The initially uneasy Yukino Ritsuko was briefly amused by his dark humor.
The hem of the white skirt was lifted, revealing her legs as fair as fresh bamboo shoots, with tightly drawn lines. Fujiwara Reya felt the soft and warm sensation between his fingers, pressing closely against Yukino Ritsuko’s body. Yukino Ritsuko shivered slightly; she wanted to resist a little, but when Fujiwara Reya hushed, she stopped struggling and became compliant.
"Remember the price for buying the Honda Cub?"
"Half of your heart..." Yukino Ritsuko’s other hand rested on his back at this point.
"Yes, ever since then, the other half of my heart has been entrusted to you."
"Fujiwara, I, you... Stop it..." A rosy blush suddenly spread over Yukino Ritsuko’s frost-covered face, making her incredibly beautiful.
Fujiwara Reya didn’t expect that the words he casually mentioned back then just to complete a task would now be so helpful. His cheeks felt warm as he spoke in a husky voice, "Since then, Miss Yukino’s figure, appearance, and voice have all been particularly precious to me."
"Not listening, not listening!" Yukino Ritsuko’s delicate face was full of annoyance.
At this moment, she clearly saw what "elegant" shamelessness meant from the face of the young man holding her.
"Why not listen?" Fujiwara Reya twirled her hair end around his fingers.
Yukino Ritsuko’s gaze followed his fingertips, her delicate face showing slight annoyance: "At that time, I only thought you were human, so I wanted to repay your kindness... If I had known you were a yokai, I would have stayed far away."
"If I were human, I’d never dare approach you." Fujiwara Reya smiled with deep meaning.
Perhaps recalling her inborn disposition, Yukino Ritsuko blushed and hung her head, her eyes sparkling.
"Well, now that I’m a great tengu, you shouldn’t have that concern anymore, right?" Fujiwara Reya lifted her long hair, revealing her entire fair forehead, and kissed it gently, saying tenderly, "Miss Yukino, won’t you date me?"
"... I’m just a silly woman."
"Never mind, just listen to me. I consider my character quite good, but I’m not this nice to just anyone. I like Miss Yukino, I’m fond of Miss Yukino, which is why I want you to always stay by my side. To put it this way, as long as I’m alive, I’ll always greet every day with you with the greatest passion."
Yukino Ritsuko leaned against him in silence.
For a moment, she didn’t know what to do. She wanted to say something, but it was as if something was stuck in her throat, preventing her from speaking. Then, a wave of slight dizziness came over her. Because no one had ever said such words to her before, not even once.
The wind brought out the clouds, half the moon got covered.
The cloud waves were small, gently rising and breaking apart.
"Hey, hey, say something, Miss Yukino."
"How would I know what to say..." Yukino Ritsuko said softly.
Her expression was very awkward, as if cornered into a difficult decision, making one feel compassion for her.
"Talk about yourself." Fujiwara Reya’s hand continued to pinch her earlobe.
"About what?" Yukino Ritsuko did not push him away, obedient like a docile lamb ready for slaughter.
"I hate out-of-control fires, lonely nights in April, and the spittle flying during arguments."
"Because in April, the snow starts to melt, I don’t like the melting of the snow."
"Hmm... many things."
"Then tell three more things you dislike."
"Unextinguished cigarette butts, um... broken-heeled high heels, and... let me think," Yukino Ritsuko paused, smiled charmingly as she looked up at him, "playboys."
"I also dislike playboys." Fujiwara Reya hugged her a bit tighter.
The originally tall and graceful girl appeared somewhat petite and exquisite as she was tightly enveloped in the young man’s embrace.
"Since you dislike it, you should slap him." Yukino Ritsuko’s eyes sparkled with mirth, she leisurely tucked a strand of long hair behind her ear, pursed her lips in a cool, indifferent manner, "Hit harder, don’t hold back."
"You do it yourself." Fujiwara Reya grabbed her small hand and tapped it twice on his face.
Yukino Ritsuko gave him a look of feigned annoyance.
The wind blew through the valley, separating the clouds in the sky, letting a beam of moonlight spill onto the terrace.
This ray of moonlight, just happened to fall on her shoulder, appearing as a chilly pure white shroud.
It was an incredibly cozy moment, and Fujiwara Reya didn’t want to break it by talking, opting instead to hold her quietly and watch the scenery together. Beyond the railing, the great river’s water rippled and flowed, outlining the splendid nightscape. The lights stretched along the shore, the buildings lined up one after another, and the noise reached high into the clouds.
The fireworks had ended, and various stage performances were at their most exciting. Crowds of guests gathered and dispersed in the venue, constantly moving between different stages. Yukino Ritsuko half-closed her eyes, her eyelids drooping, appearing as languid as after an afternoon nap.
Opposite her line of sight were two dignified ladies in tea-colored kimonos, leaning against the railing and indulging in the evening breeze. One wore a komon kimono with a cherry blossom pattern underneath and a Nagoya belt with black patterns, her figure petite and graceful, her face round like the full moon. The other was dressed more lavishly, with a slightly higher nose and thin lips, a cold smile on her face. They were chattering about something, their expressions very exaggerated, showing surprise and deception.