Curiosity || Solo
Changmin slowly made his way to the edge of the campgrounds, thinking over the situation for the umpteenth time. The cirque had been given a few days off to enjoy the summer festivities occurring nearby. Indeed, with the coming of summer numerous festivals had started taking place all throughout Japan, and it was the same in Asahikawa. Having spent the vast majority of his life outdoors and in the wilderness, Changmin was not all that familiar with seasonal festivals. He did, however, know that they were quite popular in Japan; travelling as much as they did, though the purpose was not to study people, still brought them into contact with a great many different types. Now that he actually had the opportunity to visit one, he was sorely tempted to do so.
Normally, Changmin hated large groups of people, but he had gotten the impression that this festival was not overwhelming in its size. Furthermore, the portion of the festival that he wanted to see was to occur in the evening and through the night—at time to which he’d become accustomed since joining the cirque and also which would, hopefully, draw less attention to himself. He was curious about the atmosphere and what festivals such as this were like, and he didn’t think there would be a better time to find out. And if he was growing tired of being surrounded by the same group of people in close quarters—or what felt like close quarters to him, anyway—the festival simply provided another means of escaping them for a little while.
His biggest concern was Atty. He certainly could not afford to leave the cub here—and wouldn’t, even if he could. He had vowed to never abandon the cub, to take care of him as long as he needed and wanted him to, and this would be no different. Thus, he had spent a good deal of time puzzling over how exactly he would be able to take Atty with him without drawing too much attention to themselves. It certainly wasn’t as if a young man with a bear cub was an everyday sight, after all. Changmin most definitely didn’t want to cause a fuss, and he didn’t want to authorities after him, Atty, or even the cirque if their connection to it was discovered. After much deliberation and digging through hi belongings, Changmin had found a sizable bag that would fit the cub while not looking awkward if Changmin was carrying it around. While it was not ideal (if he had it his way, Atty would be walking on the ground right next to him) it was better than anything else he had at short notice.
After having a brief, but firm, conversation with Atty, the two of them had set off for the festival. Changmin was still nervous about the entire affair, but he did not intend to turn back. It had occurred to him that, technically, he was supposed to leave the grounds only if he had another member with him, but to do so would defeat the purpose of trying to get away from everybody else. It didn’t really matter to him; he knew he could take care of himself if he needed to. And if somebody gave him grief about leaving, he would point out he technically hadn’t been alone, as he had gone with Atty.
Any thoughts that still lingered in Changmin’s mind about the cirque and its rules vanished as soon as he arrived at the festival. Colourful stands filled the area, selling foods, masks and various wares while others still were dedicated to different festival games to be played. Lanterns were strung about the stands, and the entire festival glowed warm reds, oranges, greens, and yellows. The locals, too, were dressed in bright yukata with various patterns painting the material, ranging from plants, to birds, to flowers, to fish. Everybody was smiling, faces filled with joy and laughter, and Changmin felt his own lips curve up, unbidden, into a small smile of his own. The crowd did make him somewhat uncomfortable, but the relaxed atmosphere of the event helped soothe his nerves and he began to make his way to the stands, hand resting lightly on his bag to remind Atty not to peer too far out of the bag.
He did not intend to stay very long—indeed, he could not afford to, for the longer he remained the likelier it became that something would go wrong—but he wanted to at least get a souvenir or two, some food, and perhaps try the goldfish catching game if he had the time (though he was not sure what he would do with the fish he caught). He did not have a lot to spend, but he wasn’t prepared to leave empty-handed. He shut his eyes briefly, taking in the night air and the scents of the festival mingling on the wind, and let himself relax just a little.
"What do you think, Atty? Should we grab something to snack on first? Or do you want to take a look at some of those masks?" He paused briefly, and said before the cub had a chance to respond. "What am I saying, of course we’re going to grab some food first." He sent a quick grin to the cub at his side who grumbled happily, and he wondered how much grilled squid would cost.
