Chairwoman Oomiya's Tea Party [Azur Deutschland Only]

[Azur Deutschland]

Sylvia and Julienne nodded and smiled, listening intently to Oomiya's answer. The answer she gave was expected, but that didn't diminish the amount of positive weight it carried. The circumstances were different, but they understood exactly what their friend meant. They agreed with every point Oomiya made. Your childhood years are spent having fun. You don't have extended and extensive responsibilities. You are doted upon, taken care of, and looked after. All you really had to think of was your family and having fun. The world wasn't a scary place in the eyes of a child. Instead, it was a wonderful and playful land to be explored. The innocence of childhood was always something to cherish.

Sylvia after the long, understanding silence spoke. "Those times we remember most fondly were with people we cherished, when we felt cared for, and in a time filled with innocence, right? Then let's pursue what makes us happy, and continue to make lots of pleasant memories in our time together, and even after we're apart."

"A deep friendship, a bond eternal." Julienne said softly with a giggle.

The sixth dish arrived then, changing the mood of the room just a bit. Once again, the focus was on the exquisite and finely crafted meal that was prepared. Each dish never failed to impress the twins. Before the tempura even entered their sight, Sylvia and Julienne were both thinking about how delicious it must be just from the aroma. They were slightly familiar with shrimp and pumpkin, but the rest of the dish was completely new to them. After tasting the dish, the twins could say that they were enjoying it. They had a new found respect for shrimp, especially with the care it that was put into preparing it here. Once again, they thought the shiitake mushrooms were nice. The eggplant was the biggest pleasant surprise of the sixth dish. They were extremely unfamiliar with eggplants, so they weren't sure what to expect. To their surprise, it was pretty enjoyable.

[Sanghyeok]

Although she had picked up a small piece of tempura shrimp with her chopsticks, Oomiya was actually paying more attention to Julienne. Sylvia, being the elder of the Rose Twins showed her more mature side once again by eating the different kinds of tempura without hesitation- pumpkin, eggplant, and shiitake- but Julienne was perhaps less skilled in dealing with new experiences.

First, Julienne lightly poked the eggplant with the tip of the chopsticks- as if trying to test the texture, or perhaps to determine what it would feel like when chewing. Then, after picking up a piece and dipping it lightly in the tempura sauce, Julienne ate it slowly, and her facial expressions showed her unfamiliarity with this vegetable, as it shifted between surprise and pleasure, before finally settling on satisfaction. The last part of this was a slight nod, as if to tell herself that eggplant was in fact a delicious and agreeable vegetable, at least when served in tempura form. This whole process took less than a second, and was so subtle Sylvia didn't even notice it. Or perhaps it was because Sylvia was too absorbed in enjoying the flavour of the tempura?

Oomiya laughed a little to herself at that thought- that Sylvia passed up an opportunity to tease her younger sister since she was busy eating tempura.

Either way, the oranges, light browns, purples and soft pinks of the tempura pumpkin, shiitake, eggplants, and shrimp slowly disappeared from the plate, to be replaced by the blankness of the plate below.

"The seventh dish: Japanese-style fried chicken with yuzu sauce" Chisaki said, bringing in the next course even before the savoury aftertaste of the tempura had left their tongues. "The sauce has already been added for your convenience, but please use the included yuzu as you desire."

Looking at the plate, the Twins saw something with a texture that reminded them of schnitzel, though it was chicken and not pork. Although this dish was fried like the one before it, the similarities were clear: this one had far thicker batter, and a deeper colour. Next to the chicken was a slice of this fruit called yuzu- which appeared to be some sort of citrus, although they did not know the flavour of it.

As they prepared to eat the seventh course of the night, Oomiya asked the Twins: "I was first to ask the two of you a question. Is there anything you would like to know about, or ask me?"

[Azur Deutschland]

Sylvia and Julienne appreciated the seventh dish already. They hadn't even begun to eat, but they were excited for it. The chicken was finely fried and even reminded them of home and some of the food they would eat and enjoy at their own castle in Azur Berlin. Hearing Oomiya ask them if there was anything they wanted to know, they turned their attention to their friend.

With Oomiya's question, Sylvia thought for a moment. There was quite a bit she wanted to know about their new friend, but she either didn't know how to put them into words or she didn't know where to begin. Settling on a question, she looked over at Oomiya. "You mentioned you had a sister when telling us about your memories. Could you tell us more about her? What is she like? Are you two identical twins like Julienne and I?"

Julienne nodded at Oomiya, wanting to know more about that as well. The twins didn't really know that Oomiya had a sister. Silently, the both of them hoped that they didn't strike a nerve or a bad memory. They were just genuinely curious because it sounds like they had a wonderful childhood together.

So, as they waited for Oomiya's answer, the two slowly began to enjoy the seventh meal fully. They still had their attention on their friend, but they also didn't want the dinner to get cold as that would slightly ruin what was carefully prepared for them. The chicken tasted as perfect as it looked. The yuzu fruit was quite nice, reminding them of some common citrus fruits.

[Sanghyeok]

Upon hearing Sylvia's question to her, Oomiya paused with the piece of chicken just about to enter her mouth, and then gently placed the piece of chicken back down on the plate before answering the question. She certainly hadn't been expecting to hear a question about her elder sister Sayuri, and Oomiya had to collect herself for a moment. Though it was certainly a difficult topic, she knew the Twins meant no harm in asking, and so she told them the truth of what had happened.

"I do have an elder sister" Oomiya began, "and her name is Oomiya Sayuri, although I believe she goes by Ito Sayuri now, since she changed her family name some time ago."

Another moment, as Oomiya tried to decide what she would speak about.

"Sayuri was born exactly two years before I was- the 8th of October. We were both named for flowers- her after the white lily, and I after the both cherry blossoms and the process of blooming- and I think that was fitting, since we were best of friends from the time we knew each other. Because our Oomiya family was close to the Imperial Family, mother and father were often occupied with business in the Imperial Court much of the year, and we rarely met. That's one of the reasons I cherish the memory of cherry blossom viewing together, for it was one of the few times of the year we felt like a real family, when mother and father, sister and I could be laugh, cry, eat, and converse together. For the rest of the year, Sayuri was almost everything to me. More than just an elder sister, she was also my tutor for subjects from academy I could not understand, my parents when she made food and cared for me when I was sick, and my most trusted friend that I could confide everything to. Because of that, we were even more inseparable that usual sisters, and we were closer still after our parents left for Heaven. She remained by my side through the most trying times afterwards- the wars, the destruction of our residence, and everything else. And then, 400 years ago, she disappeared suddenly, with no trace of where she had gone. It was one of the most devastating moments of my life- I had outlived my parents, my friends, the friends I had made after those friends, and so on- but losing my sister was something different entirely, for she had been by my side for over 4 centuries."

Oomiya tried to control her voice from shaking as she described what happened next.

"I found out about her whereabouts a few years ago, when she contacted me from another realm where she was living. At that time, I was so relieved beyond comparison- for my dearest sister was still alive, even if we were now separated by universes. But soon it became clear that she was not the Sayuri I knew. Somewhere, her ideals had become twisted to the point I could no longer recognise her, for my elder sister who had been so caring and empathetic was now slaughtering her own citizens for pleasure. It was a moment I will not forget, for my heart was filled with dread and disgust, but more than anything else it was filled with sorrow. I only will have one sister, and no matter what she does she will remain someone I love, because she is always my sister."

Having finished her reply, Oomiya's expression became a blank again, and she was staring at the plate of karaage before her, as if still reminiscing on her sister that even now she refused to give up on. She couldn't bring herself to meet Sylvia and Julienne's eyes.

"I'm sorry for asking" Sylvia said quickly, her tone apologetic and consoling. "We didn't mean to bring up those bad memories, and today was meant to be happy occasion after all..." her voice faded into silence, as she placed a hand lightly on Oomiya's.

"it's quite alright" Oomiya replied, before putting on a cheerful face again. "There is nothing wrong with curiosity, and after all it is a natural question to ask after I talked for so long about the fond memories with her.

"Besides that," Oomiya added, "shall we enjoy the next dish?"

During their silence, Chisaki had placed the eighth course and then tactfully left without saying anything. Chisaki was really good at reading the atmosphere like that, Oomiya thought.

The eighth dish was a pair of covered ceramic bowls, one large and one small, alongside an enamel spoon. Opening the lid of the two revealed one with small green onions, while the other had some pieces of chicken cooked in what appeared to be a lightly cooked egg, all over rice. There was also a fragrance of freshness from the green onions, as well as the clean savoury smell of broth and chicken.

[Azur Deutschland]

Listening to Oomiya's story about her elder sister, Sylvia and Julienne were left stunned and silent. Just imagining how it would feel to have someone you love deeply be changed so much was unnerving. They couldn't imagine how they would live if either one of them turned out that way. Looking at Oomiya, they felt an urge to want to console and comfort her. Sylvia reached out and gently laid her hand on top of Oomiya's.

Sylvia, and Julienne by extension, felt extremely sorry for asking such a question. Though, seeing Oomiya's face brighten once again, they smiled softly as well. The elder twin pulled her hand away slowly as she watched Oomiya flash her normal cheery face. Nodding, they agreed with their friend's question.. The next dish had arrived and it was waiting to be thoroughly enjoyed.

The twins didn't know what to expect with the eighth dish. It certainly didn't look bad, but it looked quite different than the previous meals. The aroma was quite nice too. Both the girls tried it out and were, once again, quite bewildered. The tastes, while very simple, were actually pretty good. There was this hint of both sweet and savory that added just enough for the simplistic flavor to be quite amazing. Honestly, Sylvia and Julienne were quite impressed. It must be quite the honed skill to make something like this.

In between spoonfuls, Julienne thought of a question to ask Oomiya. Looking over at their friend, the younger twin asked away. "Oomiya, you have heard about our Leuchtende Rose, right? What do you think of Azur Deutschland's military idols?"

[Sanghyeok]

Oomiya had been putting on a brave face, trying to hide her emotions from Julienne and Sylvia. I can't let them feel bad for asking that question, especially because it's not their fault Oomiya thought, and she resolved to not show her sadness from those memories. She soon realised how badly she was failing at pretending nothing had happened, though. Oomiya turned her face and stared down at the dish in front of her, anything to prevent the Twins from seeing her in this state.

Despite only having met that morning, Sylvia and Julienne already knew her far too well to be fooled. Softly, Oomiya felt a sense of warmth as Sylvia lightly placed a hand on top of hers. Though it took some time, the consoling, calming touch was enough for to ease the knots of discomfort in Oomiya's heart, and a real smile reappeared on her face.

"Thank you" she uttered sincerely, her voice soft. Her face had returned to normal, and she had recovered enough to meet the concerned gaze of her friends before her.

"Of course," Sylvia said, her expression still pleasant. "It's something that we should do for each other, right?"

"We are friends, after all, and the time we spend together ought to be happy." Julienne voiced her agreement with her sister.

Oomiya nodded at her friend's words. "Thank you" was all she could say, again, but inside her mind there were so many feelings she couldn't put into words: gratitude, comfort, and the feeling of caring and being cared for. Even so, she was sure that Julienne and Sylvia could understand what she meant with those two words.

---

Oomiya was happy to see how Julienne and Sylvia were enjoying the oyakodon contently. She had been concerned that they would find the texture odd, but their delight seemed to be real. Julienne was eating it without green onions, for which Sylvia had endlessly teased her.

Julienne, after eating yet another spoonful of the soft rice and eggs- The subtle flavour is something that comes up often in this type of cuisine, she was thinking- came up with another question to ask Oomiya. Hopefully, it would stop her sisters teasing and let them know their friend better.

"Oomiya, you have heard about our Leuchtende Rose, right? What do you think of Azur Deutschland's military idols?" Julienne asked.

Oomiya tilted her head slightly as she replied, trying to think of why she liked the group so much.

"I do enjoy their performances quite a lot, even though I've only seen the recordings," Oomiya said. "In fact, I think they're all standout idols. Their dance routines are varied and practiced, and the outfits they wear are beautiful and unique. Most of all, though, I really love the types of music they cover and their refreshing band concept. In particular I liked watching their extremely talented performances of "Tougen Renka" and "Gokuraku Jodo", which were songs I've always liked listening to."

She laughed, a little bit embarrassed, after admitting her fondness for those two songs. "People sometimes think I only listen to Japanese Classical music, but of course that isn't true. I like all sorts of music, and Leuchtende Rose's special albums are some of my favourite in all of pop. I would consider myself a fan- in fact, if there is ever a chance to watch them live, I would of course love that opportunity."

Right when she finished her response, the last main dish of the evening came: the cold zaru-soba noodles.

"Zaru-soba noodles" Chisaki announced, before giving each of them several plates and dishes.

The largest plate had some soba noodles and a bit of dried seaweed on top. The smaller dish had some radish for topping, and there was also two cups: one filled with a dark sauce and the other hot water.

"First, eat a few strands of the soba by itself to taste the fresh flavour. Then, take a little bit of the soba noodles with your chopsticks, and dip just the tip lightly in the sauce. When you are done eating all of the noodles, if you want you can pour the hot water into the remaining sauce. It can then be drunk, a little bit like a soup."

Oomiya, after teaching the Twins how to eat soba properly, then decided to ask a question to the Twins that came into her mind after hearing them bring up Leuchtende Rose.

"Are there certain art forms, such as types of music or artworks you enjoy more than others? We have such similar tastes in other areas I feel we're almost bound to have some overlap here as well."

[Azur Deutschland]

Hearing Oomiya praise Leuchtende Rose and even saying that she would consider herself a fan, both Sylvia and Julienne beamed happily. The two had started the military squad as a way to boost morale, not only for the military, but for the nation as a whole. They were certainly very ecstatic that their shining idols were well received by other nations outside of even their own universe.

Sylvia, with her bright and energetic smile, looked over at Oomiya. "Maybe we can arrange something in the future so that you can see a live performance. That would be quite fun."

After smiling and laughing a little bit, they turned their attention to the ninth and final main dish of tonight's dinner. Both of the twins listened carefully to Oomiya's little bit of instruction on how to enjoy the noodles. They then began to try out the zaru-soba. Much like the oyakodon from the previous dish, the zaru-soba was weird, but not in a bad way. It was just, again, quite different to what one would normally expect, especially from being outside of the cultural loop. It was simple, but not unpleasant. Both of the twins were quite enjoying the sauce as well.

Settling down a bit once Oomiya asked them about their preferences for art, Sylvia thought about it for a little bit before giving her answer. "Hmm, well, it's a bit difficult to decide that. To go off what you said earlier, I understand exactly what you mean. Others seem to think we only listen to classic German songs. Julienne and I love classical, but we also love to listen to other genres as well."

"I think a lot of it just depends on how we are feeling during the day. We might prefer some style over others depending on our emotions." Julienne then added to further explain their tastes. It was both complicated and simple.

[Sanghyeok]

"Maybe we can arrange something in the future so that you can see a live performance. That would be quite fun," Sylvia said, and Oomiya had to admit that she was almost looking forward to a day when she could watch the Leuchtende Rose's live concerts. After all, Oomiya was fond of all sorts of pop music and groups, and she hadn't been to an event for some time since taking up her leadership position as Chairwoman. She didn't dwell too longer on her though, because Sylvia and Julienne were answering her other question.

"I think a lot of it just depends on how we are feeling during the day. We might prefer some style over others depending on our emotions." Julienne explained, and Oomiya nodded in understanding since she shared their feelings. If it was a dark and rainy day with cloudy skies, she liked to listen to something soothing and soft, but if it was an energetic day with clear skies and warm sunshine she preferred the upbeat tempo of a bubblegum pop song.

"Of course, I feel the same way," Oomiya said. They continued their discussion between bites up until the zaru-soba was finished, and Chisaki returned to bring the final dish of the evening.

"How was it?" Oomiya asked her friends, curious as to their opinion on the special dinner tonight. She was hoping that they had found everything enjoyable and up to their expectations.

"It was different, but in a good kind of way," Julienne said, "Isn't that right, sister?"

Sykvia voiced her agreement with her sister. "Although there were a lot of ingredients and dishes we weren't familiar with, we found the overall experience quite nice, especially how courses were presented and prepared. There were definitely some new dishes and flavours we won't forget."

Oomiya was happy to here that Julienne and Sylvia had both thought their shared meal was delightful, and smiled in acknowledgement. Dinner wasn't quite over yet, though, with one final course remaining: dessert. On the table was a variety of desserts in all sorts of colours from their two nations: cookies and cake brought from Azur, as well as Sanghyeok's traditional desserts of parfait and pudding.

With so many choices in front of them, they weren't quite sure which one to start with. Finally, Oomiya made a suggestion: "If it's alright, can we begin with the cake and cookies you prepared? I would be delighted to eat some of Azur's traditional food."

"Of course," Sylvia replied. The Rose Twins were happy that Oomiya was interested in their country, and Sylvia was more than happy to share some of their culture with her, even if it was through food. "This is Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte: Azur-style chocolate cake with cherries, cream, a small amount of cherry flavoured spirits, and chocolate shavings."

Julienne explained the other dish for Oomiya: "Assorted Azur-style cookies, including cinnamon, honey, butter and lemon. Oh, and these cookies and cakes were baked by us three: little Phym, Sylvia, and I handmade them just for our little meeting."

"That's really impressive" Oomiya said, with some surprise in her voice. "I'm really thankful, and I hope you send my appreciation to dear Phym as well." The cake looked just like professionally made, and wouldn't have been out of place in an High Street bakery, or even something made by her own chefs. The shape, colour, and form were remarkable, and Oomiya found herself admiring her friend's skills.

Ever refined and mannered, Sylvia had cut a slice for each of them, while Julienne and Oomiya were staring hungrily at the cake. Finally, after what seemed to be forever, a slice of cake was in front of each of them, and they placed a forkful in their mouths.

"How is it?" Sylvia asked after their first bites.

"It's an indescribable kind of happiness," Oomiya replied. "Not only is your cake beautiful in colour and form, the taste is also wonderful. The chocolate and cream are just sweet enough, while cherries add just enough fruitiness. That is truly wonderful, it's like putting your face on a sugary sweet pillow of chocolate, cream, and cherry."

After finishing a slice of cake each, they moved on to the cookies, which looked so inviting with their golden appearance.

"Please do," Julienne said, and Oomiya took a bite of the nearest cookie. Butter, sugar, and honey were what she tasted, just enough to be present but not overwhelmingly rich or sweet. Is this paradise? I absolutely must find their recipe, Oomiya thought, and she resolved to ask them before their meeting ended.

"The texture is so amazing, these cookies just melt on the tongue," Oomiya said with visible happiness, and the Rose Twins realised that Oomiya's eyes had already started sparkling in joy. Somehow when eating desserts, Oomiya had changed into a completely different person, and she had become even more energetic than usual. Sylvia and Julienne, too, were overjoyed to see their friend compliment their cooking skills, and enjoy the culture they had shared with her.

---

With the cookies and cake eaten, it was time to eat the parfait and pudding now, which looked inviting as well. The pudding had a light glaze of caramel sauce on it, while the parfait was stacked with layers of chocolate, vanilla cream, ice cream, and berries. For dessert lovers such as them, it was like a dream.

As they placed the first spoonful of pudding in their mouths, Oomiya asked the Twins another question she was curious about since dinner had begun. "Tonight we enjoyed some of the traditional cuisine from Sanghyeok, and I am pleased that you two found it enjoyable. I'd also like to learn a little bit about cuisine in Azur such as your favourite dishes and common foods, if that's alright."

[Azur Deutschland]

Hearing Oomiya express how she desired to taste the dessert that they had made first, Sylvia and Julienne were happy and ecstatic. After explaining a little bit about the Black Forest cake and the assorted cookies, the twins both smiled with pride. Their happiness grew even more when they heard Oomiya praised not only them, but their little Phym as well for baking the sweets for today.

The twins could hardly contain how joyful they were as they watched Oomiya's expression and heard her complimentary words praising the tastes of their desserts. The two of them, along with their adopted daughter, gave it their all when they were baking for this meeting. It was so nice to know that they met, and even exceeded, their friend's expectations.

Steadily, the cake and the cookies were all gone and eaten, next would be Sanghyeok's desserts. Sylvia and Julienne were both quite excited. The pudding looked quite lovely with the soft glaze of caramel topping it. The big thing they were excited for, though, was the parfait. It looked so decadent and elegant. The various layers of chocolate, vanilla, ice cream, and berries made it look extremely beautiful as well as extremely delicious. It definitely was a dream, and they were quite happy to be able to have such a wonderful dream.

As they started to enjoy the dessert, Oomiya shot her question. The twins thought for a second before answering her. Though, maybe it was that they were still getting over how sweet and delectable the dessert was.

"Well, one of our all time favorite foods would be currywurst. A fried pork sausage, seasoned with curry ketchup, and served with fries usually. It's not exactly sophisticated or anything, but it's still really nice." Sylvia had said in between enjoying a spoonful of the delicious pudding.

"Oh, another one of our favorite traditional foods are German-style hamburgers. They're a lot thicker than most patties you see. They're also more like fried meatloaf patties, if you've ever had a homemade meatloaf." Julienne giggled as she added to her sister's comment.

[Sanghyeok]

Oomiya listened attentively as her friends described the various types of food commonly found in Azur. There was this strange food called "currywurst" she had never heard of before, which according to Sylvia was a sort of fried sausage served with curry ketchup and fries.

Curry ketchup? I wonder what that would taste like. Oomiya couldn't imagine what sort of ketchup could have curry blended into it. Would it be thick or thin, sweet or salty? Oomiya found herself quite curious, and although she wasn't sure if she would like such a dish Oomiya was definitely interested in at least trying it once.

"What does it taste like?" Oomiya asked Sylvia, her expression quizzical. She was hoping her friend could describe the experience to her, since she had never eaten currywurst before.

"Well, for one it's quite a lot like eating sausage, just more juicy and tender when you bite in," Sylvia explained to Oomiya, trying her best to describe how it felt to eat currywurst in words so she could understand. "And the sauce is the same thickness as ketchup, just with curry powder added. It's not thick some some varieties of curry, but the flavour of the curry can still be felt."

Sounds delicious, at least, and given that we share tastes when it comes to food in general, perhaps I would enjoy it as well, Oomiya decided. Oomiya made a note in her mind to try to make this "currywurst" sometime, just to try our something new.

Julienne had been silently listening to her sister's comments the whole while. Now, as she placed another spoonful of the pudding in her mouth, she chimed in here with one of her own favourite foods. "Oh, another one of our favorite traditional foods are German-style hamburgers. They're a lot thicker than most patties you see. They're also more like fried meatloaf patties, if you've ever had a homemade meatloaf."

Oomiya had never had homemade meatloaf, but she had eaten hamburgers before and found them quite tasty. She wondered what a German-style hamburger would taste like, but found it hard to imagine the texture or the flavour. She was still thinking about it when they had finished the parfait and pudding before them, meaning that their dinner had at last come to an end. Somewhat longingly, Oomiya looked at the empty plates from their dessert on the table. Where there had been pudding, parfait, and the cookies and cake made by Sylvia, Julienne and Phym were now gone, and in their place they had content hearts and satisfied appetites. Though there had been many dishes and courses, each of the dishes was just small enough that they were almost full without eating too much.

"Thank you for the meal" Oomiya said respectfully, before lowering her head slightly and bringing her hands together like she had before their meal had started.

[Azur Deutschland]

Sylvia and Julienne casually spoke about the German foods they liked to eat. They were hoping that Oomiya found their explanations satisfactory. They were certain that their friend would love to try out the foods that they knew of, but they weren't sure if their explanations were doing the dishes a service. In this way, they truly seemed more like the normal twins they once were, girls who just enjoyed the home cooking of their parents. Homemade, that was the best way to describe their nation's food, even if it's such an abstract and personal concept.

Once they had finished all of the dessert, both of the girls looked over everything. The plates that had once held the most excellent desserts from both Azur Deutschland and Sanghyeok were bare and empty. There was a small sense of sadness that it was over, but that was quickly pushed aside with the thoughts of how perfect and wonderful tonight's dinner had been. Sylvia smiled and nodded to herself. Julienne caught her sister's emotions and, likewise, smiled.

In unison the twins spoke. ""Thank you for the meal."" Sylvia and Julienne both followed Oomiya and lowered their heads as well as placing their palms together. As they stayed silent for a little bit, both of the girls wondered what would be next. The dinner was over and they weren't sure there was anything else planned, but they didn't really want to leave quite soon. They still wanted to continue to enjoy the company of Oomiya, their friend, for a bit longer.

[Sanghyeok]

Standing up smoothly, Oomiya left her seat and gestured for Julienne and Sylvia to follow her upstairs. Together, they walked up the steps and returned to Oomiya's room, where Oomiya stepped in front of a cabinet by her bed.

"I prepared some special gifts for your visit," Oomiya said, before taking out something from the cabinet and bringing it to in front of Julienne and Sylvia. Carefully, Oomiya handed something to each of the Twin's hands: a small white box with some writing and embossed emblem on top.

"Can we open it now?" Julienne asked, her voice filled with expectation. She seemed especially curious as to what was inside the box, and even normally restrained Sylvia found herself sharing her younger sister's feelings. A small box like this, what could be in it? she thought, Knowing Oomiya, it would probably be something distinctly cultural and precious. But there were so many possibilities that she couldn't narrow them down.

"Of course," Oomiya said, smiling as she did so. "I would love if you were to tell me your thoughts on them. To be honest, I didn't know what the right gift would be, so I spent a long time thinking of this one. In the end, I hope it's something you can like."

Having Oomiya's permission, Sylvia and Julienne slowly lifted the gift of the boxes, to find a thin object they didn't recognise: it was a clear and white coloured rectangle attached to a red string. Again, there was writing and a complicated, flowery pattern on the outside.

"Omamori: a kind of traditional protective amulet," Oomiya explained to her friends. "Each of them has a small slip of paper inside that holds the charm's power. It is believed that if you keep one close to you, or you make your wishes close to them, then you will have good luck come to you and everything will be as you desire. I personally keep the same kind of omamori with me, so it will be like we are keeping each other's wishes in our hearts at all times."

"Thank you Oomiya, your gift is really beautiful," Julienne said. Sylvia agreed with her sister, "It's such a lovely gift, Oomiya. We'll take good care of it, of course." Both her and Sylvia were really impressed by the delicacy and design of the amulet. It felt smooth and yet soft, almost like it was made from a fabric that they didn't know of.

Oomiya smiled shyly, happy that her friends had found the gift to be as special as she had tried to make it. "Try to hold it to the light" Oomiya added, pointing towards the lamp in the room. Saying this, she took her own amulet out of her pocket and together they faced the light while raising their arms in that direction.

The moment they did so, Sylvia and Julienne gasped. Light shone through the almost transparent surface, exposing elegant patterns woven into it as well the protective writing that Oomiya had told them about. The amulet's colour and decorations had somehow become even more beautiful, and together they swooned at the way the light and shadows inside it interacted. The omamori was really a work of art on its own, in addition to being useful as a bringer of good luck. They played around with their amulets for a while, looking at all the angles and ways the light reflected in it, mesmerised by the interactions.

"There is one more gift: a parting gift that I hope you can treasure," Oomiya said, "But this time: close your eyes, hold our your hands, and no peeking." Oomiya was going to give Julienne and Sylvia a gift she knew they had been secretly wishing for the whole time.

The Rose Twins obeyed and closed their eyes, although they were very tempted, since they wanted to know what sort of gift Oomiya was giving them. Though they couldn't see anything, they heard the sound of a cabinet shelf being opened, and then Oomiya's footsteps. Finally, as Oomiya came closer, Julienne and Sylvia felt something with soft and silky texture being placed in their outstretched palms. It was heavier and larger than they expected, and both of them felt their heartrate increase as they wondered simultaneously: would it really be their own-

"You may open your eyes now." Oomiya gave them permission to open their eyes after what seemed like forever, and they immediately did so, looking down at their hands with excitement. The gift was exactly what they had been hoping for: each of them had been given their own kimono to take back home to Azur. Actually Sylvia was holding two, one of which was smaller, and she realised this was specially made for Phym.

"I knew you were hoping for your own kimono, because Sato had told me how much you wanted to explore our culture, so I had my assistants make them for you," Oomiya said, before smiling at the ecstatic Rose Twins in front of her.

[Azur Deutschland]

Sylvia and Julienne were quite excited when they heard Oomiya mention that she had special gifts prepared for them. The first gift she presented, the omamori, was a very wonderful gift. As they examined the amulets, the twins made sure to listen to Oomiya's description. A charm for good luck and good fortunes. They both smiled, it was a very thoughtful and beautiful gift.

When their friend told them to examine the charms in the light, they first watched here. Gasping in surprise, Sylvia and Julienne followed her example. The already magnificent beauty was multiplied. The way the light shown through really put an emphasis on the craftsmanship and the lovely patterns and details.

After playing around for a little bit with the charms, admiring them, Oomiya mentioned another gift. A parting gift that would be one to treasure forever. Following their friend's instructions, they closed their eyes and held out their hands. The two girls were excited, wondering what exactly this gift would be. Hearing Oomiya move about, gathering something from the cabinet, and walking back over to them, their minds raced and time felt like it dragged on forever.

Suddenly, the soft feeling of silk filled their arms and they gasped with joy instantly. With Oomiya's permission, the Sylvia and Julienne opened their eyes and examined the gift. Three kimonos, so delicate and pretty. One for Sylvia, one for Julienne, and one for Phym. Looking over at Oomiya, the twins, with a bright blush and a precious smile, thanked their friend with very excited voices. ""Thank you so very much, Oomiya.""

"We've heard and seen a little bit about kimono's from our own world. They always looked so cute and elegant. I've always wanted to have one for myself." Sylvia had said, still blushing as Oomiya thought of exactly what they wanted.

Julienne nodded to her twin's statement. "Yes, it was one type of clothing that we never got to try out that we've always wanted to. I'm absolutely sure Phym will love it too."

They were so happy, they wanted to cry with warm, joyful tears. Even though they had their hands full, Sylvia and Julienne had a sudden urge to want to hug Oomiya. This has been a perfect day, and, from this day, a sweet and perfect friendship had blossomed like a beautiful eternal rose.

[Sanghyeok]

"We've heard and seen a little bit about kimono's from our own world. They always looked so cute and elegant. I've always wanted to have one for myself," Sylvia said, admiring the kimono in her hands as Julienne did the same.

Oomiya felt a sense of joy rising in her chest, as if sunlight was shining on her heart despite it being already evening. I'm truly happy that I really did choose the perfect gift they had been wishing for.

The praise that Sylvia and Julienne had given her gifts was more than enough to make her spirts bright, and their response to their kimonos especially made her feel warm. Her friends were displaying their true emotions, and she wasn't holding back either: there were so many feelings in the air: appreciation, happiness, profound joy, gratitude, contentment. Excited to receive their new parting gift, Julienne and Sylvia were already starting to dress themselves in their kimono. And then they had put them on, and the Rose Twins were both wearing brilliant red coloured kimono with flowery patterns and gold embossing, looking every bit as elegant as Oomiya herself.

"What do you think, Oomiya?" Julienne questioned, asking for Oomiya's opinion.

"You look absolutely beautiful, both of you," Oomiya said, not hiding the delight in her voice. "It absolutely suits you and your sister perfectly: the way the colours are brilliant and stand out but aren't too flashy, the length and size of the kimono fit well, and the patterns really match your personality."

"Thank you, Oomiya, but you flatter us too much," Sylvia replied, and the three of them giggled at that: Sylvia, the master of flattery, saying Oomiya had been too complimentary of them.

Oomiya felt something pulling her, and she realised it was Julienne's and Sylvia's hands clasping on to her own. Then, before she knew it, they were hugging now: the three of them in an embrace that felt of warmth and friendship. Sylvia's bright smile turned into laughter, and Julienne and Oomiya found themselves joining in without noticing. They laughed and smiled, not just for the gifts that Oomiya had given and the Twins had received, but for everything that had happened leading up to it: their first meeting in the early afternoon, their tea-time and cosplay, their magic contest, their shared dinner and dessert with all the foods they could dream of. They laughed and smiled until their faces hurt to smile, and still they kept on laughing as they embraced one another. They laughed, for they had experienced something beautiful, something beautiful with one another during their golden time together on this day. And they laughed because despite all the odds, they had found a friendship with each other they knew they would cherish to eternity.

And then, the first tear fell. Not a tear of joy that the Twins had held back when they were receiving Oomiya's gifts, nor Oomiya's reaction when receiving the presents of Julienne and Sylvia. No, the tear that came from the corner of Oomiya's eye was a clear little crystal of sadness. For a moment it hung suspended from an eyelash, and then fell, down onto her sleeve. Oomiya felt it through her clothes, and reminded herself to hold back from crying anymore.

No, you can't cry now, not until after they've left, otherwise they'll cry too, she thought, and tried to restrain her tears. But it was no use, and despite all her might her mind wandered back to the cause of her eyes watering: We'll have to part soon, won't we? Yet another tear fell, and another until they became a small stream flowing down from both of her eyes. Oomiya heard a soft sobbing sound from her side, and saw Sylvia, too, had started crying, as had Julienne. The three of them, looking at each other through blurry vision from teary eyes, already knew why they were feeling this way. And that only made each other's sorrow more poignant, for though they had different hearts they felt the same pain. They were crying, and still holding on to one another, as if afraid they would never see their friends again the moment they let go of each other. Oomiya didn't know how long it had been, but she knew that at some point her tears were no longer falling, and Sylvia and Julienne had returned to normal too.

Smile, Oomiya reminded herself, don't let our parting memory be one of sadness.

And though it was difficult, she found herself putting on a happy face. Her smiling expression became more and more real as she tried to focus on everything she had enjoyed that day, all the activities with Julienne and Sylvia.

Still holding hands with Oomiya, the Rose Twins were thinking the same thing, and they too now wore calm expressions.

---

The reflections of three girls wearing kimono was reflected in the still water of the Pond of Heartbeat Sound as a silver crescent shone overhead in a cloudless night.

"Thank you for everything, Oomiya," Julienne said. She wanted to say something else, too, but couldn't translate her emotions of gratitude into words.

"Thank you for your invitation. And of course, thank you for your gifts, your time with us, and most importantly your friendship, Oomiya" Sylvia said. "Though it is autumn, my sister and I are both delighted that this friendship for the three of us could bloom like an eternal rose today." Even now, Sylvia still managed to speak calmly, and Oomiya and Julienne both had to admire her for it.

"And I should thank you, Julienne and Sylvia for coming here and making it possible," Oomiya replied. "I won't ever forget the time we spent together, for they are all precious memories. And I'll cherish our friendship, until the days the oceans are dry and the mountains gone."

"Farewell, Oomiya", Sylvia and Julienne called, giving one last wave.

"Farewell, Juliene and Sylvia", Oomiya replied as she waved back just before the Rose Twins disappeared in a flash of light.

And then, there was only the reflection of a single girl in her kimono. Oomiya stood still for a moment, before looking in her hands, where she was clutching carefully a final small rose plushie that Julienne had given her just before she had left for her home in Azur.

A breeze came, and Oomiya sighed, looking at the moonlight reflected in waters that were no longer still. She held Julienne's gift to her chest, feeling its softness. And then, she started walking, past the statue of eternal ice that was now glimmering with silver, under the rays of the moon that looked exactly the same as it always had, towards her room where she knew she would be dreaming of her time with the two Rose Twins.

終
(End)

[Sanghyeok]

Oomiya's epilogue

Sunlight.

I open my eyes, and see sunlight shining through the windows, telling me it's almost morning.

Morning? Why is my cabinet still open? And why am I wearing my kimono still?

I move to get up, and suddenly it all comes back to me: everything that happened yesterday with Sylvia and Julienne. We met, we laughed, we enjoyed ourselves, we cried, and then we said goodbye. But it was more than that, of course.

A bond eternal.

That's something both the Rose Twins and I had repeated to ourselves, over and over again. I know it wasn't just empty rhetoric, because in my heart I can feel how much I miss them, and I am certain that back in Azur, they must be feeling the same about me.

I feel something soft next to me, and I reach out to grab it. It's a rose plushie, the same magical flower kind that Julienne had given to me yesterday. But why is it here? I look up at the shelf where I had stored the most precious ones, including the dolls of the three of us together. But all of them are in their place.

That's right, this was the last one Julienne handed to me before they departed.

I look over it, trying to wonder why she chose to give me this in the moment of farewell. Although it's exquisitely made just all of Julienne's other plushies, I don't understand her decision. I squeeze it a little, feeling the soft and comfy texture as I try to think of the reason behind it.

And then, something appears from the middle. It's a small piece of paper with the gothic handwriting I know to be Julienne's.

On it is a short message, just 10 words.

I know we'll meet again, Oomiya. Until then,
Sylvia & Julienne

I smile to myself, content once more.

End of Oomiya's epilogue. Julienne and Sylvia's epilogue will be the grand end of the story.

[Azur Deutschland]

Sylvia and Julienne's epilogue

It was deep at night when the twins returned to Azur Deutschland. Entering their castle in Azur Berlin, they were greeted by Head Inquisitor Dlanor A. Knox.

Dlanor gave them a salute and a bow before speaking. "Welcome home, Lady Sylvia and Lady Julienne. Things have been running smoothly while you were away. Schnee Kristall and Rosenkristall made sure to take care of every matter with efficiency."

Sylvia and Julienne thanked Dlanor for her report. They then gave a salute and dismissed her, allowing her to get back to her tasks she needed to do.

The two girls walked up to their room. Once inside, they smiled as Schnee Kristall and Rosenkristall appeared and hugged them. Happily, they returned the hugs from their dolls. Sylvia was just about to start talking at length to the dolls about their day, but she noticed something. Glancing over at the bed, she noticed that Phym was already fast asleep.

Following the elder twin's gaze, Rosenkristall gave a nod before speaking in a hushed voice. "She just fell asleep not too long ago."

With a smile, Sylvia nodded and gave a slight yawn. Julienne followed shortly after, and the four started to giggle softly. It was pretty late.

Once in their sleepwear, the twins gently got into bed with their little Phym. A wonderful night of happy, loving dreams ensued. Dreams of further meetings and outings. Oomiya, Sylvia, Julienne, Phym, and even Schnee Kristall and Rosenkristall. All of them, playing out in a field, watching the sky, singing with each other, attending concerts, being happy friends and normal girls. A beautiful friendship. A perfect rose, never wilting.

When the morning rose, the day was wonderful. Sylvia and Julienne were telling Phym all about their meeting with Oomiya. The twins were once again wearing the kimono Oomiya had gifted them. They were also showing off the omamori and the magical poetry scroll. Phym was listening closely while excitedly wearing the soft kimono made for her.

The future looked bright and promising.
I know we'll meet again.