Chapter 4 Cracks in the Façade

The tea house was unusually quiet that afternoon, the usual hum of chatter replaced by the faint rustle of cherry blossoms outside. Emily busied herself in the kitchen, her hands moving on autopilot as she shaped delicate wagashi. Her mind, however, was elsewhere.

Kaito's unexpected praise from the previous day lingered in her thoughts. She hated how much it affected her, how a single compliment from him had managed to pierce through her defenses.

Why does he even care? she thought, frowning. She didn't have time to dwell on it, though, as Oba-chan Yumi appeared at the doorway, her face unusually serious.

"Emily, can you come out for a moment?" Yumi's tone was gentle but firm.

Wiping her hands on a towel, Emily followed Yumi into the main room. Her heart sank when she saw Kaito seated at his usual corner table, but this time, he wasn't alone.

A tall, sharply dressed man with salt-and-pepper hair sat across from him, his presence commanding. Emily didn't need an introduction to know who he was—Hiroshi Nakamura, Kaito's father and one of Japan's most influential business tycoons.

"Emily," Yumi said softly, her voice a mix of calm and caution. "This is Nakamura-san. He's here to discuss the tea house."

Emily's chest tightened as Hiroshi's piercing gaze turned to her. "You must be the wagashi chef," he said, his tone polite but distant. "Kaito has mentioned you."

She glanced at Kaito, who avoided her gaze. His usual air of confidence seemed dimmed in his father's presence.

"I… I am," Emily said, bowing slightly. "It's an honor to meet you, Nakamura-san."

Hiroshi nodded, his expression unreadable. "Your work has been impressive enough to catch my son's attention, which is no small feat. However, I'm here for a different reason."

Emily exchanged a nervous glance with Yumi, who gave her a reassuring nod.

Hiroshi continued, "As you may know, I'm considering a proposal to modernize and expand traditional tea houses like this one. We aim to preserve the aesthetic while increasing profitability. My son has been overseeing this project."

Emily's stomach churned. The tea house was more than just a business—it was a haven, a place of tradition and heart. The idea of it being turned into a corporate project made her skin crawl.

"With all due respect," she said, her voice steadier than she felt, "this tea house isn't just a business. It's part of the community. Modernizing it might ruin what makes it special."

Hiroshi raised an eyebrow, clearly not accustomed to being challenged. "Change is inevitable, Miss Carter. Tradition must evolve to survive."

Before Emily could respond, Kaito finally spoke. "Father, perhaps we should discuss this later. Emily isn't involved in the business side of things."

Hiroshi turned to his son, his expression softening slightly. "You seem quite protective of this place, Kaito. I hope you're not letting sentiment cloud your judgment."

Kaito's jaw tightened, but he didn't reply.

The tension in the room was palpable. Emily wanted to speak up, but the weight of Hiroshi's authority held her back.

---

Later, after Hiroshi had left, Kaito remained at his table, staring out the window. Emily hesitated before approaching him, her emotions a mix of anger and curiosity.

"So, that's your father," she said, her tone laced with sarcasm.

Kaito sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yes, that's him. Charming, isn't he?"

Emily crossed her arms. "Why didn't you tell me he was planning to turn this place into some corporate project?"

"It's not that simple," Kaito said, his voice quieter than usual. "I've been trying to convince him that this tea house is worth preserving as it is. But he doesn't see things the way I do."

Emily blinked, surprised. "You're… defending this place?"

Kaito looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Not everything I do is about profit, Emily. Some things are worth protecting."

For a moment, Emily saw a side of him she hadn't expected—a man torn between his father's expectations and his own sense of right and wrong.

"You could've told me," she said softly.

"I didn't think it mattered," he replied. "But now I see that it does."

Their eyes met, the unspoken tension between them thicker than ever. Emily's heart raced, but she pushed the feeling aside.

"Just so you know," she said, her voice firm, "I'm not going to let this tea house become another corporate project. And neither should you."

Kaito gave her a faint smile, the first real one she'd seen from him. "Noted."

As Emily walked back to the kitchen, she couldn't shake the feeling that Kaito Nakamura was far more complicated than she had ever imagined. For better or worse, their fates were now intertwined.