Chapter１８
MamorutakesChanintoadeeproom,thenstopsinfrontofaroomwithamapleslidingdoor.Whenthedooropens,theJapanesestyleroomiscombinedwithmoderndecoration.Furnitureanddecorationaremostlywhite,whichmakestheroomlookquiteventilatedandspacious.Inaddition,thereisaseparateroom,whichcanbeclearlyseen.Thereisareceptionareainfront,withabathroomandanottoobigbedroomnexttoit.Butit'sascomfortableasaholidayhome.
Mamoruwasthefirsttogoin,pullingbackthecurtainsonthebalconyandthenpushingthebalconydooropentoallowairtocirculate.Hesawnotonlyagardeninfrontofthehouse,butalsoasmallgardenintheback.Thehouseissurroundedbyagarden.
"Youliveinthisroomfromtoday.ThefrontslidingdoorisinthetraditionalJapanesestyle,butitcanbelockedfromtheinsideorfromtheoutside.Youcanlockthedoorwhileyouaresleeping,butifyouwanttogoin.Youhavenorightnottoopenit,andevenifyoudonot,thelittlemasterhasthekey."
Mamorusuddenlyutteredaword,keepinghiseyesfixedonthespeaker.
"Youdon'thavetotellme.Iknowyoucan'trefuseyourboss."
Thissentenceisabitironic,butitisnottrue.Ifocusedmyattentiononthebrushonthewall.
Mamorusawthathisattitudewasmorecalmthanatfirst,andhewasrelievedthathedidn'twanttogetintotrouble,sohewouldcontinuetodohisjob.
"Inthemeantime,pleaseresthereanddon'twalkabout.I'mtakingcareofsomething,andI'llbebackforsupper.Ifyouneedanything,pleaseletmeknow."
Chaninnodded.Hewantedtospendthenightintheparktoseewhowouldgocrazy.Thisisagangsterhouse,notanamusementpark,sohewantstogetaroundthereandgethimselfintotrouble.
Buthedidnotspeak,butdidsomethingbeforehesuddenlyappeared,whenhiseyessuddenlysawsomethingoutoftime,whichmadeMamoruton,whowasabouttoleavetheroom,comedown.
"Isthisthedoor?"
Hepointedtothewalloppositethebathroomandbedroom.Atfirsthethoughtitwasawall,butwhenhelookedcarefully,itwasnot,itwasaslidingdoor,andthecolorwasmoreharmoniouswiththewall.
MaMaowentbacktotheroomagainandsaidinasteadyvoice.
"Yes,itisadoor."
"Whatdoor?"
"Thedoorconnectingthemaster'sroom."
"What?"
Chaninfrowned,turnedandlookedatthespeakers.
"Youmeanthisroomadjoinsyourboss's?"
"Idon'tthinkIsaidanythingwrong."
Chaninraisedhishandandstrokedhisface.
Hecan'tescapeforasecond,canhe?InThailand,I'mgladtoseeheratnight,buthereIseemtofindwhatshewants.
"Verywell,yousayhello,forIforgottotellyou.Thatdooristheonethatconnectsyourroomwiththatofthelittlemaster,butonlythelittlemasterisentitledtoopenit.Hehastherighttoenterthisroom,andyouhavenorighttoenterthatone."Imustwarnyoutobecareful,becausethatdoorisunlocked."
"Iwon'tgoin.Icanrestassured."
Chaninsaidfromthebottomofhisheartthathedidn'twanttosetfootinthebeast'slairevenifhewasdead,buthewasskepticalwhenMamoruwarnedhimagain.
"Evenifyouhearsomething,don'topenitasifyoucan'thearit,soyoucanstayheresmoothly."
"What'sthatnoise?"
Theyoungman'sexpressionwasfullofquestions,andMamoruglancedatit,thenautomaticallyturnedtoanswer.
"Thisisnotwhatyouneedtoknow,doasIsay."
It'salwaysover.
Chaninhasnorighttoknowaboutthebossifhedoesn'twanthimtoknow.HowmanytimesdidMamorusay,youwon'tforget!
"I'llbebackaftersupper."
ThenMamorusprangoutoftheroom,andChaninalookedathim,alone,andhewentstraightintothebedroom,lyingonthebed,wearilyputtinghisarmonhisforehead.
Anyway,whatyoushouldconsiderishowtogetridofRun'sclutches.
Itisnotenoughtoescape,itisstilldeepeningtothepointwherethereisnoturningback.WhatshouldIdonow?
SinceIhaven'ttakenanapsinceIstartedfromThailand,Iamtootiredtobearit.SincewhenhasChaninbeenasleep,Idon'tknowwhenIwokeup.IheardMamoru'scryattheendofthebed.
"It'stimefordinner,wakeup."
Chaninopenedhiseyelids,bentoverandsatthere,pattinghisheadafewtimestodispelhisconfusion,beforenoticingthatMamoruwasholdingasuitinhishand.
"Thengoandtakeabath."
"Don'tyoubringmefoodinyourroomasyoudoinThailand?"
Chaninasked,frowning,feelingstrange,andMamorunoddedtoanswerthequestion.
"Normally,Idothis,buttodayisalittlespecialbecausethebosswantstoinviteyou,sopleasetakeabathandputonyourclothes."
Worried,felltotheduskplace,apersonandLanEntoeattogether,reallytoouncomfortable,stillhavetoseeLanEn'sstepfather,hecan'tevenbitehistongue?,
"CanIeatinmyroom?"
"Thisisyourorder.Youcan'tdenyit."
Whetheritisbigorsmall,hecan'tdenyit.
Mamoruwantstoaddthissentence,butanyway,letChanindealwithhimselfquickly.
"Hurryup,myLord.Idon'tliketowaittoolong."
Mamorurepeated,forcingChanintostandupstraight,takethesuitfromthecaretaker,anddisappearintothebathroom.
Beforelong,theyoungmanwaswearingaformalsuit.It'sstrangethatthemealsathomearesoneatlydressed,butit'snotsurprisingwhenyoulookatthegangmembers.
Whodoesn'twearasuit?ThisisasymbolofgangsalloverJapan.
MamoruPashaninstoppedinfrontofthereceptionroom,whereSeichioriginallylived.Hedidnotforgettorepeatbeforepushingopenthedoor.
"Don'tforget,absolutelydon'tberude.Ifyourlittlemasterwantsyoutodoanything,doitwell,oryouandyourlittlemasterwillbebad."
Chaninnoddedandsaidhehadto.Althoughhedidnotwanttobetame,infrontofSeichieverythingshouldbedonethewayhewassupposedto.
Ready,heopenedthedoorandwentin.Heslippedthroughthereceptionroomintoanotherroom,andsawthatitwasadining-room,andinthemiddleoftheroomwasalargewoodentable,withSeichisittingattheheadofthetable.Hetookacupofdeliciousteainhishandandtasteditslowly.NextcameLane,dressedinoldclothes,whosatquietly,lookingserious,andglancedslightlyatthenewcomerashebowedhisheadtoreport.
"Mr.Chaninishere,bigman."
"Pleasesitdown."
Seichinoddedhischinalittle,wenttoanotheremptychair,bowedtohim,andsatstraightoppositeBran,onlytofindthattheatmosphereintheroomwasmuchmoreuncomfortablethanexpected.
BoshninsatnexttoMamoruandmotionedfortheotherswhostoodtherewaitingfororderstobringupthefood.Adelicioussmellfilledtheair,butitdidn'tmakeherhungry.
Heisveryuncomfortable...Seichididnothing,andRunsaidnothing,butwasveryuncomfortable,andwonderedwherethediscomforthadcomefrom.WhenSeichiwastalking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking,talking
"IhearThaislikespicyfood.Japanesefoodmaynotbethatspicy,butIhopemychefwon'tembarrassme."
"Iamnotapickyeater.Iwanttothankyouforyourkindnessandletmeeatwithyou."
Chaninknewhowtopose,loweredhisheadhumblyandwrappedhimselfup.Hefeltthathewasseveraltimesthinnerthanusual.
Seichiglancedattheyoungman'sfrightenedexpression,andhissonsmiled.
"Don'tbesonervous.Ranmarumusthavedonealottogetyousoangry.Takeyourtime.I'mnotabadperson.Youcameasmyguest,notasRanmarutotreatyourpet."
"Yes."
ChaninrepliedthatshecouldpullherselfbehindwhenshesawSeichi'sfriendlygesture.SheremembersglancingatRan'sfaceasherstepfatherspoke.
Itisanillegibleexpression,butitcanbefelttobefullofnegativefeelings.
IthinkI'vebeenscoldedtoomuchbefore.
"Eat,Imaynoteatmuch.Infact,dinnerisarrangedtowelcomeguestslikeyou."
Seichisaiditagain,hisfacewrinkledandsmiling,andhiskindnessmadeChaninunabletopose,andhehadtocarefullypickuphischopsticksandwhisperbeforeSeichiturnedtotellhisstepson.
"Youcaneatenoughfromhere.Ithinkyouareunlikelytoeatwhenyougetthere."
Lanenodded,pickeduphischopsticksandbegantoeat.