After letting out a long yawn, Mei Terumi opened her eyes and saw a can of iced green tea in front of her.
Lin Qing stood across from her, smiling. "It's so late. Why aren't you in bed?"
"I can't sleep. Haa—"
She was interrupted by another long yawn.
She took the green tea Lin Qing handed her, mumbled a thank-you, and gulped down half the can. Only then did she let out a satisfied sigh like an old man savoring wine, her tired eyes finally regaining a little clarity.
A gentle night breeze stirred. Mei Terumi pulled her blanket a little tighter around herself.
"Sorry," Lin Qing said.
"What are you apologizing for?"
"The day we arrived in Kyoto, we agreed we'd watch the fireworks at the Water Garden Festival together."
"Yeah, we did. But..."
Mei Terumi pinched the cold aluminum can between her thumb and middle finger and took a small sip.
"Neither of us expected so much to happen tonight. And as for the fireworks..."
She nodded toward Oda Ieyasu, who was walking away.
"Thanks to him, we already got to watch them from point-blank range, didn't we?"
Lin Qing realized she meant the cluster bombs beneath the Daimyo Mansion.
In terms of brilliance... Under the immense heat and pressure, the explosion had blazed a snowy white. It really had been a grand "fireworks display."
That explosion had also led to the cancellation of the Water Garden Festival's official fireworks show.
They were worried someone might use the noise of the fireworks to cover up a fight and cause more unrest.
There had been more than enough trouble tonight. No one wanted the situation, which had only just stabilized, to change again.
"I just feel a little disappointed," Mei Terumi said.
"Disappointed?"
She loosened the blanket slightly.