Chapter 166: Unable to Form a Bond, only Adds to Loneliness

25 years ago, Hinazuru Akina was 8 years old and a primary school student.

At that time, the Hinazuru Hot Spring Hotel had just started. Because it was close to Shuchiin, the Hinazuru family was considered a relatively wealthy family in the area.

Because the Hinazuru Hotel was located at the foot of the mountain, the little Hinazuru often went up the mountain for a walk, collecting wild vegetables, mushrooms or wild fruits from dwarf trees.

But that night, the little Hinazuru, who was very familiar with this mountain road, lost his way in the forest.

It was late, and it was drizzling in the dim sky. The eight-year-old Hinazuru accidentally came to the shade of the trees by the pond to take shelter from the rain.

The little Hinazuru was very cold, but she didn't know how to make a fire and couldn't find the way back.

After all, the road between the pond and the hotel had not been opened at that time, and the little Hinazuru didn't dare to walk into the forest where she couldn't tell the direction in the rain.

At that time, Yingguang was hiding not far away, looking at the little girl who was about to be drenched by the rain. She didn't know whether to go forward or not. Humans couldn't see their spirits, so even if she went over... she would probably be ignored.

So, she turned into a firefly that could be seen by humans and flew in front of the little girl.

"It's a firefly..."

The little crane slowly stretched out his hand to let the firefly fall into his hand, and then used his other hand to block the wind and rain for it.

"Little firefly, don't come out if it's raining, you'll get wet."

The firefly-like Yingguang couldn't help but chuckle. This little human girl was about to be drenched by the rain, but she was still worried about the firefly in her hand.

So, Yingguang flew out of the little crane's hand and turned into a spirit. But to her surprise, the little crane also stared at Yingguang's spirit with wide eyes.

Can she see me? Yingguang didn't think much, but took out an extra golden yukata, put it on the little young crane, and directed the fireflies to guide the little young crane on the way home.

Although he put on an extra yukata, because his body was still very weak, the little young crane had a fever for three days after returning to the hotel.

According to the self-report of the young crane, during the fever, he dreamed of many fireflies and the blonde sister who handed him the yukata.

After his condition improved, the little young crane thought of the big sister who saved him at that time. This was definitely not a dream, because the golden yukata was placed next to his bed.

The little young crane held the clothes and wanted to find the pond again and return the clothes to the sister. Although he didn't know if the sister was still there, the little young crane still wanted to go!

After a few days, the little young crane finally found the pond, but he couldn't find the big sister.

Just when the little young crane was about to go back with the yukata, he tripped over a stone by the lake, and the clothes were accidentally thrown out and fell on the lake.

The lake water looked quite deep. After the little young crane climbed up, he didn't worry about himself getting hurt, but looked helplessly at the yukata that was about to be swallowed by the lake.

But at this moment, Yingguang, who had been paying attention to the little young crane but didn't plan to come out, showed his spirit on the lake and picked up the clothes.

"Ah! It's the big blonde sister from that day!"

Yingguang, who was going to put away the yukata and leave, was stunned for a moment, and then looked at the little girl by the lake.

"Can you see me?"

"Why can't I see it? And the big sister is actually floating on the water, so amazing."

Yingguang, who had never come into contact with humans, came to the shore and looked curiously at the little girl who could see him.

That day, Yingguang and the little young crane talked about a lot of things, but before leaving, Yingguang refused the little young crane's "goodbye" and said that it should be "goodbye forever".

One of them is a monster and the other is a human. This is the fate. They can't be together, otherwise it will only increase loneliness.

Just like humans and fireflies, humans can live for a hundred years, but adult fireflies can only live for a few days. If a person becomes friends with a firefly, he can only watch the firefly's life fade away in the end....

Firefly doesn't want to, and doesn't dare to accompany a human whose life span is only a hundred years. She is afraid that she will become so lonely after the little crane dies.

The little crane doesn't understand this, because she has regarded this big sister as her benefactor and friend.

Pick up the wet yukata again, the little crane said that she would wash it and come back.

But the next day, no matter how the little crane called, Yingguang just watched silently in the dark. She didn't plan to have a deep communication with humans. This little girl was just a passer-by in her life.

The little crane sat by the lake. She didn't understand why this gentle big sister who was still chatting well yesterday left without even saying goodbye.

After waiting for several hours, Yingguang thought that this human child should forget her and go home.

Somehow, the little young crane suddenly stood up and angrily threw the yukata in his hand into the lake.

Firefly appeared again——

"This is the clothes I gave you after all, don't throw them into the water every time!"

"Ah! Big sister! Hehe, I knew that big sister was still there. Could it be that throwing clothes into the water is the way to summon big sister?!"

Firefly couldn't help but smile bitterly, and then came to the shore and sat down with the little young crane.

Forget it! Although the life span of a person is only a hundred years, I have to protect this child who can see me! After all, this is her first human friend since she survived!

On this day, they became each other's first human (monster) friend.

I thought I could accompany and protect her, but when the little crane went to elementary school a month later, she suddenly couldn't see the glow.

Even though the glow was standing in front of the little girl, even if she reached out to touch her, she didn't notice it at all. Although the little crane came to the lake every day to call the glow, asking her to come back... she could never see the glow standing in front of her.

"Sister Ying! Sister Ying! Where are you? I can't see you, please come out!"

The little crane hugged the yukata and cried.

But the little crane couldn't see the glow standing in front of her. The little crane threw the yukata into the lake again with tears on her face.

But this time, the method to summon the glow didn't work, and the yukata sank to the bottom of the lake. In the end, the little crane had to ask the adults to fish it out with great effort.

"Sister Ying, I'm in junior high school... and I've made many new friends, but why don't you want to come out to see me? I'll always be waiting for you!"

"Sister Ying, high school life is so tiring, but I will study hard. When I get into college, can you come back to see me?"

"Sister Ying... please come out. Do you hate little Hinazuru?"

"Sister Ying, I'm getting married, and I'll stay at Hinazuru Inn from now on. And... I'll come to see you every day."

For 25 years, Hinazuru Akina has grown up and got married, but she finds time to come to the lake every day, hoping that person will appear again.

The story is over. From Hinazuru Akina's perspective, no one knows where Sister Ying went.

Yukinoshita's guess is that Sister Ying just passed by here on a trip, and her hometown actually disappeared far away.

After all, Yukinoshita doesn't believe in the existence of monsters, including Fujiwara Chika and Chitanda. While comforting Hinazuru Akina, they also think they have solved the mystery of the pond.

The so-called Yuanchi is just that the proprietress of Hinazuru often goes to the pond to wash clothes and then hangs them up. Everything else is a rumor! After all, how can there be monsters in this world, right?

Uchiha Ling suddenly raised his head and turned his gaze to the window, looking at the blonde woman sitting by the window.

When he was about to say something, Yingguang stretched out his finger and shushed. He didn't need Uchiha Ling to relay anything.

Because just as she said, there was no meaning in the fate, and further contact would only increase loneliness.

Yingguang flew behind Hinazuru Akina and stretched out his arms to hug her neck, although she couldn't feel or hear it. But Yingguang still wanted to say it.....

[Thank you for being my first human friend, but I really don't want you to stay in this hotel for the rest of your life. If possible, I want to accompany you to see the gorgeous mountains and beautiful valleys, and accompany you through this wonderful and short life. ]

[......How do humans call this feeling? ]