The 12th Fatui Harbinger

Date

Ayato had walked out from the private rooms of Komore teahouse after finishing a meeting with a client when he saw a familiar pink haired silhouette standing at the front of the store. At once, Ayato shoved the papers he had been reading into Thoma's hands as he sprinted down the stairs.

All he could see was her. His eyes flickered to the back of her petite waistline as he took in the rest of her appearance. Half of her light pink locks were pinned up with jade butterflies pinned into the back of her head. The sweet scent of cherry blossoms enveloped his senses as Yuria turned around to look at him. Her beautiful eyes gleamed like the sunny summer skies. Her mouth formed a little "o" in surprise as he grabbed her wrist. 

Ayato's mind took him back to that mysterious reunion recently. He couldn't quite remember exactly how it happened, and why Yuria had even been at the Kamisato estate to begin with. But as he was escorting her back to Inazuma city, the two had been ambushed by a group of enemies that managed to spike them with an aphrosidiac. When Ayato came to, the two of them were in a locked room together. They ended up having a heart to heart talk before they caved into the lust. Ayato knew Yuria probably would not have talked to him, much spared a glance at him under normal circumstances, and he was grateful for the time they spent together that night. While the sex was also great, their rendevous left him wanting more. After all, Yuria was the one who said nothing was impossible if he tried hard enough when he asked about a second chance. 

The sound of girls giggling and Yuria clearing her throat snapped him away from his reverie. Ayato dropped his hands back to his side, scratching his head in embarrassment. 

One of the young girls began coraling her peers out. "We'll take our leave now, Yuria-sama. Thank you for the tea." 

The way Yuria sheepishly smiled at him made Ayato want to believe this truly could work out. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude." Ayato breathed. 

"It's okay. We were just wrapping up." Yuria replied. 

Even her voice sounded like a dream. All these years since their breakup, Yuria had refused to speak to him unless absolutely necessary. Ayato couldn't believe they were finally on talking terms. 

"I meant to contact you earlier, but had a hard time finding you at the Okiya after work. And then I got wrapped up with the recent famine and supply chain raids... How have you been? Do you all have enough to eat at the Okiya?" Ayato asked. His eyes were dripping with honey as he stared at her affectionately. 

Yuria had to fight the grin on her face. Why, she was the whole mastermind behind the nationwide crisis. 

"I was wondering what had happened to you since you disappeared afterwards. I'm glad you thought of me despite being busy with your work." Yuria beamed at him. Ayato was right where she wanted him. 

Her smile took his breath away. How many years had it been since she smiled at him like that?   

"The Okiya is also facing difficulties. Aoki wanted to put the young girls you had just seen here into work immediately to offset the surging prices of food... I offered to pay for their meals if it would prevent them from being auctioned off. But there's only so much I can do if this continues." Yuria sighed. 

Ayato's brows furred. "I can send more money to Aoki as well to help cover the costs of food." 

Yuria shook her head. "Please let me take care of this. Perhaps its because of the crisis, but after I offered to pay for the Geiko's meals, the other flowers have been much nicer to me... Besides, Ayato-sama. I must remind you I am still the flower on the highest peak. I can afford to pay for a few girls' meals."