monosyllable echo

Not far from the mountain behind the shrine is the mother's grave.Even at such a close distance, it was difficult for me to move forward.

Kneeling in front of the grave, wash the tombstone carefully with clean water over and over again.

"Hey, mother, I finally called Uncle Sojiro 'Daddy' today. As soon as I called out, I felt that my persistence in the past was so naive. Obviously, I really need a shoulder to lean on, a hug to cuddle with , but stubbornly unwilling to admit his fragility. So what if he is not his own biological father, he is obviously the same as his father."

Kneeling in front of the grave, over and over again, stroked the strokes of the inscription with your fingers, touching the edges and corners of the tombstone.

"Hey, Mother, today I wore Chihaya's Chihaya and the hairpin you wore, and performed the Kagura dance at the ceremony. I didn't understand why you always asked me to practice this dance over and over again. The pious people above suddenly understood and stopped complaining. I think I have understood the sense of responsibility as a priestess that you have been talking about all the time. That’s right! Soujiro’s father said that I danced very well. Like my mother back then! Mother, do you want to see it? Although I only wear casual clothes now, I still want my mother to see it!"

Having said that, I immediately stood up and tried to dance Kagura dance again.

First, he walked steadily to the shrine step by step, knelt down slowly, then held the Kagura bell in meditation with his right hand, shook it gently according to the rhythm, stood up slowly, rotated slightly, moved his steps, and vibrated the bell, right and left , front, left, right, left...

"Ajiu, look up!"

"?!"

The voice next to my ear made me stand in place immediately. I don't know how many times I have heard such a familiar mother's voice!

I turned around immediately, but I could only see this lonely tombstone, and the mother in the photo who was calm and unsmiling even when facing the camera, feeling suddenly indescribably sad, staggered and knelt in front of the mother's monument.I moved closer to the tombstone, buried my head in my arms, and curled up in front of the tombstone. At first I suppressed sobbing, but finally I couldn't help crying loudly.

"I'm sorry, Mother. It took so long to come to see you... Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Crying and crying, in the end, not tears, just tears.

Mother, have this sadness and regret been conveyed to you?

However, Ajiu vowed to go on happily ever after, and this tear of regret was the last time.

The afterglow of the setting sun gradually cast over, dyeing the cold tombstone with a little warmth, mother, did you hear Ajiu's vow to encourage Ajiu?

"Ajiu, it's time to go home."

When I heard the call, I turned around and saw Kazuki not far behind me, quietly sitting in the wheelchair and looking at me, so I just looked back at him quietly.

The oath I just made is still echoing in my ears, Ajiu, let's start now!

I stood up, wiped away my tears, wiped away the tears, and ran towards Kazuki.

Coming to the side of the wheelchair, I tried to smile at Kazuki in front of me, although, I thought, my expression must be very strange now, with red eyes, sour nose... Well~ what the hell!

"Sa, Kazuki, let's go home."

"Ah."

# # #

Even though he was sitting in a wheelchair, Kazuki always looked back at me with flickering eyes from time to time, and finally yelled out as if he had finally made up his mind: "Aku..."

As I continued to push the wheelchair forward, I responded, "Huh?"

Shuttle between the trees, the sun was shining on and off, I couldn't see Kazuki's expression clearly, I could only look at his blurred side face, the corners of his mouth moved slightly: "A few days ago, it was me—"

Ah, I know what you're going to say, stop now!

"Kazuki!"

Kazuki who was interrupted looked surprised and turned to look at me: "Huh?"

I lowered my head and met Kazuki's beautiful eyes: "I just swore an oath in front of my mother's grave."

Surprised by the topic I raised, Kazuki couldn't react for a moment: "What?"

I smiled and repeated: "I said, I just swore in front of my mother's grave that I would cry for the last time, and that was the last tear that would be left because of remorse. From now on, I will work hard to live a firm and happy life , guard your own happiness."

As if he didn't understand the connection between what I said and interrupting him, Kazuki raised his eyebrows: "So?"

I chuckled, stopped looking at Kazuki, straightened up and pushed the wheelchair forward: "So! What is my happiness? My happiness is to be happy with you, Soujiro's father, Spark, and of course you, Kazuki."

"...Ajiu, you—"

"Kazuki, don't worry, listen to me first! During this time, I have thought about it for a long time, and my head is numb - why do we always quarrel over one thing? For me, it is because Kazuki thinks there is no Cherish yourself so angry, Kazuki is always angry because I feel that I restrict you. Every time it ends without a smile, and there will never be a reasonable solution. What should I do? So, I thought of Now, since there must be one party to compromise or change, then let me do it!"

"..."

"Hey, Kazuki is also trying his best to protect his own happiness. Although I don't agree with the method that sometimes hurts himself, but in the future, I will not try to persuade you to change. But, I also I will try my best to protect it in my own way. Guard you, guard my happiness!"

"..."

"Kazuki, did you hear it? If you don't make a sound, you will assume that you have heard it by default~"

"..."

Staring at Kazuki's silent side face, but his lines became softer, he suddenly became in a good mood, um, one thing after another, finally moved forward in an orderly manner.

I seem to have heard someone say that when you are happy, you must express it with singing. Since you can't sing, let's shout it out for a long time! !

"Okay~~ Now that's the case! In the next few days, let my sister and I come to save you, a patient with Tom Sue syndrome!"

Startled by my voice, Kazuki was startled at first, and then a black thread crawled across his face: "Hey, hey! It seems that something strange has mixed in! What is Tom Sue syndrome! Also, when did you become me? sister?!"

Stopping again, I turned to Kazuki, raised my eyebrows and curled my lips, looking like a queen: "Of course I'm your older sister! I'm older than you, and your uncle's daughter, am I not your older sister~ ~So, there is no need for an apology or something. Rather than this, I would rather you say to me: 'Hey, Aku, today's Kagura Mai is really Saiko!'"

Hearing this, Kazuki was taken aback for a moment, then turned his head awkwardly, and muttered in a low voice: "...It's beautiful."

Wait, Kazuki, what did you just say?

I couldn't believe my ears, I froze in place: "What did you just... say??"

...Although the wind is very strong, I still heard it, but I want to hear you say it again.

This time, Kazuki turned his head, looked at me sincerely, and said frankly: "I said, Aku, you look beautiful in a shrine maiden costume! You look good dancing too! It's beautiful."

I didn't expect Kazuki to be so obedient and repeated it again, my brain froze and went blank, and it was reflected in the one-word answer of an idiot like me—"Oh."

He laughed loudly: "Puff hahaha! Ajiu, do you know that sometimes you are really a model of cuteness..."

I was furious: "What, what, what, what, what - what -!?!? Kazuki, how dare you laugh at me?! See how I will deal with you!!"

He shouted in fright: "Hey, hey, hey!! Don't push the wheelchair so fast! I'm about to fall! Help! It's murder~~~"

I laughed happily: "Oh hehehehe~~~ Let's see if you still dare to laugh at me in the future!!"

In a blink of an eye, we came near the shrine.

Beside the gate of the shrine, Soujiro's father was waving to this side: "Hey! It's time to eat! I will cook today~"

Looking at each other and smiling, we moved closer to the warmth——

"We're back!"

"We're back!"

"Hey, Ajiu, please give me more advice in the new semester!"

"Yes, please teach me, Kazuki."

# # #

At this moment, standing at the gate of the school holding a bunch of student union recruiting flyers in my hand, I really can't laugh.To describe my current expression, I don't think there is a more suitable word than the four words "gritting teeth"...

But, isn't my expression of "gritting teeth" expressed to the extreme? ——Looking at Kazuki Shiranui walking towards me with a bright smile on his face, I asked this question from the bottom of my heart.do not care!Since you can't improve your expression, let's express it in words without care!

"So~so~said~, this is what you said about the new semester, please give me advice?! No~know~fire~one~tree~jun!!!"

He came to me with his teeth and claws all the way, and he just smiled when he heard my angry tone: "Ajiu~ Don't make such an expression! You are the 'Student Union Image Ambassador' elected by all the members of the student union" Ah! So, as the image representative of our student union, how can you miss the important recruiting activities!"

It seems that the performance is not enough!The flames of my rage.

Excuse me, can I swear?Can?What is the "Student Union Image Ambassador"? ! ? !How come I don't know at all!Also, the old members of the student council are gone, and now you are the only one who is holding a magic horse election, Kazuki Shiranui, you are playing me like a mentally handicapped man! ! !

Seeing more and more black lines hanging on my head, just when I felt that I couldn't bear it any longer, I suddenly heard an extremely perverted voice in my ear—"Hi~~Ms. Student Union Ambassador~~Look this way ~~" After turning his head, a white light flashed in front of his eyes—"Ka——"

Although his eyes are blurry, he can still see that dazzling red hair...

"Oh~ Baiyin! Come out to take pictures for the news department?"

"Hmm~~ I really took a good photo!"

...You guys, how long are you going to ignore me!God, is today my Good Friday? !