[ficlet] Tanabata (Haruka4)
Literally finished during the eleventh hour, a story for my favorite holiday of the year! ^^ Happy Tanabata everyone, and I hope the sky is clear where you are too!
Title: Tanabata
Fandom: Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Owned by Mizuno-sensei, Koei, and Ruby Party.
Notes/warnings: Tanabata is brought up in chapter 4 of gameplay, so if you've not seen it then there might be some vague spoilers. Nothing of real consequence, other than that the festival is there. Thanks to saramichiru for the idea. ^^
Tanabata
Ever since the celebration in Izumo during her first summer in that world, Chihiro had grown much more fond of Tanabata. Despite her efforts, she could not convince her advisers to give her a holiday just because the festival had come around. Kazahaya must have sensed her disappointment despite her effort to hide it, because she had seen him bring a tallish bamboo tree that stood at least a meter over his head into the palace gardens and plant it off to one side. Though he had not come out and admitted that he placed it there for the holiday, his answer of, "I thought something was missing," was enough evidence for Chihiro.
That had been three days ago. The following morning, between meetings and audiences, Chihiro had gathered up a bunch of the same leaves she had used in place of tanzoku during the festival in Izumo. Though not as obviously festive as the brightly colored strips of paper she had been used to writing wishes on back in the other world, Chihiro was happy to have any means to celebrate Tanabata. She had passed out a leaf to everyone she met that day with the smiling instruction to write a wish on it and tie it to a branch of the bamboo tree before the next day ended.
Chihiro fervently hoped it would not rain that night, and that the lovers would be able to meet for the only time that year as legend decreed. While she circled the tree she tilted random leaves to see what people had wished for. Some of them had no name written after the wish, but a few did, and she smiled as she read all the wonderful things the people of the palace had asked for the night to grant. It was great fun for her to try and figure out who the unsigned leaves belonged to, and she was fairly certain about a few of them. The one that proclaimed "I want some good alcohol!" could not have been written by anyone other than Iwanaga-hime, while she could almost hear the gentle sentiment of "I wish peace could spread across all mankind" in Michiomi's soft voice.
While she knew that most of the wishes placed on the tree had been written just to humor her, Chihiro still felt pleased as she looked at all of them. Her own wish hung hidden in the deepest tangle of branches, and she hoped no one would guess who had hung it there.
"Hime."
Oshihito's voice, a little less stern than usual, sounded loud in the otherwise quiet garden. Chihiro jumped and turned to face him sheepishly, aware of why he had come. "I'm late for the meeting with my advisers, aren't I?"
He surprised her by shaking his head. "No, you have a little time. However, you should leave for the main hall shortly." She saw his gaze move over to the tree and smiled.
"Do you remember when we were in Izumo for Tanabata?" she asked, not really expecting an answer, as she turned and looked at the bamboo branches again.
"Yes," came the simple answer just as Oshihito stepped up beside her.
On a whim, Chihiro gently lifted a leaf just above her head and turned it so she could see the ink on the other side. A wry tone colored her voice. "'That the princess may always be safe', huh?" She cast a sideways glance at the swordsman next to her. "I don't suppose this one is yours?"
Oshihito looked down at her evenly. "Any number of people in this palace would have cause to wish for your safety, Hime." His expression betrayed nothing.
"I suppose that's true..." Chagrined, Chihiro thought back over the other leaves she had read, but none of them seemed like something Oshihito would write. "Then which one is yours?"
Had she been speaking to anyone else, Chihiro would have sworn his hesitation was caused by embarrassment. She was still learning how to read Oshihito, though, and so she could only sense a reluctance to speak. "That one in your hand," he responded finally.
Chihiro blinked, looked from him to the leaf then back again, and smiled. "I see." A giggle rose in her throat but she pushed it back for fear of annoying him. "I'll work extra hard to make sure your wish comes true."
The faintest hint of a smile curved his lips. "Any effort on your part would be appreciated by a great number of people, Hime." A moment later he cleared his throat. "You should be headed toward the hall now."
Still slightly giddy, Chihiro nodded and made her way toward the garden's exit. Oshihito followed a step behind her, but she felt almost as if he were next to her side. She could imagine their hands brushing as they walked, and if she closed her eyes she could still see the wish he had carefully written on a leaf and hung alongside so many others in celebration and hope.
Title: Tanabata
Fandom: Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Owned by Mizuno-sensei, Koei, and Ruby Party.
Notes/warnings: Tanabata is brought up in chapter 4 of gameplay, so if you've not seen it then there might be some vague spoilers. Nothing of real consequence, other than that the festival is there. Thanks to saramichiru for the idea. ^^
Tanabata
Ever since the celebration in Izumo during her first summer in that world, Chihiro had grown much more fond of Tanabata. Despite her efforts, she could not convince her advisers to give her a holiday just because the festival had come around. Kazahaya must have sensed her disappointment despite her effort to hide it, because she had seen him bring a tallish bamboo tree that stood at least a meter over his head into the palace gardens and plant it off to one side. Though he had not come out and admitted that he placed it there for the holiday, his answer of, "I thought something was missing," was enough evidence for Chihiro.
That had been three days ago. The following morning, between meetings and audiences, Chihiro had gathered up a bunch of the same leaves she had used in place of tanzoku during the festival in Izumo. Though not as obviously festive as the brightly colored strips of paper she had been used to writing wishes on back in the other world, Chihiro was happy to have any means to celebrate Tanabata. She had passed out a leaf to everyone she met that day with the smiling instruction to write a wish on it and tie it to a branch of the bamboo tree before the next day ended.
Chihiro fervently hoped it would not rain that night, and that the lovers would be able to meet for the only time that year as legend decreed. While she circled the tree she tilted random leaves to see what people had wished for. Some of them had no name written after the wish, but a few did, and she smiled as she read all the wonderful things the people of the palace had asked for the night to grant. It was great fun for her to try and figure out who the unsigned leaves belonged to, and she was fairly certain about a few of them. The one that proclaimed "I want some good alcohol!" could not have been written by anyone other than Iwanaga-hime, while she could almost hear the gentle sentiment of "I wish peace could spread across all mankind" in Michiomi's soft voice.
While she knew that most of the wishes placed on the tree had been written just to humor her, Chihiro still felt pleased as she looked at all of them. Her own wish hung hidden in the deepest tangle of branches, and she hoped no one would guess who had hung it there.
"Hime."
Oshihito's voice, a little less stern than usual, sounded loud in the otherwise quiet garden. Chihiro jumped and turned to face him sheepishly, aware of why he had come. "I'm late for the meeting with my advisers, aren't I?"
He surprised her by shaking his head. "No, you have a little time. However, you should leave for the main hall shortly." She saw his gaze move over to the tree and smiled.
"Do you remember when we were in Izumo for Tanabata?" she asked, not really expecting an answer, as she turned and looked at the bamboo branches again.
"Yes," came the simple answer just as Oshihito stepped up beside her.
On a whim, Chihiro gently lifted a leaf just above her head and turned it so she could see the ink on the other side. A wry tone colored her voice. "'That the princess may always be safe', huh?" She cast a sideways glance at the swordsman next to her. "I don't suppose this one is yours?"
Oshihito looked down at her evenly. "Any number of people in this palace would have cause to wish for your safety, Hime." His expression betrayed nothing.
"I suppose that's true..." Chagrined, Chihiro thought back over the other leaves she had read, but none of them seemed like something Oshihito would write. "Then which one is yours?"
Had she been speaking to anyone else, Chihiro would have sworn his hesitation was caused by embarrassment. She was still learning how to read Oshihito, though, and so she could only sense a reluctance to speak. "That one in your hand," he responded finally.
Chihiro blinked, looked from him to the leaf then back again, and smiled. "I see." A giggle rose in her throat but she pushed it back for fear of annoying him. "I'll work extra hard to make sure your wish comes true."
The faintest hint of a smile curved his lips. "Any effort on your part would be appreciated by a great number of people, Hime." A moment later he cleared his throat. "You should be headed toward the hall now."
Still slightly giddy, Chihiro nodded and made her way toward the garden's exit. Oshihito followed a step behind her, but she felt almost as if he were next to her side. She could imagine their hands brushing as they walked, and if she closed her eyes she could still see the wish he had carefully written on a leaf and hung alongside so many others in celebration and hope.