The director had made his decision, and now it was up to Kazahana Koyuki's attitude.
[Kazahana Koyuki's Bedroom]
Earlier, because of emotions that were too intense and turbulent, she had fainted, and now she was resting here.
Aoba walked into the room, glanced at the crystal horn placed on the cabinet, and couldn't help but pick it up for a closer look.
"That's what those guys are after," A girl's hoarse and sorrowful voice suddenly rang out behind him.
Aoba turned his head and saw the girl, who at so point had already sat up.
Kazahana Koyuki's hair was a little ssy. At this mont she was curled up, arms hugging her legs, her face buried between her knees.
"I don't really feel anything special from it," Aoba rubbed the crystal horn.
"I don't know either."
Kazahana Koyuki turned her head to look at Aoba, or more precisely, at the crystal horn in his hand, then shook her head.
"Sandayu should have already told you my identity. This is the last thing my father left ."
"Since Kazahana Doto's goal is this, if—"
"So, Kazahana Doto killed your father, took everything from you, and now, not only do you not want revenge, you're even thinking of giving him the last thing your father left you?", The corners of Aoba's mouth curved slightly, as if he couldn't suppress the laugh in his heart.
Seeing Kazahana Koyuki's expression grow ever more painful and twisted, he drove in one last knife.
"You really are a good person."
"What the hell would you know?", Kazahana Koyuki let out a hysterical roar, her eyes filled with anger, unwillingness, and also helplessness.
"You don't understand how terrifying Kazahana Doto is. I'm just an ordinary person. Facing him, I don't stand the slightest chance of winning."
Aoba said nothing, and after venting, Kazahana Koyuki's emotions slowly cald down.
"You think just because you beat Nadare you're so great? Kazahana Doto is a hundred tis more terrifying than him."
After a long silence, Aoba finally spoke, "Do you hate him?"
Kazahana Koyuki froze, "I already said, Kazahana Doto's strength—"
"Just because he's so strong, you don't even dare to hate him?", Aoba cut her off again.
Kazahana Koyuki fell silent.
'Hate?'
'How can I not hate him?'
'Who in this world wouldn't hate the man who killed their father?'
But… every ti she thought back to that scene, the fear rose uncontrollably.
Tears silently slid from the corners of her eyes, followed by quiet sobs.
No one knew how long she cried.
Finally, Kazahana Koyuki wiped away the streaks of tears left on her face, and with trembling lips forced out a few words between clenched teeth.
"I… hate him!"
"If you hate him, then prepare yourself for revenge," Aoba tossed the crystal horn back to Kazahana Koyuki.
She fumbled to catch the crystal in a panic, staring blankly at Aoba.
"I'll help you complete your revenge," With a warm smile on his face, Aoba spoke, then turned toward the door.
Just as he was leaving, he paused, "Princess Koyuki, who do you think should take responsibility for the Land of Snow falling into Kazahana Doto's hands?"
"Your father, or you?"
"…", Kazahana Koyuki stayed silent.
"I once heard a saying, it made sense to . Want to hear it?"
"What saying?"
Kazahana Koyuki spoke instinctively, "Strength exists in the human heart. Believe, and it's there. Don't believe, and it isn't. Deceptive tricks are like shadows on a wall. Even the smallest person can cast a giant shadow."
"And also, Princess Koyuki, you're not just an ordinary person."
———
Two more days passed on the ship.
Aoba and the other three sat on the deck, eating bento while watching Kazahana Koyuki filming.
Because this was a movie crew, sotis one shot had to be fild many tis if they weren't satisfied, and then they'd lose track of altis.
So lunch was usually taken in the form of bentos.
"I feel like Princess Koyuki has changed quite a bit in these past two days," Yuhi Kurenai watched Kazahana Koyuki on set, feeling sothing was off.
Although she still often spaced out, her gaze wasn't as empty as when she first arrived.
If before she had been a girl with no fighting strength, weak, timid, always shrinking back at the first sign of difficulty.
Now she was still without fighting strength, still weak and timid, but at least she'd push herself to overco difficulties.
"That's sothing you'll have to ask Aoba what he said to her," Yakumo didn't look too pleased as she stretched out her chopsticks and stole a atball from Aoba's bowl.
Hinata, though silent, wasn't willing to lose either, and took another atball.
Kurenai also gave Aoba a surprised look, unable to stop herself from praising.
"You really are impressive."
Anyone could hear the sarcastic tone beneath her words.
"…"
Aoba thought for a mont, "I just told her we'd help her get revenge, that's all."
"So she developed feelings for you?", Yakumo stared at Aoba.
"Uh… maybe?", He felt he had only given her so simple guidance.
He was just trying to take this chance to strengthen ties between the Land of Snow and Konoha, and find a way to bring Snow's technology into Konoha.
"Mind if I sit here?", A crisp, pleasant female voice chid in. Yakumo and Hinata imdiately frowned, but before they could answer, the newcor sat down on her own.
"Princess Koyuki should be sitting with her crew, shouldn't she?", Yakumo spoke with a dark look.
The newcor was none other than Kazahana Koyuki, fresh from finishing a scene.
With plenty of sisters already at ho, Yakumo had no wish to add another.
"In the crew, it's all either old n or adults. It's more relaxing to eat with you guys," Koyuki opened her lunchbox and smiled in reply.
"Aren't you an adult too?", Yakumo eyed her curiously.
Koyuki rolled her eyes, "How could I be an adult? I'm only sixteen this year, about the sa age as you."
"Eh?", Not only Yakumo and Hinata, but even Aoba showed shock.
None of them could tell that Koyuki was only sixteen.
"Judging from your faces, how old did you think I was?", Koyuki almost laughed.
"Hmm… you look like you're in your twenties, like an auntie," Yakumo said bluntly.
"Heh," At that, Koyuki's face froze. She had to force herself to resist throwing her lunchbox at Yakumo, answering instead with a stiff smile.
"Is that so? So I look this mature, older than my actual age by so much," Forcing her smile, Koyuki jabbed at her food with her chopsticks, thinking.
'Do I really look that old?"
She had just been called "auntie" by girls only a few years younger than herself.
Of course it bothered her. Won always care about their faces, about their looks.
But Yakumo wasn't the only one hit by those words.
On the other side, Yuhi Kurenai felt it too.
She really was in her twenties.
'So being in twenties already makes one an auntie?'
In the midst of idle chatter, Kazahana Koyuki drew ever closer to returning to her loyal Land of Snow.
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