The apartment was still bare. No posters, no paintings, not even curtains. Just plain white walls. Seri had brought this up with Shouko, but she didn’t seem to mind.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBuR2l92vv
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QUZ6rwPxl
Because there was no clock, Seri had to look at her dainty golden watch. She sighed, nervously twirling a strand of her long purplish-brown hair. It was getting late.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5qbpOsZMJ
Kneeling by the low table like a proper lady, she returned her attention to the magazine in her hand. She used to read expensive foreign fashion magazines her mother had lying around the mansion, but she much preferred local magazines such as this.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFjzhuoJqW
Her heart leapt as she heard the door swing open. Shouko’s blonde hair, usually buoyant in its messiness, was drooping. She took a few moments to breathe before entering the apartment properly. Her head was down and her shoulders were low. She swayed towards her futon, also plain.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2FT9dsjan
Seri stood up, almost jumping. ‘You’re home! I brought some nikuman so we can have that with our-’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCeW948fc2
Instead of answering, Shouko smiled weakly and flopped onto the futon.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cknZq1HNZ
‘Shouko?’ Seri asked, her voice as weak as Shouko’s smile. She leaned over the futon and heard snoring. With a gentle smile, she pulled the quilt over Shouko and brushed her fingers over her cheek.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBhn4iqLHZ
As she left the apartment to head home, Seri’s smile dropped.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPxyS2zaH6
And so the pattern began.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rK3K9Lu9b
‘Shouko, I discovered this new flavour of ice cream! I thought we could have it for des-’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2v3ZwwF6M
Snore.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXe7L3oA3kj
‘Sakurako-senpai helped me make these chocolates-’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwEHjoE4bO
Snore.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNiQSV8nlk
‘I thought I’d cheer you up with a nice hot meal-’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WsnqLehhf
Snore.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabClZcv3sW
Seri sat by Shouko’s futon, a wistful frown on her face. This time she decided to stay in the apartment until Shouko woke up. Dinner, as it turned out, did a terrible job of cheering people up. Or perhaps that was because Seri was eating alone.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLcdRP1YX8
After dinner, Seri settled next to Shouko, reading the magazine. She was desperate enough for mental stimulation that she even began reading the advertisements.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRa88GBsW3
Finally, she heard the snoring stop. She turned her head and saw Shouko jerk upwards.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneUYrfIpki
‘Huh? What I miss?’ Shouko’s voice was a little rough and gravelly, but Seri loved it.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8JaIHleI3
Seri giggled. ‘Have a nice dream, Sleeping Beauty?’ She took the time to appreciate how Shouko looked in her suit, as messy as it was in the futon.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRn9xHcv0q
Shouko lied back down and stretched her arms. ‘Ha! As if! I dreamed I could actually finish a shift on time instead of having to do overtime.’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNF2Utfhr4t
‘That sounds like a nice dream to me,’ Seri muttered, her eyes downcast. ‘We need some time to ourselves, you know.’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsshmdIVCB
Shouko turned her body and rested her head on her hand, her elbow digging into the futon. She nodded.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmQewvFYDu
‘I’m open to suggestions.’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQx2q1uuKI
Seri turned the page backwards in her magazine until she reached a page with a big photo of a November illumination festival. The lights were spellbinding and the photograph managed to transport Seri to a beautiful place she knew she had to go.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPouMhk3tz
Shouko looked at the details of this advertisement, scooting closer to Seri. The other girl’s cheeks grew hot. Despite them having been together for so long, Seri was still not used to the sensation of Shouko being close to her. It was warm and comforting, but it also set her nerves aflame and she became ever-aware of both girls’ breathing.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2T0WdX3fn
‘Tomorrow?’ Shouko asked.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wTlSs0teV
Seri gleefully held her hands up in little fists. ‘Yes! It’s perfect! It’s at a local park and it’s supposed to be quite the spectacle!’ She clasped her hands together and rubbed her cheek against them. Shouko could practically see the hearts rising from Seri’s body. ‘There’ll be lights, the view of the park lit up a night, hot food to eat and fun performances! All things we can enjoy together!’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYeUwMRrj6
Shouko sat up, her arm dangling over her raised knee. ‘Wow, sounds like you really wanna do this thing. All right, then. No sweat! Let’s go together. How about we meet at the park at 6?’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2aJku1Pfm
Seri crossed her arms and pouted. ‘Promise?’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEdI6O8aNe
Shouko grinned and kissed her on the cheek.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ItwveWjKF
‘Promise.’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRelfSpYY5
At 5 PM at the TV studio, Shouko wiped the sweat off her forehead. ‘Phew! Finally! All done.’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOo2vnx2CDK
She was heading to the exit when she heard a nasal shout. ‘Akashi-san! Where do you think you’re going?’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXXXH9xFPu
Shouko gingerly turned her head. ‘Uh...’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudioip30om
The voice belonged to a tall, skinny middle-aged woman with a tight bun and jumbo glasses. ‘Trying to sneak off again? How lazy!’ She yelled, pointing her clipboard at Shouko.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVSqoAQYUj
Shouko rubbed the back of her neck. ‘Well, my shift is over.’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIUX3y5Kw8
‘Like hell it is! You still have that Noh mask to locate for tomorrow’s show!’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIo1m7bF7KF
‘Oh, come on!’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBYGpU7Sfo
‘You better find that Noh mask before 5 AM tomorrow, and all the shops close at 6 tonight! You did track, didn’t you? Run!’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgO5CBFzqhx
Shouko bowed her head. ‘Yes, ma’am.’ She pulled out her phone and began her search for costume stores. ‘Yes? Hello? I know it’s last-minute, but do- Yes, I know business hours end soon. I’m with a TV station and our costume department badly needs a Noh mask. Yes! A Noh Mask! You know, those- Seriously? Not even one?’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFidZKisEVx
Eventually, Shouko decided that making phone calls was a waste of time. She sprinted to every store she could find, muttering curse words to a boss who wouldn’t head them. She would have enjoyed the feeling of cold air racing through her suit and the memories of the high school track team they brought with them, but she was too distracted by the task and the stress it brought with it.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkapbZrBRR
Every store was either already closed or sold old out of their Noh masks. 5 PM became 5:20, then 5:32, 5:58 and finally 6:15, with no Noh masks in sight.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDNDSm22bB
Shouko dropped to the ground, her hands scraping against the concrete. She did everything she could not to cry in public, but passersby in the busy street glared at her for getting in their way.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrCFuK7gLY
‘It’s over. It’s all over.’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd88dh1wL3o
She considered lying down in a ball on the concrete when she heard a beep in her pocket that woke her out of her funk. She took it out and saw the time and battery at 2 per cent, screaming internally but answering the call.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHktN4hLfZ
‘Seri? Seri? Listen, I-’ The phone was quiet. ‘Oh, she hung up.’ Seri didn’t hang up. Shouko’s phone screen was completely black.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcG7LKqW1o
Meanwhile, at the festival, Seri could barely enjoy the bright lily-shaped lights floating on the pond in front of her. Shouko’s sudden hanging-up set a flame behind Seri’s eyes, but she tried to reason with herself. Maybe Shouko’s phone reception went kaput.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJMctus8Ul
She wondered if Shouko was already there but couldn’t find her. She walked up to an old couple with their arms linked together.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdFV6WRa70
‘Um, excuse me, sir?’ she asked the man. ‘Have you seen a woman around my age with bright blonde hair?’ The man shook his head. Seri bowed. ‘Sorry to disturb you. Good evening.’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAk6SIEeMBN
When Shouko reached the park, she ran past the trees with fairy lights as fast as she could with all the people around. She had to push through some people and felt a twinge of guilt, but Seri’s smile was her main priority.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbI70pcWsyd
She caught a glimpse of purplish-brown hair and rushed to the girl. ‘Seri?’ No response. ‘Seri!’ She tapped her on the shoulder.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdBdYIVU9L
The girl jumped in shock and turned her head. It was an elderly woman with dyed hair. Shouko bowed. ‘Sorry, wrong person.’ She heard a familiar voice and followed it.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf657odo7yK
Seri shivered at the cold wind that whirled red leaves around her. Her hands were shaking, but not from the cold. Her shoulders drooped under the weight of her struggle not to cry. She began her walk out of the park.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKR3NyIz4M
‘You said you were looking for someone? Young woman? Blonde? Gorgeous?’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQQIMhLQYF
The weight on Seri’s shoulders disappeared like magic. She beamed and turned her head. Shouko was huffing and puffing like she had just finished one of her races. ‘Yo,’ She said with a breathy voice and a big, goofy grin.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVYaEa7LBB
Seri leapt into a bear hug. ‘You came!’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHY6Y4sONKm
As she replied, Shouko petted the other girl’s hair. ‘Of course! You’d think I’d miss the chance to see you, babe?’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6BlmuaYiz
‘But you were-’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2KlG1oDAu
Shouko began her long explanation about what happened. Seri’s eyes were wide. ‘Huh? Noh mask?’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCL7d27AFSh
She covered her mouth and looked down, her shoulders shaking. A jolt of fear dashed through Shouko’s body.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57PVU9jPJH
‘It doesn’t matter, Seri,’ she said. ‘I couldn’t find it anyway, so...’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsnCU42Ovc
She shut up when she heard the delectable sound of melodic laughter. She went through a range of emotions, starting with attraction, then confusion and finally annoyance.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofu2OHpyPz
She narrowed her eyes at Seri. ‘Am I a joke to you?’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwJ2VKZYax
Seri turned until she and Shouko were facing the same direction before grabbing her arm and resting her head on her shoulder.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtXwxQOrhC
‘I’m just so happy to be here with you.’
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3RZ7n05Pn
The two strolled through the bright lights in vivid colours and various shapes. The air was cool but their bodies were warm. Despite the cacophony of chatter, laughter and sizzling food surrounding them, they could still hear each other’s slow, calm breaths.
424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgz6njwPMr
At one point, Shouko found a stall that sold a range of Noh masks.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOASIsqatB
