fictional spring

During the Spring Festival in the past, the city would always be decorated with lanterns and festoons, and it was really lively when people come and go, but...

It doesn't seem to make much difference to me whether the street outside is lively or not.

The so-called festive atmosphere is rarely brought into the city lord's mansion, not only because mother doesn't like this noisy environment, but also because father thinks this kind of excitement is meaningless.

But I know that there must be my reasons for it.

My health will not improve due to the arrival of the Spring Festival, and it is not enough to support me to participate in the festival with the people in the city. All I can do is stay in the room with the maid—at most He just sat on the porch, silently listening to the voices of people coming from a distance.

I also asked Lizi if she wanted to go to the festival with other people. If she showed half a desire, then I would not force her to stay in the courtyard with me anyway.

When neither my father nor my mother was with me, her existence didn't seem to have much meaning.What's more, I don't really feel that I need someone to guard me every step of the way.

But Riko didn't answer me.

At this time, I suddenly had a strange feeling—as if I was bound by something, and even thoughts that should not arise would be strangled, and I would not even have a chance to express them.

This is what I feel, belonging to Lizi's mood.

And if I want to know what caused such feelings, I can't think of any other explanations other than not knowing what it is. There is only a "curse" that exists.

The Spring Festival doesn't mean much to me, and my opinion has not changed because of anyone in every previous Spring Festival.

But when Miko-sama asked me like this, I felt that something started to surge up in my heart.

——Do I like Spring Festival?

When I asked myself like this, the answer I got was affirmative - the premise was that I imagined the Spring Festival spent with Miko-sama by my side.

But the words that came out of his mouth seemed to be covered by something.

I said to her, "Probably, I like it."

A nameless tension surged up in my heart, but it seemed to be mixed with some unspeakable anxiety, but if I really tried to savor it carefully, I couldn't feel anything.

Miko-sama stared at my face for a long time, her brows seemed to be slightly frowned, and even those blood-colored eyes were stained a little dark.

In just a split second, I realized that I seemed to have said something that displeased her.

But I have not even been able to figure out what the cause of this result is.

Is it because I said "like" or because I said "probably" that Miko-sama asked this question out of the blue, and why?

Once you start thinking wildly, you can no longer be quiet, let alone calm down and think.

So I just shut up and didn't speak anymore.

There was only the slight sound of clogs stepping on the wooden porch board, and when neither of them had any intention of speaking, it would not be long before the end of this meeting.

As I expected, not long after, Miko found a reason to leave the verandah, then returned to her room and closed the door tightly.

She walked extremely decisively, she didn't even look back at me, even when she closed the door after entering the room, she didn't cast a half-eye at me.

So... Are you really angry?

Is it because of something I said?

I stood on the veranda and stared at the barrier door at the end of the corridor for a long time, I didn't know what I was thinking, until Lizi came to me quietly at some point, reminding me to pay attention to my body.

The sky had gradually dimmed, and the night wind brought a little coolness. Lizi put the Tang robe in his hand on me and said, "You have been standing here for a long time."

I blinked, and suddenly came back to my senses, and gathered the robe I just put on, "Thank you, Linzi."

Lizi lowered her head and didn't speak, and she didn't say any more words. She just waited for my decision as always.

At this time, I had no choice but to go back to the room with Lizi, wait until I was in a suitable environment, and then slowly think about what was wrong with the conversation just now.

But as soon as I sat down, I remembered one thing.

Miko-sama may not be in a good mood right now, but in my opinion, going to sit there may make her feel a little better.

So I ordered Riko to tell Miko-sama that there is a lukewarm soup at the far end of the courtyard.

It was a hot spring that existed since I was young. Whether it is the temperature inside or the environment over there, it is very suitable as a place to adjust my mood.

My father is busy with official duties and never has time to spend on this kind of thing, and my mother has no interest in it, so there are few people there except me.

After Satoko came back and told me about Miko-sama's bland response, I was not quite sure what Miko-sama was thinking at this time.

This probably means that you don't want to go, right?

So I really should go and ask again in person?

Originally I was thinking of going to Miko-sama's room to find her after dinner, but after thinking about it, I slept in Miko-sama's room for such a long time today, it would be better to change my clothes before going to see her .

So when I was about to reach the door of the Miko, I turned my head back and went back the same way. I walked into the room and asked Li Zi to find a change of clothes for me, and then went to the warm soup with me.

Lizi was always aware of my habits when taking a bath, so he handed over the clothes to me at the door, while he stayed at the door and waited for me to come out.

This situation is so normal that it is the same as every time in the past, so at this time, I still haven't noticed anything unusual.

Until I walked through the inner room alone and came to the very familiar hot spring, but suddenly began to doubt what I saw in my sight.

I vaguely saw a figure in the hazy mist.

The hot spring, which never cools down all year round, is always surrounded by hazy water mist, and there are few people there on weekdays, so that even the authenticity of this figure began to be questioned.

But if you take a closer look——

Her long, slightly curly black hair hung wetly on her shoulders, and her red plum-colored eyes were particularly obvious in the mist that dispersed.

People soaking in hot springs, obviously——

I froze for a moment: "...Master Miko?"

Obviously when I asked Riko to tell her, Miko-sama didn't have any intention of coming here, but after I made a decision by accident, I actually met her here.

I don't know if it was my illusion, but Miko-sama seemed a little shy, and pressed her body under the water, only her head was exposed.

"why are you laughing?"

Miko-sama's voice came from the surface of the water.

"I just think it's a bit of a surprise to see you here." I thought about it, and said honestly, "After all, your answer at that time made me think that you might just want to be alone in the room for a while."

It is said that Miko-sama's expression seems to have changed, but it has become extremely hazy because of the mist. I can't quite see what her expression is at this time, but——

"Wait—you..."

Miko-sama's voice suddenly became several times louder.

While putting away the outermost layer of Tang clothes, I turned my face to look at her: "What do you want?"

Miko-sama's eyes widened as if she wanted to say something but didn't know how to say it.

I tilted my head, and suddenly thought of something: "Don't you like being with others?"

After realizing this, I immediately understood my casualness and abruptness, "Sorry, I'm going out now..."

But when I turned my head and was about to leave, a voice stopped me from behind: "Wait!"

I turned around suspiciously.

Miko-sama turned her face away and didn't look at me, but said to me: "I didn't mean that."

Now that it has been said to this extent, it is actually enough to prove that the Miko-sama does not reject me, nor does she have the intention of refusing to take a bath with me.

But for some reason, when I took off my clothes, Miko-sama's reaction seemed a little strange.

It was completely different from the strange indifference caused by some mood at dusk. At this time, she seemed to dare not look at me at all, and she was about to be buried in the water.

When I took off my clothes and tentatively dipped my feet into the pool to feel the temperature of the water, Miko-sama turned her back to me, as if she would never turn her head to look at me no matter what.

I actually don't care about these things, after all, Miko and I are mutually recognized friends, and she herself told me that she does not exclude me from going into the water with her.

That being the case, it's not a big deal just to soak in the hot spring together.

It's just a bit strange to say, obviously I didn't feel any shyness at all, and I wanted to get closer to Miko-sama when I got into the water, but Miko-sama seemed more shy than me, especially when I tried to get closer When she was there, she even subconsciously dodged to the side.

This is definitely not my illusion, because at this time, Miko-sama doesn't appear as cold or unpredictable as usual.

It only takes one glance to see the thoughts in the heart, and it only takes a moment to perceive the expressions and movements at this time.

"You don't have to do this deliberately." Seeing Miko-sama like this, I still felt that I shouldn't go into the water, so I said to her, "I'd better go ashore."

However, at this time, Miko-sama said again: "I say yes."

But the words he said in the water were completely different from the tone he used to speak to me when he was wearing clothes.

What should I say...

The Miko-sama's state at this time is like that. While resisting physically, she is forcibly comforting herself in her heart, so that she can calm down and face me.

Suddenly something seemed to be poked in the bottom of my heart, I blinked, and leaned close to Miko-sama's ear.

"Lord Miko."

When I approached her back, Miko-sama seemed to be frightened by something, but she calmed down extremely quickly, and answered me in a calm tone: "What's the matter?"

I stuck it next to her ear, and couldn't help laughing, the words in my mouth popped out without thinking at all.

I said to her, "I like you."

Miko-sama's body suddenly became a little stiff at this time, she turned her head slowly, and the expression on her face made it difficult for me to fathom for a while.

But in the face of my liking, she also gave an answer.

"Ah."