“Uwah~…!”

On the following weekend, Fuyuka and Ohana went to the flower viewing. Ohana wore the outfit they just obtained the other day, and her back was a little puffy, likely for her transparent tail which has been packed within.

(Well, no one will notice this much. It’s too crowded…)

It was a little past seven in the evening and night was quite upon them. The reason they came at a time like this is that the cherry blossoms beautifully illuminated at this late hour. If Ohana would find that sight fresh has been more than Fuyuka could tell, but the girl’s eyes were fixed upwards since a while ago.

“Wonderful! It’s wonderful! Flowers in my parts used to be lit by bonfires at night, but over here they are so much brighter!”
“Bonfires might also have their charm, though I like it here, too.”

Fuyuka was curiously well-versed as she watched admiring Ohana, even though she had not been here for several years due to either work fatigue or regarding it too much a bother.
And so they walked along the path lined with cherry trees, carrying drinks they bought beforehand at a nearby convenience store.
Of course, for it is very famous spot for flower viewing, a congestion there was extraordinary. Despite that, it appears that some basic etiquette is being observed there still, as everyone proceed slowly, at regular intervals.

“Try not to get separated. There are so many people here.”

Fuyuka said, and opened the can of beer which she bought. She is not a heavy drinker, but it is not uncommon for her to drink at places like this.
Ohana, meanwhile, had a juice, although she said to be fine with alcohol too. None the less, regardless of her actual age, in no wise could she afford it, for both in appearance and in character she came across as little girl.

“Eep, w-wait…”

Ohana gave a nod in response to​ Fuyuka’s reminder, but was soon swept away by overwhelming crowd all the same. Not because she was absent-minded, but because all people round her were adults, and everyone has been focused on the cherry blossoms. Obviously, Ohana was completely out of sight.

“Hold on, are you good!?”

Fuyuka rushed to reach to Ohana, who was swaying back and forth under the crowd’s pressure. Ohana likewise, finding that unbearable, reached and grasped the outstretched hand, regaining her bearings, somehow.

“I-I beg your pardon. I have caused you inconvenience…”
“No problem. Everybody seems to be so enthralled by cherry trees, there is nothing we can do.”

Fuyuka glanced at Ohana, while going along with boisterous, chattering mass: The girl appeared to admire the cherry blossoms, not paying undue attention to their linked hands.

(Why am I so conscious of it? We are not in primary school…!)

Ohana’s hand feel tender and warm. Being that even in spring evenings are still chilly, her temperate naturally helped to keep Fuyuka’s hand warmer.

(This is the only way to prevent us getting separated, it can’t be helped… And Ohana doesn’t seem to be concerned about it. I suppose I should keep it normal…)

She sipped the beer in her other hand. The power of alcohol is much welcomed presently.

“Ohana, um…”
“Yes?”
“Do you… Do you enjoy outings like this?”
“Yes! I love them!”
“You do. I’m happy to hear that. I wanted to apologise for always making you do everything—and cooking and cleaning.”
“This is something I like to do… Besides, this is a wonted way for the wife!”
“I wonder if it is—.”

Due to noise around them, she does not reproach Ohana for her remark. After all, for someone to perceive their relationship within this environment is out of the question.
Smilingly, Ohana continued:

“Withal, for you are so caring, Fuyuka-san! I’m truly loving it too!”
“Caring? Me?”
“Yes! So much as providing with your lodgings this unlooked-for visitor. And even bringing me, thus, along here, to the flower viewing!”
“That’s just…”

A way of showing appreciation for everything she does for her sake. On weekdays, she takes care of her lodgings. And although the place is cramped, she clean it every day, so the rooms are cleaner than ever. As well as meals which watching over Fuyuka’s health, since they are not side dishes from supermarket, but prepared so earnestly.
It assumed to merely be a thank you for that…

(What is this with me!)

Fuyuka writhed with unfamiliar emotion. She believed she was past the idea of a love affair, after her last experience; however, somewhere in the depths of her heart, she was slowly being drawn to Ohana.
Not willing to acknowledge the fact, Fuyuka, bun-bun,¹ shook her head violently, dismissing a wicked thought.

”?”

Ohana could but tilt her head to the scene when an abrupt voice came from behind them.

“Huh—? Hiiragi-san—?”
“… What——! W-why are you…!?”

There stood Kana, whom she​ always happen upon at her workplace. The gait of hers, however, was all—fura-fura—erratic and shaky. Her state of inebriation was as clear as day, for her blush, together with alcohol bottle in the hand, proclaimed as much.

“It’s funny to meet you here~. You should’ve let me know if you were going to the flower viewing—.”
“No, I wasn’t expecting you to come… Rather than that, why the suit?”

Indeed, despite it being a weekend, Kana has been dressed in her work suit. Reply escorted a merry smile.

“Nah~, I had some work to do today—… ‘More work is the best rest’² they say, eh—. And there was that new girl, and I told her about this place, and she said she wanted to go, and so…”
“Eh? New girl?”

Upon such statement, looking behind Kana, she could make out at least three—still not very wrinkled—suited youthful figures stay there. Not before they discerned Fuyuka themselves did they bow with “Thank you for the hard work!”

“R-right… Isn’t today a day-off?”
“‘You’d learn everything faster if you’ll study at work,’ were director’s reason.”
“… …”

Fuyuka frowned, reminded of the snide face of her director. She reckoned, no matter how one would look at it, cruel it is to force them to work on weekends as soon as they finished internship.
While she pitied poor newcomers, Kana spotted the hand which connected Fuyuka together with the petite girl. Oh dear, she spotted it.

“Incidentally, Hiiragi-san! who is this girl holding your hand!?”
“Eh!?”

“Dear me!” Fuyuka’s mind went blank. She had all but forgotten that she was now here viewing flowers with Ohana.

“Hm-m, um—… she is…”

Whilst struggling to cunningly excuse herself, brush, Ohana briskly stepped forwards, and swiftly bower her head.

“Nice to meet you. I am Ohana, a relative of Fuyuka-san.”
“Eh…?”

When Ohana politely announced thus, Kana’s eyes lit up.

“Kya—! What a cutie—! Ohana-chan, are you! I’m Kana, Hiiragi-san is always taking care of me at work!”

Ohana artfully listened and nodded to the words of intoxicated Kana. The responses emerged perfectly serene and nonchalant.

“So Hiiragi-san came with Ohana-chan to the flower viewing—. You can’t just suddenly come with your relatives and people from company, right.”
“R-right, that’s right. Which is why I’m sorry.”
“No, no, it’s okay—. Even so, Ohana-chan is so small and cute~. Yosh, yosh~! ”
“Hh!”

From Kana’s point, Ohana is but a cute child, therefore she began stroking her hair without any reservations.

“Fwah… Ah!?”

For Ohana that was past expectations likewise, and she let out a cry of surprise, all too late, however. Not before Ohana found her hair dishevelled had Kana paused.

“Um? Hmm?”

There are, of course, the ears of Ohana which are but transparent, and one might feel them, if one touched them. The moment Kana decided to keep moving her hand farther to ascertain——

“Stop it!”

Reflexively, Fuyuka covered Ohana, and pulled her into her arms.

“Whoa!?”

Even inebriated Kana was taken aback by such manœuver, and retreated a little. Fuyuka hastily continued, after shielding the other.

“Oh-Ohana is polite but timid a person, if you touch her all of a sudden like that, she’d get startled!”
“A-ah, right. Sorry, I’m a bit tipsy here… Ohana-chan, too, I’m sorry for such a rude attack.”
“No, I had found myself at a slight dismay, but… I am all right.”

Kana felt saved as smiling Ohana stated so, while staying wrapped in Fuyuka’s arms from behind.

“Excuse me, I guess I am a bit excited to see Hiiragi-san on the day off. Well then, we’d better get going.”
“Oh, indeed. What are you planning to do now?”
“Eh? We all agreed to go drinking, ain’t we! What are you talking about!”
“You’re going to drink even more… Try not to ruffle too many feathers.”³
“Aye—! Yosh, then, let’s go, people—!”

New employés were cordial in their manners as they bid farewell to Fuyuka and Ohana, and followed behind Kana, as yet leaving impression of reticence and innocence. How nostalgic.

“Um, Fuyuka-san.”

Watching them go there could be heard a voice coming from Ohana. Only then did Fuyuka realise that she has hitherto been embracing girl in the place; panicking, she freed her.

“Ah, s-sorry!”
“No, no, this all has been to protect me. I shall apologise for my part as well. I endeavoured to delude them, and yet…”
“It’s fine. I must say you did pretty well… Did you think it over beforehand?”
“Yes! I thought this over so that no one would have come to find my being the wife of Fuyuka-san’s.”
“You thought of this…”

Ordinarily, she ought to be delighted about it. For Fuyuka it meant one less problem to worry of.
However, the moment Ohana spoken a falsehood of her person being but a relative, the moment Kana patted her head… certainly, at that time, Fuyuka’s heart confronted loneliness, jealousy and possessiveness.

“Say, Ohana…”
“Yes?”

She squeezed girl’s hand slightly tighter than earlier.

“Why don’t we eat sushi? They also have inarizushi there.”
“Are you sure!? I should much prefer to!”

Her not-visible ears and tail seemed to be shaking with anticipation. Wearing a mild smile upon her visage, Fuyuka busied herself with sorting out the emotions that born within her.

---

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1. [Bunbun] - shake with vigour (reads as “boom-boom”); back

2. [Kyūjitsu shukkin] - a day-off work, or working on a day off; quite peculiar to Japan term, huh…
   while I have slightly revised saying of “change of work is the best rest”; back

3. here, however, I left somewhat literal translation of [羽目を外しすぎない], and on contrary to the English definition, this actually means “not to go overboard”; back