"Akaashi, over here!"
You saw the way the setter's head immediately whipped in your direction, blue eyes lighting up with recognition as he jogged to where you were standing in wait. There weren't as many people crowding the train station like usual in the middle of the week, but today was a different case.
"Are you really sure about this?" he asked, staring at the brochure you'd given him yesterday. "I've seen everything this world has to offer. I don't think a trip to around the city would give any new sights for me to see."
"Such pessimism so early in the morning," you scoffed, rolling your eyes. You then tugged on his wrist to drag him over to the ticketing machines. "Oba-san told me that visiting the same place with different people incurs all sorts of feelings. So, who's to say I can't overwrite your bad experiences with new ones?"
The setter stared at you pointedly. "...Bad experiences? You humans really are strange. To think that you're so convinced you could just erase a thousand years of suffering in a day."
"Shut up," you told him as you busied yourself with the machine. "It's the first holiday we've had from school in a while, and I'm simply using it to my advantage!"
Once you'd retrieved two tickets for your first stop in Ueno Station, you gestured for Akaashi to follow suit. For a few moments, he merely stood his ground, staring at you with a nonchalant yet observant gaze. His mouth was quirked upward in a somewhat sly smile.
You tipped your head to the side, calling out his name in confusion before he seemingly snapped out of his trance. The yokai sighed after a hurried apology, jamming his hands in the pockets of his jacket as he let you lead the way without much complaint. You had half the mind to ask why he spaced out all of a sudden, but you had a long day ahead, after all.
———༺♥༻———
"Oh, that man tried to behead me once."
You shushed the yokai's voice when a couple of other tourists shot wary glances your way. "Akaashi, don't say stuff like that out loud! Who are you, Bokuto-san?"
With how long he'd been alive, you thought that it would be a good idea to drop by the National Museum right next to Ueno Park. While you didn't really know how immortals like Akaashi would react to seeing centuries of history being put up on display, you hadn't really expected for him to be so...casual about it.
"But it's true, though," he sighed, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "He was famous for breeding cattle in the Sengoku era, and you know animals are my main source of nutrition. I simply thought he wouldn't notice if one of his cows went missing."
"...And he did?"
Akaashi breathed out an airy laugh as he trained his eyes on the life-sized replica of the so-called cattle breeder. "I never thought such a mild looking person could wield a sword with that much animosity until that day. His bloodlust rivalled that of Nobunaga's, even."
You whipped your head back at him with a gasp. "You've met Oda Nobunaga?"
A flash of offense hovered over his navy blue eyes. "I don't get why you people of the modern age are so fixated with that freeloader. You have the privilege to be spared by the first yokai ever created, you know?"
"I don't really think that's a privilege, Akaashi," you replied drily, glancing around at the rest of the Sengoku section.
There was an abundance of katanas and other weapons of war hung on the walls—each having been preserved in pristine condition despite the time that had already passed. Some of the warlords' bloodstained haoris and hakamas were also being kept in glass cases, where visitors may admire the intricate patterns weaved into the clothing. Faded ukiyo-e paintings were also framed up on the other end of the hall, depicting picturesque images of life as it had been in the Sengoku period.
All the remnants of an era long gone were all around you, proving that though time continued flowing ceaselessly, tirelessly, some things would always be remembered. But when you glanced at the seemingly normal boy right next to you, eyes staring deep into nothingness, you couldn't help but think that there were also objects and people that end up forgotten in the past, too.
"I'll remember you, you know. When you have to go."
The consciousness in Akaashi's eyes returned in a split second, furrowing his brows when he turned to you. "That's a little out of the blue, (Name). What brought it up?"
You found yourself smiling up at him slightly, a wealth of ease filling every niche in your body just by being next to him. Your eyes drifted down to the charm on your wrist, where it hung inconspicuously from the band. For the past few days you've spent hanging around the yokai, not once did your charm light up with its telltale, protective glow—even during the time he let you poke his fangs in yokai form the other day. From your limited knowledge with charms and warding spells, you knew, at least, that personalized ones like yours only react to entities that the user perceived as a threat to their life.
But Akaashi was far, far from that.
"No reason," you told him dismissively, one hand encircling his wrist as you pulled him over to the next wing. "Come on. I'm in the mood to see some Taisho Roman fashion!"
———༺♥༻———
Your next stop was at a cultural center in the middle of Asakusa.
"If you told me this was just going to be an educational field trip, we could have just watched a couple documentaries," Akaashi grumbled as the two of you stepped inside the air-conditioned complex.
It was but a wide space with booths and kiosks lined in neat intervals—offering a wide array of lessons from sword fighting to hand-weaving, and merchandise from several time periods. People came and went with satisfied smiles, and the sight filled you with a familiar wave of nostalgia.
You tutted at him. "Nope. There's nothing better than getting to experience things firsthand. My grandmother used to bring me here a lot as a kid, so... Oh, hey! There's an origami-folding lesson over there."
"Oi—" Before Akaashi could even voice out another complaint, you already led him to where a group of children no older than twelve years old were watching an elderly woman fold a sheet of kami paper into intricate shapes. Your eyes lit up with recognition, and you spoke her name before you could even think.
"Kanae-san!" you chirped giddily as you jogged over to her table. "It's been a while!"
Kanae looked up from her handiwork, eyes squinting behind the glint of old-fashioned glasses before her lips stretched into a kind smile. "Ah, if it isn't Amatsuki-sama's granddaughter. What brings you here? I haven't seen you around the cultural center since you were in elementary school."
"I'm showing my friend over there around Tokyo," you explained, jamming a thumb back at Akaashi, who's just catching up. "He's...going away soon. So, I'm making sure he'll remember this place with striking clarity!"
The elderly woman glanced behind you, eyeing Akaashi with the careful curiosity, but for a split second, you could have sworn you saw her expression turn grim. Before you could assess it further, however, she was back to smiling sweetly once Akaashi was finally by the table as well.
"You're (Name)-chan's friend, no?" she asked him, and Akaashi nodded respectfully. "I see, I see. Fufu, when she was little, she would always flub the origami figures because she would get too excited and fold in all the wrong places, didn't you?"
"K-Kanae-san," you stammered, feeling a blush coating your cheeks. "You didn't have to tell him that! I mean, I'm better at doing it now, okay?"
Akaashi glanced at you, unconvinced. "I won't believe you until you show me."
"Eh?! Akaashi, not you, too..."
"Kanae-obasan," called out a girl with pigtails sitting on one of the low tables, raising one hand with an unfinished origami flower. "What's next after this?"
Kanae then gestured for you and Akaashi to take a seat with the children. "You two are holding up my lesson here. Young man, if you want to witness (Name)-chan flubbing, then put your back into it."
"Yes, ma'am."
Not even having it in you to seethe in front of twelve year-olds, you took off your shoes before settling yourself on the carpeted floor with Akaashi—glaring at the yokai as he took out a few sheets of kami paper from the pile on the table. He handed one to you with a face as smooth as butter, making you wonder when he started becoming so irritating.
"Okay, children, for the sake of our newcomers, let's start from the top," Kanae announced from the front, holding a single sheet in front of her. "First is..."
Even after years of being dormant with the art of origami folding, each fold and movement your fingers made felt as if your muscle memory was holding the reins. Make a crease in the middle. Fold the flaps neatly into a triangle. Unfurl. Fold to make an overlapping square. Fold it in the middle again. Unfold one flap before folding up the other—
"Quit staring at me," you mumbled, feeling Akaashi's solemn gaze trained on your hands. "I'll seriously mess it up if you're watching me so intently."
From the corner of your eye, you could see Akaashi flashing you a toothy grin. "You remind me of this old woman I'd met in the Meiji era. She was just as absorbed with origami as you are right now."
"Eh? Do I seem old and wrinkly to you?"
He chuckled softly before proceeding to fold his own paper. "Mind you, she was one of the highest paid courtesans in Yoshiwara in her day. Not that I'd availed of her services, but like all courtesans, she longed for freedom. That longing prompted her to think all sorts of outlandish ideas." There was a pause in his words, and you noticed that he was making something entirely different from a flower. "She was the one behind the saying, if you fold a thousand paper cranes, the gods will grant you a wish."
A few moments of silence passed between the two of you, Kanae's voice becoming nothing more than white noise in the back of your mind. You'd heard of that saying, of course. But you've never really tried folding paper cranes. They were too difficult for your elementary school self. But watching Akaashi make one with practiced ease right before your eyes robbed you of any of your previous hostilities for him.
"If you do manage to fold a thousand cranes, what would you wish for?" he mumbled, placing the perfectly folded crane on the wooden surface.
It was a strange question, you thought. Why would a yokai—no, a god—ask what a mere human's wishes were?
Akaashi was too occupied with marvelling at his own work to notice the way your face scrunched up with concentration. What would you wish for? In terms of physique, the demon's heart practically had all your physical afflictions covered. You did pretty well at school, and your track career. You were content with your home and the quiet life you lived in the shrine. Honestly, you couldn't think of anything material either, since your grandmother had taught you that wishing for something was selfish and preposterous. That the gods will hand you what was necessary in due time.
But right now, right when you were gazing at a boy who knew you better than anyone else, you thought, I can afford to be a little selfish, right, oba-san?
"I'll wish for more time with you," you spoke quietly, placing your origami flower right next to his crane. But when you realize what nuances your words could have, you followed it up with, "I-I mean, it's not everyday you get to meet the owner of the heart inside your chest without getting killed, now is it?"
He heaved a long breath, letting slip another quiet laugh. "You always speak as if my original plan was to dispose of you, even though it's not."
"You literally said you lured me to my death on the night of the full moon!" you whispered harshly, smacking his shoulder.
"I told you it was a compulsion that's hard to resist," he groaned. "You're still alive now, aren't you?"
"Quiet! I don't want to hear your baseless explanations, yokai-san!"
"Human-san, you're being obtuse. I am one of the...friendlier demons."
"You just made it sound worse!"
When the session came to an end, you and Akaashi stuffed your bags with several origami figures—some of which didn't even resemble anything other than strange geometric figures. The kids were picked up by their parents one-by-one, and you and your companion went up to Kanae to bid your farewells.
"It's nice seeing you again, Kanae-san," you tell her, bowing. "I'll try to come by more often. I promise!"
Kanae smiled, tidying up the finished origami figures in a single cardboard box. "Hush, child. You're off to college this spring, aren't you? You're better off focusing than visiting this old cultural center, of all things. Ah, and you, young man. I hope wherever you're going, you won't forget how to fold kami paper into figurines."
"I'll surely remember all that you taught us, Kanae-san," Akaashi replied, smiling at the elderly woman.
"Run along now, you two," she said, carrying the box with both her hands. "If you're going sightseeing around the city like (Name) mentioned, then you better not burn any more daylight."
"Oh, shoot," you gasped once you glanced at your wristwatch. "Yeah. Our train leaves in about ten minutes, and the next one won't arrive in thirty." Seizing Akaashi's wrist for the nth time today, you greeted Kanae with another bow. "We'll be going now, Kanae-san. Thank you for your time!"
As the two teenagers bolted out of the cultural center, Kanae sighed wistfully, placing the box on top of her worktable for a moment. She then fumbled around the bag she placed on the vacant seat next to hers, trying to find the old cellphone her grandson had given her. With a satisfied smile, she made a call to one of her closest acquaintances.
"Hello, Amatsuki-sama?" she spoke, the grin on her face receding into a tight-lipped frown. "Are you aware that (Name)-chan is spending time with a demon?"