Gion Would No Longer Be a Geisha

By the time the sun was high in the sky, Dawn had gotten dressed and stepped out of the room looking refreshed. Before long, he returned with a brand-new light-purple kimono patterned with cherry blossoms.

Gion was curled up in the corner, gazing dazedly at the ceiling, crystalline liquid hanging from the corner of her lips.

Dawn walked over, crouched beside her, and began dressing her in the kimono himself. His movements were unexpectedly gentle, every step careful and deliberate, as if he were handling fragile porcelain.

Gion did not resist, merely allowing him to arrange her in silence.

When the kimono was properly on and Dawn tied her sash, Gion suddenly grabbed his arm.

Dawn paused and looked back at her.

"From now on..."

Biting her lip, Gion stared straight into Dawn's aqua-blue eyes and gathered her courage to ask,

"Will you attack me on the battlefield? Stop playing dumb. That Seastone handcuff was so obvious—I don't believe you didn't see it."

Dawn was silent for a long time. At last, he sighed, pulled Gion close, and gave her a deep, burning kiss.

Gion stiffened at first, then gradually softened. In the end, she even began responding clumsily.

After a long while, their lips parted.

Dawn looked firmly at the flushed Gion.

"If we meet on the battlefield, I'll capture you outright. I'm a pirate—kidnapping and plundering are perfectly normal."

After saying that, he rose without looking back and headed for the door.

As he slid open the door, Dawn paused for a moment without turning around.

"Practice your swordsmanship properly. The next time we meet, if you're still only at this level, I'll be very disappointed."

The door slid shut softly.

Gion stared at the spot where Dawn had been standing for a long time. Her expression shifted