Ch. 6: In a Secret Thought... (MOON)
All at once, the gunshots rang out.
Guido…!
He broke into a run, heading straight for the gunmen.
Pursuer: "Dammit! Why can’t I hit him!?"
Guido: "Shall I tell you the answer?"
Pursuer: "Wha…!?"
Guido spun in midair as if he was dancing and thrust his sword forward. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly in a smile.
Guido: "It’s because you’re slow♠!"
His thin, long sword gleamed.
…
……
Overwhelmed, the men ran away.
Thank goodness…
Seeing him safe, all the strength drained from my body.
Guido: "Kitten…?"
I stood frozen as he looked at me with wide eyes.
Guido: "Why didn’t you run away? That wasn’t a good idea."
Still holding the wreath, I ran to him on shaking legs.
OO: "I didn’t want…"
Guido: "Kitten…?"
OO: "I didn’t want it to just be in a dream…"
Guido: "People like you are…"
Guido came over and held me.
The flower garland made a noise between us.
Guido: "…it’s become quite ragged hasn’t it."
OO: "Yes…"
Guido placed his long fingers beneath my chin and gently raised my head.
We were so close that I could tell how long his eyelashes were.
Guido: "Do you understand what I said? That just like now, dangerous situations are likely going to keep happening?"
OO: "Like now…?"
Guido: "It’s my step-mother and younger brother. It seems to them I have become a hindrance. But I have no interest in arguing with them. Until they’ve calmed down, I will continue running through the quiet places, like the darkness of the night. Even so…you’ll stay by my side?"
OO: "Yes…"
Guido: "I give up. It seems you’ve come to understand the language of flowers."
OO: "The language of flowers?"
Guido: "Yes, like this."
With smiling eyes, Guido pulled me closer into an embrace.
He softly kissed my forehead.
Guido: "In the language of flowers, it means ‘secret love’."
He whispered this with a sigh.
As it was just after a fight, Guido’s hand felt very warm on my shoulder.
Guido: "Let us disappear into the darkness of the night together, my little kitten. Then we shall see the dream of the starry sky together."
I could see a slight glimmer of hesitation in the eyes hidden within the white mask.
OO: "Yes…please let me go with you."
I said so clearly and…
Guido: "Thank you."
Saying that, he again moved in closer.
OO: "Mm…"
This time, he softly pressed his lips to mine.
With elegant fingers, he tied a ribbon around my chest.
OO: "Guido…"
Guido: "OO…"
As we danced in the moonlight, I surrendered myself and closed my eyes…
While feeling him near me…
The beautiful starry sky that we had seen opened up before me.
END