Starry Heavens, Starry Hearts

"Oh, look; it's Kaga-san over there. Hey! Come over here, would you?"

Kaga, wandering aimlessly on the festival grounds looking as if she didn't want to be there, flinched upon hearing someone calling her loudly. She recognized the voice―that annoying voice.

Does she really need to be that loud? I wasn't that far away, Kaga groused. Still, despite herself, she turned towards the source to find Akagi waving at her, being annoyingly exuberant as always. And like usual, Amagi was nearby, calmly and keenly observing the surroundings while keeping watch on children running about.

"What do you want, bootlicker?" Kaga barked, though Akagi did not seem bothered by her hostility―if anything, she was only more determined to irritate her.

"Join us here instead of moping around and scaring the kids. Seriously, you look pitifully grouchy," Akagi shouted back, this time louder.

Kaga gritted her teeth; she gave joining the sisters a serious consideration, even if only to punch Akagi in the face. But she held back that urge because Amagi was there, and she'd rather not make a scene before someone she both respects and resents. She simply walked away as far as she could and ignored that wretched fox instead.

Much to her dismay, Kaga only managed a few steps before she heard another voice calling her; this time, it was Amagi's—her voice was gentle yet carried enough force that she had no choice but to stop.

"Wouldn't it be better for you to unwind, even if only for a day, take the pressure out of you? You seem tense and weary," Amagi kindly offered; Kaga admitted she was right, but there was no way she would show that to them, Akagi in particular. She had learned the hard way not to start petty arguments with that woman in front of Amagi. Tried as she might, she could not forget the first time Amagi hit them as they argued; it hurt a lot, no matter how frail she was supposed to be.

"…But I'm not tired or anything; I'd rather train right now…" Kaga finally answered, though the way her voice gradually fell did little to convince Amagi, and for a split second, Kaga could see the disappointment in her eyes.

"Ah, I see; what a pity. I was hoping you could go with us," Amagi said before she let out a bout of coughing, prompting Akagi to rush to her support.

"I'm okay," she told her sister before motioning for her to follow. "Let us go, Akagi; preparations for the festival are underway; we should not bother Kaga anymore."

Akagi groaned and mumbled, but she obeyed nonetheless, though not before giving Kaga a dirty look, which the latter ignored.

The two soon left her behind, but Kaga remained there instead of going off to train as she said she would. She will not admit it, but she feels sorry for Amagi.

"Bah, damn it," Kaga grumbled as she went to catch up with the sisters. She was sure Akagi would tease her relentlessly for this; she could imagine her obnoxious laughter already—still, better than feeling bad for the entire night; it would be an unwelcome distraction.

***

To Kaga's surprise, Akagi did not say anything as she caught up with them. However, she's grinning like a loon, and every now and then, she would steal glances at her while acting as if she was suppressing a giggle. That annoyed her all the same.

Akagi was mocking her—Kaga was sure of it. Compared to Amagi, Akagi was far easier to read; she definitely only kept her mouth shut because she was afraid of Amagi's ire.

It only took them a short walk to reach the village square, where preparations for the coming festivities were underway, with some crewmembers of the anchorage offering assistance. A group of teenagers tried to hang streamers but failed most of the time. The women were occupied with preparing dishes as the men did manual labor, hoisting logs for the bonfire.

"Ah, Hatakaze!" Akagi, spotting the destroyer, was quick to approach her.

Hatakaze was sitting on a rock before a group of children, who listened to what she was saying with rapt attention, though Akagi's sudden arrival promptly broke their focus. Before long, they began murmuring among themselves, yet despite the disturbance, she remained courteous.

"Hello, Akagi; sunny as always, I see."

"Ahahah. Um, did I interrupt something? Sorry if I did," Akagi apologized, but Hatakaze shrugged it off.

"I was just starting," Hatakaze said, noticing the children staring intently at Akagi and the newly arrived Kaga and Amagi.

"Fluffy tails!" one girl exclaimed as she shot up, with the others following soon after.

"Uh…"

"Can we touch them, please? Please? Please, nee-san?"

Rolling her eyes, Kaga pushed Akagi towards the children, who did not even bother to wait for an answer and began messing with her tails.

"Sorry, but I'm gonna help those kids hang the streamers," clearly not trying to hide her satisfaction, Kaga gestured towards the teenagers who were still failing their task and left quickly.

"Wagh! Not too rough! I just had them brushe—hey! Nee-sama, help!" Akagi turned to her sister for help, only to see an amused Amagi who quickly concealed her smile with the sleeves of her garment.

"Apologies, I must help the ladies with the somen," she bowed before leaving; Akagi swore she heard her sister laughing as she walked away.

"Ughhh, my carefully groomed tails…" Akagi was already close to tears when she felt another pair of small, grubby hands touching one of them. Usually, she will not mind entertaining the children—but not today, when she went the extra mile in making herself presentable.

"Huh, Akagi-senpai, what are you doing…?"

Akagi, futilely trying to save her ruffled fur just as the children thankfully stopped of their own volition, turned to the owner of the voice, a small girl with light brown hair flanked by a taller girl whose hair was white like snow. She did not recall the name of those two, but Akagi was sure they were KANSENs like her—though, unlike her and most of the KANSENs on the island, the two looked almost fully human.

"Ah, Shoukaku and Zuikaku, running away from Houshou again, hm?" Hatakaze welcomed the pair; the white-haired one responded with a thin, unreadable smile, while the other managed a sheepish grin.

"Ah, we're just looking around for something to do! Houshou-sensei knows," the brown-haired girl―Zuikaku―explained; her manner of speaking was so carefree, which Akagi somehow found amusing, if not enviable.

"Oh, I see. Perhaps you would care for a little story time along with your friends here too? They're just done playing with a new playmate," Hatakaze glanced playfully at Akagi, who almost choked. "Well then—if you kids are still interested—I still have stories to tell. One of them is about this festival," she continued and was pleasantly surprised as the children began to sit down one by one just like before, including Zuikaku, who eventually managed to convince the less-than-enthusiastic Shoukaku to join her.

Before starting, Hatakaze turned to Akagi, asking if she wanted to join, though it was mostly in jest.

"I have nothing to do, so I might as well join these brats," Akagi grumbled, glaring at the children. Some responded by sticking their tongues out at her. She declined to take a seat, reasoning that she did not want to ruin her tails even more.

"Oh well, let us start. This is the story of Tanabata...a meeting of two people who loved each other after a long separation," Hatakaze began.

Oh, I know this already, the story of the star-crossed lovers who can only meet once a year or something like that, Akagi thought, but Hatakaze was a compelling storyteller who turned what was supposed to be a tale she had heard and read many times over into something she had no choice but listen closely. She was enraptured by it—until she happened to notice someone in the distance.

She wished she did not.

There, she saw her Commander speaking fondly and happily to a woman she recognized as the village elder's daughter. She painfully recalled that they had been getting closer recently, as her chest suddenly felt like it was being wrung, stabbed, and burned.

"Sorry, Hatakaze…I…I think I'm just going to help nee-sama after all. You give these kids good stories, you hear?"

Hatakaze, who was in the middle of narrating how Orihime and Hikoboshi were separated, was confused at the sudden statement. But when she was about to inquire about it, Akagi was already gone.

***

Akagi wasted no time looking for Amagi, nearly bumping into several people on her way, but she did not care. She wanted nothing but to get those feelings clawing on her heart and mind out of her, and only through her sister could she, because she knew Amagi would never judge her.

Much to her relief, Amagi was still helping the women with festival dishes, imparting her own vast knowledge on the matter of cooking. Akagi called out to her—her voice coming out weaker than she'd like—but she knew they would reach Amagi no matter what.

The women's chattering ceased the moment they saw Akagi coming and when they took notice of the evident distress on her face. Without a word, Amagi hurried as best as she could to her sister, and after excusing herself with a nod, she led Akagi by hand to a secluded clearing. There, she discovered a large rock spacious enough for two and sat on it, making Akagi do the same.

"What's wrong…?" She softly asked and waited patiently for the answer while Akagi clung to her, face buried in her chest. She did not cry, though, not yet.

"…I… shouldn't have. I shouldn't…"

"Shouldn't have what?"

Akagi looked up as Amagi continued to stroke her hair.

"I shouldn't…feel this way," she mumbled feebly and looked away, ashamed of her own emotions. "I…I saw them…the Commander…and her. They are…They are so happy, and I…I feel so inadequate…and guilty for being jealous. It's wrong… isn't it?"

"It is acceptable for you to feel that way," Amagi said empathically after drawing a breath to gather herself. "Your feelings make you 'real.' However, do not cling to them either, for they are impermanent like all things are. Like a flower, they will eventually wither, and a new one will bloom to take its place. So don't beat yourself up for something that is not meant to be, Akagi; walk away, and you will see the landscape in its entirety. Sail along the direction of the winds. Let it take you to where you should be…so…be brave, Akagi."

Cupping Akagi's face, Amagi used her thumbs to wipe the tears starting to form in her eyes. "Take a deep breath," she said, and Akagi did as she was told, feeling herself awash with a peaceful feeling.

"Nee-sama… thank you. I will try," Akagi said, trying her best to sound as resolute as she could. Whether she would succeed or fail in the end seemed to matter little at that time.

"Remember, I will be with you always, Akagi; should you feel lost…I will be there," Amagi whispered as she pulled Akagi to another hug, one she was quick to return.

"Well, you did leave me when those kids were messing with my tails…"

"Ah, you cheeky girl; did I not tell you I must help the ladies?" Amagi laughed lightly, relieved that Akagi had loosened up if her lighthearted ribbing was of any indication.

"That you did, but am I less important?" Akagi replied, pulling away from her sister, and laughed as well.

"You are the most important person to me in this world, rest assured," Amagi pinched Akagi's nose softly, earning a yelp and a blush from the latter.

"Ahahah, I could say the same about you, nee-sama."

They laughed again, grateful for their shared bonds and place in each other's hearts.

***

"Will you be fine alone like this?" Amagi inquired as she prepared to return to the women on the festival grounds, silently hoping there would still be something left for her to work on. Akagi had told her she wanted to have some time on her own, and though Amagi was sure her sister would be all right, a slight concern on her part remained. Such is the predicament of being the older one, she mused. You cannot help but worry.

"Really, don't worry about me; I just need to rethink some things. That said, what about you? It's quite a long walk there, isn't it?" Akagi dismissed the concern with a slight wave of her palm and voiced her own. In fact, she wasn't sure how long or how short the distance was, but she wanted to say it regardless.

"I will be fine. Then, if that's your wish, I shall take my leave," Amagi relented when she saw that Akagi would not change her mind anytime soon―the look on her face told her that much. Even then, despite certain reservations she had, Amagi was quite proud of her sister for that. "The Marshal-Admiral and his entourage will be arriving soon―if they haven't already―so I hope you can make it back in time."

"Of course, rest assured, I will," Akagi responded a little more firmly but careful enough not to sound as if she was driving her sister away.

"Very well. Take care."

With a smile and a curt bow to each other, the sisters parted ways.

***

Alone, Akagi paced along the stone pathways of the village outskirts and the recently planted rice fields, contemplating what Amagi had told her earlier.

Just like her desire to make Amagi proud, her feelings for the Commander were a driving force for her, even when she had to end up hurt because of it. If it eventually disappeared like a withering flower, can she be content about it, knowing full well it wouldn't be reciprocated anyway?

Can she just walk away from it?

She honestly didn't know.

Akagi would have stayed there longer to ruminate, but much to her dismay, the sun had just begun to set, and it would grow dark soon. Noticing the stone lanterns within the vicinity were unlit and realizing she should be returning soon or lose her way, Akagi hastened her pace.

About halfway towards the festival grounds, she stumbled upon a peculiar sight, giving her pause. It was of a young man, wearing an Imperial Navy officer uniform, wandering alone, not unlike her. Occasionally, he'd take cursory glances around the area, and Akagi figured he was not part of the anchorage—as she did not recognize him—but rather a part of the Marshal-Admiral's group who somehow got lost.

"Excuse…me. Are you lost?" After deliberating, Akagi approached the man carefully. He showed a brief surprise at her arrival but remained composed otherwise.

"Me? Lost? Far from it; I'm simply enjoying the sights," replied the man; now that she was closer, Akagi could see the insignias of a Lieutenant Commander on his uniform and a peculiar lack of a gunto on his person—an oddity as every officer carried one, including even the peaceful Marshal-Admiral.

"…Not much you can see here, I'm afraid. If you want sights, a festival is starting, sir," said Akagi, getting uncomfortable at the intent look the man directed at her even though she was aware he wasn't ogling; it was more of a deep curiosity that a child typically had.

"Ah. Sorry," the man took notice of Akagi's discomfort as he quickly looked away. "It's a coincidence, but…I finally got to meet you, Akagi-san. I heard about you a lot, you see."

Hearing what he said, Akagi felt her anxiety dissipating, only for incredulity to take its place. "Heard about…me? But…I haven't accomplished anything of note."

"…True, I heard about you, not because of your accomplishments," the man nodded, his tone understanding." But I am aware of what you're going to be. Please do not take this the wrong way…but I'm very interested in you, Akagi-san."

Akagi felt her cheeks heating up and instinctively took a step backward, barely managing not to fumble.

"Wh-what…Um…What…?"

"Ah, apologies if my words…trouble you. Do they?"

"No…I…I…I…was just surprised someone would say that…Um…Ah… don't think about it…Um…I…"

"MY LORD!"

A booming voice and the distinct sound of wooden clogs furiously clacking against stone caused both Akagi—who just considered turning around and running away—and the man no small amount of alarm.

"My Lord! How many times must I tell you? You should not be wandering by yourself!" The owner of the voice, old yet built like solid oak, admonished the man.

"Evening, jii," unfazed by the rebuke, he replied with a slight hint of venom underneath the polite answer; the elder ignored it and instead chose to direct his wrath on Akagi.

"And associating with…not just a commoner…but a KANSEN…? You! Lower your head!" He stomped towards the unsuspecting Akagi, and before she knew it, she felt the pressure of the man's hand on the back of her head, forcing her to bow. She flailed as she struggled to escape, to no avail.

"It…hurts! Sto-stop!"

"Jii, enough!"

Just as the man barked his order, Akagi felt the pressure disappear; she looked up, finding him bowing gracefully at her, with the elder now at his side.

"Please forgive my retainer's uncouth behavior. He is simply doing his job," he said; upon noticing Akagi struggling to stand up straight on her shaking legs, he immediately went up to her and held her hand. The elder looked displeased but wisely kept quiet.

"…Th-thank you, sir…Since the fact I do not recognize you caused us trouble…perhaps, you could tell me…who you are?"

While the man hesitated, the elder stepped forward.

"Show reverence, KANSEN, for before you are Prince Mito, the Emperor's youngest son."

'The… Emperor's son…?'

Upon hearing the revelation, Akagi drew a sharp breath and instinctively jerked her hand away, nearly toppling backward from the suddenness of the movement.

The prince momentarily looked surprised at her reaction before his expression quickly turned to what appeared to be a disappointment; it turned vacant just as quickly.

"I... I'm sorry, my lord! I wasn't aware you're the… Emperor's son," Upon seeing that, Akagi hastily bowed, this time on her own accord; she did not dare to look up until she heard an audible sigh.

"Alright, let's stop all the royalty nonsense here," Prince Mito finally spoke; Akagi could feel the undercurrent of bitterness as he did. He held his hand up when Akagi was about to bow again, stopping her from doing so. "Right now, I'm just a naval officer, and not a noteworthy one at that."

While the prince spoke, Akagi cautiously glanced at the elder; sure enough, he looked even more displeased at the prince's remark, and judging from how his lips quivered, it must've taken everything he had not to say anything. She took it as a cue to leave as quickly as she could.

Intent on doing just that, Akagi gave the prince a slight nod—the most courteous, respectful gesture she could think of.

"Um, well then, my lord, please excuse me then. May the gods bless you," she said; she hadn't even begun to move when Prince Mito spoke, keeping her in place.

"…Will…you come along with me?"

When she looked at the prince again, Akagi realized just how blatantly hopeful he was in how he spoke and gazed back at her.

"But my lord," she and the elder replied at the same time; when she realized this, Akagi flushed.

"… It'll be okay," the prince assured, perhaps directed to both of them. He then turned to the elder, saying, "jii, you can leave me alone now. Find something enjoyable for you to do at the festival. I'll be coming with Akagi-san."

Hearing that, Akagi felt her objection die in her throat before she could even say it; the prince's retainer, meanwhile, was undoubtedly appalled at the suggestion.

"My lord, that simply cannot be; leaving you alone with a…with a…"

"What part of 'leave me alone' did you not understand?"

Even though the prince barely raised his voice at all, his words—again, laced with a slight hint of venom—were enough to silence the elder. When Akagi watched how he slightly squirmed before excusing himself—voice hushed, unlike all his bluster moments ago—she felt an odd sense of satisfaction.

She wondered if the prince felt the same; if he did, he didn't show it, content to watch his retainer leaving in silence. When he was sure the elder was gone from sight, he turned his attention back to Akagi.

"Well, then. I realized I have not heard about your answer, so…once again, may I request your company on our way to the village? That is if you do not mind."

Amidst the attempt to still her rapidly beating heart, Akagi considered the request.

A part of her told her it was not a good idea, while another assured her she had nothing to lose. The prince certainly seemed amiable, if odd, fellow—the little incident with his retainer aside—and the travel to the village was short.

Nothing could go wrong, I suppose, Akagi inwardly told herself as she turned to face the expectant prince.

"…I… it'll be an honor, my lord."

***

The walk back to the village was filled with nothing but silence. Akagi deliberated on a few words to start a conversation as she found the whole thing unbearable; eventually, she thought none of them carried weight.

When the silence was finally broken, it was the prince who spoke.

"… I'm pretty surprised to see you here near the front lines, Akagi-san. I thought you were still in the middle of the conversion process."

Akagi's pace wavered and eventually paused without intending to do so; she saw the prince follow suit without much objection and wondered if he somehow expected such a reaction.

"We…I mean, my sister and I… were sent here as support units. Nee-sama… her body might be frail, but she has a keen mind…her aptitude for strategizing is useful. I…I can still operate my original riggings, but not at full power…Unlike my sister… I'm not that…useful."

From how Akagi's voice broke and her gaze lowered, the prince realized that she must be distraught, and it was his fault.

"Ah, I apologize, Akagi-san. I was careless, and it made you upset."

Akagi looked back at the prince, who was relieved to see she wasn't crying or close to it.

"Please, think nothing of it. It's something I need to come to terms with on my own," she dismissed the apology. Prince Mito merely nodded at that, and the pair resumed walking. Before long, though, he spoke again.

"…Perhaps it is impetuous of me to say this," he began gently. "But I sincerely believe as an aircraft carrier, you will achieve far greater things than if you stay the way you are."

"You…really think so…?" Akagi questioned; to her, it sounded like an errant belief. To many, carriers are still a foreign concept. Too risky to some; too novel to others. She had to undergo the conversion simply out of necessity—the Imperial Navy is not exactly the epitome of open-mindedness.

"…I do. One day, they will see. Aircraft carriers will be the future of naval battles…They are what the Empire needs to stand at the top of the world. It's my dream…Ah, sorry, I must've been rambling; how unbecoming."

Akagi was unsure of how to respond. The man was undoubtedly different from the others, which caught her unprepared.

"That's a noble dream," she finally settled on saying after a moment of hesitation. Even then, Prince Mito seemed unusually elated to hear it.

"Ah, thank you."

As Akagi had expected, that was the end of their conversation. The village was already in sight, and by the looks of it, the festival had already begun.

"Ah…what a wonderful sight; alas, we should part ways for now. Thank you for indulging in my selfish request. I do hope, though, when we meet again, you would just address me by my name…and rank."

"Ah, don't mention it, my lo-Lieutenant Commander…" Akagi replied, a little embarrassed that the prince bowed at her and how the words rolled out of her lips; still, she did not neglect to respond in kind.

***

"Oh, are you not joining the dance?" Amagi inquired upon seeing Akagi sitting by her lonesome, even when others around them were celebrating.

"No," Akagi's reply was curt. She had nobody to dance with anyway, a feeling reinforced by the sight of the Commander sitting by the giant bonfire, being approached by the village elder's daughter. Amagi noticed it as well as she sat beside Akagi before handing her a piece of a crimson-colored strip of paper with a string looped around a small hole at the top.

"Nee-sama… this is…?"

"Tanzaku. Your wishes…write them on it and hang them on one of the bamboo trees; the people believe they would come true if you do. It's a better thing to do than moping alone, don't you think?"

"Oh…thank you…" Akagi took the paper from Amagi and stared at it, thinking. Even though she honestly did not believe in miracles, she couldn't help but think of wishing for Amagi's illness to go away, despite myriads of evidence suggesting it was unlikely to happen.

…or, perhaps, she could wish for the Commander to return her feelings.

Akagi promptly drove the dark thought away. It wouldn't be fair, and she didn't want to end up with regrets.

With a dry laugh, Akagi rose from her seat with the paper firmly in her grasp, thinking she could figure out what to write if she walked around.

"You are right, nee-sama. Well then, I'm off," she said, which her sister acknowledged with a slight nod; just as she was about to leave, she heard Amagi speaking within earshot.

"You are a kind person, Akagi."

As she went on her way, Akagi wondered if her sister had read her mind.

***

On the way to the grove where the bamboo trees were, Akagi made an unplanned stop to observe the festival and the people around her.

She saw that the Commander had seemingly warmed up to the idea of joining the dance, much to the delight of the village elder's daughter; unlike before, the sight of them now only gave her a twinge of a bittersweet feeling.

Farther down the village, she happened upon the Marshal-Admiral, flanked by the flagship of the Combined Fleet, Nagato, and the former flagship, Mikasa, talking to the village elder. She overheard the old man thanking the Navy for their service, and the conversation ended with an exchange of bows.

Walking even further, Akagi then noticed Kaga, grinning widely as she challenged a group of men—which, much to her surprise, included the prince's retainer—to an arm-wrestling bout, likely for the right to dance with her; though so far, nobody had succeeded. Nearby, a boy had asked Nagato's sister Mutsu to the dance—only for her to overwhelm him with questions instead, spurring him to run away the first chance he got.

Seeing so many happy faces—some she was familiar with, some she had not seen in a long time, and even some whom she did not know—it's easy for Akagi to forget that the war was far from over. But for the moment, it felt alright.

And before she knew it, a smile bloomed on her face.

***

Akagi did not expect to run into Prince Mito again so soon when she arrived at the grove. Like before, he was looking around.

"Ah, what a pleasant surprise to meet you again," he said when their eyes met, not quite able to hide that he was pleased by the fact—which Akagi found somehow disconcerting.

"Likewise, Lieutenant Commander," she courteously returned the greeting, and the prince chuckled as he noticed the strip of paper in her hand.

"Ah, here to hang tanzaku, I see. I was about to do the same," he said, pointing at the trees, still very much empty.

"Ah…So you have a wish?"

Again the prince chuckled at the question.

"My wish is not so much a wish as it is a reminder…But yes, everyone should have a wish—a dream, if you may—that's what it means to be alive."

"Even…me?"

"Yes, even you, Akagi-san."

***

The prince easily persuaded Akagi to come with him further into the grove, which is nearly devoid of people except for them, and—much to Akagi's surprise—Shoukaku and Zuikaku, who were chatting while sitting on the ground, clearly not caring about getting their clothes dirty.

"Ah, it's Akagi-senpai!"

Zuikaku, being the first to notice the newcomers, immediately stood from where she'd been sitting, briskly dusting her garment afterward. Shoukaku, though appearing to be only mildly interested, followed suit.

"Um…who are you…?" Zuikaku raised a hand, intending to point at the prince, but then winced after Shoukaku gave it a light slap, audibly whispering that it was rude.

"Oh, I'm a part of the Marshal-Admiral's group. Nobody important," he replied before Akagi could do so.

"Oh, okay," seemingly satisfied with the explanation, Zuikaku resumed sitting without asking further questions. Shoukaku stared at the prince and then at Akagi before she did the same with a knowing smile on her face; it didn't go unnoticed by Akagi, who then blushed. Despite that, she excused herself and approached the children, thinking they were unsure what to write on the tanzaku.

"So," she began, getting their attention, "you two don't know what to wish for, huh?"

"Not quite, Akagi-senpai," Shoukaku said in response, again accompanied by the same smile she had before—one that left Akagi wondering if the little girl was indeed making fun of her under all her politeness.

"We actually do, you know!" Zuikaku chimed in.

"Really...? Do you mind telling me?"

"I just wanna be strong! The strongest there is!" Zuikaku declared. There was no hesitation in it, only innocent confidence one could expect from a child—for a time, Akagi would forget she's a KANSEN like her.

Unlike Zuikaku, Shoukaku was more coy.

"Hmm...I do wonder why you asked, senpai. But you seem like a nice, trustworthy person...so here," instead of saying what her wish was, she simply showed Akagi her tanzaku, finding the word 'wisdom' inscribed on it.

It seemed so easy for them, she mused.

If only it would be that easy for her.

***

Eventually deciding to follow the two, Akagi soon noticed the prince hanging his own tanzaku at the tallest branch he could reach before helping the children put theirs near his.

"Those children are charming, don't you think? I don't think anybody could tell they are KANSENs at first glance," Prince Mito said as he approached Akagi after Shoukaku and Zuikaku had left.

In a way, Akagi thought the prince was right.

"So, what are you going to write on that paper?" she heard him asking. Akagi brought the tanzaku to eye level and stared at it wistfully.

"I'm not sure…" she reluctantly answered, "…it was easy for you, but not for me."

"Easy…? Akagi-san; perhaps it's easy when you know what you truly want," the prince replied with a small laugh as he turned his back against her and towards the direction of the village. When he turned to face her again, the prince had a solemn look.

"…But to ask yourself—what do I really want?… that's difficult."

"…"

Even when he noticed Akagi did not answer, as if she was too deep in her thoughts, the prince went on,"…So…well…this might sound peculiar…but if that's what you're feeling, 'be a little braver' is what I would say."

There was a pause before a small laugh was heard. It belonged to Akagi, whose lips now curled into a smile.

"…Someone told me that before. And it was surprising how fast it slipped out of my mind…but now I remember. That's right…I should."

"Oh, that's good to hear, Akagi-san," the prince replied, pleasantly surprised; Akagi might not realize it, but right now, she sounded surer of herself.

Steeling a resolve, Akagi shifted her gaze from the tanzaku on her hand to the prince.

"And so…after this, would you like to join me in the dance…?"