Our Destiny to the Stars

Mizu Village; Town of the Sea

Haruto Takahashi was finally done with his chores for today. What a tiring day. Helping Sato-Sama carry buckets of water back to her home while the walk to and from the well was a good ten minutes, helped his father sell some wood at the marketplace, delivered some buckets of fruits to the other villagers. The sun had already set, casting a celestial glow onto Mizu Village. All Haruto wanted was to enjoy some of his mother's delicious food.

The young teenager fashioned a light blue haori with gray and white patterns of swirly water, a grey gakuran jacket complete with a white belt, and grey hakama pants. A few bundles of black cloth was tied around his calves for warmth because Mizu Village got quite chilly. And, that he accidentally spilled scalding, hot water onto his calves and part of his upper leg, burning them. So, the cloth helped keep his calves warm and hid the burn scars. His hair was always brown and messy, some of the strands getting into his eyes every once in a while. His eyes were a deep emerald green.

Finally, after a few minutes of walking, he could see his home. The familiar amadoi gutters, the sliding, framed wooden doors, tiled roof, and slanted parapets came into view. He walked into the genkan, or entrance hall, of his home. Haruto remembered to remove his zori slippers and putting them into the getabako, a wooden cabinet where people will put their footwear in while entering the house. It's respectful to remove your footwear before entering a house, even if it's your own house. His mother would give him an ear-pulling and a lecture on why you should take your shoes off when entering someone's home. He slid open the fusuma sliding door, entering the house, and closing it back up, the door marking a loud whack sound as it closed.

His home was comfy and was filled with warmth. The tatami mat flooring, the fusuma sliding doors, and the grand wooden engawa verandas. The windows were decorated with traditional washi lampshades. He stepped onto the wording flooring and wanted to find where his mother and father is.

"Haruto, is that you?" The familiar voice of Haruto's mother said, coming from the dining room. "Yes, okaasan, it's me," Haruto said, smiling a bit. "Alright, come to the dining room, we're just about to serve dinner." Haruto stretched his arms as he made his way to the dining room. He slid open another fusuma sliding door and found his mother and father just finishing setting up dinner. He breathed in the wonderful aroma of the food. Dishes of rice, miso soup, fresh seafood, and other wonderful dishes filled the air.

"Welcome home, Haruto. Come on, let's eat." His mother said, giving him that same warm smile. Haruto walked to the empty zabuton cushions right between his mother and father. The three of them put their hands together, closing their eyes, Haruto's mother saying, "Gochisosama deshita." Meaning thank you for the feast. Haruto and his father echoed the same words, before opening their eyes and started digging into the food.

Haruto's mother, Einara Takahashi, wore her black hair in a tight bun, with the same emerald green eyes as Haruto, and was dressed in a silk purple kimono. Kaito, Haruto's father, had dark brown eyes, the same ruffled hair, but was jet black instead of brown, and sore a dark green kimono.

As they ate, Kaito wanted to try to make small talk. "So..how was your day, Haruto?" He asked. Haruto finished eating his mouthful of rice, as it was rude to talk with your mouth, saying, "It was good. I delivered some fruits to the other villagers, helped you in the marketplace, and helped Sato-Sama carry some of the water buckets to her home."

"Haruto..do you still want to become a Karito?" His mother asked out of the blue, putting her rice bowl down.

Karito were licensed, elite members of humanity who were granted supernatural abilities and specializes in tracking down Dark Spirits, spirits made up of pure rage, darkness, and corruption. All you needed to do was to pass the Karito Exam. The exam was very dangerous, people calling it 'Akuma to no dansu', meaning A Dance With the Devil." That's how dangerous it was. Karito could easily die in the process of driving out Dark Spirits, making it a dangerous job. Nonetheless, Haruto always wanted to be a Karito. Now that he was fifteen, he was no of age to take the Karito Exam.

"Yeah. Isn't a ship going to go into the harbor, picking up anyone who wants to take the Karito Exam tomorrow?"

"You do know that you have to leave Mizu Village tomorrow, that you could die in the exam, and you have to leave for I don't know how long," Einara explained, showing a look of sadness and worry on her face.

Haruto felt bad. She was right, he had to leave and the risks of death scared him. But, he had waited for years to achieve his goal. "Okaasan, I promise to you. That I will return to Mizu Village, alive and well, and as a Karito." Haruto said, smiling at her. Einara looked into Haruto's emerald green eyes. It all told her that he wanted to become a Karito. He wanted to get on that ship to take the exam. He had waited years for this.

Einara looked down for a bit. "Alright..fulfill your promise, Haruto," She said, finally looking up. "It's bad to make empty promises." Haruto's face lit up. "Domo arigatogozaimasu, okaasan." (Thank you so much, mom.) Haruto said, looking at his mother. Einara smiled and nodded to him.

"If you want to get on that ship, better get a goodnight's rest, Haruto," Kaito chimed in. "You're boarding that ship early in the morning and we don't want you to be late." Haruto smiled. "Okaasan, Otoosan, arigatogozaimasu." Kaito chuckled and Einara smiled and nodded to him.

Kaito put a hand on Haruto's head, ruffling his hair a little more than it already was. "Come on, after you wash the dishes, off to bed, Haruto," Kaito said to him. "Don't worry about your materials, I'll pack it for you," Einara assured him.

Haruto got up from his zabuton cushion, got his dirty dishes, and helped his mother washed them. After that, he said goodnight to his mother and father and was going to his bedroom.

Haruto slid open his fusuma sliding door, closing it gently. His room was rather ordinary. His tatami mat and his blanket laid neatly onto the floor. A wardrobe, a mirror, and other necessities in a room. His blanket had beautiful designs of the ocean on it, rather common in Mizu Village.

He changed out of his usual clothes, folding his gakuran jacket, his haori, and his hakama pants next to his tatami mat like always. Unwrapping the black clothes around his claves, he could see the burn scars from the water. It healed months ago, but it always reminded him how his ambition is rather dangerous at times. Haruto then changed into some white and blue sleepwear.

Crawling onto the tatami mat and pulling his blanket onto himself. Laying his head onto his eyes and gently drifted to sleep, waiting for sunlight to come.