(no subject)
The sun almost blinds Hinata as she steps outside and she carefully tugs the hat lower as if that will help, but really it is more to hide her eyes. They look at her like a demon or a goddess or something between and she'd rather hide her eyes than worry about what they think.
It's the Tanabata festival today. Clear and bright in every direction and she smiled, clapping her hands together in a silent thanks to the god for granting the lovers clear passage. Of course the weather is fickle and before night fall it could all change and the clouds and rain could once again seperate the lovers. She hopes for clear weather and safe passage and is comforted by the safe weight of her diamond bracelet on her left wrist.
It reminds her that there were times before now, before the crowded wooden buildings smashed too close together and dodging boys with piles of crates, eyes wide at her china doll appearance and before waking at dawn and going to bed long after midnight. It reminds her there is a future bright and shining and all she has to do is wait, wait for them.
The path is long, it takes nearly an hour to get to the temple and another half hour to get through the crowds to her carving. Her bag is clasped in hand, full of kimono and a painted fan gifted by a kind-hearted geisha, a card with the name of her teahouse written on it, and a device long since dead and out of use. She held it up and stared at the little stickers on the back that spelled her name in English and smiled, speaking words aloud that the passerby did not understand.
But it is has been a year and a half since she arrived here. It has been 18 long months. She is 17 now. It feels as if she has been here forever and she wishes so much to go home but maybe her carving was never found. Maybe she is doomed to wait until she dies. It is right there on the pavillion, clear as day she thought, but perhaps they don't see it and they never will.
Night falls. She waits as long as she dares before she returns, sure of the scolding she will get but not caring. She doesn't cry. She doesn't even feel upset. Her bow is perfect and she gets right back to work, stashing her bag under a loose board in her room when she has the chance. It will stay there until the Bon festival and the Shichigosan festival after that.
She will wait. One day they will come for her. One day they will come.
It's the Tanabata festival today. Clear and bright in every direction and she smiled, clapping her hands together in a silent thanks to the god for granting the lovers clear passage. Of course the weather is fickle and before night fall it could all change and the clouds and rain could once again seperate the lovers. She hopes for clear weather and safe passage and is comforted by the safe weight of her diamond bracelet on her left wrist.
It reminds her that there were times before now, before the crowded wooden buildings smashed too close together and dodging boys with piles of crates, eyes wide at her china doll appearance and before waking at dawn and going to bed long after midnight. It reminds her there is a future bright and shining and all she has to do is wait, wait for them.
The path is long, it takes nearly an hour to get to the temple and another half hour to get through the crowds to her carving. Her bag is clasped in hand, full of kimono and a painted fan gifted by a kind-hearted geisha, a card with the name of her teahouse written on it, and a device long since dead and out of use. She held it up and stared at the little stickers on the back that spelled her name in English and smiled, speaking words aloud that the passerby did not understand.
But it is has been a year and a half since she arrived here. It has been 18 long months. She is 17 now. It feels as if she has been here forever and she wishes so much to go home but maybe her carving was never found. Maybe she is doomed to wait until she dies. It is right there on the pavillion, clear as day she thought, but perhaps they don't see it and they never will.
Night falls. She waits as long as she dares before she returns, sure of the scolding she will get but not caring. She doesn't cry. She doesn't even feel upset. Her bow is perfect and she gets right back to work, stashing her bag under a loose board in her room when she has the chance. It will stay there until the Bon festival and the Shichigosan festival after that.
She will wait. One day they will come for her. One day they will come.