The evening breeze swept through the alleys, and the laughter had yet to fade.
The wooden door creaked, letting faint gusts into the room and cutting off all the chatter.
The person standing in the doorway was Kirisa.
He looked bewildered as he stood on the threshold, his gaze unconsciously settling on Li Xiang inside.
Even Kirisa himself could not explain why he had found his way here as though drawn by some unseen force.
He should have stayed by the stage to go over the proceedings and settle the palace attendants, yet he could not stop thinking about the bamboo flute melody from earlier.
Li Xiang's rendition of "Red Dust Inn" echoed over and over in his mind, its lingering notes leaving his heart unsettled.
After a moment of hesitation, he finally gave in to the stirring in his heart and found his way to this room.
He had only meant to offer a casual compliment, nothing more.
His eyes settled on Li Xiang, who stood calmly among the others, and Kirisa spoke stiffly, stumbling over his words. "You... you played well."
He paused, trying to find a suitable congratulatory remark, only to grow more muddled. "Congratulations, your performance went smoothly... no, that's not right."
No, no, no. He simply felt that the flute melody had instantly soothed restless hearts, and had also touched his own long-dormant heart.
By the time he came to his senses, he noticed Shrike, Kohaku, Ginro, and several unfamiliar faces that absolutely should not have been deep inside the Harem.
Kirisa's pupils suddenly contracted.
The atmosphere in the room froze, falling so quiet that a dropped pin would have been audible.
Shrike raised an eyebrow slightly. "Oh, Kirisa. Perfect timing."
While Kirisa stood there stunned, Tsukasa moved like a blur, stepping forward to restrain