34 New Year Celebration in Gensokyo (2/2)
”Oh, if it isn't Arah-boy. Did you come to visit Akyuu-dono too?”
Once I slid the door open, I was greeted by an old man.
”Yeah, I'm visiting her too, Harusen-san.” I nodded to him. ”Are you perhaps here to collect her rented book?” I asked.
I said that because I saw lots of stacked books on the floor.
”Exactly, the Hieda are our long time frequent customers, so it is a given that they are the first ones we visit on our yearly collection rounds.”
”I see, did you bring Kosuzu with you?”
”Of course, she was immediately happy to hear that we're going to collect the books from the Hieda, and right now she and Akyuu-dono went with her servants to the back to bring out the books.”
I hummed in understanding ”If that's the case I have to help them then, excuse me.”
”All right, go ahead.”
I then went inside the house and crossed paths with a servant that was carrying a stack of books in the hallway. They told me where Akyuu was and I thanked them before I went to her location. As well as the servant, I also crossed paths with Kosuzu along the way, but unlike the servant, she looked scared when she saw me and used the stack of books she was carrying to block my view of her. Of course, it was useless for that, but it was the feeling that mattered.
'… It hurts, when a Loli hates you, it feels so bad.'
I walked past her with a dejected look and reached Akyuu.
”Arah-san, you have come… Is something the matter? You look… down.”
”Uh… well, let me help you move the books first, then we'll talk.”
”Okay, if you say so. Please move this stack of books to the front door.”
”All right.”
After we moved all the books, gramps listed all the books that Akyuu borrowed, and checked if they were damaged or not. He finished checking the list to the very end, and finally wrapped the books in some kind of cloth bag and carried them all on his back.
”Thank you for your patronage, Akyuu-dono. We look forward to your continued use of our service.” Gramps started to bow.
”Thank you for your patronage!” Kosuzu also started to bow.
Akyuu bowed back and since I was by her side, I also bowed back at them.
”Now we will take our leave. Come on, Kosuzu.” Gramps turned to the door.
”Good bye, Akyuu-chan!” she waved at Akyuu.
”Good bye too, Kosuzu-chan.” Akyuu waved back at her.
'… There's no need to be jealous, as long as Akyuu's happy then I'm happy too.' I thought calmly.
”U-um… g-good bye to you too, Arah-san.” I unexpectedly heard someone say.
”Uh, y-yeah, good bye to you too.” I hurriedly said that but the culprit already turned her back to me.
I looked at Akyuu.
”… That's progress right?”
She lightly smiled. ”I hope so, Arah-san, I hope so.”
After that she led me to her yard, she said it was easier to see the snow.
I observed the yard. Then I remembered this place from the manga. It's the yard that she uses to pray to that certain goddess for longevity .
She wanted us to sit on the porch but I stopped her by saying I will warm it first.
”Flash Fire.”
Flames burst on the porch before disappearing a second later.
I stepped on the porch to feel the temperature of the floor.
”Yup, it's warm all right. Please sit down, my lady.”
”Hehe, thank you.”
We both finally sat down on the yard porch.
”Arah-san, do you know why the winter is so cold?”
”… To help with explaining, I'll pretend to be the idiot here. 'Isn't it because of the snow that everything turned so cold?'” I asked with a ridiculous tone.
”…I will be mad at you, Arah-san.”
”What'cha gonna do about it then, hmm?” I said with smug attitude.
”I will… I will…” she paused to think. ”I will ignore you for a week.” she said in a resolute voice.
”... Okay, I'll behave.”
”Huhu, then I will start the explanation.” she cleared her throat.
After that she recalled the legends and theories about how winter existed, from how Amaterasu shined the weakest thus creating a winter, to there being a big crystal of ice that appears above Gensokyo, and it blocks off the sun's heat but because of that it starts breaking apart and its fragments become snow, and all kinds of unknown references that I've never heard of.
I was genuinely confused at everything she said.
Also, I took out some of the snacks that I made while she was in the middle of explaining some… stuff, I don't remember what she said at that time, I was just eating the popcorn while looking at her face…
She's cute.
”Arah-san, did you hear what I said?”
”Something something Maitreya and something something left over from heaven right?”
”... You really didn't listen to what I said.”
”It's not my fault that you started rambling about something I care little about. Also please taste this potato chip before you continue, I'm sure you will like it.”
I gave her a bowl of potato chip.
”Potato…'chip'?” she tilted her head while holding the bowl.
”Yes, please take it, I made it this morning.”
She looked unsure but tried it anyway.
*crunch*
”Hm?”
*crunch* *crunch*
”Hmm?!”
*crunch**crunch**crunch*
”Hmm! Hmmm!”
”Hahaha, there's no need to go fast, there's more where it came from.”
I pat her head.
And we both sat, happily eating (Akyuu was the only one actually eating, while I was only savoring the face of a Loli eating) all of the snacks I made.
Reaction Theater:
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Editor: Hey! You can't leave tax out when listing prices! That's illegal in the EU!
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Editor: Careful. When you pack snow too hard, you make ice. Ice is.. harder to walk on than snow. Trust me :/
Author: I don't know how ice work, dammit!
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Author Note:
Yo, Author here. I feel sick for quite some times, I maybe need to rest for a while; I also need to fix this less than 3k word per chapter, right now I have done 3 chapter in a row of this shit, it keeps happening. I need to rest ASAP.
About Akyuu theory of winter, I kinda pull it out of nowhere, my brain need a rest. I need a rest.
I have heard from other Touhou Author that from their opinion, a Danmaku fight are hard to be described, it is not suited to be write because of how complex the pattern of each fight, and I also agree to them, so I probably stop writing a Danmaku fight and just straight to super power brawl.
So I have a question for the reader, are you guys reading this with the foreknowledge of all Touhou games? Or you know what a Touhou is but only have little knowledge about the series overall and my story help explaining thing to you all? I'm curious with the answer.
@Guest, for the memo, Amnesia is the stupidest genre that was ever existed, and that's why I'm never gonna put Amnesia inside the Challenge Poll.
And speaking of Challenge Poll, since I collect all the votes from SB(SpaceBattle) and FF(FanFic), here are the result:
1. Gynophobia : 26 votes
2. Full body paralysis : 10 votes
3. ”Become” a Woman : 26 votes
Since it's a tie, I'm doing a coin flip, and the winner is ”Becoming” a Woman. Bleh….