Author's note: Ugh, this chapter took all of my sunday time! ToT But whatever, it worths it! I guess... The ending is a bit sucks though, if I must tell you... Anyway, please enjoy and tell me what you think! And so sorry for the super late update! I'm not the kind of a fast writer... T^T And thanks to everyone who has put this story into their favorites, alerts, and even putting me into alerts and favorites, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I just couldn't thank you enough for that! Now, enough with the ranting. Please enjoy! XD

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, it's not mine. I know already. Duuh...


Chapter 4: An Unwanted Encounter

Just right after the door was closed, Rein grabbed my shoulders. "You are not going to accept his offer, right?" Rein asked insistently.

I avoided his eyes. "I don't know yet. Maybe…"

"Are you out of your mind? And after I warned you about them! Why would you even considering this anyway?"

"But he has what we need," I defended myself. "This kind of opportunity might not come for the second time! If only I agreed on becoming his wife then all of our problems will be gone."

"Then what if he falls in love with someone and forsakes you? You won't get his wealth anymore and we are as doomed as ever! Especially you!" said Rein.

I bit my lip. "Then I will make him love me?"

Rein turned agape. He was so shocked that even his face had turned white. I grinned guiltily at him. He stuttered for a second before his head turned to Ayako-san so fast that I was afraid he'd sprained his neck. "Ayako-san! I can't speak senses into her! Help me!"

Ayako-san sighed tiredly and massaged her nose crook. "Mai, you don't have to do anything for this orphanage. We don't want you to sacrifice yourself to help us. We might need money, but we need you more."

My heart ached from guilt. Ayako-san's words were so touching that I felt guilty for even had considered accepting that offer. I could feel Rein's grip loosened and he stroked my arms lightly. "Ayako-san is right. We could always get money somehow but you can't be replaced even by the fairest gold in the world."

I could feel the guilt inside of me turning my stomach upside-down. My eyes started to fill up with tears. To hear Rein said something like that had already made me lose every intention to oppose him. I tried to say something but my voice was hoarse so I just nodded slightly. Rein smiled at me and gave me a last assurance grip before letting me go. I peeked at Ayako-san and she was also smiling at me. But I still could see her anxiety in her eyes and I felt even guiltier as I knew myself that I couldn't give her any relieve for I was still couldn't bulge that offer out of my head, and by the way Ayako-san was looking at me now, I knew that she'd already realized that.

She reached out her hand and wiped off my unshed tears. She sighed. "I need to talk to you, Mai. And privately," she added as she looked at the nearly protested Rein. "Please check on the others for me, Rein."

Rein opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but then he just sighed and said, "Fine. See you later then."

After Rein left the room and the door had closed again, Ayako-san turned to me and looked at me in the eyes. "Look here, Mai. If I have to say honestly, I don't want you to get involve with them at all. Even if I know that this may seems like a good chance for you; whether it is for the sake of marriage or for the orphanage. But I just… It's too dangerous—too risky for you. I…," Ayako-san paused and looked away as if she was debating herself. But then she sighed and looked at me again. "All I want you to know is that I don't want you to accept this offer just because of the money or the orphanage. If you by per chance want to go for other reasons—your own happiness for example—then I might not have the power to prevent you. But if it is because of the money, because you want to help the orphanage, then don't. Trust me; you will gain nothing from them. We'd be better off by ourselves than to get involved with them. Do you understand?"

I didn't really understand what she was referring to. This might be sounded like a foolish prejudice but there was no way I would choose to be with someone like him for the sake of my happiness. I was way much happier to be in the orphanage rather than being with him. But then, Ayako-san was saying that there was still a chance for me to get her approval over this matter so I just nodded. Ayako-san nodded back but her anxiety was still there. She looked at me as if there was something left untold, but before I could think of any possibility, she patted my arms and smiled.

"Let's go back to where everyone is. We haven't had any of our meals, have we?" she said as she rose up and walked to the door.

"Ah, yes," I answered before following her.

Just when we reached the door, it was opened by Bou-san. He was a bit startled when he saw us. "Ah, are you going back to the dining room?"

"Yes," said Ayako-san. "They've gone back?"

"Yeah, thankfully," Bou-san grinned widely. But it's gone again as he looked at me. "So? How are you feeling?"

"Bad," I said while grinning tiredly.

Bou-san smiled. "Well, that means it's time to get some good food. Let's go!"

I chuckled at his enthusiasm and followed him through the door. But before we could go any further, Ayako-san called him out again. "Takigawa-san, I have something to talk to you about. Please come to my working room after the children go to their bed tonight."

Bou-san looked at her a bit confused but then he grinned like a cheshire cat. "Ah, yes, of course," he purred contentedly. "You are always that kind of a shy person. Why, sure, I will come to keep you company all night. You don't even have to ask."

I choked by laughter. Ayako-san looked a little confuse first but immediately all of her face turned as red as tomato. "I didn't mean that, you improper scholar!" she shrieked. "I would never ask that of you!" Bou-san and I just ignored her and laughed so hard until Ayako-san stopped us with her best hand chop. "Shut it, you two! I'm serious here!"

Bou-san, while rubbing his hurting head, chuckled. "Alright, alright. I got it. No need to fuss."

I cringed. "Yeah, that hurts Ayako-san. You can kill someone with that chop."

"Well, that deserves you right," stated her matter-of-factly.

"Be glad you have me, Ayako, or you might not be married till death," Bou-san said again, awarding him a new chop on the head.

"Just come," Ayako-san said sternly. Then she walked away while muttering curses like 'shrimp brain', 'pervert idiot', 'flirting maniac' and so on until she's gone behind the main door.

I looked up to Bou-san and grinned. "Good luck for that," I said as I patted his shoulder.

He messed up my hair and said, "You too, young lady." I smiled at him and we walked back together while joking around about each other's circumstances.


I sighed as I turned around in my bed. It's just been half an hour since bedtime but most of the girls in my room had already asleep while I couldn't sleep at all. I still couldn't stop thinking about what had happened today and what I should do about it. I knew I shouldn't accept it for the sake of the money, but at the same time I couldn't help thinking about things that I could do if I did accept it. There might be no better chance to help the orphanage than this. I knew that, even though Ayako-san and Bou-san tried to hide it, our condition might have nearly reached its end. We had too much daily costs, things to be repaired, and not to mention our earlier debts; this couldn't go on any longer. But even if I accepted the offer, Ayako-san wouldn't want to accept any help that I'd offer her, my mind said. And if she did so, then there would be no meaning of me doing this.

But she did say that if it's for my happiness, then she couldn't go against it, again said my thought contradicted itself. Which, by the way, I didn't really get what she meant by that. I wondered. Did she really think that there's something between me and Davis-sama? Suddenly I could feel my cheek became hotter when I imagined his face. I shook my head fiercely. Stupid Mai! Don't fall for his handsome face! He has the worst personality possible, for goodness sake! I scolded myself. I sighed. I had too many thoughts at the moment to go to sleep. I needed some fresh air to calm down.

I sat up and looked around. Everything was pitch black with only some moon light coming from windows on the other end of the room. Every other girl had fell asleep and there was only small sleeping sound filled up the room. Other than that, it was a nice and quiet night, just perfect for a little night walk. I smiled a little before quietly climbed down my bunk. Silently I walked across the room, opened and closed the bedroom door as quiet as possible. The corridor was pitch black as there was no candle light on. I knew the way to the kitchen from here even without light at all, and I knew that there are some matches and lanterns that I could use in there, so I took the nearest candle on the wall and made my way there.

Just as I made a turn on the end of the corridor, I saw a light came out of Ayako-san's working room and I remembered that she had asked Bou-san to come there after bedtime. I frowned. I wondered what they were discussing right now. Ayako-san usually only asked for an audience with Bou-san at night when she had a very important business to discuss. And I couldn't help but felt curious about what it was. Neglecting the little guilt inside me, I approached the room's door quietly. But before I could even reached the door, Bou-san's surprised voice emerged from the room. "WHAT? Are you serious?"

"Calm down, Takigawa-san! You're going to wake everyone up!" Ayako-san hissed in annoys. I walked closer to the door and put my ear on the thick wood. I could hear the sound of a chair being moved and Ayako-san sighing. Bou-san once again spoke but with a softer voice. "Are you one hundred percent sure of that?" he asked.

"Yes, I do," answered Ayako-san. "I too, didn't know about this at first, but around ten years ago I found out from my father as he saw how I had grown fond of her and I would eventually inherit this orphanage from him. That's why he then told me about that letter."

"But what does it mean?" Bou-san asked again. "Why did it say that Mai shouldn't go near the duke's place?" I perked up at the mention of my name.

I could hear Ayako-san sighed again. "Honestly I don't know. All that letter said was that we may not bring Mai anywhere near the duke's mansion and his people. It said that if we do that, then Mai will fall into misfortunes. But what kind of misfortune or why it will fall onto Mai was never mentioned." I frowned. What are they talking about? What letter? What misfortunes? And what does it have to do with the Duke? I thought curiously. I leaned closer to the door.

"It sounds too suspicious to me," Bou-san said doubtingly. "When and where did Matsuzaki-ji-san found this problematic letter?"

"Father said he had found it together with baby Mai when he had founded her in front of our front door, so…" Ayako-san's voice dissipated.

"It must be from her parents," finished Bou-san, understanding Ayako-san's hesitance. My heart jumped at the mention of my parents. My parents left a letter with me? I thought in shock. And moreover, it was a warning about the Duke? What on earth…? But Bou-san's words cut me from my thoughts. "What else did your father tell you?"

"Nothing more. He just told me to never tell anyone about this, and that I should protect Mai with all my might. He told me that whatever the meaning of that letter, there must be some good reason for us to do as it said." There was a few seconds pause before Ayako-san continued, "But young as I was, I couldn't just accept to that."

"What?" Bou-san's voice was alarmed. "What did you do?"

Ayako-san sighed again before explaining, guilt heard clearly in her voice. "I went to the Duke and asked about it." I gasped softly. I hadn't known that Ayako-san would be that courageous—reckless in another sense. I meant, to directly ask the Duke about letter that's accusing him to bring misfortunes, it wasn't something small to be done. I was practically sticking on the door by now.

There was a long pause before Bou-san finally reacted. "Were you out of your mind?" he asked rather rhetorically. "There are limits for being unreasonable, you know!"

"I know, I know! I just couldn't help it. I was so curious about it," Ayako-san said defending herself.

Bou-san sighed. "So? What did the duke say?"

There was another pause. "That was the weird part," she finally answered. "He was a little bit surprised at first, but then he just laughed it off as if it was a very refreshing joke. And so did the rest of the people presented at that time. But the Duchess… She looked a bit concern; and even though she smiled, it was the kind of fake smile that made you feel like something was off. By just that, I could say that there was definitely something going on." She paused again. I hold my breath in anticipation as my body leaned further into the door. I could hear a tapping sound; most likely to be Ayako-san tapping her finger on the table, considering whether to say the next line or not. I could imagine Bou-san sitting in front of her, waiting patiently for her to make up her mind. Finally she sighed. "But what made me sure of it was what had happened on the next day."

There was a sound of chair being moved and footsteps around the room. I assumed that Ayako-san was going further from the door because her voice was getting harder to be heard. "On the next day, all of father's business partners were drawing from the contract, issues about father's businesses started to arise, unclear debts were declared upon us and even our properties were starting to be convicted by the court. In other words," Ayako-san paused for second. "We were getting bankrupt." My eyes widened. I can't believe it! Is she for real? Then… then… wouldn't that mean the bankruptcy of Matsuzaki family is because of me? I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. No, no, I can't believe it! It couldn't be! My mind screamed in agony while Ayako-san had started to speak again. This time, her voice was shaking up a little. "Everything was taken away. We've tried to complain to the court because the excuses that they'd thrown on us weren't reasonable at all, but they didn't want to listen. They just simply said that they had proof for the accusations while we didn't have enough to do otherwise and they just did what the law said they should. And with that, we had lost everything within a week time. To speak non-senses like that, having no strong evidence yet still able to do such things to us, it must had been the work of more superior people."

Everything was total silent now. I was so shocked I didn't even know what to think anymore. I just stood there, gripping on myself and trying to control my racing heart. I didn't want to hear anymore but I had to. I need to know everything! With all my might, I put my ear on the door again. This time, it was Bou-san who was speaking. "So you are speaking that the Duke had…?"

"Either him or the Duchess," answered Ayako-san. "Whoever it was, it is a fact that they didn't like my story about that letter and tried to destroy my family." She exhaled heavily. "Thank goodness that we were still able to protect this orphanage from their hands. Father has figured that this place might be their number one target when they were taking our property, so father has made it looked like that this place had met its end and replaced its ownership in the documentation…"

"…into my family," continued Bou-san, understanding was hinted in his voice. "I see. Now that you've mentioned it, I remember that there was one time when Matsuzaki-ji-san came to my place and talked with my father about it. I've been wondering about this all this time, that even if this orphanage is ours by law, father has never talked about it like it was ours. He has always emphasizing to me that the owner of this place is the Matsuzaki and that I should assist your family in legal matters." My eyes widened. This orphanage is actually owned by Bou-san's family? And I thought that there'd be nothing else that could surprise me more than the story about the Duke, I thought bitterly.

"Yes. You have a very honorable man as your father," said Ayako-san with a gentle voice.

Bou-san chuckled. "Yes, just like his son."

I stifled a chuckle that's nearly came out of me. As expected of Bou-san, he just couldn't help to throw jokes even in the most serious situation. Ayako-san snorted. "As if! I still couldn't help but wonder how such a great man like Takigawa-ji-sama could have a son like you. This world just couldn't get any worse," she said with an exhausted sigh. I clasped my hand around my mouth immediately to stop my giggling. How could they always manage to joke around like this? I thought in disbelief. They sure are the best partner for each other…

"Anyway," Ayako-san said again, followed by a few footsteps sound. "That's not the main point that I want to talk about."

"Then, what is?" asked Bou-san.

"It's about that Davis junior—what was his name again?"

"Oliver. Oliver Davis," answered Bou-san. "Do you by any chance think that he knows about this?" I gasped softly. Does he? I wondered curiously.

"There are the possibilities," admitted Ayako-san. "Though I don't know for sure. I mean, he's the duke's son for God sake! Even if he was trying to find a new suitor for himself, he wouldn't just put his choice on a poor commoner like Mai without reasons at all. There must be hidden reason behind his acts. He's that kind of a person after all."

"Well, I can see your reasoning, but I don't think it will be enough to accuse him for anything," reasoned Bou-san. "If it is something that matters greatly to the Duke until he would do such a thing to your family, I don't think he would just tell anybody about it. That may also include his own son."

Ayako-san sighed. "You're right, but I still think that we should not be careless about him. I couldn't trust him." I sighed quietly. I couldn't say that I didn't agree with Ayako-san. After all, Davis-sama was the kind of a person who seemed to be able to have that kind of hidden reasons.

"I agree with you in this," agreed Bou-san. There was another momentary pause. "Then what do you plan to do with Mai and his offer to her?" I became alerted again.

Ayako-san didn't answer right away. "I… don't know… I can only trust Mai's own opinion in that."

"What do you mean by that?" Bou-san asked in confuses. "Are you planning to tell her about this?"

"Not exactly," she answered. "But I do plan to know how she is going to react to all of this. Whether she's curious enough to know or whether she is brave enough to." My heart suddenly started to race. What does she mean by that?

"What could you mean…?" Bou-san faltered. There was a tense silent. Bou-san gasped. "Don't you say…?" Before I could even react, the door was burst open, appearing a shocked Bou-san in front of me. Behind him, Ayako-san was standing against the table casually as if she was already expecting me to be there—which I suspected to be exactly what was happened.

I grinned guiltily at Bou-san. "Hi…"

Bou-san looked at me with disbelief stare. "Seriously? Mai?"

I looked down. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to. I was just about to take a night stroll in the garden when I passed the room, then well… I got curious…"

Bou-san sighed heavily then looked accusingly at Ayako-san. She glared back. "What?" she asked defensively. "I just want to know whether she's going to be curious enough or not. At least with this I can understand another aspect of her." She's now looking at me. "And I believe that I can understand most of the rest, am I right, Mai?"

I jerked up. "Ah, well… I… maybe…" I stuttered then looking down again.

"In any case," Bou-san cut in. "You shouldn't act rushed, do you understand, Mai? This is something that we need to think about slowly, so please, please, do not do something reckless that just basing on your instant emotion, alright?" I nodded slightly. Bou-san relaxed a little. "Good. We are going to talk more about this tomorrow. Now, it's already pretty late at night, I think you should go back to bed and sleep. You will really need a good night sleep, trust me."

I nodded again and turned back to the corridor just right when Ayako-san called me again. "Mai!" I turned to her. She was looking at me with an unreadable expression. "I believe that you know what's best for you. And I want you to know that we are always be there for you, so…," she smiled. "Do not worry."

I stared at her for a moment, disbelieving at how she could always read right through me and became the greatest sister that I could ever wished to have. I smiled back at her. "Good night, Ayako-san."

Her smile became gentler. "Good night."

Bou-san looked at us and shook his head. "Girls," he mumbled softly. Ayako-san and I chuckled at that comment before we gave our last departing glance and Bou-san escorted me back to my bedroom. When I finally got into my bed again, I sighed heavily. I did really need a good night sleep but I didn't think I would be able to have one tonight as my thoughts had become a lot more complicated than before. I sighed again and closed my eyes. Better try than give up, I said to myself before emptying my mind to drift myself into sleep.


I opened my eyes at the sound of birds chirping but then I was spacing out tiredly. I guessed stress and good night sleep really didn't get along well. I had pretty much been able to sleep, but at the same time I still felt like my brain didn't get to sleep at all and I felt so tired. I sighed. Better to do something than just spacing out on the bed. I yawned and stretched out my stiff body. While still rubbing my sleepy eyes, I climbed down my bunk and reached out for my robe as the morning air was usually pretty cold at this time of hour. As I'd done at night, I walked quietly across the room and went out to the corridor. I peeked around the corner to see whether Ayako-san or Bou-san had already woken up or not but there was no light at all and everything was quite. I sighed in relieved. I didn't think I would be ready enough to talk about the conversation that I've overheard last night. I walked smoothly toward the kitchen, took out a stick broom and walked my way to the front yard. Actually it was not my turn today—to sweep the yard—but I needed something to accompany me while I was thinking.

I went to the front gate to start sweeping, but then I noticed that there were some mails in the mailbox so I went out to it. I opened the rusty steel shut rather difficultly and started to sort out the mails. It was when a tall robed guy came approaching me. I jumped back a little because of the surprise but the tall man bowed politely to me. "I'm so sorry for surprising you, young lady," he said. His voice was a bit husky and somehow sounded cold. "And for bothering you this early in the morning, but I needed a little of your assistance."

"A-and what would it be?" I asked him a bit confused.

"Do you by per chance can call out a young lady called Mai-san for me? There's something I need to talk to her," he said again with his weird voice.

I stared at him judgingly. "Then this may be your lucky day as the lady you are looking for is me myself. What could this business be that you want to talk to me?"

He stared at me for a second with his small black eyes before bowing again. "Then please excuse me," he said. Before I could even react, he hit me hard on the side neck. I was so surprised I could only choke out a groan of pain before the darkness totally consumed me in.


Told you the ending sucks. I hate that too. But other than that, I pretty much like this chapter. Especially the fact that it reached the number of 4000, yeeey! Hahahaha... Ok, so please tell me what you think about it. I'll be really glad for every reviews that I get, even if it's full with criticisms. Then, until next chapter! (which I pray with all of my heart that I can finish by next week coz' I'll be starting winter holiday by wednesday. Yey, holiday! XD)