She knew she must look terrible right now, so her gaze shifted evasively.
"That's good, then."
Ye Qing had never been much of a talker, and the atmosphere grew a little awkward.
Only after a long while did Morikawa Minako muster the courage to ask, "Ye Qing, do you know where my brother is?"
Ye Qing fell silent for a while, feeling for the box containing Fujii Gongshu's ashes in his pocket, unsure whether he should take it out.
"If there's something you need to tell me, just say it. I can probably guess some of it."
Morikawa Minako met Ye Qing's eyes, her hands clutching the covers, deeply uneasy.
In her recollection, Ye Qing was never someone who hemmed and hawed.
So something bad must have happened during this time to make him act this way.
"I'm sorry for your loss."
Ye Qing gently set the box on her covers and took out the Grass Gem as well.
"What is this...?"
The bad feeling in Morikawa Minako's heart grew stronger, and she almost dared not look at the box.
Ye Qing gathered his words and carefully recounted what had happened to Fujii Gongshu recently, hiding nothing.
"Brother..."
After hearing Ye Qing's account, Morikawa Minako's eyes filled with tears. To hide her loss of composure, she buried her face against her legs, clutching the little box in both hands.
Ye Qing could never bear scenes like this. He got up and went outside to the window, only coming back in once Morikawa Minako had composed herself.
"Thank you, Ye Qing."
Morikawa Minako thanked him sincerely. She knew about her brother's illness.
In fact, even if he had taken good care of himself, he would not have lived more than a few years. That was why he had frantically sought challenges