Leaving Goda, the two headed toward "Shibuya 3-chome," passing many flower shops along the main streets and alleyways.

It was noon, and the sun was shining brightly on the tree-lined street.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting floating lights and fleeting shadows.

The two of them walked down such a shaded path.

After walking for ten minutes, Dubian Che took off his suit jacket, draped it over his shoulder, and looked handsome in a different way.

Kiyono Lin glanced at him, finding the temperature just right for herself.

Ahead of them, two girls in Goda High School uniforms were walking; judging by the color of their ties, both were first years.

They were carrying balloons, probably picked up from a graduation ceremony.

They visited three flower shops, but none met their criteria.

Either they didn't source directly from Ota Flower Market, or they didn't intend to honor their agreement to send the best roses from the shop—just picking any stem to get by.

Passing a Chinese restaurant called "Shixiang Pavilion," Dubian Che suggested they take a break and grab something to eat.

They ordered dumplings, bang-bang chicken, Mapo Tofu, and others.

After the meal, when it was time to pay, Kiyono Lin took out her wallet, ready to split the bill, but Dubian Che stopped her.

"At this moment, how could I let you pay?"

"Suit yourself," Kiyono Lin put away her wallet.

Dubian Che took out his wallet and looked inside.

"Um, Kiyono-san?"

"What is it?"

"Could I borrow some money from you?"

The standing waitress's look at Dubian Che changed.

Kiyono Lin took out her wallet again, withdrawing two thousand-yen bills and handed them to the waitress.

After leaving the shop, Dubian Che said, "Ms. Kiyono, before school starts, please give me a whole day, I'll take you out for a meal!"

"Remember to bring enough money next time."

"I swear on the sun."

Having finished lunch and taking just a few steps, they saw a park.

"Let's sit down and rest for a while," suggested Kiyono Lin.

"Sure."

The two entered the park called "Sanyo."

At the sandbox, several children were playing, and beside them, a few young mothers chatted, basking in the warmth of the sun.

Dubian Che and Kiyono Lin strolled leisurely through Sanyo Park, finally sitting down on a bench to rest.

Above their heads, the cherry trees had bloomed with pink flowers, their shadows swaying at their feet.

Two benches away, a blue-collar woman was eating lunch alone, attracting the park's pigeons to her side.

"Isn't it lonely to eat by yourself?" Dubian Che remarked.

"I'm used to it, in fact, I prefer not to dine with others," replied Kiyono Lin.

They sat in silence for a while, watching the woman feed bread to the pigeons.

"If it were back at Shengong Stadium on the day of the fireworks, I would have definitely taken you inside or stayed with Jiutiao Meijie."

"Are you pitying me?" Kiyono Lin turned to look at him, "Eating fried noodles by myself, watching the fireworks, it's not unpleasant for me."

"It's not a matter of whether it's unpleasant or not," Dubian Che responded, "How could I have rested easy, leaving someone as beautiful as you alone there? It was too dangerous."

Kiyono Lin looked at him somewhat surprised; he was serious.

"Your worries are too exaggerated, almost like 'groundless fears.'"

Dubian Che nodded, as if not hearing her, and replied perfunctorily:

"Yes, it's an exaggeration."

Pink cherry blossom petals scattered at their feet.

The scent of food wafted by, the breeze carried the cherry blossoms, children ran joyfully before them, and the world was at peace.

It was a midday not far from the full bloom of the cherry blossoms.

Leaving the park, they finally found a suitable flower shop named "Rose Bond."

The entrance was adorned with a variety of flowers in all colors.

There were tulips and white daffodils of the season; carnations and white lilies a month or two away; off-season sunflowers and pansies.

Roses were the most abundant, red, purple, black, blue, white, yellow, pink, and orange-red.

A symphony of scents and colors.

"May I help you with something?" asked the saleswoman, in her early thirties, with an appearance befitting of a florist.

"Are these roses from Ota Flower Market?" Dubian Che inquired.

"All the flowers here are," the saleswoman nodded gently, "we source them every morning at 4 am from Ota Flower Market."

Dubian Che looked at Kiyono Lin, who nodded.

Seeing the two of them, the saleswoman suggested:

"If it's for a White Day return gift, I recommend purple roses, they symbolize romantic love and precious uniqueness."

Dubian Che chuckled to Kiyono Lin, "Romantic love?"

Kiyono Lin gave him an unamused glance.

"It's not for a White Day return gift," Dubian Che informed the daydreaming saleswoman, "it's for decorating a classroom for an event."

The female clerk felt very embarrassed because of her distraction, "Um, for decoration purposes, I recommend dried flowers. They won't wither for at least half a year..."

"No, fresh flowers are fine," Dubian Che interrupted her, "and they must be the best roses in the store."

"Our store specially selects high-quality roses, so that's no problem at all," the female clerk said.

Dubian Che looked at Kiyono Lin, and Kiyono Lin nodded.

"I don't need it today, can I place a pre-order?" Dubian Che asked the female clerk again.

"Of course, may I know if it's for tomorrow, or some other day?"

"Not tomorrow, nor any specific day, it's for every single day in the future..."

At this, Dubian Che turned his gaze to Kiyono Lin once more.

She pondered for a moment and said, "Two years, until we graduate."

Dubian Che turned to the flower shop owner and said:

"Two years, delivery every day… um, if the flower shop is on holiday, or there's some force majeure, like illness or an earthquake, then don't worry about sending them."

"Every day? For two years?"

"Is that not possible?"

"Ah! Of course it is!"

Although she had never taken such an order before, as long as it made money, the female clerk quickly pulled out paper and a pen from her apron.

"May I have the address? Will the flowers sent each day be the same? And about the packaging, what style would you like?"

"The address is Shinano Town***502; one, no, two of the most beautiful roses in store on the day, any color will do; for the packaging, just use newspaper, keep it simple."

"Sir," the female clerk said cautiously, "a deposit for two years will be quite expensive."

Dubian Che took out his wallet and pulled out a bank card with an amount he couldn't remember.

"I have another address for you, please also deliver a bunch of roses there every day," he said. "If anyone doesn't let you in, just say it's from Dubian Che."

"Alright," the female clerk replied. "Three roses? Starting from today, March 20, to two years from now, on March 20, every day?"

"Correct."

"Can we do one month at a time for the deposit?"

"That's too much trouble. Let's settle for two years all at once, and I can pay the money upfront."

Dubian Che was wealthy and wasn't afraid of the other party defaulting. The process was confirmed swiftly.

The store owner went to write a receipt; the two left the flower shop and stood at the entrance admiring the flowers.

It was slightly chilly inside the flower shop, but the outside was bathed in beautiful sunlight.

"What flower is this?" Dubian Che asked, gazing at clusters of vibrant purple flowers.

"Forget-me-nots."

"With my memory, you don't have to worry about that at all."

"I meant the name of the flower."

"I see."

"There should be a limit to playing dumb..."

Kiyono Lin didn't finish her sentence when a breeze came from afar, passing through "Flower Sea," caressing her elegant long hair.

"The flowers are admiring you, Miss Kiyono," Dubian Che said with a smile.

"If they were conscious, it would be natural for them to admire me," Kiyono Lin arranged the hair that had blown into her mouth.

"If the flowers are admiring you, and I'm admiring the flowers, what does that tell you?" Dubian Che asked.

"What does it tell you?" Kiyono Lin didn't answer but asked back.

"It says I have no taste. There's a beauty besides me even flowers would envy, and yet I'm staring at flowers."

Kiyono Lin frowned at him, "Do you do this with everyone?"

"Of course not. These cheesy lines, I seem to have said them only to you."

"What about Jiutiao Meijie?"

"To her? Mostly it's 'mine, mine, mine, Meijie, I love you, I love you, I adore you.'"

Kiyono Lin's face showed extreme disdain.

"She actually puts up with you," she seemed genuinely disgusted.

"She's delighted to hear it."

"I never realized she was that kind of person before," Kiyono Lin couldn't imagine.

"Just like you said, people change, especially girls in love."

After saying this, Dubian Che continued:

"I swear on the forget-me-nots, when one day the person Miss Kiyono likes says to you, 'mine, mine, mine, Lin, I love you, I love you, I adore you,' you'll be overjoyed too."

Kiyono Lin supported her chin with her hand, head down, as if contemplating something.

Ten seconds later, she lifted her head and said:

"Still disgusting, and it doesn't make me feel high..."

Her words trailed off as the soft, cherry-pink lips trembled slightly, but she couldn't utter another word.

Their eyes met, then they hastily looked away.

Kiyono Lin focused on the Cosmos flowers to the right of the store entrance, while Dubian Che studied the Morning Glory to the left.

"Sir, thank you for waiting," the female clerk finally came over.

Dubian Che put the receipt into his wallet, and the two left the flower shop, finally calming the turmoil inside.

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