After about ten days of speeding on the road, Liu Quan finally arrived in Dounan.

Dounan is an unimaginably barren land. The Aizu Domain, which had 280,000 koku before the war, had to sigh at the cruelty of fate after a war to realize its loyalty.

Walking on the deserted streets, looking at the simple houses on both sides, Liu Quan thought in his heart where he was going to find Xiaoyi, and after finding him, how to confirm that he was okay now, and then say goodbye to him.

The system claimed that "because the extraction process of the next mission world has not yet been completed", she unexpectedly had about a month more.

Spending the whole month in an endless temple where you can only stay alone is obviously not a good choice. However, with the lack of transportation, it is obviously impossible to find out the whereabouts of all the former Shinsengumi companions in a month's time.

Thinking about it, Dounan, which is the closest to Hakodate - of course, not to mention that there is no convenient transportation at this time - is the only place she can choose.

After her identity is revealed, to be precise, after the fact that she didn't help Kondo in the first place, it is tantamount to a fantasy to want to continue to stay by the side of the deputy chief who is extremely loyal to Kondo and pins her life, beliefs, and expectations on Kondo.

Her skin wasn't that thick yet. What's more, the deputy chief acted as if he didn't want to see her again.

So she quietly left the deep mountains of Hakodate and headed for Dounan.

At least you can say goodbye to Xiaoyi.

In Dounan, it was already very cold when it was close to late autumn.

Liu Quan always felt that the air was a little cold, and it might snow in the next few days.

Just as she was thinking like this, she felt a fine Xiaoice of cold ice slag falling on her face and clinging to the surface of her skin, so cold that she couldn't help but shiver.

The next moment she was stunned. Because at the corner of the street in front of us, a young man in a black dress, with a very haggard face, but still a deep gaze, with dark blue hair, was turning out of it!

His right hand pressed on the hilt of the sword hanging from his waist, and he lowered his gaze slightly to look at the road, and the whole person walked unhurriedly at a steady and solid pace.

As he got closer, she could finally see his face.

“…… Yijun?!" she muttered.

The young man's ears snapped into the whispering sound, and he immediately stopped and looked up.

The next second, the expression on his face suddenly turned blank.

He paused for several seconds in astonishment before he uttered a sound of disbelief.

“…… Snow Leaves, Jun?!"

As if something was loosening, he quickly recovered from his previous shock and inability to react, and strode up to her.

"Xueye-kun, why are you ...... Will it be here?!" There was a huge shock in his voice, but there seemed to be a hint of joy hidden in the amazement, which made his tail note drift up uncontrollably, and it sounded almost distorted.

Liu Quan choked up, and the smile on his face slowly faded.

What can I say...... Or is it that she succeeded in getting rid of the deputy chief, and that the deputy chief is so angry that he doesn't want to pay attention to her anymore? Or is it that she can't stay in this world anymore, so she's just here to say goodbye to him today?

She was silent for a long time.

This silence made the expression on Saito's face loosen like surprise, and even the corners of his lips were slightly raised, slowly disappeared.

"Is there anything that is difficult to talk about? He asked slowly.

Liu Quan: "......"

Saito lowered his head and thought for a moment, then looked up at her again.

"Then speak slowly. Say it well, because I'm right here......" he said in an impossibly calm tone.

"It doesn't matter what it is. I'll listen to it. ”

Liu Quan: ?!

She hesitated slightly, then smiled bitterly.

"Yijun, why do you say such a thing......" She still lowered her gaze, avoiding his gaze, and shook her head slightly, as if she was helpless.

Saito looked at her in surprise, with a question mark on his face, as if he didn't understand what he had said wrong.

“…… If you say that, I can only tell you. When she had finished speaking, she finally lifted her gaze and looked back at him. Those eyes like dark crystals were bottomless.

"Mr. Hijikata...... After the Great War of Hakodate, he was still alive. However, this is a secret. ”

"I came up with a good way to mislead the others...... Now everyone probably thinks he's dead. ”

"It would have been a good thing...... But I him off. Because I have done unforgivable things...... He may never want to see me again in his life. ”

A layer of bitterness and self-deprecation gradually appeared in her smile.

"Yijun, do you want to hear the story behind this? She said.

Before Saito could reply, he heard her speak again, with a sharp hint of self-deprecation in her voice.

"Looks ...... You'll regret listening to it. ”

Saito: ?!

He paused in a rare way, and his right hand, which was resting on the hilt of the knife at his waist, subconsciously clenched the hilt.

Then, slowly, he replied, "Then I must listen to it too." ”

Liu Quan smiled bitterly and sighed, feeling that with the attribute of a sous chef like Yijun, after listening to it, maybe this personal line would be directly downgraded to a friendship line because of the steep drop in favorability-

However, the next moment Xiao Yi said - it seems to be a bit of a terrible thing?

…… Although he probably said it unconsciously.

He said: "Because, as long as there is something about Xue Ye-kun, I want to hear it." ”

Willow Springs: !!

The natural little one probably doesn't know what an awesome line he said. …… Is this really a headache?

And if he said that, he wouldn't be able to refuse......

Liu Quan couldn't help but sigh again.

……

The result of all this was that the two of them stood opposite each other with embarrassed faces, standing in the middle of the cold and bleak Dounan Street.

After listening to Yanagiquan's brief backstory, Saito didn't speak for a long time.

The longer the silence continued, the more Liu Quan felt that he must have gone crazy just now.

Why did you tell Xiao Yi the truth of all this so simply......?!

Such a dazed thought came to Liu Quan's mind, but she quickly came to a conclusion.

Maybe it's because of trust, believing that Yijun won't abandon his friends and companions because of this......?

Or is it because of ...... My feelings for him are completely different, even if I lose a friend like him, it won't cause lifelong pain? Is it because I don't care enough?

Or...... Is it because I am sure that Yijun will not care so much because of this? Is it because I am sure that Yijun has similar feelings for himself, and because he doesn't care enough, he chooses not to be harsh?

…… Probably, all of them.

And that's all I can think about now.

You have to think so......

In the midst of such a long silence, Saito seemed to have finished his deliberate thoughts.

He raised his head again, looked solemnly at Liu Quan, and finally spoke.

"Yukiba-kun...... It was indeed a mistake. ”

"Although I have no right to blame your motivation for joining the Shinsengumi in the first place...... However, he chose to hide everything, and for so long, especially from Mr. Hijikata...... This is an inappropriate move. ”

"I can see your true feelings in your actions and beliefs in defending the Shinsengumi all along. And, you maintain the deputy chief...... Mr. Hijikata's mood, in this world, maybe no one can compare to you...... Even I can't. ”

"I can understand your fear that you'll be expelled from the Shinsengumi or dealt with according to the rules of the bureau after you confess everything. You're probably not afraid of being punished, but you're afraid of losing your ability to stay in the Shinsengumi?......."

Sighing softly, he stared deeply into Willow Spring's face without reservation, as if to keep looking into the deepest part of her eyes.

"But haven't you considered Mr. Hijikata's feelings?...... If it weren't for the fact that you chose to hide it to the end, why didn't he keep you when you left?"

"Mr. Hijikata...... It must be more painful than anyone else now. It's always been like this...... He's used to taking on everything related to the Shinsengumi and the people around him...... And this time, it was you, Yukiba-kun, who brought him pain. ”

For some reason, he paused as he said this, and his voice became a little harsh.

“…… In this case, the pain in his heart will be doubled. ”

Sure enough, it's still the same little one from before. When it comes to people he cares about, he unexpectedly becomes attentive, perceptive, and talkative, and every word he says is to the point.

Such a gentleman made Liu Quan feel a trace of nostalgia at the same time, but also felt a burst of pain because of the words he said frankly.

These things...... I actually understand it all......

However, I was no longer qualified to beg him for forgiveness......

She saw Saito's eyes widen slightly in front of her, and then she realized that she had just unconsciously spoken her thoughts.

She felt ashamed and couldn't look directly into Saito's eyes, which were still clear and clear. She hung her head and placed it on the back of her fist at either side of her body, and a slight shudder ran through it.

Then, she heard Xiaoyi sigh softly above her head.

“…… Since you don't have anywhere to go just yet, please stay. ”

Liu Quan was so shocked for a moment that he couldn't believe his ears. She raised her head suddenly, only to see Saito's face become solemn and solemn.

"Stay with me for now. In the future, we will always think of a way to ......"

Think of a way to untie this dead knot. I thought of a way to get Mr. Hijikata's understanding. Think of a way to solve it all.

In his eyes, Liu Quan read such an unfinished subtext.

A feeling of guilt mixed with gratitude to him, and the emotion of his choice to trust and tolerate her, rose in Liu Quan's heart.

“…… Yijun. She whispered his name, and when she looked at his calm, steady, and composed face as before, a strange thought suddenly came to mind.

…… It's hard to imagine that a gentleman who has always been so reliable is even younger than himself.

His momentum and composure have never had anything to do with age.

When she faced the dark situation of the end of her life again, it was the Shinsengumi who saved her from the Shinsengumi - an important member of the Shinsengumi again.

"Thank you. ”

The author has something to say: April 20:

I'm going to Hong Kong today and I'll be back next Tuesday.

During this period, the frequency of one shift every two days should be maintained.

The next update will be at 0:00 on the 22nd

This extra, like the previous one, is another possibility derived from [choosing a different limb at an important moment].

It probably means that after choosing another selection limb, you will enter the NE of the small line...... Right?

Of course, the return article written now is equal to HE.

This extra idea is that the original system bacteria settlement gave the girl enough time.,Let the girl go to the other thing that will happen under the conditions of the small one~~

Let's just ...... Dounan's daily life :P