In Those Deep, Starry Eyes, I See Cherry Petals Depressed but breathing

The third Meeting

Only three days had passed this time. Even more bizarre was that Suisei had appeared in the middle of the day. The sun had only barely crossed the middle of the sky when she appeared. She had on a different outfit this time. It was a cute small turquoise top with bright orange leggings. She wore a smile on her face, but it was obviously being forced. She sat down in front of the stand, staring directly into Miko’s eyes.

“You’re here… earlier than usual." Suisei's lips curled higher, maybe the first genuine smile since their first meeting.

“Well, I seem to have… come up with a bit more time in my schedule recently.” Suisei’s statement seemed to hang in the air, as though she wanted to continue. Miko hesitantly took a breath before she took a leap of faith.

“Do you… want to add anything to that? You can feel free to talk to me.” Starry eyes met her own emerald spheres. Yet again, darkness behind those beautiful sapphires. There was still something blocking her from seeing the real Suisei. Just as she was about to tear her eyes away and apologize for being upfront, Suisei closed her eyes while taking a long, shallow breath. Her following sigh was one of hopelessness.

“I…” Another sigh, as though coming to terms with her admission. “I got fired from my job because I was apparently scaring customers away. So now on top of not being able to reach my dream, I don’t even have a way to make money to live…”

That… was much worse than Miko had been expecting, but not as bad as it could be. The latter half of that statement didn’t stop her from reaching over the stand to the woman’s arm. Her hands cradled Suisei’s gently, as though she were glass.

“I’m sorry to hear that. I’m certain whatever it was, that wasn’t the real reason.” A hollow laugh erupted from Suisei’s throat. Her eyes were glassy and her smile was fake.

“No, they’re probably right. I mean, I want to go in there with an axe right now and give them a piece of my mind after all. If I had one, I doubt I’d really be hesitating.”

“Woahwoahwoahwoah! Let’s not be hasty now!” Miko stopped her flailing. Part of her wondered if she’d be next in that hypothetical situation for not being any help. “Just because you’re angry doesn’t mean you have to take it out on others!” The bluenette seemed to process that statement, stewing on it thoughtfully. Her head hung low and her weak smile turned into a frown. A lifeless sigh escaped her lips.

“Yeah… that’s kinda stupid of me, isn’t it?” That frown… Miko thought that, not for the first time, it wasn’t supposed to be on her face. She didn’t deserve that sad, heartbreaking expression.

“Well, you’re justified in having those emotions, sure, but you can’t act on those no matter what. Your dream would never become a reality then.” Suisei’s head raised, eyes just a bit less glazed over. They narrowed oh, so slightly. It was a glare that was both weak and intimidating at the same time, like a newborn hawk eyeing its first target. The shrine maiden realized this comet was studying her… She waited with baited breath for her next words.

“How do you know that’s not my dream?” Just like that, Miko had been analyzed and her argument had been completely dismantled. She wasn’t the smartest, not by a long shot. She knew just by that inquiry that Suisei’s intellect far, far surpassed her own. Put on the spot, she thought faster than she’d ever thought in her twenty-plus years of existence. Her eyes widened as an idea came to her mind.

“Because then you’d have just done it without people’s permission!” She’d said her rebuttal louder than intended, but she was proud of finding that point. She earned a gold star for that one, dammit!

To her horror, Suisei doubled over laughing. It wasn’t a normal laugh, it was one that was in those cheesy, stereotypical chainsaw horror movies. Had her response really been that amateurish? Before she could voice her complaint, Suisei rose, clutching her stomach while on the tail-end of her laughing fit. It was the closest to happiness that Miko had seen the woman show. A light dusting of red powdered her cheeks as the woman finally stopped. She wiped away a tear, giggling slightly.

“Sorry, it’s just that you looked so proud of yourself. It was so genuine! What, are you an idiot or something?”

“HEY!” Another round of laughter came out of the bluenette, though this time it was much less psychotic. It sounded like music to Miko’s ears. Suisei ended this episode much faster than the prior one. A smile remained on her face. Her cheeks were red from the chuckling.

“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean that. Anyway, you’re right. That’s not my dream. I think I’d only have that on a bucket list of mine.”

“That’s absolutely terrifying.”

“Like you’ve never thought of something like that. C’mon, you’ve had to have had a moment or two where you were fed up with visitors here!” Miko paused, thinking about that. Did she ever have a moment where she actually… wished for someone’s death?

“I… actually don’t think I’ve ever thought that.” Suisei tilted as she looked at the shrine maiden. She blinked a few times, once again probing Miko with her eyes. The miko shrugged backward slightly, awkwardly shy from being stared at.

“Ah, sorry. Yeah, I guess I’m just… a bit messed up right now.” Miko was about to reach out when Suisei shook her head. A new smile, bright and cheery on the surface, but a masquerade deeper down, was plastered to her face. “Whaaatever. I’m sure I’ll get outta this funk soon.” Turning around to leave, Miko voiced her desire.

“Please just come back. Don’t let your emotions control you. I’d feel horrible if you actually lost it because I couldn’t help you.” Suisei paused, looking back with those starry eyes. Miko was starting to be able to memorize their looks, what they meant. She could tell that right now they were analyzing her own eyes.

“I’ll be back in a few days. I’ll try to apply to some places in the meantime. You don’t have to worry about me.” The woman turned around, walking to the first stand. She quickly drew a lot, scoffed, and placed the stick back onto the stand.

When she’d exited the torii gate and walked far into the distance, Miko got up and ran to the stand. She didn’t know why she was so interested in this woman’s fortune, but she had to know. She held the stick up, the symbols for “great fortune” revealing themselves to her. She wondered if the scoff was one of relief or one of doubt.

If only she could read her eyes, the answer would’ve already been at hand.