One Summer Day by Joe Hisaishi
Y/N POV.
And so, another day begins. The late summer's weather falls upon the Inazuman lands, the evergreens flourishing through the markets, elderly fanning themselves sit at stools outside their houses whilst complaining about the heat, and the nobles at home rest comfortably with cold desserts and electrical fans imported from Fontaine. The golden light befalls onto the grey pavements and wooden buildings, a soft calm about them feels like the quiet amongst the chaos. Dry sticks wrapped around with hay sweeps the floors of the Narukami Shrine, the young maidens sighing with a fresh break of sweat trickling down the sides of their faces.
The extravagant banquet is being held today, and the dreams of young girls shatter at the thought that the finest bachelor of Inazuma might finally choose his bride-to-be. That isn't even the worst nightmare for these heartbroken singles...
"I can't believe it won't be me! Or any of us, for that fact," Maki weeps dramatically, shaking my shoulders as she waltzes across the shrine.
"The fancy chandeliers, tailored gowns, and oh, the Head of the Kamisato Clan... It can only leave this poor girl wondering, just how is he like if the rumours do him such favour?" Hazuki leans her chin on the top of her broom.
"Lucky Y/N, I guess," Yukari rolls her eyes in a sarcastic manner before we all burst out giggling.
"Alright, ladies. I know you're excited for Y/N, but I can already hear the shrine complaining about how slow you're cleaning. Hurry up, might as well finish it soon so you can help this distracted little girl whisk herself up good enough to make that rascal fall head over heels for her," Lady Yae says smugly.
The glances of unison spark a romantic fever between us before we start whisking the dust away quickly.
...
"Oh my, what in Teyvat are doing here?" My mother's eyes lit up.
The familiar smell of home has never comforted me this much before. She gives me a tight hug, her thumbs caressing my back in longing as she hums in approval. Her embrace keeps me warm and with my closed eyes, I relish her touch. The wrinkles of her clothes cling onto mine as we sway in silence, no words needed to convey just how much both of us miss this moment.
"Now, tell me. Why have you come home?" Her eyes turning into curious crescents as she breaks the hug.
"I have a banquet to attend to and the clothes I have at the shrine doesn't really speak fancy," I smile.
"A banquet? Has a noble family invited you to bless their home?" We walk to my room, one that has been cleaned and dusted everyday by her without fail.
"It's complicated..." I deter my eyes from hers.
She pauses in her steps and turns to me, her eyes narrowing in suspicion as I give her a shy smile.
"Now, now. You know you can't hide anything from me. A mother's instinct never fails. I see you've meet a man," She raises her eyebrows with slight surprise.
"Well... You're not wrong, but-"
"He's not just any man, is he?" She smirks knowingly, making me succumb to my defeat.
"He's a good man, mother. He told me he would wait as long as I would take but, I don't know..." My voice trails away.
"Come with me, Y/N" My mother leads me to her room.
The slight smell of flowery perfume lingers in the air, something that my mother always smelled like; something my father fell for when he first laid eyes on her at the festival's stage. Her slender hands reaches to open the enoki cupboard, pulling at a box from a corner. As I kneel beside her, she pushes the box on the floor, giving it to me.
"It's the dress I wore when your father first saw me," Her almond eyes speak a thousand words.
My fingers move hesitantly to uncover the lid of the cover, gasping in utter surprise at the kimono that is neatly folded in the box. It is at one glance that you can tell that the kimono is something money cannot buy. The cotton fabric is made from its most organic form, each embroidery threaded by skilful hands, the touch of soft femininity is harboured by the dye of sakura blooms, bursts of gold outlining the flora and an artwork of the Narukami Shrine at the back instils the spirit of an artisan's final masterpiece; even my eyes do not do the dress any justice.
"It is a dress passed down from your grandmother. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever known," She smiles longingly.
"It's yours now," Brushing my hair back, the look in her eyes makes me want to cry.
"But-"
"The man you mentioned.. Perhaps, he is the Head of the Kamisato Clan? The only banquet that's happening soon is their household's, afterall. Hm... Not just any man, and not just any noble either, I fear. That man will have women frolicking around him through the entire night. You must capture his attention, my love. The whole town knows of your beauty, do not let the others outshine Inazuma's greatest maiden," She kisses my cheek.
...
"Oh...!" Are the only words that manage to leave my mouth when the girls of the shrine turned me around to the mirror.
"He won't be able to leave his eyes off from you," Maki smirks.
"The whole town will be talking about this!!!" They squeal.
There is a knock on my door before the elegant Lady Yae enters with an expression which looks like she is about to make a fussy fit.
"You girls better lower your v...oice... Y/G/N (your grandmother's name)?" She furrows her brows in confusion.
"I'm... sorry?" My confusion pulls Lady Yae back to reality.
"Apologies, you just look exactly like your grandmother when she was much younger," The pink haired woman quirks a brow. Using her vision powers, she summons a piece paper which I realise is a photo, passing it on to me. My eyes shift to adjust to the black and white image, the photo already yellowed.
"The most beautiful woman Inazuma will probably ever know," Lady Yae whispers to herself. My lashes flutter in disbelief as I look at myself against the mirror once again.
Wow...
"I guess the whole town will talk about this," The photograph diminishes in my hands as Lady Yae walks out the door. The rest of us sit still in my room, unable to believe what we had just seen. My grandmother indeed looked exactly like me, but nonetheless, the makeup I wore could only replicate her beauty. Without it, we still looked a little different.
"Come on, Y/N. The Kamisato's carriage has been sent!" Yubari helps me up as I trudge out the shrine doors with my electro vision dangling like an ornament at the back of my kimono.
"Lady Yae just informed me of the changes in the guests for the banquet. Miss Y/N," The coachman bows politely before opening the door and helping me up the steps.
"HAVE FUN!!" Maki screams at me through the carriage window.
"YOU NEED TO TELL US ALL ABOUT IT SO THAT WE CAN BRAG ABOUT IT TO EVERYONE TOMORROW, OKAY?" Hazuki waves.
"GET! THAT! MAN!" Yubari waves wildly, slightly reminding me of Itto in one form or the other.
"I see that your friends are extremely supportive of you tonight," The coachman turns behind from the small window to speak.
"Yes," I return him a close eyed smile.
YOU ARE READING
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