It was a tree.
There was a tree.
It wasn’t that big, but its lush leaves were striking.
At a glance it looked like a plum tree, yet the blossoms seemed different for that.
When I caught a falling leaf, its shape was like a feather.
In other words, it was a tree I’d never seen before.
A tree tinted a pale violet-red.
I gazed quietly at the tree, then shifted my eyes.
‘Where is this now?’
Space had suddenly shifted. It was a place I’d never seen. There was a clear lake, and at its center stood the tree.
Perhaps because the leaves kept falling, the ground was packed with layer upon layer of fallen leaves.
A gentle, blooming floral scent kept tickling my nose.
Especially—
‘This scent.’
The fragrance in the air was familiar. Where had I smelled it before? I stopped thinking and turned my head.
My eyes met Yarang’s, who stood beside me.
Right—this was the scent I’d always been catching from Yarang.
As I…