"Ring, ring-"
The glass wind chime hanging beneath the eaves gave off a beautiful, soft, lingering melody in the gentle breeze.
"Senmon, Senmon."
Uchiha Senmon's eyelashes fluttered a few times before he slowly opened his eyes. Before him was a face that haunted his dreams.
"Mikoto?"
"Oh, you're awake."
The gentle woman before him, dressed in a white kimono patterned with cherry blossoms, smiled softly. A hint of heartache crossed her eyes as she reached out to stroke the corner of Uchiha Senmon's eye.
"Senmon, why did you look so sad in your sleep? You were even crying. Did you have a nightmare?"
"..."
Uchiha Senmon involuntarily raised his hand and clasped Mikoto's hand against his face, staring blankly.
Only after a long while did Uchiha Senmon murmur:
"Really? So... it was a dream? Thank goodness..."
"So you really were having a nightmare. While you were sleeping, your brow was furrowed, you kept mumbling nonsense, and you even cried. I was a little worried."
Mikoto wiped away Uchiha Senmon's tears, rose to her feet, and said gently:
"Work in Tokyo must have been exhausting lately. Now that you've come back to our hometown in Shizuoka Prefecture for this year's vacation, take a few days to rest."
With that, Mikoto walked inside from beneath the eaves.
Uchiha Senmon raised his head and looked outside. He was sitting on the veranda beneath the long eaves of a Japanese wooden house, with a distant view of the fresh snow covering Mount Fuji's summit.
Was this his hometown in Shizuoka Prefecture?
"I made some tea and added a few balloon flower petals I got from Mom. I heard they help dispel nightmares."
Mikoto came over carrying a tray with several Japanese sweets and a steaming cup of clear tea.
"It really is better back