After a few weeks.
The day of the summer festival finally arrives.
"Aren't you done yet?" I complained,getting tired of sitting straight infront of the mirror.
Mika was fixing my hair in a fashionable bun. We are both going to the summer festival while wearing our new summer kimono.
"Just stay still if you want me to finish!" Mika stated.
"--Girls, what's taking you so long?" we both heard Mama's voice downstairs.
"In a minute, mama!" Mika called back.
After a few agonizing minutes...
"There. It's done." Mika finally said, as she patted my shoulders.
"Thanks a lot, Mika." I thanked my younger sister.
Mika just nodded while looking satisfied at the result.
"We'd better get going." she reminded me.
"You're right." I agreed.
We both descended from the stairs.Mama walked towards us, while looking proud.
"You girls are lovely.You really are my daughters.." she spoke with a hint of pride
on her voice.
"Are you coming with us,mama?" I inquired.
"Don't mind me. Just enjoy the festival on my behalf." Mama responded.
"We'd better hurry, Nao! There will be a big crowd at the shrine, so it might be difficult to find Van and Ren..." Mika reminded me.
"Oh, right. We'll be going now, Mama!" I informed our mother, as we arr making our way towards the door.
"Have fun, girls!" Mama called out.
Mika and I stopped for a moment, and waves at our mother. After that, we finally made our way towards the shrine, while hoping that we could create wonderful memories this summer...
========================
Van and Ren are waiting at the Shrine's Entrance Gate.
Ren almost laughed out loud when he saw his older brother looking so serious.
"Just relax,okay?" Ren tried to calm him down.
"Who says I'm nervous?" Van said, while he was pacing back and forth.
"Stop that, will you?You're giving me a headache!" Ren reprimanded Van.
"--Sorry to keep you waiting!"
Van and Ren looked at their right side where they heard those familiar voices.They saw Nao and Mika waving at them, and they are both wearing a summer kimono.
Van was obviously breathless as if his oxygen has been sucked out from his lungs, and he couldn't take his eyes off from Nao.
"Did you guys wait too long?" Mika smilingly asked the two.
"Not really...Shall we go now and have some fun?" Ren answered,while nudging his older older.
"L-Let's go!" stammered Van.
The girls walked ahead to go inside the shrine. Before Van could follow them,Ren pulled him towards the corner.
"Get a hold of yourself, Van! You have to make a good impression with Nao!" Ren lectured him.
Van nodded in return, but he still looks out of it.
"I'll do something so that you can be alone with her." Ren was trying her best to come up with a plan.
"Thanks, Ren." Van thanked his younger brother.
"Just leave it to me." assured Ren.
They both followed the girls inside the shrine...
=========================
"So, what shall we do first? Shall we start with the food? Oh! This looks yummy!" Mika cooed,while looking at a yakisoba or Japanese fried noodle stand.
Ren helplessy scratched his head while watching his nervous brother.
"Mika.Come with me." ordered Ren, as he grabbed Mika's hand.
He purposely hid themselves to the large crowd.
"Wait, what are you doing,Ren?" cajoled Mika.
"Van and Nao needs some time alone...We're just on their way." Ren whispered at her.
Mika's frowning face suddenly vanished.
"Ah, now I get it!" she said, while beaming.
"But I wonder if my brother's alright." Ren wondered aloud...
==========================
At the same time.
Van was able to get back to his own self and managed to start a conversation with
me. I was having fun. We were exploring the other stalls at the festival when we suddenly heard excited voices.
"What's going on,there?" Van puzzily asked,while looking at a certain direction.
Just straight ahead, we saw a large crowd of people cheering for something.
"Come on,let's take a look!" I suggested, while tagging him along.
"Okay." Van agreed.
As they squeeze themselves through the crowd, they saw one guy who was holding a toy gun and he was aiming it towards the lined target.
The people are cheering for him.
The guy tried shooting the targets, but he's not successful. After a few more tries, he finally gave up.
"Would you like to try it, Van?" I tried to encourage him.
"Sure, why not?" Van readily agreed.
Van gave some money to the owner of the shooting stand. The owner gave him the toy gun, and he's giving him instructions.
He tried firing the toy gun towards the targets, but he just can't hit any of them. He groaned inwardly, and he's getting more and more embarassed because Nao is watching him...
"Tsk. What a wimp. Let the master take it over, Van..."
Van and I looked behind me. Our eyes both widened in shock when we saw a very familiar figure who's standing infront of us...
It was our eldest brother, who's been studying at a big and famous University in Tokyo City. I haven't met him personally eversince I got adopted, and I only show him from the photo albums.
Technically, this is our first official meeting.
"Hello dear, my dear sister. We finally met." my brother greeted me, as he gave me a big, bear hug...
=======================
After a few hours.
Ken, our oldest brother, Mika and I finally had our family reunion at the Summer Festival. We're all happy to see each other, and we had a lot of fun at the festival.
"--Well, then. It's time for us to go home, kids!" Ken suddenly announced.
"But we still have other plans!" protested Mika.
"Like what?" Ken interrogated his youngest sister.
"We're about to go to the beach and light some fireworks there!" Mika haughtily answered.
"Consider it cancelled." Ken quickly decided.
"That's so unfair! By the way, does Mama even know that you're here?!" Mika shot back.
"Not yet. I decided to go straight to the festival and have fun first. And whether
you like it or not, we're going home." Ken responded.
As a last resort, Mika gave me a helpless look.
"Oh, but Mika's really looking forward on playing with fireworks. Just give us an hour...Please?" I pleaded to our brother.
"Okay. Just for an hour. Is that clear?" Ken finally agreed.
"Yay!" Mika squealed in delight.
"I'll join you as well." Ken stood up.
"What?!" Mika unbelievably screeched.
"What do you want now? Are you going to let me join you guys or go straight home?" Ken gave Mika an option.
"As if I have a choice." Mika gave in,while looking depressed.