Walking towards a place where the crowds are, the destination ahead was filled with colourful lights. There were food stall and games. This is a festival we're talking about, just like last time I went with Kuro, it wasn't quiet enjoyable but it did bring back memories when I was a kid and Toru bought me here.
This time, I bought [F/N] with. She was super excited even before we left the house. And to my surprise, she said that she had never went to this kind of event. I'm happy I could be the first to go to her to this festival, but somehow... I was kinda worried to what kind of childhood she spend; not that I know too much about it. But I hope to wait for the right time where she'll tell me all about herself; even if it's good or bad.
We stop at a bridge, and to how I remembered the last time I came here, Shamrock, Tsubaki's subclass, gave me a suitcase that had a bomb in it. The thought of it passes my mind, but since all is done, I could say it was the nerve-wracking moments of my life. [F/N] took my hand, trying to rush ourselves to the festival. But the excitement she felt was enough to bring smiles to my lips.
"Come on, Onii-chan. I heard they're going to launch beautiful fireworks, too." She utter, eyes sparkling as she said.
"I know that you're excited but calm down." I tried to calm my little sister that kept dragging me by the hand.
"The festival is great..." We heard Kuro's voice and immediately turn to the source of the voice. In his vampire form, Kuro had done his stroll around the festival and hands were packed with foods. A sense of deja vu came to me, as the sight was the same as last time.
"Well, aren't you quick on your feet." I said to Kuro, he was enjoying and savouring the varies food he got.
"No fair! Kuro got ahead start." She cooed, letting go of my hand and then she dash off to the festival.
"H-Hey! Don't just run off by yourself!" I chased after her,
"I'll be here." Kuro said, taking a bite of a candy apple. Enjoying his time alone with his food. "Yummy~"
I chased after her as quickly as I can and hope that she doesn't go to deep into the crowd or else, it'll be hard to find her in a huge number of people. I saw her right before she could enter the crowds, seeing her next to me; I can totally see she was really ready to what kind of food she'll stuff in her tummy. Turning her head from right to left, watching the varies food that are prepared by each stall.
"Cotton candy, grilled squid, ice flavoured toppings...." She was going on with every food she saw,
"How about the games?" I suggested,
"That too, but the food though."
'Yup, she's sets her mind to only have the foods.' I thought, seeing her from food stalls to another. She was going on with the foods until she suddenly stopped, turning her gaze to me. She walked back to me, took my hand in hers and we walk side by side at the festival. I felt happy to know that she always remember someone close to her even if her mind was filled with other stuff (sometimes, depends on her mood).
. . .
Hands were empty, Kuro had finish his food. Waiting for the two to come back, familiar faces appeared in front of him. The coffin was extremely noticeable to eyes around with the sign to promote a certain business. Pride came in his vision with his bat form, until he transform into his vampire form.
"Oh... Hey, Old Child." Kuro respond in his usual tone,
"Funny to see you in this kind of atmosphere." Hugh tried to laughed it off but ended up coughing. Tetsu carries Hugh on his shoulder as he transforms back to his bat form.
"Evening, Mister Sloth." Tetsu took over the conversation with Kuro.
"If you're looking for Mahiru and [F/N]. They're at the festival." Kuro cut the chit-chat and said the direction of where the two of us gone.
Tetsu and Hugh walk away, wanting to join the festival. He heard familiar voice. The rice kid, to what he usually calls and Lily walks towards his way. Kuro scratched the back of his head and trying to make the long story short. But it was tiring when he saw more of the familiar faces.
"Great..."
. . .
Buying her what she wanted. Actually, every time she stops to one of the stalls, I didn't hesitated to buy it for her. Say that I could read her mind, but in truth... I could literally tell from her expression; besides from drooling and eyes sets on the food as it was cook. That was until she had enough of what she could get. I stare at my little sister, taking a bit out of all the foods. She then bought a ball of takoyaki to my mouth, it was indeed rare to see her share her food but I didn't hesitate to take it.
"It's good." I said as I chewed the takoyaki, she smiled; knowing I was enjoying my time with her. "Wanna try playing a game?" I suggested it again, seeing the game stall; where you shoot the stuff from the shelf to get the prize. No distinct from the usually archery activity she had done, but hopefully she'll like it.
"Sure." We walk towards the stall, seeing various prizes that were set at the shelf. "What's inside those boxes?" She went curious, since other than stuff animals that the stall provides, there was also different size of boxes.
"I'd like to know what's inside that one." I set my eyes on a certain box, an average size box. Other people might go for an even larger size of box, but I'll keep it simple and go with an average one.
"Try it then. I wanna see if you still have that precise aim from the other day." She said, wanting to watch more than wanting to play.
"Now, I'm more curious to know if I have, even more than wanting the know the inside of the box." I took the toy gun and aimed towards the box.
It wasn't long after that I pulled the trigger, the toy bullet hit the box. Not a great of aim, but it hit the side of the box and it falls just like that. I got lucky again... The owner of the stall gave the prize to me. I wanted to blurted out the excitement as I had receiving the prize, but when I turn to her side... She was gone...
. . .
The crowds around her moved so fast. The grip on her arm was too much to bare. Even turning to face the person was difficult as the person dragged her too fast and she might broke her arm if she did. She was just standing beside me, until she was grabbed from behind and dragged away. [F/N] was struggling to brush the hand away, until the person stopped. The moment was too fast for that her heart couldn't calmed down.
Wanting to run back to me, the person that grip her arm wouldn't budge. Turning back to the person, only then she was face to face with the unknown person. From the figure, it is a man but the face was totally covered by the masked he wore. A simple yet expressionless design of the mask. But from the eyes that she saw from within the mask, the man was somehow... smiling.
"Oh. Sorry about that." The man spoke, "I thought you were someone I knew." He explained,
"Yeah... right." She took back her arm, surprised that his grip was capable to leave a mark. Leaving it be, she rubs the mark, hopefully it would go away. Hesitate to say more, she turn and slowly walks away.
"Wait!" The man said, putting an end to her tracks. "I feel bad for what I did."
Hand was still rubbing the mark from the man's grip, [F/N] turn back to face him. Though, from the start where the man spoke, his voice, she couldn't guess that he was anyone she knew. The expressionless mask he wore, his eyes was showing clear hints what kind of expression he was hiding within. From what she saw now, his brows creased and a slight guilt was guessable from his tone of voice.
"I know!" He suddenly had an idea, taking off the mask that he was wearing. "I'll give you my favourite mask."
"What?" Confused, she couldn't make up how the man looked like. It somehow become blurry to her vision of the man's face, when he wore the mask on her. But one for sure, his skin was quite pale...
"I knew that you kept looking at the mask, SO I decided to it give you." He faintly laughs after, "it looks good with your mismatch eyes." He looked closely to her orbs.
No stranger would notice her mismatched eye colour, that was until that person came closer to look at it. So far, no one at the festival notice it but... The man did. A little chuckle as he stare at [F/N] with eyes slightly closed. A hand reached to her head, a light pat... but how is it so cold?
"Alright. Hope this will forgive me." He said and turn his back on her,
"What? Wait?"
[F/N] tried to reach out to the man, but her sight slowly became dark. She could still see the man, walking away until it turn fully dark. The voice of people walking pass her was still heard, but why couldn't she see a thing. Thinking back at the mask she was wearing, she knew it was the mask's caused to her sudden vision fail.
'Manipulated. You let your guards down.'
That voice... her inner demon's voice.
'You could've just kill the man.'
"And make a scene? Are you trying to provoke chaos?" She tried to be rational,
'Better than this?'
Speechless, how selfish could she be if she were to agreed to it. But all she could do was get angry to herself. From her anger, turns to tears. She kept her sobbing unheard by the crowd, trembling ever so slightly and took a quick inhale and exhale to calm herself down. But nothing was working, the emotion was taking over her and her mismatched eyes began to glow deadly. [F/N] didn't notice, the eyes from the people passing by her... saw the menacing eyes. Some frighten to get close to her and some quietly ran way. She couldn't control it....
"[F/N]!"
The voice that called out to her. The emotions she felt just now suddenly faded. The running footsteps was coming closer and closer. [F/N] was more in tear and relieved to heard the voice of her big brother. I didn't expect to see her in a mask. Not noticing the deadly eyes she unconsciously made, as soon as I was in front of her, I took off the mask.
"You're a handful, aren't you?" I changed my tone, seeing the sad tears flowing down her cheeks. I couldn't stay mad at her.
"Onii-chan..." She tried to make a smile, later leans her head on my shoulder. She stare back at the mark from the grips of the man... it was gone. How should she explain herself?
"There. There." I gently pat her head, "Getting lost in the crowd would sometimes be scary, huh?" I assumed,
"Mmhmm..." she nod, arms wrapped around my back.
"Let's get back. Kuro might be waiting for us." I said, she lets go of me.
I was about to start walking, but she wouldn't take one step, that is until... I wrap my arm around her shoulder and we walked closed together. And to hide her red eyes from crying, I covered her face slightly with the mask; not entirely, just enough to cover the eyes and not the mouth. Then, I remembered the prize I got. Took her hand in mine, I place the box on her hand. She was a bit confused at first but ended up happy after.
"Thanks, Onii-chan."