The beginning of summer was approaching, bringing truly agreeable weather: a pleasant warm sunlight, and a refreshing soft breeze.
Miyo today was wearing Western clothes, a change from her usual preference.
After trying to wear them for the first time last year, she now had purchased, with the advice of Hazuki, several dresses, blouses, and skirts.
Her current outfit was from this collection of hers.
It was a dress with a white lace collar. It was slim and followed the curves of her body a bit, but it looked quite cute with its large brown, wooden buttons on bright green fabric.
Kiyoka was also dressed in Western clothes—a very simple outfit of a white shirt and dark brown pants. If anything, this served to show off his tall, well-built body, and it looked attractive on him.
Though, of course, Kiyoka usually looked charming no matter what he wore.
Kiyoka is always so stunning.
She still couldn’t believe that such a handsome, kind, and capable man loved her and had married her.
Miyo felt this deeply as she walked behind him, holding a white lace parasol.
The city had a different atmosphere at midday compared to the time when Miyo would usually go visit it. Noon was close at hand, and large crowds of the capital’s workers were coming and going, traversing the streets to find their lunch spots.
Men in suits were prominent among them, but included in the crowds were a fair number of men and women in kimonos, and other women dressed in Western garb like Miyo.
That said…
She had gotten used to it at this point, but even now, Kiyoka would get stares from all the people he passed. Not only from the women, but occasionally the men, too.
Without fail, every one of them would widen their eyes and stare hard at Kiyoka as they came across him.
Whenever this happened, no one would pay any attention to her. Kiyoka alone was special.
The pure, valiant, striking…not atmosphere, but energy, that he gave off. This power, or presence of his, fascinated people.
“Miyo, what’s wrong? You’ve gone quiet.”
Walking in silence, Kiyoka, glanced sideways to check on Miyo while showing concern for her.
“No… It’s nothing.”
“Really?” Kiyoka asked, tilting his head in confusion before extending his hand.
“Don’t get separated.”
“Okay.”
Miyo grabbed Kiyoka’s outstretched hand.
She definitely couldn’t bring herself to confess that she’d been struck by how oh-so-wonderful he was.
After all, she was sure it would make him terribly exasperated with her. He would find out that she loved everything about him so much that she could say with full certainty that she would never grow tired of him for the rest of her life.
Slowly, the two walked through the noontime city clamor and reached the park before long.
The area was colored with vibrant, well-trimmed plants, and roses beginning to bloom. It had not only a large pond, but also a brand-new Western-style gazebo. It was an interesting sight to behold, while still being a space where one could relax.
It seemed less like a park and more like a vast garden.
“It’s so pretty…”
Miyo liked places that were lush with greenery. She especially enjoyed them if they were near water, like lakes or fountains, and she had dropped by parks with these features several times while she was out and about.
However, there weren’t many places that had a pond large enough to accommodate a rowboat.
“This must be the boat.”
A lone wooden boat, looking a bit antiquated with its somewhat faded color, was moored with rope at the pond’s edge.
Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be anyone else using it.
Kiyoka jumped into the boat first. Thanks to his unsurprising keen sense of balance, he was able to stand in the rocking boat without the slightest twitch of a brow. He held out a hand to Miyo.
“Watch your step.”
“I will.”
Miyo gently took Kiyoka’s hand and timidly moved into the boat. Though the boat did rock, Kiyoka carefully supported her, and they avoided the disaster of the boat capsizing.
“Thank you.”
“Be careful when you sit, too.”
Miyo cautiously sat down, and once he had undone the rope, Kiyoka sat opposite her and took the oars in his hands.
Kiyoka began to row, and the boat left the pondside in the blink of an eye.
“Wow…”
The clamor of the city instantly faded into the distance. Even the sounds of children playing in the park barely reached them. The middle of the pond, removed from all other people, was very quiet, with only the sound of water around them.
As there was nothing to impede it, the gentle breeze caressed the surface of the water and tousled Miyo’s hair.
“How is it? This is your first time in a boat, right?”
“It is. I don’t know why, but it’s very calming.”
Perhaps this was what others meant when they talked about feeling healed.
Atop the boat, swaying in the ripples, nothing but the quiet sounds of nature reached her ears. It was like her heart, exhausted and agitated from her restless days, was starting to unwind.
Miyo never imagined a boat ride would feel this good.
“But I feel bad leaving all the rowing to you…”
“It doesn’t take that much strength, so I’m fine.”
But Kiyoka couldn’t enjoy this wonderful stillness if he couldn’t do anything else but row. Miyo closed her parasol.
“I’d like to try rowing.”
Kiyoka looked surprised by Miyo’s enthusiastic proposal and furrowed his brow, unsure.
“I don’t think you should. It will probably be hard for you.”
“Just once is enough.”
“I guess it’s okay if it’s just for a little bit.”
Kiyoka nodded with what seemed like reluctance, before they immediately changed their positions in the boat.
Miyo grabbed the oars, still warm from Kiyoka’s grip, and mimicked how he had rowed. Or more precisely, she tried to mimic it.
Th-they’re so heavy!
Just now, Kiyoka had told her it didn’t require much strength. In truth, Miyo had no strength to speak of compared to Kiyoka, who had looked so nonchalant as he rowed. However, she had still thought that she should’ve been able to row on her own for a little while.
Although she somehow managed to move the oars, her maneuvering of them was lackluster even when she desperately put all her strength into the act, so the boat barely moved forward at all.