Parting Ways

~~~🦊~~~

"Stop already!”

Two pairs of socks and three t-shirts landed on Hiroshi's face, interrupting his manga reading as Jun rummaged through his bag like a raccoon searching for food. One of the socks landed on the Intercollegiate Tournament trophy, guarded by the room of those who decided the score on the final match.

“Oh, I have nothing to wear.”

“I have nothing to care about!”

“Oh, I could wear my yukata,” Jun said with inspired face.

“About damn time!” Hiroshi shouted as the disarrayed boy headed to the bathroom to change.

The crow huffed before returning to his reading, and it was better not to disturb him while he did, as manga was the most important thing for him. Takashi would always find him reading a new manga: he remembered the precious hime, the magical love sorceress, and the funny witch on the run, as well as the blackmail relationship and the boy afraid of cats.

Takashi knew them, just like Jun did, because he had borrowed all those mangas and enjoyed each one of them with great excitement. There was something in the passion of their authors that captivated him, and he chuckled when one of their names reminded him of Inari. He was glad Hiroshi had that sentimental side that drove him to read romance mangas and novels.

At the same time, Takashi, who had already taken a shower, lost himself in the necklace that Nao had given him. He turned it from side to side, sometimes twisting his neck to see a detail better.

“It's beautiful. And I gave it to a beautiful girl.” Taka smiled, full of love, alternating memories of his growth with Nao and the kiss she gave him in the middle of the match.

“But... why does something feel wrong?”

Takashi pressed his thumb and index finger against the necklace. “I'm so happy to have met her. So why do I feel bad? Just seeing her makes me...”

Takashi's smile had disappeared a few moments ago, but now it wasn't coming back. “Ah, that's it. Nao lives here in Takachiho, after all.”

Everything had happened so fast during those days that he seemed to forget they only had a few hours left together. After that, they would return to Tsuno. Takashi clutched the necklace tightly, as if trying to hold onto her.

“It's not too far from here, but... will I not be able to see her as much? Can't I hug her anymore?”

If there was one thing Takashi had developed a strong devotion to, and now feared missing, it was physical contact, especially hugs. Embracing the girl he liked, feeling her warmth and delicate perfume as she relaxed against him... Takashi was a sunny boy, but he was also a boy experiencing his first love above all else.

“CHAAAAMPIOOOONS! CHAAAAMPIOOOONS!”

The cheering cut short any longing thoughts. The three boys looked towards the door as they heard a stampede approaching with the door at the center. They knew where they were headed.

“Ah!”

As the three of them shouted, Hiroshi propelled himself towards the door, determined to protect his precious manga collection. “Takashi, run!”

“There's nowhere to run!” And he was right, unless he wanted to jump off the balcony.

“They're coming in!” Just like scientists in zombie movies, Hiroshi tried to prevent the sliding door from opening.

Suddenly, Takashi felt something metal in his hand. “Ah!”

Nao's necklace. It couldn't be broken. He looked around until he noticed, as if by a miracle, an opening in the futon where he slept. Without hesitation, he put the necklace into the padding, making sure it wouldn't come out. Now, he was at the mercy of fate.

Hiroshi gasped as the door gave way, and several boys rushed into the room, hugging and jumping around him. Half as a joke, half as tradition, the rest of the team paid a cheerful visit to the three players who had participated in the goals and assists of the championship match. And, above all, they were there for the author of the winning goal.

“YEEEEEAAAAAH!”

Around fifteen people began jumping around the room, taking the three boys and messing up their hair as they shook them.

“CHAAAAMPIOOOONS! CHAAAAMPIOOOONS!”

The assault focused only on each of them and ended quickly for their sake. In thirty seconds, no one else was in the room after everyone ran out. Fortunately, Hiroshi's mangas were intact, but it seemed like a tornado had passed through the room.

“Who dares to touch my mangas?!”

With a jump, Hiroshi stood up and pointed determinedly towards the door. Both boys, also furious, stood behind him.

“Jun, Takashi, this is unforgivable! Let's go after them!”

“Yes, captain!” They both brought their hands to their foreheads, ready to protect their precious stories.

“You're not going anywhere!” Shiraito leaned on the door with a threatening stance. “In five minutes, we'll head to the festival! Ueda, go get Nao and take her to the entrance.”

As quickly as he had entered, Shiraito turned his back on the exasperated screams of the attacking trio.

“Damn!” Hiroshi said as he organized his volumes with enraged grimace. “You'll see on the next trip!”

“Oh? You still haven't dressed up, Takashi, just staring at that necklace since we came back.”

“What?” Takashi realized that, indeed, he was still wearing a casual t-shirt to avoid wrinkling his yukata.

“Don't tell me...” Jun widened his eyes and brought his index fingers close to his mouth. “The newborn couple is being broke apart?”

“How sad,” added Hiroshi teasingly.

“Shut up!”

Takashi continued looking for his clothes, clearly annoyed, both by his friends' comments and the situation. 'The couple being broke apart,' he thought with a pang in his chest. But, of course, being an open book, both of them noticed that he was taking the distance seriously.

“Well, Hiroshi, we should get going. Maybe we can talk about it when we come back to Tsuno to see the waterfalls.”

Both boys noticed that Takashi raised his eyes as they left the room.

“Sounds good,” Hiroshi continued as he reached the door. “We could come back next week. Although, if Takashi doesn't like the plan, he might be quite alone around here.”

As Jun and Hiroshi stopped at the door, the three exchanged smiles.

“If we catch you spying again, I'll kill both of you,” Takashi showed all his teeth.

“Only if you catch us.”

Jun's playful comment preceded the closing of the door and their departure to the hotel lobby, leaving Takashi alone in the somewhat messy room. He changed quickly, putting on the burgundy yukata before combing his hair, wondering if Nao would tell him he looked nice again.

“Well, here we...”

“Goal!” Takashi felt a soft tap on the back of his head, prompting him to turn around. Seeing the object, he understood why he had felt it so fluffy.

“Inari!”

“You did it, Takashi!” the fox began to spin around his head as fast as a military jet. “You made everything a success!”

“Thanks, thanks.” He couldn't help rubbing his neck with embarrassment. “Do you really think so?”

“Come on, don't humblebrag,” Inari stopped in front of his face. “You have grown a lot, and you have overcome your fears to win. Besides, you made Nao feel comfortable with people again, and she's even going to the Obon closing with you tonight. You did very well, my dear Takashi. I, Inari, thank you for what you have done.”

Takashi looked at his chest to check that it was just a sensation and that he wasn't really catching fire around the heart.

“No, thank you, Inari. You've given me so much more than I can imagine.” Takashi noticed, without reacting, how Inari nodded slightly. “Will you keep looking after me even after the Obon ends?”

And Inari fell silent again. Takashi hesitated again.

“Huh? What...”

“Joke!”

Inari repeated the gesture from the beginning, this time right to his face. Takashi felt the touch of his white fur as the deity began to laugh, like a fox, redundantly.

“I was playing with you. Of course, as much as I can. As I said, you will always be my protégé.”

Takashi stared at the fox for a moment, knowing he might never see it again.

"Thank you so much, Inari. Can you come closer?”

“Of course! There are caresses for everyone.”

Inari floated to be just centimeters away from Takashi, allowing his hand to gently stroke its head.

A white animal being caressed.

Nao in a blue yukata.

“It's not necessary for you to keep doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“The...” Takashi remembered when Inari explained her spontaneous manifestations. “Nevermind.”

“Well, if you're satisfied now, would you mind leaving me? It's getting late to go meet someone.”

“Oh, you're right!”

Takashi touched its head a couple more times to remember the contact, and the warmth in his fingers remained until he reached the door.

“Thank you for everything, Inari. I hope we can meet again,” he said while closing the door, under the attentive gaze of the floating fox.

“May your path always find light, Takashi."

~~~❤️~~~

Nao, are you ready?

Takashi stood outside his house, alone, watching as Takachiho slowly lit up with the festival lights. It was a beautiful sight to behold, making his heart race as he waited for the message.

“When I see Nao... I'll give her a big hug,” he resolved. “And I'll try to give her many today, before I have to miss her.”

The vibration of his phone interrupted his thoughts, and Takashi looked at the screen again:

Can you come in, please? The door is open.

“What, come in?”

Takashi looked towards the door, hesitating for a moment. He slid it open, entering the house carefully, and took off his shoes before closing it again. “Excuse me,” he said, somewhat shyly. The house seemed spacious, with a second floor upstairs and a large living room at the back. “Nao?”

“I'm here.”

If Takashi had been more than five steps away from the door of the room where she called him from, just to his left, he wouldn't have heard her.

“Excuse...”

Takashi was stunned by what he saw. With her back to him, stood the girl he liked, looking at him over her shoulder with a blush on her face. The delicate contour of her neck, the slightly exposed shoulders, and the bare back were a temptation for his gaze.

“Can you help me with the yukata?”

And thus, Takashi turned into a blazing ember. A very beautiful one, indeed.