The Flowers and Birds Finally Meet

「まったく、おにいちゃん哥ちゃん！ (Really, bro!)」

The sound of birds came from ten meters away, carrying an incredulous tone mixed with confusion and annoyance, "What are you doing—"

Shoma and Nagi Hayato turned around at the same time.

Nagi Hayato innocently raised his hands, as if to say, "It has nothing to do with me," while Shoma looked completely at ease, as if to say, "Isn't it normal for an older brother to come and see his younger sister?"

The middle-aged woman walking in front smiled and came over, gently patting Xiangzhen's arm.

"I told you to wait at the exit, but instead you came here and scared the kids."

Xiangzhen obediently lowered his head: "Mom, we just came to take a look first."

This is Asuka's mother—Aunt Saito. She turned to Natsumi, looked her up and down, and then smiled. That smile was exactly the same as Asuka's smile, her eyes curving into two gentle crescent moons, one large and one small.

"You must be Summer's End? Asuka often mentions you. Thank you for taking care of me when we were at school."

Summer's end caused my waist to be bent at a ninety-degree angle.

"Hello, Auntie! Thank you so much for today! Please feel free to give me your guidance!"

Aunt Saito was amused by his overly respectful manner and waved her hand, "Don't be so nervous, relax and have fun."

Asuka stood behind her mother, her face flushed red, even more vibrant than her yukata.

She glared fiercely at Shojin, then at Nagi Hayato.

Nagi Hayato shrugged innocently, while Shoma looked away without changing his expression.

"We'll be going now," said Aunt Saito. "You young people can do your shopping. I'll just follow behind and won't bother you."

She smiled and nodded at Xia Mo, then glanced at Fei Niao, her eyes filled with the warmth and reassurance unique to a mother. She then slowly walked towards the riverbank, leaving enough distance for the three children.

Xiangzhen glanced at Xia Mo. There was a lot in that glance.

There was scrutiny, approval, a little reluctance, and that complex, indescribable emotion unique to an older brother handing his younger sister over to someone else.

"Let's go." Shojin patted Nagi Hayato on the shoulder and walked towards a takoyaki shop. Nagi Hayato followed behind, took a few steps, then suddenly stopped, turned around, and said to Natsume.

—The sound was not loud; only Xia Mo heard it.

"My mom's strawberry milk tastes better than the ones from beverage shops."

After saying that, he turned and left, leaving Xia Mo standing there alone, staring at his retreating figure for several seconds.

Strawberry milk tastes better than what you get at beverage shops.

What does this mean?

Does it mean—Welcome to my house for strawberry milk? Or—If you dare bully my sister, I'll throw strawberry milk at you?

Xia Mo thought for half a second and decided to interpret it as the former.

The crowd in the square continued to surge, and the sound of the taiko drums grew closer and louder. The setting sun was sinking into the last sliver of the horizon, painting the entire sky in a gradient of deep purple and golden orange.

Feiniao stood before Xia Mo, head bowed, her fingers twisting the strap of the cloth bag.

"Um..." she said, "Are you really alright? My brother and the others didn't do anything to you, did they?"

"It's okay," Xia Mo said. "They're nice people."

"What's so great about it?" Asuka muttered. "We agreed on three people, but a lot of people showed up. My mom was included too."

"Auntie is very gentle."

"That's not what I meant!" Asuka's face turned even redder, and she was about to say something in rebuttal when a voice boomed from the direction of the station.

"Natsu-kun-!"

The volume of the sound was enough to make at least a third of the people in the square turn their heads at the same time. Xia Mo didn't even need to look up to know who had come.

—From Bunkyo Ward to Katsushika Ward, there is only one person whose voice can be recognized from fifty meters away.

Wearing a pink yukata with a large peony pattern and a bright yellow sash, she looked like a moving, talking flower.

Erika Ikuta burst out of the turnstile, her wooden clogs clattering as she ran, like a colorful little horse that had broken free of its reins.

Behind her followed a middle-aged woman dressed elegantly, with a helpless expression.

Yes, she is Ikuta's mother.

"Erika, slow down."

But Hua Hua couldn't hear anymore. Her gaze locked onto Xia Mo, and then onto the small girl next to Xia Mo who was wearing a pink yukata and had amber eyes.

She rushed over and slammed on the brakes in front of the bird, her wooden clogs making a piercing "squeak" sound on the stone pavement.

Two girls were standing face to face.

Erika was a head taller than Asuka, wearing a pink yukata, her hair styled in a large bun with a sparkling hairpin, making her shine like an overly decorated Christmas tree.

The bird looked at her and blinked.

Erika looked at Asuka and blinked.

"You're Saito Asuka?!" Erika's voice was filled with an almost explosive excitement. She gripped her cloth bag tightly with both hands, her whole body trembling slightly, like a hunting dog that had seen its beloved toy.

Asuka instinctively took a small step back, but still nodded politely: "...Hello. Ikuta-senpai?"

"Just call me Hana! That's what everyone calls me! You're a hundred times cuter than Xia-kun described! No, a thousand times cuter! Your eyes are so beautiful! Your yukata is so beautiful! You're beautiful in every way!"

Feiniao's face turned red again, this time a full, thorough red, from her forehead to her neck.

She turned her head and looked at Xia Mo with pleading eyes—

That look meant, "Say something!"

Xia Mo stood to the side, her face slightly turned to the side, her shoulders shaking incessantly.

He knew that Asuka couldn't handle Erika's personality.

"Didn't I tell you? It's noisy, but the people are very nice."

"Who are you calling noisy!" Erika turned her head and glared at him, then quickly turned back, holding Asuka's hands with both of hers, her eyes shining like two searchlights.

"Asuka-chan! We have to take lots and lots of photos today! I want strawberry milk! Do you want to scoop goldfish? I know which stall has the best goldfish! And there's a really good fried noodle place, but I always have to wait in line for ages. But Xia-kun is here today, let him go! Anyway, he's a guy and has long legs—"

Erika continued talking, like a river that never stops flowing.

As she held Fei Niao's hands, Fei Niao slowly and gradually relaxed from her initial tension and shyness.

A smile began to appear on her lips, and the light in her eyes softened. Occasionally, she would let out a soft "hmm" or interject with "Really?" during Erika's pause for breath.

Xia Mo stood two steps away, watching the two girls—

One was like a pink peony in full bloom, and the other was like a quiet cherry blossom with dewdrops—chattering away in the sunset at the station.

The sound of the taiko drums grew closer.

The fireworks hadn't gone off yet, but he felt as if something incredibly beautiful was already blooming little by little in the summer sky.