There were days they slipped in among humans every once in a while, but in this case, most everyone partic.i.p.ated. Since Kusamakura had never tried to join them, he didn’t know much about it. He thought about how there was going to be a procession somewhere today as he stared blankly at the dark surface of the river. His shoulder was suddenly tapped.
“Boo!”
There was a mask that looked like a fox swinging upside down in front of him.
“What, oh, it’s you, Shunshou.”
He said with a sigh. Shunshou removed his mask and made a disappointed face. He swiftly retracted his outstretched neck then sat down next to Kusamakura. Shunshou must have thought something was wrong with him when he ran away this afternoon. Kusamakura figured he may have actually been a pretty perceptive man.
“You’re not partic.i.p.ating in the night parade? Then, do you want to go to the human town? They’re having a festival today, let’s go have some fun.”
Okay? He suggested, but there was no way he could consent. He didn’t feel like having fun, much less be the faceless man who causes a commotion at the festival. When he muttered that to him in a quiet voice, Shunshou a.s.sured him it would be all right as he tapped his chest.