Her name is Kiyomi.
Ikeda Kiyomi.
Long black hair, always tied in a neat low ponytail.
Red eyes that looks unusual for Japanese.
She told one classmates who asked her before that her red eyes is natural.
Usually reading a book with reading glasses, she always order plain udon with some vegetables she wanted that day or bread with red bean paste as filling.
"Let's go home together!" the kids running back home with their friends.
But she didn't.
Kiyomi never speak to other kids.
She always sit alone and daydreaming.
She always refuses the offer of her classmates to walk home together.
The kids talked behind her back.
"She is cold!"
"She is putting those airs like ice queen!"
"You know? Satoshi-kun likes her but she turned him down!"
"She also rejected Yuuya-kun!"
"How about we teach her a lesson?"
Kiyomi just walked into toilet when water is being poured down to her from one of the stall.
She changed her PE uniform when she noticed that someone put a pin on her shirt.
Kiyomi didn't object when she need to do her group work alone.
She read the letter that told her to meet at backyard.
Kiyomi didn't fight back when her long hair was cut.
She just cried because Yasusada lied about his promise.
When she walked back to her house, Yasusada welcomed her back at genkan. His blue eyes widened when he sees her long hair now gone and replacing it, awfully short hair that cut in a messy way. She looks at him with her red eyes—red and puffy from crying. His hands quickly fisted. Yasusada is ready to fill those complain papers and the one to withdraw her from school.
Otegine quickly entered the scene before this couple start to argue again. Otegine afraid that Yasusada's anger will pour to the poor girl and hurting her more than this.
"You lied." she said with shaky voice.
"About?" his voice filled with authorities.
He wanted to scream and rip out anyone who hurt her.
"You said you will protect me." she weakly answered, fiddling with her uniform's hem.
"I will." he replied.
"Tomorrow." he said, "I will fill that complain paper and withdraw you from school."
She stared at him for a moment.
"But…I want to…study…the teachers are nice…I want to know how to do plus and minus…" she nervously twirling her uniform.
Yasusada crouched down to her eye level. Gently, he caressed her cheeks.
"Go to school tomorrow. I will take care of those meanies." Yasusada said.
Kiyo nodded obediently.
"I will call Jirou to take care of your hair. They really tried to mess you up, huh?" Yasusada gently caressed her head, showering her with affection.
She unconsciously relaxed as he stroked her head. Only at some occasion that he will never hit her or punish her so she always loves it when he showers her with affection. Children are fast learner. Kiyomi know that Yasusada love it when she is also affectionate and love him back by giving back any sign of positive gesture. So Kiyomi spread her arms open towards Yasusada.
"Hug me." she said with her childish, round face.
Without word, Yasusada stand up and hugged her before asking servant to get towel for Kiyomi. Otegine sighed; relaxed that he knows Kiyomi will be a good girl for now. He left with some mere excuse.
Kiyomi is sitting still as Jirou tidying her short hair. He cut it with razor carefully. The sounds of razor cutting can be heard.
"…I won't ask of what happened. But this is plainly awful!" Jirou commented.
"I know." Yasusada said as he eyed Jirou and Kiyomi.
"I hate those girls." Kiyomi said quietly.
"I wish they also feel what I felt."
Jirou finished his work. He managed to redo her bangs and give a clean cut that shape her face. Yasusada nodded.
"She looks better." Yasusada quietly commented.
"Am I?" Kiyomi asked.
Yasusada handed a hand mirror to her.
"You look pretty!" he complimented.
She blushed. Yasusada smiled gently.
"My prettiest," he quickly added.
"Now, now, Kiyomi, do you want to show me around here? It's been a while since last time I was here!" Jirou requested.
Kiyomi nodded and quickly lead Jirou out of the room without waiting for Yasusada's permission. Yasusada smiled and waved. He has something to do, after all.
That evening, Kiyomi is sitting at the corner of Yasusada's room. His attention now back to the book he read. She usually stays still like a doll without care of what he read. But she hates his silence most—because it almost like he dislike her. She also knows that he like it when she shows her interest to what he likes.
"What are you reading?" she crawled towards his lap.
Yasusada gently put down his book and let her sit comfortably on his lap before set the book in her line of vision.
"Poe's collection."
"What it is about?"
"Hmm, it is too hard for you to understand. Most of the stories are short story and mostly about dead woman."
"Did you miss your dead beloved?" Kiyomi asked.
"…Yes. But he is here, you are here." Yasusada replied.
"I am not him." she mumbled.
"You are not him. You are Kiyomi, my current precious one." Yasusada nodded.
"Will you read it out loud for me?"
"It's in English." Yasusada commented before he starts to read it out loud for her.
In the end, she fall asleep and he stopped reading before moving her to futon.
Kiyomi stared at the wooden ceiling. Morning is here and she is pretty sure that Yasusada will barge into her room to wake her up. The door opened and she is quite surprised to see that it is not Yasusada who greet her morning with a cheery voice. Instead, she is greeted by Kanesada.
"Good morning, Kiyomi." Kanesada greeted with her charismatic smile.
"Izumi-nee…?" Kiyomi asked with a hint of confusion in her tone.
"…Yasusada got some business to take care of. He will welcome you in the afternoon." Izumi explained.
"Oh."
It's not a new story. Yasusada sometimes got things to take care and left the morning greeting in a handwritten letter or someone to replace him.
"…um. Good morning, Izumi-nee." Kiyomi greeted.
"Since I need to drive Hori to school, I offered to drive you as well. Yasusada gave his permission so don't worry." Izumi gently ruffled her head.
Kiyomi nodded. She moved out of the futon as Izumi stand up and tell her that she is waiting in living room. She begins to fold the futon, tucked it to one corner and left the room for morning routine.
Hori is one year younger than her. Unlike her, Hori know his past life, his history and his feelings for Izumi. Kiyomi sighed. What she wanted is just a normal life. But she can't have it. As soon she reaches the door to classroom, the girls who bullied her yesterday come back. They pretend to ignore her but they made her trip and laughed.
"How clumsy!" they giggled.
Without words, Kiyomi stand up and continue to make her way to her seat.
As the girls want to ridicule her, the bell ring and the teacher come right after. They have no chance to make her suffer.
Kiyomi absentmindedly stared at outside. The weather is nice, cloudy with sun and clear blue sky that lifted her spirit.
Kiyomi only wanted one thing.
But she knows it's impossible.
Lunch break is not a go home bell.
Kiyomi hated lunch break. It just reminds her of how she stuck with her bullies. Stuck with Yasusada is much nicer if she play along with what he want but those bullies, she doesn't know what to do. She chooses to eat in infirmary. At least, Aoe-san is there and he understand of why she always alone.
"Kiyomi, how is Sone-san?" Aoe-san asked.
"He is busy." Kiyomi answered between bites.
"I see. How are Yasusada and Izumi?"
"Yasusada is busy. Izumi drove me and Hori in the morning."
"I see. Izumi's day off is today."
"Um." Kiyomi nodded.
Aoe clan is one of five special clans. Sanjo is one thing and another is Miike. Two more still unknown for Kiyomi as she still deemed as 'no need to know adult's businesses' by Yasusada. Sanjo is the closest to Kiyomi's family second after Ikeda clan. Ultimately, their ancestor is one clan that got separated into many smaller clans.
The current largest one is Awataguchi but the highest five is strongest clan. That being said, the legend said that their ancestor is a god who cursed with immortality, they stay in human world for long time in order to wait for their comrades who died. Their comrades, their soul was bound to born in their family. That being said, that's what Yasusada said and claimed that Kiyomi's soul is his chosen one.
"Are you okay, Juzumaru-san?" Kiyomi asked.
"Yes, yes. I am okay." He opts to choose silence before he finally opened his mouth again.
"Do you think Ishikirimaru from Sanjo is a good man?"
"He is. Why do you ask?"
"I…I don't want to let Nikka to live with him. I know Ishikirimaru is currently living with Shin as Sanjo's eyes towards Yasusada but…one day he will back to Sanjo main house and I need to let go of Nikka…"
"Nikka?"
"…My niece. She is younger than you."
"That's nice. You love her." unlike my parents left unsaid.
"No, I just feel lonely without her." Juzumaru said.
Their talk ended as the bell ring.
When Kiyomi walked home, she opened the door and in the genkan, Yasusada is waiting for her with smile.
"Welcome back, Kiyomi!" he said with his sugary sweet smile.
Kiyomi smiled bashfully. It is nice to see Yasusada without fire of anger in his eyes. He took her by arms and carries her towards his room. She leaned towards his warmth. The door to his room opened and he gently set her down.
"Today I took care of them."
"Who?" she asked.
"Those evil witches." he smirked.
She blinked. He looks like a boy who just successfully pulled a prank on someone and tells his partner about it.
"Evil witches?"
"Nothing for you to worry about." he said with happy smile.
"…give me a kiss," he said.
She blinked but nodded and closed her eyes, giving him a peck on his cheek.
"…Thank you, Kiyomi." Yasusada's smile becomes brighter.
The next day, Kiyomi saw those girls' hair now cut short. Those girls who dare to cut her hair now got short hair. Kiyomi only stare at them wordlessly but her feelings told her that something happened. Whispers and murmurs of she is cursed or something being spread. Those girls also become more and more aggressive.
But Kiyomi doesn't care. What is important is that every time she come back home with new scars, Yasusada will treat her with so much care like she is a treasure. Kiyomi know that she hate being hurt but if Yasusada will treat her nicer and like a precious jewel, she will endure it.
"Are you okay, Kiyomi?" Yasusada asked one day.
It was summer holiday, golden week in which Kiyomi spend all her day being pampered in Yasusada's room. She explored every nook and corner and asked him to read her a book. After that, both of them are relaxing in the bath, escaping the heat of summer sun.
"Yasu, can I have a kiss?" she asked.
"What kiss? Here?" he pecked her lips.
"On cheek! Jeez…" she pouted but she like it.
"Hum…I will give you one of those adult kiss when you older. Not now." Yasusada murmured in small voice.
"Really? Will you treat me like this in future?" she asked.
"Of course. You are my future wife, remember?" he asked back.
She nodded.
To be honest, she is not even sure how to be a wife. If he means become like her mother, she shuddered. It was cold all of sudden.
"Your hair already grow quicker than I expected." he commented.
"Do you want it long?" she asked.
"I prefer you having long hair but I like it when your bangs short. It's kind of like…mullet style? But no matter what kind of hairstyle you have, I will like it."
"It sounds like a lie." Kiyomi commented quietly.
Yasusada didn't reply to her comment. No reaction is worse for her. But sometimes that means he is deep in thoughts.
"Let's go out from bath before our skin wrinkled."