Dance of Spring, Part I/Chapter 2

The Agent of Winter — Rosei Kantsubaki

## Synopsis

While sleeping in a car stuck in a traffic jam, the Agent of Winter, Rosei Kantsubaki, wakes up from a nightmare about Hinagiku's kidnapping. He and his Guard, Itecho Kangetsu, are currently in Teishu. It has been two weeks since Hinagiku brought spring to Ryugu. Rosei desperately wants to see Hinagiku, his first love, but his letters to Spring didn't receive a reply. In the meantime, he had secretly dispatched guards to watch over the two. He learns that the guards had reported that Hinagiku has been acting differently after her kidnapping, as though her mental age stopped in early childhood. An employee of the Four Seasons Agency, Ishihara, informs them that the traffic jam is caused by a traffic accident, in which a truck hit a car with a family inside by the cliff, leaving it hanging.

Rosei runs out of the car despite the protests of Itecho and Ishihara and heads straight for the car, determined to rescue the family. Itecho warns him that it is against the Four Seasons Code to use his divine powers for any reason other than manifesting the season, but Rosei counters that it is legal for Agents to use their powers when they find themselves in danger. Itecho is worn down, but he reminds Rosei that his actions have consequences for the people around him as well. This stabs at Rosei's conscience, but he tells Itecho that he has the power to save this family right now. He uses his powers to create a field of ice flowers to freeze the car to the ground. The children are wary of Rosei. He tries to calm them down by saying that he's there to help. This reminds him of how he had always wanted to say those words to Hinagiku, and his dreams of saving her when she was kidnapped ten years ago, but it was she who ended up sacrificing herself to save all of them. Rosei shakes himself out of the memories and manages to save the children and their father. While the children are unharmed, the father is unconscious with his fate unknown.

After the ambulance leaves with the family, Rosei and his group get into another car to go to their destination. Itecho comforts an emotionally fragile Rosei. They eventually arrive at their hotel, and Itecho puts Rosei to bed before chatting with Ishihara about past events. For ten years, Rosei has been having nightmares where he wakes up screaming Hinagiku's name. Itecho blames himself for not being able to save Hinagiku ten years ago from being kidnapped from the Town of Winter by insurgents. The insurgents had been after Rosei, but Hinagiku, then six-years-old, offered herself up in exchange because she loved him. Ever since then, Itecho has been working non-stop to protect Rosei. Ishihara asks if conflict occurs often with Winter, and Itecho answers that it does, especially at the end of autumn, when Winter's manifestation journey begins. There is constant criticism of the Agents for not using their powers to save people in crises, even though they are not superheroes.

Ishihara asks to arrange a meeting between Rosei and Hinagiku, but Itecho turns her down. He explains that the Town of Spring withdrew from the search for Hinagiku after only three months, and the Town of Winter worked with National Security to continue the search before stopping after five years. Sakura, then fourteen, had begged them to resume the search, but disappeared from the Town of Winter after she couldn't convince them. Itecho doubts that she would be happy to have Hinagiku and Rosei reunite, and he himself is fearful of seeing her again. He recalls hearing the news that the Town of Spring had all but given up Hinagiku for dead and rushing over to the town, only to see Sakura outside the town door, crying and knocking on it, begging them to not abandon Hinagiku. She told Itecho that she had been expelled for failing to protect her master. Itecho took Sakura back to the Town of Winter for protection, but both girls were abandoned after five years. And yet, they returned, bringing spring to all those who wished them dead. Itecho feels that the time for atonement has come and quietly asks if Sakura still hates him.

## Characters

* Hinagiku Kayo (dream)
* Sakura Himedaka (dream)
* Rosei Kantsubaki
* Itecho Kangetsu
* Ishihara