Flying in the Wind [Genshin Impact]

Chapter 22. Second First Kiss

Chapter 22
Second First Kiss

Kazuha walked over to the window, sat by it in front of Ayaka, and placed his sword on the ground near him. Then he looked thoughtfully outside. The moon was shining, but it was not completely full, so the stars still made their presence known in the sky. And below, the cherry trees in the backyard shone in their splendor in the night light. Its leaves swayed slightly in the wind, and some of its petals twirled through the air.

The city, in general, felt silent and lonely. The only notable sound was the concordant symphony of various crickets.

After gazing out the window in silence for several seconds, he turned back to Ayaka. She was also looking outside with a radiant smile. Up close, her ethereal image that had enthralled him a few moments ago seemed more earthy but no less beautiful for that.

"You can't sleep either?" he asked suddenly, drawing her attention.

"No," answered the young Kamisato without taking her blue eyes from the sky. "One would expect that I would be exhausted after all the hustle and bustle today, right? But even though my body is tired, it seems my mind is still disturbed. Also, the sky looks gorgeous tonight, don't you think?"

"Yes, it's beautiful. But it is even more so when you look at it from the forest, far from any lamp or artificial light."

"I can imagine it."

A few more seconds of silence followed though it was not particularly uncomfortable for either of them. In fact, there was a certain liking at the time. It was a little reminiscent of those childhood occasions in which, while Ayaka was studying, Kazuha would sit next to her to read or write, and both kept each other company without having to say much.

A gust of wind slightly stronger than the previous ones blew in, sweeping away some of the pink cherry blossom petals and blowing them towards the window.

"Look!" Ayaka murmured, pointing to the petals suddenly entering, floating over their heads, and then falling around them like tiny flakes.

Both Kazuha and Ayaka had the reaction to stretch out their hands and reach for one of those petals. However, their fingers inevitably met, touching against each other. The immediate reaction of both was to recoil, moving their hands away. However, Kazuha noticed at that moment the white bandage that wrapped around Ayaka's left palm and back. The same hand she used to strike Ouji's sword and break it.

"Your hand..." Kazuha murmured, moving a little closer to her. Ayaka merely reflexively moved her hand away, hiding it from the boy's view.

"It's nothing, don't worry," she told him with a half-smile. "With the special medicine, it'll be fine by tomorrow."

Kazuha nodded and carefully sat back down on his spot. If she said it, it must be true.

Ayaka lowered her attention to the floor and took one of the pink petals between her fingers to look it closer. Looking out the window again, she could feel some of that fresh wind coming through it and touching her face.

"Do you remember that haiku we composed when we were children?" she asked suddenly into the air, catching Kazuha a bit off guard.

"Which of all the ones we did?"

"You're right," Ayaka laughed humorously. "There were several, right? But I mean the first one, the one you were working in my yard the day we met. Do you remember how it was?"

Kazuha was silent for a few moments and looked down, looking at the petals on the ground. He seemed to be trying to remember the exact words, but that was not really what he was. It seemed rather curious to him that she was reminded of it just then.