As we traveled through the villages and came to Kosaki borders, we had to take a room since we reached at night. 

Arashi and I went to the other shop who provided medicines and Arashi sold them the valuable herbs in exchange for gold coins. They gave it blissfully as they asked him to come again and sell them. He nodded and we entered the roadhouse. 

As we entered the room, I laid down on the bed. I felt extremely tired and after the dinner in the roadhouse, my belly was filled. 

"This time it is not that cold in Kosaki." He remarked that we didn't need to burn the woods in the chimney. I moved away further to the side of the small bed so he could lie down next to me. 

I nodded. "Spring is coming." 

Then I recalled that in the main city of Kosaki, they celebrated the spring festival. I had never gone there and I had always wanted to see it. 

Arashi laid down as I sat and turned to him and asked, "Do you think we can go visit the spring festival?"

He looked at me for a moment. "Do you want to visit?" 

My cheeks turned red as he just got me and I shook my head. "No. I was just asking because we might not go there since we have to go visit the Emperor."

Arashi closed his eyes as if he was thinking something. Then he opened them as he said, "We can go see the festival before visiting the Emperor. When is the festival being held?"

I started to count on my fingers and I found out it was in just five to six days. "Maybe in a week?"

He nodded and gave me a smile. "Alright. Let's go there."

A large smile parted my face as I flopped beside him. I would be visiting it with Arashi and the thought was enough to make the butterflies in my stomach flutter. The last time, I had missed the fair in Godoyama because I was sick but this time I'd be sure to go out with him.

My smile seemed permanent on my face as I kept thinking about visiting the festival with Arashi and he seemed to sense it as he asked, "Are you that happy?"

"Of course! I had never been to any festivals." I said, keep smiling and suddenly I found Arashi's hands wrapping around me as I looked up at him with wide eyes.

His gaze fell on me and with a gentle smile he said, "We will enjoy the festival then. Now sleep. Tomorrow will be a tiring day."

I nodded shyly as I closed my eyes but the stupid smile won't go away.

We reached my father's house at midday and it took us one and a half days. 

My father and both wives greeted Arashi while ignoring me completely. Although it would have made me feel sad, strangely, I wasn't feeling sad at all. I greeted them with a deep bow and smiled which made them a little shocked. Both of the wives looked at me warily and when they found out the yukata I was wearing was an expensive one, their faces twisted.

Although I should not be happy about their twisted and disgusted faces, I gave them a full grin and made sure Arashi didn't see me doing this.

At that their faces twisted some more.

As my eyes followed behind the wives, I saw one of my half sisters was present there as she came out with her husband. Their faces had the same look as before, the look of looking down at someone as if they were the only higher ups in the whole society.

My sister greeted Arashi and then me as I gave her a deep bow since she was older than me. She was the one who harassed me more than anyone and I didn't want her to do those to Arashi. Before entering my father's house, I had decided to follow Mrs Hiro's advice. I wouldn't let anyone from my family treat Arashi badly. 

They could treat me as badly as they wanted but not my husband so I came prepared. I knew the social classification would make them do that any moment and for that I felt a bit wary.

My sister asked as her eyes moved up and down, "You look very...good in these clothes, I see."

I smiled. "Thank you for your kind words, sister."

"But it doesn't suit you, Bianka." She added with a ringing voice and I nodded. 

"You certainly are right, sister. I told him not to buy me more clothes but he doesn't listen." I said as one of her brows twitched and muscles clenched on her roundish jaw.

While she at least greeted Arashi, her husband just stood behind her, not even greeting Arashi which made me a little agitated. As my eyes moved to Arashi I saw he wasn't even paying any heed to him, instead he was chatting with my father. 

My father said, "Please, Mr Yuan, come inside. I am so happy that you have arrived just at the right time."

"Yes, I suppose your medicines are running low." Arashi said, "I had some important errands to run so I thought I would just come here and give you the medicines."

As we entered the house, my father told the wives to prepare the bathroom and prepare for a feast. 

"No. Please, you don't have to be so riled up because we already had our lunch and before leaving the inn, we both have taken our baths." He said, making everyone shocked as the inns in Kosaki were really expensive for a commoner and even for a middle class person. Only the higher class and Samurais from good posts could afford those. I had seen my father avoiding them even when he could afford one but he wasn't into spending much coins so he would come straight home.

Even though I told Arashi not to get into any inns, he said he wanted to taste the good food. Which felt odd since Arashi never complained about foods or I had never seen him commenting on tastes. But he insisted as we took a room again before arriving here.

We all accumulated in the hall as I sat beside Arashi. My father sat before us and now he took a good look at me. He said, "I am very happy that you have kept my daughter well. This is all a father can wish for."

Arashi nodded and said, "She is an outstanding woman I could wish for. I am very fortunate to have your daughter as my wife."

And my cheeks turned red as my body stiffened. I hadn't really expected him to say out loud but hearing it my father's face brightened. 

I looked at him with wide eyes because for him, I was only a burden but how come Arashi's words made him so happy?

My father's eyes softened as they fell on me and for the first time, I saw him looking at me with so much adoration. Hadn't I always yearned for his love all these years? 

And right this moment, I saw him looking at me with a face that said he was relieved to see me happy and my lips quivered. I bit my tears back as they started to talk about my father's health. 

All the while, I kept silent and my mind felt fuzzy because I didn't know why I felt so happy.

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27th May, 22
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