Several days later, Watanuki, Doumeki, Kagemaru and Yuusuke were sitting together, Yuusuke playing a sweet Chinese melody and others listening to him. Suddenly a figure came into view. It approached, and Watanuki saw it was a young boy, cute, slender, with oval face, large dark eyes and long straight black hair with a long fringe, in a closed pink robe with long very wide sleeves and decorated with two circles, green and yellow, on the chest and sleeves, a tassel of green and yellow thread at the collar, green and yellow thread around the edges of the sleeves with a tassel at the bottom, crimson hakama gathered at the bottom and decorated with pairs of circles, green and yellow, near the waist, and a transparent mantle covering his head, with a katana at his waist and a paper fan in his hand. There was a strange mist around him.
Watanuki sprang to his feet, bowed deeply and said:
'I am Fujiwara no Minoru, also called Kokubunji Minoru,' the boy said.
'I am Watanuki Kimihiro, and my friends are Doumeki Shizuka and Kudou Yuusuke-san.'
'Welcome,' Watanuki said.
'I am the fiancé of Minamoto no Hirugao-chan. She and her sister Asagao-san told me you and Doumeki-san saved her,' Minoru said.
'Oh!' Watanuki said. 'They told us about you, and that you also needed help.'
'Yes,' Minoru said. 'I am always feeling unwell, but nobody can say why.'
'There is a strange mist around you,' Watanuki said.
'Oh,' Minoru said.
'Doumeki, do you know what to do about this mist?' Watanuki asked.
'I can try to read sutras to exorcise it,' Doumeki said.
'Do it,' Watanuki said.
'All right,' Doumeki said.
'Please come in and sit down, Minoru-sama,' Watanuki said.
Minoru nodded, slid in and sat down.
'Kimihiro, bring from the pagoda a staff with metal rings hanging from its end and incense,' Doumeki ordered.
'Yes,' Watanuki said and went to find the staff and the incense. After some time he returned with the staff and the incense.
'Good,' Doumeki said. 'Now burn the incense.'
Watanuki burned the incense, and Doumeki shook the staff, making a strange jingling, and chanted something strange. The mist around Minoru took off and left.
'Oh, thank you!' Minoru said. 'Now I feel well.'
'You're welcome,' Watanuki said.
'Now take the staff back. It's called shakujo, by the way,' Doumeki said.
'Why you...!' Watanuki shouted.
Minoru smiled.
Watanuki took the shakujo back and returned. Doumeki instantly pulled him into his lap and nuzzled his neck. Watanuki blushed deeply.
'But Asagao-san and Hirugao-chan said you weren't lovers,' Minoru said.
'Then we weren't,' Watanuki said.
'I see,' Minoru said. 'You're from those of the Mount Koya, after all.'
'Eh?' Watanuki asked.
'Mount Koya is the stronghold of the Shingon School,' Doumeki said.
'Oh,' Watanuki said.
'You are a fine couple,' Minoru said.
Watanuki blushed.
'Thank you for helping Hirugao-chan,' Minoru said. 'She is very important to me.'
'You're welcome,' Watanuki said.
'Both of them are lovely and have lovely names - Asagao, 'morning glory', and Hirugao, 'bindweed'. Both of these are delicate flowers, and look alike,' Doumeki said.
'Yes.' Minoru smiled.
'I'll bring some food,' Watanuki said.
He rose and went out. Some time later he returned carrying a tray with four fine porcelain cups filled with chawanmushi - egg custard with shrimps, shiitake mushrooms and snow peas, four pairs of chopsticks and four cups of sake.
'Oh, chawanmushi,' Minoru said. 'Itadakimasu.'
He tasted the chawanmushi.
'You are a real chef, Watanuki-san.'
'Kimihiro-san says it's hereditary,' Yuusuke said.
'Really, Watanuki-san? Who was your father, the Imperial Cook?' Minoru smiled.
'I don't think so, but I've lost some of my memory,' Watanuki said.
'Oh,' Minoru said. 'I'm sorry.'
'It's all right,' Watanuki said.
'By your name, Kudou-san, you were a retainer of the Fujiwara House?' Minoru asked.
'Yes, of Fujiwara no Hiroyuki-sama of Ogasawara,' Yuusuke said. 'But he perished.'
'I see,' Minoru said. 'But it's still a connection.'
'Yes.' Yuusuke smiled.
'We are going to celebrate Double Ninth soon,' Watanuki said. 'Please come and bring Asagao-sama and Hirugao-sama with you.'
'Thank you very much, I will.' Minoru smiled. 'And I'll bring my elder sister Yuzuki too.'
'You're welcome,' Watanuki said.
'You're a genial host, Watanuki-san,' Minoru said.
Watanuki blushed.
'May I play moon zither for you? I'm learning to play moon zither,' Watanuki said.
'Of course,' Minoru said.
Watanuki rose, went out and after some time returned with his moon zither. He sat down and touched the strings. He played Autumn Moon over Han Palace, a sad melody.
'Wonderful!' Minoru said. 'You have many talents, Watanuki-san.'
Watanuki blushed.
'Did your parents make you to wear girl's kimono trying to rid you of the feebleness, Minoru-sama?' Watanuki asked.
'Why yes, they did, but to no avail, of course.' Minoru smiled.
'It helped to Doumeki here,' Watanuki said. 'He was a fragile child.'
'Really?' Minoru smiled. 'I would never have guessed.'
'That's what I thought too when I saw a picture of Doumeki in a girl's kimono,' Watanuki said.
'It's hard to imagine him in a girl's kimono,' Minoru said.
'He made a very cute girl,' Watanuki said.
'Really?' Minoru said.
'Yes,' Watanuki said.
'A fine thumb ring, Doumeki-san,' Minoru said.
'Kimihiro's present,' Doumeki said.
'Hirugao-chan and Asagao-san told me what a skilled archer you are,' Minoru said.
'He is,' Watanuki said.
'What rank do you have in kyuudo, Doumeki-san?' Minoru asked.
'Third dan,' Doumeki said.
'Impressive,' Minoru said.
'I try my best,' Doumeki said.
'This is a beautiful temple with beautiful gardens, and in Yamato style, too,' Minoru said.
'Yes,' Watanuki smiled.
'I heard it was abandoned, but you take good care of it now,' Minoru said.
'Thank you.' Watanuki blushed.
'I take it that you do it, Watanuki-san?' Minoru asked,
'Yes.' Watanuki blushed.
'A good housekeeper as well!' Minoru smiled.
'Can you play mahjong, Minoru-sama?' Doumeki asked.
'Of course!' Minoru said. 'I often play mahjong with Yuzuki-chan, Hirugao-chan and Asagao-san.'
'When I played mahjong with Hirugao-sama, Asagao-sama and Doumeki, I lost clean,' Watanuki grumbled.
'But you know it's fun,' Doumeki said.
Watanuki sighed.
The day before Double Ninth, Watanuki, Doumeki and Kagemaru went to the market to buy chrysanthemum wine and some other things. Yuusuke went with them, saying that he wanted to take a stroll and that he could use his shakuhachi as a club. When they were walking through the woods, Shirayuki appeared.
'Konnichiwa, Shirayuki-san,' Watanuki said.
'Konnichiwa, Watanuki-kun,' Shirayuki said. 'Where are you going?'
'To the market, to buy chrysanthemum wine and some odds and ends,' Watanuki said.
'Yamato also put chrysanthemum petals into sake cups,' Shirayuki said.
'If we do this, we'll run out of chrysanthemums,' Watanuki grumbled. 'As Yuuko-san will be there too... But we'll have to, I suppose.'
'Is Yuuko-san fond of sake?' Yuusuke asked.
'Yes, very much,' Watanuki said.
'I see,' Yuusuke said.
'What kind of cakes do people here make for Double Ninth?' Watanuki asked.
'Chung Yang Cakes,' Shirayuki said. 'Rice cakes with chestnuts and pine nuts. Often people buy them.'
'I won't buy cakes. I can make them myself!' Watanuki said.
Yuusuke and Shirayuki smiled. Kagemaru chuckled.
At the market they bought chrysanthemum wine, chestnuts, pine nuts, lettuce, French beans, turnips, peanuts, Chinese sausage, nutmeg, spring onions, a salmon and a herring. Then they started to leave the market. But when they were walking by the jeweler's stand, Watanuki saw a ring of deep green glass with a white oval moon and vertical rows of red Chinese characters.
'Does this mean what I think it means?' Watanuki asked.
'Yes.' Yuusuke smiled. 'When the sun sets and the moon rises, clusters cast shadows. When the rain stops and the wind ceases, bamboo regains silence. Be content with one's lot.'
Watanuki nodded and approached the jeweler's stand. Some time later he returned and offered the ring to Doumeki.
'This is for you, Shizuka,' Watanuki said.
Doumeki leaned in and kissed him. Watanuki blushed deeply.
Yuusuke smiled.
'I see things are good between you,' Mr. Zhuge said.
'Yes,' Doumeki said.
'Don't just take it for granted!!!' Watanuki said.
Yuusuke, Mr. Zhuge and all the merchants smiled.
When Watanuki, Doumeki, Yuusuke and Kagemaru were leaving the market, at the exit Watanuki saw a beautiful oil lamp, with relief work. Watanuki bought it.
When they got home, Watanuki started to clean the lamp, but suddenly a puff of magical smoke appeared out of the lamp and turned into a powerfully built male spirit wearing only wide blue trousers and a turban.
A genie??? Watanuki thought.
The spirit said something in Chinese.
'I don't understand Chinese,' Watanuki said.
The spirit said something in Chinese again.
Darn, he doesn't understand Japanese, Watanuki thought.
'People, come here, there's a Chinese genie here!!!' Watanuki shouted.
Yuusuke and Doumeki came and saw the genie coming out of the lamp.
'He lives in this lamp, apparently,' Watanuki said. 'He understands only Chinese.'
'You are lucky for strange encounters,' Doumeki said.
'And you're one of them!' Watanuki said.
Yuusuke smiled. He said something in Chinese, and the spirit answered.
'He thanks you for freeing him and wants to fulfill three of your wishes.' Yuusuke smiled.
'Wishes?' Watanuki said. 'Wishes are tricky things. Tell him I'll think about it.'
Yuusuke smiled and spoke to the genie in Chinese. The genie nodded.
'Tell him that he can be at home,' Watanuki said.
Yuusuke spoke to the genie. The genie smiled and nodded.
'Oh, and what's his name?' Watanuki asked.
Yuusuke spoke to the genie. The genie smiled and said, 'Zahir.'
'Zahir-san.' Watanuki smiled and bowed. 'I'm Watanuki Kimihiro. And my friends are Doumeki Shizuka and Kudou Yuusuke.'
Zahir smiled and inclined his head.
'I'll clean your lamp, Zahir-san, so that you are comfortable,' Watanuki said.
Yuusuke spoke to Zahir. Zahir nodded and smiled.
On the morning of September Ninth Watanuki cleaned the house furiously and cooked what was left to cook. Then he waited.
Later, when Watanuki, Doumeki and Yuusuke were playing shiratori, the Zhous came.
Watanuki jumped to his feet, bowed and said:
'Ladies and gentlemen, this is Kudou Yuusuke-san. Yuusuke-san, meet Zhou Yi-san, Wei Yuhua-san, Zhou Wen-san and Zhou Shuin-san.'
'Glad to meet you,' Yuusuke said.
'Please sit down,' Watanuki said. 'We are waiting for some more friends to come.'
The Zhous sat down.
'You settled nicely here,' Lady Wei said.
'Yes.' Watanuki smiled.
'You take very good care of Awamorishouma-in,' Lady Wei said.
'Thank you, Wei Yuhua-san.' Watanuki blushed.
'Kudou-san, are you an old friend of Watanuki-san and Doumeki-san?' Lady Wei asked.
'I came here not long ago to see Awamorishouma-in again and met Kimihiro-san and Shizuka-san here. I liked their company and stayed here.' Yuusuke smiled.
'I see,' Lady Wei said.
'Do you live near here?' Yuusuke said.
'Yes, our manor, Deer Grove, is nearby,' Lady Wei said.
'Wei Yuhua-san, your name, Jade Flower, suits you.' Yuusuke smiled. 'And your name, Zhou Shuin-san, suits you very much too, Delicate Stalk.'
Shuin blushed. Lady Wei smiled.
At this moment, Kagemaru and Shirayuki came up.
'Who is this?' Shuin asked.
'This is Kagemaru-san, the otoroshi of this temple, and his friend Shirayuki-san, a houkou of the nearby forests,' Watanuki said.
'Oh,' Shuin said.
'Kagemaru-san, Shirayuki-san, please sit down,' Watanuki said.
Kagemaru and Shirayuki sat down, Shirayuki curling his five tails around him.
'Who else must come?' Lady Wei asked.
'Zhuge Qing-san, a wise fortuneteller from Anzhou, Ichihara Yuuko-san, my teacher, two noble ladies - Minamoto no Asagao-sama and Minamoto no Hirugao-sama, sisters, Fujiwara no Minoru-sama, Hirugao-sama's fiancé, and his older sister Yuzuki-sama. Maybe Yuuko-san will bring somebody else with her,' Watanuki said.
'You know Mr. Zhuge?' Lady Wei asked.
'Yes. We met him when we went to the market in Anzhou.' Watanuki blushed. 'He said everything about me truthfully, and he said I'll be married or in a stable union.'
Lady Wei smiled.
'And how did you come to know those noble people?' Shuin asked.
'We exorcised Hirugao-sama and Minoru-sama,' Watanuki said. 'But I haven't met Minoru-sama's sister yet. He just promised to bring her here.'
At this point Doumeki scooped Watanuki into his lap and kissed him.
'But you said you weren't lovers!' Lady Wei said.
'Then we weren't,' Doumeki said.
Watanuki blushed. Everyone smiled. Kagemaru chuckled.
Suddenly appeared Yuuko with Himawari, Kohane, the old fortuneteller lady, Ame-Warashi, Zashiki-Warashi, the black Mokona and Mugetsu. Yuuko was in a black kimono with a pattern of a branch with golden flowers and golden fans. Mokona was sitting on Yuuko's shoulder, and Mugetsu was curled around Yuuko's neck. Himawari was in a golden kimono with bushes of red and white chrysanthemums. Kohane was in a white kimono with red checkerboard pattern in the upper part and racing scene under maple trees in the lower part, and there were hairpins with sakura flowers in her hair. Zashiki-Warashi was in a light blue kimono with white fans and red and black kanji in the upper part and grove of pines, bamboos and plum trees in the lower part, and there were hairpins with lilies in her blue long hair. All this looked lovely with her large dark eyes, but she looked guilty for some reason. Ame-Warashi was in a white kimono with the pattern of branches of chrysanthemums over a black sinuous stream and golden kanji, and there were hairpins with pink peonies in her dark red hair. She looked angry, as always.
'What beautiful ladies!' Yuusuke said.
Yuuko and Himawari smiled, Kohane and Zashiki-Warashi blushed, and Ame-Warashi frowned.
'Yuuko-san!' Watanuki said. Mugetsu jumped from Yuuko's neck to Watanuki's and rubbed against Watanuki's cheek.
'Hello Mugetsu.' Watanuki smiled.
'Mugetsu, 'moonless night'?' Yuusuke asked.
'Yes, because he appears and disappears suddenly.' Watanuki smiled.
'What is he?' Yuusuke asked.
'A kudagitsune,' Watanuki explained. 'He can turn into a large fox with many tails.'
'Oh,' Yuusuke said.
'And I am Mokona!' Mokona said.
'Oh, sorry!' Watanuki said. 'My friends are Ichihara Yuuko-san, Kunogi Himawari-chan, Zashiki-Warashi-san, Ame-Warashi-san, and...er, I'm sorry, I never learned your name...'
'It's all right.' The fortuneteller lady smiled. 'I am Abe Mitsuki.'
'Abe Mitsuki-san,' Watanuki said. 'It's a good name.'
'Yes,' Doumeki said. 'Abe is an old family of fortunetellers and wizards, descended from Abe no Seimei.'
'That's right.' Mitsuki-san smiled.
'Oh, sorry,' Watanuki said. 'Meet Zhou Yi-san, Wei Yuhua-san, Zhou Wen-san, Zhou Shuin-san, Kagemaru-san and Shirayuki-san.'
The guests bowed to each other.
'Please sit down,' Watanuki said. 'Wait a bit, we are waiting for five more people.'
'All right,' Yuuko said.
The newcomers sat down.
'Himawari-san, you have a lovely name. It suits you,' Yuusuke said.
'Thank you.' Himawari beamed.
'Kohane-san, what are the characters of your name?' Yuusuke asked.
'Little feather,' Kohane answered.
'A good name', Yuusuke said.
'Thank you.' Kohane blushed.
'Zashiki-Warashi-san, is something wrong?' Watanuki asked. 'You look upset.'
'No, everything's all right,' Zashiki-Warashi said.
'Let's play Hanafuda!' Yuuko suddenly said and produced a deck of Hanafuda cards from her wide sleeve.
Yuuko put the cards on the floor.
'See, there are twelve suits representing months, each month assigned a flower, with four cards in each suit,' Doumeki said. 'Cards with pine are January, the card with red ribbon with characters and the card with crane and sun being special cards. Cards with plum are February, the card with red ribbon and the card with bush warbler are special, worth more points. Cards with sakura are March, the card with red ribbon and the card with camp curtain are special. Cards with wisteria are April, the card with red ribbon and the card with cuckoo and moon are special. Cards with iris are May, the card with red ribbon and the card with water iris and eight-plank bridge are special. Cards with peony are June, the card with blue ribbon and the card with butterflies are special. Cards with bush clover are July, the card with red ribbon and the card with boar are special. Cards with hills covered with miscanthus are August, the card with geese in flight and the card with full moon and red sky are special. Cards with chrysanthemum are September, the card with blue ribbon and the card with sake cup are special. Cards with maple are October, the card with blue ribbon and the card with deer are special. Cards with willow are November, the card with lightning, the card with swallow and the card with a man with umbrella and frog are special. Cards with paulownia are December; the card with Chinese phoenix is special.'
'I see,' Watanuki said.
'Eight cards are dealt to each player, and eight cards are placed between the players. If a player has a card of the same suit with one of the other eight, he takes both cards. If not, he discards a card, and a card is taken from the deck. If one of the players has a card of the same suit as that card, he takes then both. If not, the card from the deck is added to the eight between the players. One who has the most points wins.'
'All right,' Watanuki said.
'Four animals or four ribbons are a yaku, and if you have all cards of one suit it is a yaku too,' Doumeki said.
'I see,' Watanuki said.
'I'll deal cards, all right?' Yuuko asked.
The others nodded. Yuuko shuffled the deck and dealt cards, then placed eight cards on the floor face up, in two rows.
Watanuki immediately saw a card with iris in his hand and a card with water iris and eight-plank bridge on the floor. He showed his card and took them both, and then waited.
Yuuko showed that she had three cards with peony and took the card he discarded. He waited again.
Nobody discarded a card of the same suit with one of his own, so he discarded a card himself, a peony.
Zashiki-Warashi discarded a card with chrysanthemum. He showed he had another one and took them both. Then he waited again.
Kohane discarded a card with a moon and red sky. Watanuki showed he had another three cards with hills, covered with miscanthus, and took all four. He waited again.
He didn't get any more matches, and when the cards were all played, he had the least points.
'You lose the round, Watanuki!' Yuuko said.
'Yeah,' Watanuki said.
'Well, there is a saying that one who is unlucky at cards is lucky in love. And you're definitely lucky in love by the way you and Doumeki-kun are sitting!' Yuuko said.
'Yes,' Doumeki said.
Watanuki blushed.
At this point five people appeared in the doorway - Minoru hand in hand with Lady Hirugao and behind them Lady Asagao hand in hand with a tall, slender young woman with long curly brown hair, and Mr. Zhuge.
Minoru bowed.
'I am Fujiwara no Minoru, and with me are my elder sister, Fujiwara no Yuzuki, my fiancée Minamoto no Hirugao and her elder sister Minamoto no Asagao.'
'I am Zhuge Qing,' Mr. Zhuge said.
'Meet Zhou Yi-san, Wei Yuhua-san, Zhou Wen-san, Zhou Shuin-san, Kagemaru-san, Shirayuki-san, Ichihara Yuuko-san, Kunogi Himawari-chan, Tsuyuri Kohane-chan, Zashiki-Warashi-san, Ame-Warashi-san, Abe Mitsuki-san, Mokona-chan and Mugetsu-chan.'
'Pleased to meet you,' Minoru said.
'Please sit down,' Watanuki said.
Minoru, Lady Hirugao, Lady Asagao, Yuzuki and Mr. Zhuge sat down.
'I'll bring food now,' Watanuki said, rose and went out.
Some time later he returned carrying a great tray with bowls of ochazuke - boiled rice doused with tea and topped with flaked salmon, chopped spring onions and wasabi and dishes of popiah, kazari-sushi - sushi with carrots forming image of bear, baked herring stuffed with sweet potatoes with milk, pepper and nutmeg, Double Ninth cakes in the image of chrysanthemums, a bottle of chrysanthemum wine, a bottle of sake, cups and chopsticks. He put the tray on the floor and sat down.
'Oh, popiah,' Lady Wei said, took one with her chopsticks and tasted it. 'Delicious!'
'Thank you.' Watanuki blushed.
'And you brought sake as well as chrysanthemum wine!' Yuuko said.
'I know you like it,' Watanuki said. 'But if you have too much you won't be able to climb any hills later.'
'Watanuki, you're so mean!' Yuuko pouted.
'And what is this fish dish?' Minoru said, tasting the baked herring. 'I've never had anything like it.'
'It is a Western dish,' Watanuki said. 'There are many Westerners where we are from. It is a French dish, called baked herring.'
'Very interesting,' Minoru said. 'You're a real itamae, Watanuki-san.'
Watanuki blushed. Itamae was what a very skilled cook was called.
'Pour me some sake, Watanuki, and throw in some chrysanthemum petals,' Yuuko ordered.
'All right,' Watanuki grumbled, poured sake into her cup and went to the garden. He returned with some chrysanthemum petals and threw them into Yuuko's cup.
'Mokona wants this too!' Mokona said, eating kazari-sushi.
'And me,' Doumeki said around a Double Ninth cake.
'Bottomless pits,' Watanuki grumbled but complied.
'Zhuge-san, do you come from that Zhuge family?' Mitsuki-san said.
'Yes.' Mr Zhuge smiled. 'And do you come from that Abe family, Mitsuki-san?'
'Yes.' Mitsuki-san smiled.
'Mitsuki-san said that my destiny is connected with the one I always quarrel with,' Watanuki said.
'Doumeki-kun?' Mitsuki-san said.
'Yes.' Watanuki blushed.
'I saw that Watanuki-san is to be in a solid relationship,' Mr Zhuge said.
'Really?' Mitsuki-san said.
'Yes. I read his palm. I usually read palms,' Mr Zhuge said.
'Oh?' Mitsuki-san said.
'Yuzuki-sama, how is your name written?' Yuusuke asked.
'Citron princess.' Yuzuki smiled.
'It is a lovely name,' Yuusuke said.
'Thank you, Kudou-san.' Yuzuki smiled.
Mugetsu nuzzled Watanuki's cheek.
'I didn't know that you would come, Mugetsu-chan, or I would make inari-zushi for you.' Watanuki smiled. 'I'll make them later.'
'Yuzuki-sama, Asagao-sama, are you lovers?' Lady Wei asked.
'We are bound by the Gold Orchid vow,' Yuzuki said, holding Lady Asagao's hand.
'Oh,' Lady Wei said.
'Eh?' Watanuki said.
'Golden Orchid Association is a society for women who don't wish to marry men,' Doumeki said. 'Some of them don't want to marry at all, but some just don't want to marry men because they're attracted to women. They marry between each other. If one of them wants to marry another, she gives her an offering of peanut candies, dates and similar things. If the other woman rejects it, it means she rejects her suitor also. If she accepts it, they're engaged. Later they sign a contract in the presence of their friends and celebrate the event. If they break their vow, all their friends would put them to shame.'
'Right.' Yuzuki smiled. 'But we have no intention to break our vow.'
'The oath that sworn brothers give is also called the Gold and Orchid oath, because it is beautiful and lasting,' Lady Asagao said.
'How long before you two give it, Watanuki-san?' Lady Wei asked.
'I'll see.' Watanuki frowned.
'I'll wait,' Doumeki said. 'I have no wish to haste you.'
'Aww!' Yuuko said.
Lady Wei took a Double Ninth cake and tasted it.
'This is lovely! Doumeki-san, take care, or some dignitary may set his eyes on Watanuki-san and abduct him, like Li abducted Wu Shang, and you'll have to rescue him, like Jiang Lang!'
'I'm sure Doumeki-kun can protect Watanuki-kun!' Himawari said. 'Oh!'
'It's all right, Himawari-chan,' Watanuki said hastily.
Yuuko, Ame-Warashi and Mr Zhuge frowned. Doumeki narrowed his eyes.
'The chrysanthemums in the gardens of Awamorishouma-in are beautiful, ne?' Yuusuke said.
'Yes, they are.' Watanuki smiled.
The chrysanthemums in the garden were really beautiful, large and fluffy, white, yellow and red.
'That's a beautiful thumb ring, Doumeki-san,' Lady Wei said.
'It was Kimihiro's gift,' Doumeki said.
Lady Wei smiled.
'Mmmm, this ochazuke is lovely,' Shirayuki said. 'It is so good you came here.'
'Thank you, Shirayuki-san,' Watanuki blushed.
'Watanuki-kun, are you comfortable here?' Himawari asked.
'I am, don't worry, Himawari-chan.' Watanuki smiled.
'This place is beautiful,' Yuzuki said. 'A fine old temple.'
'Yes.' Watanuki smiled.
'Kohane-chan, you have strong powers, right?' Mr Zhuge asked.
'I am a Seer, like Kimihiro-kun,' Kohane said shyly. 'It was because of this that we became friends. We can understand each other. Kimihiro-kun is like an older brother to me.'
'I see,' Mr Zhuge said.
'How old is this temple?' Yuzuki asked.
'Five hundred years old,' Kagemaru answered. 'I know that for a fact, as I appeared when it was built.'
'Oh,' Yuzuki said.
'Well, who was talking about climbing some hills?' Yuuko asked. 'Let's go and climb them!'
'Oh, right,' Watanuki said. 'Can you show us where those hills are, Shirayuki-san?'
'Of course!' Shirayuki said.
He jumped to his feet. The rest of the party rose also.
Shirayuki went out, waving his tails, and the company followed him.
'Why are you so sad, Zashiki-Warashi-sama?' Yuusuke asked. 'You're so beautiful.'
'It's nothing, Kudou-san, but thank you for your care,' Zashiki-Warashi said.
They walked through the woods and at last came to rather high green hills, covered with bamboo.
'Here they are,' Shirayuki said.
'Hurrah!' Yuuko said. 'Let's climb them!'
'Yes!' Mokona said.
'Are you sure you're able to, Yuuko-san?' Watanuki asked.
'Watanukiii!' Yuuko pouted.
They climbed one of the hills with some effort and huffing, and then stood atop of the hill and looked at the lush green bamboo thicket below.
'Beautiful!' Kohane said.
'Yes.' Watanuki smiled. 'This is a great place here.'
'Yes.' Kohane smiled. 'I am glad you are in such a lovely place, Kimihiro-kun.'
'Thank you, Kohane-chan.' Watanuki smiled.
'Here is some dogwood,' Shuin said.
'You're right,' Watanuki said and picked some dogwood branches with oval green leaves and red bark.
'Now let's go baaack, have more sake and play Hanafuda and mahjong!' Yuuko said. 'I'll stay the night!'
'I think we will, too,' Minoru said.
'I shall stay too,' Mr Zhuge said.
'And we,' Lady Wei said.
'All right,' Watanuki said.
And they started their way back to the temple.
******
Happy Groundhog Day to those in the US, and hope you don't have another six weeks of winter! Here we will apparently have an early spring, for the sky here is all overcast! Thanks to all the reviewers, I feel almost like a professional writer, with lots of fans and deadlines!
