In the misty, rain-laden forest, beneath a white paper umbrella, there appeared a beautiful face, exuding a naïve and romantic expression, beautifully illuminated by the faint green light scattered through the oil paper, with raindrops clinging to it. She lightly lifted her skirt, descending the stone steps with a feminine grace. That fla and the lilies were cherished and pitied by the woman, and in that supre mont, unease finally dissolved into a scene as graceful as poetry. The mont the woman, heading to learn flower arrangent, encountered the fla, their lives intertwined.
"And then?" Fujiwara Reya asked.
"That’s it." Mrs. Kasahara tidied her damp hair with both hands, then said in a calm, or rather resolute tone, "I took the lilies back to Tokyo and nurtured them."
"Huh?"
"What’s so surprising?"
"I just feel it’s kind of inconclusive..."
Kasahara Fumi silently fiddled with the flowers.
"Sister Fukaeri?" Fujiwara Reya asked her curiously.
"I don’t know, it doesn’t concern , don’t ask !" Kasahara Fumi directly shut him down.
"It’s truly extraordinary when you think about it, lilies are truly divine flowers." Mrs. Kasahara said calmly, picking up the flower shears, "I’ll give you one, take it ho and take good care of it, it can ward off illness and disasters."
Fujiwara Reya felt there was more to her words, but couldn’t grasp it, so he just smiled and said, "Even without this flower, we wouldn’t fall ill."
The small flower shears snipped off a flower from close to the stem.
The shears made a slight sound.
"Don’t say such things! The lilies not only ward off illness..." Mrs. Kasahara stopped here, then turned her head to one side.
Fujiwara Reya also looked over.
Kasahara Fumi seed to have concerns, leaning on the rosewood table, her profile looked exceptionally lovely under the lamp. In an instant, this beautiful profile sensed his gaze, and imdiately turned over, shouting loudly in a peculiar, discordant tone as if to threaten, "What are you looking at!"
"..."
Fujiwara Reya looked bewildered.
Was she trying hard to suppress emotional accusations?
Just by her voice, it was clear how upset she was.
Also!
What else can lilies do?
Neither of you is going to keep playing riddles, are you!
Coincidentally, Kasahara Asuka just happened to be passing by outside the door and glanced inside.
"Asuka." Fujiwara Reya greeted.
The junior gave him a glance with a look as if she were looking at a corpse, swayed her shoulders, and walked away.
She had said she would never pay attention to a scumbag senior until her anger subsides. As the world’s number one beautiful girl, what she says she’ll do, so Fujiwara Reya’s enthusiasm was t with cold indifference.
"Ha ha, you’ve made both my daughters angry." Mrs. Kasahara said, twirling the flower stem with her fingers, "Do you know where you went wrong?"
"I know."
"The elder sister is beautiful, and the younger sister is pretty too. Sadly, they t you."
"..."
Fujiwara Reya seed unable to find the right words.
Strange, was today specifically arranged for him to co over just to be critiqued...
"To be honest, I’m quite mad at you too." Mrs. Kasahara’s legs, extended from under her kimono, pulling at the hem with both hands while saying, "As your elder, when dining with you, you were ill-mannered. So much so that now sitting with you makes uneasy. Please, be a gentleman, alright. After all, you are a man, and it’s not safe. Let be clear: if you make any untoward moves, I won’t see you again, never talk to you again, and imdiately break off ties. Hmm? Can you swear you will never lay a hand?"
"?"
Fujiwara Reya’s head was already filled with small question marks.
At this mont, Kasahara Fumi raised her head, questioning him with eyes full of aggression.
’You were improper with my mother—’
’I wouldn’t dare...’
’You seem guilty!’
’No, I’m not...’
’Your eyes are shifty!’
"Swear!" Fujiwara Reya lightly raised his hand and opened his palm, making a promise to the two.
In front of this mother and daughter pair, it felt like walking on a tightrope, requiring the highest level of caution.
Mrs. Kasahara picked up a small handkerchief from the table, gracefully wiping the moisture from her hands. Kasahara Fumi, as if afraid of damaging sothing, touched the flower on her head and, from under its shadow, cast a puzzled look at her mother. Mrs. Kasahara blinked, leaned close with a light laugh, and whispered in her ear, "In the ti to co, your mother will quietly follow you, you mustn’t tell—"
In that instant, Kasahara Fumi seed to realize what thod her mother intended to use.
"Uh, so..." Fujiwara Reya gingerly held the lily designated for him, "If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back... Also, in the next three days I’m going out of town, the director might not be able to contact ."
"Yes, that’s fine." Mrs. Kasahara said in a llow, sing-song tone, "Just you, a kid, finding you won’t be too difficult for , don’t think you can deceive ."
"Rest assured!" Fujiwara Reya humorously played it off.
"Hey, one more thing." Mrs. Kasahara leaned in, her expression softening a little, "I treat you as soone I can trust, so don’t backstab . Also, as Asakusa Shrine grows, besides the Hoshimi family, don’t get too close with the Tsuchimikado family and Asakusa Temple. I even want to hear you speak ill of both families. You should know, you were the one I first reached out to and supported, so you should be on my side, right? If you gain any benefits, they should be mine too, right? If you treat others better, I’ll get jealous. In this regard, there’s no difference between and an average woman, very petty indeed..."
The noble director, pursing her lips, t his gaze. Her smile was bright and affectionate, with a slight hint of entreaty.
The light fell on that face.
As if it carried so tantalizing, carnal glow.
Fujiwara Reya felt himself being moved.
No matter if she was acting or not, a forty-year-old woman feigning cuteness is really irresistible...
Staying at the Kasahara household until evening, after having dinner, Fujiwara Reya was finally permitted to leave.
Mrs. Kasahara personally escorted him, the two walked along the corridor.
"I still feel sowhat baffled!" Fujiwara Reya complained.
"Oh dear, sorry, maybe you misunderstood sothing." Mrs. Kasahara laughed cunningly, covering her mouth with her hand, "Hurry back, don’t overthink, I’ll send you a surprise in a few days."
"What surprise?"
"Alright, alright, go back now, I have things to attend to."
"Then I’ll be off. By the way..."
"What?" Mrs. Kasahara halted.
"Let tell you, I," Fujiwara Reya turned back, looking at her in the light, thought for a mont, and said, "I deeply respect you... So, goodbye, I’ll visit frequently in the future."
"Goodbye."
Mrs. Kasahara waved her hand.
Hearing his steps rushing over the stone steps, she gazed at the night sea’s lights under the dark sky.
"I wonder what secret you shared with Fumi, I’m really looking forward to it..." She murmured, her delicate fingertips brushing over her ample chest, letting out a gentle laugh in the night.
※※※※※
Walking along the deserted path, Fujiwara Reya held the lily in his hand.
In the darkness, the flower hung its head mournfully.
He kissed the petals lightly with his lips.
The contact between his lips and the lily, subtle and delicate, like the dawn embracing a ridge. He thought to himself, "The pure basis and pure assurance of the flower lie here, indeed all here. Does it have anything to do with Fumi? Fire, flower... flower in the fire? What on earth is the surprise? That woman is full of lies, completely untrustworthy, more like a shock than a surprise... Well, it doesn’t matter, the flower is in my hand, that’s all that matters, what else is there to worry about."
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