I followed Tomoe just like she said. She’s walking so gracefully that everyone we passed by was charmed by her beauty. ’She’s filled with elegance. If there’s a princess between us, it’ll be her.’ I sighed. This is how elegant a princess should be, not like me.
We reached the garden, and Tomoe pointed to the bench beside the pond. "Let’s sit there." She said, and I followed silently. What does she want to talk about? Does Tomoe also think that Rika’s at fault for what happened? "I apologize for what happened to your attendant," Tomoe said as soon as I sat on the bench beside her.
’She’s apologizing? Really?’ Is what I thought. "It’s not your fault. The ones who need to apologize are your attendants." I said. It’s the truth. What use will Tomoe’s apology be if her attendants would still bully Rika after this? "I will appreciate it if they apologize to Rika instead."
Tomoe smiled as she nodded. "I’ll make them do it, don’t worry." An awkward silence followed that. ’Now what?’ Is what I thought as I fiddled with my fingers. Should I be leaving now? Or does Tomoe have something else to say?
"Do you hate me?" I wanted to slap my forehead for how straightforward I was with that question. What should I do if she says she indeed hates me? Laugh awkwardly? Or just bury me so I won’t need to face her ever again? The latter seems more accessible.
Tomoe was quiet at first. "You’re quite straightforward, aren’t you?" She chuckled. "I do not hate Noelle, but I don’t like you either." Hearing that made me gulp. She’s straight to the point too.
"Is it because you like Night?" There’s no point going through circles when I know what I want to know. Even though it’s evident that Tomoe likes Night.
Tomoe chuckled. "I do. Since we were children, I’ve always been by his side. I thought it was my place all along." Her smile vanished quickly. "Until he changed and didn’t need me anymore." She stood up from her seat.
"I think we’re done here. I apologize once again." Tomoe drew a line between us even after admitting that she likes Night. Does that mean she doesn’t want me to learn more about her feelings? "May the lady have a good evening." She said as she left me alone in the garden.
As soon as Tomoe was out of sight, I leaned on the bench’s backrest and sighed. "That was nerve-wracking," I muttered into thin air. "She said Night didn’t need her anymore, not because of me? But she still doesn’t like me, doesn’t that mean she hates me? She just didn’t want to say it straightforwardly." I can still feel Tomoe’s hostility towards me. I want to become her friend, but I think that’ll be far from reality.
If I start acting like I want to get along with her, who knows what might happen to me?
"What are you doing?"
I blinked thousands of times after seeing Night look down at me. After realizing that I did not imagine this, I quickly stood up from my seat. I saw Night standing on the bridge with his suit covered in blood. "Did you kill someone again today?"
"None of your business."
’At least he answers my questions now. Even though he’s still rude as ever.’ I thought as I sighed. "Okay. Please move along and don’t mind my business." I told him as I sat back on the chair. I closed my eyes as I felt the evening breeze touch my skin.
It’s getting colder now since December’s coming soon. I can’t believe how fast the days are, it’s like I only had my 17th birthday, but now I’m 18. "I want to go to the beach," I muttered.
"Young master!" I almost had a heart attack after hearing such a loud voice from inside the mansion. It was Asahi. "I told you to change your clothes and go to Dr. Tricia to check for injur— oh? You’re with the miss." My forehead creased as I looked behind, and Night was still there. He’s sitting on the bridge and leaning on the balustrade, so I can’t see his face.
Asahi’s eyes twinkled as he covered his broad smile with his hand. "So the young master wanted to spend time with the miss, huh? Why didn’t you say so? You should have changed clothes first before meeting the miss." He said as he walked towards Night. "You know it’s inappropriate to show such disgraceful looks in front of your future bride."
I grimaced hearing that. Is Asahi teasing Night or me? "Does the miss want to be with the young master for the night?" I stood up from the bench and quickly shook my head. "Oh my, you’re such a straight-laced person, befitting the next boss’s wife." Asahi said proudly while nodding. ’What is he saying?’ I shook my head as I went towards the mansion, ignoring what Asahi said. ’They’re all delusional.’
"Why was Night sitting behind me anyway?" I shook my head again. I’ll probably never understand what goes inside that man’s head.
On my way back to my room, I bumped into one of Tomoe’s attendants, and as soon as that person saw me, she rushed out of my way as if she feared me. Well, better than being bullied, I guess?
"Young miss!" Rika greeted me with a hug as soon as I got inside the room. "Did lady Tomoe scold the miss? I’m really sorry for what I—"
"Calm down." I cut her off as I chuckle. "Tomoe wanted to apologize, and she’ll make her attendants apologize to you too, so don’t worry."
Rika cried again out of relief, and I patted her head. "I-I’ll prepare the miss’s dinner." She said as she went out of my room. That’s when I remembered that I’ll be trying to play the game Kaoru told me about, but my laptop couldn’t download the game, so I went to his room. When I arrived in front of Kaoru’s room and knocked on the door, he smiled from ear to ear as soon as he opened it. "Yes, I’m here to try the game."
Kaoru excitedly made me go inside his room. "Also, could you please tell Rika I’ll be in your room? She’s going to bring me my dinner, that’s why." He saluted and rushed out of the room before I could say anything else. "How am I going to open his personal computer if he leaves like that?" I sighed.
I heard a knock on the door, which made me open it since I was the only one inside. "What are you doing inside Kaoru’s room?" I froze, and I couldn’t answer. Night’s standing in front of me, with his eyes glaring at me as if he wants to burst a hole onto my face. "I asked you a question." He said with a firm and strict tone. ’Why is he asking me as if he saw me doing something bad?’
"I’m here to play an online game." And why did I answer as if I’m required to do so? "What is it to you?"
I heard Night clicking his tongue as he turned his back on me. "What do you want from Kaoru anyway? Hey!" I called him, but he ignored me. "What’s his problem?" With an eyebrow raised, I shook my head as I closed the door again, and it opened quickly as I turned my back.
"D-Did the young master come to my room, young miss?" It was Kaoru. He’s sweating buckets, and even his voice quivered. I nodded to him, and he immediately gasped. His teeth chattered, making my forehead crease. "D-D-Did the young m-master see the y-young m-m-miss?" Kaoru stuttered lots of times, making me nervous too.
"I’m the one who opened the door, so he did see me—" Kaoru rushed out of the room before I could even finish talking.
"What was that about?"
Rika arrived with my food, and she kept forcing me to return to my room since she thought of Kaoru’s room as unsanitary. "Let’s just wait for Kaoru." I don’t know where he went, but I want to try playing that game he told me before I read today’s notes from Tomoe. Due to that, Rika didn’t have a choice but accompany me. We’re alone in Kaoru’s room, and he’s not coming back.
"Should I call him for the lady?"
I looked at the wall clock, which was already nearing 9 pm. I can’t stay too late so maybe next time. "No, we should go back to my room." That’s what I said, and we went outside the room, but we bumped into Kaoru, who was crying, and Kenji, who was laughing at Kaoru’s crying face. "What happened?" I asked, but I only heard Kenji laughing.
"Kaoru got scolded for being too oblivious," Kenji said after laughing too much. The way he laughs makes me frown. "Does the lady wants to be scolded next time too?"
I ignored him and walked passed them. It’s useless to talk to that guy whenever he’s laughing like that. It’ll only annoy me.