Disclaimers: Characters are property of Kinoshita Sakura. Title, but nothing else, is from the play and movie of the same name.
Tea and Sympathy
This is the first time that Kakinouchi
Koutarou is sitting in Loki's house without Loki in it.
Loki's
butler sets a cup of tea unobtrusively before him, saying politely,
"Please, help yourself", as he turns to leave.
"Wait –
Yamino, isn't it?"
"Yes, Kakinouchi-san."
"Call me
Koutarou. By the way, this tea is excellent."
"Thank you,
Koutarou-san."
Sheer
curiosity prompts Koutarou to ask,
"How long have you been
working for Loki-kun's family, Yamino-kun?"
"I have been
with Loki-sama since before we came to Japan."
"Like one of
the family, then."
"One might say so, Koutarou-san."
They
lapse into silence again, Koutarou sipping his tea absently as his
eyes wander around the tastefully but expensively furnished
parlour.
"Ours is too ostentatious," he murmurs.
"I'm
sorry, Koutarou-san?"
"No, nothing, just admiring the décor.
Loki has a good eye."
"I thank you on his behalf. If you don't
mind me asking, Koutarou-san, why is it that you are here while
Mayura-san is in school?"
"Oh, Father gave the Head an excuse
note for me to meet one of his business partners this morning, but
the man was taken ill last night, so I thought I might call on Loki
on the way back from the hospital."
His lip curls in a
half-smile. "Father has so many contacts that he doesn't have
time to pay the proper courtesies to everyone – he has me do it for
him."
"Very thoughtful and filial of you, Koutarou-san. Your
father must be proud of you."
Koutarou turns around to look
directly at Yamino, but he can detect no trace of irony or mocking in
the guileless green eyes glinting behind highly-polished glasses.
"That's
what sons are for," he says carelessly, turning back to his
tea.
"Very true, Koutarou-san - to help lighten their fathers'
burdens."
Yamino is standing at the window as Koutarou gets up
to leave, presumably waiting for Loki's return, the afternoon sun
casting a long thin shadow behind him.
"Thank you for the tea,
Yamino-kun. Another day, perhaps."
"You're welcome."