Short Short: The Stride of Tanabata

It sounds nice to call it the Milky Way, but in reality, it is just a ditch. A small stream that flows with a trickling sound between my workshop and Chiyo-san's cafe next door.
It was Chiyo-san who named it. It was when she came to greet me after moving in. "Since it's the river by Amano-san's place," Chiyo-san said with a Kansai accent, smiling at me, an "Amano." Unable to even crack a joke like "Then we must be Orihime and Hikoboshi," I, being poor with words, just replied "Yes" and retreated into my house. Since then, the cheerful laughter of Chiyo-san and her customers has echoed in my workshop every day.
It was July 7th. It had been raining heavily since the morning. As I was kneading clay, I heard a voice from the entrance. "A group cancellation came in." It was Chiyo-san. She shyly held out a plastic container to me. It was warm.
"Since we're within a distance where the soup won't get cold, let's get to know each other."
That night, I had a dream. A dream where Chiyo-san easily stepped across the Milky Way to come over. I woke up with hot cheeks. I looked at the Milky Way. Today, I would be the one to cross it.

Short Short No. 801

I am participating in Nika Tahara's "Weekly Short Short Note."
This week's theme is "The Stride of Tanabata."

My work "Rainy Season Fortune-telling" has been introduced in the Maisho Selection. Since Tahara-san picks out recommendations from the many participating works, please read the ones you think you might like. I think it will also be useful for discovering writers on Note you don't know yet.