The Gift of Friendship

Taira sat alone in the garden of snowy flowers for a long time.

His only only companion was Yukiko, and even she was already asleep as he lightly stroked her fur.

He didn't even know how long he had been in the garden for.

Might've been minutes, might have been hours.

No one came to bother him. The girls seemed to recognize that he might've needed time to himself at the moment.

Taira was very annoyed.

But he didn't know why.

Accusations aside, he had certainly been called worse.

There was no reason for him to be so upset over simple rudeness.

This was something different entirely.

"…I had never thought this choice of form would be so convenient for learning about you. I just thought that it was the easiest way to conserve my energy without fear of dispersal."

Taira didn't move when Velreth left his amulet and appeared behind him.

He didn't even turn his head to look back. Nor did he speak.