My Gang of Swordsmen

After saying this, Kiryu gave a laugh full of teasing.

Tonight, Aoto and Mukiwa are going to the Fireworks Festival to watch fireworks—just analyze this information comprehensively, and it’s not hard to guess why Mukiwa’s room would suddenly become a mess, or why she herself would suddenly start wearing makeup.

Kiryu speculates—Mukiwa plans to meet Aoto tonight with the best and most beautiful appearance she can currently achieve.

With this idea in mind, she decided to dress herself up nicely.

However, because she doesn’t usually wear makeup, she had long forgotten where her grandmother’s gifted cosmetics were placed, so she searched around, making the room a mess.

There’s no need to elaborate further on what happened after that.

After turning the room upside down like a thief went through, she finally found her grandmother’s gifted cosmetics, then tried makeup in front of the mirror. Before she could finish painting her lips, Kiryu arrived.

Although this is Kiryu’s personal speculation, he thinks the facts should not differ much from his guess.

Facts proved—Kiryu’s speculation was right.

As soon as Kiryu’s teasing laugh came out, Mukiwa’s pretty face immediately turned extremely red, the blush spreading to her ears, as if wisps of “steam” floated off her forehead and cheeks.

Her expression silently told Kiryu: his speculation was entirely correct.

Feeling that Mukiwa’s reaction was quite interesting, Kiryu grinned even wider:

“Young Master, you really like Mr. Tachibana a lot.”

“I…”

Hearing Kiryu’s remark, Mukiwa immediately seemed to have been scalded by hot water and hurriedly raised her head.

However, just as she shouted “I,” Kiryu preemptively interrupted her, having anticipated what she wanted to say.

“Young Master, there’s no need to justify.”

“Look at my age.”

Kiryu raised his hand and pointed to his wrinkled old face and full head of silver hair.

“I’ve crossed more bridges than you’ve walked roads.”

“Don’t I understand and see through your younger generation’s behaviors and thoughts?”

“Having a secret crush on someone isn’t a shameful thing.”

“Young Master, you shouldn’t hide your feelings for Mr. Tachibana… at least in front of me, you don’t need to conceal them.”

Mukiwa seemed to be touched by Kiryu’s words, with a dazed expression.

A moment later, she silently hunched her shoulders, lowered her still reddened face, and her eyes were dreamy.

Mukiwa wasn’t a fool with insufficient intelligence.

In fact, she had vaguely sensed for a long time that Kiryu surely already knew about her feelings for Aoto.

However, even though she knew it in her heart, hearing Kiryu say “You really like Mr. Tachibana” still made her uncontrollably feel ashamed.

Kiryu looked with silent amusement at Mukiwa, who had shrunk herself like an ostrich, then glanced aside at the heap of bottles and jars at Mukiwa’s knees.

“…Young Master, let me help you with the makeup.”

“Eh?”

Mukiwa raised her face in surprise.

“Mr. Kiryu, can you do makeup?”

“I used to learn how to apply women’s makeup in Kyoto.”

If Aoto were here at the moment, he would probably be amazed again and exclaim, “Boss Kiryu, how can you even know how to do makeup for girls?”

Unlike Aoto who hadn’t spent much time with Kiryu, Mukiwa seemed quite accustomed to such situations.

She thoughtfully pursed her lips, revealing a bit of hesitation on her face.

After a while, she took a deep breath and nodded vigorously with hopeful anticipation.

“Then, then I’ll trouble you, Mr. Kiryu!”

“Alright. Young Master, please close your eyes.”

“Do I have to close my eyes?”

“Only by closing your eyes can I conveniently apply the makeup.”

“Okay then…”

Mukiwa gently nodded, then closed her eyes as Kiryu instructed.

With her vision shrouded in darkness after closing her eyes, she felt an itchy sensation on her lips—Kiryu was applying lipstick to her.

From this moment, the “trash heap” of a room was filled only with the repeated “swish” of the makeup brush gliding over Mukiwa’s lips and pretty face.

Anticipating what kind of makeup Kiryu would create for her, a hopeful, nervous curve slowly surfaced at the corner of Mukiwa’s mouth.

In this uneasy waiting, the room’s silence was suddenly broken.

“…Feeling is quite subtle.”

Because Mukiwa was closing her eyes, she couldn’t see the hint of a bittersweet, lonely smile flash in Kiryu’s eyes.

“The little girl who was only waist-high not long ago has suddenly turned into a young lady ready to discuss marriage.”

“Hahaha, I haven’t felt so intensely the sensation of time slipping away for a long time.”

“Ah, speaking of this…”

Kiryu seemed to recall something, pausing his words.

“Young Master, I have some good news for you.”

“A letter from Lord… your grandmother just arrived.”

“The letter mentioned: she is planning to visit Edo next Spring Festival to see you.”

Just as Kiryu finished speaking, Mukiwa suddenly opened her eyes.

“Mr. Kiryu, is this true? Is my grandmother coming to see me?”

A dazzling light of excitement burst from Mukiwa’s beautiful eyes.

“Yes, it’s true, I’ll show you the letter shortly. Ah, please don’t open your eyes now, if you do, the makeup might smudge.”

“Ah, sorry…”