refreshments for everyone. Sweet tea drinks, dried fish cakes and – to Gorou’s joy – some western style sweet pastries.
Traveler held a cup of green tea in their hands and watched how Gorou started with the dessert.
“…What?” Gorou mumbled his mouth full, still savoring the taste.
“You did well earlier.”
Paimon nodded in agreement, her expression reflecting genuine admiration. "That's right! Gorou was like a lightning out there!"
Gorou grinned sheepishly and his tail wagged at the compliments.
"Thanks," he replied, his voice laced with a mixture of pride and humility. "Just doing my duty."
“Paimon is right, though”, Traveler smiled warmly and took a sip of their drink, “that was great speed. Good boy, Gorou.”
‘Good boy’
Something in those words resonated somewhere deep inside him.
Time around them seemed to stand still while he tried to grasp the meaning of the words.
A pride swelled in his chest and a warm glow spread all over his body. But at the same time his heart started to beat faster and his palms grew damp with sweat. The unfamiliar fluttering in his stomach made him feel at unease, yet he felt … happy?
These words of praise felt different from the ones he got from the villagers.
It was a simple phrase for Traveler but it carried a weight that truly impacted Gorou. The rush of mixed emotions caught him off guard and Gorou almost choked on his cake.
“What’s wrong?” Traveled asked worryingly while hitting his back and Paimon panicked next to them.
“N- *cough cough* N-Nothing at all!” Gorou barked in the middle of wild coughs. After Traveler and Paimon had managed to calm him down, he rushed to change the subject and turn the awkward (for him at least) mood around. “Wh-where did you say you were heading next?”
“To Liyue! Paimon and Traveler are going to this local cooking contest and the food is going to be so good and our friend is competing and- “, Paimon said, excited. The topic spurred her into rambling, and she continued to talk about food for what seemed like hours.
The traveling duo didn’t have time to stay for the night. They wanted to get aboard the earliest ship and would find an inn closer to the port town of Ritou. It was a shame, Gorou thought while setting down his futon in the shared quarters. He really enjoyed hearing Traveler’s stories; they were always so interesting! It would’ve been nice to fall asleep to one of them, he sighed while unfolding his blanket.
‘Good boy.’
The two cursed words appeared from the deep within him – the place where he had barely managed to force them in.
He pushed the blanket against his face and tried to curl into a ball, his tail hiding in between his legs.
Gorou felt the need to cover himself as if by hiding he would’ve been able to escape the embarrassment. Thank the Orobashi, he was alone in the room. Others were still outside. Despite having a full day of hard work, the men still had energy to gossip late into the night.
Why was he feeling this way? It was just a few simple words of praise, after all!
Getting complimented wasn’t anything new for Gorou. And yes, the Excellency’s words sometimes managed to get him flustered and speechless as well. Miss Kokomi had a great way of words and always knew what to say to boost one’s morale but…
The things she said had never made him feel like this. Like a…
The front door swung open and his men marched in. The general quickly slipped under the covers and pretended to sleep. He wasn’t in a mood to talk right now, he needed more time to think.
“Oh, the general is already asleep…”
“We better keep it quiet then.”
“Yeah, we can’t have him waking up. After all he worked so hard today…”
“He ALWAYS works hard, harder than anyone else.”
The men started setting up their beds while whispering. Gorou appreciated that they were attempting to stay quiet.
A part of him, that he had no idea existed, kept pestering him. It kept insisting that he wanted to hear the words again. That he wanted to be praised more and more. Gorou heard a low thumping and opened his eyes in shock.
His tail! How dared it betray him in a moment like this!
He quickly grabbed his wagging tail to force it to stay still.
While holding his tail, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. It was time to sleep and he was just getting more and more restless. He needed to calm down already.
Gorou rested his head against the firm pillow. However, everytime he was about to fall asleep, the cursed memory appeared from the back of his head and jerked him awake.
And so, the morning arrived and he had barely slept.
-----
“Gorou?”
He jolted.
“Yes your Excellency...!”
Kokomi stared at him from the report she was reading. She had been working organizing important papers all day and now had asked Gorou for an insight.
“You’re dozing off. I take it you didn’t sleep well?”
“Ah-! No, not at all! I feel extremely rested!” Gorou felt embarrassed, how could he ignore the head priestess like that.
“Gorou”, she said sternly, “you have been distant for days now. Sure, your troops don’t seem to have noticed it yet, but I can tell you look tired. Are you sure you rest enough?”
“Thank you for your kind concerns Miss Kokomi but I get a lot of sleep! I was just- just a little absent-minded. I’ll try harder in the future!” He felt bad for lying and hope Kokomi would let it go.
She was correct, though. He hadn’t been sleeping well lately. He hadn’t been able to brush off what happened two weeks ago with Traveler. During the day, Gorou managed to keep from thinking about it, but when nighttime came, so would the memory.
“Getting enough sleep is important, but good sleep quality is also essential. Please don’t burn yourself out. You’re very important to all of us. To all of us in Watatsumi.”
Kokomi smiled gently before returning to her numbers. She read a line from one scroll, made a quick calculation on paper, and transferred the number to another scroll. All in the time it took Gorou to read a line from the first scroll.
Gorou couldn’t help but stare at her in awe. Kokomi did everything so efficiently, yet it looked so easy and effortless when she did it. And she was so thoughtful!
She was so busy organizing the shipments, taking care of the diplomatic relations and hosting important meetings. But on top of all that, she was making sure every villager felt safe and had someone to talk to.
Some Watatsumi residents found it hard to accept peace with the Shogunate and were still anxious and stressed, so Kokomi had made sure the shrine maidens were always ready to listen to the worries and sorrows of the villagers.
It was amazing how she still had the time and energy to care about Gorou’s wellbeing.
He had to keep supporting her and make sure he didn’t cause her any more trouble. Now he felt even worse for drifting off. Kokomi was working so hard, so how could Gorou waste time by worrying about nothing.
All Traveler had done was complimented him. That was all there was to it. Gorou was the one making a big deal out of it.
He needed to work harder and leave that nonsense behind him!
“Gorou?”
She had been calling him again! How embarrassing!
Kokomi looked worried and let out a small sigh. Gorou prepared mentally for another speech but instead she said something that truly surprised him.
“How do you feel about taking a trip?” Kokomi suggested lightly.
“A trip?” Gorou blinked.
“We need to establish good relations to the Yashiro Commission”, she explained and dug out a formal-looking envelope, “the Kamisato Clan is hosting a Summer Festival in Ritou. I would like you to attend it. It would be very good for our newly found relations. ”
Gorou looked at the invitation silently. ‘Your presence is highly valued as we seek to foster goodwill and cooperation between our esteemed clans.’ The invitation was written in elegant calligraphy, each stroke flowing gracefully to the next. With the crest of the Kamisato Clan at the top, the invitation was filled with prestige and dignity.
“Me? But Your Excellency, wouldn’t it be more effective for you to go?”
“I’d very much like to”, she sighed, “but I’m too busy with work. However I think we should still send a representative. This will be a good opportunity to represent our island and build bridges with the Yashiro Commission."
Gorou pondered Kokomi's suggestion, his expression thoughtful as he considered the implications of attending the Summer Festival. He understood the importance. While he wasn’t sure if he was the right choice to replace Miss Excellency, he felt very flattered she asked. There was no reason for Gorou to refuse.
But the fact that the Kamisato Clan was hosting the event meant that a certain shrine maiden would definitely be around as well…
Just the thought of her put him on guard as if she could suddenly appear out of nothing.
Gorou shook the thought of her out of his head. Of course he could manage a one foxy shrine lady. Besides there was so many people, he would blend in the crowd and she wouldn’t even notice him!
And didn’t he just decide to support Miss Kokomi in any way possible.
Kokomi kept presenting more excellent points why Gorou should attend this festivity in Ritou. Like how he had participated in previous events or how he could really use a break from work. How he was reliable enough to not cause any ruckus and so on.
“Only if you’re up to it. I’ll send an answer immediately stating that I will be unable to attend but will send a highly trustworthy representative”, Kokomi said, in a tone that hinted that the conversation was reaching its end. Like she already knew what he was going to say and it wouldn’t be a refusal.
Gorou's gaze shifted from the invitation to Kokomi, his expression reflecting his determination and will to serve.
He simply nodded. Gorou didn’t really need that much convincing.
If the Head Priestess had told him to jump off the shrine, he would have eagerly done so. It was his duty. And it made sense to ask him, Gorou thought later in the evening. The overall situation in Inazuma was still unstable, they had to send someone who could take care of themselves even in dangerous situations.
With a determined nod, he answered. "Count me in, Miss Kokomi. I will happily attend this festival! Don’t worry, I will make you proud!”
Kokomi smiled. She had already knewn how this talk would end even before it began.
----
Summer evenings at Watatsumi were brightened up by the luminous corals. The ocean brought in wind but the village was well-hidden inland that the air was often stagnant.
But in Ritou, nights were dark, warm and windy. After the sun set, the darkness made the festival look almost magical. The streets were full of stands selling street food, desserts or trinkets like paper pinwheels and festival masks. Some were offering different games and competitions like shooting or fishing games.
The paper lanterns of various sizes and shapes glowed softly and looked beautiful against the darkened sky. A warm breeze brushed against Gorou’s ears, making them twitch, and his tail fluttered slightly in the wind as he walked in the dense crowd.
People of all ages were chattering lively and many were wearing colourful summer yukatas.
Gorou saw excited children gathering around candy vendors and game booths.
He himself was more into the dessert stalls.
There were a lot of traditional Inazuman treats like tricolor dangos and taiyakis. One booth was selling different drinks like Rainbow Aster and Dango Milk.
But Gorou also noticed a lot of foreign salesmen selling sweets that he had only heard of.
He saw rice buns from Liyue and tiny pancakes with jelly and berries like the ones they made in Mondstadt. One of the stalls was even selling Baklava all the way from Sumeru.
He felt powerless in the face of all those sweets!
As a lively port town Ritou had an easier access to overseas luxuries than Watatsumi Island. Back home, even sugar was a rare luxury, though Gorou was confident that would change in the near future.
He had been provided with enough funds to cover the traveling expenses and he had some savings he really wanted to use to try some of those festival treats later.
But for now, he moved on, trying to resist the sweet, tempting smells all around him. Since he had something more important to do right now. He was supposed to meet the organizer, the one who had sent the invite. As the official representative, Gorou had to offer his greetings to the Kamisato clan as a diplomatic act.
In his hands he had a detailed, beautiful box crafted from the finest corals of the island. Coral crafting was an crafting art excusive to Watatsumi Island. The box was wrapped in a cerulean-blue silk cloth, decorated in traditional embroideries. Inside it was an elegant Sango Pearl necklace.
Miss Kokomi had prepared the amazing offering. Gorou had protected it with his life. He was sure it would become one of the highlights of the relic collection of Kamisato Manor.
It was challenging to hold the gift steady in the crowd but Gorou held the box like a newborn child. He was confident in his ability to stay calm in stressful situations. Unless the certain foxy individual was involved but she was no-where to be seen.
He arrived to a bordered area at the back of the festival area and saw a big tent surrouded by folding screens. In front of the tent stood two soldiers in guard. They didn’t even blink when Gorou approached them. They must have been waiting for him.
“Good evening”, he bowed and the soldiers returned the gesture, “I am Gorou of Watatsumi Island. I am sure you knew I would be coming. I am pleased to make your acquaintance”, Gorou introduced himself, trying to aim for the same respectful, formal tone he had heard Kokomi using during meetings. He had occassionally written down some of the phrases she used and tried to memorize them when he had time to sit down.
The guards let him inside and Gorou stepped inside the tent. The air in the ten was heavy with the scent of incense. Inside the tent, the Yashiro Commissioner and the head of Kamisato Clan, Kamisato Ayato sat at a low table. He was wearing a long white coat over a purple kimono and white pants which looked too formal for a summery festival. He had black gloves on while he browsed through a scroll of paper. The table in front of him was tidied up but there were other more scrolls behind him which indicated that the commissioner was busy with work even during the festival.
A lantern casting a warm glow on his face made him look gentle but there was an air of authority about him. Ayato’s eyes met Gorou’s and he gave a welcoming smile which made Gorou immediately feel at ease.
“Welcome, Gorou of Watatsumi Island. Delighted to make your acquaintance”, Ayato stood up and gave nearby servant a barely noticable sign. The servant disappeared to the back room and came back with a tray.
“It is an honor to be received by the esteemed head of the Kamisato Clan”, Gorou said returning the greeting and bowed. After rising his head, he offered the gift for the young lord who accepted it gracefully with two hands.
"This is a small token of appreciation from Watatsumi Island”, he explained as Ayato accepted the gift graciously.
"Your generosity is greatly appreciated”, Ayato thanked, “I am honored by this gesture.”
Gorou nodded respectfully, a sense of mutual respect passing between them as the young lord set the gift aside with care.
“My schedule has been rather busier than anticipated today but I am glad we were able to arrange this meeting. Please, come and sit down” , Ayato gestured to the cushion in front of him.
While Gorou sat down, the servant had already set the table with green tea and a plate of small tea ceremony sweets. The smell of freshly brewed tea filled the air.
Ayato reached for a cup of tea with a precise movement and offered it to Gorou.
Gorou followed suit, accepting the offered cup with a nod of thanks. He hadn’t attended tea ceremonies before and hoped he wouldn’t mess up the protocol too badly. He took a sip, the tea was hot and bitter but left a pleasant aftertaste.
“I hope your trip here went well?”
"The trip was smooth, thank you for asking”, Gorou replied respectfully, ”the festival looks very impressive.”
Ayato nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Indeed, the festivities here are quite remarkable, if I were to say myself. Have you been enjoying yourself?"
”Very much, sir. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves a lot. It is so fun to see.”
They continued their casual conversation, occasionally addressing political topics but never going too far. They talked about Kokomi, about Inazuma and about Watatsumi Island. Ayato kept praising him and his homeland and mentioned he wish he could visit sometimes.
"You would be most welcome," Gorou replied with a warm smile, feeling a sense of pride for his island home.
Ayato's expression softened, a genuine shade of warmth in his purple eyes. "Thank you, Gorou. I truly hope to visit Watatsumi Island someday.”
Their conversation continued on lighter topics as they talked about the festivals and various cultural events. As the time passed, Gorou began to feel a growing sense of fellowship with Ayato. He was happy to have gotten this opportunity to meet him.
”My, my, what a delightful surprise”, came a voice from the entrance.
Gorou’s heart skipped a beat when he heard the voice. He knew he had to greet the guest but his palms grew damp with anxiety. He turned to see Yae Miko standing at the entrance. Her presence filled the tent with her authority. The head shrine maiden smiled at him but Gorou saw the ominous glint in her eyes.
"What a pleasant sight you are Lady Guuji”, Ayato greeted respectfully, ”I’m honored you were able to attend as well but please forgive me for I am currently busy with our honor guest. I will be able to converse with you later."
”Oh, there’s enough room for all of us. I’m sure we can all get along”, she smiled and Gorou felt her eyes piercing through his head, ”all I wanted was to offer my greetings to the honored representative as well.”
Gorou shifted uncomfortably, unsure of his place in the conversation.
”I should head out”, he said, ”I have taken enough of your time already. I’m sure you have a lot of work to get to.”
”Oh, no. You should stay”, the clan head insisted even though he knew Gorou was right.
”Oh, that is okay!” he said quickly, he didn’t want to seem rude, but he didn’t want to be in the way of important conversations either.
”I was about to head to the festival anyway”, Gorou said, slowly rising up, ”thank you for your hospitality. I will be sure to send your regards to Miss Kokomi and I hope she will be able to attend next time.”
He offered Ayato a polite nod before bowing respectfully for Yae Miko and exiting the tent. His departure was swift and respectful, leaving Ayato and Yae to their conversation.
“Aww, gone so soon”, she sighed when Gorou was outside. Ayato looked at her sternly.
“I hope this didn’t ruin anything”, he sighed, “we’re finally managing to restore our relations with them.”
“Don’t be like that”, the kitsune shushed, “All I wanted was to give my greetings as well.”
Ayato's brows furrowed, sensing the implication in her words. "I understand your interests, Lady Guuji, but I would prefer to avoid any unnecessary... complications.”
“I would never”, Yae replied with a smile, her expression enigmatic as ever. But the glint in her eyes hinted otherwise, leaving Ayato with a sense of unease as he watched her.
Gorou hastily made his exit, while doing his best to not to seem disrespectful. Yae Miko had waved her hand as leisurely as a goodbye. He returned to the event venue which seemed just as crowded as earlier.
A shriek of joy got his attention and he spent some time watching a group of children participating in a water balloon fight.
Then a sweet smell lingered into his nose. The smell led him to a booth selling sticky rice desserts. The colourful, glistening sauce sparkled on the rice balls. The sugary scent really awakened his sweet tooth that hadn’t quite been satisfied by the bitter, dry tea candies.
Now would be a perfect time to try out those sweets he had seen earlier. And of course he should taste some Dango Milk while he was here in Ritou. And then he could move to those foreign traders to try out completely new flavours. And of course there were Mondstadtian Mint Jellies and…
The world of sweets completely whisked him away.
“Gorou?”
“Hwuh?” he mumbled, mouth full of sticky red bean dango, and turned around.
Traveler stood in front of him, wearing their standard outfit, but they had a colorful festival mask on their head. They greeted Gorou with a bright smile.
“What are you doing here?” Gorou asked.
“Enjoying the festival”, they said and gestured to Gorou’s hands, “like you are.”
Gorou realized he had bought more than he had planned. On one hand he was holding a package of candied fruits and on other hand he had three sticks of different flavoures dangos.
And then Gorou’s eyes were caught on the fluffy, three-layered cotton candy Traveler was holding. It was big and floamy and looked like a pink cloud. It looked sweet and delicious.
“Ooh, where did you get that? Looks good.”
“Over there”, Traveler gestured and smirked knowingly, “they also had cake.”
“Cake! Show me the way!”
“...and in Fontaine there are cakes that filled with whipped cream and covered in chocolate.”
Gorou’s eyes were sparkling when he listened to Traveler’s words. They kept walking aimlessly around the festival, eating their cotton candies and chatting.
Despite all the festive energy around them, Gorou’s attention was fully captured by the Traveler’s stories.. In a short time, Traveler had managed to experience a lot, even making it all the way to Fontaine to meet the Hydro Archon!
They really were amazing, almost as great as Miss Excellency herself.
Now that he took a closer look at Traveler, it looked like their clothes had a new blue color.
Otherwise, Traveler looked the same they always did.
Wait.
There was something missing.
“Oh? Where is Paimon?” He asked. The usual traveling companion was no-where to be seen.
“She is helping Yoimiya with the fireworks show. Yes, you heard correctly”, Traveler nodded when Gorou looked at them suspiciously, “Yoimiya promised her a huge bag of Candied Lavender Melons if she helped out. Since she can fly, it’s easy to move around in the crowd.”
Gorou nodded and thought how nice it was for Paimon to help out. Then he noticed the stall a few vendors away from them.
The stall stood out among the crowd. A large pink banner proudly displayed the name of Yae Publishing House. In the middle of the stall was a desk full of rows of books. The stall had a lot of visitors discussing their favorite novels and eagerly flipping through the books on the display.
And in the middle of them stood Yae Miko, busy chatting with an employee. It seemed like she hadn’t noticed them yet.
“What’s wrong?” Traveler asked, looking worried when Gorou suddenly stopped.
”Nothing. I just- L-Let’s go that way instead!” Gorou grabbed Traveler’s shoulder and turned them in another direction. Gorou couldn't shake the feeling of Yae's ominous smile. He wasn’t ready to confront her right now. He hurried to redirect Traveler to the opposite direction and hoped they didn’t notice his sudden discomfort. Gorou didn't notice how Yae Miko's eyes followed them as they made their exit deeper into the festival venue.
While escaping from Yae Miko, they had found a spot on nearby stone stairs. It offered a perfect viewing spot for the incoming fireworks show. And luckily it was close to a dessert stall selling shaved ice. In their hands they both held a cup. The cups were topped with glistening syrup, berries and dried fruit. Gorou’s portion had a red and orange colors with all the condensed milk and different flavoured jelly cubes. It was delicious but he kept glancing at Traveler’s portion. It looked blue and purple under all the Lavender Melon shavings and plum syrup.
”Did you know they are all the same flavour?” Traveler asked. ”The shaved ice syrups.”
”Whaat!? That can’t be. But they are all different colours!” Gorou exclaimed.
”Uh-huh”, Traveler nodded, ”they just smell different so people think they flavour is different. That’s what Ayaka told me.”
”The same flavour huh…”, Gorou let the thought sink in and smelled his portion. It smelled sweet, like apples. He looked at Traveler’s cup. He could tell it had a gentler scent, almost herbal. Once again he was reminded of how remarkable person Traveler was, even making friends with the Shirasagi Himegimi herself.
Their conversation dwindled, and they sat side by side. The festival was still in full power. Gorou listened as conversations fluttered in the air. Soon, the fireworks display would begin, signaling the end of the festival. Only now, as he sat still, he realizes how much he had walked that day. He was used to walking long distances in rugged terrain, so his feet were sturdy, but the steps were starting to weigh on him. He took a big bite of his ice before it melted completely.
”I’m sorry.”
”Hwuh?” Gorou mumbled, mouth full of shaved ice and apple jelly cubes.
”I still struggle with this language sometimes. I hope I wasn’t too rude.”
”Wh-”, Gorou swallowed, ”what do you mean?”
”When I called you a good boy.”
A familiar burn of shame and pleasure awoke in Gorou’s head. Anxiously he started swirling the ice in the cup, ending up making it a brown-red mush. It didn’t look so delicious anymore.
”O-oh, you mean when you…”, Gorou said awkwardly.
”I wanted to praise you but I’ve started to think I might have said it wrong”, Traveler admitted sounding uncertain.
”…”, Gorou fell silent, unsure of how to answer.
”I might’ve used improper words”, Traveler sighed, looking sheepish, ”I wanted to apologize.”
Gorou hesitated for a second, then murmured quietly. ”...’s okay…”
”What did you say?”
”I said it’s okay”, he repeated, his voice barely audible at first,” I mean, I was embarrassed at first, and if someone else had said it I would have gotten upset, but… it made me sort of… happy to be praised by you.”
”Oh?”
”Since you’re so… reliable and amazing and have helped us all so much. So it felt nice to be praised by you..”, Gorou continued and felt brave enough to look Traveler in the eyes. It felt nice that they didn’t avoid his gaze.
”Now you’re the one making me feel embarrassed”, Traveler laughed and covered their face with their hands. The laughter was contagious and Gorou burst into laughter as well.
His eyes met Traveler’s. And they began slowly drifting towards each other. They gazed into each other's eyes. A tender moment between them began to grow more passionate…
A sound of explosion shattered the intimacy between them. Many bright flashes illuminated the festival venue, dyeing it in different colors. The smell of gunpowder filled the air.
“Ooh! Look at that!” Gorou heard someone in the crowd yelling.
The dark sky filled with colorful fireworks. Bursts of red, orange and yellow dyed everything in sight. Each new explosion created more and more sparks, making the night sky look it was full of
different gemstones. Some looked like flowers, some looked like animals.
“Wow, they’re beautiful!” Gorou exclaimed, eyes wide with awe, when a firework exploded into a cute dog. His ears twitched in shock everytime a new explosion occurred but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the show. He didn’t notice how he instinctively reached out and grasped Traveler’s hand tightly.
Traveler nodded, a smile spreading across their face. "Yeah, they are."
The audience around them cheered with excitement and amazement, though it was barely audible under all the loud explosions. That previous feeling of intimacy was replaced with a different kind of closeness as sat there together in silence for the whole night.