妖夢殿は、ため息を吐き、物思いに耽る様に虚空を見つめた。どうやら、「」殿の事を考えている様だ。その姿に何か致視感を感じた。前にも、こんな、誰かに構いたがられて、ぼんやりしていた姿を見た事がある。そんな記憶を探していると、思い出した、屠自古を。あやつも太子殿に構って貰いたがれて、良く、ぼんやりと虚空を見ていた。我と太子が話していると、しきりに輪に入りたがっていたし、暫く放って置くと、涙目で不機嫌な顔をしたりした。そんな屠自古を太子はなだめていたのだが、・・・なんというか、妖夢殿は屠自古のこの寂しがり屋な所にそっくりなのだ。先日の妖夢殿が怒ったのも、大体察しがつく。・・・妖夢殿が屠自古なら、「」殿は太子・・・であろうか。太子は我の考えを先回りして、我と接してくれた。おかげで我は太子と一緒に居る時、心地良かった。「」殿も我の事を気遣って、我と接してくれる。最初は緊張したけど、今は馴れた。なんとなく、我の性格も「」殿は分かった様で、「」殿は我に合わせて接してくれる。・・・そうか、我は、「」殿との生活が馴れて、日常になっているのだけど、あの頃と変わらない日を過ごしているだけなのだな・・・。でも太子と「」殿は違う。どちらも好きだ。でも違う。・・・やはり、太子に会えないのは寂しい・・。とても寂しい。・・・「布都さん？」と横から、声をかけられて、.我は、現実の世界に戻った。妖夢殿が不思議そうな眼で我を見ている。どうやら、我も、少し物思いにふけり過ぎたようだ。「あの、大丈夫です？急に、ぼーっとしていて、声をかけても反応しなかったので・・・。」と心配そうに妖夢殿は我を見つめ、我は「なんでもないぞ」と答えた。・・・そうだ、あれは過去の出来事なのだ。我は、思考を振り払った。「もしかして、妖夢ちゃんの様に、旦那の事を考えてたんですかい？」とにやついて親父殿は聞いた。「私の様にって、どういう意味です？」と妖夢殿は脹れっ面になり、「い、いやぁ、いつもの事でしょ・・・あぁ、サービスするから、刀は抜かないでよ」と刀に手を当ててて凄んだ妖夢殿に驚いた親父殿はおかわりの杯を出した。・・妖夢殿の様に、我も・・・か。頭に「」殿の顔が思い浮かんだが、その事を考えると、また物思いに更けそうなので、話題を変える為に、妖夢殿に差している刀の事を聞いてわっふるわっふる

Lady Youmu let out a shallow, long sigh, staring into space as if deep in thought. It seems she was thinking about him. She had a distracted appearance about her. I had seen someone like this before, looking absentminded and wanting someone to care for. Digging that memory up, I remembered Tojiko. I often saw her blankly staring into space, wanting to take care of Lord Taishi. Taishi and I would be talking, and she would be trying to be involved. After being ignored by us for a bit she would give up and pout, and then Taishi would calm her down... Lady Youmu is quite similar in this fashion. I assume that is why she was angry the other day. ...If Lady Youmu is Tojiko, that would make my lord Taishi... I suppose. Taishi would understand how I think and become close to me, thus it felt good whenever I was with him. My lord, worried about my welfare, has also become close. At first I was a bit nervous, but I became accustomed to it. It seems my lord has also gotten used to my personality.

...I see now. This lifestyle that I have become used to, spending the days together with my lord... it is the same as back then. But Taishi and my lord are different. I like them both, but they are different. It makes me feel lonely to think that I will never talk to Taishi again... terribly lonely. "Futo-chan?" I hear from beside me, pulling me back to reality. Lady Youmu had a look of wonder fixed on me. It seems I had been lost in reminiscence. "Um, are you alright? You suddenly spaced out and wouldn't answer when I called you..." she said with a worried tone. "It is nothing," I answered. "Right... that is all in the distant past," I thought, stifling my memories. "Don't tell me you're thinkin' about him just like Youmu-chan?" the old man grinned. "What do you mean, 'just like Youmu-chan'?" Lady Youmu asked with a sullen look. "No, I mean, it's just like always... hey, this is on me, so don't take that sword out!" he yelped at Lady Youmu, who had her hand on her sword, before refilling our bowls. "Just like Lady Youmu, huh...." my thoughts floated back to him, but I felt myself drifting away again. To change the subject, I asked Lady Youmu about the sword she was carrying... to be continued