A warning to all readers, I am a busy guy and I just happen to be interested in starting a fanfiction of my own. I've read a handful of Touhou fanfic and have played a tiny bit, generally Touhou 6 (what a nightmare). Don't expect the best out of me, but please enjoy it! I know for sure I am going to make some mistakes regarding lore so please point them out so I can go back and fix them! Thank you for reading and leave a review if you do enjoy it!

The hot burning sun of summer beats down on a village with large farms in the surrounding area. The buzzing of cicadas fills the area, making the heat feel worse, reminding nearby goers that it was this time of year.

…

*clack clack clack clack clack clack clack*

A nearby vendor peaks out of his fruit stand, an old shopkeeper picking up a noise that seems to be coming towards him. With his degrading vision over the years, he squints at the distant figure, trying to figure what or who it is. A young adult with short, messy blonde hair sprinting towards him from, what he could make out, a group of other shopkeepers. In the arms of the young man was a shopping bag filled with all sorts of fruits and snacks.

"What in God's name is that kid up too…" The old man recognizing the troublemaker as well. It was Rex, a close relative to him that lived nearby. He let out a hefty sigh, preparing to close down the stand. The trembling grew as they got closer, the old man finally storing away the last of his harvest from his crops. He stands outside his fruit stand waiting for what was to come.

The troublemaker, Rex, finally notices the old man in the distant.

"Hey, Gramps! Look at what I snatched up today!" Rex excitingly raising his haul, dropping some of his spoils. He continued running, passing by the old man. "I'll see you later once I lose this crowd! They just don't give up!" Rex smirking at the old man.

The old man just couldn't believe it. This child is going to pay for his troubles someday. The thought of Rex just tired him. What was he supposed to do with him?

Rex had an idea to lose his pursuers. It always worked and will keep on working, because he had something that no one had or knew. Dragging his pursuers far away from the old man's home to not bring suspicion to him, he could finally enact his masterplan!

"You stupid thief! Don't think you'll get away from us this time!" The other shopkeepers agreeing and making more pointless threats as they continued the chase. They were slowly catching up to him and hopefully find out who has been taking their goods over the years.

There! Rex turned a corner, disappearing from their sights.

"We got him! That corner's a dead end!" The chasers reaching their destination, a variety of home utensils drawn to teach the thief a lesson.

The shopkeepers only stopping to find the end of the road empty.

"Wha-what happened? Where is he!" The shop keepers in panic and disbelieve as the thief had vanished. "There's no way for him to get away! How?" The dead-end had all sides surrounded in brick walls with only one way exiting, which they were standing at. In tiredness and frustration, the crowd slowly giving up the chase and returning to their shops.

The old man was sitting down by a short table in the living room drinking some cold tea, fanning himself. He was about to get up to check outside when he heard the front entrance door open and close.

"I don't want to know how you lost them this time…" The old man grumbled, paying no attention to his guest.

"Eh hehe... " There stood Rex, holding the bag with one hand, the other scratching his head in surprise. He went to place the stolen goods down on the table when the old man noticed him limping.

"What happened to you boy?!" The old man, ignoring his previous remark not wanting to know what happened in concern for his relative.

Finally placing the goods down, Rex collapsed on the tatami flooring, arms outstretched with a painful but happy grin on his face.

"Oh, just had to jump over some things and tripped over a bush." He lied, coming up with something to calm the old man. Well, part of it was true, but he tripped and injured his leg on purpose knowing the old man wouldn't let him go if he came back uninjured in some way. He knew how keen the old man was getting and he didn't want him to catch on and find about his secret.

He sat up, but as he did, he started coughing. Bringing his hand to cover his mouth, he realized that he was coughing up blood when looking back at his hand.

"This isn't just some tripping accident! Look at you, you need help!" The old man in distress, getting up to find a first aid kit and his phone.

"No, Gramps! I'm telling you, I'm fine!" begged Rex, quickly getting up but stumbled over, feeling the throbbing pain in his left leg. He ignored the pain and limped over to the old man, continuing to beg him not to call the hospital or anyone else.

The old man sighed, wondering why Rex always comes home in such similar fashion. "Fine, but let me take a look at that leg."

Rex relieved, knowing the old man finally gave in. This would happen monthly, the events repeating itself. He would go out to "borrow" some goods, escape, get injured in some way, cough up blood, and convince gramps of not worrying over it.

After he was patched up, he went through his haul, taking out an apple and eating away at it, as he pulls out the rest of the goods. The old man sitting by in disbelief, shaking his head.

"I don't know how you do it, but I'm telling you this, your actions will come back to bite at you." His gramps warning him, but it fell on deaf ears as Rex was always lectured the same, getting used to the old man's warnings.

"Sure sure, but look at this! I got some of the newer snacks from one vendor, he even had the spicy ones!" Rex pulling up bags of chips that were in all sorts of colors. "Ooo, I think I'll go for this one tonight!" He opened the snack and finally relaxing after the long exhausting chase.

The old man finally got a good look at Rex for once today. For someone in his late teens, this boy sure has a carefree look after being in such a terrible situation. His short blonde hair was in a mess (it always is), sticking out more towards the front. The red short-sleeved jacket hung on the racks on a nearby wall. His black shirt was fine, much to the old man's surprise, but his grey jeans were smeared with dirt after his supposed "accident". What Rex didn't know was that the old man saw through his actions, knowing that he made it look like he ended up tripping. It was after the 6th time, the old man started picking up on his devious behavior, but never ended up prying into it, as he felt that would upset Rex.

"You should clean yourself up" suggesting the old man. "Tomorrow's the day, remember?"

Rex's carefree attitude suddenly became distant, his face emotionless, as if wanting to forget something.

"..."

"Did you lose your memory after tripping? We're visiting your parent's grave."

Still not wanting to talk, his deadpanned face turning away.

"Of course I remember… how could I? " He muttered and went silent, multiple emotions swelling up inside him.

Sighing, the old man put a hand to the young man's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be with you tomorrow. Let's go pay our respects and find something to do tomorrow, alright? Take a break from work and let's enjoy some family time together."

Rex looked back at his gramps, feeling slightly reassured after his comforting words. Putting aside his emotions, he formed a smile on his face.

"Alright, bet with me you'll be there."

He held out his pinky and the old man laughed, taking the promise.

"I promise"

…

…

…

It was raining… a figure with a black umbrella stands in the middle of a field of graves. Each grave crumbling with time and age. Moss and other assortments of plants growing in between the cracks. The quiet pattering of rain fills the surrounding area. Despite it being the morning, the sun was covered in dark rain clouds, the weather's sudden change surprising many.

Rex closed the umbrella, letting the rain soak him wet. The jacket felt heavy with it being drenched and wearing down on him. His hands were cold and eyes distant as if his soul was detached from his body.

But it didn't matter.

He stood in front of a grave, but everything about it seemed untouched, unlike all the others. As if... it was just placed there recently.

…

...

oh wait

Written on the stone, "here lays Toshiro Hara, caretaker and guardian of Rex Okada. Died XX June XXXX. Age 77."

Rex stood there quietly, head hanging low. His eyes slowly tearing up, but he refused to cry. Gramps would want him to keep smiling, but he couldn't muster up the strength to form one at all. Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, he realized how soaked he was. Bringing back up his umbrella, he decided it was time to go back home and rest up for work tomorrow. He turned to leave but felt a presence suddenly appear behind him.

At that moment, there were two umbrellas in that field.

I don't know if you guys will stick around since this is my first fanfic, but please do so! The biggest issue I am worried about is matching each character to their personality. I'm sorry for any mistakes in the writing and I'll make sure to fix them! I know that this chapter has almost no relation to Touhou, but it is setting up for the OC!