Have you ever heard of a strange disease? Legend has it that some people, pining for someone they cannot have and consumed by bottled-up melancholy, end up coughing up flowers. If the person they secretly love remains unaware of their feelings, they will die within a week.
And like any illness, there is naturally a cure. The remedy for the Hanahaki disease is this: to receive a kiss from the one you love.
Sunday
Hearing this rumor, the God of Dreams laughed softly.
"Oh? I have never heard of such a strange ailment in this world."
The actor in the hall instantly paused, and the storyteller anxiously explained that he had merely heard it as a tavern tale and it carried no truth.
"If you truly love someone, why not take action? Lacking even the courage to confess is simply dull."
Dismissing the trembling troupe, the God of Dreams leaned lazily against the soft couch, using her fingertips to toy with a strand of dark hair belonging to the person beside her.
"Don't you agree, Golden Alatus?"
The youth in white covered his mouth with a hand, caring not at all that his luxurious robes might gather dust. He knelt respectfully before the couch, lowering his golden eyes to let the God of Dreams play with his smooth, dark green hair.
"...Your Highness is entirely right."
From the youth's clenched palms, a faint trace of floral fragrance escaped.
Chapter 249