C57 The Second Dance, For the Girl Seeking Truth (1)
As the music concluded, the two girls exchanged bows.
Igarashi Rie offered a bow more commonly used by boys, while Hoshimori Shion performed the curtsy Rie had taught her.
“You danced wonderfully, Shion-san!” Rie applauded softly.
“Truly befitting a shrine Miko.”
Shion scratched her head, a smile gracing her lips.
“Igarashi-senpai led me so well; I usually only perform Kagura dances.”
“Speaking of which, why haven’t I seen your sister?” Rie inquired, scanning their surroundings.
“I’ve actually been looking for her this whole time, but I still haven’t found her.
There are just too many people here.” Shion glanced around once more, yet Ayane remained nowhere in sight.
“You should go find her quickly,” Rie suddenly urged, catching Shion slightly off guard.
“Eh?”
Rie chuckled.
“If I want to dance in the future, I can just come directly to your house, can’t I?
After all, you never close the doors to your shrine or your living quarters.”
“We usually do close the doors, it was all Ayane’s fault last time, that scatterbrain!” Nevertheless, Shion returned Rie’s smile, nodding.
“Hoshimori Shrine welcomes Igarashi-senpai anytime; I’ll be waiting for you at the shrine.”
Then, she turned and departed, her gaze once again sweeping the area as she resumed her search for Ayane.
Rie watched Shion disappear into the crowd, that wisp of white hair still strikingly prominent, like a beacon shining in the night sky.
Rie murmured to herself, “Shion-san will always wait for me, won’t she?”
****
Weaving through the bustling crowd, Shion’s eyes darted everywhere, but Ayane’s figure remained elusive.
Her sister, with the same distinctive white hair as her own, should have been easy to spot, strikingly noticeable.
There was no other choice.
If she couldn’t find her in the crowd, she would ascend to the school building.
From its elevated vantage point, she could survey the entire bonfire dance party unfolding on the open grounds.
She wouldn’t even need to go all the way to the rooftop; merely reaching the second floor would suffice.
Without further thought, Shion swiftly entered the school building and climbed to the second floor.
“Second floor, the observation deck on the second floor, it’s this way… huh?” Just as Shion located the observation deck on the second floor, she noticed a girl with flowing aqua-blue hair leaning against the railing, gazing out into the distance.
Her focus lay towards the sea.
Beyond the bonfire party, one could faintly discern the distant ocean, already stained an inky black by the night.
That silhouette bore a striking resemblance to Kazama Nanami.
However, the Nanami in Shion’s memory was an incredibly lively and active individual; would she truly stand here, simply looking into the distance?
Unless… it was like the first time Shion had seen that sad expression on her face, when she was out at sea, carrying Shion, and was drawn in by an evil spirit.
At that time, she had repeatedly uttered a single name.
Hanami.
Shion still remembered that name.
“Kazama-san?” Shion approached quietly, coming to stand beside the blue-haired girl.
Catching a glimpse of her profile, it was indeed Nanami.
Yet, for some unknown reason, her face now held an inscrutable expression; it couldn’t even be described as worry or sadness, but it was certainly not joy.
“Ah, Hoshimori-san.” Only when Shion stood beside her did Nanami finally react, managing a strained smile in response.
“Why aren’t you joining the dance?” Shion asked, leaning on the railing alongside her.
Below the railing, on the first floor, students were frolicking and reveling in the bonfire dance party.
The boisterous sounds from below now served as a somewhat noisy background hum for Nanami and Shion.
Nanami simply shook her head.
“I just don’t really feel like going.”
“That’s so unlike you,” Shion remarked, pursing her lips.
“There’s actually an event you don’t want to attend.
I thought you’d want to join in any fun that was happening.”
“Hey, what do you mean ‘join in any fun’?
Whether it’s attracting customers for fishing boat voyages or activities for the cooking club, I’m always very serious about them,” Nanami retorted, pouting slightly.
“Then tell me, why the long face?
Your class’s band is still performing, you know.” Shion gestured towards the members of the Starlight Band, who were singing their hearts out on the main stage.
Nanami offered another strained smile.
“It just… reminds me of a lot of things from the past.”
“I…” Shion pondered for a long moment, but ultimately decided to muster her courage and ask Nanami the question weighing on her mind.
“I wanted to ask, is it related to the name you mentioned that day, out at sea, Nanami?” Shion asked very cautiously.
Under the clear, cold moonlight, Shion could see Nanami gently bite her lip, as if suppressing something.
The white moonlight fell upon Nanami’s face; Shion wondered if Nanami felt cold at this moment.
There was a full half-minute of silence.
Though the silence was somewhat uncomfortable, Shion waited patiently, hoping Nanami would offer an answer.
However, it was Shion who broke the silence first.
“Kazama-san, that… I’m sorry.
If you don’t want to talk about it, I shouldn’t have pressed.”
Nanami sighed, shaking her head.
“It’s alright; it’s almost been a year.
I shouldn’t let this kind of thing bother me anymore…”
Shion extended a hand to Nanami.
“Then, if you don’t want to keep worrying, would you like to dance with me?”
“Eh?” Nanami turned her head, looking at Shion.
As she turned, the moonlight fully illuminated her face.
Her clear blue eyes, healthy sun-kissed skin, and a slightly surprised expression.
Nanami was, in fact, a very beautiful girl, and this wouldn’t change just because she often toiled at sea; after all, the radiance of a girl who works hard and lives earnestly shines quite brightly.
Perhaps her abrupt transition was a bit too awkward, as Shion herself felt a touch of embarrassment.
Yet, her outstretched hand remained unwavering.
“But… I don’t know how to dance.” Nanami lowered her head slightly.
“I do.
Igarashi-senpai taught me, and now I can teach you,” Shion said softly.
The bonfire continued to burn, and the ‘Starlight Band’ members were still singing heartily.
On the second-floor balcony, the two girls faced each other, and Shion felt as though she saw an boundless azure ocean in Nanami’s eyes.
Shion was the first to step, moving to the drumbeat, and taking Nanami’s hand, she led her into the rhythm of the dance.
Nanami’s smile softened from its initial strain.
Although she didn’t know how to dance, she still held Shion’s hand, slowly following her steps.
“Igarashi-senpai told me not to step on the other person’s feet.
Just remember that,” Shion said with a laugh.
“Mm.” Nanami nodded gently.
Nanami’s footwork was actually quite good.
Her long years of fishing at sea had endowed her with excellent athletic reflexes, so keeping pace with Shion posed no significant challenge.
Perhaps it was a gust of evening wind that blew through, opening Nanami’s heart.
Or at least, opening it just a little.
“Hanami Yuki is the name of my childhood friend.
Every cultural festival in the past, I spent with her.”
Nanami paused here.
“A year ago, she disappeared.”