Open Event: Tanabata Festival

Growing up, Kei had heard all about the many festivals Japan held throughout the year. Her mother had gone to great lengths to describe them, had printed out pictures and found posters and even gone as far as making festival food one year... But none of that had prepared Kei for the reality of actually participating in a festival. Colourful streamers lined the streets, along with stalls packed with food and trinkets and who knew what else. Kei certainly didn't know -- and she probably wouldn't find out. Curiosity alone wasn't going to make her brave the huge crowds to try and get a peek at what everyone was so excited to buy.

So she kept to the outskirts instead, wandering around aimlessly and taking in the sights. She caught sight of her brother and mother at one of the food stalls, and made sure to give the place a wide berth -- she'd much rather explore the streets on her own tonight. ...Well, she would've actually preferred to go with a friend, but hey, it was what it was.

After a few minutes, she caught sight of what could only be described as a wall of bamboo. A stall was set up nearby, providing people with brightly-coloured slips of paper to write on. More of these papers decorated the bamboo, tied on and fluttering in the slight breeze.

Wishes! She grinned, and made a beeline for the stall. The man running it handed her a piece of paper, and gestured toward the pens that were scattered about the... Er, was counter-top the right word for it? Well, whatever. It didn't matter. Still smiling, Kei jotted her wish down as quickly as she could, while still doing her best to write neatly. When done, her slip of paper read:

I want to make lots of good friends this year.

Setting the pen down, she moved over to the line of bamboo stocks, and tied her wish to one of them. Satisfied, she turned and started walking--or tried to, anyway. She took one step and promptly ran into another festival-goer -- a young man with bright red hair who'd been tying his own wish to the bamboo.

"Ah, I'm sorry! Are you okay?"

He probably wasn't hurt -- she'd just bumped into him after all -- but Kei still felt bad.

Tagged: RINGO SHIRO

"No, no, it's my fault -- I'm sorry, I should've been more aware of my surroundings," Kei said, shaking her head as the red-haired young man tried to take the blame on himself. She was the one who ran into him, after all, and that put the fault with her. Fortunately, he didn't seem to be any worse for wear as he stood up and walked over to take a seat on a nearby bench.

She stood still for a moment, unsure of what to do next.  There was so much to see and experience at the festival, but it was all so overwhelming too.  Kei felt like she needed a breather; just a moment to step back and disconnect from the festivities before jumping right back in.  Of course, that was easier said than done.  The only place to sit down was on the bench beside the young man she'd just crashed into, and that...

...Well, that wasn't really ideal.

But then again, she had wished for more friends, hadn't she?  And she wasn't about to make new ones just standing around and avoiding contact with others.  And sure, he seemed a bit older than the people she'd usually hang out with, but there was nothing wrong with that.  ...Right?

...Right.

Mind made up, Kei began to make her way over to the bench.  "Hi, sorry to bug you again," she smiled sheepishly, "but do you mind if I sit beside you?  Pretty sure it's the only empty seat in the city right now."  She hoped that little attempt at humour (it was humour, right?) would go over well.


Tagged: RINGO SHIRO