-what is this man doing to me?-
It's been almost a week since I have been here. I am adapting very well, at least I think I am. I know how Takaki's men work around in this house. In my zone, no men step inside unless they have a business to do, like reporting, serving, and giving any information. Most of them are outside guarding and watching. And there's only one maid who helps and serves me personally. They have maids to clean the house, but they come when nobody's here. Obviously, I have no jobs or duties to go outside, so I witness them cleaning the invisible dirty dust out almost every day.
On the other hand, we call Kita for the North zone, Mr. Saya zone. There are loads of men there, but only outside the area. There are no men inside at all. His men will come inside to give information, report, and lead the guest to Mr. Saya.
Most of the men in this place are in the Gather zone, the area where we have breakfast, lunch, dinner, meetings, and gatherings for any events. It's the main kitchen here, the preparation room, which I don't know what it does, and all the massive lawn for the training of Takaki men.
This morning, I woke up and prepared myself to have breakfast early, even if we had to wait for all the family members to join. But no matter how fast I tried, I never beat the old man, the owner of the house, and his smile.
"Good morning, Mr. Saya."
I bump into him.
"Morning, young lady. You're early."
"Same as you."
I say and smile at him as I walk after him. He sits in his position, and I am about to sit in my usual seat, but he stops me.
"Come sit here."
He orders me or suggests I don't know, but I do as he says. I walk to sit across from Mr. Kaiza's seat.
"Did you know you are famous among my friends right now?"
"Really?"
"They want you to join in the next meeting. They really want to see your skills again.
"I haven't practiced since the Academy, to be honest, but that was my first time holding a real long sword like that. It's heavier than the one I used in a match."
"Ahem."
And a sore throat coughs out to let us know that the sound's owner is here.
"Oh, you're here."
Mr. Saya.
"Good morning, Mr. Kaiza."
I greet him and smile at him, and he looks at me consciously.
"Good morning, Zephyra."
He greets back and still looks at me, maybe because I changed the seat.
And they serve us fabulous meals.
"So, next Monday, accompany me again."
Mr. Saya speaks to me.
"Yes, of course."
"Where do you ask her to go?"
Mr. Kaiza asks.
"Relax, I ask her to go to the association."
"Again? Hmm."
He looks upset.
I have gone to the association twice this week. After the first unexpected introduction I went there a day after for the second time, to be the audience, watching some several fight matches.
"Why? What's wrong with that?"
The old man looks at his grandson teasingly.
"...She will be bored."
He looks even more upset.
"I won't be, Mr. Kaiza. In fact, I really enjoy being there with Mr. Saya."
"Hehe, see?"
"..."
He looks at me with his piercing eyes like he wants to eat me or something.
What did I do wrong? What does that look mean?
"Is it okay, Mr. Kaiza?"
I ask him out of worry.
"Yes..."
His eyes turn softer after I ask him.
"Yes, I mean...it's better if you can have fun since I don't have much time to be with you."
He explains.
"Ahh."
The old man makes the sound while smiling.
"I understand, Mr. Kaiza. You have to work, and you're a very hard worker. I admire that. Don't worry about me. Even though I have plenty of time, I have so much fun learning and doing different activities, and I enjoy being with your grandpa's companion."
"Grandpa?"
Mr. Kaiza.
"Hm?"
I make a sound.
"Grandpa, it is."
The old man says with a wide smile.
"Yes, you're that close now..."
Mr. Kaiza mumbles to himself and continues eating his food.
"Mr. Kaiza.. when do you get off work today?"
I ask.
"I'm not sure yet...What is it?"
His eyes start to be bright red again.
"I want to go get some stuff at the Flower House, but it's okay if I go."
"I'll take you."
"Hm, what about your work?"
"I can manage it later."
"I don't want to cause you any trouble."
"Not at all, I will take you after breakfast. You don't have any plans with…grandpa, right?"
He quickly explains, swallows his food, pauses a bit, and says the cringing word for him.
"Umm, I.."
"No? Good, then I'll take you after we finish our meals."
He doesn't let me finish.
"..Okay...Thank you, Mr. Kaiza."
I answer with a bit of confusion.
And Mr. Saya's eating his breakfast, watching us happily.
Mr. Kaiza and I are sitting in the back seat with his man as the driver. Today, he wears a red shirt and black suit on top; his hair is pushed back. Seeing his jaw sharply. He has quite long hair, almost shoulder length.
He realizes I look at him for too long because our eyes match.
"Do you really have fun in the association?"
He breaks the silence.
"Yes, Mr. Kaiza…you might not believe it, but I really have fun there."
I explain while putting the bouquet beside me.
"What else did you enjoy while I was not home?"
"Um...making tea since I know a lot of herbs and your grandpa seems to like my tea, so I'm learning to make some from different tea leaves that I got from him."
"You...making tea...learning...and grand...pa loves to drink it?"
"Err...yes, Mr. Kaiza."
Is he mad? He seemed fine before.
"Oh, and cooking too. I think I am not good at it."
"Cooking?"
"Yes, I am learning to cook and prepare food for you every night. So, you don't skip dinner, but..."
"But what?"
He's interested and stares at me.
"You seem don't like them."
"!!"
"I-I didn't say that."
He's stammering.
"I know, hehe, but you didn't say anything about it either."
"I eat them all. I never left any single rice on the plate, Zephyra."
He awkwardly explains to me, and the driver glances at us.
"Yes, the maid told me.. but I gave it to your grandpa. He didn't like it."
"Grand...pa didn't like it? He told you that...your food tastes bad…?"
He clenches his jaw.
"He didn't say it's bad, but it's not delicious."
"What…heh, how dare he tell you that."
Now, his fists were full of his veins.
"Ahh, it's okay. It's true. I'm not good at cooking at all, but...I almost gave up and let the chef cook it for you instead."
I try to calm him down by touching his hands.
"..."
"I like your food".
He looks at his hands.
"Hm? Hehe, I don't think so."
I chuckle at him.
He tries to soothe me. He's a very gentleman. Even though the food was terrible, he ate it all the time.
"I like it when you do it for me, taste good or bad. I still want to have them."
He looks at me straight into my eyes.
"So, you admit my food tastes bad."
"No!! Zephyra, I just..."
His face turns pale.
"Hahahaha. I was just teasing you."
I laugh so hard
He looks at me, laughing at him. His face is so shocked by that. And then he moves closer to me, puts his hand against both my cheeks, and holds my face up gently.
"Ah."
I make a sound, not intentionally.
"You laugh at me."
"I'm sorry, but yes."
"..."
He's staring at me.
"...hehe... I'm sorry."
Then, I almost burst out.
"!!"
He moves his face closer to my face.
"Are you having fun?"
"Hem, a bit."
"...I'm glad."
He whispers and uses both his thumbs to swipe and touch my cheeks softly. Then, he moves his right hand to touch the back of my head and moves down at the back of my neck.
"..."
What is this…
And his thumb slightly touches my jawline.
"We...We're here, sir."
I quickly pull myself out, escaping his big hands. I feel my face is getting a bit hotter. It's better to get out.
"We're arrived?"
I ask.
"Yes, Miss."
"Thug!"
I get out of the car immediately.
"..."
The Flower House
The big white house is always full of flowers, trees, and vines, but this time, it is different.
The gate is left slightly ajar.
"Hm?"
I can get myself through the space, so I don't need to push the gate further.
It's dried. The trees and vines are all brown except this one lying in front of me.
"It's fresh."
I speak out while looking at the bouquet on top of my mother's tomb. I wonder who it's from, and I really don't want to think of the options in my mind.
"Long time no see."
There's a voice behind me.
"..."
I turn my face to look at him, and then he walks toward me.
It's so frustrating seeing him getting more and more like that man.
"Aren't you going to say hello to me?"
He starts the conversation.
I turn my face away from him.
"It's yours?"
I ask about the bouquet.
"I know that she loved lilies."
"..."
I put down my own bouquet that I arranged myself.
"Lilium...She loves
I say it back.
"How have you been?"
He continues asking.
"Are you really asking me because you want to know?"
"Yes. I want to know."
"I'm doing well..."
"That man... didn't do anything to you, right?"
"What do you mean by that.. if you mean, did he do anything like the way you guys did?"
"..."
"You need to be careful, he..."
"No...he treats me...way better."
I look at the tall man getting more muscular and bigger, but his hair is getting shorter.
"Miss Zephyra."
And the low, calming voice calling my name. Mr. Kaiza joins our conversation by stepping next to me. Then I realize that they are both at similar heights now, but the man next to me has wider, broad shoulders.
"Achlys."
And Mr. Kaiza greets him.
"I thought you came here alone. This place is private property. Outsiders are not allowed."
Achlys talks to me instead, but his sight remains on Mr. Kaiza.
"That means I am not allowed, too?"
I speak up, and he turns his face to me.
"I'm also an outsider."
I continue.
"You still are the Stygian."
"No, she's not…She is White-Reine"
Mr. Kaiza.
"!!!"
I look at Mr. Kaiza shockingly.
"What?...Mr. Kaiza, Did you.."
"Yes."
His one short answer can move a hundred heavy stones in my heart.
He did it...I have my mother's last name. I glance at my mother's tomb.
"And I think you will be the one who is the outsider here."
Mr. Kaiza tells the man in front of him.
"Hmpt, and why is that?"
He sounds a bit angry and steps closer to Mr. Kaiza.
"Because this house is hers."
"!?"
His words shock me again.
"After tomorrow, this house will be in her name."
Mr. Kaiza continues.
"Then it doesn't make you the owner here as well. Don't act so arrogantly."
"..."
I put my hand inside Mr. Kaiza's left hand and hold it gently. He takes his eyes off Achlys and looks at me surprisingly.
"He's my fiancé. He can come here whenever he wants."
I explain to Achlys while holding Mr. Kaiza's hand.
"And you should leave...if you've already done whatever you come here for."
I tell Achlys.
"*Sigh..."
Achlys exhales the air out, looks at the sky, and then glances at me.
"I'll see you soon."
He says goodbye and finally walks away.
I'm watching Achlys leave, but I still feel the tension of the man next to me. I face up to Mr. Kaiza, and he's still staring at me intensely, but not in a bad way.
"...Is it true?...all the things you said?"
I ask.
"Yes."
"..."
Whatever the reasons behind all of these, I'm still grateful for him. Whatever the plans behind those kind actions. I'll let him reveal it to me later because, at this moment, I want to hug him so badly and give him a thousand credits.
"Can I..."
I stammer.
"Hmm.. Zephyra...you look...tell me please, what are you feeling right now?"
He's concerned about my reaction.
"..."
He grabs my hand tighter and tries to bend down his body to see my face.
"Can you let go of my hand, please?"
"Oh!.. I'm sorry...Are you hurt?"
"No...it's just."
"!!"
I move my face a bit to put inside his hard chest.
"Thank you."
I say softly and breathe the air in, but only the smell of him gets inside, and then I let him go before his arms wrap around my body.
"I'm sorry."
I say.
"..."
"I'll hurry to get my stuff."
"!!"
And then he grabs my wrist.
"Take your time...today I'm all yours."
My heart… it's getting louder. My blood is rushing in and up to my face.
What is this man doing to me?