Even a grey world can sometimes be full of life.
In Souta's opinion, a bit too full this time.
The three childhood friends had made their way to the river, and were laying on the riverbank. The sun had almost set, last rays of light shining down on them. Beneath them, the river flowed calmly. The rainy season had passed, and the water levels receded.
Souta was eyeing the river with suspicion, still remembering the weird encounter last night.
I wonder what that was all about..
"So, Airi and Souta, how did you meet? Been hanging out this summer?"
"I was just laying down by the tree we had our treehouse in, enjoying the warmth when I saw a skeleton walk up the hill, oblivious to me. First time I've seen him in like 7 years."
"Well Souta has always been a bit of an airhead."
"Hey…uncalled for. I was just..deep in thought. And didn't expect anyone there."
"What about you, Airi and Ryuo, been seeing each other around town?"
"Nope. I also study in another city, quite a ways north from here. They have a strong soccer team, and focus heavily on sports."
"Oh? Are you thinking about a career in sports?"
"Well studying was never my strong suit, and we've scored some nice victories this year in the Inter High School Championships this year. What about you guys?"
"I'm studying in an all-girls high school, Tachibana high."
"That's cool! Any thoughts on what you'll be doing after graduation?"
"Hmm…I'm thinking about going to a university. I'm interested in med-school but it's so hard to get accepted."
"I'm sure you could pull it off! What about you, Souta?"
"Souta?"
"Oh right..sorry..I was phasing out. What was the question?"
"Seriously man, try to at least stay awake. We were talking about what to do after finishing high school."
"Ah…uh…I don't have any plans."
"Surely you at least have something? Ryuo here was just talking about going professional in soccer. Doesn't have to be realistic, just something to chase after."
"Ey! My sports dream is realistic."
"Uhh…I haven't even thought about that really…propably I'll try to get into a university."
"See, it wasn't that hard! That's a good thing to work towards."
"I guess.."
"Anyways, have either of you guys met with Miyuki or Kaito after…uh..preschool?"
"Nope."
"Nah."
"Oh..well, me neither. I wonder if they still live here. I want to get all of us together for the festival."
"I could ask my parents if they've ever seen them in town or drop by the diner."
"That's a good idea! Please ask them tonight, and if they're around, tomorrow we'll hunt them down!"
"Yeah! You're in as well, right Souta?"
"I have some urgent business to attend to."
"I'll take that as a yes. I'll be with Airi knocking on your door at 10 A.M tomorrow, better be ready by then. Your parents still live on the border of that forest right? "
I wonder if there are trains leaving tonight that I could escape with.
"Yeah he lives there, my parents mentioned some time ago having visited them!"
This has to be some cruel joke.
*pling*
"Oh it's my mum. I should probably return home, but I'll be seeing you two tomorrow. Airi, I'll drop by your house at 9.30, we'll head to Souta from there."
"Sounds good! I'll make us something to eat for the day!"
"Excellent! Well I'll be going now. See ya!"
"Bye Ryuo!"
The clattering of the bike got further away, until it could be heard no more.
From behind the mountains, Souta could see a sliver of light grey sky, gradually getting darker and darker, above them, a black night sky, an infinite void.
The sun must have set…it probably looks beautiful to Airi.
They laid down in silence for a moment, the warm summer air still lingering. One by one, stars started appearing. For Souta, they were hard to distinguish from the abyss that was the sky, only showing up as dark grey points.
"Do you know anything about the stars, Souta?"
"Huh..uh..no, not really I don't think."
"They don't teach you astronomy in school?"
"No, I don't think so? Is that unusual?"
"No, it isn't. They don't teach us either."
"Right….?"
What's this suddenly about
"Well…do you know anything about the Moon then?"
"Uh…I've heard that the tide is affected by it. And that we've walked on it."
"Seriously you're hopeless. You've lived your whole life in Tsukimori, you know, literally Moon forest, and don't know any of the legends? Do you even know why we celebrate the Summer Moon Festival?"
Well I'm not an anthropologist, how should I know.
"No…uh…well…I remember my mom telling me a story sometime when I was a kid…sorry, I…sometimes have a hard time recalling stuff…from childhood."
"I'll tell you a story."
Airi got up, disappeared for a while and when she came back, she was holding two peonies in her hands, the other one light gray, the other darker.
"See these two, their colors?"
"Where did you steal those from?"
"That's irrelevant. See how the other one is white and the other one is red."
What does red even look like
"Yeah sure."
"Now look closely at these flowers and listen."
She put the white flower aside, and the red one in hand started her story.
There once was a maiden, gowned in crimson red. Alone she stood, watching over countless lights. As the golden king fell, the maiden rose, in an endless cycle. So it had always been, and so it should always be. The king and the maiden were in love, a unity of opposites, forced by fate to never touch each other.
The golden king was worshipped by most people, as it gave them light and warmth. Rising again and again, it took on many forms among the tales of the people. But there were also those who saw the beauty in the crimson maiden. Those wise people knew of the ancient mysteries, of the fact that after gold, there comes red. In the forests of high mountains they built their temples, and as the maiden rose they sang their praises. Her light guided them, and they kept their traditions alive, teaching the young their ways.
Airi let the red peony down, and took up the white flower.
But the eternal dance, written to last until the end of days, was cut short. For in the year that was marked as zero, the new beginning, the crimson maiden didn't raise to herd the lights. Instead there was a new maiden, one gowned in cold, white clothes. The golden king wasn't concerned with this, as long as there was an opposite to him, it didn't matter what it was. But the worshippers of the crimson maiden spoke silently of horrible things to come. For they knew that white, or chalk as they called it, was below that of gold.
She looked at the night sky.
"I don't know how the story continues to be honest. I read it in an old book I found of old tales of Japan. The pages after that were too worn out to make sense of."
"How did you remember all that?"
"I've always been fascinated by it, and what it all means. You know, in the Summer Moon Festival, we honor the white moon, as we always have. But I think this story suggests that there was something even before that that this town believed in."
"Right…"
Airi stood up.
"We should get going, it's getting late, and we have to wake up early tomorrow."
"I still don't understand what tomorrow has to do with me."
The air was cooler now, which made it easier to bike. Well truthfully it was Airi biking and Souta trying to keep up with her, running alongside. He had insisted that he wouldn't bike a second more with a passenger, so she took the bike. Eventually they reached a crossroad, where their ways would part.
"You can have your bike now, I'll be going that way. It's not a long walk from here."
"Oh right, I recall faintly that you lived in that direction."
"I think you should have this to remind you tomorrow to come with us. I fear that otherwise you would just keep sleeping through the day."
Airi gave him the darker peony, which was apparently red.
How will this- whatever
"Thanks…I guess. Do I like…have to put this in water?"
"Well duh, it will die otherwise. Don't you have any plants at your home"
"Ah..I guess we do…there are some potatoes growing in our backyard."
"Well, see you tomorrow! Don't oversleep or we'll kick your door down. Good night, Souta!"
Souta turned around, hopped on his bike and started his way back home. The air was fresh and felt nice against his face. The moonlight lit his way, for there were no street lamps in the outskirts of town.
***
Souta snuck through the house, for his parents were already sleeping. Not especially hungry, he took a quick shower before heading to bed.
Oh right, the flower.
He got a glass vase, filled it with water and put the flower in it. Trying to not spill the water he carefully made his way upstairs to his room, and put the flower on the table against his window. Laying in his bed, he could see it glimmering in the moonlight shining through the window.
Today was an eventful day huh…I never imagined running into those guys again. What was up with their faces…I've never seen anything like that in all these years. Ryuo working in a diner, aiming for a soccer career…and Airi, going for med-school huh. And what was that story about…
A strange light filled the room.
What the-
Souta jumped up from the bed, trying to understand what was happening.
The flower…what is that?
For in the midst of the dull room, the grey walls and dark cabinets, the flower was now shining with color. An impossible sight, defying everything he had learned to accept in this dim world of his. Lights dancing on the walls, swirling through the room. A color Souta had forgotten existed.