The atmosphere around them as they played cards grew incredibly dull. None of them was saying anything if it wasn't related to the game.
Hyogo looked around at the other lively groups of workers and asked, "What are they so excited about?"
"It must be because of the festival that's coming up," Izumi replied.
"When is it?" he asked.
"In two weeks," Izumi answered, still focused on the game.
"I've been hearing a lot about it, but what is it even about?" Hyogo asked.
"I asked Ayako the same thing, and she said that the New Year's Festival is like a two-night celebration to kick off the new year," Lloyd replied.
"But why two nights?"
"She said that it's because it was only on the first night of the new year that the Ember Snowflake saved the people back when the town was still a village," he replied. "So instead of celebrating one night, they do it for two."
"But I wouldn't call the second night a celebration, really," he continued.
"Why not?"
"It's because instead of looking at fireworks and enjoying street food and games, all the families in the town pay a visit to the shrine," he replied.
"I thought only women could go in there?" Hyogo asked.
"It's the only time in the year that the gates are opened for anyone in the entire town," Lloyd said. "People come and give their supplications in hopes of a blessed year."
His gaze lowered as he continued, "With all the people of the town surrounding the shrine, it's the perfect recipe for disaster."
Hyogo regretted asking that question, and following Lloyd's reply, the atmosphere grew dull once again.
That was until Izumi remembered something and asked, "This is the last week of the year, right?"
"Yeah, why?" Lloyd asked, confused.
"It's just that I remember Ayako telling me that her birthday was in the last week of the year once," he replied.
"Birthday?" Hyogo asked, confused. "What's that?"
"It's the day that someone is born," Lloyd replied. "It happens once every year."
"What happens on a birthday?" he asked.
"Well, I don't know about here in the Eastern Lands, but where I'm from you usually get gifts from friends and family," Lloyd answered before turning to Izumi and asking, "What about here?"
"It depends on the family," he replied, "but people mostly have an expensive meal or something."
"Well, what are we going to do for her then?" Hyogo asked.
"Well, seeing as we're gambling against each other for food, I'd say that the expensive meal option is out of the table," Lloyd replied. "So we're better off getting her a gift."
"What should we get her then?" he asked.
"You tell us," Izumi replied. "You've known her longer than we have, and you two are especially close."
"What's that supposed to mean?" he said, flustered.
"Come on, you can't hide it from us. We know what's going on," Lloyd said with a smirk.
"There's nothing going on," he shot back.
"Really?" Izumi asked. "You had us fooled then."
"Where did you even get this idea?" he asked.
"You're always together," Lloyd replied, "and we see the way you look at her."
"That's just a misunderstanding!"
"Is that so?" Izumi said with a sheepish smile. "So what do you think of her then?"
He stammered awkwardly, trying to come up with an answer when Izumi said, "There you go. Case closed."
Izumi and Lloyd laughed at his red face when, even after that, he couldn't say anything.
Hyogo clenched his fist and was just about to give them a piece of his mind when he realised that Izumi had used the question to distract him so that he could win.
"Damn you, that's cheating!" he yelled.
"Hey, it isn't my fault that you're emotionally unstable," Izumi replied with a smirk.
Before he could talk back, he noticed Makoto walking up to them. He came up and greeted the three of them before asking what was going on.
"Hyogo's having some girl problems," Izumi said with a smirk. "Maybe you can give some advice."
"Really?" Makoto asked, shocked. "I wasn't expecting that from you."
"Can you people just stop!" he grunted, fed up.
The three of them laughed at him so loudly that you would have thought that he was a clown.
When they finally settled down, Makoto said, "On a serious note, you should shoot your shot while you still have a chance."
"Yeah, yeah," Hyogo replied, turning away.
"By the way, the said girl is having a birthday soon, so we were thinking about what to get her," Lloyd said. "Can you think of something?"
"I don't know," he said as he scratched his head in thought. "Maybe a new robe for the festival or something."
"She doesn't seem like the type to enjoy getting clothes as gifts," Lloyd replied.
"Then ask a girl that she knows," Makoto said. "They'd probably know what she wants."
"Yeah, that's not a bad idea," Izumi said while nodding.
"Well, we'll try it out. Thanks," Lloyd added.
"You're welcome," he replied. "And Hyogo, good luck."
He then turned to Lloyd and said, "I almost forgot why I came here. We have to go. There's some commotion a few blocks away, so let's hurry."
"Come on," Lloyd complained. "I'm in the middle of a game here. My dinner is on the line!"
"You'll be worrying about more than just your dinner if you get caught slacking off on the job, so let's go," Makoto insisted as he grabbed him by the collar.
"Wait, at least let me eat my lunch first," Lloyd argued, but Hyogo had already snatched the rice balls away and was tearing into them.
"Hey, that's mine!" Lloyd shot.
"Stop being so difficult and let's go," Makoto said as he dragged him away.
"I guess that means I'm getting triple the food tonight," Izumi boasted before turning to Hyogo.
"Hey, give me some of that, will you?" he pleaded.
"As if," Hyogo said, eating either rice ball in one bite.
That was when he noticed Ayako creeping up to them.
The three of them got into a long conversation afterwards as they ate the food she gave them, but every now and then Hyogo couldn't help but look away, lost in thought.
He felt as if he had forgotten something important, but the more he tried remembering, the more the details felt foggy.