I woke up to a regular morning of snow. 'You know, I rather have this than that damn storm.' I refuse to talk about that day, no words shall be said, and guess what happened after that. There was so much snow piled up it took another day just to get it all melted or thrown over to the artic or somewhere aside from here! 'It was not fun, the longest staring contest ever and the awkwardest atmosphere I was stuck in.' After that, I was chewed out by Hilana for the next 2 hours. Simply put she was absolutely pissed off at me but I had a good reason to do what I did. I mean would you stay in a room all alone where potential death can attack you right from a freaking window. Anyway, aside from that the snow's been pretty average, so that's one good thing at least.

I'm being carried back to my room after my meal, which was honestly delicious, also my father went back to normal since that day. Apparently, his attitude shift just further supports my theory of him being bipolar.

Hilana placed me on the bed. "Princess next month will be the Reha festival. It will also be your very first big festival since coming into this world." Hilana showed me a colorful picture book with the title saying Reha(1). "The Reha festival is to celebrate the arrival of the deceased." My nanny said sitting back down next to my side. The book showed a picture of Shyvma with pale skin, white layered hair, blue crystal eyes, and commanding the snow. "If you remember Shyvma the god of snow, he also wanted to give some symbols of peace for the deceased and the living. A type of comfort for those who still cling on, or for those who still want to be remembered even after death. This festival all started when Shyvma headed to the dymir and bargained for the deceased to roam with the living. Since the dymir is a place for the dead to enter, souls, leaving meant a great disaster for both the living and the dead. To compensate for that type of loss Shyvma traded a part of himself, letting the deceased roam with the living for a short three days." Hilana said. 'It's not worth it. Everything dies. To do this pointless thing is just... not worth all the effort.' What was the point if we're all going to die? Death is one step to an endless nowhere and that thought causes enough people to become insane as their time is ticking away each second, every second we don't get younger, and once we die, what's it going to be like? That edging fear is something that frightens many and myself included but I'm a bit of a different circumstance. I fear and desire death at the same time, it's complicated so I'll explain next time.

"To celebrate the deceased the Reha festival was created, there would be multiple big bonfires and everyone would sing and dance. Food would be cooked and set out on tables that stretch miles long. Lanterns made with the name of the deceased would be hungover roofs like beautiful stars." Just as Hilana described it, the picture book showed it as well, beautiful different colored lights and people dancing around bonfires with heavy winter coats. "The festival lasts for three days. The first day is ruyim(2), the spirits would rise from the dymir; guided into this world by Shyvma. Lanterns will be lit during the night so the spirits would know where to go and wouldn't be lost." The picture showed Shyvma leading a line of spirits from the stairs of the underworld to the door. "The second day is ruksha(3). The spirits' shackles would be released and they are free to roam with the living. During this day everyone will make masks to blend in with the spirits and prepare food of offering." The picture showed people making masks and food with happy faces. "The very last day is ryimo(4), bonfires will be lit and music will fill the air. Everyone will be dancing, singing, and having a good time. This usually lasts all the way till sunrise." The picture showed everyone dancing with spirits with bonfires and tables of food and then Shyvma leading them back into the snowstorm.

'Wow...I don't know what to say. The god of death actually allowed it. Must be more lenient than I thought.' This festival also reminds me of the Jesa or the Obon except it's set in winter. There's a ton of cross-references I just noticed. Like somehow it's not the same but at the same time you can't say it's different.' I pointed at the snow god and smiled. "You like him, princess. Personally, Shyvma is not my favorite god amongst all of the other gods and goddesses but I must admit he is quite mysterious in a certain way." I couldn't go against that but I feel like you should add temper mental as well. 'Shyvma sure has some problems during the new year.' I thought remembering back to that day and a shudder ran through me as I can still hear the faint sound of that wretched bang.

This reminds me of the obon from back then. Honestly, it wasn't my favorite.

August 13 XXXX

"Rima The obon festival is coming up soon. Let's go together." Rima looked over at Hina who was laying on the couch reading a pamphlet. Her light brown hair splayed over the couch and her bangs hanging in front of her face. Rima let out a hum not sure whether she should or shouldn't go. 'I mean it's celebrating dead ancestors but I don't even know my own ancestry so I don't get the point.' Rima crossed her arms thinking quite hard about it for some reason.

"I have nothing better to do so why not." She said shrugging her shoulders. Hina sat up from the couch and smiled at her mischievously. 'Oh boy, whatever this girl is planning has never been my cup of tea.' Dread filled Rima as she stared at Hina.

"Then it's a date!" Hina shouted pointing at Rima and then left while skipping joyfully. Rima lifted a brow and looked at Hina confused.

"You kids do nothing but play around. Start being serious for a change why not." Rima looked over at Eun Gi as he had a scowl on his face and smoking his pipe. Eun Gi is the one who took Rima in after that incident a long time ago. He's an old man that looks like a thug with his constant scowl and slicked-back white hair. The beard was doing him no good either but that's the Eun Gi Rima knows from young.

"Hal-abeoji I never learned how to grow up." Rima said looking over at him while leaning against his desk and he gave a grunt. "Lighten up it's not like there's anything better to do with this job." Rima said smiling at him.

"There's plenty to do. I've been giving you rascals a break that's all." He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Rima if you are really going then you better dress well. I expect no less from you." Rima chuckled at his seriousness but she knows he wants her to enjoy the festival fully. "Ye~, Hal-abeoji you should probably stop worrying about me. Start worrying about your every increasing blood pressure." Rima joked and he slammed his fist on his desk and she quickly made a run for it.

"You punk! Cursing me to an early grave are ya! Watch yourself or you'll be dead within a second!" Eun Gi shouted as Rima ran out the door.

"I'll send you pictures later! Bye Hal-abeoji!" Rima shouted back waving her arm behind her and left the office.

Eun Gi leaned back in his chair. "Damn brat trying to make a fool out of me." Eun Gi let out a sigh. "I'm getting too old for this. Those punks doing whatever they want." Eun Gi looked at the papers in his hand, it listed the detail of the person that was to be killed today. Eun Gi let out a small smile and tossed the paper onto the desk. "Damn punks. I better get those pictures." He said looking at the photos on his phone.

I walked around downtown looking at the festive atmosphere. 'Everyone is so excited. It's quite weird.' I looked at stalls, shops, and the people that crowded the streets. "Rima-chan!" I looked around hearing an effeminate someone call me. "Rima-chan! Over here!" I looked to find Koha running up to me while waving. Kohaku but Koha for short. He's a friend I met about four years ago. He's a hairstylist and a part-time model. I mean he's got the looks at least, dark blonde-styled, wavy shoulder-length hair. Clear-cut blue sky eyes and wonderful complexion plus slender build. "Rima-chan!" He rushed over at me with an almost girly run and I thought that was weird until I realized he was dressing up as a girl. Knee-length blue dress with light ruffles near the collar, white, transparent, long-sleeved cardigan. Pastel blue heels, and accessories to top it off.

I waved back at him slightly. 'Huh looks like it's one of those days. Sometimes I can't tell if he's a guy or a girl.' Koha jumped me while I was deep in thought and I almost fell over but thankfully caught my footing and grabbed his waist twirling him a few times before setting him down. 'He's so light! He shouldn't be this light!' I'm starting to get worried about this friend of mine. "Koha are you going on a Korean diet?" I asked him worried. Koha looked at me confused for a moment and then laughed.

"Rima-chan you are so cute! If I was going on one will you take extra steps to make sure I stay alive?" He brought his face close to mine with his eyes all sparkling.

"I don't think I need to worry about you when you have enough admirers to worry for you." The two of us looked around to find a lot of people staring primarily guys.

"Aw but I want Rima-chan to care for me. After all, Rima-chan loves me the most right?!" Koha smiled beamed up at me. I let out a smile unable to deny him.

"Ye~." I cooed. We linked arms and headed off somewhere.

"Rima-chan look at your hair! It's so disastrous and all the split ends! I told you to take better care of them didn't I." I looked away from Koha as his gaze burned me. 'I can't tell him I'm too lazy to go through a freaking hair routine every day. He'll chew me out.'

"I've been occupied with work lately, so I haven't gotten the chance. Sorry, Koha." I apologized and Koha let out a sigh.

"Well now that I'm here. I'll give your hair the needed love and care!" Koha dragged me to his shop which was on the third floor of a pretty big building. His shop is better known for the atmosphere, customer service, and of course Koha. He got me ready for a hair wash and I just laid in the seat letting him have his way with me. It's not like I can resist him, he's too beautiful.

"So I'm guessing you're either going out for a potential date or going man-hunting." I said and I heard Koha chuckling above me as he washed my hair.

"Well, I haven't found my type yet so the first option is out. With the second one, I was going to head to a club or a bar later tonight and find myself a nice catch." Koha had a hint of excitement to his words.

"Oh, boy. I feel bad for the guys you target. They never realized a beauty like you was just a wolf in sheep's skin." I let out a sigh for those poor victims. Koha laughed as if I was saying something funny.

"Rima-chan how can you describe me like that. Though you're not wrong in me being a beauty. I'm very picky though, it's not like I choose anyone to be my special lovely." I still flinch whenever Koha runs his fingers through my head. It's not that he's rough it's just I'm not used to being touched, especially on the head.

"Sure, sure. Your favorite types are the ones who play sport, taller than you by a full head or more, have that cool and quiet demeanor to them, super-fit plus super straight. Actually, any one of those I mentioned would be good enough for you." I described his basic dream lover.

"Ne~! Rima-chan knows me the best!" Koha started humming happily while rinsing my hair off. "I heard from a little birdie that our Rima-chan was going to attend the obon festival." Koha whispered near my ear. I let out a long sigh.

"I knew it was a bad idea when I saw her smile like that. Ugh, I bet she texted to everyone in her group chats about this." I groaned in absolute agony. "If I knew that girl was going to do that I would've never agreed!" Koha just laughed in my agony.

"Look on the bright side the more the merrier." Koha covered my hair in a hair mask and leaned back near my ear. "This time spring may finally arrive for you." My eyes widened and felt a little irritation with embarrassment build up.

"Sorry for being a late bloomer then. It's not my fault that I suck at love." Koha laughed in my misery and told me not to worry about it. Not like I ever had worried about it.

"You'll find someone that's special to you one day." Koha placed his hand on top of my head and it felt warm. 'Someone special to me, huh. How sad that that special someone will have to wait...for eternity.' Koha doesn't know but this life of mine is going to end without a happy end because that's how it's led up to be.

I felt my phone buzz and pulled it out to see a text from my junior. I opened up my messages and looked at what he sent me. [Senpai let's go to the festival together] I raised a brow confused on why he would send me this when Hana probably told him already. Koha leaned in from behind me and hummed.

"Junior. Isn't that the little cutie pie who follows you around like a pup." I couldn't help but laugh at Koha's description of my junior. 'He's not wrong...he really isn't wrong, just....he's a pup that needs to hurry and grow up.' I let out a sigh. I text him back saying Hana already asked me first and added a shrug emoji. Junior sent me a sighing emoji followed by a depressed or agonized emoji. "Poor guy, guess he was a little late." I closed my phone and let my head rest.

"I'll be more shocked if he wasn't. This junior of mine is such a newbie even though he's followed me for a few years now. He's got to graduate one day." I sighed feeling the stress in my head leave me. "I can't baby him forever and nor do I want to have him stuck to me forever. I'm more of a solo type." I said proudly of what I am.

"Sure sure, let's go with that. For now, take a nap and relax." I did as Koha suggested and took a small nap but sadly sleep wasn't really a thing for me, so I was thinking of things with my eyes closed and happened to overhear a conversation. Couldn't make out the details but it's definitely Koha and he's talking with someone over the phone. 'With how things sound it's not good. I do hope that guy didn't get himself in trouble.' I recalled some of the times where Koha dated a few unsavory characters, which was more than half the time. 'Really that guy needs to find someone that can treat him well and not be crazy.' I worry for this friend of mine but I know he can handle it, after all the Koha I know is quite stubborn.

I didn't celebrate many festivals during my time in Japan or in any country. I guess I was just the boring type since all I did was do my job as always. 'Thinking about the past really brings up a lot of memories in my head right now.' All the good times I've had were about equal to all the bad times. I was a very unbalanced person physically, socially, mentally, I had all the problems going for me. I partially blame the drugs in my system. Anyway I'm not looking forward to this festival all that much but it gives me something to do so why not give it a try, I just pray that my jerk of a father won't ruin it for me but knowing him he could either care less or intentionally try and ruin it for me. One or the other, middle ground does not exist for him, sadly.

(Song-Dreamless Lullaby©, February 15, 2019, Composed by- Lucas King)

1.Reha (Re-ha)- Festival that celebrates the dead crossing over (not be mistaken with just celebrating the dead) and joining the living for three days.

2.Ruyim(Rue-yem)-First day of the festival and mainly used as the day to prepare for the second and thrid day.

3.Ruksha(Rook-sha)-The second day of the festival and it's usually the biggest day with tons of crowds that gather to celebrate.

4.Ryimo(Ree-yee-mo)-The last and final day of the festival, treated as a big bonfire party all the way till sunrise.