Chapter 50 · Eternity in Hanami

Tokyo's vernal equinox arrived exceptionally gentle. Grandma Chizuru stood in the courtyard, gazing up at the ancient cherry tree—where Yuekui had tied the first cherry blossom sachet around her wrist in spring three hundred years ago. Now the cherry blossoms bloomed wildly, pink and white petals like crushed clouds falling over bluestone paths and into the twelve carp lanterns hanging under the eaves.

"This year's flowers are livelier than ever." She turned smiling, holding a lacquer box. "Yuekui said in a dream we'd have hanami (cherry blossom viewing) together today."

When the lacquer box opened, the room filled with fragrance. Twelve cherry sachets lay neatly inside, each more vibrant than last year—pale pink for Su Qinghuan's sweet rice balls, indigo for Lin Ye's Reverse Scale Core warmth, light yellow for Little Peach's scarf-knitting clumsiness… At the center of the last sachet, a star glowed softly with Grandma Chizuru's movement.

A picnic mat was set under the Spirit Pattern Tree. Sakura propped her tablet on a cherry branch, projecting scenes from three hundred years ago: Yuekui and Chizuru crouching by the creek, one teaching sachet-sewing, the other poking water with a branch; young Su Qinghuan running over with sweet wine rice balls, cherry-blossom hairpin shining; sixteen-year-old Lin Ye carrying injured Yuekui through rain, murmuring "Little Peach, don't be afraid"…

"Our memories have long been woven through time." Asagao smiled, holding a tea cup. Her spirit pattern core resonated with cherry blossoms, light patterns weaving tiny flower shadows on the cup's edge. "Like these cherry blossoms—each holds past winds, yet all fall together into this present spring."

Little Peach tied a cherry blossom garland around Coalball's neck as the murder of crows watched from her shoulders. Suddenly, the flower-winged crow flew up, fetching a special petal—stardust clung to it, identical to the star in Grandma Chizuru's lacquer box.

"It's Yuekui!" Sakura pointed at the screen. In the spatial spirit pattern projection, Yuekui emerged from the cherry blossoms. She wore a plain white kimono, cherry-blossom hairpin in her hair, armor replaced by sheer silk, stardust meteorite bracelet glowing warm gold. To everyone's surprise, a double-pigtailed girl shadowed her—Little Peach.

"Yuekui!" Little Peach shrieked, dashing forward, but Sakura held her back.

"Wait." Grandma Chizuru took out a sugar painting. "Yuekui said you must 'see' for yourself."

Yuekui's figure sharpened. She knelt by the picnic mat, fingertips brushing Little Peach's hair: "Three hundred years ago, I always said 'when the war ends', but in the spring after, I couldn't even see a whole cherry blossom." Her gaze swept over them. "Until you came, I realized—reunion isn't 'waited' for; it's held in the present."

Lin Ye's Reverse Scale Core warmed. He took the stardust meteorite fragment (given by Grandma Chizuru that morning), which resonated with Yuekui's bracelet to form a complete star map. Each star in the map 对应 (corresponded to) a "Reunion Knot": Su Qinghuan's rice balls, Asagao's scarves, Jiu's crows, Grandma Chizuru's sugar paintings… At the center, Lin Ye and Little Peach stood hand-in-hand.

"I've been part of your 'now' all along." Yuekui smiled at Little Peach. "Your scarves, your sweet soup, Coalball's collar… Each mends the 'reunion' I couldn't finish three hundred years ago."

Little Peach's tears fell on cherry petals. She recalled Yuekui's dream words: "The brightest star belongs to the most precious 'now'." Now she understood—Yuekui had never left, only become every warmth, every heartbeat, every love-wrapped "now".

At dusk, they sat under the Spirit Pattern Tree watching sunset. As Yuekui's figure faded, she tossed the twelve sachets into the air. Stars from the sachets fell, melting into everyone's cores—this time, Lin Ye's core gained Little Peach's laughter, Su Qinghuan's heard Coalball's purrs, Asagao's felt scarf-knitting clumsiness, Grandma Chizuru's saw sugar painting gold dust…

"This is…" Su Li touched her warm core. "Our 'Reunion Knots' stored in eternity by General Yuekui."

Late at night, Lin Ye sat alone on Tokyo Tower's deck. The Reverse Scale Core hovered over his knees, starlight flowing with today's scenes: Spirit Pattern Tree dancing with cherry blossoms and stars, Yuekui's phantom smile, Little Peach raising a carp lantern shouting "Sister Yuekui".

"Captain." Little Peach's voice came from the stairs. Wrapped in his new scarf, holding Coalball, cherry petals in her hair, she said: "Grandma Chizuru says Yuekui's cherry blossoms bloom perfectly this year."

Lin Ye looked at her sunset-lit face, recalling that stormy night three hundred years ago when he'd carried injured Yuekui, murmuring "Little Peach, don't be afraid". Now he held Little Peach, standing on spring night wind, thinking: Yuekui, look—we're all safe.

Wind swept the tower, lifting a cherry petal that floated afar, landing on a healed soul's shoulder—it was Yuekui, and every "Reunion Knot" once wrapped in love.

In a warmer corner, Coalball pawed at Grandma Chizuru's new cherry blossom cookies, Sakura and Jiu organized today's spirit pattern core memories, Su Qinghuan cooked sweet wine rice balls in the kitchen, Asagao knitted new scarves for the crows…

Spring continued, now stained with eternal warmth.