4 ❀ 花吐き病

[konnosuke]

H A N A H A K I ✿

Hanahaki is a fictional disease in which the victim coughs up flower petals when they suffer from one-sided love. It ends when the beloved returns their feelings (romantic love only; strong friendship is not enough), or when the victim dies. It can be cured through surgical removal, but when the infection is removed, the victim's romantic feelings for their love also disappear.

Comments

early!

[minogame]

( Urashima hates the cold. It isn't his first winter but he's far from used to them. Wrapped in a winter haori some sizes too big (he's clearly "borrowed" it from one of his brothers) and carrying a small, bundled up blanket in his arms, he speaks softly, )

Kamekichi, it's cold. ( There's no turtle to be seen but give how closely he holds that blanket and speaks to it, she must be hidden in the folds, ) It's not good to go outside by yourself.

( Ah, she must have wandered off on her own again. How a perpetually sleeping turtle manages to cover so much ground when he isn't looking is a mystery to him and everyone else at the citadel but he never minds. She's a special turtle, after all. So special, in fact, there's probably a reason why she's wandered out on this particular, chilly evening in this particular direction.

While heading back to the citadel, the young wakizashi spirit hears a cough and being the curious boy he is, he goesto investigate. When he sees a familiar person out on his own, he calls out innocently, )

... Nikkari-san?

( What is he doing out here? )

[despirit]

[crushing the petals in his fist, he turns around at the sound of a voice. Urashima isn't expected, but he can probably be waved off, Nikkari thinks.]

Urashima-san? What brings you out here?

[tucking his hand in his pocket, the evidence is hidden, and instead he walks over to the other wakizashi all bundled up.]

Delivering a package?

[minogame]

( He's a naive kid, one that doesn't always catch things and is easy enough to shuffle along and away. But he's also sharp in the way children can be sometimes. Something doesn't quite feel right about seeing Nikkari out here but he can't put his finger on it. Is it the cough? He's been doing that more these days, hasn't he? Hm.

He shakes his head and unwraps the blanket in his arms, revealing a certain, familiar turtle. She yawns and retreats some into her shell. It's cold out here! It isn't very turtle friendly. And he places the blanket back down over her, )

I was looking for Kamekichi. What are you doing out here? You'll get really sick if you stay out late.

[despirit]

Seeing off a ghost that wandered into the citadel. [the lie comes smooth, easy, and he breathes slow to keep himself steady.] It got a little turned around, that's all. It just needed some guidance. [bending his head into his scarf, he can feel the faintest itch at the back of his throat, but swallows hard to ignore it.] But ghosts don't feel the weather. You and Kamekichi-san do - you're more likely to fall sick than me.

[minogame]

There was a ghost?!

( He believes it and he tries to get a look around. He doesn't see anything around. Did he miss it? He looks back at Nikkari to see some sort of explanation but instead, he just sees Nikkari tucking away into his scarf. It reminds him of Kamekichi when she's uncomfortable or scared, )

You, too. Let's go inside, Nikkari-san!

( Together. )

[despirit]

[he nearly protests, but it'd be easier to soothe Urashima's mind to go along than to be too persistent about things.]

Sure. Lead the way - the sooner the better, I think.

[he'll just have to try very hard to not cough at all on this walk back.]