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Kokoro no Matsuri

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I have surprisingly little to say on this picture. I started working on it on and off again last summer, back when it was more timely. But, I guess I kept going back and work-shopping it. So now, it's probably time to cut the umbilical and upload the damn thing. Words by me.

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Ushima Kokoro sighed. She wasn't particularly tired; it was more out of a feeling of contentment than anything else. She was pleased for good reason. She had good food, good friends, yukata that actually fit, and the luminous gold of the paper lanterns. She even had a new pet, although she had yet to decide on a good name for it.

"Hey, hey Kokoro!" A voiced called out from a short distance in front of her. "Don't fall behind!"

Okay. Maybe she was a little lacking in energy. At least in comparison to who she was with, anyway. As usual, she had become a partner in crime with her classmates Kobayashi Taki and Yanagi Shizuka. The latter had been her normal, monosyllabic self, even if she was festively dressed for the outing. But then, Taki also acted in keeping with her usual behavior, Which saw Kokoro being dragged in the wake of a whirlwind of red haired energy.

"We’ve been at this all day," Kokoro said. "I’d have figured even you’d be tired by now."

"No way," Taki replied. "We have to make up for lost time."

Kokoro nodded in reply. She had to admit, Taki did have a point. Summer was quickly dwindling to a close, and it had taken most of their vacation to agree on an activity. They had not been able to get part time jobs at the maid cafe as planned, because it would take more than a month for it to stock uniforms for the overly tall and impossibly buxom. Shizuka refused to see the new summer blockbuster, since she was in the middle of reading the book it was based on. And, even the thought of cicada catching made Kokoro's skin crawl. And since she had more skin to crawl than either of her companions, they were outvoted.

But the annual Tanabata festival turned out to have something for everyone. Taki cheered at the idea of all the various carnival games. Shizuka briefly pantomimed interest in the writing of poetic wishes on the decorations, as was the tradition for the holiday, before returning to her novel. Kokoro herself fought the unladylike urge to drool. She had been able to smell the grilled snacks and sugary confections from the train station.

And so, they had indulged each others' desires for the evening, each in high spirits, until the chiming of overhead clocks and the beeping of watches alerted the tallest of their number to the time. It was nearing six PM, and once Taki took notice of the time and strode off in one direction, beckoning for her friends to follow.

"What are you in such a hurry for?" Kokoro said, falling behind the pair by a few paces. If there was one thing she wasn't built for, it was jogging. Especially not with a full stomach and an even fuller blouse. "The fireworks display doesn't start for another three hours!"

Taki pulled a folded piece of paper from the sleeve of her yukata and handed it to Kokoro.

Kokoro unfolded the paper and read its front. It was a flyer for one of the festival's attractions: a Miss Tanabata beauty pageant. She scowled at the leaflet. "Oh, Taki...you can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm totally serious," Taki replied. She had stopped making an effort to hide her devious grin. "You two are my secret weapon this year."

Shizuka looked up from her book, entering the conversation for the first time in a long time, almost as if she had coalesced out of the very air. "Two?"

"Sure, sure," Taki said. "Pale skin, long dark hair, glasses. Don't sell yourself short Shizuka. You're bound to score some points with the judges."

"I still don't think this is a good idea, Taki," Kokoro said.

"The prize is fifty-thousand yen," Taki sang. "We could split it three ways."

Kokoro performed some quick mental calculations. That would mean that her share would be upwards of fifteen-thousand. That would be enough for several trips to the all you could eat yakiniku restaurants. On the other hand, getting up on stage in front of all those people? She already had her hands full when it came to trying not to make a spectacle of herself. Such was her life as an overly buxom young woman. And she'd made her peace with that, so why tempt fate by doing something so obviously brazen?

Taki must have noticed Kokoro's apprehension, because she threw a long arm around her shoulder. "Hey, it'll be fun," she said. "Besides, you owe me for winning you your new pet."

Kokoro lifted the plastic bag in her hand up to her face. As if on cue, the shimmering fish swimming around inside it turned about on itself, and stared at her balefully with its huge black eyes. A fish was giving her the puppy dog pout. That didn't even seem possible. And to make matters worse, now Taki was imitating it as well.

Kokoro sighed again. Again, not out of exhaustion, but rather exasperation. She gave a weak smile, and in the back of her head had to admit that she had felt her resistance would prove futile. She might as well try to make the best of the situation.

"Okay...Let's do it."
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Chuckphi's avatar

HOW???????????WHY????????????