Outside, the world was blanketed in white, the snow showing no signs of stopping. As night fell, the two inside the wooden house sat by the warmth of the fire, one chattering endlessly, the other silent.
In the end, they still hadn't come to any conclusions.
Deidara, reckless and unrestrained, had plenty of ideas. They were bold, lacking in tedious details, as if driven purely by his own desires. It seemed like he simply wanted to do as he pleased, with no one left to force their will upon him.
Yet Sasori found himself unsatisfied. Whenever he envisioned their newfound freedom, something always felt missing. The old 'Art Duo' had lived like this before, but now, a faint emotion tugged at him, scratching at the edges of his consciousness.
Emotion?
A puppeteer who sought eternity and an explosive genius who lived for destruction… in a way, they were both simple-minded.
Sasori tried to voice his thoughts, only to be met with Deidara's utterly clueless expression.
There's no helping it. This was beyond him.
Regardless of whether the two survivors could come up with any grand plans, the snow continued to fall. Some days it paused, only to resume moments later in delicate flurries.
For now, Deidara had settled in with Sasori.
One could say Sasori had 'taken him in'. After all, the sight of Deidara, battered and hesitant at the doorstep, had all the hallmarks of a young man fleeing war or family troubles, seeking refuge with a distant relative.
In this desolate wilderness, no travelers passed by. Everyone had long since taken alternate routes. Days later, the snow piled thicker and thicker.
Bored, Deidara couldn't resist kneading clay, tossing lumps of it outside like a mischievous child playing with firecrackers. After doing this one too many times, he earned himself a scolding from Sasori.
The endless snow veiled the distant mountains and sky in white mist. But even this had to end eventually.
One morning, pushing open the door revealed a world hushed and pristine, blanketed in snow so pure it felt like the dawn of creation.
The vast white expanse stretched before them, and even Deidara, restless as he was, found himself momentarily subdued.
Of course, it didn't last. Soon, he grew bored of the solemn beauty. Half his days were spent pestering Sasori. The world was vast, and he wanted to blow parts of it up.
Sasori knew a decision had to be made. Strangely enough, as the duo wrestled with their dilemma, the same person came to both their minds.
…
Tokyo remained lively in its festive atmosphere.
Since today's itinerary had been planned long ago, Logan and Sumika moved with purpose. Their morning visit to the Tokyo Skytree had been a sort of 'pilgrimage', a nostalgic anniversary trip… reminiscing about the past with lingering affection, gazing toward the future with tender hopes.
Three words summed it up: full of love.
After lunch, they headed to Minato Ward. Shopping and sightseeing were a given, but the real highlight was their reservation at a kimono shop. They would change into traditional attire for the evening's winter fireworks festival.
In many people's minds, Japan's famous fireworks festivals are summer events, the summer festivals. And that's mostly true. Summer fireworks lighting up the night sky seem like a quintessential Japanese tradition, a staple in anime, films, and songs like Uchiage Hanabi. Without fireworks, summer feels incomplete.
But in winter, large-scale fireworks festivals are held as well, though far fewer in number, and thus less well-known.
During traditional festivals, Japanese people often wear kimonos, without the awkwardness that might accompany.
Initially, Logan hadn't planned on changing into a kimono, after all, it was freezing. But Sumika's relentless coaxing wore him down, wanting to have a matching couple's outfits.
Logan was no stranger to kimonos, having encountered them in the Ninja World. He figured he'd just go with the flow.
As night fell, the city glittered with lights. Shops advertised holiday sales, and announcements about the Christmas winter festival played nonstop.
The chilly air was softened by the festive atmosphere.
Walking hand-in-hand down the street, Logan and Sumika drew plenty of attention. Sumika in traditional attire seemed to unlock a new level of beauty, her charm amplified to full-effect levels. Men stole glances, and some even discreetly snapped photos with their phones.
"I told you we shouldn't have worn kimonos…" Logan muttered under his breath.
"Oh, it's no big deal," Sumika said, picking up on his slight jealousy. Under the lights, her powdered cheeks were breathtakingly lovely.
She tilted her head up, pouting slightly, then pressed herself closer to him in reassurance.
"You look really handsome in yours, you know."
"I don't need you to tell me that."
Logan delivered this shameless line without batting an eye. Since no one was around to call him out, Sumika simply covered her mouth and laughed.
"Mhm, Hattori-kun, you're the most handsome." She said, her face flushing.
Logan's kimono was a plain navy blue, unadorned and conservative. Sumika's praise was generous.
They veered away from the crowds, heading toward a quieter slope.
The road overlooked a man-made canal, its surface shimmering under the lights.
A steel bridge stretched across to the opposite bank, and beyond it, countless skyscrapers and a sliver of Tokyo Tower were visible in the distance.
This was a prime viewing spot, but since the light show wasn't oriented this way, only a few dim streetlamps illuminated the area.
A sparse crowd had gathered along the railing. Logan and Sumika joined them, leaning against the barrier as they waited for the fireworks to begin.
"You look beautiful today."
As the atmosphere settled into quiet anticipation, Logan turned to Sumika and spoke softly.
Her red kimono, patterned with cherry blossoms, and her hair elegantly tied up, it wasn't an especially elaborate outfit, but on Sumika, Logan thought it was perfection.
The white-edged hem reminded him of their red-and-white first meeting.
"You could've said that earlier…" Sumika twisted her fingers together, lowering her head with a soft snort.
Of course, she was happy to hear it.
Hadn't she dressed up so carefully today just to hear those words?
Logan took her cold hands in his, warming them, "There were too many people earlier, and I didn't like them staring… What else do you want to hear?"
"Hmph. I don't know."
Logan opened his arms, and Sumika nestled into them without hesitation.
Boom…
The first firework burst across the sky.
The slope and the canal below were briefly bathed in light before darkness reclaimed them.
More and more fireworks soared upward, their brilliant colors painting the Tokyo night like strokes from a laden brush.
The two stood quietly, watching the display.
Across Minato Ward, nearly everyone was doing the same, listening to the sound of winter with someone important by their side.
"Next summer, let's watch the fireworks festival together again."
Logan was the one to say it first.
Sumika looked at him in surprise, then nodded happily, "Mhm! Let's go in midsummer."
"Why midsummer?"
"Because that's how it always is in books."