Yumeko's beauty… it wasn't just about having fair skin. Her skin was extremely pale, like porcelain, but it didn't look lifeless or sickly. It had a soft, pinkish undertone that made her look healthy and radiant—like her skin was alive. That natural glow gave her a gentle, almost glowing presence. No wonder the girls in the village always felt overshadowed. No matter how much they tried with skincare or sun protection, they couldn't match the way Yumeko looked so effortlessly flawless.
Isao finally said, "It's pretty standard in Japan and most of Asia—people admire fair skin. But Mirae, didn't you grow up in the West? Don't they like tanned skin?"
Mirai lowered her gaze and replied, "Not really. I stayed in Tokyo for a long time and also I just came back from a trip to Italy, so my skin's a bit darker than usual."
Yumeko nodded. "Don't worry. Your skin will brighten again soon. Just bathe in flower-infused water. That'll clear up the sunburn."
Mirai nodded, a little encouraged. Isao continued watching her from the side.
This girl…he thought again.She's not just interesting.She's..something else.
A brief silence fell between them.
Suddenly, Mireyna's eyes widened as a distant memory flickered in her mind. She turned to Yumeko.
"Yumi… your family studies traditional medicine, don't they? Isn't it usually based on herbs—or more specifically, flowers?"
Yumeko froze, startled by the question.
"Why do you ask?"
Mireyna hesitated. Her voice softened.
"It's just… my grandmother, Obāchan, once told me that your family has a connection to a mysterious flower."
Yumeko lowered her gaze, a hint of heaviness in her voice.
"Yes… that's true. Long ago, our family was the guardian—and consumer—of that flower. It's called the Blue White Moon, or Shien.
It only grows in high, cold mountains wrapped in fog. My ancestors once lived up there… but due to certain circumstances, they were forced to leave. Since then, the flower has disappeared from our lives."
"Do any of you still consume the flower today?" Mireyna asked carefully.
Yumeko met her eyes and shook her head.
"No… we don't. The flower is extremely rare. No one's been able to find it in years. Maybe it's gone for good… or perhaps, if it still exists, it's hidden deep within the fog-covered mountains, lost to time."
Mireyna nodded quietly, understanding.
Then Isao, who had been listening nearby, leaned in with a questioning gaze.
"You've been away for a long time… Why the sudden curiosity about this flower, Mireyna?"
She looked up at him, eyes calm but thoughtful.
"I've always been interested in old stories, especially ones like these. I want to know more… And honestly, this time, I just had a strange feeling. I thought maybe coming back here would help me feel at peace."
But Mireyna didn't tell them everything.
She didn't mention the dreams—those vivid, haunting dreams of the flower.
She didn't want to stir up worry, or invite Yumeko and Isao's questions.
So for now… she chose to stay silent.
Isao turned his gaze toward Mireyna, his voice low and guarded.
"Sometimes… there are things that don't need to be spoken."
Mireyna frowned slightly, her heart tightening.
"Why? Are you saying I'm an outsider?"
Isao replied flatly, "This has nothing to do with being an outsider. It's about the Yue's family. These are their secrets. And questions like yours… shouldn't be asked so easily. You have no connection to them."
Mireyna froze.
His words cut deeper than he realized—like a blade hidden behind a calm voice. She lowered her gaze, lips pressed tightly together.
Yumeko, sensing the shift in Mireyna's energy, quickly stepped in.
"Isao… you need to be more careful with your words."
She gently placed a hand on Mireyna's shoulder.
"I'm sorry. Isao always speaks like that..without thinking of others' feelings. Please don't take it personally. But… what he said is true. It's not that I don't want to tell you.
It's just… our family tradition forbids us from revealing certain truths. Some things are not meant to be shared outside our bloodline.
Still… there's so much more we can learn from each other, right?"
Mireyna slowly nodded, though the sting in her chest remained.
Isao watched her carefully, a faint crease forming between his brows.
He didn't hate Mireyna—not even close. But something didn't sit right with him.
Of all things, why was she so fixated on Yumeko's family?
Why that flower?
No one had spoken of the Shien flower in decades—not in books, not in whispers. Not even the Yue family themselves.
Not… until now.
What's going on?
Why is she asking about something that has been buried by time itself?
And why… why now?
Isao's thoughts swirled with quiet unease.
Later that day, Mireyna, Isao, Mio, and Shion walked back to their home. Eventually, they each returned to their own homes, the silence between them lingering like mist in the air.
Just before they parted, Yumeko gently reached out and held Mireyna's hand.
"I'm sorry… if what Isao said earlier upset you," she said quietly. "He's not a bad person. He's just… difficult sometimes. That's just how he speaks. He's been that way since we were little."
Mireyna blinked in surprise. "Why is that?"
Yumeko glanced away, her voice soft.
"He never really had a mother's love. His birth mother died… his dad don't really care about his children..and his stepmother, well—she tried. I believe she truly cares about him. I've seen it myself. She says she loves both Isao and Shion. But… Isao refuses to accept it."
"…He wasn't raised by his real mother?" Mireyna asked, her voice gentle.
Yumeko nodded slowly. "Yes. He was raised by his stepmother. But Shion… he's different. He adores her. He considers her his real mother."
"How come?" Mireyna asked curiously.
"Well… Isao's mother died giving birth to Shion. At the time, Isao was already eight. Old enough to understand. And that kind of loss—it leaves a mark. It's not something easy to accept," Yumeko explained.
"But Shion… he never met his real mother. So naturally, he grew up loving his stepmother as if she were his own."
"I see…" Mireyna murmured. "So that's why Isao turned out like that. He's… never really healed."
There was a pause.
Then, without thinking, Mireyna asked a question that had been lingering in her mind since they met.
"Yumi…has Isao ever had a girlfriend?"
Yumeko blinked, visibly taken aback. A slow smile crept onto her face.
"Oh? Why do you ask?" she teased lightly. "Do you like him?"
Mireyna shook her head quickly, cheeks flushed.
"N-no! Of course not! I was just wondering! I mean.. he's good-looking. So I just thought…"
Yumeko exhaled in amusement.
"Well… Isao and I are similar in that way. Neither of us has ever been interested in love. Or maybe we just haven't found the right person yet."
She paused, her eyes thoughtful.
"I do remember there were a lot of girls who liked him. But… he never returned their feelings."
She smiled faintly, as if remembering something.
"There was one girl, though. Her name was Himari Fujimoto."
A subtle ache stirred in Mireyna's chest. She wasn't sure why..is she have a crush on him?!