It's Auntie Benmaru!

Episode 1/ふたりの物语

1.2/flowering period

Two years have passed.

Before he knew it, Onikiri and Tianqing had circled the small town near Kyoto.

The letter of entrustment in hand just happened to be almost done, Kaguya Hime and Kotengu haven't sent a new entrustment letter in the past few days, Onikiri and Tianqing rarely have leisure, Tianqing thought of something.

"Hey Onikiri, didn't we hear that the neighboring town happened to be in blooming season of spring cherry blossoms? Let's go and have a look!"

"Flower period?" Guiqie who was sitting in the hotel living room was stunned, startled by Tianqing's sudden surge of emotions.

"Yes, it was said by the bird demon who passed by today! I miss the cherry tree in Honmaru, let's go there and look at the flowers leisurely!"

Speaking of viewing flowers, Tianqing's eyes sparkled.

Onikiri remembered that in the past two years, they had never had any activities like "blossom viewing". After all, they were all traveling and on their way, and there was no chance that the power of attorney would be cleared one day, so he and Tianqing both There is no room for participation.

It's not that she hasn't mentioned it, it's just that viewing flowers has to match the flowering period - and they are the kind of unlucky ghosts who just happen to miss the most beautiful flowering period.

But no matter how many times he missed it, as long as it was an invitation from her, he would agree to it one by one.

"it is good."

He agreed in a natural tone, and regardless of the tiredness after the mission, he got up and packed her bags skillfully.

"Wait, Onikiri, didn't you say you were tired this morning, so let's start cleaning up right now?"

"I want you to see the flowers." He replied in an ordinary tone, and put the two of them into the bag one by one with his slender and beautiful fingers: "You said you wanted to see it many times, and I remember it all. "

He answered bluntly, but Tianqing was stunned for a moment, and swallowed back all the words he had said to stop Onikiri.

Instead, a sweet smile.

"...Idiot Onikiri."

"Although I missed the most beautiful flowering season with you in the past, but because of you..."

"Those feelings of 'regret' have become 'expectations' for the flowers to be seen in the future."

She whispered, in a voice that only she could hear.

……

...

1.3/ Who do you think I watch with!

With the ambition to enjoy the flowers, Tianqing and Onikiri set off for Xiongying Town immediately.

It was only after officially embarking on the journey that Onikiri found out that what Onikiri said that morning was "a little tired" was not a lie. When he was on the way, Tianqing could tell that Onikiri's reaction was slower than usual, which seemed to be something on his mind Heavy.

But Onikiri shouldn't be preoccupied, right?She also saw Onikiri dozing off, so she probably was really overworked.

Thinking of this, she couldn't bear to let Onikiri go on her way: "Onikiri, let's just stay in this hotel for a day today, we don't want to take the car on the way."

"...No need." Onikiri refused without even thinking about it: "It's late, and you won't be able to see Sakura."

"You can watch the cherry blossoms anytime! But seeing your tired face, I can't even see the flowers jumping for joy..."

Tianqing angrily pushed Onikiri's body, forcing him to approach the small hotel on the mountain road: "Who do you think I'm viewing flowers with, it's you!"

"..." Guiqie stopped talking when he heard the words, although he was planning to persuade him a few more words, but something came to his mind, so he stopped talking.

Tianqing was also satisfied with Onikiri's honest compromise: "It's great that you understand! Go and rest—I feel that we won't necessarily miss the flowering period this time!"

The smile on the corner of her mouth was bright, as if she had saved him countless times, inexplicably eliminating all his excess resistance.

The corner of Onikiri's mouth seemed to twitch, and he didn't refute, just nodded obediently: "Okay."

Anyway, they still have a long time.

And after that, no matter what kind of flower she wanted to see, he would pick it off and hold it in front of her.

……

...

1.4/staggered

In the end, it was unknown whether it was Tianqing's spiritual power or what, she and Onikiri really missed the cherry tree's blooming period again.

It happened to be a heavy rain that night when they stayed in the hotel, and many cherry blossoms were knocked off and wet, and the remaining flowers also fell and withered within a few days.

Therefore, when the two climbed to the mountainside of Xiongying Town without giving up, what they saw was the cherry petals all over the ground mixed with the soil, and they were not so bare...but there were really only a few small flowers with no sense of existence cherry tree.

"……sorry."

Seeing Tianqing's frustrated expression, Onikiri had already apologized first.

But when she heard it, she knew that Onikiri was blaming herself for taking a rest that day, and she immediately denied it: "Idiot! I don't care, and these cherry trees are not as beautiful as those in Honmaru. When do we want to go back and see them?" alright!"

"..." Onikiri didn't speak, but patted her head apologetically.

Small gestures of reassurance showed that he saw her little disappointment.

Tian Qing was startled, but her eyes were red from his comfort. She sniffed, and immediately took off his hand: "Okay, I'm not a child."

Her pouting, sullen look really made her innocent and cute like a child.

Onikiri didn't know how to express his apology, and before he could think of how to speak, there was a voice from behind.

"Huh? Are you here to see the flowers? This year's flower viewing activities in Xiongying Town have ended, but after the cherry blossoms fall, there will be a temple fair in our town. If you don't mind, come and see it near the shrine tonight."

The plainly dressed woodcutter spoke with a friendly smile, while Guiqie looked at Tianqing, who had already laughed when he heard the temple fair.

"Okay, we will definitely go - thank you, uncle."

Seeing her smile, Onikiri laughed too.

——Emotional transitions are really quick.

It's just that no matter what, he prefers the way she smiles.

Onikiri thought so, and took her hand without any trace.

……

...

1.5/lantern fire

Although the temple fair in Xiongying Town was not grand, the townspeople spared no effort to decorate every corner with beautiful red lanterns extending from the vicinity of the shrine.

The orange fire flickered on and off, and the lantern swayed slightly with the music and the wind.

Tianqing and Onikiri walked among them, and found that the skeletons of some lanterns looked a little old, but they were carefully patched and pasted with paper, so they looked the same as other lanterns.

It's just that the fires lit in these old lanterns all carry souls.

"...These lantern fires will definitely protect the owners who cherish the lanterns."

Tianqing whispered next to Onikiri, and the handsome samurai monster glanced at the little monsters she was talking about, without much disturbance in her heart.

In his view, everything in front of him is just the whole lively scene, even if there is a demon in the lantern, it is only a part of the scene.

The only difference is always the girl next to him.

Onikiri took Tianqing's unresponsive right hand, and habitually protected her. The two stopped and stopped to buy food and good things at the temple fair, and finally reached the end of the market.

The sound of shamisen and tambourine was already a little far away from the two of them, and the bustle in their ears had subsided, and the surroundings were dark gray and quiet forest.

"Onikiri, those snacks are so delicious, it would be a pity if you don't eat them..."

"Eating human food doesn't make sense to me."

"But I just want you to feel the beauty that I feel."

She responded with a smile, and then raised her hands in a big, big gesture.

"Not just the food, but also my happiness, the part of me that feels happy... I feel the same way about Onikiri and you."

"In this way, after we get old, I will tell you about the taste of today's scones, pastries and snacks, and you will know that I am talking about tonight's temple fair..."

She depicted the future of the two with her hands and lips, Guiche's heart tightened, and she was about to answer something, when a light of light passed between the two of them.

The flickering green light caught Tianqing's attention, she blinked and immediately stood up.

"It's a firefly! Onikiri, let's catch up and have a look! I feel that this firefly has some aura, maybe it will take us to some interesting place!"

Her eyes are clear, and when she talks about unknown adventures, her eyes seem to have stars.

Guiqie was helpless, he could only nod his head in agreement before he could articulate those important words in his heart.

……

...

1.6/Precipitate stars

Tianqing never thought that Firefly would bring her and Guiqie back to the mountainside they had visited during the day.

She remembered the scenery over there - the "corpse" covered with cherry petals on the wet soil, and suddenly remembered that she had missed the flowering period. To be honest, she was a little depressed.

The frustration was not because she insisted on looking at the flowers, but because she had imagined it too many times - if she could look at the flowers with Onikiri, she would definitely feel happy.

However, they missed Hua again and again, and Onikiri felt guilty about it.

...then this is putting the cart before the horse.

She sighed softly, Onikiri thought she was still thinking about those cherry blossoms, and felt even more guilty.

"I will take you to see it next time. As long as there are fewer commissions, we will definitely see Sakura next year."

"I don't care about that..."

Tianqing looked at Onikiri, and smiled helplessly—even so, it was difficult for her to explain her entanglement to Onikiri.

So Onikiri also thought she was trying to be brave, so he didn't say anything else, just accompanied her step by step to that secluded space.

……

The spring night is slightly cool, especially in places far away from human habitation.

Taking the last step, the sea of ​​cherry trees that they saw during the day jumped into their sight again. Tianqing kept chasing the firefly, but disappeared at no time.

"Strange, where did that breath go?"

Tianqing held her breath to sense it, but she couldn't smell the soul.

Onikiri also looked around, and finally, saw a green light on the branch of a tree.

"Is that it?" Onikiri pointed.

Tianqing followed her fingers and laughed, "Yes!"

She raised her hand, and the firefly seemed to have sensed it and flew down from the tree, and landed on Tianqing's fingertips with almost no weight, the light on her buttocks flickered on and off.

She smiled slightly, realizing that this firefly will have a ghost in just ten years. Most of the monsters transformed by fireflies are kind and cute.

Thinking of this, she fed a little of her spiritual power to the little thing on her fingertips.

The firefly also knew that it had absorbed something good. The wings on its back fluttered a few times, and it seemed to fly with excitement.

"The rest is up to you to break through."

Tianqing said softly, looking at the weak soul in front of her with gentle eyes, while the fireflies flew around Tianqing several times, and suddenly flew from her side to the front.

Only then did Tianqing know to look forward.

It's better not to look at it, but when you look at it, you will find that this barren and flat mountainous land is suddenly covered with emerald green and dreamy starlight.

[--Thank you. ]

She seemed to hear a voice saying this to her.

She understood what the fireflies meant, and in the next second, she marveled at the stars deposited on the ground.

She simply walked to the center step by step - and those fireflies dodged obediently, and then fluttered around her cautiously.

The surroundings were so quiet that there were only the rustling of the wind blowing through the leaves and her admiring breathing.

The spring night was still as cool as before, but in the mountains far away from the bustle, this scene suddenly made Tianqing feel unprecedentedly happy and wonderful.

"Ghost, come here quickly..."

When encountering something touching, Tianqing was naturally the first to want to share it with Onikiri, but this time when she turned around, she saw Onikiri standing under the moon staring at her with exceptionally soft eyes.

His long black hair was blown by the wind, and he seemed to have a particularly precious idea to say.

And that event will be more beautiful than all the stars surrounding her - Tianqing suddenly had this premonition.

So the tears have already flowed out quietly and colorlessly.

Her vision blurred for a moment, but soon became clearer and brighter.

All eyes are filled with the tender and serious faces of Starlight and Onikiri.

Seeing her crying, Onikiri seemed a little helpless, but also surprisingly understood her virtue.

So he just raised his hand to gently wipe away the tears on her cheeks, and couldn't help laughing.

"...I didn't say anything, why did you cry first?"

……

1.7/Flying fireflies

Fragments of light lingered, more unique and dreamy than all the beauties Tianqing had ever seen.

She stood in front of Onikiri, and the distance between the two of them was just enough to hug her with her arms outstretched.

The surrounding area was too quiet, except for the place where the fireflies were, the other places were very, very dark, so she could only see Onikiri's face just by chance.

It seemed that in this world, there were only her and Onikiri.

"...you don't cry often."

Seeing her crying, Onikiri brushed her cheeks with his fingertips, bit by bit, carefully and earnestly.

"...It's all your fault."

She pouted and said—who made Onikiri stand behind her with that expression just now—that expression that only she could see and understand.

It wasn't the first two days that Onikiri was complained by her. At first it took him a long time to understand every word she said, but later he heard that those were just her playing willful, and her "willful" side is not often be seen by others.

So he will not ask why, but will only agree one by one.

"Ah."

His voice is always deep and seductive, and Tianqing also likes his voice when he gently agrees—because Onikiri couldn't speak before, it seems that she has been with her for a long time, and she is too talkative and always makes him Give a little reaction, and then learn a little bit.

"Okay", "um", "I'm listening", are all Onikiri learned because of her, and they can only say to her.

Her tears suddenly became more turbulent, but she didn't raise her hand to beg for a hug, instead she wiped her cheeks: "Onikiri, what do you want to say to me?"

She knew that only when Onikiri wanted to express something seriously would he walk towards her so firmly.

Onikiri wasn't too surprised to be noticed by her, so he just lowered his hands and looked at her waist indifferently: "Your waist has been vacant for a long time."

"...What? Ah, you said that knife you gave me earlier."

Tianqing followed Onikiri's line of sight, and immediately remembered the dagger he gave her earlier.

The dagger was used by Onikiri to block an attack during the battle at Shiratori's house, and it shattered on the spot.

Since then, there is only a broken piece of the short knife left. She can't continue to hang a broken knife around her waist. Onikiri once said that she would get another one for her, but then they started traveling. No time to find a suitable short knife.

The dagger was used by Onikiri before, and he seemed to think that the daggers he got elsewhere were not of that value.

Waiting and waiting like this, Tian Qing thought that if this matter was to be brought up again, it must be many years later.

... She never thought that Onikiri would suddenly talk about it tonight.

"Yes, you still remember."

"Of course I remember! That knife is yours..."

When Tianqing said this, her ears suddenly turned red—since she started traveling, she had heard it with her own ears and seen it with her own eyes several times. It is true that samurai wives wear knives, so thinking about what Onikiri did to her back then, She will still be moved.

"I heard that the warriors of this era would give their wives a proof."

Onikiri suddenly continued the conversation, the tone was very light, but it didn't make people feel like a joke at all.

Instead, it seems to be expressing the softest thoughts with the most careful attitude.

Tianqing stood in front of him with a blushing face, her mind went blank, she could only pretend to be Onikiri's expression and words at the moment, she even forgot her tears and nervousness.

"……so."

Onikiri stroked Tianqing's hair sticking to her cheeks behind her ears with one hand, then suddenly reached into her sleeve, and carefully brought out a short knife that was only as long as her arm.

It was still the scabbard with the Genji family crest, the gauntlet was also in a shape Tianqing recognized, and the belt wrapped around the handle was the same as before.

Tianqing took the scabbard and pulled out the dagger——different from her last impression, the dagger she held in her hand was complete.

"Did you fix this? When? I don't remember us ever going to the forge!"

"The forging house was in the village we passed a month ago." Onikiri added: "It doesn't take long to reforge the short sword."

Tianqing took the dagger out of the scabbard, and felt that this knife was much more beautiful than the one she got before—the blade was clean and beautiful, and the smooth and flawless polished surface reminded her of the one at the back of the Honmaru. Quiet lake in the mountains.

It is really a magical place. It looks like an ordinary lake when you go there during the day, but if you go there at night, you can see the strange light at the bottom of the lake. Inspired by the teacher, she can confirm that the lake is one of the most spiritual places in Honmaru.

Maybe there is some mystery hidden in that place, which makes her calm down just by looking at it.

...It is also the same as the knife in her hand.

Tianqing turned the knife over and took it under the moonlight for a closer look. The silver light poured down, and she finally discovered the difference between this knife and the one before.

"The blade here... ah, is it the white hibiscus and... the sun?"

She rubbed the small carvings on the surface of the knife with her fingertips. There were imperfect traces of the carving patterns, but it gave her an extra warm feeling.

She raised her head and looked at Onikiri in astonishment: "Onikiri, did you carve this yourself?"

"...I have studied with the boss of the forging house. During this period of time, I have been doing this while you are resting." Onikiri explained with half-cast eyes: "It is because of this that you missed the flowering period."

"I thought about engraving your name or family crest on the knife, but I hope that you will no longer be bound by that place."

"This is just my personal wish, but it is my gift to you after all, so I chose the direction I expected."

"Up here, Hibiscus is me, and Sunshine is you."

"Before until now, I have existed because of you, so..."

Onikiri stretched out his hand and hugged the girl into his arms——

"From now on, this will be your family crest."

Onikiri put his chin on the top of her head, and after saying "Kamon", the girl in his arms seemed to cry again.

Her crying became louder and louder, she didn't know whether it was because she was moved or because she remembered too much of the past, she just hugged him tightly and wept.

Onikiri kept hugging her until her voice came from below.

"Onikiri, will you be with me for a long, long time? The two of us will be a family?"

"Ah."

"Is it a long time? How long will it be?"

"I don't know, but I will always be here in the future."

"Always?"

"Yes."

As he replied, the girl in his arms was finally willing to let go of him, her crying face was a bit embarrassed, but the face full of red marks and tears was still shockingly beautiful.

As always, easily occupying his breath and sight willfully.

And under the most beautiful moonlight, she said that her teary eyes narrowed with a smile, and little lights dotted her face like stars.

"...Then, this really sounds like the most beautiful and happy thing in the world, Onikiri."

"Well," the corner of his mouth curled up, he lowered his head to take the dagger and carefully tied it on her belt, just like the time two years ago, cautious and pious.

Only this time, Onikichi unambiguously added the meaning of this action.

"This is my proof to the only partner I have identified."

"It's sunny."

He cherished it, and there seemed to be countless stars in his deep eyes.

……

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The author has something to say:

I'm so busy recently... I will work hard to finish the list, woo woo woo