Akai Kaze to Tomo ni Kitaru translation
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Akai Kaze to Tomo ni Kitaru Author: Yukino Sai
(It came with the red wind)
* * *
---- Is somebody, there?
Until then, no matter how loudly I cried, nobody came.
------.....You don't have to cry here by yourself anymore.
He held out his hand, and wiped my tear, snot, and mud stained face. He petted my head. I was so tired from crying that I could not stand. I was rolled up on the ground, but he easily held me up and gently tapped my back.
------Next time, come to my palace.
I grabbed tightly on to his neck. I thought, this might be a dream, if I let go, this kind person might disappear like a puff of smoke.
------I'm your second eldest brother....... Ryuuki, my youngest brother.
I'm not going anywhere, so don't worry, he whispered by my ear, as if to calm me.
Ryuuki's nightmare finally came to an end.
* * *
"There's a garden on the east of shyoenkyu right? We'll have tea there today. I'll make and bring manjyu. By the time the noon bell rings three times, should be fine. Don't complain if you come by the time everyone finishes eating."
Ryuuki was panicking. The noon bell is about to ring three times. At Sa-taiho's (Sa Enjun) lessen, when he digged, he got back interesting answers, so he accidentally spent too much time there. Shuurei, who usually takes the lesson with him, was called by Shouka to help clean the library and wasn't there so he let down his guard and showed his true self. ...... I wonder if Sa-taiho realized that I am pretending to be an idiot emperor? That old coot is in reality as hard to read as Shou-taishi.
(.... but it's too late now anyway....)
For now, it was more important to head toward Shuurei's manju. Or else, Shuurei's special manju will disappear in a flash.
Ryuuki's mind thought back to what happened just a little while back.
When he said that he liked peach manju, Shuurei said that if he worked hard on his studies, she would make it as a reward. So while Shuurei was making manju ESPECIALLY FOR HIM (an extremely important point,) Ryuuki worked extremely hard and finished up the mountains of homework, that was more like harassment, that Kouyuu had given him.
And, when he happily arrived, not caring about his dark under-eye circles....
"Such great skill. This peach manju suits my taste Shuurei-dono. Really, I should have taken you as my bride"
"....How come it doesn't become flat like senbei? (a Japanese rice snack) The ingredients is the same, but something is different. But yes, it's good. It's definitely good. .... Ha, I'll brag to that person (my superior) later."
On one side, Shuuei and Kouyuu are grabbing and munching, and,
"They're really delicious. Kou-kihisama is really accomplished at everything. How wonderful. ..... Later, could you teach me how to make these?"
"Fu fu, Kourin, you're going to give them to the person from your letters right? But, could you teach me..... how to make them as well? I also have someone... I would like to give them to."
On the other side, Kourin and Shusui, while blushing, and grabbing the manju as if to hide their embarrassment. Ryuuki was watching with stunned amazement the manjus disappearing at a speed that could not be imagined from their elegant movement.
In an instant, there was only one peach manju left. He was standing right by the doorway, but nobody was paying any attention to him. And the person who took the last one without any hesitation....
"Oh, what yummy looking peach manju~"
At that moment, Ryuuki widened his eyes and made his presence known.
"Wait old far..... Shou-taishi! That's my peach manju!"
Shou-taishi looked at Ryuuki as if to say "oh?" and ate the peach manju in one bite without any hesitation. He moved his mouth with enjoyment, while letting out a sad sign.
"You should be kind to the elderly. This could be the very last peach manju I ever get to eat on this earth."
--------Old fart! Ryuuki thought of murdering Shou-taishi.
But Ryuuki still had an ounce of hope. Since Shuurei made it for him, she must have saved some just for him. (She must have. I'm just thinking that Shuuei and Kouyuu are averting their gaze. That Kourin hurried out of the room and Shusui suddenly started to clean the table is also my imagination playing tricks on me.)
At that time, a pale looking Shuurei and Seiran came in with a tray with tea.
".... I'm sorry, everyone. Father insisted that he wanted to pour tea for everyone....."
That instant, Shou-taishi blew out the room like the wind, while humming through his nose, and everyone there wanted to kill him.
"Well... it's Shouka-sama's tea. What a thankful and generous thought."
Somehow, only Shusui was accepting the tea. Even Shuurei was surprised by this.
".....Um, Shusui, you don't have to force yourself, ok? Oh, I'm glad that the plate was picked clean. Ryuuki, how was it? The peach manju. I thought I did a good job, if I say so myself. Seiran and father both said it was good and had three."
"....three..."
Next to Ryuuki, Seiran averted his eyes.
That means, all that was left was the hellish Shouka's Daddy-tea. I'm the only one who didn't get to have any. I adore Shouka, but... but...
It's too terrible. Ryuuki shivered, cried, and dashed away from the scene.
(-----That nightmare! It can never happen again.)
I must arrive at the garden on the east of shyoenkyu by the time the third bell rings.
Ryuuki's eye's lit up, and he thought of the shortest distance from his present location to the garden.
(Yes, I'll make it.)
The moment he tried to run, somehow his foot stopped.
"....?"
He turned his neck, but without thinking, this time he did run.
* * *
When he ran past the thicket---- everything in front of his eyes seemed to go dark.
"I became ugly because I had you. That person didn't need a child at this point. I was such a fool!"
It felt like a slap to the face.
It was a voice only heard in the dark, in nightmares.
"Go away! Disappear from in front of my eyes."
Cold sweat poured out of his pores. Ryuuki was assaulted by nausea and dizziness, and lost his balance. His vision was getting spotty, and getting darker and darker.
(This... This place is.....)
Desperately trying to look, he noticed the opening.
------I remember.
His consciousness was quickly dragged to the past. A past that he had long forgotten. A sealed up past.
(I always.... cried here alone....)
..........aaaan........ aaaan (crying sound)
I hear a child crying. That's- my own voice. That, that's right. I was always rolling by the tree, and crying. There was no way that they couldn't hear, but nobody came. I cried and cried, until night came and it got dark, and it was too scary, and I went back to the palace.
-----I prayed for someone to come, and waited,.... but I was still all alone.
"I never should have given birth to you. If it was a first prince or a second prince, it would have been better!"
He could not avoid the jewelry box that was thrown at him. If he avoided it, his mother would be frustrated, and would sometimes even cry.
"Don't be where I can see you!"
His phantom mother's voice remained in Ryuuki's ears.
Ryuuki knelt down. His heart was palpitating. Sweat was running down. The times, when it was hard to breath, his heart hurt, but no one was there, and he was all alone.
(..... No, not now. Now)
When--- is now....?
When his vision was almost completely overtaken with darkness----
Someone grabbed his arm.
"You.... Seiran...."
".........You were at a place like this. Your face is pale. What's wrong?"
Even while asking, Seiran seemed like he already knew everything, and pulled his hand. He sat Ryuuki by the root of the tree, and when Seiran looked into his face, Ryuuki collapsed onto the tree.
His vision rapidly widened. His heart beat was getting quiet, his five senses were returning to normal. --- He could breath.
When Seiran gently wiped the sweat from Ryuuki's forehead, he closed his eyes.
"I was on my way bringing the tea set to the garden. If you don't feel well, would you like to rest here while I pour you a cup?"
It was a gentle voice. Ryuuki nodded, and watched Seiran quickly pour him the cup of tea.
----A while back, Ryuuki was able to escape from a nightmare because Seiran held his hand. He thought so at the time, but this soldier named Shi Seiran had a very mysterious air about him. He did not seem at all phased by his sudden promotion, and from the day he became Ryuuki's guard, he easily melted into his surrounding, even among high ranking officials, and was by Ryuuki's side like it was only natural. With his gentle smile, he keeps a little distance, but Ryuuki can feel a definite caring deep inside him. Since he is Shouka's servant, he didn't really question it, but..... if his brother was alive he might be like this.
His brother Seien's presence, language, movement, and expression--- since he only has pieces of memories, even more so.
"Here you go."
While accepting the cup handed to him, Ryuuki tapped the ground next to him.
"...You, you, sit here and drink with me too."
"If I have your permission, I would be happy to."
Seiran gently smiled. Ryuuki was relieved. Somehow, watching Seiran gracefully sit next to him calmed him down enormously. While drinking tea together, Ryuuki remembered a long ago past.
---------Is somebody, there?
While saying that, and pushing aside the thicket, for the first time, there was a person who extended his hand to Ryuuki.
From that day, everything in Ryuuki's world changed.
"....This is a special place."
Ryuuki couldn't help himself, and muttered.
"....If you count, there are far more things that I don't want to remember, but if you compare, then it makes everything blow away by comparison.
I can remember.
Today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow. ....I thought that no one would come.
The arms that held me. The hands that caressed me. The gentle voice that whispered to me.
".... I met a very very important person, it's the most special place in my life."
Ryuuki felt a smile come from next to him.
"Really. ....I'm sure, for that person, this is a special place as well."
Ryuuki felt somehow glad. Then suddenly remembered.
".....Um, no, I don't really want that person to remember it."
"Oh, why is that?"
"At the time, my face was really a mess. That's right, he was nice enough to wipe it clean for me, but while he carried me home, this time, I was crying because I was happy, and soiled aniue's (older brother) clothes with my snot and tears and drool, and aniue's female palace servant got really angry."
Surprisingly, Seiran burst out laughing.
"And, did you end up having to do laundry with your aniue?"
".....How did you know. Ye.. yes. At the time, aniue was already a well respected prince, but the scary angry palace servant tossed us out into the cold, and we ended up doing laundry at the lake. I remember trying to help scrub the dirt out as well.... but this time, we didn't know the right strength, and ripped it, and got yelled at again."
Seiran was still laughing. .... Was, was I saying something so funny?
Oh yes, Ryuuki remembered. I have a feeling aniue also laughed when we ripped the clothes. That's right, and somehow, that made me laugh too, and that made the palace servant even more angry.
That, as far as I could remember, was the first time I laughed from the bottom of my heart.
-----From then, the time I spent with my brother past like a dream.
When calculated into time, it was only very brief. But without those few years, I probably would not be here right now.
"I----- adored Seien aniue. In the past, now, and the future, I will always love him."
Just when Seiran opened his mouth to say something----
There was rustling in the thicket, and Shuurei showed her face.
"----Here you are! What are you two doing? I looked for you!"
Shuurei stared at Ryuuki and Seiran, who were lazily drinking tea.
"It's not fair, you starting tea here already. I told you the meeting place was the garden."
Ryuuki got nervous.
"Um... um... Shuurei, sorry, ah..."
"Well, it's understandable, since this place has such a nice view."
"What....?"
Ryuuki looked around for the first time. And looses all words.
What he saw were colorful grasses and flowers, in full bloom. He could hear the wind blowing, and bird singing in the distance- it was a beautiful sight.
(....I didn't even realize these things......)
For a long time, I could only think about myself. I didn't have the allowance to look around, crying by myself, when no one came to find me, when I was young.
But now it's different.
"I looked for you."
His heart warmed at words that were spoken, as if such things were perfectly normal.
"Fine. Everyone will probably be here soon, we'll have tea here. Seiran, can you help me?"
Ryuuki realized that he had subconsciously grabbed onto Seiran's sleeve, and hastily let go.
"Since you got were sulking last time because you didn't get to eat any, I made tons today. And everyone was waiting for you and didn't touch it, alright!"
Shuurei spoke in a tone that was a little angry. She took out a package that had many different types of manjus inside.
Others came out of the thicket as well.
"....What are you loitering here, like a little kid!"
"That's right, emperor. It's one thing if you're like Kouyuu and has to loiter because you have no choice, but you should be precise with time, or else people will worry."
"Don't say unnecessary things, Shuuei!"
While Kouyuu is yelling, Shuuei goes to sit by Ryuuki's side.
"Shuurei-sama, I'll take a few of these manjus. ...um, I'll give them to Shouka-sama."
"Oh, me too. Sa-tai... no, I mean, the three shi (Shou, Sa, Sou), I'll bring some to them."
Shusui and Kourin took a few and happily went back through the thicket.
It was a lively, really lively afternoon.
"Here, your tea is ready."
When Seiran settled near Shuurei, Ryuuki felt a little lonely, and moved next to Seiran.
When Shuurei saw this, she made a dubious facial expression.
"... Hey, no matter how beautiful Seiran is, if you lay a finger on him, I won't forgive you."
"I would never do that to Seiran or Shouka, that would be too wasteful."
"What do you mean? No! Even father is within the realm of possibilities? Wait, definitely make it Ran-shougun."
Kouyuu spat out his tea, and Shuuei smiled and let that big responsibility that was shoved onto him just pass by.
"Umm..., unfortunately, my specialty is in women, Shuurei-dono"
"So are father and Seiran!"
".... Fu, Fu, Fu. Shuurei."
"What!?"
"I adore Shuurei and Seiran and Shouka. I am very fortunate."
Not being alone. Someone who he could call by their name. ---A happiness that is like a miracle.
Shuurei lost all words while watching Ryuuki happily munching on the manju.
"Stop concluding things by saying things that make no sense!"
While eating manju and pretending to not listen to what was going on, Kouyuu looked at a completely composed and smiling Seiran, and whispered to Shuuei.
"....He said that he's twenty-one right? He's younger than us.... It doesn't seem that way. He's not an ordinary guy."
"....Well, he's definitely not ordinary."
* * *
--------You don't know either.
My happiness also started, when I broke through the thicket.
"A, ani... ue...?"
"That's right."
The tiny arms that held onto my neck, the small voice that cried, my frozen heart began to melt.
You don't know, that I finally laughed from the bottom of my heart, for the first time.
----A happiness, that was like a miracle.
Akai Kaze to Tomo ni Kitaru Author: Yukino Sai
(It came with the red wind)
* * *
---- Is somebody, there?
Until then, no matter how loudly I cried, nobody came.
------.....You don't have to cry here by yourself anymore.
He held out his hand, and wiped my tear, snot, and mud stained face. He petted my head. I was so tired from crying that I could not stand. I was rolled up on the ground, but he easily held me up and gently tapped my back.
------Next time, come to my palace.
I grabbed tightly on to his neck. I thought, this might be a dream, if I let go, this kind person might disappear like a puff of smoke.
------I'm your second eldest brother....... Ryuuki, my youngest brother.
I'm not going anywhere, so don't worry, he whispered by my ear, as if to calm me.
Ryuuki's nightmare finally came to an end.
* * *
"There's a garden on the east of shyoenkyu right? We'll have tea there today. I'll make and bring manjyu. By the time the noon bell rings three times, should be fine. Don't complain if you come by the time everyone finishes eating."
Ryuuki was panicking. The noon bell is about to ring three times. At Sa-taiho's (Sa Enjun) lessen, when he digged, he got back interesting answers, so he accidentally spent too much time there. Shuurei, who usually takes the lesson with him, was called by Shouka to help clean the library and wasn't there so he let down his guard and showed his true self. ...... I wonder if Sa-taiho realized that I am pretending to be an idiot emperor? That old coot is in reality as hard to read as Shou-taishi.
(.... but it's too late now anyway....)
For now, it was more important to head toward Shuurei's manju. Or else, Shuurei's special manju will disappear in a flash.
Ryuuki's mind thought back to what happened just a little while back.
When he said that he liked peach manju, Shuurei said that if he worked hard on his studies, she would make it as a reward. So while Shuurei was making manju ESPECIALLY FOR HIM (an extremely important point,) Ryuuki worked extremely hard and finished up the mountains of homework, that was more like harassment, that Kouyuu had given him.
And, when he happily arrived, not caring about his dark under-eye circles....
"Such great skill. This peach manju suits my taste Shuurei-dono. Really, I should have taken you as my bride"
"....How come it doesn't become flat like senbei? (a Japanese rice snack) The ingredients is the same, but something is different. But yes, it's good. It's definitely good. .... Ha, I'll brag to that person (my superior) later."
On one side, Shuuei and Kouyuu are grabbing and munching, and,
"They're really delicious. Kou-kihisama is really accomplished at everything. How wonderful. ..... Later, could you teach me how to make these?"
"Fu fu, Kourin, you're going to give them to the person from your letters right? But, could you teach me..... how to make them as well? I also have someone... I would like to give them to."
On the other side, Kourin and Shusui, while blushing, and grabbing the manju as if to hide their embarrassment. Ryuuki was watching with stunned amazement the manjus disappearing at a speed that could not be imagined from their elegant movement.
In an instant, there was only one peach manju left. He was standing right by the doorway, but nobody was paying any attention to him. And the person who took the last one without any hesitation....
"Oh, what yummy looking peach manju~"
At that moment, Ryuuki widened his eyes and made his presence known.
"Wait old far..... Shou-taishi! That's my peach manju!"
Shou-taishi looked at Ryuuki as if to say "oh?" and ate the peach manju in one bite without any hesitation. He moved his mouth with enjoyment, while letting out a sad sign.
"You should be kind to the elderly. This could be the very last peach manju I ever get to eat on this earth."
--------Old fart! Ryuuki thought of murdering Shou-taishi.
But Ryuuki still had an ounce of hope. Since Shuurei made it for him, she must have saved some just for him. (She must have. I'm just thinking that Shuuei and Kouyuu are averting their gaze. That Kourin hurried out of the room and Shusui suddenly started to clean the table is also my imagination playing tricks on me.)
At that time, a pale looking Shuurei and Seiran came in with a tray with tea.
".... I'm sorry, everyone. Father insisted that he wanted to pour tea for everyone....."
That instant, Shou-taishi blew out the room like the wind, while humming through his nose, and everyone there wanted to kill him.
"Well... it's Shouka-sama's tea. What a thankful and generous thought."
Somehow, only Shusui was accepting the tea. Even Shuurei was surprised by this.
".....Um, Shusui, you don't have to force yourself, ok? Oh, I'm glad that the plate was picked clean. Ryuuki, how was it? The peach manju. I thought I did a good job, if I say so myself. Seiran and father both said it was good and had three."
"....three..."
Next to Ryuuki, Seiran averted his eyes.
That means, all that was left was the hellish Shouka's Daddy-tea. I'm the only one who didn't get to have any. I adore Shouka, but... but...
It's too terrible. Ryuuki shivered, cried, and dashed away from the scene.
(-----That nightmare! It can never happen again.)
I must arrive at the garden on the east of shyoenkyu by the time the third bell rings.
Ryuuki's eye's lit up, and he thought of the shortest distance from his present location to the garden.
(Yes, I'll make it.)
The moment he tried to run, somehow his foot stopped.
"....?"
He turned his neck, but without thinking, this time he did run.
* * *
When he ran past the thicket---- everything in front of his eyes seemed to go dark.
"I became ugly because I had you. That person didn't need a child at this point. I was such a fool!"
It felt like a slap to the face.
It was a voice only heard in the dark, in nightmares.
"Go away! Disappear from in front of my eyes."
Cold sweat poured out of his pores. Ryuuki was assaulted by nausea and dizziness, and lost his balance. His vision was getting spotty, and getting darker and darker.
(This... This place is.....)
Desperately trying to look, he noticed the opening.
------I remember.
His consciousness was quickly dragged to the past. A past that he had long forgotten. A sealed up past.
(I always.... cried here alone....)
..........aaaan........ aaaan (crying sound)
I hear a child crying. That's- my own voice. That, that's right. I was always rolling by the tree, and crying. There was no way that they couldn't hear, but nobody came. I cried and cried, until night came and it got dark, and it was too scary, and I went back to the palace.
-----I prayed for someone to come, and waited,.... but I was still all alone.
"I never should have given birth to you. If it was a first prince or a second prince, it would have been better!"
He could not avoid the jewelry box that was thrown at him. If he avoided it, his mother would be frustrated, and would sometimes even cry.
"Don't be where I can see you!"
His phantom mother's voice remained in Ryuuki's ears.
Ryuuki knelt down. His heart was palpitating. Sweat was running down. The times, when it was hard to breath, his heart hurt, but no one was there, and he was all alone.
(..... No, not now. Now)
When--- is now....?
When his vision was almost completely overtaken with darkness----
Someone grabbed his arm.
"You.... Seiran...."
".........You were at a place like this. Your face is pale. What's wrong?"
Even while asking, Seiran seemed like he already knew everything, and pulled his hand. He sat Ryuuki by the root of the tree, and when Seiran looked into his face, Ryuuki collapsed onto the tree.
His vision rapidly widened. His heart beat was getting quiet, his five senses were returning to normal. --- He could breath.
When Seiran gently wiped the sweat from Ryuuki's forehead, he closed his eyes.
"I was on my way bringing the tea set to the garden. If you don't feel well, would you like to rest here while I pour you a cup?"
It was a gentle voice. Ryuuki nodded, and watched Seiran quickly pour him the cup of tea.
----A while back, Ryuuki was able to escape from a nightmare because Seiran held his hand. He thought so at the time, but this soldier named Shi Seiran had a very mysterious air about him. He did not seem at all phased by his sudden promotion, and from the day he became Ryuuki's guard, he easily melted into his surrounding, even among high ranking officials, and was by Ryuuki's side like it was only natural. With his gentle smile, he keeps a little distance, but Ryuuki can feel a definite caring deep inside him. Since he is Shouka's servant, he didn't really question it, but..... if his brother was alive he might be like this.
His brother Seien's presence, language, movement, and expression--- since he only has pieces of memories, even more so.
"Here you go."
While accepting the cup handed to him, Ryuuki tapped the ground next to him.
"...You, you, sit here and drink with me too."
"If I have your permission, I would be happy to."
Seiran gently smiled. Ryuuki was relieved. Somehow, watching Seiran gracefully sit next to him calmed him down enormously. While drinking tea together, Ryuuki remembered a long ago past.
---------Is somebody, there?
While saying that, and pushing aside the thicket, for the first time, there was a person who extended his hand to Ryuuki.
From that day, everything in Ryuuki's world changed.
"....This is a special place."
Ryuuki couldn't help himself, and muttered.
"....If you count, there are far more things that I don't want to remember, but if you compare, then it makes everything blow away by comparison.
I can remember.
Today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow. ....I thought that no one would come.
The arms that held me. The hands that caressed me. The gentle voice that whispered to me.
".... I met a very very important person, it's the most special place in my life."
Ryuuki felt a smile come from next to him.
"Really. ....I'm sure, for that person, this is a special place as well."
Ryuuki felt somehow glad. Then suddenly remembered.
".....Um, no, I don't really want that person to remember it."
"Oh, why is that?"
"At the time, my face was really a mess. That's right, he was nice enough to wipe it clean for me, but while he carried me home, this time, I was crying because I was happy, and soiled aniue's (older brother) clothes with my snot and tears and drool, and aniue's female palace servant got really angry."
Surprisingly, Seiran burst out laughing.
"And, did you end up having to do laundry with your aniue?"
".....How did you know. Ye.. yes. At the time, aniue was already a well respected prince, but the scary angry palace servant tossed us out into the cold, and we ended up doing laundry at the lake. I remember trying to help scrub the dirt out as well.... but this time, we didn't know the right strength, and ripped it, and got yelled at again."
Seiran was still laughing. .... Was, was I saying something so funny?
Oh yes, Ryuuki remembered. I have a feeling aniue also laughed when we ripped the clothes. That's right, and somehow, that made me laugh too, and that made the palace servant even more angry.
That, as far as I could remember, was the first time I laughed from the bottom of my heart.
-----From then, the time I spent with my brother past like a dream.
When calculated into time, it was only very brief. But without those few years, I probably would not be here right now.
"I----- adored Seien aniue. In the past, now, and the future, I will always love him."
Just when Seiran opened his mouth to say something----
There was rustling in the thicket, and Shuurei showed her face.
"----Here you are! What are you two doing? I looked for you!"
Shuurei stared at Ryuuki and Seiran, who were lazily drinking tea.
"It's not fair, you starting tea here already. I told you the meeting place was the garden."
Ryuuki got nervous.
"Um... um... Shuurei, sorry, ah..."
"Well, it's understandable, since this place has such a nice view."
"What....?"
Ryuuki looked around for the first time. And looses all words.
What he saw were colorful grasses and flowers, in full bloom. He could hear the wind blowing, and bird singing in the distance- it was a beautiful sight.
(....I didn't even realize these things......)
For a long time, I could only think about myself. I didn't have the allowance to look around, crying by myself, when no one came to find me, when I was young.
But now it's different.
"I looked for you."
His heart warmed at words that were spoken, as if such things were perfectly normal.
"Fine. Everyone will probably be here soon, we'll have tea here. Seiran, can you help me?"
Ryuuki realized that he had subconsciously grabbed onto Seiran's sleeve, and hastily let go.
"Since you got were sulking last time because you didn't get to eat any, I made tons today. And everyone was waiting for you and didn't touch it, alright!"
Shuurei spoke in a tone that was a little angry. She took out a package that had many different types of manjus inside.
Others came out of the thicket as well.
"....What are you loitering here, like a little kid!"
"That's right, emperor. It's one thing if you're like Kouyuu and has to loiter because you have no choice, but you should be precise with time, or else people will worry."
"Don't say unnecessary things, Shuuei!"
While Kouyuu is yelling, Shuuei goes to sit by Ryuuki's side.
"Shuurei-sama, I'll take a few of these manjus. ...um, I'll give them to Shouka-sama."
"Oh, me too. Sa-tai... no, I mean, the three shi (Shou, Sa, Sou), I'll bring some to them."
Shusui and Kourin took a few and happily went back through the thicket.
It was a lively, really lively afternoon.
"Here, your tea is ready."
When Seiran settled near Shuurei, Ryuuki felt a little lonely, and moved next to Seiran.
When Shuurei saw this, she made a dubious facial expression.
"... Hey, no matter how beautiful Seiran is, if you lay a finger on him, I won't forgive you."
"I would never do that to Seiran or Shouka, that would be too wasteful."
"What do you mean? No! Even father is within the realm of possibilities? Wait, definitely make it Ran-shougun."
Kouyuu spat out his tea, and Shuuei smiled and let that big responsibility that was shoved onto him just pass by.
"Umm..., unfortunately, my specialty is in women, Shuurei-dono"
"So are father and Seiran!"
".... Fu, Fu, Fu. Shuurei."
"What!?"
"I adore Shuurei and Seiran and Shouka. I am very fortunate."
Not being alone. Someone who he could call by their name. ---A happiness that is like a miracle.
Shuurei lost all words while watching Ryuuki happily munching on the manju.
"Stop concluding things by saying things that make no sense!"
While eating manju and pretending to not listen to what was going on, Kouyuu looked at a completely composed and smiling Seiran, and whispered to Shuuei.
"....He said that he's twenty-one right? He's younger than us.... It doesn't seem that way. He's not an ordinary guy."
"....Well, he's definitely not ordinary."
* * *
--------You don't know either.
My happiness also started, when I broke through the thicket.
"A, ani... ue...?"
"That's right."
The tiny arms that held onto my neck, the small voice that cried, my frozen heart began to melt.
You don't know, that I finally laughed from the bottom of my heart, for the first time.
----A happiness, that was like a miracle.