KAMI ༘ monoma neito

ʚɞ11

The blonde
and the lady
had finally set off
to go back to the shrine
when the sun had risen.

When they arrived,
the lady
went to the small wooden cabin
where the cleaning tools
were stored.

"Noble lady,
are you not going to sleep
once more?
Sleeping on a rock
must have left
your back hurting."
The blonde says.

"I have to clean,
Kami."

"No.
Put that broom back,
you shall sleep."
The man persists
with a stern tone.

"But Kami–"

"Sleep,
noble lady.
Do not tire
your body.
I will clean
the shrine today."
The blonde says
and takes the broom
from the lady.

He ushers her
to go inside
the shrine office.
"Now go
and sleep.
Rest for today."
He says
and the woman frowns
but follows the man's orders
nonetheless.

When the lady
had gone inside
the shrine office,
the blonde began to do
his daily routine.
Yes, daily.

The blonde
wakes up earlier
than the lady
every single day,
so he could clean
the shrine
and leave a bit of dirt
so the woman
would only
have to clean a little.

The blonde
could not allow a lady
such as her,
a noble,
to maintain the whole shrine.
But he senses
her determination
to do good
just to be bestowed a lover,
for which the man
could not even do.

He was not even Kami,
to what the lady had called him
for so many times.

He felt guilty
for fooling the woman,
and he prays every day
to apologize
for the prolonged
misunderstanding.
But he
could not help it.

He was alone
for years in the shrine.
The sight of a woman
entering the shrine
with utmost respect
gave him hope that finally,
he would not be alone anymore.

Then he remembered
that the woman
was only there
to make
a wish – a ludicrous one
at that – and would probably
just leave,
so he took
the opportunity
to make the woman
stay a little longer,
to feel someone's company,
to feel someone's warmth.

To feel what it was like
not to be alone again.

It was the afternoon
when the lady
had awoken.
She immediately
walks out of her room
after changing
to a new set
of yukata.

"Kami,
I see that you are resting.
I apologize
that I was not able
to clean,
you had to move
around with that wound."
The lady says
and stands
beside the man
at the porch.

"It should be me
that is apologizing.
If only I had chosen
to come back earlier,
then none of this
would have happened.
And I am doing fine now.
My leg does not hurt
as much as last night.
Thank you
for cleansing my wound,
noble lady."
The blonde replies
to which the lady
wears a faint smile
on her lips.

Her heart felt happy.

"Kami,
there will be a festival
in the village soon.
Let us come
and celebrate,
and perhaps this time
we can have worshippers
here in the shrine."
The lady asks.

Although
she had said this
to make it seem
as if the reason
was only to invite villagers,
the lady wanted
to spend time
with the blonde
at the festival.

"Then we shall."
The man answers.