Poki Challenge

 A line of key members of the ikka sat at the room’s edge. Hanako took her place at the end beside Minami. Her deep purple kimono with silver silk flower embroidery stood out against the simple formal black haori and hakama. Masaki sat across from her father in a kneeling position in the center of the room. A single wide sake cup filled near the brim was between them.Kumicho Yukiharu took the first sip, then passed it to Masaki, who cupped it in two hands facing her father, finished the cup without breaking eye contact. He returned the cup and the ceremony was complete.Fuyuki Masaki was now an official member of the Yukihana-ikka.This would be a proud day for Hanako. She should be moved to tears, even. Instead, a sharp pang pressed against her sternum.He was injured by some street thug with a charm they shouldn’t have, all because she was pretending to be a weak “normal girl”. Then he lost control using the bakki she herself gifted and hurt their classmate. The thought churned her stomach and twisted into knots. Minami leaned over as they stood up once the ceremony was over.“Any news of Minato?” She whispered to Minami.“Not yet, ojo-sama. The lead you’ve provided was a dead end.”Her shoulders sagged in relief. “You certain?” Then quickly recomposed herself.“Yes.”“Keep me posted when you find him.” She ordered. He nodded, then walked over to congratulate Masaki.She watched her clan members surround Masaki to welcome him into the ikka.The sarashi cinched tight across her chest. For a moment, she wondered whether her father felt this weight every day.

- - -

“Hana-chan? Hello?” Sayuri waved her hand in front of Hanako.The soft ticking of the clock and the faint citrus scent of the bedsheets reminded her she was in Sayuri’s bedroom.Hanako pinched the bridge of her nose. “Sorry, I zoned out.”“What’s on your mind?” Sayuri took out a piece of Poki and put it in Hanako’s mouth. “N…nothing. I am just tired. From what happened last week.” “Yeah… that was scary but…” She grinned and put a Poki in her mouth. “Ryuji!” She squealed and dramatized the scene when Hanako called out his name.Hanako blushed and dropped the Poki from her mouth onto the bedsheet in surprise.Of course, Sayuri would turn last week’s nightmare into a tease. That was just… her. “So you came over rather late today, did you have some quality time with Ko-chan as well? You player. Having so many boys around you.”“I did, but it’s nothing like that, Sayuri…” She couldn’t tell her what happened earlier today. “He’s with his family this weekend.” She told Masaki to spend the weekend with his family instead of moving into her house right away. It mildly annoyed her when he treated her words like an order and offered zero resistance. She wanted him to tell her what was on his mind, the way Minato would.“I’m sure either of the boys would be over the moon if you asked them out on a date.” She drew two sticks from the packet, waving them like drumsticks.Two boys, two sticks. Hanako wished she’d stop doing that.“What? Masaki…” She wanted to deny.Sayuri cut in. “He likes you, I can so tell.”“You know he’s my attendant. For years. He’s almost like a brother to me.”“Is he really like a brother? He doesn’t treat his own sister like that.”“Like what?” “The way he looks at you and the way you back away from him.” Sayuri’s tone flattened. “You do that to Ryuji too.”Hanako stiffened, then reached for the fallen Poki piece.“I don’t back away,” she replied, leaning against the wall. She ate the Poki whole in a single bite.“Hanako, you should really be honest with yourself.” Sayuri sat up.Hanako’s eyes widened. “If you are dishonest and hesitate, the next thing you know, somebody else might take the first step before you would.”She told herself Sayuri meant well.But she didn’t know what Hanako was going through.“It’s not that simple, Sayuri.”“Yeah, it can be scary but you’re the bold type to brave danger… unlike me.” Hanako wished she could tell Sayuri all about it. She’d put people in ice before. She’d never told Sayuri her father ran the Yukihana‑ikka, or that Masaki had just stepped into that world. And all the violence lately… it was because of her. Because she was Yukihana.But she couldn’t.Sayuri wouldn’t be able to handle it.Hanako didn’t want to expose her to such a world.Nor to Minato.“Unlike you, my choices have consequences, a grave one.” Sayuri’s lips parted in surprise. “You always had that effect on others. You naturally gravitate people towards you. You have the beauty and presence to make that kind of impact on people.”“You know how hard it is to be what everyone expects? To pretend you’re someone else?” Hanako pulled her knees to her chest.“Some of us never get the chance to be expected at all.” She rolled one of the Poki between her thumb and index finger.“No, Sayuri, you don’t understand…”“At least I know you are not good at dealing with your own emotions,” Sayuri said as she put the two Poki sticks on the table. “I’m going to the bathroom.”Hanako crouched in bed motionless, rubbing her knees with her fingers. Sayuri had a point, but she wasn’t sure where to begin.She slumped to the side to stare at the solid red light of the VHR player across the room.She imagined her memory like a VHR tape and pressed rewind.Sayuri didn’t understand because she never told her about her situation. Where would she begin? The day she met Sayuri?The day she became a weapon for her clan?The VHR tape in her head spun out of control. Tape spilled out of the container and tangled all over the place. She buried her face in her knees.Hanako rolled over to the edge of the bed to reach out for the Poki sticks on the table. Thin, indistinguishable, and fragile.Her fingers hovered over the two sticks, rolling them over as if she were inspecting them.Which one was she supposed to choose?Why choose at all when choosing would put one in danger and hurt the other?Masaki.Minato.Two names she couldn’t even think without feeling the weight of it. The very thought pressed down on her chest.She didn’t know.She wasn’t sure she ever would.Sayuri barged back into the room. “Alright, after the finals we are going to the riverside fireworks festival and it will be a date for you and Minachi before it’s too late!” “…what do you mean by too late?”She looked like she made up her mind.“If you cannot choose then I’ll choose it for you.” She walked over and picked up one of the Poki sticks and presented to Hanako.She reluctantly took the stick. Sayuri bit into the stick like it was a challenge. Hanako nibbled on the chocolate coating. The bitter taste was sharper than the usual. Hanako couldn’t look Sayuri straight in the eye. Her mind was made up; there was no course correction.“Detail, girl. Detail.” Hanako muttered, Overwhelmed.“We will do things as normal but after finals we are going to see the fireworks. All four of us. You - Yukiharu Hanako - will be pushed to Minato Ryuji and by the end of the night you will have a clear idea whether it’s him or Fuyuki Masaki you have in your heart. Capiche?”Hanako blinked, feeling like Sayuri’s VHR was playing at high speed. “Ka… ca- what now?” She stuttered trying to repeat the last word.“Capiche!” Sayuri said with such a force Hanako felt like she should understand, but she didn’t. Her eyes stayed fixed on the circular light fixture after the room went dark. She turned her head toward Sayuri, but Sayuri lay with her back to her, facing the wall. Hanako knew she was awake. The soft ticking of the glow‑in‑the‑dark clock hadn’t even reached eleven; normally they’d still be whispering in the dark.But after what Sayuri had declared, she didn’t know what was left to say.The word still echoed in her head, sharp and final.Capiche?