Tanabata
Note: This was written for the Fan Senshi Alliance's Tanabata 2024 event just completed in time before the day of Tanabata in 2024! I want to eventually expand on this drabble to include more cast and for the cousins' adventure at the Tanabata festival to be shown in detail.
Geta*: Geta are Japanese sandals with long straps and two long wooden supports at the bottom.
Mami Minamoto, Saya’s aunt who had long, wavy, black hair that went down to her back with gray eyes clapped as she saw her 18-year-old daughter, Sayo, who had a gray eye on the right and an amber brown eye on the left, short, wavy black hair that went to her shoulders wear a pink yukata with violet Chinese bellflowers embroidered in it while her 15-year-old niece who was yet to turn 16, Saya, had pink eyes and pink hair that went down to her back tied in two pigtails, her bangs were split apart with the right half was held back by a silver clip with pink roses, silver leaves, and red pink gems was wearing a pink yukata with cherry blossoms embroidered in it.
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“Oh my, you both look so wonderful in your tailor-made yukatas!”
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Sayo and Saya were both unusually tall for girls their age as Sayo stood at 6’2.5” while Saya stood at 6’2”.
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Sayo smiled as she replied, “Thank you Oka-san.”
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Saya added “Thank you Aunt Mami!”
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Sayo looked down with a concerned look at her yukata. “But… These yukatas must be expensive, aren’t they Oka-san?”
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Mami waved a dismissing hand. “Don’t worry, don’t worry. Tanabata only comes once a year, why not have you girls dress so pretty?”
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“Right?” Saya began to spin around before tripping on her geta* and falling backwards but thankfully, her elder cousin had quick reflexes and lifted her by her underarms.
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Saya nervously laughed as she sweated. “Thank you Sayo-nee.”
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Sayo’s expression was stern. “No problem but you should be careful when you move Saya.”
The pink-haired girl bent her left arm to touch her head as she continued to laugh nervously. “But I can’t help it, I always have to move quickly.”
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Sayo frowned at that remark.
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~Later~
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Both cousins began writing down their wishes using ink and paint brush on pink tanzaku paper before they hung it on the bamboo tree displayed in front of Mami and Sayo’s home.
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“Let’s see what you wished for, Sayo-nee.” Saya said after they both tied their pink tanzaku papers to the bamboo tree.
The pink-haired girl looked at the paper which read “I wish to win the Winter Cup with my team.”
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Saya closed her eyes as she smiled “Ah! We made the same wish.”
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Sayo read the pink tanzaku paper written on by her cousin which read “I wish to win the Winter Cup with my team.”
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Sayo smiled at her younger cousin. “We really did.”
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The pink-haired girl held up a peace sign. “Of course! Since we didn’t win the Inter-High, this is our final chance to win!”
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“Mmm.” Sayo nodded.
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Mami came over to the bamboo tree and leaned her head. “Now then, let’s see what wishes you girls made…”
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Mami covered her mouth while smiling. “Oh! You both made the same wish! You girls are truly dedicated to basketball.”
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After the black-haired woman tied her white tanzaku paper to the bamboo tree which read “I wish my loved ones all stay happy and healthy.” She began to write another wish using ink and brush on white tanzaku paper which read “I wish my daughter and niece win the Winter Cup with their basketball team.”
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Saya held her cheeks as she gushed “Aunt Mami!” while her cousin simultaneously exclaimed “Oka-san!” while smiling.
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Mami smiled as she replied. “Why not? If my daughter and niece share the same wish, why shouldn’t I help support that wish. The more others wish for the same desire strongly, it’s more likely to come true. Anyways, you girls should get going to the Tanabata festival!”
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Saya pumped her fist. “That’s right!”
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Sayo nodded. “Mmm.”
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As the cousins began walking to the festival, Saya asked “Sayo-nee, what do you want to do at the festival? I want to eat lots of delicious food and fish some balloons!”
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“Those sound like good ideas but I want to see if I can scoop up some goldfish to take care of.”
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“Alright! Let’s go Sayo-nee! I’m getting too excited now!” Saya held Sayo’s hand as she ran faster.
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“Wait! Saya, you’re going to make us both fall!”
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Thankfully, the cousins didn’t fall but they laughed as they made their way to the Tanabata festival for the fun times that lay ahead.
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