Hinagiku was at a loss for words. What could she say after Sakura said she loved her? Especially when Hinagiku loved her so incredibly much in return?
“…Sakura, are you…pouting?”
“No.”
She most certainly was. Hinagiku finally realized she had neglected the loved one who was standing right next to her, even though she had only been watching the sky for a few minutes.
Rosei wasn’t the only person Hinagiku cared for, but perhaps admitting she liked winter more than spring had hit a nerve. Hinagiku giggled. Her retainer’s jealousy was so lovely.
“Hinagiku…loves you…too…”
She sincerely returned that expression of love.
“And nobody…can get…in the way…of that.”
Hinagiku knew how to love someone back, and she wanted to love Sakura back most of all.
“Lady Hinagiku…”
The kittenish pout faded from Sakura’s face, replaced by a smile that grew and grew. She slid closer to Hinagiku and held her hand, then shook it.
“…I love you lots, lots more.”
“Hee-hee. Hinagiku…loves you…lots, lots, lots more…”
The girls blushed and smiled at each other.
Not far away, two men were watching over the lovebirds. They worked for Itecho, and they had been sent from the Town of Winter.
“It’s always good to see them getting along.”
One was a trustworthy and reliable man in his thirties: Yukimi Todo.
“I’m blushing just looking at them…”
The other was the best of the escorts in Winter, despite still being in his twenties: Rintaro Shimotsuki.
After the events in spring, they had been officially hired as escorts to the lady and retainer of Spring. It had been almost a year since the escorts began their service. It had been enough time to get used to the flirting between their charges, but it still left Shimotsuki a little shy.
“I guess you’re used to it already, Mr. Todo.”
“They’re adorable, aren’t they?” Todo smiled at his young colleague.
“That’s what I can’t get used to,” Shimotsuki argued.
The pair continued their bantering.
“It’s heartwarming. What, don’t you like heartwarming?”
“…It’s too much for me. And the polar opposite of our bosses, right?”
Todo thought back on their bosses. Rosei perpetually had an air of elegance about him, but he was proud and short-fused. And his retainer, Itecho, fought back without hesitation. There was a considerable difference between them and Spring.
“Sure, but I think it’s wrong to compare them.”
One couldn’t compare men who communicated through punches with a couple of friendly girls.
“You are completely right. I don’t get it myself… It’s not that I can’t relate to girls. It’s just…two cute people having a warm chat is like something from another world. It’s kinda uncomfortable.”
Todo stared at Shimotsuki. He had a sweet face, but a rough interior.
The Town of Winter had more men than women, and the male majority was especially obvious within the escorts.
Considering the above and the two men he had as bosses, it was only natural that Shimotsuki would find Spring’s sweetness unusual. He could hold friendly conversations with them usually; it was only when they began flirting like lovers that he was taken aback.
“I see… I would describe Lord Rosei and Lord Kangetsu’s banter as adorable, though. Maybe it’s only because I’m older…”
“Yeah…”
The look of baffled disbelief in Shimotsuki’s eyes made Todo smile again.
But no matter how the escorts felt about it, Spring was able to have these warm chats because of their security efforts, including the other Winter escorts around them and the members of the Agency and National Security guarding them nearby. They were in formation, prepared for anything.
Then Todo received a report that the surroundings were all clear.
“Princesses, it is time for you to shine.”
Todo’s nickname for them was full of both respect and playfulness, and the pair began preparations.
It was time for the song and dance to manifest the season.
Hinagiku shivered before taking off her coat despite the wintery landscape, and Sakura held it for her.
Then a ringtone sounded through the cold air—multiple, in fact.
All Winter escorts received the notification. Was it a work notice?
A few seconds later, another tone rang from Sakura’s pocket.
She took her phone out of her coat.
“…”
The message read as follows:
“Sakura, we’re about to take off. I won’t be able to get in touch for a while. I’ll refrain from calling you due to the time difference, but I want you to respond to any texts I might send you. Also, I think you’ll like this picture of Lady Nadeshiko’s guard dog. His name is Hanakiri. I’ll try to set a good example for the rookie. I’ll pray for your and Lady Hinagiku’s safety from overseas. Take care.”
One could discern both the care of a mentor for his pupil and the love of a man for a woman.
“…”
The attached picture of Hanakiri put a smile on Sakura’s face. Her mentor knew that she couldn’t contain herself in front of small animals and cute things, despite her usually calm and serious demeanor.
A picture for me?
The affection of a mentor could be uncomfortable, even difficult to accept for a pupil. The special treatment made her feel a little embarrassed, but she couldn’t contain her glee.
A major change had occurred between Sakura and Itecho last year.
Itecho hadn’t explicitly told the Spring girl his feelings, but he had urged her not to get married.
Sakura did not believe Itecho had feelings for her, but she had hope that she could get him to look her way if she put in the effort.
Their love was both mutual and unrequited; they had overcome a period of enmity, forged a new trusting relationship, and returned to their mentor-pupil relationship, sharing warm exchanges such as this.
“I need more pictures of Hanakiri. You take care, too. See you later,” Sakura quickly replied.
Hinagiku opened and closed her fan with a smile on her face as she looked at Sakura.
“Sakura, was that…Lord Itecho?”
When Sakura’s expression changed in that particular way, it was usually because of Itecho. And Hinagiku was correct.
“Yes. They’re about to take off. It’ll be a while before they get in touch again.”
“Lord Rosei…and…Lady Ruri…and Lady…Nadeshiko…also sent…a text…saying…good-bye. The plane…trip sounds…so…tiring…”
“Yes, it’s a ten-hour trip…and then they have to go to the hotel. It’s rough. Rosei probably won’t send another text until tomorrow. I’m not sure he even understands time zones, though… I guess Itecho will warn him…”
“How…big is…the dif…ference?”
“About sixteen hours, I believe. It’s morning in Yamato now, so they will be arriving there in our afternoon. In Kyokoku, it will be around midnight the day before.”
Hinagiku’s jaw dropped. “Wow… That’s…a lot.”
“Yes.”
“…Will it be…hard to…get…in touch with…everyone?”
She hung her head.
She wanted to know how her friends were doing, but she didn’t want to bother them.
Sakura had been jealous and impish earlier, but she did not want to see her lady saddened.
“They should return texts, just not immediately. I don’t think they would be upset by receiving them.” She quickly added, “The problem is your usual call with Rosei… You could ask him if he can call you tomorrow around noon. It should be night over there. They have some downtime before bed then. Kyokoku’s Lord Autumn is a year younger than Lady Nadeshiko, so they shouldn’t be having any dinner arrangements that late. Rosei would most likely appreciate it if you asked.”
A Guard was also a secretary. Hinagiku was impressed by the well-reasoned response and nodded.
“Yes, thank you, Sakura.”
“Of course.”
“Hinagiku is…looking forward…to texting…and calling.”
Hinagiku smiled as she held the fan up to her face.