#lovebond

The Ritual

Water, this eternal symbol of cleansing and life, permeates human history as a potent medium for rituals that strengthen connections among people—be it in love, friendship, or honorable remembrance.

In antiquity, the Greeks utilized water in the ritual of the Loutron, a bath often taken before sacred festivals or marriage. Similar customs were found in ancient Rome, where baths served not only physical cleanliness but also social and spiritual purification. The Roman baths were places of encounter and relaxation, where business, politics, and social bonds were formed.

In medieval Europe, the ritual bath was part of many Christian ceremonies. Baptism, for instance, symbolizes spiritual cleansing and initiation into the community to this day. Knights, too, were immersed in holy waters before their ascension to symbolize purity and readiness to serve.

In Norse culture, water ceremonies were performed to honor ancestors and gods. The practice of ship burials, where a boat with the deceased and their valuables was set upon the water and ignited, speaks to the profound significance water held as a threshold to the otherworld.

The bond among warriors was also strengthened through water rituals. The legendary warrior bands of the Sacred Band of Thebes were tied not only on the battlefield but also in communal purification ceremonies, their bonds of loyalty and protection forged.

In modern times, ritual baths in various cultures often serve to mark significant life transitions. In Japan, for example, the communal bath, the Furo, is maintained as an act of cleansing and social exchange. In modern spiritual communities, rituals are performed that draw on these ancient traditions to honor the connections between people—be they lovers, circles of friends, or communities coming together to remember their ancestors.

Thus, water, as a bearer of tradition and renewal, continues to flow through the ceremonies and rituals of people, as an expression of respect, connection, and remembrance that form the essence of our human experience.

        ( A beating, racing heart. Hanako didn’t think he could ever have one.

                He shouldn’t have one. )

        In the daze of his blood flowing through new arteries and breath warming against the cold, incredibly cold air, Hanako’s memory enshrouds him like a fog; everything encompasses his mind and his thoughts and yet leaves him even more lost and blinded. His vision only regains now, familiarity blended in the novelty of his surroundings: the immediate shelves around him tower with both old, worn novels and wide, faded encyclopedias, and part of it makes him feel at home.

        ( Or, well, ‘home’ if invading the library and bookstacks for half a century can count as such. )

        The further Hanako descends into the library, the quicker the books morph to novels and manga. A few seconds in and rows of plastic and vibrant script are already shining on his face and old clothes—a testament to this library’s true nature. As he weaves through the aisles, however, one opening into the center, with seats and tables neatly arranged, catches his eye.

        ( He’d thought this was something out of a canvas or his imagination again. But, then, is this— )

        He draws closer, and his eyes widen.

                ( It is—it really is— )

        He shuts them tight and passes through the entrance, footsteps faint until he walks behind and places a hand on the shoulder of a girl sitting nearby.

        “Is that shoujo manga? I thought you were giving up on the romance thing after the past three tries.”

        “Then again—you wouldn’t be yourself if you were, would you, Yashiro~?”