【Mi Ying】that side

"Fireworks show?"

"Yes, this is an annual regular program in the town, sponsored by our post office. And it's free." The Finn introduced enthusiastically. He wrapped Arthur's salary in oiled paper and pushed it to the counter.

Arthur stuffed the money into his coat pocket and smiled politely, "Thank you for telling me."

The Englishman took off the scarf around his neck, entered the house and mentioned the fireworks display to the owner of the apartment.

Alfred is drawing his aircraft cabin modification diagram in front of the workbench: "It is true that there will be a firework show every year, and the school has posted a notice. I wanted to ask you, but I forgot in a hurry." He turned his head, his face Apologetically, "Do you want to see it?"

Arthur doesn't like winter very much, and the daily patrols have already suffered a lot. He must also suffer from the cold when he goes out to watch the fireworks in the middle of the night.However, the arrival of the new year has a special meaning after all. If you can watch the fireworks with the people you like...

He reached out and pulled the corner of the American's thick sweater: "...I want to see it."

"Then let me arrange it!" Alfred was taken aback for a moment, and then laughed.He pulled the Englishman into his arms, and gently pinched his face with his fingers, "It's rare for you to act coquettishly."

"Who's being coquettish...idiot." Arthur buried his head in Alfred's warm sweater, and whispered duplicity.

Summer, autumn, then winter; and soon a new year.

Being in love is so beautiful that the flow of time seems to continue to speed up.It was only half a year since I met Alfred F. Jones, but his world seemed to have undergone a change.

"Look, I just said that the top floor of the police station is a good place." The American pushed open the iron gate of the rooftop with his shoulder.He was wearing a heavy down jacket, carrying a waterproof and heat-insulating canvas on his shoulders, a hot water bottle and a food box on his arm, and walked in with the British hand in his other hand.

Arthur was wearing a blanket to keep out the cold, and followed closely behind Alfred.The cold air hit his face, he shivered, and felt his nose was about to flow out, so he complained softly: "Idiot, aren't you worried that I will be accused of private use of public equipment?"

"Don't worry, I ran up here with Matthew and the others to have a barbecue in the summer."

"You guys..." I can almost imagine the scene of these people making a fuss, and the British are too lazy to criticize and simply don't speak.

Alfred spread out the tarpaulin in the middle of the top floor, put down his belongings, and immediately pulled Arthur to sit down: "It will start soon." Arthur poured half a cup of hot water from the thermos and handed it to the American. Wait for the other party to finish drinking, then hold another half cup in your hand.

Alfred pulled the side of Arthur's blanket away, quickly squeezed to the side of the Englishman, and asked with a smile, "Will you kiss now?"

It's really cheeky, but I... like this person.The British could not help but slander, but they still pecked quickly on the lips of the Americans.

"Bang-! Bang-!"

A small field of fireworks exploded above their heads, and they looked up at the sky at almost the same angle.

Fireworks rise and fall in the night sky, and the deep night is covered with a large number of brilliant mottled. After the brilliance is extinguished, there are pale afterimages and the smell of gunpowder smoke in the air.

The air was so cold that Arthur's nose ached from the cold.

This scene falls in the eyes, but it is romantic, warm, and nostalgic.It was a strange feeling.He stared at the night sky intently.

As if when, where, and with whom, I have watched such a magnificent light spot together, and it continues to bloom and then disappears.

In the distant memory, it seemed to be more gorgeous and brilliant, almost covering half of the sky.When exactly did it happen, a burst of sadness overflowed in his heart.

It should be a grand banquet, as if offering blessings to the young man standing under the huge metal bell, that young man—

Arthur was distracted, his hands tightened suddenly, and it was Alfred who wrapped his fingers even harder.

He looked up at Alfred, who was looking at him too.The fireworks reflected more color in Alfred's sky blue eyes, and with passion, with love, he gazed at Arthur intently.

It's this kind of eyes that make people fall at any time, dyeing the face of the British pink as usual.

Arthur felt that his neck was getting hot, so he lowered his head shyly, moved his body unnaturally, and finally leaned his head on Alfred's strong arm.After a few seconds, he said in a muffled voice, "...I, feel a little cold."

"Well! Then I'll keep you warm." Alfred's laughter came through his chest, and it sounded deeper than usual.He put his arms around Arthur and squeezed him into his arms, tucking the blanket tighter.

The English face was pressed against the warm neck of the American, and they clung to each other amidst the light and sound of the fireworks.

From the distant courtyard came the countdown of people: "Five, four, three, two... one! Happy New Year!"

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, the American turned his head and rubbed the tip of his nose against the British's slightly raised but soft hair: "Happy New Year, dear Arthur Kirkland. I love you."

"Well, I love you too... Dear Alfred F. Jones." His eyes became hot again, Arthur quickly reached out and wiped his eyes, then raised his chin following Alfred's gesture, and greeted him. kiss on his lips.

The arrival of the new year did not bring too many ups and downs to the life of the security police, but Alfred's studies were obviously busy, especially the project of repairing the aircraft cabin, which obviously occupied most of his energy.

Every morning after staying in Alfred's apartment, Arthur could find that the airplane photos and restoration sketches on the college student's workbench had piled up again.

"Are all of you who study aerospace have so much homework?"

"It's okay. If you can successfully complete the project, you can use the results of this course to apply for the highest scholarship. Besides, it's rare to have such good practical materials."

Alfred has an extraordinary enthusiasm and focus on his studies.Arthur thought to himself, it seems that Americans have never complained about hard work, and this is probably a kind of talent.

The Englishman picked up his coat and walked towards the door. Alfred put down his pen, stood up and followed behind him: "I will go to school during the day, so you don't have to wait for me to have dinner at night."

Arthur nodded and said yes, and after thinking for a few seconds, he asked again: "Among your grades, you should be the only one who can repair the aircraft cabin by yourself?"

"Hey. I will apply to the school for a visit permit after I finish it, and I will show you there too. You haven't been to our university yet, have you?"

"Then I'll wait and see." Looking at the college student whose brows and eyes were full of complacency, Arthur smiled as if infected.He was about to close the door when Alfred grabbed his arm and pulled it back, then planted a gentle kiss on his cheek: "Be careful on the road." The British felt shy and sweet, and he pinched his fingers After pinching the American's face, he set off towards the police station with a smile.

After work, Arthur changed into casual clothes. His plan was to have something to eat at the French Café, and maybe drink some wine to pass the time. Alfred would probably be back from school by then.

Work, life, harmonious friendship and interpersonal relationship, plus a precious love affair.After living in a small town for half a year, his life trajectory has been filled in this way.

Ordinary, but also happy.This was a situation he had never imagined before.The British walk the streets alone, but they don't feel lonely.The cold wind made his cheeks ache a little, he buried his face in the scarf, and the corners of his mouth curled up quietly.

The figure on the street corner ahead caught his attention. He slowed down and looked at Honda standing under the newly lit streetlight in surprise.

Unlike usual, the Japanese man was wearing a straight black suit with his coat folded in half on his hands. He stood silently and calmly, as if he was waiting for someone.

The temperature was still very low, but Honda didn't seem to feel the cold and stood upright.Arthur couldn't help but speak first: "Good evening, Honda. Are you waiting for someone?"

"Good evening, Mr. Arthur." Honda turned and smiled at Arthur. "Actually, I'm waiting for you."

"wait for me?"

"Yes, there is something I want to tell you."

Arthur stood still in front of Honda, he pulled down his scarf, his breath turned into white mist in the cold air: "It's rare to see you dressed like this."

"Everyone says that. I've been sloppy for too long." It's rare for a Japanese to use a self-deprecating sentence.

"Wait here for me, is there anything important?"

"Because I had to come to say goodbye to you."

"Farewell?" Arthur opened his eyes wide, and he guessed carefully, "Are you... planning to travel? Or go back home?"

"Go back to China..." Honda murmured and repeated, "Yes, go back to China, you are right."

Arthur felt that the Japanese's demeanor was indescribably weird, and it was inconvenient to ask in depth, so he had to change the subject: "What about the apartment? The manager is not here, and the others will be lonely."

"Most things are entrusted to Ludwig, and Alfred will help, no problem."

Seeing that the Japanese didn't seem to intend to disclose more information, Arthur stopped asking: "Thank you for saying goodbye to me, and wish you a smooth journey."

"Thank you." Honda looked up at Arthur, but his gaze seemed to pass through him to the night behind him, "The New Year has passed like this. I still want to go back and see the bamboo forest under the bright moon."

bamboo forest?Arthur frowned.

"Before that, we have to cross the sea first." The Japanese's eyes still stayed in the distance, as if talking to the air.

"...What sea?" Arthur couldn't keep up with the Japanese train of thought.

"Ah, I'm sorry." Honda came back to his senses, "It's just me talking to myself." He lowered his head and smiled, his expression was exactly the same as that at the Christmas party, as if covered by a layer of haze.

The British watched the Japanese reach out to him, and said in a low and steady voice, "Then, we bid farewell."

At that moment, the cold wind seemed to lose its voice.His head was in severe pain, his eyes were so sore that he could only close them tightly, and barely opened them after a long time.

The black-haired young man in front of him was wearing a straight white military uniform, and the black gold-studded epaulettes were exquisite and conspicuous.Holding a saber in his hand, the Japanese stood upright under the blooming cherry tree, staring at him with dark eyes, as indifferent as the night.

His voice was low and steady: "The alliance is officially broken, and we bid farewell, Ying—" The blood-pink petals fell, almost completely shielding the Easterners from his vision and hearing, and he couldn't hear the last words clearly. Half a sentence.He wanted to ask, but his voice was so hoarse that he couldn't make a sound.

"... Sir? Mr. Arthur?" The Englishman raised his head abruptly, and the Japanese hand was waving back and forth a few centimeters in front of his eyes. "Are you feeling unwell? Have you had another migraine?"

"No..." Arthur cleared his throat, the pain in his head and throat was gone.In front of him is still the familiar street near the coffee shop, Honda is wearing a black suit, where are there any cherry blossoms and military uniforms.

It was just too weird.He didn't remember where he had been to where the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.He is ashamed of his gaffe: "Sorry, I got distracted."

The Japanese shook his head. He bent down and bowed to Arthur as he did when we met for the first time, and then stood up straight again: "So farewell."

Arthur watched the Japanese turn and leave, and the black figure turned into black dots in the light of the street lamp until it could no longer be seen.

Although they had known each other for half a year, Arthur felt that he still didn't know the Oriental.In any case, Honda is a kind apartment manager who provides him with a comfortable residence and allows him to integrate into the life of the small town smoothly, for which he is very grateful.

There were not many customers in the coffee shop that night, so the French specially dimmed the floor-to-ceiling windows and the lights of the bar.

Arthur silently drank the second glass of red wine, and then handed the goblet to the Frenchman for a refill.

This is not his intention.His original plan was to have a light meal, drink half a glass of red wine, wait for his body to warm up, take the packed food back to the apartment and wait for Alfred to come back from school, and then they can talk about their own things as they used to , and then kissed and hugged each other to sleep.

At least it shouldn't be like this now, with a heavy heart, and can only find solace in the low concentration of alcohol.

"Young master, don't you have to work tomorrow? It's rare to see you refill your glass." The French handed the filled wine glass to the British policeman, not forgetting to tease.

"Tomorrow is a day off." Arthur replied sullenly.His cheeks were burning a little, and the slight drunkenness brought by the alcohol finally eased his confused thoughts.

After swallowing the glass of red wine in his hand, a wave of dizziness immediately hit his forehead.

He began to recall a severe headache in the evening, almost the same as he had experienced in the apartment garage last year-it might be a symptom of some disease.He is still very young, a 23-year-old youth in his prime, and he doesn't want to suffer from any serious illness.

What made him even more anxious was that the hallucinations that accompanied the headaches always had an inexplicable familiarity.The icy cold rain and the blond boy he saw in the warehouse, the endless grassland in the dream, the loud metal bells, and the bustling firework show that seemed familiar to him... He felt that these familiar images were deeply related to him. Loving Young American is related, yet unexplained.

There are also the Russians who occasionally make him feel timid, the orientals under the cherry blossom trees, the Canadian youths and Portuguese shopkeepers who are gentle and gentle to him...even the Frenchman with a smiley face in front of him seems to have brought him a sense of happiness from the very beginning of his acquaintance. A lingering sense of familiarity.

There was a mess in his head, thoughts and drunkenness intertwined, and Arthur's emotions became restless.He slammed the glass in his hand on the table, and the bottom of the transparent glass immediately cracked a corner: "Hey Beard, when did we meet..."

Francis snorted dissatisfiedly, trying to take the wine glass away from Arthur's hand, but failed.

The British stared firmly at his face, and he could only sigh: "Didn't you ask before? In middle school. Everyone was a frizzy teenager at that time, and it's normal if you don't remember." The voice was revealing. Feeling the helplessness of not wanting to talk to the drunk.

"Middle school...period..." Arthur extracted key words from the Frenchman's reply and repeated in a low voice.

"You, even though you are so thin and weak, you are very arrogant. You have fought with many people, and you even hurt my brother's beautiful face. I will never forget this grudge."

"Your narcissism is so disgusting no matter how many years..." Arthur reflexively retorted, but he was stunned when he said it.

"Arguing with you like this is as if I have known you for ten or ten years, no... it seems like I have quarreled with you for hundreds of years... It's a fucking bad thing..."

Arthur felt that he was indeed drunk, and swearing was obviously not his style.As he thought this, his voice became ambiguous, "I always feel a little confused... Stinky Beard."

It's not middle school...

It should be earlier and longer...

Francis sighed loudly: "Young master, you must be completely drunk." Arthur lay weakly on the bar counter, vaguely feeling the wine glass in his hand being removed.Then there was the sound of a Frenchman dialing the phone, who seemed to be calling Alfred.

"I might be talking in my sleep..."

Before falling into a coma, the British seemed to hear the French whisper helplessly: "If you are dreaming, it is time to wake up."