They had made it halfway through their winter exams, only a few more days until they could finally catch a break. Freedom was just around the corner. However, once they finished, they'd be thrown straight into preparing for the Moon Weaving event. But at that moment, only the exams mattered.
"Hey," Furuya muttered, staring at his phone, his brows tight.
"What is it?" Yasushi asked, dragging his feet alongside the others. The group trudged toward a café after another exhausting day of exams. Fatigue hung in the air as much as the cold.
Furuya held out his phone, offering it to Yasushi. He took it, skimming the message on the screen. His eyes tightened as he read.
"Dear to whom this may concern. The gathering for the Moon Weaving event has been moved this year. It will now take place in the eastern plaza of Ginsukimura. The list of items you need to bring is short… just a toothbrush. With all the food and drinks we're going to enjoy, you'll probably need it. When we're done, we'll toss them into a nearby trash can we've decided to call 'Godly Trin,' our own made-up god."
Sincerely,
-Moon Weaving Management.
After skimming the message, Yasushi passed the phone back to Furuya and sighed. "Just a toothbrush? That's it? I guess we're on our own for everything else since they only ever mention the 'essentials' in these things, right?" He looked at Furuya, who nodded in agreement.
The others grew curious, and he explained the event and what they needed to bring, leaving a few of them scratching their heads.
"That sounds stupid. A toothbrush, seriously?" Xinyi muttered, her voice flat. "So we have to bring our own food and snacks too, right? But they'll have some stuff there, won't they?"
"Yeah, we can bring our own stuff, but they'll have food and drinks there too," Laura chimed in, her face showing some mild discomfort. "No booze though since we're all underage. But nothing's stopping the college guys from showing up with a stash."
Laura seemed eager to try alcohol, while the rest didn't seem too excited about it. No one said anything out loud though. They figured Laura would do what she wanted anyway, and there wasn't much point in trying to talk her out of it. Still, Reina decided she'd keep an eye on Laura once the event rolled around.
They finally reached the restaurant and settled into a large table, splitting into smaller groups. After ordering their meals, they sat waiting for their food to arrive.
"What happens after the Moon Weaving event? I heard something about Easter, but what do you actually do for that?" Xinyi asked, leaning closer to Yasushi. The rest of the Chinese students perked up, curious about what came next.
"It got canceled last year. Something happened that freaked out the school, but this year it's happening again. Nothing major, really. It's a mix of Valentine's Day and Easter," Yasushi explained, pausing as the others listened. "Basically, you can send a heart-shaped chocolate egg to someone, and the school delivers them throughout the day. Just a little tradition they keep going."
"Don't forget you can wear those 'Easter'-themed outfits, too. Sweaters, shoes, accessories, all of it," Reina chimed in, letting out a quiet laugh. "Someone even tried a bunny costume our first year, but yeah… that got shut down pretty quick."
"Easter-themed, huh? So, can I wear bunny ears?" Bhaqui asked out of nowhere, catching everyone off guard.
"You? Bunny ears?" Laura stared at him, stunned by what she just heard.
Bhaqui's face went red, but he gave a small nod. Alicia noticed and her smile grew wider. "Oh, it's because the girl he likes back home in China loves bunnies. He's probably thinking about snapping a picture of himself surrounded by all the bunny-themed stuff once the event starts."
"Alicia!" Bhaqui muttered, his face burning as he tried to get her to stop. She didn't seem to care, just smiled at him instead.
"A girl? Didn't think you had someone waiting back home, man," Furuya added, grinning as the rest of their friends joined in on the teasing.
They kept asking him questions, laughing as they tried to get him to talk more about it. Yasushi stayed quiet, though. He already knew about the girl — Bhaqui had mentioned her a while back. Not long after, their food arrived, and the group dug in, continuing their conversation between bites.
+-+
Yasushi leaned back in his chair, hands resting on the edges of his desk. The test paper in front of him sat untouched for a while now. He'd finished early but still had ten minutes before exam week officially ended. The room was quiet, the final day of tests hanging over everyone as they waited for winter break to start.
He glanced out the window, watching the snow float down, covering everything outside. He had worked hard for this, crammed in as much studying as he could manage. Now, it was all out of his hands. Whatever scores came his way, he'd have to live with them.
His gaze shifted back to the room, catching glimpses of his classmates. Some were still hunched over their papers, writing frantically as if trying to squeeze every last bit of information onto the page before time ran out. Yasushi closed his eyes, letting the minutes slip by.
Eventually, the bell rang. It cut through the silence, signaling the end. A few of his classmates kept scribbling away, desperate to finish those last questions, but it didn't matter now. The teacher moved around the room, quietly collecting each paper.
When Senbarisu finished collecting the stack of papers, she gave the class a once-over. Her eyes fell on the group of students still sitting quietly at their desks. She held the tests in her hand, looking like she wanted to say something else but kept it simple.
"Go on. This is your last winter break before graduation. Enjoy it, but don't forget that when you return, it's only going to get worse. You'll be dealing with quizzes, tests, and then the entrance exams, every week. Got it?"
The class nodded together, almost robotic. Senbarisu nodded back, then swung the door open with a short gesture. "Go," she said.
That was enough. Everyone jumped up, eager to bolt out of the room, the promise of freedom filling them with energy. They rushed out, talking about their plans for winter break and the Moon Weaving event that was just around the corner.
Yasushi took his time, though. His friends followed his lead. There was no need to rush. They already had everything planned out, and they could afford to take it slow.
"Do you want me to grab that stuff now, or should we wait a few days? We still have some time before the event," Furuya asked, looking over at Yasushi.
"In a few days is fine. But don't wait too long. You know how it goes — teenagers wait until the last minute, then everything's gone. If you delay, we might end up with nothing," Yasushi said. Furuya gave a nod, understanding.
"Yeah, I'll head there now. There's a store nearby that should have what we need," Furuya said before taking off, Catherine, Bhaqui, and Alicia following after him.
The rest of the group slowly left the school, heading in the same direction. After a few minutes, Furuya and the others came out of the store. He was holding two plastic bags, one in each hand, while the others carried their own purchases.
Xinyi turned to them, focusing on the three who had gone with Furuya. "What'd you guys grab?" she asked, knowing what Furuya would've picked up and not needing to ask him.
"Food," Catherine said, shrugging. "We're celebrating like last year, right, Lady Xinyi?"
Xinyi let out a short laugh. "Yeah, you've got a point," she answered, and they headed off to another store to pick up a few more things.
Once they finished their shopping, the group made their way to Yasushi and Jingliu's place, walking at an easy pace, enjoying the time spent together. It felt like a good break, a chance to unwind after the chaos of exams.
When they reached the house, they made their way to the dining room to start getting everything set up, working with Yinhaie and some of the staff to organize things. After everything was ready, they invited the staff to join in. A lot of them accepted, Yinhaie included.
Out of nowhere, Furuya stood up, grabbed a can of coke, and raised it high. "I've got no speech," he said, laughing, "but I'm just damn glad exams are over!" His words made everyone around the table burst out in laughter.
They kept the party going, even pulling down the TV hidden in the wall to watch some movies. They picked a mix — action, comedy, horror — something for everyone.
Halfway through one of the horror flicks, Furuya swallowed hard, the tension on screen getting to him. "I forgot how much I hate horror…" he muttered, his eyes glued to the screen.
Xinyi and Laura exchanged a look, the kind of look that told you they were about to cause trouble. Neither said a word as they stood up quietly, sneaking over toward Furuya. The rest of the group, even the staff, noticed but stayed out of it. They knew what was coming.
Just as the movie built to the jump scare, right when everyone was on edge, Laura and Xinyi leapt forward, letting out loud, sudden screams and grabbing onto Furuya's shoulders.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Furuya shouted, practically shooting up from his seat, eyes wide. The jump scare on screen hit at the same time, doubling the effect, and he jumped again, heart racing.
Furuya stared at his friends, chest still heaving, the look on his face clearly saying, "What the hell is wrong with you two!?" But instead of getting a serious answer, the room erupted in laughter. Even he couldn't hold it in for long, joining in as the ridiculousness of the situation sank in.
Hours passed, and the party slowly began to wind down. By the time the clock hit seven, the dining room had been cleaned up, the energy settling. They gathered again for dinner, plates piled high with food. Yinhaie and a few others from the staff had worked up a feast. It seemed like they cooked for the entire town with how much had been laid out, all in the spirit of celebration.
"…Shit, if I could eat like this every day, I'd be set for life," Furuya muttered between mouthfuls, clearly enjoying himself.
"Then learn how to cook instead of whining," Xinyi shot back without missing a beat, chewing on her own food.
"Easy for you to say," Furuya grumbled, though the two kept eating, bickering as usual, neither one slowing down.
Yasushi, more quiet than usual, kept eating, his mind elsewhere. After a few bites, he leaned toward Jingliu. "There's something I need to talk to you about," he said under his breath, careful not to draw attention. "Let's step aside after dinner. We'll need somewhere more private."
Jingliu watched him, her gaze steady, for a few long moments before giving a nod. They returned to eating in silence, though the lively noise from their friends filled the room. The rowdy laughter and banter didn't seem to bother either of them, and the warmth of the gathering remained strong, even as they kept to themselves.
After some time passed, everyone had cleared their plates. The group decided to move to another room, probably to chill out before heading home. Jingliu and Yasushi stayed behind, slipping quietly into a different room, closing the door after them. They stood there for a moment, the space between them feeling a bit heavier now that they were alone.
"What did you want to talk about?" Jingliu asked, breaking the silence between them.
Yasushi took a deep breath, his eyes closing for a second as he weighed his words. He wasn't sure how to bring this up, but if there was a time to do it, it was now. He had a feeling that Goddess Hakufubuki might be watching, might even appear if he pushed the right buttons.
After a pause, he locked eyes with her and asked, "Do you believe in the supernatural?"
Jingliu blinked, thrown off by the question. "No… not really, why?"
Yasushi didn't answer right away, instead turning his head slightly. "It would be better like this," he said, his eyes fixed on something. "Can you help me out here?"
In the blink of an eye, like she had stepped out from nowhere, the Goddess Hakufubuki stood next to him. Jingliu instinctively took a step back, her mind racing, trying to process what had just happened. It didn't seem real — one moment there was nothing, and the next, this figure had appeared, completely defying her understanding of reality.
Yasushi looked at her, calm as ever. "Jingliu, this is Goddess Hakufubuki. And, well, you already know who she is."
"I do," Hakufubuki said, shifting her focus toward Jingliu, her voice soft. The way she looked at her, it wasn't just like some stranger meeting someone new; it felt deeper. She smiled, her presence unnerving and yet impossible to turn away from.
Jingliu couldn't respond, words stuck somewhere between shock and disbelief. The idea that something supernatural could stand right in front of her was too much to digest all at once. Her gaze darted between Yasushi and the goddess, trying to ground herself in anything familiar, but even that seemed to slip out of reach.
Without warning, Hakufubuki moved closer, too close. She reached out and placed a hand on Jingliu's face, her touch unnerving in its calmness. Then she whispered something, something Jingliu couldn't fully comprehend, but it cut through the haze clouding her mind. Her eyes widened, her breath catching as whatever the goddess had said hit her hard.
Hakufubuki stepped back, still watching, her expression unreadable.
+-+
After a few moments, Jingliu, Yasushi, and Hakufubuki settled onto the couch, tension still thick in the air. The reality of the situation seemed to weigh on Jingliu as her eyes stayed glued to the floating ice sculpture Hakufubuki casually held above her hand.
"This... this is a lot to take in. The supernatural being real… I don't even know how to wrap my head around that," Jingliu mumbled, staring at the sculpture like it might disappear if she blinked. "Why tell me now?" she asked, turning her focus to Yasushi, trying to ground herself in something familiar, anything that made sense.
Yasushi leaned back slightly, pausing before answering. "The Japanese gods… they invited me to some meeting after the Moon Weaving thing," he said, his words coming slower now as he searched for the right way to explain. "I don't have all the details, but I want you and Yinhaie there with me. Before our graduation, I've got another invite. But this time, it's different. Every god from different pantheons will be there."
Jingliu blinked, struggling to comprehend the words coming out of his mouth. It felt like her brain just stopped, hitting a wall she didn't know how to break through. The words sank in, but they didn't stick — too surreal, too far from anything she'd ever thought possible. She didn't even try to respond, just stared at Yasushi, silent, trying to process what he'd just said.
"Alright… let me see if I got this," Jingliu said, still trying to piece it together. "The Japanese gods want to meet you, but why you?"
Yasushi paused, unsure how much he should say. He felt Hakufubuki's hand land on his shoulder, a silent gesture, letting him know it was up to him. He took a breath, figuring out how to phrase it. "I'm… different, I guess. Something about having two souls, reincarnation stuff, though I don't remember much. It's all kind of fuzzy," he said, his words holding both some truth and a bit of an escape from fully diving into it.
Jingliu looked at him, then exhaled slowly. "So, reincarnation's real, huh? Makes sense, I guess, if all this supernatural stuff is. I won't push, since it sounds like you're not sure either." She paused, then asked, "But why bring me and Yinhaie?"
Yasushi rubbed the back of his neck, not meeting her eyes for a second. "They said I could bring anyone I wanted. I figured I'd ask you two to come with me. You're my girlfriend, and Yinhaie… she's important to me, too."
Hakufubuki leaned forward, cutting into the conversation. "I can't explain everything right now, but know this: you're safe, especially with the Japanese gods. The next meeting though... I'd suggest being careful. Some gods have an eye on Yasushi, and it's not always clear why."
Jingliu took it in quietly, giving a slow nod as her mind worked to keep up. "I'll need a minute to process all of this," she finally said, voice steady. "But I'll come with you. We'll need to bring Yinhaie into this, though. I'll give her a call, alright?"
Yasushi agreed, and Jingliu grabbed her phone, tapping out a quick message. It didn't take long. Moments later, Yinhaie arrived at the door, confusion plain on her face as she noticed the new presence in the room. She hadn't seen Hakufubuki before, and it showed. She took a seat across from them, her eyes darting between everyone, waiting for some explanation.
Before anyone could speak, Hakufubuki clapped her hands, and suddenly, small ice figures — cats — appeared on the table, moving like they had life. Yinhaie froze, wide-eyed, completely thrown off by what she saw. She looked to Jingliu and Yasushi, and without missing a beat, they both jumped in, explaining who Hakufubuki was and what exactly was unfolding.
Yinhaie sat quietly, her face blank as she tried to make sense of everything thrown at her. She shut her eyes for a second, taking in a deep breath, then opened them again. "Alright. I'll go with you," she said, her eyes locking onto Yasushi.
He blinked, caught off guard. "You don't have questions?"
Yinhaie nodded but didn't say more at first. "I do, but this isn't the right time. It's late, and we've all been through enough for one day. We can talk about it in the morning." She shifted her attention to Hakufubuki, her tone even. "Miss Hakufubuki, would it be okay if you came back tomorrow?"
The request seemed to catch the goddess off guard. She paused for a moment before nodding. "I think that's fair. You two just wrapped up your exams anyway," Hakufubuki said as she rose to her feet. "I'll return tomorrow."
As she stood over Yasushi, she ruffled his hair with a quick pat. "Just call my name if you need anything," she added.
Before he could respond, Hakufubuki disappeared right in front of them, dissolving into a flurry of snowflakes, leaving the room silent.
The room hung in quiet for a brief moment before the sound of the door opening cut through it. Xinyi strode in without missing a beat, stepping straight to Jingliu and Yasushi, seizing both by their wrists.
"Come on, we're not done yet. We're doing something fun before heading home," she said and started pulling them toward the exit.
Yinhaie stood up, watching them leave, her thoughts swirling. This sudden turn of events had her mind spinning, yet she couldn't help but feel something warm in the fact that Yasushi wanted her by his side for all this. It meant something. That much was clear.
She followed after them, her steps steady, but her thoughts anything but calm. The weight of what she'd learned today gnawed at her, though a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Tomorrow, she would ask Hakufubuki what she needed to know. For now, she would keep the secrets that had been entrusted to her, no matter what they meant.