Chapter 3: Maid Trauma

My name is Takahashi Shion. I'm sixteen years old and a Second Year Senior at Magnolia Cross Academy. A couple of weeks ago, I was fired from two of my jobs and, long before that, politely kicked out of my apartment, upon which I became a homeless person. On the first day of school, I passed out in the wrong classroom and on my way home, I was almost run over by an expensive black car. Now, I work at the house of a Third Year student named Hitsugaya Tōshirō.
Out of all the families who send their children to the Academy, the Hitsugaya family is one of the most influential. However, Magnolia Cross is mainly a place for upper-middle class people, and there are a decent number of scholarship students too. Students from the upper class who do attend, are generally third sons who don't have as much expectation on them, or daughters. Still, the percentage of teenagers from rich families who attend the Academy is considerably high, I wonder how that works…-

'Takahashi?!' Mr Yamato frowned at the girl who was staring out the window absently, 'Could you please pay a little more attention? Or is there something far more important on your mind?'

Shion jerked her head around, waving her hands apologetically, 'No, sorry!'

The teacher hmmph'd but went back to what he'd been doing and Shion, despite her best efforts, went back into her own little world. There was a reason Sho called her 4-dimensional, after all. Apart from thinking about statistics, the teenager was also dwelling on the recipes she'd read before school that morning in the cook book she'd borrowed from the library. Over the last two weeks, she'd been trying one new recipe each morning before school and another when she got back in the afternoon. She was fitting in her culinary study around her homework and, while she wouldn't easily admit it, she was enjoying learning. Even if the products of her hard work were a still far cry from being edible.

The food that Hitsugaya ate (well, she did too but that was left overs), made by the chef who came to the house to cook breakfast and dinner, wasn't anything high-class-restaurant-style as Shion had feared. So she thought that with a bit of practice and determination, someday in the near future she'd be able to present something to Hitsugaya and Kenichirō to try.

Why am I enjoying that, actually? I've always hated housework – gardening is better – but right now, just like in the past, I'm putting my personal feelings aside in order to continue receiving my good pay, she fiddled with her pencil, still staring out the window without seeing anything, Despite the fact that this is the last day of the school week, meaning I've stayed at that house for nearly two weeks, I've hardly spoken to Hitsugaya at all. Our verbal exchanges normally start with 'have you eaten?' continue with 'yes' and then that's the end of it – and I'm always the one asking the question in the first place! Kenichirō always has a conversation with me whenever he's there and he each time, he generally asks me whether I'd like to be taken to school along with Hitsugaya in the car … but I always refuse. As if I could do that. Not only would the ambience in the car be terrible, but if the other students saw me coming to school with Hitsugaya … or if they even knew I was working at his house, her expression went stormy with fear and resentment, Goodness, it would practically be the end of me. They'd make my life a living hell … especially the girls.
Shuddering, she finally came back to reality when Sho tapped the back of her chair with his foot. Leaning forward, he glanced at the teacher and then whispered quickly into her ear, 'Good thing I sit behind you, right? Stop zoning out and pulling faces, you look like you've gone insane!'

Shion turned around slightly and, unsurprisingly, pulled a face. However, she knew he'd interpret that as a 'thank you'. It wasn't her fault entirely that she was so distracted. A lot of things had happened already and it was only the second week back at school. Even if she'd been staying in the same house as Hitsugaya Tōshirō, she still felt like a complete stranger whenever she saw him passing through the school. Why exactly it bothered her was something she didn't understand. Kenichirō, on the other hand, was someone she viewed as a comrade in arms. He contacted her occasionally on the phone she'd been given, sometimes to tell her about Hitsugaya's schedule and others to ask her to go to the supermarket for something. She was still quite overwhelmed that she'd been given a phone, having never owned one before, and she always smiled when she remembered her reaction at being given it.

「Kenichirō smiled and slid the phone across the table, 'Since we have to be able to contact you, you can use this phone. It's not the latest model or anything, but it works perfectly well and you did mention before that you didn't have one,'

I stared at the device suspiciously, my thoughts going in the direction that this was some evil plot of Hitsugaya's to make me max out on the phone bill and be in his debt, 'I don't think I can accept th-,'

'Think of it as a complementary payment. It's for our, or more specifically, my convenience. Since Hitsugaya has certain events to attend occasionally, I have to have a way of telling you he won't be home. Also, I'm planning on having the chef come only to make dinners very soon, so I hope your culinary studies are going well. Because of that, you can start buying the groceries so that you become accustomed to the task,' he smiled, having figured out what I'd been thinking, 'And you can tell your school friends the number if you like. Despite what I've said just now, it'll be your personal phone even if you're not the one paying the bill. The only time you'd have to start doing that is if you stop working here, because you'd be taking the phone with you,' he paused as he fished something else out of his pocket, 'And here's a house key, no doubt you'll be needing that,'

My heart couldn't work out whether to stop or start racing. It was really incredible that, even though I'd turned up out of the blue, I was being treated so well. Smiling brightly, I picked up the phone, turning it over in my hands carefully, and then the key, 'Thank you very much!' 」

Shion figured she'd be eternally grateful to the people who'd given her that device. Not only had she given her friends a number to contact her on, but she'd finally been able to fill out that little box on the contact details form where it said 'cell phone number'. Still, not everything was so sunshine and roses working for Hitsugaya. She understood the reason they had to be careful when employing people, because even if the family certainly wasn't one of the country's most powerful (where newspapers would report on stuff they did … or something) they were still very influential and so there would undoubtedly be some evil-minded people out there who'd probably rather see them out of the way.

And what better way to bring an old, formidable bloodline to its knees than getting rid of its young heirs?

Sure enough, the very night after she'd been hired and Kenichirō had helped her move her things into the house from her ex-landlord's place, the bespectacled man had given her a serious talk. She'd been told that if she stole anything or hurt the young master and then tried to run, the Hitsugaya family had enough contacts that she'd probably caught within the next 24 hours if not less. Shion, naturally, had taken that very seriously, but since she hadn't even thought about doing anything of the sort, she wasn't too worried. Sure, she wanted money, but she was going to work hard to earn it, not grab something that looked valuable and try to sell it off somewhere shady like a common thief. She still had her pride.

'See you all after lunch,' Mr Yamato completed the lesson and, although he did send an irked look in Shion's direction, he didn't say anything else on the fact that her mind was obviously elsewhere.

Sho grinned at his two friends as they exited the classroom. He was always one of the first out the door, and one of the last to re-enter the classroom of his next subject, but surprisingly enough, he was an above average student when it came to grades.

'I have to go; family thing and all – but I'll be back tomorrow, okay?' his bright smile seemed to be shadowed slightly, 'Hope they're not going to get too serious on me this time,'

As he disappeared out the door in the direction of the car park, Shion frowned, 'He really doesn't like those so called 'family things' does he … you'd know better than me; the reason why,'

Hiro lips curved upwards but I could tell he wasn't really smiling at all, 'Sho's the third son, he doesn't have as much expectation on him, unlike his older brothers, but his family still won't just let him go run wild or anything,' he sat down at their usual spot and Shion followed suit, 'Next year's our last school year, right? They'll be patronising him over his rank position, his behaviour, probably even us – the people he calls friends. After graduation, he'll probably take over a minor branch of one of the families businesses – or that's what they'll tell him to do … And there'll be sending him match-making photos next year … if they don't actually drag him off to a match-making session that is,'

Shion, despite knowing that the world people like Sho lived in was completely foreign to her, nodded her head. To lighten the mood, she chuckled, 'At least we don't have to worry about things like that … I can't imagine what it would be like going to a match-making session,'

Hiro smiled slightly and Shion almost sighed in relief, glad that she'd done that much at least. She could remember going to one of Sho's family's houses once, along with Hiro, and the looks that the people there had given her (whether they were servants or relatives of varying degrees) had been absolutely infuriating. They hadn't had a problem with Hiro, seeing as they'd known him as Sho's friend for years, but they obviously didn't trust her at all. The suspicious and critical looks had accused her of being a loose woman without morals who was probably trying to manipulate their young master and steal his money. Just remembering it made her cheeks flush with indignation.

However, after she'd come and gone a few times, always with both her friends and not just Sho, they seemed to finally accept that their first impressions of her were off the mark. Shion, also, was forced to admit that there really were some decent people working or residing in that place.

Still, for there to have been such misunderstandings at all, made her think that his family would probably be very fervent in carrying out each of the things Hiro had just mentioned. What Sho thought of it all, however, was something she'd have to ask him in person. Despite appearing to be very open with his emotions and thoughts, there were some things that troubled him which he could suppress and mask perfectly. And sometimes the best way to help was to ask about his troubles directly and other times, the best thing to do was simply pretend you hadn't noticed anything odd and that nothing was wrong. As his friends, they had to make that judgement for themselves.

'You're unexpectedly easy to read at times, Shion,' there was a smile in Hiro's voice, 'Don't worry about him too much. If you overthink the situation, I guarantee nothing good will come of it,'

Looking across at him, Shion was about to speak when her pocket vibrated, almost giving her a heart attack. Dropping her lunch container, she fumbled about, muttering how she'd forgotten to turn it off before class had started, until her fingers closed around the phone and then she drew it out triumphantly. Hiro stifled a wry chuckle at her uncharacteristically childlike behaviour as she happily flipped open the phone and stared at the screen with huge eyes.

Then he blinked in concern as her already pale skin drained of all pigmentation, leaving her looking like a petrified ghost with oversized green plates for eyes, 'Shion? Are you feeling alright?'

She looked up at him, the movement stilted like she'd become a clockwork doll and her gears weren't turning smoothly, and that awkward laugh emerged from her lips, 'Don't worry – I'm completely fine. Please excuse me for a while, Hiro, I'll be back as soon as possible,'

As if I wouldn't worry when one of my best friends starts acting in an extremely atypical manner. Your voice sounds too strange. And really, Shion, I'm not sure if you've realised it, but you always laugh like that when you're not okay but are trying to pretend otherwise, Hiro watched as she stood and walked away stiffly, leaving her things behind. If he didn't trust her to come clean about the problem at some stage, he would've followed her. But trust and communication were things he wanted to believe existed between himself and his two friends, so he'd wait as long as necessary for her to explain. It was the same with Sho.

Those two were actually pretty similar in that respect.

I entered the library with intense trepidation, wondering what in the world Hitsugaya Tōshirō would need from me at this very moment. It was bad enough that I'd read the message when Hiro was watching (that guy was a keen observer and no doubt he had questions for me – although thankfully he wouldn't ask them unless I broached the subject first) but meeting my employer in school was something I'd wanted to avoid. Maybe Hitsugaya was oblivious to the fact that a lot of the girls in the school liked him so much that they'd practically formed a fan club – not to mention that, in general, he attracted people's attention even when he was just walking by. In any case, as I'd noted not even a half hour ago, if I was seen with him too often, then problems would rise up and crash down on me like a tsunami. And, as for him, I was pretty sure he'd be impervious to whatever happened. A tsunami would probably freeze solid before getting anywhere near him.

The snowy hair was a dead giveaway, of course, and funnily enough (or not) it was the first thing I noticed. Really, it was like a white flag that shouted 'I'm over here, you idiot'. The last part, of course, was what I thought he'd probably say if he wasn't always acting so serious – an adlib slightly out of character for my … wait, was it boss, housemate, or basically-stranger-but-we'll-say-acquaintance just to be polite? For some reason, boss sounded the most fitting, and that alone almost made me chuckle. But he was someone who insisted on respect, so it kind of worked.

'B- Senpai,' I could've slapped myself when I almost called him 'boss', just stick to senpai for goodness sake, 'What exactly did you need to talk about?'

I stopped in front of where he was sitting in one of the library's big, comfortable chairs. The feeling was how I imagined standing in the principal's office would be like when you thought you'd been called up for doing something really bad. Thankfully, I'd only been in the principal's office three times and the reason had never been because I'd messed up or caused problems.

He looked up after a moment, an infinitesimal wave of his hand telling me I could sit, and then he spoke, 'A fortnight will have passed at the end of this coming weekend, correct?'

'That's right … and that'll be the end of my working trial,' I wondered then if he'd called me over to fire me, and if that was the case, then I really had to think of a way to change his mind.

'I don't know if Kenichirō told you this morning, but I won't be back until late this afternoon,' it seemed like he'd changed the subject, but I wasn't going to believe that so easily, 'I don't suppose that'll inconvenience you at all?'

My feelings bordering on baffled, I shook my head, 'Not at all. I've got laundry to do and then I'll be leaving the house anyway for work,' although I knew he was aware that I still held two other jobs throughout the week, I felt the need to include that too for some reason.

In the silence that followed, I just stayed stock still in my uncomfortable position and waited for him to say something else. His cold teal eyes were tracking the falling petals of the cherry blossom tree outside the window and his expression was unreadable. Abruptly, he stood and I mirrored the movement, feeling it impolite to remain seated, and then he walked off.

Stopping after a few paces, he said the words without even turning around, 'You can stay,'

I just stared at the place he'd been standing in for a long time after he'd disappeared from sight, my mind completely blank. Snapping out of it when someone nearby dropped a book, I blinked and berated myself for not saying 'thank you' or anything to that extent. Happy, surprised, anxious … I had no idea how to feel, because even though I'd kept the job, I was still working for someone who either had a serious superiority complex or was emotionally constipated to a severe extent.

Just be happy about it, Shion. You know you need the pay, and you get a free room as well. You do not want to be homeless again, she nodded to herself as she exited the library, And it's a large house and you haven't had a problem avoiding the boss as of yet. Relax and concentrate on school, or else you'll have an even bigger issue to worry about.

'Hurry up and change, I'll take you two over there in ten minutes, alright?' Ms Shibata stuck her head around the door and called out to us, her usual cheery smile on her face, 'Don't dawdle!'

Kouda Chiyo, another employee and someone I called a friend at work but didn't contact personally outside hours, turned around and called to me over her shoulder, 'Can you tie this up for me, Shion? Please? This uniform is always so difficult,'

Looking over at her, I grinned, having expected that, 'Of course, but only if you'll help me out too,'

I tightened the corset back of the black uniform and tied a bow with the two ribbons of the white apron – which was ever so slightly on the frilly side, much to my irritation. Then, after she'd turned around again, I adjusted her black and white lace headband so that it was sitting straight.

The café we normally worked at also recommended its employees to a catering service which supplied extra staff to restaurants and other food-related businesses. It was a good thing, because they paid more since we were going out of our way to work wherever they directed us. Ms Shibata, the owner of Himawari Café, didn't have a problem driving us to the places we needed to go. She even encouraged us to work in other locations to expand our experience. On days when business in the café was slow, she would always ring up to see if we'd be of more use anywhere else.

People like that, who had their own livelihoods to think about but still made an effort to help others … I really admired them.

'This is a pretty high class place, right? But why do we always have to wear maid uniforms?' after she'd fixed up my outfit, I pulled on my stockings and shoes, 'Seems kind of funny,'

'I know what you mean, but we've worked there before and it's nothing too strange. I think they're just going for an antique-y sort of feel. I mean, everything is decked out like some old-style European place. It's expensive, the food is high class and we have to act super polite and all. It's that sort of café,' Chiyo smiled in a perfectly polite and ladylike manner, before pulling a face, 'You better start practicing, Shion,'

I scowled, knowing that she was joking but also knowing that I was sometimes a little too impatient with the customers there. Or I'd say something too cynical and she'd have to appear out of nowhere to diffuse the situation I'd caused. While working there, she was always keeping an eye on me, and I was thankful for that, or else I'd probably never have been asked back.

'Good afternoon, would you like to have a seat? I'll be back in a moment to take your order,' pulling on a photograph smile and raising the pitch of my voice to sound more girly, I bowed to an imaginary customer, led them to their seat, and promptly exited from the vicinity, 'That alright?'

Laughing at my sudden reversion to my usual tone, Chiyo nodded and clapped her hands together sarcastically, 'Keep that up and maybe I won't need to jump in to save your sorry ass today,'

'Language like that'll get you kicked out, ya know,' drawling, I followed her out the door.

'Hop in,' Ms Shibata waved to us from the window of her car, 'We'll be there in fifteen,'

She'd said fifteen, but to me it felt like I'd only sat down for a few minutes before the car pulled up outside the fancy café. We thanked her and stepped out, collecting the bags which held our normal clothes from the back and walking in the back door. One of the waiters called us over and gave us a brief rundown on how things would be handled today, and then we were off.

I felt like a robot as I led people to tables, took orders, smiled, and delivered food and water all over the place. My mind ran over the chores I still had to do when I got back to the house. The laundry I'd put through the machine after school would probably need to be taken off the line tomorrow morning – there was a dryer, and even though I shouldn't really have cared about the cost of running it each time, I didn't mind hanging out the washing outside and letting it dry that way. Going by the routine I'd established over the last couple of weeks, the bookshelves in the upstairs sitting room, which was practically a library, would need to be wiped down sometime soon. Dust is something that is strangely attracted to that house, much to my constant chagrin. The main bathroom also needed cleaning, although it wasn't like any guests had come to the house. Still, doing the work, even if it didn't really, desperately need doing, made me feel a lot better about staying in that place without paying for the room.

'Excuse me. Would you like to order anything el-,' the words died on my tongue and I froze solid, my mind going into complete shutdown.

Never, ever, under any possible circumstances did I … want anyone I knew to see me in this uniform. It was bad enough having to wear it in the first place, but it would be exponentially worse if I coincidentally met a friend, new or old, while dressed like this. And, naturally, it would be infinitely more traumatising if the person I happened upon was my senpai at the Academy and my boss.

Calm down, he hasn't noticed, he hasn't noticed, fighting against the urge to start hyperventilating, I tried to reason with myself, He hasn't noticed that it's me yet. I mean, you know senpai … sometimes I think an explosion could happen right beside him and he wouldn't even blink. When he doesn't want to, he can block out the whole world with no effort at all. So you're safe; you're safe as long as you don't make a fuss. Just don't draw attention to yourself, take their order if they even want something else, and get someone who doesn't look busy to deliver whatever it is for you.

I smiled somewhat painfully and directed my gaze at the person senpai was sitting across from. He looked like he was in his mid-twenties, with pale blonde hair hanging around his shoulders and slate grey eyes flickering across to me. He was about to say something, and I thought I was safe, but then I sensed movement behind me and a minute shudder of foreboding ran through my whole body.

'Wha- You?!' his usually perfectly level tone was coloured with incredulity and I just could imagine his expression.

Oh, bloody hell – Hitsugaya Tōshirō had just seen me in a maid uniform.

The man I was still looking at sent him a quizzical look before returning his gaze to me, 'Oh what's this? You know her? My, my Tōshirō-chan, is this your secret fetish or something~,'

Both senpai and I glared ferociously at the smiling man, eyes gleaming with murderous intent, and my fists curled unconsciously. Knowing we were still in a public place – my work place no less – I refrained from punching him full in the face and grimaced instead, trying to restrain the violent urges which had flared along with my indignation.

'You're quite mistaken,' I spat out each word from between clenched teeth, shaking slightly from the effort of restraining myself, 'For your information, I'm his h-,' at Hitsugaya's fearsome glare which was suddenly directed at me and said clearly that if I dared say 'housekeeper' then he'd find a way to kill me slowly and painfully, I quickly amended what I'd been about to say, 'Friend from school,'

Hoping the still smiling man didn't notice that I'd spoken a tad too quickly at the end there, I worked on relaxing all of my tense muscles. Hitsugaya seemed to be doing the same, and his expression had smoothed over once again, only a faint hint of his former irritation remaining in the form of a scowl.

'Takahashi, this is-,' he sent the man another disapproving look, seeming to hesitate before finishing his sentence, 'Kichida Isao. He's my half-cousin,'

I blinked in surprise, momentarily forgetting my ire. I wouldn't have picked this man to be a relative of Hitsugaya's. They might both have light hair (assuming no bleach was involved and it was natural), but their personalities seemed so different. I'd hardly even met this Kichida Isao, but already I got the feeling that he was definitely a carefree soul. Somehow, philanderer also seemed to fit.

'Nice to meet you … Takahashi,' Kichida was still smiling as cheerily as ever, 'Oh, about your question earlier, we've been here for a while – I was about to leave actually, so I won't be needing anything more. That slice was nice though,' he gestured at the empty plate before him offhandedly, and on reflex I picked it up, which ended up making him laugh, 'As usual, this place has good food and good service, I see,'

My eye twitched, but I firmly kept my photograph-smile in place; I was not about to ruin the café's reputation over my own personal feelings, 'I'm pleased to hear that,' my tone was sweet.

'I'm sure you are ~,'

Argh! How much more irritating could this guy get? I was just happy to know that he'd been about to leave; hopefully he was still going to and as quickly as possible. As for Hitsugaya, I'd deal with that situation later. Unfortunately for my pride, though, I didn't have a memory eraser on hand.

'Well, Tōshirō-chan, I do have to get going, believe it or not,' Kichida Isao stood and brushed himself down absently, tone faintly regretful, 'It's been good seeing you again. I've had an interesting time, to say the least. Stay out of trouble, alright. You too, Takahashi,' he waved at us, 'Bye for now ~,'

Again out of customer-courtesy, I bowed to him as he walked away. Then, I suddenly wished that he'd get back her right this instant because now I was alone with Hitugaya.

'Why are you wearing that?' he sounded honestly perplexed.

The fact that I'd been dreading this conversation wasn't something I was about to let him know if I could help it. Turning to face him, and hoping none of the other staff would think I was purposefully slacking, I scowled, my tone dangerously close to being scathing, 'If you look around a bit, I think you'll find that this is the uniform,'

Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me, but I was sure he looked a little flustered all of a sudden. Since that uncharacteristic behaviour made me feel both triumphant and awkward, I continued briskly, 'This, er, isn't exactly what I'd call my style … no matter how I look at it,'

'… Right,'

Really, why did this have to happen? Things couldn't have gotten any more uncomfortable.

I was saved from having to say more on that topic when he spoke again, 'When does your shift end?'

'Sometime before six,' another thing I didn't really get about this café was its late closing time. Still, there were customers right up until then, so I guess it didn't really bother the owners to leave it open longer. For me, it worked well also, because I could go back to the house after school before having to leave for Himawari Café. And then, I'd still get a decent paid working time, serving and then cleaning once the customers had left.

'Finish now,'

I stared at him, unable to comprehend what he'd just said, my victorious feeling flying out the window, 'W-what?'

Cold teal eyes gazed at me impatiently and I realised he was completely serious, 'Get your things while I call Kenichirō. I'll get him to put in a word of explanation for your absence,'

Okay, so I'd thought this senpai of mine was a bit cold on the outside but had to be a decent person underneath the icy exterior since he'd given me the jobs and a room so easily like that. But now, I was completely convinced that he was nothing but an A-class jerk!

'Y-you,' I was speechless. Then I thought about what being fired from his service would mean, as opposed to being told by the manager here that I shouldn't come back. Defeated, I gathered the remaining glasses and plates, and set off to the kitchen.

'What did you think of my cousin?' Tōshirō didn't turn his head when he asked the question, simply continuing to gaze across at the car park, waiting for Kenichirō's appearance, 'Your first impression?'

Shion paused, distracted from her dark thoughts, and ran over the brief meeting again in her head. When she replied, her tone was deadpan, 'I think he's an unbelievably irksome, irresponsible flirt,'

She nearly jumped out of her skin when Tōshirō began laughing, his shoulders shaking.

'You realised all of that just from meeting him once?'

Feeling self-conscious, Shion tried not to stare as her white haired senpai continued to laugh, practically choking because he couldn't breathe. However illogical it sounded, she suddenly felt as if she knew him a tiny bit better.

And, whether he was an A-class jerk or not, she found that it was a very warming feeling.

So, a few new characters were introduced in this chapter, but for some reason I have the feeling that most of them won't make a proper reappearance. It's a shame really ... anyway, thanks for reading.