It was the eighth month of Yoizumi's coma.
Another winter arrived, and Shinobu celebrated yet another birthday.
"Happy Birthday, Lady Shinobu!" x3
Smiling, she accepted the gifts from the young girls and gently patted each of their little heads.
"Xiao Qing, Sumi, Naho, thank you all~"
"I'm very happy~"
Smiling, she watched the three little girls skip away. Shinobu tightened the red scarf around her neck, gazed at the Butterfly Mansion covered in white snow, and gently exhaled a puff of white mist.
"It's so cold."
She rubbed her hands, which were red from the cold, and blew warm air into her palms, but it still didn't help. Her purple eyes stared at her palms, her lips pressed together.
Recalling the scene of someone clumsily imitating her actions to warm her hands that day, she couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.
Then, she sighed heavily, a large amount of white mist drifting before her, gradually merging with the vast snowy landscape.
"It's so cold..."
Shinobu sighed softly.
The snowflakes in front of her drifted and swirled. She raised her hand, and several icy snowflakes landed on her palm, only to melt quickly.
They couldn't be held... Returning to her room, she sat properly on a soft cushion. Not long ago, she had received a birthday gift from Tamayo: a can of excellent black tea.
Shinobu specially boiled a pot of hot water for tasting.
The hot water frothed over the tea leaves. She used the cup lid to scrape away the foam from the surface. The clear red tea soup was beautiful. She lifted the teacup and drank the tea, the warm liquid warming her slightly chilled body.
Closing her eyes and savoring it, Shinobu lowered her gaze and thought to herself.
It is indeed good tea... Shinobu smiled and took another sip.
If Yoizumi drank it, he would probably frown... She glanced at the gifts from former colleagues on the table, which had already piled up into a small mountain.
Tanjirou and the others also sent gifts.
Kanao sent her homemade ginger pickles. Shinobu tasted them, and they were delicious.
No wonder Kanao has been appearing in the kitchen so often lately... Now, this quiet child smiles more and more. It must be Tanjirou's doing...
Tanjirou sent a can of pine nuts, fruits from the pine trees on Mount Kumotori, which Tanjirou brought back when he visited his parents a while ago.
She casually picked one from the pile of gifts. Shinobu recognized it as a gift from Rengoku-san.
Just looking at the packaging made it very recognizable... It had Rengoku-san's style.
Opening the package, Shinobu found an ancient medical book. After flipping through a few pages, Shinobu knew it was very rare.
Speaking of which... I received a gift from Oyakata-sama this morning... It really gave me a fright.
Shinobu recalled several people carrying a wooden box filled with money... Besides the money, there were also many rare medicinal herbs. Shinobu realized that the value of these herbs combined was probably far greater than the money Oyakata-sama sent.
Mitsuri, on the other hand, sent a new blush, stating in her letter that it was currently the most popular among women.
Blush, huh... Shinobu held the blush and looked at it for a long time. This vibrant color didn't seem to suit her very well.
She accidentally knocked over a jar, which rolled to Shinobu's feet. This must be... Inosuke's gift.
She saw him sneaking around this morning. What Inosuke would send was truly curious.
Opening the jar, Shinobu blinked, then raised her finger to pinch out the wriggling insect inside.
It was a centipede.
Centipedes in winter... very rare.
This one had excellent appearance and size; it was very good material for medicine.
Shinobu chuckled softly. She could even imagine Inosuke squatting in the snow, searching for centipedes.
Was he trying to scare her?
She glanced at Inosuke, who thought he hadn't been discovered, peeking his head from outside the door. Shinobu waved at him.
"Inosuke, is there something you need me for?"
"Hmph~ You weren't scared, huh?" Inosuke awkwardly walked up to Shinobu, his hands behind his back. Shinobu smiled; he was still a child at heart.
"Would you like some pastries?" she asked, pointing to the desserts on the table.
Inosuke looked at the pastries, swallowed, and, pretending not to care, placed an unknown purple flower he had hidden behind his back onto the table. Tilting his head, his voice muffled:
"Here. I couldn't find the same kind as the one in your vase."
After speaking, Inosuke quickly grabbed the entire plate of pastries and fled as if escaping. His voice carried back:
"All the pastries are mine!"
Staring blankly at the flower on the table, Shinobu let out a low, relieved chuckle. It seemed he wasn't a particularly naughty child after all.
A flower, huh... She carefully placed Inosuke's flower.
Shinobu stood up. She decided to go somewhere... Evening.
Looking at the dilapidated wooden house, crushed by the white snow, it was no longer recognizable. Shinobu tightened the scarf around her neck and continued walking forward.
The last time she came, Yoizumi had covered her eyes. This time, Shinobu relied on her memory, step by step, towards a place she would never forget.
This winter was unusually cold. The lake had frozen over. The winter sun set quickly; the last rays of sunlight had completely disappeared, and the dark night sky held only the still bright moon.
Dappled moonlight scattered on the ice, reflecting a blurry starlight.
Her gaze swept around, finally resting on a splash of purple.
This is... Shinobu approached, sweeping away the snow from the purple, revealing a vibrant Purple Rose.
She exhaled deeply, the white mist almost blurring Shinobu's vision. A pair of dark purple eyes stared intently at the rose in front of her, as if it would disappear if she blinked.
She raised her red, frozen fingers and gently touched the tender petals. The swaying rose shook off the white snow from its body.
A cold wind swept in, making Shinobu unable to open her eyes. She raised her hand to cover her face. After a long time, the wind stopped, and the snow fell.
The rose bushes buried under the snow were revealed.
When did so many rose bushes appear here?
At this temperature, these flowers should have died.
But now, there were many more flowers here than when she last visited.
She unconsciously recalled that whenever Yoizumi came to see her, he would always bring a fresh rose. Could it be... [They didn't wither...]
So some idiot, using some method, made these flowers... no longer wither... She plucked a flower with her fingers and gently sniffed its fragrance. Besides the floral scent, there was also the crispness of snow.
She received it again... Yoizumi's gift... Shinobu closed her eyes and kissed the Purple Rose, still covered in white snow.
It was very cold.
Much like Yoizumi's temperature that day.
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