Kagome was the first to stand and run over to him.
"Chiyo!"
She ran up to him and tipped her head back to look at him, her eyes shining.
"When did you get here?"
"Just now."
Chiyo lowered his head to look at her, his gaze falling on the cherry blossom petal caught in her hair.
He reached out and gently picked the petal away.
Kagome's face flushed faintly.
Coral stood up, walked over to Chiyo, and lowered her head slightly.
"Good morning, Lord Chiyo."
"Good morning."
Kagura and Kanna walked over as well.
Kagura closed her folding fan and gave Chiyo a slight bow.
Kanna held her mirror and looked straight at Chiyo.
"Good morning."
Chiyo nodded, carried the tray over beneath the cherry blossom tree, and set it down on the grass.
"Sit."
The five of them sat in a circle beneath the cherry blossom tree, each lifting a cup of tea.
The tea was fragrant, carrying a faint, indescribable flavor.
Kagome took a sip, her eyes narrowing contentedly.
"It's good. What kind of tea is this?"
"Cherry blossom tea."
Chiyo's voice was very calm.
"Made with cherry blossoms picked fresh this morning."
Kagome paused.
"You picked them?"
"Mm."
Kagome lowered her head and looked at the cherry blossom petal floating on the tea in her cup.
The petal was pale pink and translucent, slowly unfurling in the tea like a butterfly that had just broken free of its cocoon.
Her heart trembled.
Chiyo was someone who clearly looked so cold, so unapproachable, yet he remembered that they were unused to the food of the Demon Realm and had gone to pick cherry blossoms early in the morning to brew tea for them.
He never said sweet things.
But he did them.
Every little thing, he did.
Kagome