Chapter 24
The summer morning light, with its slightly tipsy warmth, filtered through the cracks in the courtyard's pergola, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone slabs. I was squatting in the shade of the porch, carefully immersing a few lotus flowers, brought in that morning, into a white porcelain jar filled with clear water to wake them.
The pink and white petals, stained with translucent water droplets, trembled gently in the breeze, emitting an elegant fragrance. Xiaokong lay at my feet, dozing lazily, his furry belly rising and falling with his breathing.
“Ding Dong——”
The crisp ringing of the doorbell broke the tranquility of the courtyard.
Xiaokong pricked up his ears with a start, barked "Woof!", spread out his short legs and rushed towards the entrance, his tail wagging like a windmill.
"Who is it?" I stood up with some confusion, wiped the water droplets on my hands, and walked towards the door.
At this time, Rie should still be sleeping, and Aunt Yuko went to buy groceries...
The moment I opened the door, the warm morning breeze, carrying with it the familiar, crisp aroma of pine, blew towards me. The person standing outside made my breath pause.
Atobe Keigo.
He was dressed in fine casual attire, his figure erect and sturdy, yet despite his travels, he possessed an unmistakable dignity. His hair, still damp from a recent shower, clumps of hair casually draped across his forehead. The teardrop mole at the corner of his eye added a touch of laziness to his appearance. A small suitcase sat at his feet, clearly having come directly from the airport.
"You...?" I looked at him in surprise, speechless for a moment.
Didn't we just board the plane today? According to the itinerary, the earliest we'd arrive in Tokyo would be tomorrow.
Atobe didn't answer immediately. His gaze was first drawn to Xiao Kong, who had rushed to his feet and was excitedly tugging at his trouser leg. The corners of his lips curved up naturally, and he leaned over, skillfully and gently scooping up the little ball of fur, holding it in his arms and weighing it.
"Hmm," he rubbed Xiaokong's obviously rounded belly with his slender fingers, and said with a hint of barely perceptible satisfaction, "It seems you are not hungry."
Xiaokong rubbed comfortably in his arms, purring with satisfaction.
The sunlight fell into his eyes, like tiny pieces of gold foil. "I finished some things ahead of time, and the flight went smoothly."
He explained briefly, his voice clearer than on the phone, with a real, intimate, deep magnetism.
"Oh... come in first." I moved aside, the surprise in my heart still not completely subsided.
Atobe, holding Xiaokong, just stepped into the entrance.
"Ms. Kiriyama, I'm back! The whitebait at the market is especially fresh today..." Aunt Yuko's cheerful voice echoed as the door opened. She entered, carrying a full shopping bag. Upon seeing the elegant young man holding a puppy in the entryway, her words abruptly stopped, a look of surprise and inquiry crossing her face.
"Ah, Aunt Yuko," I hurriedly introduced, "This is Atobe Keigo-kun,...Sora's other master." I carefully considered my words, "You took leave before, so you didn't see him."
"Atobe, this is Aunt Yuko who takes care of me."
"Hello." Atobe nodded slightly, his gesture elegant and polite, without any neglect because of Aunt Yuko's identity.
"Oh, hello, hello!" Aunt Yuko looked Atobe up and down, her eyes filled with the undisguised admiration and curiosity that only elders have, and she smiled broadly. "So you are Master Atobe. Miss Kiriyama often mentioned you to Xiaokong! Please come in, please come in!"
Hearing this, Atobe glanced at me vaguely, a hint of inquiry in his eyes. I quickly looked away, pretending not to notice Aunt Yuko's meaningful smile.
Walking into the living room, Atobe put Sora down, and the little guy immediately clung back to my feet. Aunt Yuko tactfully said she was going to prepare some refreshments, and then she went into the kitchen with a smile.
There were only the two of us left in the living room, and the faint chirping of cicadas could be heard outside the window. Atobe's gaze fell on the lotus pot that was waking up in the corridor.
"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice softer.
"Wake up the flowers." I walked over and gently brushed my fingertips across an upright lotus leaf. "The lotus flowers in summer are beautiful. I want to put a vase in the living room." Water droplets rolled down the veins of the leaves, reflecting crystal light in the sunlight.
Atobe also came over and stood beside me, quietly looking at the graceful flower buds in the water. After a moment's silence, he suddenly spoke in a low but clear voice:
"That time in the flower arrangement studio..."
I turned to look at him in surprise. He tilted his face slightly, his eyes fixed on the lotus flowers. The lines of his face were particularly clear in the morning light.
"When I said your... 'this isn't a flower arrangement,'" he paused, as if choosing his words, "I didn't mean to denigrate your aesthetic."
He finally turned his head and looked at me calmly, with an unprecedented seriousness. "On the contrary, I think your work is beautiful. Those flowers in your hands have a unique, quiet charm. I was... trying to express this." He
He didn't speak fluently, and even had a rare clumsiness, but the sincerity in his eyes was unquestionable.
I was stunned.
So this was the meaning behind his somewhat harsh words at the time?
A trace of resentment in a corner of my heart, caused by that little misunderstanding, quietly dissipated at this moment. A trace of warmth, like dewdrops on a lotus leaf, silently slid down my heart.
"Is that so..." I softly replied, looking away, feeling my cheeks slightly warm. The breeze from the corridor, carrying the fragrance of lotus, brushed against the tips of my hair.
As if to break the subtle atmosphere, Atobe seemed to remember something and took out a small dark blue velvet square box from the pocket of his casual jacket.
"This," he handed the box to me, his tone returning to his usual calm, even with a hint of deliberate casualness, "I saw it in Canada and bought it as a souvenir."
I took the box with some surprise and opened it with a hint of curiosity.
A pair of earrings lay quietly on the dark blue velvet lining.
The earrings are exquisitely designed, featuring two lifelike flowers carved from bluish-purple crystal. The texture of the petals is clearly visible, creating a deep and dreamy bluish-purple hue that gleams subtly in the morning light.
And beneath each flower hangs a round, plump, lustrous and warm pearl, of just the right size, like the dewdrops condensed on the tip of the petals in the morning.
"This is..." I looked at the beautiful pair of earrings in a daze.
"I saw these flowers near a glacier in the Rocky Mountains," Atobe's voice echoed beside him, his gaze fixed on the earrings as if stating an objective fact. "The colors are very similar. I think they're quite unique."
He paused, then added, his voice lower, "...should suit you."
His explanation sounded reasonable. However, the moment he saw the blue-purple color of the earrings, the flowers beside the glacier were not what came to mind.
But it was the day of the Kanto Tournament.
The woman in the crimson dress stood outside the noisy crowd, as quiet as an orchid in a valley. Her clear eyes and straight back made her breathtakingly beautiful, so beautiful that even he, who was present at the time, felt his heart tremble slightly.
This throbbing, like an undercurrent beneath a glacier, was perfectly hidden by him beneath his calm appearance.
He just felt that this deep and mysterious blue-purple color would definitely suit her.
I gently picked up one of the earrings, feeling the coolness of the touch from my fingertips. The blue-purple petals were crystal clear, like frozen glaciers, and the pearls that fell were soft and gentle.
It is indeed very special and beautiful.
"Thank you," I looked up and gave him a genuine smile. "I love it. The color is really beautiful."
Seeing my smile, a glint of light flashed in the depths of Atobe's eyes. He breathed a sigh of relief, barely perceptible, and nodded slightly: "As long as you like it."
In the courtyard, lotus flowers slowly unfurled in the clear water. Xiaokong rolled over at his feet, purring comfortably. Aunt Yuko's footsteps approached, carrying a tea tray.
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