Under the cherry blossom tree, Makoto and Raiden Makoto sat side by side.
The cherry blossoms slowly drifted down from the tree, landing around the two of them.
Raiden Makoto looked at Mr. Faxun and then said with a light chuckle, "Mr. Faxun, you have some petals on your head; you look like a fluffy bear."
"Is that so?" Mr. Faxun subconsciously reached up and found that there were indeed many petals on his head.
Sitting under a cherry blossom tree, it was impossible not to get petals on him.
Mr. Faxun reached out to brush off the petals, but he always felt like he hadn't cleaned them completely.
Seeing this, Raiden Makoto proactively said, "If Mr. Faxun doesn't mind, please allow me to help you tidy up."
"Then I'll trouble you, Makoto."
Raiden Makoto leaned forward, closer to Mr. Faxun.
For a moment, it was unclear whether the scent of cherry blossoms came from the tree or from Raiden Makoto herself.
She extended her slender, fair hands and meticulously cleared the petals for Mr. Faxun with a serious expression.
The Little Ones in the distance were very boisterous.
Keqing and Shenhe held Qiqi, revealing satisfied smiles, perhaps because it could be a bit cooler this way.
Ningguang and Beidou were chasing each other, competing over 'who Mr. Faxun would tell a bedtime story to tonight'.
Ayaka and Sara were discussing the best food they had eaten in the past two days, and as they talked, the two Little Ones felt hungry again.
Looking at this group of restless Little Ones, Mr. Faxun decided to spend some time with them.
He said to the Little Cuties, "Little Ones, do you want to play a game? The winner gets a reward!"
The speaker had no intention, but the listener took it to heart.
When Raiden Makoto heard this sentence, she became slightly lost in thought.
Because many years ago, under this same cherry blossom tree, a friend had said the exact same words as Mr. Faxun.
At this moment, Raiden Makoto's mind involuntarily conjured up a series of figures.
The first to appear was a white-haired woman with fox ears.
Her name was Fox Saiguu.
"Does everyone want to play a Hyakunin Isshu battle? The winner can get a reward!"
"Makoto, congratulations on taking first place! I'll treat you to some pastries."
"I made these myself, you're not allowed to say they don't taste good!"
"What, what? Would you really make a fluffy, smart, and cute fox sad?"
"Hmph, you only know how to bully me, don't you? If Inazuma ever has any trouble, I'll be the first to run; I definitely won't help you!"
Immediately after, another figure appeared in Raiden Makoto's mind.
That was a woman with two horns on her head and exceptional martial arts skills.
Her name was Miko Chiyo.
"What? You want to spar with me? Of course, no problem! I accept this challenge."
"Hmph hmph, don't cry if you lose later, because I will absolutely not show mercy, unless... unless you treat me to sweets."
"I, Miko Chiyo, swear here that I will protect the safety of the two sirs until my last breath."
All the past memories with her friends continuously surfaced in Raiden Makoto's mind at this moment.
Memories are always like this, gushing out like a tide at an unwitting moment,
catching people off guard and drawing them in.
Mr. Faxun noticed Raiden Makoto's distraction and then asked, "Makoto, what's wrong?"
Raiden Makoto collected her thoughts and shook her head with a light laugh: "Mr. Faxun, I'm fine, I just occasionally thought of some things from the past."
"Once, I had three good friends, and we were very happy together every day."
"It's just a pity... it's just a pity that everyone is gone now."
As soon as her words fell, Raiden Makoto heard a voice by her ear.
"I knew why I've been sneezing all day today; turns out someone was secretly thinking of me, huh."
Hearing the familiar voice, Raiden Makoto subconsciously looked up.
She saw a woman wearing a red and white miko outfit and a fox mask on her face, slowly walking towards them.
Looking at this familiar figure, Raiden Makoto was slightly stunned.
Isn't this her old friend, Fox Saiguu?
Raiden Makoto suspected she was seeing an illusion and instinctively rubbed her eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, the fox miko had already walked in front of Raiden Makoto.
"Fox Saiguu... Is that you?"
The fox miko standing in front of Raiden Makoto did not speak, but slowly took off the mask on her face.
Beneath the mask was an exquisite and beautiful face, especially her eyes, which were as cunning and lively as a fox's.
That was Raiden Makoto's old friend, Yae Miko.
Raiden Makoto had mistaken her for someone else.
At this moment, Yae Miko leaned down and said, bewildered, "Makoto, what are you saying?"
"Why would you suddenly mention Fox Saiguu?"
Raiden Makoto, having come back to her senses, gently shook her head: "It's nothing, I just felt that your figure resembled Fox Saiguu's, and for a moment, I thought she had returned."
Saying this, Raiden Makoto laughed silently, with a great deal of bitterness in her eyes.
What was she expecting just now?
Why would she hold expectations for something that couldn't possibly happen?
Fox Saiguu and the others... they clearly couldn't come back.
Mr. Faxun reached out and stroked Raiden Makoto's head, then said to her, "Look behind you."
Raiden Makoto didn't know what was behind her; she subconsciously followed Mr. Faxun's instruction.
When she looked back, she saw three people standing behind her.
Miko Chiyo, with her two oni horns and gentle smile.
The elegant Tengu Sasayuri,
And Fox Saiguu, with her white long hair and fox ears.
Fox Saiguu looked at Raiden Makoto and said with a smile, "Makoto, long time no see. Did you miss us?"
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