[Backstory Log] Inui, Yanagi

[khemeia.livejournal.com]

Date: About 20 years ago >_>
Rating: G
Summary: It's festival day, and a pair of five-year-olds meet for the first time.



Festival day. Sadaharu only knew it was festival day when his mother had fussed over him earlier that morning, wrapping him in layers of robes and helping him into his hakama. He didn't know which festival it was, since the ones he'd experienced all seemed the same to him: bright, colorful, crowded, but most importantly, they were fun. He and his parents set off for the festival, Sadaharu several meters ahead. He was a big boy now, and didn't need his mother's hand anymore. Nevertheless, he didn't stray too far, and always waited to cross the street with his parents.

When they reached the festival grounds, Sadaharu felt restless; they were only standing in front of the shrine's arching gate. He tugged on his mother's kimono and glanced up questioningly. "Mother, why are we standing here?" He wanted to play with the fish.

She merely smiled before she heard her name being called. And Sadaharu was told to wait just a moment longer. The Yanagi family had arrived.

Renji took quick little steps like he'd been taught, to keep up when his mother suddenly walked faster. Nee-san was with their father, and Renji held onto a fold of their mother's kimono, so he didn't get lost. Maybe they'd found the Inui family, then. He didn't know who they were, but his mother and father looked happy, so everything was probably alright.

He stood a little behind his mother's left, quietly demure. Glancing around a bit, patient though excited because it was festival day, his eyes suddenly met another pair that were only a bit taller than his own. Surprised, he ducked a little closer to his mother's side.

Two more big adults came, overshadowing Sadaharu. He didn't know who they were, so he kept close to his mother's side; he was a big boy now, so he'd have to protect her. But they laughed and greeted each other, smiles on their faces from what he could see. Perhaps they were friends, but then, that only meant things were going to get boring very quickly.

Sadaharu sighed quietly to himself before his eyes started to wander, looking for something close-by to play with-- an interesting stone or a small insect would have sufficed, but his gaze caught something even more peculiar, but it ducked closer to the adult. Ever the curious one, he moved to peek from his mother's other side to get a better look.

Renji remembered his mother saying something about how he'd have a 'friend' to play with at the festival, because they were the same age, while she was pulling his hair and sticking pins in it. But Renji hadn't believed her, because there were a lot of big people in the world, and they weren't all friends. It didn't make sense. Then his mother told him the other boy's name was Sadaharu, but just because he knew his name too didn't make them friends either.

But Maybe-Sadaharu was looking at him now, and maybe if he came a bit closer, they could talk like the big people who were friends did, and maybe then they would be friends, too. Renji wasn't allowed to go over there, though. He was supposed to hold on to his mother's kimono.

Sadaharu blatantly stared at the other one, curious because she was a girl with her pretty kimono and he'd never spoken with a girl who was the same size as him before. Sadaharu wanted to ask his mother and father what her name was, but they were too busy talking again.

He hesitated, glancing up at his mother, and then toward the girl again. He didn't want to wait for them to stop talking, so he'd find out himself-- too curious for his own good. Having decided, he perked up slightly and waved at the unknown girl.

Renji blinked. A wave? Well... a wave was okay, he supposed. Even if big people didn't just wave, if they were friends. Hesitantly, he lifted a hand and waved back a bit, Nee-san's bracelet on his wrist jingling slightly.

What now? He tiled his head a little, eyes still on Maybe-Sadaharu as he thought. Well, maybe Maybe-Sadaharu wasn't allowed to leave his mother, either. Even if he wasn't holding onto her kimono. That would make things difficult. Maybe he should ask his mother if he could go over there. But they were still talking...

Oh good, she waved back. Sadaharu couldn't help but smile faintly. Yes, he wanted to know her name now, because she waved back. He was a big boy now, so he could meet her, if he wanted. Still, he hesitated, taking a step forward, then another. He must have looked funny, taking a step, pausing, and then taking another. But he was close enough now; maybe if he stretched his arm out, he could touch her (the bracelet looked interesting), but he didn't want to accidentally break her.

He stared at her for one, two seconds. "Hello."

“Hello,” Renji said, happy that he hadn't had to think too much about interrupting his parents. He stood a bit straighter, because he was the smallest one of everybody now, but that didn't make him forget (most of) his manners. He bowed like he'd been taught, and added: “It's nice to meet you, Sadaharu.”

Sadaharu blinked, perplexed that she already knew his name. He felt vaguely unprepared and he nearly frowned, but he didn't; instead, he bowed back politely. "It's nice to meet you, too."

He paused, mulling over the question for a moment. A part of him didn't want to ask; if he did, she'd know that he didn't know her name already. He felt embarrassed, glancing down to frown at his feet.

Concerned, Renji reached out a tentative hand to Inui's shoulder, but stopped just short. “Are you okay?” he asked. He didn't think Sadaharu would need to go to the toilet, since they'd just got here (though maybe Sadaharu's family had come here much earlier?)... But going to the toilet at festivals was difficult, because of the costumes and people. Maybe he'd offer Sadaharu a rice cracker instead. He had a couple of packets in his bag...

Sadaharu glanced back up, remember that she was still there. Even though he told himself not to frown at her, he did anyway; his pride hurt. "I don't know your name."

Renji blinked. It hadn't occurred to him that his Maybe-Sadaharu thought might not have had a Maybe-Renji thought in Sadaharu's brain to go with it. That had been bad manners. A faint blush coloured his cheeks in embarrassment. Bad manners were bad, but he'd forgotten...

“I'm Renji,” he said, eyes downcast. It was his turn to look at his feet, now.

Renji. It didn't sound like a girl's name to Sadaharu, but she looked like a girl, so she had to be one. He had her name now, and he was happy. "Renji-chan, do you want to be friends?"

Renji quickly looked back up at the question, embarrassment now replaced by happiness. Sadaharu had thought the same thing! They were off to a good start, then. “Yes,” he smiled. “...I'd like that.”