Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 117: Arc 3, - 27: A Promise Once Held, A Trauma Always Shared
Carriages and bicycles passed, people talked, bricks of whites and browns shining sunlight into her eyes glaring down, blah, blah, blah, who cares?
The blonde winced her eyes shut—arms crossed and brows constantly arched down. Every possibility, everything that can happen, everything can change with every possibility that can happen.
A hat to block the Sun, a slight growl Jotou erupted, forced to face up from the light reflecting right onto her face from a damn streetlamp.
"Want to stand under here?" Hotaru called over, a blue parasol she held.
Jotou gave no glance, "Sure." Hotaru approached lending her some shade. The hairs on the back of her neck sensed the proximity of the redhead standing closer.
’What is she doing standing so close?’ Jotou finally looked to her, eyes still narrowed.
"You keep straining your eyes, they’re going to start to hurt."
"Well, that’s why I have a healer."
"Is that all I am?" Hotaru’s ears bristled, a mild glare, but a glare nonetheless.
"What?" Jotou’s eyes relaxed, "No."
Hotaru’s glare faded, "I’m messing with you," and yet there was no smile. Her eyebrows raised in concern rather than amusement.
’Why would she be mad at me? Come on Jotou, if you can’t even read her then what are you going to do with this whole plan!?’
Hotaru peered elsewhere then back to Jotou, "They’re not out yet, it’s just you and me. You want to tell me what’s going on? Something’s clearly bothering you if you’re this grumpy."
’Crap... I should’ve hidden it better. How the hell am I supposed to hide the fact that I saw her and the others dead before...? And every time I tell them...
Asobi didn’t leave Fumeko alone after I said she died. Fumeko acted completely different and so did Hotaru. Not to mention.’ The most recent reversed past aired in her head, the brunette yelling at her for joking before they left Hartamat...
Jotou lowered her gaze, "I don’t want to make you feel horrible, I can’t say it."
That could not be an answer; not an answer she would accept. Hotaru tilted her head, "You know you can talk to me Jotou. I’m here to listen.. Please," the hustle and bustle of Hartamat continued...
Jotou looked to the redhead, ’no’ about to escape her lips. Then her gaze paused, looking into her brilliant blue eyes. The blonde’s memory shifted to under a tent, having shared this gaze once before...
’"All the moments we shared in private; thinking of that was what made me angry." I said that... She’s called me a hypocrite before, but, there is no but. I guess that’s true. How much it stung me... Is that what you feel Aru?’
"I, I’m just, I can’t say a lot of things right now because I don’t know what might happen from the consequences. I’m trying to understand and figure out our plan forward," Jotou stomped the ground.
"What?" Hotaru tilted her head to the peculiar answer.
Realizing her breath increasing, Jotou faced away shutting her eyes, "I told you, it’s too complicated to understand why I can’t tell you." ’Breathe Jotou. Calm down... Why does this have to be so frustrating?’
Hotaru pouted, her palm grabbing Jotou’s cheek to turn her face to hers, "Then help me understand. Please don’t push me- I mean," Hotaru shook her head, "Us, away."
Jotou stared again, she was beginning to sense a pattern of weakness in those brilliant blue pools. ’Maybe I can tell at least Hotaru later? She’s the most mature out of all of us...
Well, more like she’s the least immature out of all of us. Do I tell her? No, don’t, I can’t see her worried about me and everything again. She said it before, the three of us are all she has.’
Her lips wriggled, "I’m sorry I can’t manage a poker face alright! My head just hurts and it’s a natural headache unlike all of yours because you can’t remember."
Hotaru’s eyes widened, "Can’t remember? Did I promise something? Did I forget?"
"Huh? No, no!" Jotou’s eyes bubbled. "It’s," a breath escaped, "Maybe?" she shrugged, "But..." It was no use. Jotou let all the air out of her lungs.
Jotou gently grabbed Hotaru’s shoulders; blonde eyebrows that bent down, "Hotaru?"
Parasol in one hand, Jotou’s cheek in the other. Standing on edge, nearly the same height the two were, maybe two ears giving a slight advantage. "Yes?"
Under the heat of the Sun, people talking and carts clacking; the same way her head scorched, the cogs in her mind shifted. Brilliant blue, like the seas and the skies; much like them, at certain times, they were this, perfect blue.
’I made her a promise in those flurry of promises. Make you believe again.’
"There’s a plan going on in my head. There’s so many things I would- want- need, to explain to you. And, I’ll explain to you... tomorrow evening, okay?"
"Tomorrow evening?" Hotaru’s voice went softer, faces inches apart. Her brows furrowed, "Jotou what’s happening tomorrow evening?"
A second thought lingered in the blonde’s mind; adventuring with an ex-lawyer and wannabe detective. It wasn’t easy to pull off something without them figuring it out...
"...Something important. I just, need you to trust me—please..."
Hotaru stared into the dark brown eyes that one could sink into, for hours. Hours, hours turning into minutes then into days then into seconds.
Hotaru sighed, "Fine; I’ll follow your lead," her eyes saddened though her voice did not waver.
The corner of Jotou’s lips curled up lightly, "Thanks. And, I’m sorry."
Before Jotou pulled away, Hotaru held her face still, "And of course I trust you... please don’t question that."
"I’m not. I’m just asking you to bear with me a little longer and I promise, I will explain everything."
"I don’t need to bear anything. I know you’ll tell me in time," Hotaru let go and just in time,
"Drumroll!" Asobi ran out of the shop, illusory drums beating to the side. Hotaru and Jotou snapped out of it and turned to the elf.
"Presenting, the brand new," she rolled out the fake red carpet; pretty much transparent with the amount of sunlight beaming down, "FUUUMEKO NAMORAAAA!!!"
"Ta-da!" Fumeko ran out, showing off her newly cut hair that ended to her upper back, tied up top to give her twin-tails with purple ribbons.
Two locks flowed past her ears a little longer and the hair framing her face still not held back by her headband; but it had been cut shorter.
"How do I look?"
"Nice," Hotaru smiled, one glance to Jotou then back, "You look much neater. Did the barber teach you how to keep it that way?"
"Some things... I’ll figure it out. Jotou?" she flaunted her brown locks.
"Cute; especially now that you seem happier and not mean," Jotou forced a smile.
"Uh! You still manage to mock me?" hands on her hips she scolded.
"Your turn Jotou!" Asobi cheered.
"No, I’m fine."
Asobi tilted her head; for once her eyes narrowed, slowly a tongue poking out, "Are you sure? You can get glitter, lots of it!"
"I don’t want glitter in my already hard to manage hair."
"It’s fine, I can cut it for you whenever. I’m really good at it; have to compensate for these things nearly blending in," Hotaru held the base of her ears.
"Okay. Time for clothes then!? I’m going to go bye-bye any second now!"
"We should hurry about that then."
"Actually, if you two can stand a little longer, there’s a detour we need to take," Jotou halted.
"There is?" Hotaru turned to her.
"Yup. We need to go see if we can speed up travel through the proper channels."
Hotaru stared, "That was exactly, what I was thinking..."
"Why? We can just pay off our driver to get out, right?" Fumeko made her way to them.
"Probably not a good idea. If the ban’s already been noted here, then we’d have trouble going into Galuvit Town legally; that place I assume would have a way larger population," Jotou masked her face the best she could.
"Logical as always," Hotaru grinned down to Fumeko.
Fumeko with half-closed eyes glanced to Jotou, then back to Hotaru, "Fair enough... Where are we going exactly? The Police Station?"
A little direction from some lovely townsfolk, as if Jotou didn’t already know the direction to the only police department.
Entering, Hotaru led Jotou to the front, Fumeko following behind with a sneer in every direction whilst Asobi’s eyes wandered every corner.
"Excuse me, we’re travellers from Kria who got stuck with the recent travel restriction. Is there any way to speed up the process or a better estimate to when that will be lifted?"
The bald man in brown garments and the emblem of Cravolta alongside a smaller emblem of Galuvit faced up from the front desk. A long scorpion tattoo going down his neck.
Dark skin and one blank eye, "Sorry Miss," his voice high as a whistle, "All travel ban orders came from the minister. Unless you can convince him, we can’t doing anything about it. An estimate’s been put out for three or four days."
"And where can we find this minister?" Jotou stepped in, low in her tone, serious in her gaze.
"Oh, he’s around the corner, left, straight and at the end is his office, you can’t miss it."
Hotaru nodded, "Thank you, we’ll take it up with him then."
"No problem Miss. I’m sorry for your troubles, but I hope you enjoy the day here and get on your way as quick as possible. Make sure to try the chocolate," he waved as they left.
"Ooo! The chocolate here really is tasty!" Asobi giddied next to Hotaru.
The redhead’s ears twitched, glancing away, "Yeah, Galuvit is the chocolate capital of the world," a sweat down her brow.
Jotou caught Fumeko’s shoulder as the other two went forward, "Meko."
"Hm?" Fumeko looked up as they continued to walk, "What is it?"
"I can see the heat’s getting to you, so straight to the point. When we get to the minister’s office, I have something you need to do..."
