HER SCENT - AMBW (Currently Being Edited)

Chapter Seven - To The Beat Of My Samurai Drum

**AN**

At the side is the drums you can play it while reading...enjoy

I could see she put a lot of thought into this, that the anger I felt melted away from the warmth I feel her sending my way. "Hey no peeking," I said, smiling.

"Paa as if," she said with her hands still over her face.

The driver came to a sudden stop I could hear the heart-pounding beat of the taiko drums fill my chest up. The crowd was packed the driver could barely get us through. "We are late, just stop here, thank you so much for your time," she taps his shoulders and hands him an extra tip.

"Come on silly, we'll miss the performance!" She opened the car door and pulled me by my hand as we ran into the cluster of people. She was holding her kimono up with her other hand while dragging me.

The smile she had while we ran to the stage had me flustered in many ways. "Ren, Ren look!" We stopped dead center into the crowd surrounding the stage.

There they were, the famous Kodo Musical Group, I could not believe it, they are the most famous music group in and outside of Japan. Just standing here closing my eyes, I could remember my first festival my mother and father took me to when I was a little kid, at that moment I felt at home.

"Hey Ren, are you having fun?" She asked I could see her neck muscles plunge out as she tried to yell over the crowd flooded with noises.

"Yes I am, thank you," I took the next step and grabbed her hand while the medley of 'Samurai Battle March' filled out ears.

The last stroke of the drum and the once filled crowd, disburse and flowed into the rest of the activities. "So Ren you have to show me around I don't know much about Japan, but I would like for you to show me."

"Of course, have you ever tried a uirō?" She seemed confused, "uirō is a traditional Japanese steam cake. They're chewy and slightly sweet, so many flavors, I think you would love it."

I placed my hand on the back of her kimono and we both lead the way together. She was asking me so many questions, one right after the next, I was at a lost for words, I've never been around someone so curious with my culture; I liked the attention a lot.

"I'm sorry I keep asking so many questions, it's just I've never been to a festival before," her smile was so angelic.

"Let's eat some more," I said as we wandered the streets of the red dragon festival, going to each shopkeeper. "Two Monaka please, with one green green tea and the other red green paste. We'll take four Yatsuhashi. Three sets of Dango." Then we found a place to sit and watch the end of the festival fireworks.

"Athena I wanted to say thank you for today, you really didn't have to do any of this," I bowed my head to show her my respect.

She got up, "Ren you are the one I need to thank," she bowed towards me, it meant a lot. She took that step and crossed a line I didn't know I wanted her to cross.

We froze at that moment I pushed my glasses back and moved towards Athena's body, I could feel my heartbeat matching hers, it felt the same when I heard those drums. I wonder how her lips taste, how soft they would feel against mine. I got a bit closer and so does she, she leans in more; but I chicken out and pushed a piece of Dango in her mouth. "Yummy right!" damn it, Ren why out of all times.

**BANG** the loud sounds of the fireworks muffled my overwhelming thoughts, to see her so happy was better than a kiss, it filled my emptiness. "Ren, Ren look how beautiful they are woow, these are fireworks," the night sky of smoke and lights from the blast of the fireworks going off filled her eyes, she looked like a child seeing the world for the first time.