Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The earth was covered with fallen leaves, and the fresh air carried a faint scent of trees.
The forest was unusually quiet, except for occasional bird calls and the rustling of leaves in the breeze.
This was what Hiroki saw after landing here—what he felt all around him.
Kaguya Moon stood beside him.
At the same time, Kaguya had just stepped off a train and entered the Country of Frost.
Through Hiroki's eyes, she too witnessed this lush scenery, her lips involuntarily curling into a smile.
"Guess we're really back…"
Right away, the woman who looked exactly like her appeared once more in her view.
Her expression stiffened slightly, emotions tangled and complex.
A situation where she was competing against herself…
Well, after all, only she could truly oppose her own self.
For a moment, she couldn't even summon an appropriate reaction, only feeling a strange heaviness in her chest.
Hiroki inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and began using [Spirit Transformation Technique] to sense life around him.
He detected many familiar presences, instantly filling his heart with joy.
"Kaguya, are you there?" He tried mentally reaching out to Kaguya.
"I really miss you."
Kaguya smiled again. "I'm in the Country of Frost. I'll wait for you."
Though they hadn't met yet, Hiroki's lips also curled upward slightly.
But when he glanced at Kaguya Moon next to him, hesitation flickered across his face.
"Hiroki, did you find something off?"
Unaware that the two women could communicate, Kaguya Moon found his expression odd.
"This world… is where I originally lived," he said.
"Mm." Kaguya Moon nodded gently before naturally wrapping her arms around his neck, speaking in a soft tone.
"Then let's go home now. I'd love to see the place where you grew up."
Facing her tender affection, Hiroki instead felt like a storm cloud had settled over him.
"Hiroki, you're the only one I can count on here."
Viewing the scene through Hiroki's eyes, Kaguya frowned seeing her other self's delicate, almost vulnerable look, biting her lip nervously. She bit her lip, dying to say something.
Did she really behave that fake? Was that truly her?
And why did she seem so experienced in hugging and cuddling?
"Alright, let's go together…" After hesitating briefly, Hiroki finally wrapped his arm around her waist and nodded.
He decided to take her along to meet Kaguya.
Sooner or later, it would come to this.
After all, these two were essentially the same person. They should have some natural chemistry between them, right?
Nothing too serious should happen.
For no clear reason, he suddenly felt overwhelmed with pressure.
Unsure if sensing his nervousness, Kaguya Moon suddenly smiled, then leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Hiroki could only respond with an awkward smile.
He wondered what Kaguya was feeling while watching this unfold in real time.
Within the palace of the Country of Frost.
Kaguya's mood remained caught somewhere between annoyance and calmness, debating whether to switch perspectives and stop watching another version of herself smiling sweetly and being affectionate.
In the end, she didn't do it.
Truthfully, she could already feel Hiroki's inner conflict too.
Because of this place, the Country of Frost, he had no idea how many times he'd been here.
But not until dusk did she sense him drawing closer.
Joy finally overcame her inner gloom. As Hiroki entered the palace, Kaguya quickly hurried toward where he was.
Two figures came into view, and Kaguya paused instantly.
Why did he seem suddenly taller?
He looked taller, stronger—his face more defined and manly. The boyish charm was gone, replaced by a dashing young man.
He was no longer the teenage boy she remembered.
Hiroki excitedly rushed forward, pulling her into his arms.
The arm that had once held her was now empty. Kaguya Moon felt a pang of bitterness and gave a self-mocking smile.
Wasn't what we experienced together enough? Or am I simply no match for her?
"Kaguya, I've been thinking about you constantly."
Her nose filled with his warm scent as his head buried into her chest. Her hands caressed his back.
She looked up and said, "Hiroki, why have you suddenly grown up?"
"I don't know how much time passed here for you, but in another place I experienced ten, twenty years..."
At once, she felt her heart soften, pushing other thoughts away.
Both remained quietly savoring each other's warmth.
Over there, Kaguya Moon couldn't bear watching any longer and emotionlessly asked, "Hei, if only one of me and her could remain, who would you choose?"
He snapped out of it immediately, pulling her over and hugging both women tightly, saying earnestly,
"How could such a situation even happen? I don't want to lose either of you. Hurting anyone of you would pain me deeply."
Hmm, am I really not good enough for both of you?
You're both the wings that carry me.
These words surfaced in his mind but went unsaid.
The two identical-looking women exchanged glances, their eyes flickering. They exchanged glances and smiled knowingly, as if silently agreeing on something without a word.
"Hei, give me the Shikon No Tama. They're still waiting for us..." Kaguya Moon once again brought up using the Shikon No Tama.
"They?" Kaguya questioned.
"Our family," Kaguya Moon replied lightly. "I want to bring them over so we can reunite our family."
"Reunite our family?" Kaguya's mood shifted abruptly. She pushed him away, taking several steps backward.
"Hiroki Hyuga! What exactly have you gotten yourself into..."
At this moment, her mood was terrible. After staring at him for quite a while, she turned and left.
A subtle smile lingered on Kaguya Moon's face.
Hiroki stood rooted to the spot, caught between two difficult choices once again.
Should I go after one or the other?
What a headache...
He made it through Inuyasha's world without being dragged into Kikyo, Kawami, and Inuyasha's soap opera drama, only to find himself stuck in an even messier entanglement of his own.
"Hei, you should go find her first. I want to walk around alone for a bit."
Gently nudging him, Kaguya Moon sent him off.
Hiroki immediately felt relieved and followed Kaguya's footsteps.
As for Kaguya Moon, she calmly approached a servant girl and indifferently ordered, "Prepare a room for me."
Didn't Kaguya-sama already have a fixed room?
The servant murmured inwardly but dared not speak, silently leading her in a certain direction.
"Kaguya-sama, please follow me."
Hiroki followed Kaguya into her room.
"Aren't you going to go comfort your wife?" she said stiffly, eyes icy.
"You *are* my wife," he replied with a smile.
Kaguya let out a sharp, bitter laugh before snapping back, "When did I ever agree to that?"
"I've always been willing to accept your answer from that day."
He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
She squirmed slightly but eventually allowed him to hold her.
"Kaguya, you're my only comfort," he whispered gently in her ear.
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