Spring Winds

"That was quite an entertaining story, wasn't it, Jing Ran?"

"Eh? I suppose," Zhu Na Ran shrugged. "I still can't believe that Master did all of that! Everything that he did seems completely unreal!

Ah, maybe those old men embellished some details to paint Master in a favorable light."

"Haha." Bai Yin giggled as she walked alongside her. "Even so, there must be some truth to their words, yes?

Their admiration wouldn't be so strong otherwise."

"Ahh, I suppose. Hah, after this, I'm going to ask Master about all this. I mean, what happened to the 'Dragon of Falling Stars?'

And why the heck is he not the one instructing us?"

"Hmm, perhaps Grandmaster Luo has a reason. I'm sure in due time he will reveal the truth to you."

"Hah, I don't know. Master isn't a very talkative man unless it involves food."

"Well, maybe you'll need to use that route to get him to talk," Bai Yin suggested.

"Eh?

Bribe Master with food? Tsk, yeah, right!

The last time I asked a favor from him, he sent me to the jungle to gather ingredients for him, that glutton.

Ah, forget it, I'll need to use some other means to pry some information from him." And she just got back from another laborious food hunt.

She wasn't ready to go back for another!

"Hmm, I'm sure that you'll find a way, Jing Ran."

"I suppose.

Oh! I almost forgot!" Flashing a smile at Bai Yin, Zhu Na Ran asked, "Do you want to release lanterns with me?

It's almost time for us to head up the mountain and send off our wishes."

"E-eh?" Bai Yin quickly covered her face with her sleeve. "U-um, I would love to, Jing Ran…

B-but, I already promised my brother that I would go with him.

I-I'm sorry!"

"O-oh." Watching Bai Yin bow profusely before her, Zhu Na Ran stopped the younger girl; from going any further. "It's okay!

You had a prior arrangement, haha…"

"Um, I'm really sorry." Bai Yin apologized again as her face flushed in embarrassment.

"It's okay!

I guess I have to go find Senior Sister anyways, so it works out."

"A-are you sure?"

"Yep!" Zhu Na Ran nodded as she flashed a reassuring smile. "You should probably go and meet up with your brother. It looks like they'll be releasing lanterns soon."

"Alright…"

After a few more apologies, Bai Yin quickly disappeared into the crowd. Standing alone in crowded streets, she sighed.

"Hah, now what?"

---

It was almost time for the time lighting of the lanterns. This final ceremony would signal the end of the New Years' celebration and usher in the start of a new spring.

The festive buzz from before seemed to grow as buyers quickly bought up the numerous lanterns and wrote their wishes onto them before heading up the highest point to release their lantern.

Had Zhu Na Ran not bought her lantern earlier, she would've been in quite a tight spot. 'Hah, too bad that they'll go to waste…'

She doubted that her senior sister would be able to release these lanterns with her. 'She is probably going after the person she likes.

The only one who would remain in her heart for a lifetime…'

Holding the two flower lanterns, Zhu Na Ran sat on the makeshift street curb as she watched the people mill on by. The colorful variations of sect robes were already a sight to behold; however, the couples caught her attention.

Laughing and holding hands together, many couples joyously laughing walked on by. 'Ah, it would be nice not to be a single dog...

Having someone to talk to all the time and going on adventures together as we explore the realm. We would eat food from all over the place and sleep under the stars and stuff!

Hehe, that could be quite fun!'

Of course, finding someone like that isn't easy. Unfortunately, Zhu Na Ran hasn't found much luck in the relationship department…

'Ahh, maybe I'm doing something wrong?

Maybe my standards are too high?

Hmm, but all of them are pretty important…

Aiyah, maybe it's my destiny to be a single dog forever. Well, at least I have Senior Sister if she'll let me stick around.

Her partner might not like that too much, though.'

Based on all of the dramas that she watched, unusually, friends drift apart once one becomes invested in a long-term relationship.

Even the closest of friends eventually become perfect strangers living their own unrelated lives. Perhaps once in a while, they'll think of the other person, but even that was a fleeting thought.

And if that was the case… she wasn't sure if she wanted her senior sister to confess to 'that' person ever.

'No, no, no.' Smacking her cheeks, Zhu Na Ran chided herself for even having such a negative thought.

'Senior Sister deserves a good person! She's amazing, so naturally, the one she likes is great too.

I'm sure that whoever it is, they'll make her happy…

So, that's all I can really hope for… right?'

Even so, Zhu Na Ran's throat grew tight as her eyes pricked in pain.

'Ah, this lantern smoke is getting in my eyes…' Rubbing her eyes, she tried to clear away the tears that threatened to fall.

'Maybe I should move to a better spot…'

"Junior Sister? What are you doing here?

Why are you sitting here alone?"

A soothing hand pulled her hands away from her face and brushed her reddened eyes. "What's wrong?

Why are you crying?"

Closing her eyes, Zhu Na Ran leaned into the cold hand as a smile crawled its way back on her face. The contrast between her hot face and the cold hand felt rather pleasant. "I'm not crying, Senior Sister. It's just the dryness in the air, that's all."

"..."

Peaking her eyes open, she saw something in her senior sister's eyes that she had never seen before. The gentle tenderness in Ye Lian Hua's dark eyes wasn't something that she hadn't expected, yet it was something she unknowingly started to desire to see more of.

'I didn't know that Senior Sister's eyes would look so lovely…' She seemed to have become hypnotized by them. Enough so that she just waited to dive into those deep pools of hers.

"What are these?

Were you waiting for someone?"

"Huh? O-oh!" Snapping from her trace, Zhu Na Ran suddenly remembered the two lanterns on her lap. "A-ah, not really, haha…

I just bought them on a whim… haha…"

"Then… What are you doing here?" Ye Lian Hua asked. "It's almost time to light the lanterns.

It looks like they're already starting."

"Eh?" Looking up, the first specks of lantern light started to float off into the night. Many began to follow soon after. "A-ah, I suppose I should be going…"

Standing up her lanterns, she awkwardly stood before her senior sister. "Say, what are you doing here?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"U-uh, I mean," clearing her throat, Zhu Na Ran tried to find the right words to say. "Wasn't there someone that you were looking for?"

"Hmm? Someone that I was looking for?

Wouldn't that be you, Junior Sister?"

"N-no, I don't mean it like that…" Her eyes darted around in an attempt to evade Ye Lian Hua's questioning glaze. "L-like, wasn't there someone who was occupying your mind?"

"Hah, no one comes to mind but you, Junior Sister.

You're always on my mind."

"Hah, nevermind."If her senior sister wasn't going to follow up on this topic, she wasn't going to push on it.

"Anyways, if you're not going to go to the festival with anyone… um… would you like to go with me?" Holding out the blue lantern, her face prickled in the cold. 'Aiyah, am I getting sick?'

"Um… it was a buy one get one free deal... "

Liar.

"Haha," Ye Lian Hua started to laugh lightly, which only made the burning in her face worse. "Well, since my junior sister is one the asking, how could I say no?"

"Really?" Instantly, Zhu Na Ran felt her pep inflate once more. It was like the world was no longer a cold and dark place as everything started to light up with fiery red lanterns."You'll go with me?"

"Eh. Who else would I go with?"

Before she could stop herself, the words already tumbled out, "But what about that person who occupies your heart?"

"You heard that?"

"W-well, I wasn't trying to eavesdrop or anything. I-I was just taking a walk and, um, just happened to hear that confession."

"Sigh." A helpless smile formed on Ye Lian Hua's lips. "It's fine. It's nothing really."

"Nothing?

But that person is so important to you! Should you be chasing after them every chance you get?

Here take these lanterns; maybe these will help!

The other ones are already sold out, so these will have to do!" Shoving the lanterns into her senior sister's arms, Zhu Na Ran didn't know why she was so panicked. 'I can't believe Senior Sister is throwing away such a good opportunity!'

"I can't." Handing back the red lantern, Ye Lian Hua kept the blue one to herself. "These are your lanterns; I can't just give them away so easily.

Plus, didn't you want to write your wish and release your lantern?"

"Yeah, I do! B-but, I want Senior Sister to be happy too…"

"Hah, so silly…"

'What's wrong? Does Senior Sister not like my idea?'

"There will be many opportunities to chase after a person. However, there are only so many opportunities to be with you, Junior Sister."

"But-"

Ye Lian Hua placed a finger on her lips, preventing her from speaking any further. "It's fine. This person isn't going to leave my side so easily."

"A-alright."

"Come on, let's go." Grabbing Zhu Na Ran's hand, Ye Lian Hua pulled her along a winding path that many started to climb.

"Em." Even though it was cold out, it felt unbearably warm by her senior sister's side.

---

"What did you wish for, Senior Sister?" Trying to nag a peek, Zhu Na Ran peered over Ye Lian Hua's shoulder. However, before she could read the delicate writing, Ye Lian Hua swerved her lantern away.

"If you knew what it was, then it wouldn't come true."

"Oh, right!

Haha, I guess I forgot."

'It's probably something related to the one Senior Sister likes.'

"Silly girl, are you ready to release your lantern?"

"Yep!" Doodling on the final touches, Zhu Na Ran ran over to her senior sister's side as they left the small writing section set up on the side of the mountain path. "I can't wait!"

Looking over the edge of the path, a colorful sea of lanterns had already formed as they drifted in the winter night. "Wah, this looks so pretty up close!"

"Em, it's quite a sight to behold." Grabbing into the crook of Zhu Na Ran's arm, Ye Lian Hua gently maneuvered her out of the flow of traffic. "Be careful; there's a lot of people here.

I don't want you getting hurt before you can even release your lantern."

"Haha, alright, alright!"

As they reached the front of the line, they carefully lit their lanterns. Holding them with both hands, they walked over to the edge to release their lanterns.

"Should we release our lanterns at the same time?"

"Eh! Sure!"

"Alright then, on the count of three.

One.

Two.

Three!"

Letting go of both lanterns, the two flowers swirled around each other before joining the rest of the lanterns.

"Well, that was fun!"

"Em. I'm sure that the new year will be just as exciting as the last."

"Yeah! Oh yeah, I heard this weird story about Master's younger days!"

"Oh? Do tell."

As the pair left, the red and blue lanterns floated away to the heavens, carrying with them the secret wish of their owners:

"I wish I knew why I feel so weird around Senior Sister."

"I wish my silly junior sister would realize my affections for her and reciprocate the feeling."