The conversation between Hidemitsu and the Hideyori brothers lasted for a long time. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

Hidemune and Shigesei, who were ordered to leave the room temporarily, were in the next room at this time.

Shigesei was as calm as ever, while Hidemune was a little anxious because of something.

“…… Date Hidemune, don't keep walking around the room. ”

Since Xiuzong had been pacing restlessly in the room, Chongcheng, who was closing his eyes and recuperating, couldn't help but frown and yelled at him.

However, the abnormal thing is that Xiuzong did not respond to Chongcheng's scolding, but continued to circle around the room.

“…… What happened to you? ”

Chongcheng, who noticed the strange feeling, opened his eyes and saw Xiuzong with a loveless expression on his face.

"Ahhh......hh

Xiuzong sometimes walked, sometimes paused, sometimes scratched his head, sometimes sluggish.

After hearing Chongcheng's questioning, he sat back in his original position in a trance.

"Now Your Highness is definitely discussing my problem with Lord Hideyori!!"

Chongcheng was puzzled by Xiuzong's statement, so he asked about it.

“…… What the? ”

"Ah...... That's what happened to me......"

Xiuzong didn't even have the heart to quarrel with Chongcheng now, and directly whispered to Chongcheng about the marriage that His Royal Highness had discussed with him a few days ago.

“…… Playboy is finally going to take his heart? ”

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Chongcheng actually relaxed his mouth muscles that had been stiffening, and smiled teasingly.

"Why are you even laughing at me!!"

The reaction of the people around him to this matter caught Xiuzong a little off guard.

"That highness obviously doesn't have a marriage contract himself! Why did you suddenly urge me like a merchant girl collecting debts in Kyushu?! ”

He no longer cares who he is talking to. Now, even if he is the most annoying Chongcheng in his childhood, he can still spit out his stomach full of bitterness as usual.

For Xiuzong, this matter was also very sudden. It reminded him of how he felt when he was in debt in Kyushu.

Ah, by the way, that debt has already been paid off after Hidemitsu returned to Osaka.

"Ah, speaking of Hidemitsu-sama's betrothed ......"

As if he had thought of something, he began to recount what he had heard.

"Your Highness has a marriage contract?!"

"To be clear, I guess there were. I also listened to Lord Hideyori and his wife. ”

Facing Xiuzong's expression of discovering a new continent, it was as if he was telling about ordinary family affairs, and his tone was very flat. Although it is indeed a family matter.

"I heard that when Hidemitsu-sama was one year old, she had a marriage contract with Senchiyo-sama, the daughter of the newborn Ieyasu-sama. Of course, this matter was facilitated by the late His Royal Highness Taiko. However, shortly after the death of His Royal Highness Taiko, the betrothed person also died. So that's the end of the matter. ”

"It's the first time I've heard of this kind of thing......"

"Hmm. I guess Hidemitsu-sama himself can't remember this kind of thing. ”

The sudden mention of old things made the restless atmosphere in the room slightly lessen.

"Alas...... Anyway, it looks like I'm going to have to find a way to refuel. ”

Xiuzong sighed, got up as if he had made up his mind, and walked out.

Chongcheng looked at his back as he walked out, slightly hooked the corners of his mouth, and then continued to close his eyes and recuperate.

……

……

After a few days, the cherry blossoms are almost time to wither.

But perhaps it is this dying atmosphere that makes people everywhere move with it.

The atmosphere of the finale season may be the best time for some people to make up their minds.

For example, a tall boy who suddenly visits in the early morning.

Hidemune, who rushed into this cherry blossom forest, was nervous and excited as if his brain was congested.

"Xiu Gao!!"

Turning his head in a panic, rolling his eyes, looking around for someone's figure.

Finally, he found his target in a corner of the backyard.

“…… Hyogoro? ”

The other party, who was under the tree, raised his head in surprise, as if he was surprised why the young man in front of him came.

I was surprised, but I also felt a different atmosphere.

"I have something very important to tell you."

Xiuzong changed his usual indecent tone and expression, looked nervous and at a loss, and began to speak with a blank look.

"Including...... Explanation of some of the previous things......"

The volume suddenly decreased, and there seemed to be some hesitation and hesitation.

The other party's eyes also widened slightly, the pupils flickered slightly, and he also hesitated, but did not refuse.

"Hmm."

After getting the other party's consent, Xiuzong smiled.

The faint sound of agreement was enough to keep him happy for a long time.

……

……

Osaka Castle at night.

Again, a few days later.

Also before the cherry blossoms are about to scatter.

The same is a young man.

The mood is similar, but different.

For Xiulai, who is still young, in addition to a trace of excitement and anticipation, he is now more nervous and a little uneasy.

He was dressed in a long white shirt and was pacing slowly towards a room following the directions.

After finally reaching his destination, Hideyori stopped at the door of a certain room.

The two maids serving outside the door slowly pulled the door open, allowing Xiulai to clearly see the layout inside.

The woman bowed her head and knelt beside the futon, looking very humble. She is a person that Xiulai is familiar with on a daily basis.

The interior lights stained the room with a layer of color, and incense made of unknown ingredients burned and wafted somewhere in the room.

Xiulai took a deep breath, then slowly lowered his head and stepped inside.

Close your eyes and don't think too much about it.

The sliding door of the room slowly closed.

The cherry blossoms are scattered as usual.

……

……

Tonight, Chihime's abode was as calm as ever.

Or rather, the same silence as ever.

Chihime sat under the cherry blossom trees in the small courtyard and looked up.

Today, why is everyone a little lonely?

She looked back at the maids in the room with some confusion.

Chihime didn't understand, and she didn't know what day it was, and she didn't know what was going on.

For her, today was just an ordinary day in Osaka Castle.

It's always been like this, except for the few days when Xiulai came.

I watched the flowers bloom and fall alone, I watched the rockery and flowing water alone, and I watched the heavy scrolls by myself.

Although there are maids around them, they will only be respectful to themselves.

Chiyoho, the personal maid, may be Chihime's only friend in the city.

"Now, Chiyoho."

"What's wrong? Chihime-sama? ”

Chihime couldn't help but ask Chiyoho, who had been following her all along.

"Hideyori-sama, when will you come?"

This was such a naïve question that Chiyoho didn't know how to say for a while.

"Maybe it'll be soon."

Chiyoho didn't want to disappoint her, so he said so.

Listening to Chiyobo's answer, Chihime showed a very pure smile.

However, Chiyoho couldn't laugh for some reason.

……

……

At the same time as the boys of Osaka Castle.

It's just that the cherry blossoms in the place where you are still not scattered are still here, and this is the time to bloom.

"Mother! I am back! ”

The first thing this child, named "Chinoyo", did when he returned from Kyoto was to throw himself into the arms of his mother, who doted on him the most.

"Don't be too coquettish. If an adult sees it, he will reprimand my mother for my teaching style. ”

The woman who Chinoyo called her mother was a very young young woman.

Although she said such words, she was actually very calm and gentle at this time, and was looking at the child who threw herself into her arms with gentle eyes.

"Humph! I'm the only child between my father and my mother! My father won't scold my mother! ”

As if in a tantrum, Chinoyo burrowed his head into his mother's arms.

"Don't say that. It's like you're the only adult, and you have a lot of brothers. ”

"Uh-huh. But I'm the only child between my father and my mother~"

"But you can't say that on the surface."

The young woman looked at Chinoyo, who was playing with a child's temper, and couldn't help but cover her mouth and smile.

"What's wrong? So happy all of a sudden? What happened in Kyoto? ”

"Hmm!"

At the mention of Kyoto, Chinoyo's emotions soared.

"Na, Mother! I've got the thing my mother gave me! ”

"Really? That's a good thing, I thought I wouldn't be able to get it back. ”

The woman smiled and flicked Chinoyo's nose, as if remembering the child's crying face when she lost the object.

"That's right! Mother, I met an interesting person in Kyoto, too! I've seen it too! ”

As the excited Chinoyo tells his beloved mother about his experience in Kyoto, the cherry blossoms are gradually falling.

When the cherry blossoms scattered, the teenagers who were far away experienced their own different teenagers, and the scenes they faced at this time were so similar, and the things they were thinking about at this time were so similar.

It's just that when you can truly connect your minds, what year and month will it be?