Trails of intertwined stars: Chapter 30

~Chapter 4: A Sketch~

Setsu laughed, pushing a plate of neatly cut fish onto the table.
"That sounds like an adventure! Completely different in high tide, isn't it?"
"It's the power of the moon," Kiyomasa hummed, carving features into an owl statue.
Setsu whistled, drying cutlery," But imagine that, Toichi giving someone a ride on his boat."
Tokumei raised an eyebrow, biting into a tough piece of fish.
Kiyomasa shrugged," He's actually a good guy. Just not much of a talker."
Zero turned to look at the man, who smirked adding the final details to the wooden owl.
"You should ask him for a ride again," He hummed, before repeating it in a strange voice as he bounced the owl with googly eyes up and down, as though it were talking," Zero, ask him for a ride!"
Zero laughed awkwardly, nodding. Kiyomasa made his way over to the table, staring at Zero seriously.
"But it's best you stay away from the marsh house."
"How come?" Zero frowned.
Kiyomasa chuckled mischievously, sticking his arms out like a zombie," GhOssTs!"
Tokumei wrinkled his nose," Not again!"
Kiyomasa laughed, standing up," Oh well, I'll get some wine."
"It looked like nobody lived there," Zero frowned.
Tokumei didn't seem surprised by it, yet he continued to eat and try to ignore the topic.
"Not now, anyway," Setsu hummed," I think it used to be a holiday home for some foreigners. Then it changed hands a few times. But it's been vacant for a long while now."
"I see," Zero hummed.

That night, Zero had a dream. Everything was foggy and he waded through the water again, trying to reach the mansion. The wind seemed to groan in his ears as he did so. Looking up at the house, that one window that he'd found himself drawn to was lit. There was movement inside. Someone was there. Zero gasped.
"There's someone!"
He walked forward, not even releasing the water was getting deeper. He yelped, sinking slightly in the water, the thick marsh mud trying to pull him down. Zero gasped, crawling out onto a patch of grass a couple large steps behind him. He turned to look in the window. There, was a young girl, her hair being brushed by an older woman. The old woman was sour looking and short, pulling the girl's hair slightly as she brushed. Yet that wasn't who Zero seemed captivated by. No, it was the girl. She wore a blue nightie, with long, wavy blonde hair. Zero couldn't make out their faces.

Zero woke, sitting up in the bed. He turned to look beside him, Tokumei sleeping peacefully, with soft breaths. Zero sighed.

Setsu sat in the garden, cutting tomatoes off from their plants. Her gaze turned to her husband, who hummed merrily, walking by with wood in his arms.
"Honey, have you finished them yet?" Setsu asked.
Kiyomasa paused, looking at her with an awkward smile.
"You know, what Ms Kadoya asked for?"
"Oh...almost done!"
Zero walked out of the door, sketchbook under his arm. He wanted to make Tokumei feel more comfortable about the mansion and wanted to put his gift to use, so decided to make him a gift. Kiyomasa turned to the entity, clearly looking to change the subject.
"Hey, Zero! Going out?"
"Yes."
Setsu grumbled under her breath," Just finish them already..."
"Um... I'm going to go sketch," Zero informed her.
"Sure, go on!"
"Thanks...?"
Zero ran off, happy to go and repay the gift for Tokumei. Kiyomasa smiled, walking over to his wife.
"You noticed he seems to talk to himself a lot? Like he's talking to someone?"
"Well. As long as he's having fun and eating well."

A group of school children stood at the marsh hill, a teacher banging a megaphone with a stick.
"Everyone, all the rubbish you pick up will be collected in the bag I'm holding!"
"Everyone listen!" The chubby girl from the other day yelled at the young children.
On the pier nearby, sat the old man, fitting his string on his fishing rod; trying to get a good tightness on it.
"Now begin!" The teacher yelled.
The children all ran along the coast, hunting for rubbish, some planning to be more productive than others. The three boys from the post office climbed over, grinning as they saw the old fisherman.
"Look, it's Toichi!"
"Toichi the mute!"
"Toichi who only talks once a decade!"
The man kept his head down, paying the children no attention.
"HEY!" The large girl yelled," I said we're not going there until later!"
"Shut up! We're just checking it out!"
"See ya!"
"Perhaps we'll hear from you next time!"
The boys laughed, running off. Toichi sat, twisting the rod, his eyebrows trembling slightly. He turned around, his gaze landing on Zero; who stood watching him from a distance.

Zero sat in the boat sketching as Toichi fished. They spoke no word to each other, yet both seemed at peace with each other's company. The boat gently swayed. Zero stared up at the marsh house, enchanted.

Zero hummed to himself, walking to the house after thanking Toichi. He hadn't finished his present for Tokumei yet, but he was sure he'd love it. Well, he hoped.