Amai POV:
It's finally here, the end of the year and a lot of things will change again. Every year the world is changing, and the world change by advancement of technologies, new laws in politics, and all the lives around the world based on our decisions. In each year, life started to age, life die, and life gets reborn again; it is like an endless cycle or an endless loop. The only thing that never change is that we still are bound by the decisions and choices we take and risk within each years passed. So make the most out of it and be kind to every one no matter how hard it gets.
It's dark out and the only light I can see are the street light, the lanterns, and the light at every stalls. Me and my mom are walking side by side at Tengu park wearing our beautiful kimono for this new year. Around us are small shops that are selling delicious foods like dumplings, spring roll, tonkatsu, and osechi riyori. Other shops are selling beautiful made traditional kimono and animal Kabuki like mask, the most common ones are fox mask. While we walk, the aroma of the street foods linger through the air and it entered my nostril making my tummy growled loudly like a tiger.
"Are you hungry sweetie?" My mom asked.
I look at her and did my best and cutest puppy eyes before nodding.
"Then let's go get something to eat." She giggled and immediately dragged me to a ramen stall.
The aroma of the broth and spices are overpowering the other street foods near it, it is so fresh and mesmerizing. My mom ordered two tonkatsu ramens and the cook started making one.
While we wait for the meal, both me and mom sat on the tall stainless stool that you can spin manually. Despite my size though, I can still climb the stool without any struggle cause of the foot rest.
"Here's your order! Enjoy!" The cook served us with two steaming ramens with a crunchy tonkatsu on it.
My mouth watered at the sight and the aroma coming from the broth. I immediately took the wooden chopstick that's in the container near me and before digging in, I happily said.
"Itadakimasu!"
Before chowing down on the long noodles, I pick up one of the well fried tonkatsu on top of it. I took a bite making a crispy crunchy sound and I was taken aback by how well the chef fried the pork, so crispy and so juicy and we'll marinated. After gulping down the crispy tonkatsu, I pick up the noodles and you can see the steam waved through the air. I blow at it before slurping it down and I was not disappointed by how well the chef made it, the noodles are fresh and I can taste the broth on the noodles and it was so rich in flavors.
After a few minutes of chowing down, my tummy bulges in my kimono. I burped loudly which my mom gave me a stern look, making me giggled nervously and say...
"Hehe, excuse me."
My mother sighed and chuckled. She looks at her digital wrist watch and told me. "Oh! It's almost midnight! Come on sweetie, we're gonna be late for the fireworks."
As we walk along the path of Tengu park, we bought a fox mask along the way. A few minutes of walking and both of us arrived by the entrance of a forest, I grasped my mom's hand tightly and gulped the lump in my throat, remembering what had happened to me last time, however my mom gave me a comforting rub on the head.
"Don't worry sweetie, the woods will lead us to a fox shrine. There's no danger here because it is protected by the blessing of the fox goddess."
"But why are we going to the forest? Are we supposed to be watching the fireworks?" I asked and raised an eyebrows.
My mom only respond is. "Yes we will."
I stared at the tall trees and I can see the branches are barely blocking the sky. I wondered how are we going to see the fireworks over this thick woods. We begin to enter the gloomy forest, I can hear small sticks and fallen leaves crunching and snapping as me and mom walk straight on the path. As we go deeper into the forest, I began to encounter some kitsune or fox statues along the road that are covered with moss and heavy stone lanterns with fires lightening it.
I hold my mother's hand even tighter and my breath quickens, the atmosphere is so heavy and mysterious. My mom noticed this and she spoke with a soft comforting tone. "It's okay sweetie, we're almost there."
After passing through the statues, we came across a concrete stairs with mosses and grasses sprouting out of it. On top of the stairs, there is a large torii and some symbols I couldn't make it out of.
"We're here!" My mom beamed.
I find it a little frightening seeing my mom so excited being here in a creepy forest. Shaking that feeling, both of us ascended to the steps.
After sacrificing my legs for the shrine, my lower body feels like is on fire, and I'm gasping for breath while my kimono are drenched in sweat same with my mom. However, despite the tiring stairs, we got rewarded by the sight of the beautiful shrine standing tall in front of us. The forest may be dark, but the area around the shrine is illuminated by the stone lamp and torches and the amazing fireflies that flew around and twinkling on the dark areas like stars.
Suddenly, a floating blue flame surrounded us making me jumped when one of those things illuminated in front of me.
"Mom?!" I cried out.
"These are the flames of the fox goddess. They are alive and protecting us sweetie, they are like a wisp like the one in the stories I tell you before bed." My mom assured me.
"After leaving your father's world, I always go here praying that I can meet him again. These flames suddenly appeared, and I always think this is the present of the fox goddess. A sign I will be meeting your father again soon." My mom explained and tried to hide the sad tone of her voice.
"Look up the sky sweetie, the fireworks are about to start." My mom pointed at the dark sky.
I just realized, the whole forest are covered by trees except the shrine. If we about to see it by the sky, I'm sure this is the only part where there is no trees. But still, the fireworks are very far away, how can we watch it then? My mind is going on and on about this.
Suddenly, all of the blue fireballs around us flew and compressed each other by the sky and burst into exploding colors making my eyes widened in awe. It is like a giant blooming colorful flowers and it was so magical.
I glanced at my mother and she is watching the fireworks with a bright smile on her face. But what I didn't expect is the familiar person that had appeared before her.
"D-Dad?!" I gasped in shock making my mom glanced at me.
"What's that Amai?" My mom raised an eyebrow.
I rubbed my eyes and when I look at him again, he just suddenly disappeared. I look at my mother and smiled at her nervously.
"N-Nothing mom."
My mother just nodded and continued watching the fireworks making me sighed in relief. I just wondered why now? Why dad suddenly appearing?
YOU ARE READING
The Burning Love of a Spirit
RomanceA college student who met a girl who suddenly appeared outside his backyard cold, naked, and unconscious. This girl changed his life as day goes by and he fell on love. However, a horrible event had occured and their love met a tragic fate.
