The end of the curtain

?July [-]th, Menglan Pen Festival, commonly known as Ghost Festival.

The ghost festival in Japan is not as quiet as in China. It just burns paper and delivers food to the lonely ghosts, and then closes the doors and windows in fear and stays at home. The windy streets are filled with death-like silence.

On the contrary, Meng Lan Bon Festival is a very lively festival for Japan, where people and ghosts spend together.

Since nightfall, Shinsengumi's village has been shrouded in silence, and occasionally only a few paper lanterns flickering on the entrance can be seen, but no one is seen.

As early as a few days ago, Xinba and the others had asked to go out to play together at night during the Meng Lanpen Festival, but they were all rejected by the deputy chief of the earth with a dark face.

——Do you have the self-consciousness as a cadre? !

Shinpachi and the others complained dissatisfied immediately, and Mr. Kondo, who has always been very kind to everyone, just scratched the back of his head and smiled innocently: "Don't mind everyone, go out and relax when the time comes, and I'll talk to Sui later."

Everyone immediately cheered when they heard the words, and it turned out that Mr. Kondo brought good news as soon as he came out. Although Mr. Hijikata had a gloomy face, he still turned a blind eye and acquiesced.

Only Saito, who has always been in charge of the deputy chief, has a serious expression on his face: "Deputy chief, please rest assured to entrust me with the task of patrolling at night." Hijikata sighed helplessly and nodded in agreement, so all the members of the third division team stood up. It's the expression of being shot and lying on the ground.

Hajime, good job!You are a good man, a very good man!

As soon as she put down the rag and turned around, someone grabbed Sakurai's sleeve, and after a closer look, it turned out that it was Xiao Qianhe who came in at some time: "Xiao Xu, let's go out to the temple fair together."

"Ah? But I—" Mr. Yamazaki is not in the village now, and I have to record the medicinal materials for him.

"Let's put down the work in hand today and go out with everyone." Qianhe's soft voice was somewhat unnatural, although she knew that little Qianhe should have something to hide from her, but she didn't think Qianhe He would also murder her, so he nodded and agreed.

Just right, I really want to go out for a walk, and buy some snacks for the general manager by the way... By the way, he hasn't seen him since the meal...

Chizuru's face immediately burst into a happy smile, so she ran towards the room holding Sakurai by her hand.Sakurai was wondering why Chizuru opened the closet as soon as the door was closed, Chizuru had already quickly pulled out two sets of floral bathrobes, one blue and one blue, from the bottom of the closet.

Hey?Ladies?Why did Qianhe bring women's clothing?

"Xiaoxu, quickly change into it and let's go together." Qianzuru said while picking up the relatively small blue yukata and putting it on skillfully, ignoring the surprised Sakurai, she just urged with a smile .

Qianhe thought that the task assigned to him by everyone was about to be completed, but he didn't expect that he would follow suit.In order to be able to follow Mr. Harada's instructions to make Xiaoxu look better and go out, Xiao Qianhe also spared no expense to take the lead and put on a yukata.

It will be very lively tonight, right?

In the end, Sakurai dubiously changed into the turquoise purple wisteria floral bathrobe under Chizuru's expectant gaze.The wide sleeves are a bit in the way, and a bow tie with a simple and elegant color is tied around the waist, but the waist is slightly narrowed.It's been a long time since she wore women's clothing, and the uncomfortable feeling of clinging to her body line made her frown slightly.

I always felt that Qianhe was acting weird today, as if she was expecting something, but she didn't have so much time to think about it.After all, this is the settlement of the Shinsengumi, and Mr. Hijikata may have invited him to the "Deputy Chief's Office" to drink tea and lecture a few words, and copy the rules of the game.But it would be difficult to explain if the Ping soldiers saw it, especially Mr. Yidong who spoke in a strange way and thought carefully.

But the defenseless little Qianhe dragged her out to the main entrance openly.Sakurai felt a little bit of horror in his heart, but he didn't see any Ping Soldier when he walked out, not even a shadow of anyone.

What's going on today?Even if it's a one-night holiday, it's impossible not to see everyone, right?

All the way to the main entrance safely, I saw Harada Heisuke and Shinpachi waiting at the entrance for a long time.When he saw Sakurai looking at them with a puzzled face, Shinpachi sighed helplessly with some resentment: "Ah~ gentle and beautiful girl, that boy of the head is really lucky! I'm so jealous... "

ha?Director?

Harada sneered and slapped Shinpachi on the back of the head with a big slap, and the increasingly ambiguous expression on the painful Shinpachi's face froze abruptly, and he yelled "Aw".

"Ahaha, don't worry about these two uncles, it's getting late, let's go!" Hirasuke said with a smile. The handsome face was actually stained with two touches of faint blush.In just a second, Hirasuke quickly turned his eyes away, walked in the front with a big stride with his hands on the back of his head, smiling.

Although he didn't quite understand what was going on, seeing Harada Shinpachi who was always fighting, Sakurai took it for granted and chose to ignore it, following in the footsteps of Hirasuke and Chizuru.

It's so weird...

—————————————————————

The deep and wide night is full of water and ink, which seems to be as quiet and silent as a silent state of mind.There are no stars, only the bright full moon emits soft silvery white brilliance in obscurity.

When he just walked to the intersection, Xiao Qianhe suddenly smiled and changed the subject and said that he wanted to go to the river to see the river lights.But she wanted to buy some Yukiyaki as snacks first, so she asked Sakurai to wait by the river first.

Chizuru, you are really not fit to lie.What the hell is going on, can't you just say it directly, why are everyone so mysterious?

Perhaps there was something really wrong, Sakurai nodded in agreement without asking any further questions.So now, she was pacing alone by the river bank, waiting for a long time but not seeing them coming.

This section of the Sijo River is rarely visited by people on weekdays, but it is located in the middle and lower reaches of the road, and the river lanterns coming from the upper stream along the waterway are always more gathered here on the flatter terrain.So it is a good choice to watch the river lantern here.

On both sides of the river bank are green and gloomy groves, and a piece of darkness is strung together into a quiet bead curtain.The soft moonlight falls on the calm river surface, reflecting the broken light of Qingling.I saw the river lantern with a weak candle in the center of the beautifully shaped lotus-shaped lampstand drifting slowly along the water, gently cutting out one after another of rippling waves of light.

Perhaps it was because she was bored after waiting for a long time, even if the surrounding environment seemed a little dark, but Sakurai was more courageous than girls of the same age, so she forgot the so-called fear for a while.So he squatted on the bank of the river with the hem of his skirt, and his slender fingers slid across the cool water.

- Wow - Wow -

The sound of the river water is like the sound of plucked strings, which is very clear and clear in this silence.

I was a little irritated thinking about why Qianhe and the others hadn't come over yet, just as I stood up, I suddenly felt someone behind me gradually approaching.

Although there is no sound, but the sixth sense of people will still play a role when someone is approaching.Sakurai stood there motionless, not turning around immediately.

Are they here?However, logically speaking, Qianhe would definitely call himself... Unless, it wasn't Qianhe... Then who is it?Could it be that a lonesome who was robbed, a person like her who might not be able to have sex even with a knife would suffer the most.

Still, let's find a way to run, not to mention not bringing a knife today... I was silently thinking about one, two, three, and at the same time, I was still estimating the surrounding terrain...

The always strong hand suddenly put her shoulder lightly, suddenly, Sakurai was startled thinking that the person acted so quickly, so he also decided to fight back.

After a pause, she subconsciously grabbed that hand and twisted it violently, just thinking about pulling that person over forcefully, bumping her hard with her elbow, and taking the opportunity to run away.That person's reaction and strength were unmatched by Sakurai, and he cut Sakurai's hand behind his back with a backhand.

Sakurai couldn't move and realized that he couldn't beat the opponent, thinking that it was over at this time, so he immediately looked back——

The tall figure was wearing a gray-blue bathrobe with a knife on his waist. The first thing that caught his eyes was a hideous grimace, with blue-faced fangs and distorted face. Under the light of the faint orange candle in the man's hand, it looked a bit strange .

It’s not that Sakurai has never heard of it. On the day of the Meng Lan Pen Festival, there will be many guests from afar. They spend only three days in this world in a hurry. Ghost masks of various shapes will not be afraid of the sun, but they will walk around silently without shadows until the deadline is reached.

Perhaps a timid girl would scream and even faint when she saw this grimace, but Sakurai gasped silently, and the corner of her eye happened to fall on the dark gray shadow of that person.

Startled, she didn't immediately struggle needlessly. When she raised her head uncertainly and saw the man's dark brown hair and familiar bun, she already had some confidence in her heart.

—Your uncle!

"Sick Okita, let me go!" At that time, she really wanted to swear, but she kicked him unceremoniously because she couldn't move her hands. Anyway, she knew that she couldn't hurt him, so she just kicked him unceremoniously.

There was a sly chuckle from behind the ferocious grimace, and Sakurai felt that the fire was about to explode completely, the chief commander let go of his hand and pulled off the ghost mask, revealing that handsome face And blue eyes full of smiles.

"You are really no different from a child." Sakurai said helplessly, not wanting to argue with him so much.You said how a big man is as naughty as a child. The feeling is really awkward. It's not rejection, but a tolerant feeling of helplessness.

"I don't deny it, Xiaoxu~" the chief executive smiled and bent his dark green fox eyes, "so let's go, don't disappoint the Xinbazuozhi and the others~" Taking Sakurai's hand, he swaggered up the tree-lined path and walked towards the lively place.

ah?what? What?Shinyachi Zuoyuki's intentions?What?

Sakurai felt that he was a monk Erzhang who couldn't figure it out, and was forcibly dragged away by the chief executive.

"Hey, wait a minute, I'm waiting for Qianhe and the others!" So Qianhe will worry if she doesn't come to see her.

"Hi, I know~"

"But what if they don't see me when they come over later?" You must not break your promise.

"Don't wait any longer, Chizuru will have a great time with Mr. Hijikata."

"—Ah, ah?!" What?

……

Looking at a quaint street and a slightly narrow street, lanterns are hung one after another by the door of the storefront, and the street is lined with stalls of all kinds of goods, big and small, walking back and forth There is an endless stream of people, and the white imperial coins hanging on the gate of the shrine at the end flutter in the cool wind of the summer night.

To be honest, it was the first time for Sakurai to participate in the temple fair of the Japanese Mulan Bon Festival, so naturally he looked around curiously.

There is no weird atmosphere as imagined before, just a bustling and lively scene.There is a lot of traffic and voices. If you don’t pay attention or stand firm, you will easily be squeezed by the turbulent crowd.

After going back and forth like this a few times, Sakurai could be said to have been hit hard enough. If he hit his head, I don't know if he would become an idiot.

Sakurai was about to raise his hand to rub his sore shoulder, but suddenly felt a warm touch and tight force from his entire right hand.Sakurai was stunned for a moment, then raised his head in astonishment, but met the chief executive's dark green eyes with a faint smile.

This is……

"Hold on tight, don't worry if you lose it~" The chief executive's voice came with a sly smile, his beautiful blue eyes narrowed slightly, and he held Sakurai's hand tightly.Before Sakurai had time to react, he turned his head and walked in the front, blocking many people for Sakurai.

I, I... I can't do this, Chizuru and her...

The subordinate subconsciously wanted to break free from the chief executive, but the chief executive didn't intend to let go at all, instead he held on tighter and tighter.

Wasn't it supposed to be a very happy thing to be led by him, but Sakurai felt an indescribably sour feeling in his heart.I really want to be held by him all the time, it's a very safe and warm feeling, but it's really selfish for me to disregard Qianzuru's thoughts, and she would rather just let go.

Only by letting go of his hand can he find his own true happiness...?