[ 𝑰𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉...
..elite are picked across the globe to duel amongst themselves in battles called Festas. ]
+'l *･῾ ᵎ⌇ ⁺◦ 💮 ✧.*
It seemed like time froze around Akira, a white and unfamiliar noise seeping into h...
"𝐍𝐮𝐡-𝐮𝐡." Destiny waved her pointer in front of Akira's face, the dilated pupils belonging to the victim of Destiny's scolding following her finger.
"You are not gonna practice again. We're in goddamn Osaka, we should go out and get shitfaced and party for at least one night." Destiny's face scrunched as she hooked her arm with Akira's, a few disturbed pair of eyes looking their way.
"Shh, shut it Des." Akira shrugged her friend's arm off, apologetically bowing to the old couple who silently watched the foreigner's foul language. "Watch your language, we're not in Madrid anymore. Namjoon would scold you if he'd hear you talking like this."
Destiny clacked her tongue, throwing her box braids over her shoulder in a swift motion. "Well I don't see Namjoon here right now do I? Please Akira, just go with me for one night." Her brows screwed together as she places the palms of her hands together, rubbing them against each other.
"No can do." Akira sighed as her eyes wander to the path ahead of the duo, and Destiny folded her arms over her chest in defeat. Dozens of small flower petals laid on the damp grass, moist by the morning dew. A few petals of the cherry blossom trees adorning the path whirled down, Akira peacefully picking one from the air.
A few people strolled by- young couples in love or old individuals just getting some fresh air on a sunny morning. It felt almost as a dream, finally having arrived in Osaka, and this wasn't even the real deal yet. That's what Namjoon told his group too. 'We're one step closer to the Asterisk world tournaments, but we still have a long way to go, so don't slack off.' It was hard, but true- and Akira made sure she wasn't going to forget that. Even if her best friend would beg on her knees for just one night out.
The girl softly smiled at the flower petal, before carefully storing it in the pocket of her kimono. She noticed she felt more at peace in her own country. Sure, it was all fun back in Madrid and she never complained about anything because she always had her friends by her side, but Japan still felt more like home to her. The clear skies, the Sakura trees, the traditional clothing and even the air; she had silently missed it all.
Akira looked to her side, peeking at Destiny. Her brown skin glowed under the bright sun, braids adorned with colorful butterfly clips following her movements and the pink silk kimono molding around her body like it was made for her. Akira envied her, and even though Destiny wasn't the beauty standard in Japan, Akira thought she was the prettiest, especially amongst the others in La Cruz, their dojo.
"Oh by the way, have you heard the big news already?" Des turned her head again, eyebrows raised.
"Hm? I don't think so." Akira tilted her head as her hands found each other behind her back, her body lightly swaying as the duo kept walking, following the path next to the clear river and Sakura trees.
"There's gonna be another dojo in our practice Arena. I heard they're all boys." Destiny narrowed her eyes.
"Another district? So we're gonna need to share our practice time?" Akira looked offended.
"I guess so.. The head quarters of the Asterisk Festas announced that another last-minute district was going to join, and the dividers didn't have enough time to plant them in their own Arena. But you know... as long as they're hot.." Destiny explained before intertwining her fingers and keeping them close to her chest, her mind wandering off to dreaming about the new dojo.
Akira kissed her teeth in contempt. "Is that even legal? I mean, it isn't as if the Festas are just some kind of small games. And where is that new dojo gonna stay?" She shook her head, brows furrowed.
"I don't know," Des shrugged, "but I hope close to us. Maybe their hanok'll be next to ours!"
"Psh, I hope their dorms'll be in the basement." Akira dryly stated as she looked at Destiny in disgust, to which she laughed. Like a light bulb popped up above her head, Des suddenly remembered something.
"Sir? Do you maybe happen to know the time?" She asked in her broken Japanese to an old mister working in a small booth next to the river.
"It's currently 11:30, child." The man said, a smile appearing on his face.
"Oh Lord, Kira we gotta go! Thank you sir!" Destiny cheerfully waved at the mister before grabbing Akira's hand and dragging her with her towards the wooden bridge crossing the river.
. ˚◞♡ ⃗ 🎐*ೃ༄ ↳ ੈ‧₊˚ ┊͙
The two friends jogged into the small town, their sandals clicking on the big stones under their feet. A few odd stares reminded the young ladies to regain their manners and stop running around, causing them to drop the silk of their kimonos from their hands, and fix their pose. They linked arms, before entering the house in the small town where their district was staying.
"Akira, Destiny." The low baritone voice of their leader, Namjoon spoke. It quickly turned quiet in the room, as his calm but strict voice demanded silence. He was very respected, as he once won the Asterisk world tournaments, better known as the Festas, and his ways of teaching was very different from the other leaders. It was hard to get into his district, La Cruz.
"Sit down, I was just about to start." He sent them a small nod, to which they both politely bowed before sitting at the table designated for the La Cruz members.
"As some of you may already have heard, has another district last-minute joined the tournament. This is going to cost us some of our practice time, which I definitely do not appreciate. To compensate this loss, we were offered free dorms at the Asterisk property." He folded his hands.
A wave of gasps flooded the small group at the table, along with excited whispers. The Asterisk dorms were special. All the elite dojos stayed at the Asterisk dorms, each getting a Hanok (traditional Korean house) for themselves, as well as the heads and the leaders, the rich and the royalty. La Cruz had never stayed in the dorms before, and Namjoon used to tell his pupils that staying in this small town just out of the big city was better and 'more down to earth'.
Choi Yeonjun raised his hand. "Isn't that better? If we would have to stay here, all our practice time would be wasted to travel time anyways." He stated, as Namjoon agreed.
"It is. That's why I agreed to this offer. One more thing though..." He began, as everyone dramatically held their breath, biting their lip for what more bad news that's to come.
"We'll have to share our Hanok with the last-minute district." He revealed.
Destiny let out an excited shriek, but was quickly silenced as a furious hum was heard from Hwang Yeji across the table. She and Akira were the workaholics of the group, and the most driven to their goals ones. The two of them were definitely not happy with the change of plans, but couldn't say no to the Asterisk dorms either.
"I- I mean, ew..." Destiny slumped her shoulders as the others turned to Namjoon again.
