Truly comfortable days were never about grand, dramatic spectacles. They were the hours that drifted lazily by once the turmoil had settled.
Summer in Ishigami Village was often quiet and gentle. Soft sunlight fell through layers of shade, and the wind rustled faintly as it passed through the woods.
Everyone lived at their own pace. Life was as plain as water, yet offered a rare sense of peace.
It was the laziest part of the afternoon. The sun had slanted a little, losing the fiercest heat of noon.
On a shaded patch of grass beside the village, several young girls sat in a circle, chattering softly together.
Yuzuriha sat in the middle, her cheeks faintly pink and her eyes sparkling as she leaned in to whisper with Kohaku, Homura, Nikki, and Nan.
Teenage boys and girls always had a heart full of little romantic dreams.
They took turns talking about tender scenes that only happened in dreams, those heart-fluttering moments that left them blushing.
The more they talked, the more excited they became. So engrossed were they that none of them noticed Li Xiang passing nearby.
Li Xiang was strolling slowly through the shade, planning to walk off her meal and relax. As she happened past the lawn, she heard the girls laughing from a distance.
Her steps faltered, and she instinctively stopped behind a tree, quietly listening for a little while.
But she couldn't make out what they were saying.
After listening for a moment, she finally spoke.
"What are you all talking about so excitedly?"
The sudden voice made them jump.
Everyone looked up sharply and saw Li Xiang standing in the shade.
"Ah! N-nothing, Li Xiang!"
They all scrambled in a fluster, unable to meet her eyes.
Li Xiang narrowed her eyes slightly and leisurely pressed them.