Dayoko - Tumblr Posts

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It was odd, stepping off of a quiet train and onto an even quieter platform. There weren't any large crowds bustling around the station, no queues waiting by the entrance gates. No loud chatter from the groups of people waiting for their departure.

There was only a still silence, with the occasional twitter of a bird or rustle of footsteps coming from somewhere nearby. A whistling wind carried itself through the area in which you stood, the smell of summer wafting around you.

You stood for a moment longer before allowing your feet to carry you out of the station and onto equally silent streets. You raised a hand to cover your eyes from the sudden glare of sunlight hitting your face, squinting to adjust your sight.

Once the blur had gone, you could see your surroundings better. To your left and right was a stretch of grey concrete road, just wide enough for cars to pass through. Across the street were modest sized buildings, each connected together wall to wall, with their own unique signs dangling above the doors, squeaking softly as the wind tousled them around.

There were no people. Just a few wandering stray cats that disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Street lamps scattered the sides of the road every now and then, their tall poles casting elongated shadows onto the structures around you.

A small chill ran up your spine. You weren't used to such silence. The everyday activity of the city was something you grew up with. The sudden change felt like something heavy had just seated itself onto your shoulders. You couldn't quite place how you were feeling.

You decided to follow the road down to the right, attracted to the lush greenery dancing in the wind further down. As you walked, you glanced around to see if any of the supposed shops were open, or if you could at least find someone to help you find a place to stay for the next while; but it was to no avail.

As you reached the end of the path, you found that the large trees were actually bending over to form a makeshift arch, casting soft shadows over the set of stone steps leading upwards. You tilted your head curiously. You had never seen something as intriguing as this before. A voice in the back of your mind teased you for finding stairs interesting, however you ignored it as you began to climb each step, awing at the vibrant greens surroundings you.

By the time you had reached the final step, your breath was light and legs sore. You took a moment to lean against your legs, eyes screwed shut as you focused on regaining a steady rhythm of breathing. Taking one final deep breath, you straightened back up, only to freeze.

Before you stood a vast traditional-Japanese mansion, complete with zen stone walls surrounding the perimeter of the building. You could just about see the top of a few trees beyond the roof of the structure, teasing you ever more, beckoning you forward.

You began to wonder where exactly you had brought yourself as you allowed your curiosity to get the best of you once more, stepping up to the sliding door and knocking against the wooden beams beside it. You watched the growing flowers around you as you waited, smiling gently at their vibrant colours and opened buds.

There was a patter of footsteps before the door slid open, revealing a girl with elongated cheeks, stretching her mouth wide across them. You stared for a moment, wondering whether that was natural or if something had happened to her. Her brown hair was tied up nearly into a bun, decorated with a few flowers, and she wore a simple traditional pink kimono, embroidered with cherry blossom petals.

"Dayon!" Was the only word she spoke. Her large eyes were round and inquisitive as she tilted her head towards you, bowing slightly. You quickly moved to do the same before standing straight.

"Uhm, hello!" You started awkwardly. "My name is [L/N] [Y/N], I-I just arrived here in Akashika District not too long ago. I couldn't find anyone around, and I was wondering if you knew of any hotels nearby...?"

"Dayon! Dayon!" The girl began repeating the same word over and over, sometimes in slightly different pitches than others, whilst waving her arms up and down excitedly.

"Dayoko? Who are you talking to?"

A mans voice sounded from inside. The girl, Dayoko, paused, turning to look behind her as a figure began walking up the wooden hallway of the house. Dayoko's mouth opened into a smile as she began giggling.

"What's made you so happy?" The man chuckled, only to fall silent upon seeing you in the doorway. The man looked nothing like the girl, with a simple round face and neatly styled brown hair. His eyes were large but pupils small and half-lidded. He also wore a simple kimono in a plain mossy green.

He seemed to glare at you slightly, looking you up and down. You fidgeted in your spot, readjusting your backpack on your shoulders, moving your weight from one foot to the other. Your gaze went to the grass beneath you and stayed there for a second. When you looked back up, you were surprised to see that the man was smiling, a slight blush on his cheeks.

"Hello! Can we help you?" He asked sweetly. Dayoko seemed to speak for you, repeating the same word to the man whilst pointing towards you. You had no idea what was being said, but the man seemed to understand every word, nodding with a hum.

"Ah, I see. [L/N]-san, correct?"

"[Y/N] is fine!" You replied hastily. The man smiled once more before continuing.

"My name is Midorito Chorosuke, and this is my little sister Dayoko," the girl gave a gentle wave. "She has told me that you are looking for a place to stay?"

"Yes, that's right," you nodded. "I just got here a little bit ago, and I'm completely new to this District. Would you happen to know of any hotels nearby?" You repeated your dilemma, fingers playing with the material of your clothing. Chorosuke shook his head softly with a sigh.

"Unfortunately, Akashika does not have any hotels for newcomers to stay in. However..." he stood to one side, gesturing an arm for you to enter, "We are always happy to welcome newcomers to stay in our home for a while. It is large enough to easily accommodate new guests."

Your eyes widened at the suggestion. "Th-That's very kind of you, Midorito-san, but I couldn't possibly intrude-!"

Dayoko lightly took hold of your free hand, tugging you along trough the doorway. You stumbled in after her, reluctantly removing your shoes and replacing them with the soft house slippers Dayoko handed to you. Chorosuke waited nearby, his hands tucked comfortably in the sleeves of his kimono.

"Do not worry. It is no trouble at all. Dayoko and I are very willing to take care of you during your stay," he began turning away, leading you down large corridors. "And 'Chorosuke' is just fine, [Y/N]."

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You were led down a series of hallways until the three of you stopped outside of a particular room. The door was slid open to reveal a large, open-spaced bedroom, with sleek wooden furniture carefully placed around the room and a wardrobe taking up an entire wall. Another wall was full of glass, with a few small potted shrubs and flowers decorating the window sill.

You couldn't help but stare in awe at the accommodation. A part of you felt slightly overwhelmed; you were not used to such luxury, even if you did live in the city. You were sure that this bedroom alone was almost the size of your entire apartment, which in itself wasn't very big.

"This is one of our many guest bedrooms," Chorosuke began. He glanced in your direction before saying: "If you are dissatisfied, perhaps we could show you one of our lager rooms?"

'There are larger ones?!' You almost choked on air, but managed to calm yourself.

"N-No, no! This is more than fine, actually.." you assured him with a timid smile.

"I'm glad to hear that!" He smiled in return, his mouth shaped into a soft V-shape. There was a faraway chiming in the distance, akin to a grandfather clock. Chorosuke paused, turning his head to the sound's direction.

"Time already?" He muttered to himself before turning back to you with a slight bow of his head. "Well, it seems that I must get back to work. I shall leave you in Dayoko's capable hands. She will help you get settled in before dinner," he smiled fondly at his sister, who was bouncing happily on the balls of her feet.

"Thank you so much, Chorosuke. And you, too, Dayoko!" You bowed in respect, hands clutching the straps of your backpack tightly. Truly, if it weren't for their immediate hospitality, you could have been wandering around for who-knows-how long out in the unforgiving summer heat, looking for a hotel that didn't even exist.

You felt someone pat your head gently, and you peered up to see it was Dayoko. Her smile never left her lips as she nudged you to stand up tall.

"There's no need to thank us," Chorosuke chuckled. "It's our duty as humans to care for one another, no?" He tucked his hands back into his sleeves, bidding a small farewell before making his way down the corridor again, his house-slipper clicking against the wooden flooring.

Once he had disappeared around the corner, Dayoko took hold of your arm and tugged you into the room, closing the door behind her. She ran to the centre of the room, twirling excitedly on the spot, her kimono flowing elegantly around her. She was laughing giddily, a childish sparkle in her eyes. You couldn't help but to laugh alongside her.

Your heart felt warm and fuzzy; it was a feeling you had missed for so long. The weight that had previously settled onto your shoulders had lifted slightly, easing the tension from your body. You allowed yourself, just this once, to get lost in the feeling of a fresh start. Even if you knew it wouldn't last forever.

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The setting sun cast a burning red glow into the room, the dark shadows becoming increasingly darker as the night began. You hadn't realised it had gotten so late until you cast a look towards the window, squinting in the bright gaze of the sun.

Dayoko had helped you unpack your backpack — which only held the basics such as a couple of outfits, a set of pyjamas, and a handful of other personal items that you had quickly stowed away with burning cheeks — in a few minutes, and then she tried engaging in conversation with you.

It was slightly difficult at first (seeing as she only spoke one word), but after she wrote down a few meanings on spare pieces of paper, you slowly began to understand some of what she was saying.

The girl was very eager to talk with you about anything and everything, her excuse being that 'there's no other girls around here that actually wanna talk!' You didn't mind though, seeing as she was just a sweet and endearing girl very much in need of a friend outside her own family. You figured it wouldn't hurt to start making friends, too, since you would be in Akashika for a while.

In the present, your stomach began grumbling painfully, making you wince.

"Dayon?" Dayoko tilted her head, resting a hand on your shoulder.

"I'm fine, just really hungry, I guess," you chuckled sheepishly. "I barely ate anything on the journey here. Maybe a few snacks, but.."

"Dayon! Dayon!" She stood up swiftly, helping you up as well before tugging you out of the room and back down the hallway again, leading the way. Your footsteps were heavy against the wood as you practically ran past the other rooms, and you hoped you weren't disturbing anyone else. Although, from what Dayoko described, it seemed that the only people living in the Midorito Estate was her and Chorosuke.

You both turned a corner, only for Dayoko to stop harshly, causing you to bump into her. You fumbled to catch your balance, quickly apologising to Dayoko as you held her upright.

"Are you alright?" Chorosuke was stood in front of you, a look of surprise on his face as well as concern. Dayoko covered her smiling mouth with a nod, attempting to cover her giggles but failing miserably. You huffed a laugh with her before nodded as well.

"We're good. Dayoko was really eager to take me somewhere, though." You turned to her with a curious tilt of your head. "Where were we going?"

"Dayon!" She pointed past Chorosuke at a room towards the back of the house. The door was already opened, a soft glow emitting from the room. "Dayon, dayon!"

Chorosuke's eyes widened in understanding. "Ah, I see! She was bringing you over to the main room, where we will be having dinner," he patted his sister's head fondly, making sure not to ruin her hair. "How smart of you! I was just about to come and fetch you both myself, but it seems Dayoko beat me to it."

He gestured his arm out as he turned back around. "If you would like to follow me. I'm sure you must be starving after such a long day of travelling, [Y/N]."

On cue, your stomach rumbled loudly again. You clutched it tightly, your face burning. The two only chuckled before leading the way into the room.

The room, just like every other room in the house, was huge in your eyes. In the centre of the room was a low dining table, already covered in dishes of food, some that you hadn't seen before. Three cushions were placed around it on the ground, fluffed up and delicately detailed with stitched golden flowers and vines.

Across from you, the double sliding doors were fully opened, revealing the lush garden, complete with a fully grown Japanese Maple tree, swaying atop a small hill, surrounded by rows of blooming flowers. Its branches twisted and turned into mesmerising trails, ending with clumps of red leaves that appeared to be on fire under the sun. You had to blink a few times, just to make sure that the flowing pool of water surrounding it was real. The same cool summer breeze seemed to follow you into the room, playfully ruffling your hair.

"Your garden is gorgeous.." you breathed, eyes wide as you tried to take in every detail. Chorosuke smiled bashfully in surprise.

"O-Oh, thank you! But all the credit would go to my late family, as they were the ones who built this Estate many years ago." He shook his head after a moment, gently pushing you over to the table. "However, that story is for another time. For now, let's eat, shall we?"

Dayoko was already seated, hastily picking up her chopsticks and preparing to dig in until Chorosuke stopped her.

"Dayoko! Where are your manners?" He scolded lightly. He couldn't truly bring himself to be mad at her, but he did have a reputation to upkeep.

"I don't mind if you start," you laughed, swaying yourself beside Dayoko. "This food does look delicious!"

"We do have one of the finest cooks in Akashika!" Chorosuke agreed, finally sitting himself down. You all picked up your chopsticks, giving your thanks for the food before filling your plates. You hesitated, unsure if you should really eat as much as you wanted. Dayoko noticed you holding back, and quickly assured you that you could eat as much as you wanted.

"Please, don't be afraid to eat as much as you'd like, [Y/N]." Chorosuke also chimed in, the both of them smiling warmly at you as you gave in, placing large and healthy portions into your bowl.

You complimented the food again, noises of contentment following you as you couldn't help but try a little more, making sure to eat slow so as to not make yourself sick.

Chorosuke appeared to be in thought as he ate, and as he finally opened his mouth to speak, there was a series of loud knocks on the front door, followed by equally loud voices.

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You woke with a start, heart pounding. You quickly sat up, hands clutching your covers with a white-knuckled grip. You were breathing too quickly, too heavily, leaving you lightheaded. Scrambling out of your bedsheets, you rushed over to the bathroom, fumbling with the tap and splashing cold water onto your face. Your head throbbed harshly, but you didn't stop until your felt your face cooling down.

With a deep sigh, you hesitantly glanced up at your reflection. Your hair was a mess, sticking uncomfortably to your face, your skin didn't look right to you at all, your eyes looked weighted and dull, rimmed red from the sudden awakening — all in all, you looked just as terrible as you felt.

A part of you wanted to remember what exactly startled you awake, but another side of you decided it was probably best not to remember. If it scared you this badly, would you really want to have it in your thoughts for the rest of the day?

Instead, you began washing up, taking your time so that you could recollect your thoughts before showing your face to your hosts. You brushed through your hair, making sure it wasn't all in your face, grabbing a hair tie and placing it around your wrist just in case. Wandering back into your room, you looked around for your phone, checking the time.

[Tuesday - 10:36]

You wondered if anyone would be awake yet.

'Guess there's only one way to find out.'

You went to open your door, sliding it open—

"AAAH?!" You jumped away in fear, arms raised in fornt of your body. You blinked, then relaxed. It appeared that Dayoko was also planning on opening your door at the same time as you.

"I-I'm so sorry, Dayoko! Did I scare you?" You fussed over her, resting a hand on her shoulder with a concerned frown.

"Dayon...!" She sighed heavily with relief.

'I should be asking you that!'

Seeing she was fine, you moved away, taking in her outfit for the day. Her kimono was a warm yellow, reminding you of the sunflowers you had seen in the fields on your train ride yesterday. White lines of thread wrapped around the fabric, twisting and swirling elegantly. In her hair was a yellow primrose, vibrant with its petals unfurled.

"I love the flower in your hair," you smiled, watching as Dayoko smiled bashfully.

"Dayon, dayon 'yon!"

'Thank you! I can show you how to put it in your hair too after breakfast!'

She took hold of your hand once more, leading you happily down to the main room. You made sure to take note of where you were going this time, not wanting to get lost again anytime soon. Speaking of which...

"Dayoko? Where did you go last night?" she looked back at you with a confused look before her eyes widened in realisation. She halted in her tracks, whipping around to face you with a worried look in her eyes.

"Dayon! Dayon, dayon!" her arms were waving around as she explained herself, saying she was waiting for you but then Chorosuke needed her for something so she had to go and then she lost track of time and then when she realised what time it was she rushed back to the washroom but you weren't there and—

"Dayoko! Wait, slow down!" you paused her rambling, an amused but gentle smile on your face. "It's okay, I understand that you got busy. You don't have to apologise," you reassured her. She didn't look entirely pleased with herself, but she nodded slowly, sending one last apologetic look your way before heading down the hallway again.

"Dayon..."

'I'm just glad you managed to make your way back.'

"Well..." you rubbed the back of your head sheepishly, "I did get a little lost at first, but I got help, so it's fine!"

"Dayon? Dayon?"

'Help? From who?'

You hesitated. "From Ozo..."

Her face fell flat. Of course that idiot was still hanging around when he said he was heading off. She should have known he was going to try something, but you didn't appear to be hurt (or traumatised) by something he did, so Dayoko left it at that.

Entering the main room again, you smiled brightly at the sight of Chorosuke, who was already sipping away at his tea, seated comfortably on the wooden walkway in front of the garden. He perked up when he heard your greeting, turning with small nod of his head.

"Good morning, you two. Please, help yourself to some breakfast." He gestured to the table, various foods spread over the top in a neat arrangement. You eyed the table setting with awe, mouth salivating at the delicious scent of food. You quickly sat down, saying your thanks before digging in, keeping an eye on how quickly you were eating so as not to appear gluttonous.

Dayoko joined you, but Chorosuke stayed where he was.

"Are you not gonna eat, Chorosuke?" You asked after swallowing a rather large mouthful of omelet. He shook his head, lowering his cup from his mouth.

"I woke up quite early today for work, so I'm afraid I already ate. Perhaps next time I shall join you," he gave you an apologetic smile, to which you nodded in understanding.

The atmosphere was calm and relaxing, a simple summer morning rolling by as the clock ticked on. Chorosuke placed his cup down on a coaster beside him, folding his hands together onto his lap.

"What will you be doing today, [Y/N]?" He asked, breaking the silence. "The weather is perfect for some sightseeing today. Do you have anywhere in mind that you'd like to visit?"

Yo tilted your head in thought, taking a sip of your own drink. "Hmm... That's a good question, but to be honest, I don't really know any places around here," you admitted shyly. "I'd love to see some more of the scenery in Akashika, though. It's very beautiful here."

"Indeed," Chorosuke agreed. He sat in thought for a moment before lighting up. "How about you visit Iriabi? There's a cafe there that my brother runs. It's quite lovely — even though I hate to admit it — and the scenery along the way will surely satisfy you."

You mulled over his suggestion, the name Iriabi ringing a bell. Ozo had talked about it last night too, didn't he? Well, if they were both suggesting it, then it really can't be that bad.

"Sure! That sounds like a great idea!" You beamed. Chorosuke returned the smile, picking himself up off the ground.

"I'm glad that's settled!" He straightened out his kimono, which you noticed wasn't as plain as yesterday, having light decorations of sewn on white flowers scattered across the clothing. "Well, I must be going back to work. I'm sure Dayoko can help you should you need anything," he glanced fondly at his younger sister before bowing. "Take care, [Y/N]."

With that, he left the room, leaving you girls alone. Dayoko turned to you with an excited glint in her eyes, bouncing in her seat.

'I can help you get ready!' She offered, standing up and ushering you out of the room. You were glad that you managed to finish your breakfast, else you were sure she wouldn't have waited for you be done.

"B-But, the dishes—!" You started, only to be cut off.

'They'll get picked up, don't worry!'

She led you down a series of hallways that you were sure you hadn't been down before; although, every hallway looked almost exactly the same as each other. You whizzed past a few more doors before coming to an abrupt halt, and you just managed to catch yourself before you fell straight into Dayoko.

The door slid open to reveal a bedroom, coloured in a girly pink from head to toe. The furniture was a blush pink, the carpet was a rose gold, the flowers strewn about the room were a shocking hue... You felt like you had walked into Barbie's bedroom.

Dayoko pushed you over to the lavish vanity, which had a multitude of perfumes, cosmetics and accessories daintily organised across the surface. She seated you down on the plump stool, moving away to gather a few things as you made yourself comfortable.

She returned with a hairbrush in hand, and a large box. She placed it down, opening it to reveal bunches of fake flowers, like the ones she had placed in her hair. You admired each one before Dayoko tapped your shoulder, catching your eyes in the mirror in front of you.

"Dayon!!"

'Time for a makeover!'

You giggled at her excitement, a similar feeling welling up inside of you. In that moment, she felt like a little sister to you, too. It was cute and endearing. You grinned back at her saying with a hint of a laugh:

"Make me as pretty as you, Dayoko!"

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