Ally

"I'm so nervous, I keep on messing up while working." The more the day progresses, the more stressed Kyouta's text messages are. I try to send him some encouraging words, but what he is about to confess later is certainly so stressful that my words are probably not really helping. But at least he knows that I'm here for him at any time. There are still a few hours left until their meeting.

"We should grab some celebratory waffles as a sign for my newly gained freetime." Airi grabs my arm and pulls me along towards Happy Waffles at the end of the street, Chiye's favourite dessert place. I can feel my heart stinging a bit as I watch her back walking eagerly forwards. 

The sun is shining, the air is filled with different scents from various food stalls and shops and the street is as busy as expected on this pleasant spring day. The red threads are almost shimmering. In this crowded place it truly stands out that we both have no red threads of our own. 

It is precisely because of that familiar absence between the sea of red strings that another person catches my eyes. It was only a brief moment, but I could see that there was someone else with no red thread. I stop and try to make out the person within the crowd. My sudden stop also brings Airi to halt and she looks at me confused. I frantically look around, but I can't seem to find the person. What if that person was also some spirit from the heavenly realm? What if this person is also somehow involved in Airi's story? What if this person could be of some help?

"Yuzuru, what's wrong?" Airi positions herself right in front of me, I gaze down into her eyes and I can see that she noticed my sudden uneasiness. I carefully take her hand and take her to a more quiet alleyway on the side. I lean towards her in order to not raise my voice. "I think I saw someone without a red thread. But I lost them within the crowd." 

She looks up to me and holds my face with both of her hands while pulling me slightly more down until I'm almost on eye level with her. Her brown eyes are glistening even in this shadowy alleyway. "Calm down, we will find them again. They might be from the heavenly realm, so it would be good to get in contact with them, it might be helpful."

She squeezes my face in between her hands so I simply nod in order to agree. She smiles cheekily, but her expression changes again and turns more serious. "However, it could also be someone who is not necessarily in our favour. So we should also be careful."

"That is quite harsh to say about me, isn't it?" 

Suddenly, a young man stands inside the alleyway. His voice is deep and he smirks at Airi with his arms crossed. At first glance he appears to be a normal guy, but looking more closely, he gives off a smug impression. He has dark hair, similar to Chiye and wears a casual business outfit. Without a doubt, he is not an average human.

"I came here out of boredom to kill some time with the humans, until I felt your presence again. You can't imagine how pleasantly surprised I was!" He smiles brightly and I can sense his aura. It is similar to Airi back in the temple, but has a less enjoyable feeling. It's rather overbearing. 

Airi lets go of my face and turns his way. I stand up straight again, but this guy doesn't waste a single glance at me. 

"Oh my, how long has it been since I've last spoken to you, my dear!" He opens his arms and approaches Airi happily. Instinctively, I step forward in between them.

"Don't come closer." Airi's firmly assertive tone echoes in the alleyway.

"This is the first thing you have to say to me? I'm hurt." He stops walking and dramatically lays his hands on top of his heart. He briefly glances at me judgmentally. "Is he your new endeavour for your ridiculous obligation?"

He now approaches me with a grin on his face. "As if you could be the one to help my dearly beloved." His tone is derogatory without even trying to hide his discontent. 

"Stop it." Airi steps forward angrily.

"Trust me. You should take up my offer from before, let me help you return back home." 

Airi lets out an annoyed sigh. "Don't make me laugh, now leave."

"Do you really have a choice at the moment?" He points his head to me. "Let me help you this time, what is there to lose?" My patience runs out.

"I don't care who or what you are, but she already refused, so stop trying so hard." I speak firmly without trying to conceal my own discontent towards him. "It starts to make you look pathetic."

Airi looks at me surprised, but with an amused smile. The guy on the other hand stares at me in utter disbelief. 

Before anyone says anything he starts to burst out laughing. Now I'm the one being confused.

"Marvellous! Oh my, how hilarious! Never has a human talked to me this way." He grabs my shoulder while trying to control his laughter.

"Airi, you picked a good one this time! Quite promising indeed." Suddenly, his strange overbearing aura disappears.

"Ryousuke, you can stop with your silly act now." Airi holds onto my arm. 

He stops laughing and pats my shoulder. "I just wanted to play a little bit, please don't take it seriously." He turns to Airi. "Though, my offer was sincere."

"Let's discuss this in a more proper place." She pulls me out of the alleyway. I'm still a little bit confused as to what this entire situation is now. 

"Your wish is my command." He happily follows us.

The more proper place is a table in a corner of Happy Waffles.

Ryousuke sits in front of us and to add to the oddness he joyfully eats a fully strawberry loaded waffle along with his equally pinkish loaded strawberry parfait. 

Even Airi's order looks plain in comparison.

"So could you kindly explain the situation to me." I take a sip of my coffee.

"I should introduce myself first. My name is Ryousuke, I'm a spiritual deity of the local river." He smiles at me. "I've known you for a long time. You used to play close to the riverbank as a child. I quite enjoyed the ripples on the water when you threw the stones." 

The feeling of guilt wells up inside of me. I should've controlled myself more in front of him. Ryousuke laughs lightly upon seeing my reaction. "Oh, don't dwell on it too much. I was really just teasing you. You have to understand that I've been witnessing Airi's efforts for quite a long time and I only wish her to succeed. There have been countless fools, trying to woo her."

He swirls around with his spoon and ends up pointing at Airi.

"I've taken quite a liking to her, but that's a given. She is from the lunar kingdom, all deities from the water are drawn to those from the moon." He smiles at her warmly.

I frown upon hearing what he just said and seeing his affectionate expression towards Airi besides me. It's unpleasant seeing another man doing that towards Chiye.

"Please don't take his words too seriously, especially any of his loving declarations. He simply kept me company sometimes as a fellow deity." Airi shoos his spoon away from her direction.

He shrugs his shoulders and continues to savour on his strawberry feast. 

"Please excuse my rude behaviour earlier." I bow lightly. 

"Don't dwell on it!" He laughs. "But I have a good feeling with you. Maybe it is possible now."

Ryousuke smirks at me confidently.

"He is the tool that I have been waiting for all this time." Airi pats my arm. "He can see the red threads of fate."

His eyes widen in surprise. "Oh my, magnificent indeed! Truly promising. I like you more and more." His blueish eyes sparkle in excitement and it reminds me of a water surface reflecting the sun. "I should introduce myself as well. I'm Azami Yuzuru, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Azami Yuzuru, it is a pleasure indeed." He holds up his parfait glass and taps it against my coffee cup. 

"How do you plan on helping?" Airi's tone is friendly but with a slightly doubtful note.

Ryousuke pouts a little bit and his playful behaviour reminds me a bit of Chiye. The first impression really didn't match with his actual character. 

"You must be interested as to what happened to the real owner of that body, no?" 

"What do you know?" My question comes out a little bit more eager than intended, but it sends a shudder through my body. Any information on Chiye would be valuable. 

Ryousuke's expression changes to be more serious and I can feel the nervousness welling up.

"That you've taken over this body caused a little bit of an uproar in our realm." He looks at Airi and she silently returns his gaze. "Since it's been quite a while on hearing something about your whereabouts, it was really a grand topic of discussion and speculation. The soul of the owner's body appeared to be more than just a common human soul. Even as a shrine maiden, this girl is indeed fascinating. Apparently, there hasn't been such a splendid soul for several centuries anymore. The heavens are agitated." My eyes follow every move that his lips make in order to absorb every word that comes out. However, my heart starts beating faster as the uneasiness keeps on rising within me. 

He continues. "She is still passing through the several gates before reaching the heavenly realm. Though, there is not much time left. Maybe around two weeks until the process is finished." 

"What happens if she reaches the heavenly realm?" My voice is quiet, almost choking. 

"Then she will not be able to return to her body. She will stay in the heavens, she might be able to ascend to a higher status."

I can feel my heart drop. I lower my gaze on top of my almost empty coffee cup.

"Two weeks are enough." Airi sounds calm and confident. However, I can't fully share her enthusiasm. The possibility of losing Chiye irrevocably feels unbearable. The feeling of hope before leaving the temple a few hours ago is almost gone entirely. 

Airi carefully turns my face towards her with her hand and looks deeply into my eyes. "It will be fine. Chiye will not enter the heavenly realm." 

Looking at her right now pains me. Her warm brown eyes feel so familiar, but at the same time so unknown.

"Yuzuru, we will get her back." Her reassurance is sincere and she tries to convey her earnestness as best as possible with her calm and insistent tone. I try to swallow the uneasiness within my throat while also shaking off the anxiety. I can't allow myself to succumb to pessimism and doubts. The only thing saving Chiye will be a strong will and an unwavering resolve. I nod since I'm unsure how my voice will come out now. Airi smiles at me fondly and it gives me a sense of inner strength.

"My, my. I'm quite optimistic, it will work out this time." Ryousuke stirs inside his parfait and grins. "The gates to heaven are many, so as long as Chiye refuses to really enter the heavens, it will give us more time. Though the passage of time is different compared to here. A day here is like two weeks in the heavens. So, the longer we take, the longer she has to wait which in turn might shake her spirit."

Airi turns towards Ryousuke. "Then we shouldn't make her wait that much anymore."

"Do you have some other information that could help us complete her tasks?" I regained my composure and my voice resonates with resolve.

"Well, I guess that you try to make her understand true love by bringing two destined souls together? To be able to see the red threads of fate should only be that much of a help." 

"Is it the wrong approach?" Airi grabs my hand under the table and holds it. 

"Truthfully, I'm not much of an expert on love myself, but if it's not finding your own true lover, then it has to be aiding other people being with their fated lover. However, the circumstances have changed a lot since you've been banished here. Human relationships are more complex and more components influence them. So bringing the threads together is more arduous." He shrugs.

"Otherwise, I would also view it that way to complete the tasks."

"Is that so." Somehow Airi sounds a bit off, lost in thought. 

"I'll gladly be your connection to the other realm. Maybe I can get some useful information." He smiles and leans backwards into his seat. "Though, it is probably more difficult to know when you understand love. Is it enough to bring two people together? Will that make you understand love?" 

"We have no choice but to try that." I squeeze her hands and her head turns to me. "I'm confident that she will." 

She shyly smiles. "We will see how the relationship between Ninako and Kyouta develops later in the day. 

"Oh, so you already have a couple?" Ryousuke's eyebrows rise up from surprise. 

"Yes, they are Chiye and my closest friends." 

"That's convenient. I'm glad that finding the first couple was so fairly easy." 

He leans forward over the table. "Though, I'll have to tell you that you ought to be more careful now as well." The blue of his eyes darken slightly as he looks at Airi. "I'm not the only one who noticed your presence, but I'm probably the only one who is willing to support you." 

"What do you mean?" I frown and lean forward as well. 

"It means that there might be some other deities or spirits that take advantage of Airi being away from the lunar kingdom and her parents grieving. The lunar kingdom is highly regarded and has a stronghold on the heavens. But ever since Airi was banished to the earthly realm the lunar kingdom lost a bit of vigour. I could imagine that some might want to keep this up for as long as possible."

As if the tasks and time pressure weren't enough already, now the balance of powers of the heavens also play into it. 

Ryousuke chuckles a bit. "The heavens might be equally complex as the human world if not even more complicated. But be assured that I'm truly on your side." 

Ryousuke's information puts everything into a new perspective. The urgency of completing Airi's tasks only got more intense. However, I'm glad that both unplanned conversations with Chiye's mother and Ryousuke helped us. And if the latter really turns out to be an ally, then all the better. Having to consider the possibility of any heavenly intrigues in our plans might interfere with its completion, but I'm sure that we will be able to handle that as well.